OK, sighting mechanisims

Nate The Surveyor

Well-Known Member
OK, in talking with Michael Gluting, he suggested that I post this. We would like a sighting mechanism, on the LS. I am thinking of trying to find one of these:
series10k_litho.jpg

And sticking it on the bottom, or side of the LS. I'd like it to have 4 of them, so that you can get line from the LS, simply by looking back at it.
As another idea, (if it's not too late) when the next rubber is designed, I'd like it if there was a YELLOW cross placed on the TOP of the ls, that STICKS up, maybe 1/8" , as a sighting mechanism. No, they are not really for PRECISE alignment, but here is how I'd use it.
I have a corner search in a big pile of briars. Or, in an overgrown fence row, with trees in it. I set the LS in an open space, and AIM it at the corner I am staking. Get chainsaw going, and as I cut my way through the vegetation, I need to be able to DETERMINE line, by looking at the LS. Not returning to it. The LS tells me the DIRECTION and DISTANCE to the search location. I use my box tape, or pacing to get the location, and place flagging there. And, continue clearing my search radius. Metal Detector, and all. It takes nearly no time, to GAIN a fix in the open, whereas a FIX in the woods, has to go through it's verification process. That takes time, when I need to be working, not waiting. So, the offset mechanism makes sense. The cross on the top should be made of 4 pieces of rubber sticking up, with the intersection cut out. This way, you can use it from all 4 directions. When using LEFT/RIGHT, and FOREWARD/BACK this makes sense.
I do not know if the sighting device I posted above could be made of high impact plastic, and placed on the TOP of the LS, but that would work well too.

I want to bring this up for discussion, as I do not know if it would interfere with the GPS operation.

While I am at it, I'd like a device on the LS, that works with a "Remote". The remote is about the size of a small cell phone. Very Rugged, and goes in your pocket. Point it at the LS, and it GIVES you the distance to the LS. and the readout is on the remote, and shows on the LS as well. This way, you could Stake a corner. Rough point it. Cut brush to it. set the REMOTE on the found monument. Press button, on REMOTE. Distance shows up.
Return to LS, AIM crosshairs, at the flagging left behind, on the monument, and BOOM! we have the coord at the offset dist, and bearing from the compass, and ready to input the description. Slope angle is figured from the CAMERA pixels, as the LS is pointed close to line.

I gotta get to work. But, the LS has to keep moving foreward.... :)

Thank you,

Nate
 

Matt Johnson

Well-Known Member
5PLS
Nate we have the ability show the camera with a crosshair on the screen:

BearingSetByCompass.png


It could be used for the purpose you describe but needs to be made more accessible from the stake screen and have the crosshair elongated so that it spans from the top to the bottom of the screen.

If you want to determine the distance to the LS you could use a laser distance meter.
 

Matt Johnson

Well-Known Member
5PLS
I had also suggest Ultra Wide Band (UWB) sensors be integrated into the LS for determining positions around obstructions but there did not seem to be much enthusiasm about this when I mentioned it. Time Domain makes the most accurate UWB sensors on the market I believe and can provide range measurements with an accuracy of <2cm in line-of-sight conditions.

http://www.timedomain.com/products/pulson-440/
 

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Nate The Surveyor

Well-Known Member
Matt, the need is not FROM the LS to the target.
The need is so that a solo operator, can LOOK at the LS, and place himself on line. From any of 4 directions. For example, he is staking line, and wants to see how far off line the fence is. He can SEE the line from any of 4 cardinal directions, relative to the direction the LS is pointing, and place himself perpendicular to the direction it is pointing. For example, he is "Staking to line" and is FACING the line to be staked, and moving, until he is on line, and pointing perpendicular. Then, wants to FLAG the line, he would use the directional pointer on the LS to flag line for some 50'. That would be handy.

The UWB sensor looks promising.

thanks

N
 

Joe Paulin

Well-Known Member
I have said before and I'll say it again: I see a great need to integrate a laser distance meter into the LS! The tilt sensors and electronic compass is already there, we just need distance integrated for quick offset measurements and Nate, this could be used for rough staking as well by shooting trees with the laser when in the woods, etc. I see the JMT App now supports Bluetooth communication for the Bosch unit, so I guess that's a start and I hope this is coming to J-Field and the LS. I haven't tried it out in the app yet.
 

Sean Joyce

Well-Known Member
I would rather see separate disto unit integrated into a prism pole and have it communicate with the L.S. instead of making all types of modifications
to the L.S., similar to what Carlson is pursuing. When it is not needed it can be detached.
The Unit would mount under the L.S. and have a sight light for bucking in on line. Perhaps audible distance commands?
I would also like to add an audible sound when the L.S. is level.
It could be handy when the rod bubble and level indicator is not visible like when it is up high or on steep terrain or you are standing on the other side of the L.S. display and bubble.
 

Matt Johnson

Well-Known Member
5PLS
I would rather see separate disto unit integrated into a prism pole and have it communicate with the L.S. instead of making all types of modifications
to the L.S., similar to what Carlson is pursuing. When it is not needed it can be detached.
The Unit would mount under the L.S. and have a sight light for bucking in on line. Perhaps audible distance commands?
I would also like to add an audible sound when the L.S. is level.
It could be handy when the rod bubble and level indicator is not visible like when it is up high or on steep terrain or you are standing on the other side of the L.S. display and bubble.

The biggest problem I see with this is that I think would be difficult to create a good bracket that would allow the LDM to be aimed up and down without tilting the pole. Another possibility that would allow it to be tilted is a bracket that offsets the LDM on the side of the LS.
 

Joe Paulin

Well-Known Member
Whether internal to the LS (I realize this would have to be an LS Model 2), a bolt on addition to the LS, or a pole mounted unit with its own tilt sensors and electronic compass, integration is the key: simple, easy data integration. Matt, for a pole mounted unit, I'm picturing a ball swivel between the LDM and the rod. There would be a bracket that clamps to the rod and through a ball swivel, the unit could be rotated.

If communication with the LS is a problem (bluetooth version issues as noted in another post), here is my suggestion/challenge: Javad, make your own fully integrated LDM unit for purchase as an LS accessory just like you did with the Smart Tip! If you design one, you can make it work with J-Field much easier than trying to get a third party solution to integrate, I would assume.

If it was some sort of "bolt on" to the LS, it probably could be pretty small since it wouldn't need orientation sensors or a way of aiming it since the LS has all that. Any distance offset from the center of the pole could be accounted for in the software. Maybe power could be supplied to the unit from the LS usb port with a small cable so it didn't need batteries, making it even smaller.

Can you tell I have been thinking about this?

Team Javad, what do you think, are you up to the challenge?

Thanks for listening!
 

Matt Johnson

Well-Known Member
5PLS
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