Heads up about using cheap GPS units on dig sites now

Five years back, I was fine with a basic handheld GPS for marking finds, even if it was off by 3 meters sometimes. After a project in Cyprus last year where we nearly missed a whole burial feature due to bad data, I switched. Now I only use a survey-grade RTK system that ties directly into our site grid, and it costs about $5k. The shift happened because we started working on tighter, urban sites where every centimeter matters. Has anyone else made this jump, or found a good middle-ground setup that doesn't break the bank?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor_fox24d ago

Used Emlid gear takes a bit of fiddling to get the calibration right, but once you do it's rock solid for urban sites. Cut my setup time in half compared to the RTK I was borrowing.

aaron8962mo ago

Honestly, that shift to tighter urban sites is exactly what pushed us to a used Emlid Reach setup. It was a solid middle ground for us.

hugo2362mo ago

How often do you find the used Emlid gear needs extra work or calibration? I've looked at that route but worry about hidden costs eating up the savings.