Kinda facinating! I did NOT get a book for Locus Processor, when I got my first set of 3! No wonder I had so many questions!

I been workin' with out the software manual!

BTW, what kind of accuracy can I expect from the kinematic method? I do have some surveys that can utilize this feature. And HOW far from the base can I go?

And, one more, NOTHING is mentioned about "Localizing" when using the kinematic. That is what I saw a user of Ashtech Z surveyor do. He made a big triangle around his project, and did a static survey of it, then re-occupied it, with RTK turned on.


Thanks all,

Nate

Modified By Nate Dearyan on 1/8/2004 at 1:58 PM

Nate, When I'm in your area, I'll stop by and read it to you, but you should be happy coloring in the pictures for now.

More seriously, what other book might you need? I have acquired a few odd Ashtech/Sokkia GPS books recently.

Plus, I have downloaded a few others from the Ashtech site. You best get your butt over to that site. Not knowing what you don't know is the worst form of ignorance.

To localize for your area, I think you have to knock out 2 front teeth? The Z surveyor was going around, because he probably only had one Z to work with. He was gathering coordinates.

With multiple L1 units you can occupy around your site and on your site all in one fell swoop. You are gathering coordinates and vectors at the same time. The survey style is different for the 2 different systems.

Accuracy for the kinematic depends on how long you want to occupy. I'ld recommend a 60 second minimum for any survey point, using 3 base stations, just because you got them. Go back another day and do the same thing. Do the same thing for a third day and then psot process each set independantly, comparing your coordinates. You do this 3 times for yourself to avoid any anomalies. If you have 1 set way off the other 2 you have to figure out your problem, before putting your seal on it.

Knowing what your spread for a minute occupation is, figure out if is acceptable. With 3 bases, you may be happy with a minute, or you may want 1 1/2, 2 or 3 minutes, once and never go back. This is play time for a week or two. Plan on using 4 in the field for now, unless you have taught "Big Help" to set these puppies up. Use the others imaginatively for know. Do your post thing in the back yard.

Your big problem is right now, with 6 units, you have too much of a good thing.

After you are confident in your positioning error, you may want to set up 3 bases. Put 2 rovers on your quad and take off. Set up rover 1, start it, set up rover 2 and start it. By the time you get back to one it is time to move it. See what you can get down in a day.

If the quad can handle it, then you go to the ultimate PLSS setup. 3 bases at 3 Townhip corners or their reference points. Load up 3 more and head for the new corner. Set up 2 units over corners or reference points, rove (15-30 seconds range) with unit 6. By the time your done gathering fence lines, roads, ocupation and ties, you should have 2 new base points.

Post process, analize and enjoy your favorite beverage.

Paul in PA

OK Paul, you can sit in the recliner, and I'll sit on the couch while you read!

The book I got was about the SOFTWARE for processing vectors.

After reading it, I find that all of my work is just fine. I really did spend some time and have lots of redundant data.

Gotta go check out the Ashtech site.

Why use 3 base stations to do a kinematic survey? Yeah I can do it, but does it really help that much? The Satelites are in the same configuration.

Haven't even used them yet! still fighting the last of the flu. Got sinus infection, and tonsilitus still.

Kids are doing great.

I've put in an order for a "Big Help 2", in the meantime. IF the order goes through, we may have enough folks to run 6 units! They will be obsolete though, by the time they are old enough to do it!

When will they turn off L1, because it is obsolete?


Nate

Speaking of software, you should have Solutions for the Locus units, but you need version 2.6 to process the knimatic stuff for the Promarks. I sent Thales my check for an upgrade but haven't received it yet. I want to install everything only once, before I jump in, but I am getting antsy.

You don't need 3 bases, but with 3 you can always tell when one is off from the other 2.

If you are pushing your sky windows, 3 bases gives you a better chance at having more common satellites visible from your kinematic position and at least one of your bases. Unless you love to go nuts with a chainsaw, most of your bases will have only OK but not perfect sky. The satellites are up there, but we don't always get to see them all the time.

You get a shot at 8 SVs with the Locus and odds are that 8 will be in the sky for 75% of your field work. Common visibilty may knock you down to 6, with the odd branch and/or wire knocking off one more. Improve your odds, which is why you want to figure out how to use at least 2 rovers at the same time. You could mount 3 on the quad and really go roving.

You can put in an order for another "Big Help" but from what I have seen the water down there seems to favor the cuter blondes.

Paul in PA

I have ver. 2.4

I don't have any pro-marks

Do I need to coordinate the hp 48 with all the bases? Or just leave them up while performing the kinematic, and set to record at the same interval?

I'm expiramenting with some changes in the h2o, for another big help!

Thanks for all the advice,

Nate

I was told I needed 2.6 to do kinematic with the Promarks. Don't know what Locus requires for kinematic. You can directly e-mail Mike Margolis or Phil. They may be ignoring our chat because we have too much fun or we just didn't ask the right question.

Paul in PA

Gee whiz Nate, first you're blue then you're green.

Maybe they aren't taking part because they packaged the units.

Got the colors wrong... First White, then blue.

My first set says :Sokia on them, and are white.

My second set is blue, and says Ashtech on the side! BTW the second set came with a nice big black pelican like waterfroof box. The first set had apparently "lost" the box.

My first set came from Hayes inst.

:)

Nate

The 48 is basically a stopwatch that had be syncronized with the rover. It also acts a field book, recording point number, reciver height, and description.

If you want the 48 to track all the receivers, you need to coordinate the 48 with each receiver. The 48 downloads to Solutions 2.4 first and places all the receiver data in Solutions.

If you are using hard copy field notes, you only have to coordinate the 48 with the rover. You still need to download the 48 first. After downloading the recievers then the receiver data will need to be input from the field notes.

2.4 will work fine most of the time with the Locus. I had to send Phil one file a few months ago for him to repair.

My first 3 are LOCUS, with SOKKIA names on side. Grey - white color

My second 3 are LOCUS with ASHTECH on side.
Blue color

Nate


Thanks Roger. That makes more sense now!

Nate
Modified By Nate Dearyan on 1/10/2004 at 9:04 PM

I download each locus into its own file.
I then download the 48 used into the same file as the unit it was used with.
When I process each file the HP-data & the Locus go together with no problem.

Jim