Time for a New Gun (TS) - Best Tracking?
Time to buy a new gun and just starting to do some research.
Opinions on who provides the best tracking? Acceptable tracking?
I think it all depends on the conditions you're using it in. I'm using a Trimble s5 and I honestly hate it, because I work solo and the search sucks unless I'm using integrated with an r10 on top of the prism then it finds the prism immediately.
My favorite robot so far was the Leica TCRP1203+ from 2010. Powersearch was amazing, I didn't realize how good it was until I got the Trimble. Also the prediction was really good when you tweaked the settings for 5 seconds of prediction. I would walk past trailers, trucks, piles of dirt and it would find me on the other side and regain lock where the Trimble I'd be fidgeting with the glitchy joystick to get it pointed directly at me and then hit search and still wait another 5-10 seconds for lock. Sometimes it gets it quickly but not often.
Also if you need it to measure fast, (not just storing in tracking) the Leica takes about 2 seconds, then Trimble sx12 takes 3 and the s5 and s7 take 8 seconds in semi active mode with the mt1000.
In my short 12 years working in this field I've used the sokkia SRX, sokkia ix, Topcon gt, Leica 1203+, Leica ts16 (for a 20 minute demo), 2 different Trimble s5 an s7 and the sx12. Software was fieldgenius on the srx, Leica, magnet field on the sokkia and Topcon, and obviously access on the Trimbles. I also tried a Carlson surv PC demo on the Leica for a day.
Yep 350RocketMike, the Leica TCRP series refused to let go. No school bus was long enough and no hole in a large bush was too small. I have revised my proceedure with the Leica TS series by either "throwing" the glass ahead and go find where it stopped or clovering the glass with my hand to stop it where "I" wanting it to stop. I still very much like the TS series.
You can't beat the Trimble with the active tracking for that. And used in conjunction with the aiming red/green lights the target searching is OK. You get the active track prism anywhere in the field of view and the gun snaps right to it. That said, the Trimble will track a passive target also, but not all that well. The active tracking makes all the difference.
The Topcon PS I am currently saddled with is very frustrating. Not a good tracker at all.
I have no recent experience with the Leica, but I do have a meet with the salesman scheduled for this afternoon.
I love the green/red lights on the S series Trimble guns with the active track.
@350rocketmike I have read another post complaining about Trimble S5 speed.
Really I don't understand why you need so much time to take a measure.
I own an S6 and a VX robot. Also, I used to work for a while in 2019 in another office with a geomax zoom 90 and a Trimble S5. I also use Trimble MT1000 usually in active mode and a VX&S Series 360 Prism in passive mode. To tell you the truth never use semi-active.
For me, Trimble search was faster than geomax which I think is the same as Leica 1200 series. The search speed of the instrument is better compared with geomax.
The only thing I liked more in geomax was the dr measurements. Trimble many times loses the corners. I think geomax has a tighter dr measurement.
The only way Trimble does not measure fast is if the pole trembles. If that happens the closer you are to the instruments more the time you need to measure. And that's because the measurements are not close to each other. Then tracking mode is preferable. And for my test for surveys shot is more than precise.
Update.
I just tried semi-active mode. You are right. It needs 7.8 sec. Why do you prefer this mode?
What I doesn't like at all in geomax was the noise and the turning speed.
I don't know how the new Leica works and if they change the servo motors.
For sure I would take a live demo and try myself all available instruments if I would buy new equipment.
And me?
I am not fan of the red/green tracklight.
I'll take the video feed option instead.
But this one really does seem to be a personal thing - usually goes 50:50 around here.
Anyone with personal experience on Geomax Zoom 90 or Sokkia iX tracking?
Anyone with personal experience on Geomax Zoom 90
I think the Zoom90 is a Leica 1200 in yellow clothing, so tracking should be the same. I know that my Zoom80 is a clone of the Leica 1100 that I formerly used, and functionally I can't tell the difference.
