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Q1 How long can I collect data with a 4 MB RAM Disk? |
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| 4 MB will store more than 32,000 point features, which is often enough for a day of work. You can fill a 4 MB RAM Disk with GPS data in about 10 hours when you continuously log a line or area feature. Each PC5L-GPS unit comes with 4 MB of RAM for data storage, plus an additional 1.5 MB of RAM for storing applications or other files. If your application will involve collecting
line or area features for long periods of time you may want to consider 8
MB of RAM for data storage. |
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Q2 How long should my PC5L-GPS battery last in the field before it needs to be recharged? | |
| The PC5L-GPS data collector batteries (system battery) should last about 8 hours before recharging is necessary. The field-replaceable GPS engine batteries should give 4-5 hours of continuous use before requiring recharging. |
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Q3 How long should my PC5L-GPS battery last before it needs to be replaced? | |
| Depending on several factors including usage and charging practices, a properly maintained PC5L-GPS system battery and GPS receiver battery, on average, last up to one year before needing replacement. |
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Q4 How can I tell if my PC5L-GPS battery needs to be replaced? | |
| If your PC5L-GPS unit's system battery needs to be charged after less than 6 hours of use, you probably need to replace your system battery. On average, the PC5L-GPS system battery should run for above 8 hours on a full charge. An indication that your GPS receiver battery needs to be replaced is if after charging overnight, the GPS receiver only works a short time before giving you the "LOW" message in the Tracking Status Indicator. | |
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Q5 What is the proper procedure for changing a GPS receiver battery in the field? | |
| What is the proper procedure for changing a GPS receiver battery in the field? Follow the procedure below:  Turn off the GPS receiver by pressing [ON] then [F2]
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Q6 What is the appropriate care and maintenance of my PC5L-GPS battery? |
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| Your PC5L-GPS unit comes equipped with two battery packs: a system battery pack to power the PC5L computer and a receiver battery pack to power the GPS receiver. The GPS receiver battery is located on the back of your PC5L-GPS unit. The system batteries and the GPS receiver battery have separate charging ports and charging circuits. To optimize your battery life, please follow the guidelines below. System Battery Maintenance When fully running, your PC5L-GPS system battery will last for over 8 hours before it needs to be recharged. You may check the power level of your system battery as follows: Option #1: OR Option #2: NEVER allow the battery to charge longer than 16 hours; doing so may result in permanent damage to your battery and/or your unit. If your PC5L-GPS is equipped with a 2100 mAH or higher-capacity system battery, you must use ACC-SMC-G3-M "Smart Charger" to recharge your battery. The advantages of using one of the Smart Charger options include:
GPS Receiver Battery Maintenance The GPS receiver battery lasts for 4-5 hours of continuous use before needing to be recharged. The tracking status indicator will display the word 'LOW' and the unit will issue a series of cascading beeps to notify you that the GPS battery needs to be recharged. Then, PC5L-GPS shuts off the GPS receiver automatically. You can check the power level of the GPS receiver battery as follows: Press [SH1], then [ENTER]. The System Status screen will be displayed. Press the DOWN ARROW key until Second is selected. Press enter to display the battery level of the GPS receiver battery. To recharge the GPS receiver battery, you MUST use CMT's ACC-RE6 (110V), ACC-RE6B (110V), ACC-RE11 (220V) or ACC-RE5-G (cigarette lighter adapter) charger. The GPS receiver battery must be charged continuously for 16 hours. If your PC5L-GPS is equipped with a GPS-ENG-BAT-G3 GPS battery, you must use the ACC-SMC-G3-L "Smart Charger" to recharge your GPS battery. You may recharge this battery when it is inside or outside your PC5L-GPS. Do not try to use your GPS receiver while it is connected to the recharger. Instead, purchase an additional GPS receiver battery so that you can swap a fully charged battery into the
