Sokkia Renews the Automatic Level Lineup

OLATHE, Kan. – June 23, 2010 – Sokkia Corporation announced the release of the new B series automatic levels – B20, B30 and B40 – that replace the previous lineup of the B and C series.

“The new B series automatic levels feature further enhanced reliability under all environmental conditions,” said Patrick Moran, senior regional manager. The water protection rate of the B series models has been increased from IPx4 to IPx6. “Tough and compact bodies are fully resistant to driving rain and splashing water from all directions. The advanced protection technology also prevents the telescope from fogging or condensing without using nitrogen gas.”

Moran said, “The optimally designed telescope provides an exceptionally bright and sharp view that reduces operator’s eye strain. An ultra-short focus distance of 20cm (7.9 in.) from the end of the telescope is the definite advantage for use in confined locations.

“The B series levels incorporate the most precise and reliable compensator available in the market today,” said Moran. Four super-high-tensile suspension wires and a magnetic damping system ensure accuracy and stability even when exposed to temperature changes, vibrations, or shock. “Sokkia’s SDL1X, the world’s highest-precision digital level that provides 0.2mm accuracy, employs the common basic mechanism for its compensator.

“The technological superiority of the Sokkia automatic levels has been proven since the release of the best-selling B2 model in 1963.” Moran said, “The new B series levels provide quick setup, easy sighting, and superior durability against vibration and shock, ensuring increased productivity over an extra-long period of time.”

Product Lineup
- B20: 32x magnification, 0.7mm accurac
- B30: 28x magnification, 1.5mm accurac
- B40: 24x magnification, 2.0mm accuracy

Options
- Diagonal eyepiece
- 40x eyepiece for B20
- Optical micrometer for B20; providing increased accuracy of 0.5mm

The B series automatic levels are available through authorized Sokkia distributors.

Topcon acquires InlandGEO

Award-winning European dealer of Topcon and Sokkia positioning products expands to distribute Topcon precision agriculture throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa

LIVERMORE, Calif. – May 26, 2010 - Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS) has acquired InlandGEO, one of Topcon’s top performing distributors. InlandGEO is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and has four additional offices in Spain, two in Portugal and one in the Canary Islands.

In addition to continuing to distribute Topcon and Sokkia positioning products to the construction and survey markets in Spain and Portugal, InlandGEO will become the headquarters for distribution and support for Topcon precision agriculture products in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Established in 1987, InlandGEO “has a deep knowledge of the positioning industry, starting with lasers, machine control and precision land leveling systems,” said Ray O’Connor, TPS president and CEO. “This acquisition reinforces InlandGEO as a premiere Topcon and Sokkia distributor in Spain and Portugal, and now provides the opportunity for rapid growth of Topcon’s position in precision agricultural markets all across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”

From 1993 through 2005, InlandGEO was a top European distributor of Trimble positioning products. It acquired one of the world’s largest Sokkia dealers in 2002, and then acquired Topcon distribution for Spain and Portugal in 2005.

O’Connor also announced that Carlos Monreal, InlandGEO president and CEO, will remain president of the company, in addition to his current duties as vice president of global agriculture for Topcon Precision Agriculture (TPA), and he will be responsible for TPA’s European operations. TPA is a business unit of TPS and is led by Albert Zahalka, senior vice president and general manager for the division.

Tony Hirayama, former executive vice president of TPS and president and CEO of TPA, as well as holding several positions with Topcon Corporation in Tokyo, will assume the position of CEO of InlandGEO. Dave Mudrick, president of Topcon America Corporation, the holding company for TPS, will be chairman of the InlandGEO board of directors. Ewout Korpershoek, managing director of Topcon Europe Positioning, Ivan Di Federico, TPS senior vice president of global engineering, and O’Connor round out the board of directors.

Monreal praised the acquisition, saying, “The global scope of the new board of directors, with officers from Europe, the United States and Japan shows a strong commitment to InlandGEO and its expanded customer base. This acquisition is a very positive step for Topcon, InlandGEO, the company’s employees, customers and potential customers.”

Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. (TPS) designs and manufactures precise positioning products and solutions for the global surveying, construction, agriculture, civil engineering, mapping and GIS, asset management and mobile control markets. TPS’ parent company, Topcon Corporation (Tokyo Stock Exchange – 7732), was founded in 1932.

Fixed Height Tripods for GPS

With a total station the height of the instrument is usually measured to the height of the “eye” or the center of the optic which makes it relatively simple.  With GPS there is no optic, only an imaginary plane that is used to determine elevation by figuring the distance from the ground to this plane.  Ok, maybe it is not imaginary, but the phase center measurements are neither physical positions nor stable points.

The phase center is variable on any GPS receiver based on directional signal information from satellites. These variations affect the antenna offsets used to connect the measurement to the position being recorded.  To handle this, the National Geodetic Survey calibrates each receiver model creating a measurement between the receiver phase center and it’s antenna reference point (ARP).  When we plug in the height of the receiver to our data collector we key in the measurement from our point to the ARP.

Some receivers have “measure points” on the receiver other than the ARP that are easier to get to for measuring.  You can then either do the simple math to reduce the height from the measure point to the ARP, or in some cases the data collection software already has that equation built in so you only enter the distance from the point to your measure mark.  Some units such as the Leica receivers have a tripod hook that has been calibrated to their ARP.  This allows the user to affix the “hook” to the base of the receiver, pull the tape to the point and know the number read includes the distance from the end of the tape to the ARP.

The simple answer here is to do the same thing you do for your rover.  Use a fixed height base.  There are a few options available such as the Fixed-Height GPS Antenna Tripod with Collapsible Center Staff from SECO Manufacturing (SECO PN: 5119-00).  This particular tripod features a collapsible center staff with twist locking mechanism that rotates 360° to check calibration of plumbing with a 10-minute vial, and quick release & twist locking mechanisms on the legs. It is dual graduated and adjusts to three heights: 2 m, 1.8 m, and 1.5 m. It collapses to 50 inches (127 cm).

I highly recommend these for use with the Altus receiver and have a few clients using them with their Sokkia and TopCon GPS units as well.  For more details on how to use this tripod visit SECO’s website http://www.surveying.com/tech_tips/details.asp?techTipNo=13.