Looking for best phone for M2 and Swift Mini 500

I recently purchased the Reach M2 and Swift Mini 500 antenna. I have an old Samsung S3 and an older Apple Ipad and when I try and download Reachview 3 it tells me that both devices are incompatible. Can someone recommend a compatible device that is not too expensive and readable in sunlight? I’m hoping to use this system for land surveying in the Big Bend area of west Texas. Thanks!
James

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Great setup ! That’s exactly how I use my M2’s as static baseline on project sites when using my Javad Victor LS on our RTN in SC. In case of cell coverage loss, I’ve got three baselines to PP for closed loop coverage.

I just got an RS2 and a LoRa radio for one of my M2’s. I’ll be playing around with it here soon, back issues have kept me down last three weeks. I’ll be using one of the M2’S as the base for LoRa transmission.

I keep my M2’s and battery in small hip bag too. Pretty convient, as I can also keep my swift antenna and accessories all in the bag.

I use my motorola one 5G UW for the Reach app. Works pretty good for me, but I’m planning on getting a tablet though. Don’t know which on yet.

Cool house in the background !

We are having very good luck with the Oukitel WP5 Pro and WP8 Pro. The WP5 has a bigger battery and the WP8 has a larger screen. They are both available on Amazon for less than $200.

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Myself, I like using an android tablet for the screen size. When using CORS network to set a base using average fix, I enable hotspot on my phone. I have my M2 connected to that network as well as my tablet. After the average fix is done, internet is not needed so I turn off my hotspot and use the tablet as a data collector. The bigger screen is a HUGE benefit to me as ever since I passed 45 years of age, my near vision has went down hill in a hurry, 56 currently.

I have used an old original Ipad and old Samsung S2 tablet. The Ipad was my wife’s old one and I bought the S2 from my nephew as he bought a newer unit. Both work very well and have long battery life.

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Thanks Bryan! Yes I was inspired by the thread where you and David Hess were discussing this setup. I want to try PPP with OPUS first and later get the RS2 and radio for M2. Even though I am an older semi retired land surveyor, I never had much experience with GPS as most of my jobs were small and the equipment was so expensive. I will probably be asking for help. That house in the background is a ferro cement dome, with a smaller one in front of it. My old friend Don Bryant was a dome builder out here and when he died he left the property to establish a school. Check out constructivearts.org

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Thanks Michael, I will be checking that out.

Thanks JP, sounds like a great setup.

James, I’m 63 and been doing this all my life since 14 starting out using a bushaxe and moving up in the profession. I’ve since been resigned to the office as my younger brother 52 and fellow registered Surveyor/business partner has declared me to much dead weight in the woods with him. I do get to go out in the field occasionally when doing control work or a big boundary. Sometimes even on a construction site.

I’ll be doing this hopefully till the good Lord calls me. I enjoy learning new stuff, software and equipment. Especially the Emlid line. We’ve got all Javad gear here, and it’s a marvelous piece of equipment for high multi-path areas. I’ve always wanted a small low price multi GNSS receiver to use just as static, and I bought my M2’s last March a year ago. Cool static receivers.

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Bryan you are a young man. I’m 71 years old and started land surveying in east Texas in 1971. Most of my career I used a 100 foot steel tape (still called a chain) and an old transit with closure about a foot in a mile and adjusted. Did a lot of cutting line with a machete. It’s exciting to get to play with the M2 and I hope to put a few more corners on the map out here in west Texas. Good luck and thanks for your help and encouragement.

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We call those machetes “Colorado Bushaxes” here in SC. I feel 30 years young some days… others I feel like 80 ! I wish we had some wide open spaces here in SC. Mostly pine forests and few old woodlands. And the creeks are fairly big, however some areas you would think you’re in Cambodia !

Everybody on the forum here is great and helpful. Emlid’s support is good also.

If in doubt, just ask !

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I agree with jp-drain-sol about using a tablet for the bigger screen size, especially for my older eyes. Though the lower price of the phones Michael has used would be tempting.

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Yes I am thinking of a larger size phone but other variables such as screen resolution/sunlight readable are important. I spend too much time trying to make these decisions.

The WP8 Pro is a 6.5in screen and very bright.

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Thanks Michael. I spent some time researching that brand (Oukitel) and other similar brands such as Blackview and finally decided to order the WP7 because of the large higher resolution screen and good reviews and it should get here Wednesday. Thanks to everyone here for the good advice. James

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I’m looking at the Qualcomm Android that Event38 sells and with the Field Genius software for$1874.00. I’m thinking that’s a pretty good price. I don’t know about the tablet though. It seems to be pretty heavy duty for field use. I’m spoiled by my W7 controller for my Javad. I’d like to have a decent W10 field tablet but it that’s at least $3800.00, I could run my Javad Justin PP software and Carlson on it, but I couldn’t use Emlid’s software. My vision isn’t as good as it used to be. I just found out I’m needing cataract surgery… Can’t drive at night.

Anyway, what does an office Surveyor need all this for…

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Easiwriter 71. Great to see those with that “experience” tinkering with technology.

That is one of the reasons I started looking into the Emlid products. I have called myself a “tinkerer” for years. I learned a long time ago, of coarse Trimble wants us to sell someone an entire system but, when they own their own RTK equipment already, most my competitors use 3rd party RTK. I started tinkering with it and found out how to do it with the Trimble monitors. This way I at least get the monitor sale and I do think Trimble’s drainage program in their monitor is top of the line.

I have been around the drainage industry since I was 11 so I have a decent amount of experience when it comes to this topic.

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I guess you’re talking about Reachview 3 Survey? You can still fully use regular Reachview in a web browser.

Check out my new screen. I should probably rotate it the other way huh?

Because work is no fun without toys.

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Thanks Michael ! I didn’t realize that you could use the Emlid app in web browser ! I had seen this but thought it was just for the settings of the units. This opens up all kind of possibilities. Thank you Emlid.
See… I try and learn something new every day.

I do enjoy the “toys” and software in my profession. This is what keeps me going learning new things and staying on the cutting edge. I see Surveyors my age still using 80’s technology and are stuck in a rut. I haven’t ever been like that and I really feel sorry for them. The excitement of a new product from Emlid, like the M2’s I bought last year are really on the cutting edge.

I didn’t see any other major GNSS come out with a survey grade receiver the size of a matchbox in the form they offer.

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Well though I should have clarified that it is the old version and the survey module is limited to WGS84 and ellipsoid… You can always run Fieldgenius on a PC… :wink: but I’m sure you have plenty of other software you could use as well.

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And if they had, it would be at least $8000-10,000. Trimble Ag came out with a setup to use with their WM-Survey II consisting of a SPS85 which can be a base or rover if activated. With activations, it runs $18,000 and the base function sucks! RS2 does the same and works GREAT for $1899.

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