Trimble S5 "Multiple Reflective Objects Detected"

It's possible your active track - IR pulse from the active prism - is catching the glabrous edge of a nearby Yaupon leaf or reflective moisture of a leaf.?ÿ I have seen an S series robot lock on the sun glint of a shiny leaf before (passive mode)

Does the instrument do this when observing reflectorless to other objects? Or to a passive prism?

My first inclination would be to check the AT360, especially if it is throwing the error in open conditions. Compare against another instrument if possible, or have the dealer check it out.

?ÿ

Edit to add: the AT360 was designed and intended to be used as an active prism because it does use the reflective foil rather than a prism. Turning off active tracking greatly increases the odds that the error will be returned.

Mine does that, it likes my reflective vest.?ÿ Usually it's because it's not locked on the actual target or it is and you are standing behind it.?ÿ Try to put the target above your head if you can.

Sometimes setting monuments rod has to take his vest off to get it to settle down and shut up.

"But my Trimble Dealer said that can't happen with active targets...". :silly: ?ÿ

Actually, they will tell you right up front about the issues with the Active Track 360 Prisms.............. unless it's a salesman. Then all bets are off, just like the other the other companies.?ÿ

We use both both the MT1000 and the Active Track 360 Prism. The AT360 can be very persnickety at times. A few of yhe things we have learned,

1. Get rid of the vest, nothing but problems with the reflective material.?ÿ

2. Raise or lower the AT360 to keep your glasses/sunglasses out of the line of fire.?ÿ Or ditch them if possible. That's been the biggest help to the issues we have had. If you can't or don't want to rid of the glasses/sunglasses/vest, turn so your shoulder is towards the instrument.?ÿ It greatly helps to alleviate the issues you stated.?ÿ

Is the issue being discussed here, tracking from multiple reflective sources, or distances from multiple reflective sources?

Sure you've applied available firmware updates for the S5 and the ATS360? There was one for the target and one (not sure for target or instrument) to specifically dial back the tolerance for what would return a distance result because initially users were getting distance returns from objects and vegetation instead of the target.

Sounds to me like you're working in passive mode

Is the active target hardware failing - and it is automatically dropping back to passive?

Can you borrow another AT360 to play with?

@jimcox

IIRC the S5 does not come standard with active tracking...maybe the instrument does not have that functionality and that's why all the errors?

@rover83 The ATS360 cannot be used in, and does not have, a passive mode. The reflective tape isn't reflective enough to provide the signal return passively beyond 30 feet or so from the instrument. So the ATS360 target option in TA actually has the instrument in reflectorless mode with a tolerance setting for what represents a target return. Again, have the current firmware for the ATS360 and S5 installed.

Posted by: @robertusa

@rover83 The ATS360 cannot be used in, and does not have, a passive mode.

From the trimble website

"Manual mode can be used if the battery in the AT360 needs charging and you do not have a replacement battery available"

< https://help.trimblegeospatial.com/TrimbleAccess/latest/en/Target_tracking.htm>

HI Did you ever get this issue resolved??ÿ I am having the same issue on one of my S7's and an ATR.?ÿ The other S7 works fine with ATR, so I'm thinking its an internal problem with the EDM.

?ÿ

Gary

I recently tried to buy an AT360 prism from my local dealer but was told that they were seeing this pop up from time to time, so were only going to sell MT1000's until Trimble resolved this issue. I would think it's definitely something to do with the fact that it measures in reflectorless mode, it's either picking up on multiple signals from an obstruction on the line of sight, or maybe if the distance is too far maybe the spread of the beam has it picking up on multiple surfaces.

@zammo Thanks.?ÿ It's happening in controlled environment, only on a particular instrument.?ÿ So it must be an EDM / DR failure on the instrument.?ÿ Sent it in for service, clean and cal with new firmware...did not resolve issue.

@isurvey2?ÿ

Yep, as much as I like Team Yellow, they have yet to match Team Green on EDM beam spread and reflectorless measurements. Although the gap is narrowing...

And I am not a fan of the AT360. The MT1000 (plus traverse kit for control work) will do for 95% of survey work. Anything tighter and we're going to a peanut prism/stakeout/low-rod setup...

@jpb I'm glad my Geomax Zoom 90 doesn't have any of these problems. I have my glasses and my vest on all the time. I keep the pole in the shortest position and that makes my glasses pretty much at the same?ÿ level with the prisms. I've never seen the Zoom 90 locking on my glasses that were right behind the Leica 360 prism. I originally?ÿ had my doubts about the instrument's ability to distinguish between the 2 reflective surfaces, so I?ÿ took a shot with me behind the prism and one with me on the side and I?ÿ got the same results.

@jpb?ÿ We have 2 ATR's and they both work fine on one S7 (2018), but not on the S7 that is most recent firmware and calibration.?ÿ We like the ATR's because working under 400' they provide better accuracy and more consistent results than MT1000, which we used for years.

@robertusa ..not sure the ATR firmware status (didn't know that was a thing), but same unit works fine on a different S7..