lucky me

I hadn't used GUST for over 6 months(it hiccupped at that time . . . got screwed), and I went to use it on day 164 in the afternoon.

SEEMS that beginning on day 164, in the morning, that no data is available for any of the Ohio DOT CORS stations, up to the present date. I checked all but a few stations. EVERY one, the same.

ANYone knows what gives?

ANYone know, if the dream of 1-unit RTK appears to be slipping away in Ohio?

The janitor pulled the plug on the OHDOT computer to make his morning coffee.

Paul in PA

coffee breaks are supposed to last only 15 minutes . . . what gives?

The Ohio DOT claimed 2 yers ago, that about 6 months ago, they would have something like 15-20 or so more CORS stations up and running.

INSTEAD, I checked about 12 of the sites and saw them all down beginning 164 morning.

He plugged it back in once he made the coffee, but they fired the guy that pushes the Reboot Button.

Pasul in PA

This is exactly why I wanted to virtually GIVE all my PM Xcm's way to other surveyors to set up permanent bases.

I don't understand why surveyors don't understand that having 4 L1 bases(throughout the county), running through the day would make their work easier, and mean that they don't have to leave units "naked", waiting to be stolen.

because OPUS is cheaper, better, faster, less labor intensive, more logical, saves time, saves money, makes money, makes sense........

John,

Have you ever thought about putting up your own CORS?

They are not really that expensive.

For personal use, I've put up a concreted 16' antenna for one of my L1 GPS.

I've run checks between this and other control so I have a good location and I use this data for any work within 8 or so miles of Warren.

I don't want to foot the bill for L1/L2, since I only use L1.

Nonetheless, since the bulk of GPS'ers are L1 users, a little network of L1 units saving on an hourly basis(which the PMXcm will do with a cheap computer), would make it such that most GPS work could be done with no base setup for the job site, which would free up one unit for the job site.

Everyone seems to think that if the government doesn't do it, it can't work . . . or something.

John, from the director of ODOT CORS:

Our system is still running. We don't know what happened but data didn't
make it to NGS for the last week. Our system is currently trying to play
catch-up and copy the missing files to the NGS server. This may take a few
days to get caught up.

I was looking for the OHIO DOT ftp cors site, but could not find it. Do you make it available to astute surveyors?

I noticed that the NGS ftp cors site did not even have empty folders for GUST and the OH?? CORS.

Paul in PA

I reread my post and it could be read as though I'm the directory-sorry for that.

But the answer to your question apparently is no. I'll check into it further, but it may take awhile to get a reply.

NGS has just advised me that Ohio data is now flowing in, but it will probably be a day or two until they're completely caught up.

Modified By C T on 6/20/2006 at 12:57 PM

Fantastic . . . that'll make my day 164 data good.

That's what I thought, that you were the director. I thought, man, that's pretty cool, an answer straight from the top. :-)

NGS has not added any data yet to the ftp site. Day 164 still only has the first 6 hours of data and that is it. File actually stops at 5:59:59 UTC or 1:59:59 EDT. Isn't that the night shift janitor's coffe break time?

CT, I apologize for thinking you worked for OH DOT. So I guess you actually know how to use a shovel. Ask the director for directions to the OH DOT ftp site.

Paul in PA

That was sloppy writing on my part-sorry for disappointing you guys.

Yes LPL, my hands fit my shovel well and also my 12 pound sledge, which at 55 I still overhand with the best of them. However I did have to give up my 16 pounder a couple years ago.

LPL, I did email the director about ftp site question, but haven't gotten a reply. Actually, the reply above is the only email, of 10 or so over the years, that he has ever replied to.

Oh, and John-you're welcome, glad I could help. %$#@!!*&)+%@!~&$%^@&@$#%
Modified By C T on 6/20/2006 at 7:11 PM

who said : "Everyone seems to think that if the government doesn't do it, it can't work . . . or something"



a second hand L1/L2 unit with download s/w and rinex converter does not cost as much as all the problems John encounters with the local Ohio CORS stations (which are kind of influenced a bit by government). With the single L1/L2 unit, ties can be made to CORS sites many miles away, even totally independent of Ohio CORS, and the rinex file can then be processed with all the L1 units available in AS, or GNSS.

We haven't worried about finding a HARN or any other "government monument" in a couple of years, other than when we tie to local city networks. We've easily saved (earned) many thousands of dollars by using L1/L2.

And you do not have to have the L1/L2 s/w dongle to be able to use the rinex files from you own L1/L2 unit any more than you need it to process data downloaded from the government supervised CORS.

I just don't *%$^@@*^$! understand anyone enduring the pain and itching .... I mean the inconvenience of "GUST" when it just isn't necessary. It just doesn't %$#@!!*&)+%@!~&$%^@&@$#% make sense.

what purpose would I have installing an L1/L2 unit, as opposed to an L1 unit only?

