Thanks to those who attended my webinar last month entitled A Buyer’s Guide to GPS/GNSS Survey Equipment. I received many questions during the webinar and answered a few during the event. As with my webinar last October , I’ll post the questions and my comments here.
I wish I could share with you what I’m seeing right now. I’m on a scenic train in Alaska, traveling from Anchorage to Fairbanks. From someone who usually travels by air, scurrying through airport security at the last minute, this is the way to travel…truly relaxing. The special cars of the Alaska Railroad are built with large picture windows for soaking in the scenery. The train will stop for residents who flag it down and need a ride to the next town. The conductor will even stop the train for picture-taking if the view warrants, which it did when we saw a wolf trying to chase down three sheep on a rock slope along a river.
A reader wrote me about occupation times for RTK work, and it’s spurred a conversation I think will be interesting to you and perhaps a little controversial. It seems that most GPS/GNSS users have developed their own opinion based on their own experience.
This year will be the beginning of the battle between Trimble/Spectra and Topcon/Sokkia with Leica in the fray as well; the companies own 75 percent of the market between them. The other players in this market are going to have be creative in 2009 to remain competitive in the market.
Being December, it?s time for my look into next year. It?s become somewhat of a tradition for me and this year is no different. What does 2009 have in store for the GNSS user?
As much as GPS World’s 2008 GNSS Election was designed for entertainment value, the arguments from both parties are real world, and from people waist-deep in GNSS receiver and infrastructure development. In reality, nations around the world are pushing forth with both the Satellite Party and Signal Party initiatives.
When considering purchasing GPS/GNSS equipment, price isn’t the only thing. Local support is an important consideration for most buyers. It means technical support as well as sales support (spare parts, etc.). For some buyers who aren’t as technically savvy, it’s obviously even more important.
How do these codes affect the data gathered? And how is the new code going to differ? How will this affect L1-only receivers using base corrections and getting RTK accuracy? Would a receiver that could track L1, L2, L2C, and L5 obtain a worse fix on just L2C and L5 alone? This week I answer the questions I couldn’t get to in my previous webinar.
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