Digital Survey Options?

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Digital Survey Options?

Postby rlboyce » Apr 3, 2012 9:24 pm

We're surveying a cave that is particularly challenging, and we feel it may be worthwhile to invest in a digital survey instrument. What's out there? I've heard of a DUSI, a SAP and a Disto DX, but is there anything else available? I don't think we want to look at anything over $500.

Has anyone heard of a Trimble? I don't know what the system costs.
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Re: Digital Survey Options?

Postby Crockett » Apr 4, 2012 9:49 am

Challenging how? If it is big then an electronic instrument might help for splays and ceiling heights and such. If it is tight or wet or muddy, in a challenging way, then an electronic instrument may not help unless you already have one.

I suggest you get in line for one of the DistoX boards that are being produced for the old Leica A3. The thread is here on Cavechat. A price has not been declared for those boards yet but it is likely that the board and the host Disto will cost you more than $500 and you still need a bluetooth enabled computer of some kind to calibrate. If you go with Auriga software, and you should, then Palm handhelds for calibration and survey can be found reasonably priced.

I am around a bunch of cave electronics that vacillate between being somewhat useful to almost worthless... just like me.

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Re: Digital Survey Options?

Postby WVCaver2011 » Apr 4, 2012 11:55 am

One of those boards arent going to be of any help without a Leica Disto A3 and that's the problem right now. I have only seen 3 available to the US on the web since this new run started. The others were being sold elsewhere and those people would not ship to the US. If nothing else you can wait for the DXT version which I think will hold up longer because it's more cave friendly and the DXT (D210XT in the US) is available more readily right now but may not be for long since Leica just lauched a replacement Disto for the DXT....
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