California Surveyors Forums

We are looking to buy a handheld GPS device that would help us to get close (within few feet) to corners that have state plane coordinates (in California and Nevada) in a wide open desert. We do not have any GPS equipment but only Leica robotic total stations and data collectors. Any recommendations and directions are appreciated. $1000 budget.
Thank you

I don't have a specific recommendation, but any decent consumer grade model will get you there. They all like to claim "sub-meter" accuracies, but in reality you'll be no better than 30 feet or so. Most of the advertised precisions are on one individual observation, at a low confidence level, with the best possible conditions. In the real world, expect 10 meters to be the best you can get with any repeatability.

What this means is that moving from a $150 Garmin up to a $800 unit is of limited use

Your local realtor(s), particularly those specializing in rural and ranch properties, should be able to provide you with recommendations as to the high precision cost effective solutions employed in their current wide-spread efforts.

If you have a smart phone . . . get the APP "Theodolite". But take care to setup the correct coordinate system. (You want apples 'n apples not apples 'n oranges.)

I'd be interested if it works for you out in open terrain.

Best,

Phil - Sonoma

Thank you. I will download the app and also visit a bass proshop too.
I appreciate the input.

I use a handheld WASS enabled Magellan GPS device. When I use it, I truth it on the field with Google Imagery and have found it accurate to within one or two meters. I augment it with multiple locations, such as the observed point of interest and other features like hydrants, manholes, fences, etc. and then cross check and triangulate.

It is very accurate and inexpensive. As with all GPS, give it time to collect data.

https://magellan.factoryoutletstore.com ... emid=74081

Good luck!

Mike: via Amazon (for $115) "equipped with high–sensitivity SiRFstarIII GPS with 3-5 meter accuracy"
do you feel that 3-5 is realistic? That would work for much that I need.

and datums: can you get/use ITRF92? that would be cool!

I have used the Magellan many times and I estimate every set of readings is within 1 to 3 meters. I take a lot of shots and triangulate. I truth it with Google and take multiple shots including setting up a line and verifying with POLs, etc.

Google earth is very accurate, if you have any landmarks with distances to your point google earth will get you within a foot. We check our well surveys that way.