Is it ok to talk about Leica?
On RPLStoday, more and more it seems there is some unwritten taboo against discussing anything besides the highly favored Javad GNSS. I say that nearly in jest, but to anyone outside the obligatory Javad fanboy club there really does seem to be some truth in that sentiment.
So, to get this out of the way, here are my obligatory Javad kudos: YES, JAVAD IS THE GREATEST!
So, why didn’t I just get a Javad? I dunno. Anyway, Leica seemed good enough. After all, since the early days with Trimble RTK 4000SSE’s we have been a green shop exclusively, starting with Leica dual frequency RTK 500 series in 1999. Following that the 1200 series, and currently a fleet of GS15’s along with a single GS18t.
For some time I have been hopeful to hear from other GS18t users, but they either do not exist, or they are afraid to show themselves on this Javad site.
Here in Florida, the Florida DOT FRPN site began offering GPS/GLONASS/Galileo corrections in December 2017. As all our GS15’s were already fully licensed to use all constellations along with the L5, we switched right away to RTCM3.1(MSM) signals. And, the difference has been quite impressive. I would recommend to anyone, if they have the choice to start adding Galileo and L5 signals it’s a no brainer.
For anyone who has not been able to see/use the self-learning 555 channel GS18t in an everyday situation, it is an incredible piece of surveying equipment (perhaps not too far behind Javad). And, if you are not interested in post processing all your RTK shots the inertial measurement unit tilt ability has been tested/proven to collect shots at 45 degrees within 0.04′. Not bad when the point you are needing is under a building or something. And, with the GS18t there is no calibration thingy. I don’t always keep tilt turned on, but it certainly is nice to have available when needed.
Of course, not to infer the GS18t is as good as Javad, but I have collected many points under heavy vegetation under low hanging limbs/leaves just 3 or 4 feet about the antenna, with a few in such conditions lying only 15 feet South of a 2 story building vertical wall! Time on those points: 10 minutes. And, I’m talking FPRN network on 20 mile baseline shots! Not some base/rover shot with the base only 100 feet away. And, anyone who has used Leica for years knows how hard it is to make the Leica get a fix in less than favorable locations. I have had the opportunity to use some Trimble and Topcon GNSS in recent years, and they will both lock in places the Leica would never lock. But, the GS18t in the above conditions locked, and repeatable locks to within 0.03′.
So, it may not rank with Javad, but it’s ok.
ok///rant off
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