Looking for comments on MobileMapper regular and CE

I'm looking for experienced comments on the Thales MobileMapper (regular
with post-processing activated, and CE). In particular... comments relevant
to data entry with the regular MobileMapper and coments relevant to
post-processing with the CE version.

I've been using a Garmin connected to a PDA with ArcPad for data collection.
I've build some nice forms including combo dropdown boxes with new text
entry and listboxes for effectively making a relational database. I'd
really like to increase my positional accuracy within a limited budget.
Where I work, WAAS is rather limited, particularly due to landforms blocking
view of the satellites, and I am far from any beacons. In some cases I might
pick up signals from other non-beacon stations, but basically I'm limited to
post-processing. The MobileMappers look like they are in reach of my
budget, but I'm not certain they will really do what I need.

The regular version may capture L1 data for post-processing, but the data
collection would be more complicated. It looks like I would be able to do
drop-down boxes OR text entry, no option for a combo box. Also It does not
appear that the screen is a touch screen, so text entry would be slow.

The PDA version would eliminate those problems, as I could just load on my
current ArcPad setup. However, the data sheets and manual say nothing about
post-processing. I've heard rumor of $2k software to do the job, but I know
nothing about it. Does anyone have experience with post-processing from a
CE model?

Thanks,
-Eric

Eric,

I just got the MM unit with PP activated. The CE unit will only be available
this summer so you are better off contacting tech support directly to ask
them about questions relating to that unit. They are very helpful. I do know
that the CE unit is designed to work with ARCPAD, so it is unlikely you will
need to purchase other software. It is a very promising device,
unfortunately for me it was not going to be available within my time
requirements and it does not run on OTC batteries. The MM Pro seems to go
forever on a pair of AAs.

You can link the MM unit to a PDA running arcpad with a cable designed for
this. As long as your cable can go from Serial to your PDA, this unit talks
well with ARCPAD. I have only started exploring the post processing options.
So far it seems like it can use almost any type of data, but you may have to
help the software to decompress the data. There are some helpful FAQs on
the Thales site.

I can recommend Gallileo in California as a good dealer to purchase from.

I will be doing some extensive data collection with my new unit over the
coming weeks so I may have more to report (good and bad) later.

There seems to be a very very smal and quietl user community with these
devices. I do not know any other users so far...

Good luck.


--
Martin Gamache
Cartographer
Alpine Mapping Guild
www.alpinemapguild.com




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