PC5L-GPS. |
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Q7 Can I use an external antenna with my PC5L-GPS? |
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| Yes, an external antenna can be attached to a range pole or magnetic mount. For use with the PC5L-GPS. The built-in antenna may be detached from the
PC5L-GPS. The bracket that attaches the antenna to the PC5L-GPS should remain connected so you can place the cable from the external antenna in the strain relief channel of the bracket, to remove stress from the connection to the antenna port. |
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Q8 The Tracking Status Indicator always shows "IAC" or "INS". How can I make it go to "N3Dx" mode? |
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| First, check your unit for the problems below: Is the antenna connected?  Is the antenna unobstructed? Next, select "Setup" from the Main Menu and verify the following settings:  Is a correct approximate position entered in the SETUP RECEIVER screen (i.e., longitude E or W, latitude N or S)? If necessary, make any changes and press [F4](SAVE) to send this information to the
PC5L-GPS (the GPS receiver must be ON). Is a reasonable Elevation Mask specified in the SETUP RECEIVER screen? The default value is 5. This is the recommended setting. If necessary, make any changes and press [F4](SAVE) to send this information to the
PC5L-GPS. Does your unit have the correct UTC time and date in the SETUP TIME/DATE screen? You need to set the correct Local time and date, and the correct UTC TIME OFFSET (for example: the UTC time offset for Pacific Standard Time is -8 hours). If necessary, make any changes and press [F4](SAVE) to send this information to the
PC5L-GPS (the GPS receiver must be ON).
Then, confirm your GPS receiver has a current almanac. Follow the procedure below to check the almanac: Finally, your PC5L-GPS may need to be reset. Gently press the RST button (located near the COM: ports) with a ballpoint pen. Double-check all of the above problem areas. If you are certain that your
PC5L-GPS is set up correctly, but it still will not track satellites, please contact CMT for assistance. |
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Q9 Why does my PC5L-GPS stay in "TRK" mode even when I am tracking 4 or more satellites? |
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| It is probably a settings issue. Check the following settings:
From the Main Menu, select "Setup" and then choose "RS232 Input/Output". Then, from the RS232 setup screen, check the MODE setting for COM2. If it is set to "YES", change it to "AUTO". Press [F4](SAVE) to save the setting.
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Q10 Why does my PC5L-GPS stay in "N2Dx" mode even when I am tracking 4 or more satellites? |
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| There are two primary reasons why this might happen: Reason #1: Reason #2: |
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Q11 I have an RTCM device (e.g., Coast Guard Beacon) attached to my PC5L-GPS, but the Tracking Status indicator never goes into "N3Cx" mode. Why? |
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| There are three primary reasons why this might happen: The beacon receiver itself is not receiving corrections. Confirm that the "Lock" indicator displays a green light on the beacon receiver. If it does not, the beacon receiver may be out of reception range or have low battery power. Confirm that a fully charged battery is connected to the beacon receiver.
