Got a question for you GWJ CAS....

[Mke]

So, you just posted your standard equipment list for the company.

On it you had the Metrotech i5000 as your primary locator. I see it has quite the list of bells and whistles. I'm real curious on the GPS function on the reciever. Hows the accuracy on the GPS? +/- 5meters? How is the "mylocator" program?

thanks for any info

mke

[ProfessionalLocator]

I am not familiar with the i5000 but there are two points about GPS.

The first is that the fleet of GPS satellites was scheduled for replacement by 2010 and this has not been done. There was a warning issued that devices dependent on gps could cease to function properly. Soon after the military announced the gps system would not be prone to failure. What ever we choose to believe the fleet of satellites is aging.

The second is something called Selective Availability, SA. SA is a feature which sends an intentionally false GPS signal from the satellite so as to deny an enemy access to the military level of GPS accuracy. This SA feature was turned off in 2000 but can be turned back on at anytime the military decides they need to deny accuracy to an enemy. Supposedly SA can send an intentional error of up to 100 meters. Technological advances have resulted in Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). This adds ground based transmitters with known locations. They can be used as a reference to correct a intentionally false GPS satellite signal and return much of the lost accuracy. Still these DGPS transmitters are government controlled and can also be turned off or the signal altered.

GPS is a great tool. I am just saying do not become dependent on it. Should the GPS be denied for any reason we still must be able to complete or work without it.

[Mke]

ahhh satellites shmatellites.

uhh, I think your missing my intention with my questions. I know the GAO came out with their report stating that all the satellites are going to cease up and not work and yada yada yada. If you look into it a bit deeper, they have been working on their replacements, and have actually a new satellite or two in orbit now. Admitidly they have some software glitches they are working through with their first satellite and are not transmitting usable signals, but the understanding is that they will get there, and then continue on with the launching of their additional satellites.

As for the Selective Availability, not all DGPS transmitters are government controled.

I understand the apprehension of the GPS technology, but I'm not behind screwing the locator......."I are one". I am based with our Survey Group, my boss is the head surveyor. My paycheck comes from the survey budget. My Equipment...from the same.

I'm specifically looking for a way that would give me an accurate representation of what i'm locating in the field. I have access to the GPS survey equipment now and If i can hold that antenna still the accuraccy is good down to the 0.001. horizontal, the vertical is down to the 0.01. If I use the survey equipment I then have to do the job twice. If I can accurately represent the utilities that I locate with a handheld locator I would not have to re walk the same steps with the survey gear.

So back to the question.......

Thin or thick crust

mke

[GWJ_CAS]

So, you just posted your standard equipment list for the company.

On it you had the Metrotech i5000 as your primary locator. I see it has quite the list of bells and whistles. I'm real curious on the GPS function on the reciever. Hows the accuracy on the GPS? +/- 5meters? How is the "mylocator" program?

thanks for any info

mke

The GPS on the i5000 is stated as +/- 10m accuracy. This is "CYA" by Metrotech. We have had tighter (~3m) accuracy in some cases, (~5m) accuracy in most cases and (~10m) accuracy in a few cases.

The accuracy of the i5000 GPS is hampered by the fact that it is located in the upper tube section of the unit, near the handle, so your hand and body partially or totally obscure its antenna while you are using the locator. Even with the latest SIRF Star III chipset, this arrangement hampers signal reception and impacts accuracy. So, using the i5000 as a facility mapping tool is not advisable. We utilize the GPS data from the i5000 for confirmation that the locator was at the site and the locate was performed. It has been helpful in cataloging previously unrecorded drops. When the locator is doing a drive-by check on a ticket that shows t be completely aerial and finds that an un-recorded drop exists, the GPS data (along with Pole ID data) has been helpful in logging the drop for inclusion in map updates.

What is cool is the Bluetooth functionality of the i5000. This is useful for several things; 1) you can communicate with your Bluetooth enabled laptop to get the ticket on your i5000 screen, upload the post locate data back to your laptop and eventually to your "MyLocator" account, 2) you can communicate with new GPS handheld mapping tools such as the Trimble GeoXH for true SUB FOOT GPS accuracies when you do want to use your i5000 for facility mapping.

The My Locator system is ok, for us it is mainly a filter point for the data transfer to and from the i5000. Our ticket management system communicates with the My Locator portal to glean the data and attach it to the locate ticket along with the site photos and sketches (proprietary of course).

Have you ever tried the i5000? If you have not had an opportunity to demo one, please let me know and I will arrange a demo for you.

[Mke]

mmmmmm, demo's. I actually would like to demo one, but would like to have someone to bounce some questions off of as well. If you don't mind, can I take you up on the offer when we dry out a bit more? I'd hate for a demo to become water logged.

mke