survey tools

[mountainpenguin]

cam across http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ikegps/spike-laser-accurate-measurement-and-modelling-on?ref=category
might be usefull for cave surveys ..

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Looks nice, I hope it gets funded but minimum distance would seem to be 6' which might be a bit far for some UK digs. It's good that there is increasing impetus for open/hackable laser distance measurement systems.

Here's another approach with a cheaper (~?60), hackable laser distance measure:
http://blog.qartis.com/arduino-laser-distance-meter/

 

[wookey]

Ooh, well spotted. I've been waiting years for a cheap-enough LDM with serial out to hack into a shetland attack pony. Yet another project to go on the list...

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Yet another project to go on the list...

Quite! Sooner or later some Chines outfit is going to spot the niche for a bare-bones LDM.

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Here's another one for the project pile! Worth watching, this guy has built his own LDM, modulated at 37.1MHz (about 8m) and accurate to around 1 or 2cm it would be good for most UK digs

Laser Range Finder.wmv

 

[wookey]

I've now bought one of the UNI-T UT390B chinese LDMs for ?38 delivered (!) from dealextreme. Works fine in my front room. Small, light, robust, but probably not very waterproof. I'll take it to bits for a proper look when I get a mo, and of course take it underground and see how it works there. Then see how hard it would be to integrate with the SAP design.

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Keep us posted, I'd be interested to know how it goes.

 

[sluka]

DistoX + PocketTopo (green is flowstone, as you may see mostly dry rimstone pools):
http://cachtice.speleo.sk/pub/1.png
http://cachtice.speleo.sk/pub/2.png
http://cachtice.speleo.sk/pub/3.png

 

[kdxn]

A startup is manufacturing a bare bones LDM/Mag/Clino/Bluetooth in China.
Currently $99 for the first few.
No screen so will only work with a PDA.
Seems to have a capacitive button.

www.senic.com

The CEO has responded that his CTO will provide more details of the accuracy specs but I am still waiting........

 

[sluka]

www.senic.com

Looks interesting, but without something as PocketTopo it is not complete.

 

[wookey]

I tested my UT390B over new Year in Easgill and it worked nicely, although not in particularly stretching conditions. It did the advertised 30m range. It'll get a proper workout soon on expo.

Meanwhile I noticed UNI-T do a 391A as well which is 70m range and waterproof (IP54) for ?54 delivered from China. That's probably better as a caving device. Has anyone tried one? I guess I'll go shopping anyway.

If these work well on expo I might import a few to supply UK cavers. Would that be of interest or has everyone who cares bought a distoX or distoX2 anyway so the market for separate LDMs is tiny?

I'm a very sad man who now owns 4 LDMs and is about to buy a couple more! I guess that's a lot easier now they don't cost ?250 a throw

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Thanks for the update.