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Q12 How can I collect a point feature (like a sign) in the midst of collecting a line (like a road) or an area (like a tract)? |
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| Use the nested point feature. While storing a line or area, press [F2](PNT) in the Featuring Screen. Then, name the nested point, attach attributes and values, and press [F4](STORE). After you store the nested point a message comes up asking whether you want to continue storing the line or area or store another nested point. |
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Q13 How do I set up my PC5L-GPS as a Base Station? |
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| Immediately after selecting "Collect Data" from the Main Menu, press F3 [BASE] in the Job Data screen . The Base Logging Mode allows 2 options, Base and BasePC. The Base mode will store the differential correction file in the I: drive of the PC5L-GPS. After selecting Base mode, a screen appears showing the memory remaining. When you press [F1](START) the Start Time appears. [F1](STOP) stops the logging of base data. BasePC mode uses Kermit as a transfer protocol to store the base file onto a PC. Connect to your PC just as you would for standard file transfers. |
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Q14 How can I get real-time differential correction in the field with my PC5L-GPS? |
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| There are three main sources of real-time correction data: 1. Coast Guard Beacons (DGPS) (See CMT's Beacon Receiver Package.) 2. Subscription Service 3. Broadcast from your own base station |
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Q15 How far can I be from a Base Station and still get accurate differential corrections? |
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| For 1 - 5 m accuracy, you must be within 300 miles of a base station. |
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Q16 How can I optimize my data collection when I am in a city's downtown area or in a canyon? |
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| Make certain that SEL CONSTELLATION in the SETUP RECEIVER screen is in CANYON mode, so the 6 channel receiver will search for the 6 highest satellites in the sky. CANYON mode is the default. For a PC5L-GPS-8, the GPS receiver will typically track all of the satellites which are currently in view, so no adjustment is necessary. Choose the best time of day to be in the field using PC-GPS's mission planning function. The most effective method of determining satellite availability is to view the DOPs chart. You may also simulate terrain features and other obstructions by setting MASKS in OPTIONS\MASKS. In certain situations you may only be able to collect 2D data. If you know the elevation at which the data was collected, you can differentially correct the data by setting ALT. CONTROL in GPS\DIFFERENTIAL\CA CODE\SETUP to "Altitude Always Fixed" and inputing the correct altitude. All nodes in the Job will be fixed to that altitude, and you will then be able to differentially correct otherwise uncorrectable 2D data. Note: Be careful when using the "Altitude Always Fixed" option: one third of any error in the altitude will add to horizontal error. For instance, if you fix the altitude of a point to 30 meters HAE and the point was really at 60 meters HAE, you have just added 10 meters (30/3) of error to the horizontal position. |
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Q17 Does rain affect data collection? |
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| According to the US Department of Defense, GPS is an "all weather" technology. However, in cases where there is heavy canopy and snow or rain, GPS signals may be disrupted. The PC5L-GPS itself is completely waterproof and will not be affected by rain, mud, etc., as long as the air valve is closed. |
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Q18 Why does my PC5L-GPS go in an out of Navigating or Featuring mode when I am collecting data? |
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| The GPS signals may be blocked by obstructions (i.e., buildings, trees, etc.) causing the PC5L-GPS to lose track of satellites. Also, be aware of how you hold the PC5L-GPS; make certain that the antenna is not blocked by your body. If you are consistently having this problem, then you may want to consider an external antenna. |
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Q19 How accurate is the PC5L-GPS at locating one's position? |
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| With differential correction, the horizontal accuracy is from 1-5 meters (95% of the time) when HDOP < 4. Without differential correction, 95% of the time your position is within 38 meters when HDOP < 4 (with SA off). Differential accuracy can be described as 2 meter CEP accuracy (CEP, for Circular Error Probability, means 50% of points will be within 2 meters of your true location) or as 2.5 meter RMS accuracy (RMS, for Root Mean Square, means that 63% of points will be within 2.5 meters of the true location), or as 5 meter 95% confidence accuracy (95% of points will be within 5 meters). |
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Q20 How do I reset my PC5L-GPS? |
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| Under normal conditions, you do not need to reset the PC5L-GPS. However, you should know how to reset the machine in case there is a need to do so. There are two ways to reset and reboot the PC5L-GPS: 1. Hold down the [ON] key and then press the [F3] key. This is the equivalent of a [CTRL][ALT][DEL] sequence on a PC. The PC5L-GPS will reboot itself. 2. Use the tip of a ball-point pen to press the RST button located near the COM: ports. The PC5L-GPS will turn itself off. Press [ON] to restart the CMT Field program. After some screen activities, you will see the MAIN MENU displayed. Warning: Do not reset the
PC5L-GPS while you are collecting data in the CMT Field program. Doing so may irreversibly corrupt the associated data files. In case you get stuck in a program or in the
PC5L-GPS operating system, try holding the [ON] key down and pressing [F2]. Normally, this will terminate any running program and turn off the
PC5L-GPS. When you press the [ON] key again, the program will be restarted without any adverse effect on the data files. |
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Q21 Why did my PC5L-GPS hang up when I tried to open or create a Job? |
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| Your I: drive may be full. Free up additional disk space by deleting old data files (after archiving them on your PC or a floppy disk). |
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Q22 Does my PC5L-GPS need any maintenance if I don't plan to use it for a month or more? |
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| Yes. Your PC5L-GPS batteries requires recharging every month, even if the PC5L-GPS is not being used. Failure to follow a regular recharging schedule is one of the major causes of data and formatting loss, and can permanently damage your batteries. Click here for complete instructions on the care of your batteries during long-term storage.