My nearest established county GPS point is a mere mile away. I have 4 more within 2 or so miles more.

In other words I have enough monuments in my neighborhood to establish good coordinates an don't feel the need to get constant feed(GPS-wise), to tweak my results from day to day.

Even if I installed an L1/L2 unit, my work units are L1. I can still only realistically use my L1's with 8 or so miles max.

I also don't understand your %$#%^$%*&^%@#&^%*&(*) problem, considering that YOU have been known to censor my use of $##^%$^*$&%$*%^%^.

It's interesting that I have attempting not to even color my posts with my famous $#%^$&&^$&^%$&^, but you feel the need to use such at me. Show your true colors JD.

I'm glad you speak the "king's" english, such as what was commonly spoken in the 1760's & 1770's.

I think a lot of %$$^%*$^&@##^%$&^% was the proper denunciation of the "George", in "King George" for colonists.

Long live King @#$%^$%&%*^$*%^&.

I was not suggesting that you "install" an L1/L2 unit, if you mean setting one up as a personal base station. That has absolutely nothing to do with the suggestion of taking a single L1/L2 to your project site, along with your other L1 only units, and running sessions. When you are away from your local ground control, you seem to claim to be at the mercy of GUST, as it is apparantly the nearest CORS. With a single L1/L2 unit on the project site, you could send in the file to OPUS (as many times as you want, and use as many CORS combinations of three as you want) and use the L1 side of the file processed with your other units as if it's just another PMxCM, PM2, or whatever. Within minutes OPUS normally pops you back useful coordinates. You can even figure offsets from your local ground control, which may have been established from HARN, and keep local network coordinates pretty consistant.

I'm just trying to make the point that you could save yourself a whole lot of time, effort and anguish if you weren't so tied to GUST. The L1/L2 stuff works for us as we no longer have to depend on finding old monuments, or the rather sparse HARN points in NE TX, but we have about a 30 mile normal work radius, and often take projects 80-100 miles away. We would make absolutely no profits if we had to search for ground control, or be at the mercy of the 12-15 mile limit of an unpredictable CORS.

Just my opinions, and sincere advice. Take it or leave it, as it's worth exactly what you paid for it!

jd

I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm so tied to the GUST station.

In my first post, I stated that I hadn't used the GUST station for 6 months prior(which, by the way, was the last time I couldn't get data).

Prior to day 164, I haven't "relied", on GUST for, maybe a year and a half.

I just found it so unreal that the day I finally decided to actually "rely" on it . . . it hiccupped.

BTW, I was wrong. You never censored my use of &^%(^&$(&^(&. I think that was Mike. Sorry.

The idea with the L1 stations(4 of them), would be for other surveyors to also save time and aggravation involved with the leaving of a GPS unit away from the job site, to get control onto the site.

I have talked to a number of surveyors and got the distinct impression(from them), that a private person just couldn't set up a unit and make it work.

I like the idea of using an L1/L2 on site as all-day control and it seems like a winner. When I find a cheap L1/L2 unit, I might consider it.

What is your definition of cheap ??

Currently looking at Navcom L1/L2 unit for $6300±. + controller/dc w/GPS software.

Jimbo

my definition of cheap is really cheap, since I have always gotten along without the need.

BUT, if you're looking at a new NavCome L1/L2 unit, with software at $6300 . . . that could be cheap.

I'm concerened with the accuracy over long distances too.

I know that these can be used over hundreds of miles, but there's still error involved.

I suppose that as long as I have a L1/L2 unit working with 3 or more CORS stations within 100 miles, the error would be minimal?(that's more of a question than a statement)

software- NO. OPUS solution only at that price !! Sorry John. Also you would need at least 1 DC (from my understanding at this point) with GPS activation...Surv CE w/GPS...TDS Pro w/GPS, etc.

I'm not exactly sure what the OPUS spec is off the top of my head, but with a good 2 hr session, I'm sure the error is minimal. 4 hrs better. multi-session / multi-day even better.

I just got the demo unit in. Gonna play with it a bit.

Jimbo

well . . . add another $2000 for a data collector

just found oout you can plug in a laptop and use their supplied GUI software to run the thing. LOGS static internally and/or your laptop.

NO DC required.

Then you can download to laptop and go to OPUS.

Back to $6300 and a cheap laptop...which i already have an old one that would be perfect for this use.

jimbo

James.....I'm also thinking about adding a low cost L2 receiver to go with my promarks...just for opus solutions....let me know how the navcom receiver works out and where you can get them...my email is in my profile...thanks

No problem but I misquoted the price. checked on the site and it is about $6800 for everything. It is also a newer receiver board with more channels.

So far looking good. I'll send ya info in the next few days after I get a coupla more demo shots in.

Jimbo

This is Thales board so I'll move over to Main Board for posting demo info.


Modified By James Webb on 6/24/2006 at 12:30 PM

Thanks.....I'll watch the main board for your posts.....