Mobile Mapper 10, first impression

Tras purchase from Ashtech by Trimble, Spectra has begun promoting Mobile Mapper products. The simplest of these is the Mobile Mapper 10, which I want to take a look at this time.

The Mobile Mapper Pro, CE and CX versions ended there although the latter is still on the market; From Blade technology was launched the known Mobile Mapper 6, which is the predecessor of this one that we are now presenting. The line is different, because an MM6 despite having new technology in terms of operating system, does not surpass the Mobile Mapper Pro in terms of receptivity, that was a very fine receiver with the ability to read the C / A code and the carrier phase. The post-processing was standard and its final cost with a good haggling was around 1,200 dollars with post-processing. While the MM10 still only reads the C / A code and with technology (at the software level, not reception) it manages to reach 50 cms of post-processing; As long as the post-processing is activated, but this option costs an additional $ 500, that is, it comes out as 1,900.

How the Mobile Mapper 10 differs from the Mobile Mapper 6

In general the differences are significant. In terms of design, the MM10 is taller, wider, but also narrower; with better distribution of space; We never knew what the broiler pan on top for. It has rubber bumps on the ends that make it easier to handle with one hand.

The lower box shows in green the aspects that give the Mobile Mapper 10 greater potential compared to the MM6 and those marked in red are the negative differences that are unavoidable in the face of change. I am also placing a column to show what happens with the Mobile Mapper 100, Of which I spoke earlier.

A substantial improvement is in the battery, instead of the AA pair it brings a Lithium battery with autonomy of up to 20 hours; not bad because they are almost three days of work in 7-hour days. This sure helped it to be narrower.

It does not improve in precision without post-processing, it is almost a browser with radial precisions below 2 meters. You have to understand that it is a device with only one frequency, it does not support RTK. But it does improve with respect to the MM6 in the precision of data when post-processing them, which can be below 50 cm, equivalent to the pixel of a conventional orthophoto in a rural survey.

We assume this precision is reached because it has a range of up to 20 channels (GPS L1 C / A and in SBAS mode: WAAS / EGNOS / MSAS). Additionally, it is understood that post-processing could be done with respect to a remote base through GPRS or Wifi.

It brings a more recent version of Windows Mobile, the processor is improved (It is an ARM9) but at the software level it brings the same: Windows Mobile. Activate Sync and Internet Explorer. Mobile Mapper Field is included, which is similar to Mobile Mapping with some improvements; however it also supports ArcPad although this license can only be purchased in the United States.

Also the memory has greater capacity, it brings up 256 MB NAND (non-volatile Flash), even now it supports MicroSD even of 8 GB.

As extras you can buy an external antenna and the racket to hang it on a pole. To activate the post-processing option, an activation key must be paid.

Conclusion

For its price, which is below US $ 1,500, it does not look bad. Although in my opinion it is just a Pocket with GPS and GIS capabilities.

It looks ideal for rural cadastre, forestry, environmental projects or those where 50 centimeters of precision is enough. It is obvious, you have to take advantage of the GIS, since it allows you to raise layers of lines, polygons or points with the amount of attributes that we want, including photographs and audio.

We would have to see what happens if we use gvSIG Mobile to find something more than the simple Mobile Mapper Field.

What sets it apart from the Mobile Mapper 100

Of course the Mobile Mapper 10 is a toy when it is copied with the Mobile Mapper 100. This is another level of instrument with post-processing precisions of up to 1 cm, although it is still one frequency.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of MM10 is that it is not scalable, it gets there for the purposes it has been designed.

On the other hand, the Mobile Mapper 100 can be scaled. With an external antenna and some configurations it could become a Promark 100, with something else in a Promark 200 that already supports dual frequency.

Although the carcass is the same on the outside.

That comparison we will see in another post.

Here you can find a representative of these products.

Here you can find out more Ashtech products.