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Q23 I received a "Can't write file" error in the middle of my GPS Job. What should I do? |
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| This message may indicate that the PC5L-GPS's RAM disk is full. First, press [ON] to go to the Status screen and check the available memory. It is likely that you will need to delete some old GPS jobs to free up disk space. |
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Q24 After using my PC5L-GPS for a while under the sun, the display becomes too dark to read. What should I do? |
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| Press [SH1] and then [ENTER] to call up the System Status screen. Then press the DOWN ARROW key twice to select the Contrast option. Now press the DOWN ARROW key several times to lighten the display. Later, when you go into the office or a cooler area, you may use the UP ARROW key in the Contrast screen to increase the display contrast. |
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Q25 I received a "Not enough memory. Part of it plotted" error when I tried to plot a Job. What should I do? |
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| This is caused by memory fragmentation. You can solve this problem by resetting the unit. Then the unit will be able to display the plot for a larger Job. If this problem persists, the Job you are trying to plot may contain too much data to be plotted completely. |
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Q26 I received a "DISK FULL" message in the Featuring screen while storing a Feature. What should I do? |
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| Quit the current Job and transfer the collected Jobs to PC-GPS. After you have transferred the Jobs to PC-GPS you delete the Jobs from the PC5L-GPS. |
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Q27 After I reset the PC5L-GPS, I get a "Low Power" message. What should I do? |
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| When this message is displayed, the PC5L-GPS does not have sufficient power to run the CMT Field program. You will need to charge or replace the system battery. After you have charged or replaced the system battery , you will also need to reset the PC5L-GPS by pressing the RST key or using the F3-ON key sequence. If you do not reset the unit, the CMT Field application will act as though it is a basic unit without any options (such as NMEA, RTCM, PHASE). This means that the VERSION screen will not display a line that says: "OPTION: RTCM + NMEA". Also, in the "DEVICE" field in the INPUT/OUTPUT setup screen, the only option available will be "BARCODE". In other words, the options list is determined when the software is started. You cannot change it by charging the system battery or installing a new battery pack. You must reset the option list by resetting the
PC5L-GPS in order to access the options provided with your PC5L-GPS unit. |
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Q28 What is the drive configuration of the March? |
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PC5L-GPS has 2 MB of RAM in the D: drive. Of this 2 MB, 640k must be designated for system memory. The remaining RAM may be used for data storage. PC5L-GPS comes formatted like this from the factory. If you want to run an application program on PC5L-GPS, put the program in the D: drive. The C: drive is a Flash EEPROM which holds the PC5L-GPS operating system. The A: drive is a Flash EEPROM which holds the CMT-FIELD application software. The B: drive is a 4 MB/8 MB PCMCIA RAM Disk for data storage.
A: Flash EEPROM |
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Q29 How do I format the RAM Disk? |
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| Exit to DOS (ESC from the Main Menu) and follow the instructions below: Go to the C: prompt. Type Format B: Answer yes to the prompt. Type Format D: Answer yes to the prompt.
Both your drives should now be formatted. |
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Make certain that your GPS receiver is on, then, from the MAIN MENU, choose SETUP\RECEIVER. Scroll down with the Arrow keys to the
ALM? prompt and change it to "YES". Then hit [F4](SAVE) to send the almanac to the receiver.