Found a nice mount for smartphone as data collector
@robertusa while I agree with your opinion from a face value, I'm also very interested in the new wave of Android-based data collection. I need to check out the other thread a bit more, I suspect my crew chief may be interested in this too. DCs are already trending toward the tablet format anyway, no sense holding on to old hardware if improvements can be made on a different platform.
That being said, I like buttons. If I had my way I would still be using a TSC2. None of this matters anyway as I just sit behind a computer though ????
@robertusa The Field Genius software isn't that great. But there are advantages too, like using Google Earth as a background image. Sending files via email, etc... (I'm coming from a Trimble Nomad running Windows CE and Carlson SurvCE). I basically bought it as a back up in case I ever was an hour away from my office and had an issue with a 15 year old data collector, which happens on occasion. I think I paid maybe $700 for the software and it's paid for itself already. My phone is probably 10X brighter than the Nomad, actually, probably 100X brighter. I don't even bother turning the brightness up. It does chug through the battery, but I get a full day with the phone case. Plus I've never been on a site more than 3 or 4 hours. I just don't do that kind of surveying. GNSS cuts field time down. Like I mentioned in another post, I can locate a foundation in less than 5 minutes.
But to each his own.
@robertusa What's a total station?
Wrong if you are using Android software connecting to robot via Bluetooth. I.e. nearly any Andriod smart phone running XPAD driving a geomax robot with Bluetooth radio handle.
Trimble robots use some other radio system (someone else can chime in on exact details) so yes they do need a radio module (Trimble Data Link (TDL) 2.4 External Radio at 2k a piece!). And no idea about Topcon/sokkia ones but they seem a distant third to the Lecia/Trimble kit.
I like buttons
Me too.
Plus I've never been on a site more than 3 or 4 hours. I just don't do that kind of surveying.
Nice.
My 7" tablet grew legs and walked so I'm going to have a crack with a larger mid range phone with tough case. I looked at the RAM x-grip also but didn't look the best design and was going to settle for the standard tackform bolt to bar clamp when I came across a new option on their site for bar clamp and an updated cradle to deal with wider phones. Their support team said the 20maxx would be better than 20lite for survey pole.
Enduro Series™ Phone Cradles
Bar Clamp | Adjustable 3/4" - 1-1/2" | 20mm Coupler | 20 Series™
Currently only available separately but not really any cheaper as a kit anyway.
Just in case anyone interested a follow up on bracket and phone as data collector. Bracket works great and having a phone rather than a full tablet makes for a nice light pole. With phone the key has been turning the auto screen brightness off as full brightness burns the battery too quickly but with a reasonable level set it lasts 12 hours+ on a full charge. Plus the Bluetooth range to Zoom90 robot is over 350m, far better than the Panasonic tablet it replaced.
