What is "GPS" and the "Find Me" Button on the Tablet?

The PLC 400 and PLC 600 tablets are GPS enabled. In practice, this means that the tablets are able to connect to GPS satellites. It is important to remember that in order to use any GPS functionality, you will need to be outside, where the tool can actually communicate with the satellites. GPS functionality is essentially disabled if you are working indoors, and GPS reliability can be dependent on environmental factors.

How GPS can help you in your workflow

GPS can play a key part in ensuring the telescope is able to follow your location as you travel around your jobsite with the tablet.

Enable GPS in Settings

To turn on GPS for your tablet, go to Settings>General Settings>GPS and turn it on. You do not need to adjust the "GPS Angle Sector" unless you are confident in doing so. The default angle sectors ares pre-defined as the best angular search window to find your prism when GPS is used to turn to your location. 

Station your Tool

Even though GPS is turned on, it will not benefit your workflow unless the tool knows its coordinate position on your jobsite. You must complete one of the stationing methods in order to use the find me function from GPS.

Once stationed and set up outdoors, GPS typically works within a few tens of meters and provides meter‑level accuracy under good conditions, which allows the tool to turn toward your location and search for your prism..

Note: After stationing is complete, the tool must briefly be connected to a prism so the system can align GPS data with the project coordinate system.

Here are the general steps to make sure GPS can benefit your workflow once you turn it on in settings:

1. Satellites identify the tablet's GNSS position
2. The tablet recognizes the local coordinate location of the tablet, which was established during stationing and initial prism tracking
3. The system then computes a transformation matrix, linking the GNSS position and the local coordinate position
4. The "Find Me" button () then becomes enabled in your workflow, which will help the tool turn to your location and begin searching for your prism

To find the "find me" button, simply press on the camera icon at the top of the tablet screen (), then press the map icon that appears (). You will notice that the tool's line of site indicator has turned green, and the find me button will then be in the lower corner (). When pressed, the tool will attempt to turn and search for your target:

Potential Limitations

• Not usable indoors (must have sky visibility)
• Accuracy can vary depending on environmental conditions and signal strength
• The delay to form the transformation matrix (where the "find me" button can be used) can range from seconds to minutes
• Sometimes, it will be too imprecise to immediately find the prism.