Tis the season...

Winter has descended upon us. Field crews are bundled up and doing what needs to be done to keep our water on and heat working in our homes. The field worker is too often overlooked that is until something goes wrong. A busted water main or downed power lines from an ice storm and they are thrust into the fray. Work needs to get done when it needs to get done. When the power is out, there is no waiting until spring and a 70° sunny day. Work needs to be done.

When it comes to geospatial equipment in the field, it needs to work when you need to work. A geospatial field kit normally includes a data collector like a phone or tablet, GNSS receiver and the necessary accessories. When it comes to a tablet, the iPad is unrivaled until it needs to be used outdoors. It's not just the iPad, it is any non-ruggedized tablet. I have seen Android tablets suffer the same fate of overheating or getting too cold and shutting down. Or dropping and breaking. Or not having a screen bright enough to use in daylight. Really tough to use great applications in the field if you cannot see anything on the screen. It is really frustrating to be in the field just staring into the blank screen abyss. The app is working; you see a slight image on the screen if you block the sun enough, but in the end, it just is not conducive to getting work done. And what is our mission when we deploy equipment to the field? To get work done as quickly and accurately as possible!

Leica FLX100plus GNSS receiver can work nearly in every environment, with an operating range from -40°F to 149°F. Basically, a temperature range beyond where most people would like to work. In the early days of my career the winter demos were the best. We would go outside to demo equipment and software, normally someone did not plan ahead and only have a light jacket or sweater. The colder it was the faster we got to what was most important to the user. Whether be price or accuracy or a certain collection function, normally they would be very quick to say what they needed. We would address it and then everyone would retreat to the warm office to discuss other related items. Summer days are the exact opposite. Demos can become quite extensive the more comfortable the temperature is. It is all good, just an observation from over two decades of field demonstrations.

One thing is for certain, when there is a water leak in the dead of winter the last thing you want to be doing is guessing where in the ice-covered street is that valve. Being able to arrive on scene, power up a FLX100plus, select the valve from a map on your phone screen, and then step out of the vehicle and walk straight to it. That is how it should be. That is how work gets done and gets done fast. Not tape measures pulled from a curb. Not a mag locator. Collect your assets to high accuracy and later you can be more efficient when time matters. When freezing your tail off in wet, freezing weather on a holiday pulled away from your family is not on your to-do list. Use technology to work faster and safer, to get back to your family and things you enjoy doing. Unless your in-laws or a crazy cousin is at your home.... then maybe wondering around the middle of an icy street for an hour or so may start sounding like a decent alternative. I joke.

Any in-laws reading this just know you are loved and treasured. Crazy cousins.... well, everyone has one.

Check out a cool GNSS receiver that will get the job done and done right. Happy Holidays! Leica Zeno FLX100 plus | Smart Antenna (leica-geosystems.com)