We started having trouble with our Promark 3 receivers appx 8 months ago. We contacted Thales and were told we needed a software update. We sent them in to be done and also had them repaired. Since then we have had touble with losing data and also w/data not processing correctly. We had some trouble with them when we first got them 2.5 years ago but we were able to correct the problem and had not trouble with them after the first couple of months. We also recently upgraded to RTK and the trouble seems to have gotten worse. We have updated the desktop software but now the program freezes during the processing phase. We also are continuing to have problems w/losing data and data processing incorrectly. Our receivers have gone from a very reliable piece of equipment to something that is very hit or miss. Is anybody else having these types of issues and if so how were they corrected. I appreciate any help in this matter.

In the past I experienced some problems using the ProMark3 receivers and the GNSS Solutions software.

Much of what I have learned since Sharon and I took them out of the boxes in February 2006 is described in application notes on the ftp server at

ftp://ftp.magellangps.com

There is one application note in particular that represents the sum of scribbled notes and careful testing of things. It is an application note named

Achieving Reliable Results_PM3

Please take the time to take advantage of what it has for you.

Look in the folder at

\Land Survey\PM3\Application Notes

Two projects that illustrate how effectively that application note works are available from the temporary ftp site at

ftp://pstevenson2_r:NZhMQ92W@ftp.MagellanGPS.com

I had virtually no problems with the PM2's . . . just a very few hit/miss, possibly operator problems.

I had many, many different problems with the PM3's . . . enough such that I got rid of them.

I now have Hipers and have had virtually no problems for 2 years.

nuf said

My success rate with the ProMark3 is quite good.

Even with the various ways I have found to make it fail the productivity exceeds any single frequency receiver I have ever seen.

Some of the things I do are designed to understand why something does not work. The failures multiply when I do things just to demonstrate what a bad idea that can be.

Have you gotten this result in your testing and if so what did you do to correct the problem? I use the internal memory as well as the sd card memory. I have had problems in the past with losing data but I learned quickly to check the files are there in the field. However, having trouble post-processing the info is new. Is it a software glich, is it a vista glich? Is it a glich in the software upgrade on the receivers? Need some help. It was 103 yesterday and I would really hate to think I stayed out in that heat all day just for the heck of it=)

Some of the days we worked at San Luis Reservoir the temperatures were above 105° F. It was toasty warm. Since the whole point of that project was to learn more about how the tools work I guess you could say I did it just for the heck of it. Some of those days were vacation days. I must be crazy to care that much about your success.

If you look at the photos on that ftp site you will see why it reminds me of southwest Oklahoma. The hills are different but the dry grass and the critters look the same. We saw a lot of coyotes and deer. We watched a badger hunting for rabbits and squirrels.

The ProMark3 Stop&Go project done last Tuesday using the new software worked very well. I hope you will compare the new project with the old coordinate list from the static survey I did with the ProMark3 receivers in April 2007.

It actually surprised me how well it matched. Since April 2007 we had an earthquake that made the walls in my apartment sway back and forth. Survey monuments that move around is a part of life in California.

Sometimes a problem is not about the software or the firmware. If something is broken it needs to be repaired.

Modified By Phil Stevenson on 7/24/2008 at 12:48 PM

I'll agree that PM3's got off to a horrible start, but the last 18 months have been flawless. Losing data is unacceptable, but has never happened to me since I've been using them.

I'd scrape everything, update software, firmware, read the manuals and print out the application notes.

I was a month away from ditching mine once. Now I'm glad I stuck with it.

Dustin,
Keep your memory cleand up, I've had the same problem with losing data.

sometimes my points just disappear, and sometimes they show as zeros.
This happens after a "fatal error" causes a re-boot.

Each time I deleted job files that had already been downloaded, and went into survey, settings, file manager and deleted all files there also, this may not be the answer, but it seems to help.

I haven't had any processing problems yet, but we mostly use ours in the RTK mode, then just download the files through survcomm.

We do have alot of freeze ups when opening jobs in fast survey, the little hour glass will stop, and we have to do a reboot. When this happens most of the time we have to reboot 3 times.

I sent an email to the address in your profile. Whatever is causing the problems you describe is something that needs to be fixed.

I hope the email will help you decide what needs to be done.

A project done on July 29th has been added to the ftp site at

ftp://pstevenson2_r:NZhMQ92W@ftp.MagellanGPS.com

This RTK project includes shots on most of the points from the Stop&Go project done on July 22nd.

With the coordinate list in the CarlsonSurvey folder there are now three coordinate lists for a comparison of results.