API Training Calendar

BC-HCE Webinars (Free)

Takeoff Basic (Takeoff, Image, Data Prep module)

Date: January 10th and February 14th

Time: 12:00pm to 1pm CST

• Heads-up digitizing of PDFs
• Import Vector PDFs
• Categorize layers to existing and proposed
• Material thickness
• Topsoil stripping and replacement
• Getting the report and Cut/Fill map

Data Prep Basics (Data Prep and surface module)

Date: January 12th and February 16th

Time: 12:00pm to 1pm CST

• Elevate contours by label and crossing
• Elevate lines by leader and spot grades
• Project cleanup
• Surface tools

Roadway Takeoff – Digitizing (Takeoff/Image/Surface)

Date: January 17th and February 21st

Time: 12:00pm to 1pm CST

• Digitize PDF cross-section
• Import Vector PDF cross-sections
• Generate surface and densify
• Generate Corridor
• Generate Report and Cut/Fill

Roadway Takeoff – CAD Sections (Takeoff/Surface)

Date: January 19th and February 23rd

Time: 12:00pm to 1pm CST

• Import cross-sections and clean-up layers
• Generate surface and densify
• Generate Corridor
• Generate Report and Cut/Fill

BC-HCE API Classroom

Price: $250/day/person

BC-HCE and SCS900/GCS900 Data

Date: Nashville, IL February 21, 2012

Date: Chicago, IL March 27, 2012

Time: 8am to 4pm

• Importing files – DWG, DGN, LandXML, ASCII Points, etc.
• Review and Edit data
• Export data for SCS900 and GCS900/Accugrade/BladePro 3D
• SCS900 surface measurement
• Points and breaklines in the field
• Volume calculations in the field
• Bringing SCS900 back to the office
• Volume calculations in the office

The keyboard can be utilized on a TSC2 to do a quick zoom in/out

1. Press and hold caps button (button with white arrow).
2. Press down to zoom out or press up to zoom in on the spider key.

To answer the question, Yes, machines can run off of VRS, IBSS, or a Remote base. There are many hardware options and things to consider with this Setup. We will cover some of the options available today.

Lets consider a basic base and rover/machine combination today. Setup a base with a radio, establish a position for the base, base receives information from the satellites, then sends corrected data to the rover/machine. This base is setup on-site, needs to be in a open location, and in a location to get the best radio coverage. Best site coverage could be 1-3 miles. If we eliminate the base station we need to find a correction stream that acts as the base.

Option 1:

VRS (Virtual Reference Station) extends the use of RTK to an area with a reference station network. The operational reliability and the accuracies to be achieved depend on the density and capabilities of the reference station network.

Requirements:

Rover (TSC2/Tablet)
• VRS subscription for each device (varies based upon the state, $1200/year per device (site license available), some states are free).
• Cellular data plan for each device (TSC2/Tablet). Device connect to a data card, cellular phone with Bluetooth, or SIM chip (T-mobile, Nextel, AT&T) w/ Eufora card. Price varies from carrier, Range $15 to $60 per month).

Machine (GCS)
• VRS subscription for each machine (varies based upon the state, $1200/year per device (site license available), some states are free).
• SNM930 ($1500) or Cellular radio for machine (Intuicom radio, $3000). Replaces the existing SNx radio with the cellular radio.
• Cellular data plan for each device. SIM card mounts in the SNM930, Intuicom allows SIM/CDMA ESN #. (Range $15 to $60 per month).

Pros:
• Machines and rovers are free to move independently through the site. Not confined by radio coverage.
• New site setup requires little work.

Cons:
• Can get costly by the time include all the cellular plans per month and VRS subscriptions
• Cellular coverage is required.
• VRS needs to be stable.

Range:
The operational reliability and the accuracies to be achieved depends on the density and capabilities of the reference station network.

Option 2:
VRS Re-broadcast same as option 1 but requires only 1 VRS subscription ($1200) and a SNB900 radio ($4000). Radio broadcasts the VRS correction via the same 900mHz radio used on machine/rover radio today.

Re-broadcaster options:
• Trimble SNM920 with cellular data service or Trimble SNM910 with cellular data service or 3rd Party 3G Router with cellular service or Laptop w/3rd party software or direct LAN/Phone line
• SNB900

Requirements:

Rover: (no change)

Machine: (no change)

Pro:
• VRS base still allows roaming of machines and rovers, not confined to a fixed point within radio range.
• Cheap investment to get implemented.

Cons:
• Confined to range of re-broadcast 900mHz radio. Re-broadcaster can move but, needs to stay within range of machines and rovers
• Cellular coverage required
• VRS needs to be stable

Range:
The operational reliability and the accuracies to be achieved depends on the density and capabilities of the reference station network.

Option 3
Internet Base Station Service (IBSS) is a secure service available to Trimble Connected Community (TCC) subscribers accessible by Trimble modular base stations and all rovers. To leverage the service, contractors simply connect their base stations to the IBSS using a Local Area Network (LAN) or cellular modem to provide GNSS corrections over longer distances than normally possible with radio and repeater technology.

Requirements:
• TCC subscription admin.
• SPS base to stream to the TCC. TCC asset access.
• Internet source at the base to allow stream upload.

Rover:
• TCC Subscription
• Cellular data plan for each device (TSC2/Tablet). Device connect to a data card, cellular phone with Bluetooth, or SIM chip (T-mobile, Nextel, AT&T) w/ Eufora card. Price varies from carrier, Range $15 to $60 per month).

Machine (GCS)
• TCC subscription
• SNM930 ($1500) or Cellular radio for machine (Intuicom radio, $3000). Replaces the existing SNx radio with the cellular radio.
• Cellular data plan for each device. SIM card mounts in the SNM930, Intuicom allows SIM/CDMA ESN #. (Range $15 to $60 per month).

Range:
Distances will vary but 6-8 miles from the base stream.

There a many more options available. We have run machines from VRS, Re-Broadcasted VRS/Base station and IBSS. The technology is available today.
Things to consider:
• Cellular connection needs to be available in most cases.
• VRS network needs to be available (Just as I was typing this, an e-mail come in that the MoDOT network is down and no time frame as to when it would be back up and running).

Day 1 (8am – 4pm) – $50/person
SCS900 Basic – At the end of this full day course, the attendee will be able to setup a new site, measure site features, calculate a stockpile volume and stake out surfaces, lines and point data. The course will cover the components required to setup a site, including site control, and site calibration. It will show the process to topo a new site and collect site features, and determine the earthwork quantity of a stockpile. As well, demonstrate the components of staking out a surface, line, and point data.

Day 2 Morning (8am – 12pm) – $30/person
SCS900 Advanced – At the end of this half day course, the attendee will be able to calculate in-field volumes between different surfaces (progressive volumes), stake out roadways utilizing the SCS900 Roadway Module, and collect field data and build a model utilizing the SCS900, export to GCS900 machine data.

Day 2 Afternoon (1pm – 4pm) – $20/person
BC-HCE Basic -At the end of this half day course, the attendee will be able to import data into BC-HCE, check the data, visualize the data in 3D, and export the data to SCS900/ GCS900 Machine Control data. The course will demonstrate the process in BC to build data from imported contours, and export to be used in the field. As well, show the different modules available in BC-HCE.

Dates
January 25-26 Elgin
January 27-28 Nashville

Feb 22-23 Elgin
Feb 24-25 Nashville

March 15-16 Elgin
March 17-18 Nashville

To enroll please call 1-800-327-0078 or e-mail john@apisurvey.com

Class size is limited.
SCS900 manual will be provided.