Shawn Hearn, director of fleet and equipment at GeoVerra, recently sat down with POB Magazine to chat about his experience with Trimble’s TSC5. To read the full article, click here, otherwise read on to see what he had to say from his TSC5 beta-testing experience:
What is the one thing land surveyors will like the most about the TSC5 and why?
I like how rugged the unit is, with a great keypad. Really, this is the data collector many surveyors have been waiting for to replace the aging Trimble TSC3 and for field staff who don’t want the larger Trimble TSC7 data collector.
What do you look for in a controller and how does this solution compare?
I look for something that is competitively priced, with good software and easy integration with our existing fleet of Real Time Kinematic (RTK) solutions. The TSC5 will fit in perfectly with our existing fleet of RTK systems and will be used to transition out our aging TSC3s.
What would you say is missing from controllers on the market and how does this solution compare?
There was a missing comparable replacement to the TSC3 size, as the TSC7 was a bit big and bulky for some of our surveyors using ATVs and lots of hiking with the RTK, so the TSC5 really fills the gap and provides a data collector option that is a good size with great internal horsepower to run applications/modules.
What did you do to test the TSC5? Was there anything that was surprising during use?
We used the TSC5 in a variety of conditions and tested it in the cold Canadian winter, as we deal with extreme temperatures and environments. The TSC5 was able to deal with the conditions we put it in, and the feedback from field staff was positive. The speed of the data collector processor is really great. It is reactive, and it will help surveyors work efficiently.
How turnkey is this solution? Would I be able to jump from another controller and pick it up?
Yes, it’s easy to jump from another data controller to the TSC5. The only small challenge is learning the new Trimble Access 2020 interface if you are coming from Access 2017 or older on the TSC3s. But I find most field staff are picking up Access 2020 pretty quickly and seamlessly. (Note: Trimble Access 2021.00 is now available with the TSC5.)
How long have you been a user of Trimble products? If an existing user, why do you continue to use them?
I have been a user of Trimble products for 15 years now, and I have managed a large Trimble fleet of products for 12 years. Trimble products are rugged and easy to use.
What’s your favorite feature of the TSC5?
This is tough to answer, as the new keypad and Android-based platform are both great features.
What do you like better about the TSC5 over the TSC3?
I like the addition of Trimble Access 2020 (now 2021) and how fast and reactive the unit is compared to the TSC3. The TSC5 is also able to use larger terrain model files, such as DTMs and DXFs, a great deal better than the TSC3.just