We own both a Nikon NPL 32 total station and a Trimble Geo 7 series GNSS 
system with cm accuracy. Each has a place in the type of work we do. 
Both can be very accurate. The TS lends itself well to establishing 
custom grid/coordinates on sites. The GPS system can be operated by one 
person eliminating the need for personnel on the prism but it has its 
limitations.

It's interesting how accurate a decent smartphone's GPS locations can be 
under ideal satellite constellation conditions. I have taken positions 
side by side in open field environments and my Samsung S7 is typically 
only off a very few meters in horizontal positions.

-- 
Rich Green
Historic Archaeological Research
418 N. Main Street
Brownstown, IN 47220
Office: (812) 919-4122
Mobile: (765) 427-4082
http://www.har-indy.com


On 10/2/2018 9:46 PM, Pentney, Sandra P wrote:
> We use the R1 GNSS GPS receiver and an iPad to interface with it. It is half the price of a Trimble geo XH or similar. It has sub-meter accuracy and having the iPad I. The filed allows us to complete the photoblog with georeferenced photos, start of an artifact catalogue, and digital field notes. This has greatly increased our efficiency and accuracy in post- field recording. Make sure to get iPads with cell connections if you think you will need to download and upload data from the project site.
> I will admit that our learning curve was steep, but worth it.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Oct 2, 2018, at 1:45 PM, Lyle Browning <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> I have moved over to totally electronic recording and drawing and WILL not be moving backwards to analog. I use an iPhone with FileMaker Pro, IHikeGPS, magic plan and a couple of discontinued items to do both initial site recording (Phase I) and any Phase II/III work. A Nikon total station is used for geo-location. What I am currently searching for is a mapping tool that will show where I am on Google Maps and give me the coords in SPCS. A handheld gps works well, except that one has to then translate the results to the maps and that has inherent errors. Plus, once given UTM coordinates, what does that really tell us, unless it has a USGS map beneath and the error margins in those are way too much for my liking.
>>
>> Lyle Browning, RPA
>>
>>> On Oct 2, 2018, at 2:07 PM, Gísli Pálsson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>
>>> I forgot to mention that a VRS system will either be very suitable or not
>>> at all, depending on where you do your archaeology!
>>>
>>> GP
>>>
>>> On Tue, Oct 2, 2018 at 8:05 PM Gísli Pálsson <[log in to unmask]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks for starting this discussion Tim, and I hope it doesn't get too
>>>> bogged down by people who feel the need to flash their analogue credentials.
>>>>
>>>> Our experience in Iceland is that the total station technology is more or
>>>> less the same as it was 10 years ago, with the main development being in
>>>> surface scanning for standing features and in the integration with more
>>>> powerful data loggers. I'd say the biggest development in the digitization
>>>> of field survey is the move away from point-based topographic survey to
>>>> drone photogrammetry accompanied by ground control point survey.
>>>>
>>>> The establishment of VRS networks by Trimble (and I presume their
>>>> competitors) means you are less likely to have to invest in a two-sensor
>>>> DGPS system. We use Trimble GeoExplorers which you can get either with an
>>>> RTK subscription for real-time accuracy, or post-process the survey data
>>>> using their proprietary software. Spits out shapefiles and other spatial
>>>> data formats.
>>>>
>>>> There are a few custom-built apps here in Europe that capture data in
>>>> formats for easy migration into spatial SQL databases, like IntraSIS (a
>>>> proprietary PostGIS interface). I'd be really interested in hearing how
>>>> US-based contract archaeologists are integrating field capture with their
>>>> wider data management practices.
>>>>
>>>> GP
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>

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