Transcript
Basic Setup and User Guide: Trimble 6000 Series, GeoXH Turn on System and Press GNSS button Your screen will look like the photo below. Place the GPS in a location with a clear view of the sky and allow it to find satellites for 10-15 minutes before pressing any buttons or creating a file. The black-filled boxes in the circular graph represent satellites from which the GPS is getting signal.
After the GPS has calibrated for sufficient time, press the dropdown arrow next to ‘Status’ then press ‘Data’. Name your file here. Start with the client name and then a site location or site name. Using the client name to name the project helps with referencing since invoicing and projects are referenced by the client name.
Press OK on the popup box shown below. The antenna height is not very important since we do not typically use the GPS to measure elevations.
You will see a screen similar to the one below. The number of satellites and your accuracy can be seen here. The options for features may vary depending on the Feature Dictionary that is loaded on your GPS.
The features in the dictionary can be modified with different titles, options, colors and symbols but the features all fall under 3 categories or types: Point Feature Line Feature Area Feature Point Feature: a single point to show the location of an item such as a light pole or manhole Line Feature: a line drawn sequentially between any number of single points that are collected. Points can be collected by continuous logging while walking or by collecting vertices using the ‘New Vertex’ option (covered later) Area Feature: similar to a line feature but the first and last collected point are connected automatically to close in the area
Collecting a Line Feature Highlight a line feature or use ‘Line Generic’ for unknown lines or any additional type of lines then click ‘Create’
The data should be paused and not beeping or collecting. Enter the Depth and Field Notes as necessary. Stand on the first point that you would like to collect and stand still and watch your accuracy. Stay still until your accuracy has stopped changing and is at its best then click ‘Options’ then ‘New Vertex’. It will immediately start beeping and collecting points. Stay still while it collects at least 5-10 points and then press ‘Done’. You should now see a ‘1’ next to the pause button meaning that you have collected one point. The multiple points that are collected during the Vertex collection are averaged into one single point which will be more accurate than collecting single points while walking. Proceed to the next point which could be a point along the line. If the line is not too long then you could only collect each point where the line changes direction. Go to ‘Options’-‘New Vertex’ every time you collect a point. Never press ‘Log’ or ‘Resume’ or else it will continuously collect points as you walk and your line will be inaccurate and wobbly.
During the collection of a Line Feature, you can ‘Nest’ a point feature into your line. Each time a line reaches a reference point such as a manhole, light pole, valve, etc. then collect the feature within the line. Go to ‘Options’‘Nest’ then choose a Point Feature to collect. This can be labeled in the Field Notes and will be displayed as a separate Point Feature within the line. This is useful for reference points but could also be used to insert a note into the line such as a point where the depth changes or where the line ends or can no longer be found.
After collecting your last point, press ‘Done’ again to save the feature and go back to the dictionary menu. Remember, each Vertex is connected sequentially so if you were to reach a Tee in a line, you will need to either end the line at that point and start a new line to form the Tee or continue in one direction to draw an “L” shape and then draw the rest of the “T” using a new line.
Collecting a Point Feature Highlight a point feature or use ‘Point Generic’ for an unknown feature or any additional type of feature. Click ‘Create’. Press ‘Log’ and stand still while the GPS collects at least 5-10 points. These points will be averaged together into a single point feature. Press ‘Done’ when finished to store the feature.
Collecting an Area Feature Same process as a Line Feature. The line will automatically be closed at the end to form an area, so the first and last point that are collected will be connected. So, for example, to form a square, you could collect the four th corners and the square will be completed without needing to make a 5 point to connect the line back to the beginning. Use the ‘New Vertex’ feature just like collecting a line. The only time to collect without using ‘New Vertex’ would be when wobbly, inaccurate lines are acceptable, ie. tracing the outline of a large, general area such as the limits of a landfill, to outline the area that was scanned, etc.
Additional Settings Log Later: When you are in the Feature Menu, go to ‘Options’ and make sure that it is set to ‘Log Later’ instead of ‘Log Now’. If ‘Log Now’ is selected then as soon as the feature is created the GPS will start collecting points without giving you a chance to choose ‘New Vertex’.
Settings Units can be changed in the initial Skyplot screen by clicking on ‘Status’ then ‘Setup’ or by going to the dropdown and choosing ‘Setup’ from any screen. The typical settings for GPRS will be shown in the photos below.
Logging Settings: accuracy setting set to Horizontal-Postprocessed
GNSS Settings: GNSS Receiver Port should be set to COM3: GNSS Serial Port. Smart settings box should be checked.
Real-Time Settings:
Coordinate System: Units: Taking Pictures: Press the Camera button at any time to take pictures while collecting. The only advantages to using the GPS instead of your phone would be that if your hands are occupied by using the GPS, you will not need to get out your phone but, primarily, you can stamp the photos with the coordinates to show your location. After pressing the Camera button, choose ‘Menu’ at the bottom. Go to ‘Date Stamp’ and turn on the Date Stamp. Also go to ‘Location’ and choose EXIF/Watermark to stamp your photos with the coordinates.
