Data output
You can output measurement data to another device such as an echo sounder or a computer running third-party software.
Data output is supported by any supported conventional instrument. Your equipment setup depends on the equipment you are using. Trimble VX and S Series instruments can output data through the foot connector, so you can output measurement data from the instrument or the controller. For other instruments you must connect the controller to the instrument and connect the device to the controller to output data from the controller to the device.
To enable data output:
- Tap
and select Instrument / Data output. - Set the Streamed data to either After measurement or Continuous.
-
Select the Streamed format.
If you select GDM user defined:
- Select the GDM data labels to include. See GDM data output.
- Select the End of transmission character.
- Select the Time output.
- If necessary, configure the Port details.
-
Leaving the Data output screen open, tap
to access other functions in the software. Data output remains enabled as long as the Data output screen is open.
To stop data output, tap Stop in the Data output screen, or close the Data output screen.
GDM data output
If you select GDM user defined as the Streamed format, you can select from the following labels:
| Label | Text | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | HA | Horizontal angle |
| 8 | VA | Vertical angle |
| 9 | SD | Slope distance |
| 10 | VD | Vertical distance |
| 11 | HD | Horizontal distance |
| 37 | N | Northing |
| 38 | E | Easting |
| 39 | ELE | Elevation |
| 51 | Date | Date |
| 52 | Time | Time |
Before the system can output northing, easting, and elevation, you must complete a station setup. Otherwise, the system outputs 0, 0, 0.
The northing, easting, elevation, angle and distance units match the Trimble Access system setting.
To set the number of decimal places for the horizontal angle and vertical angle records, select Jobs / Properties of job. Tap the Units button and then select the appropriate option in the Angle display field.
If streamed output is on and no new distance is available, the HA and VA labels are sent rather than the user defined labels.
When using Autolock mode, the instrument must be locked onto a target for any GDM data to be sent.
Pseudo NMEA GGA output
Use the Pseudo NMEA GGA data output option to stream northing, easting, and elevation values, rather than the standard latitude, longitude, and altitude values, from the controller to the connected instrument. This output format is based on the NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) standard for interfacing marine electronic devices. A modified version of one of the NMEA 'sentences', the GGA sentence, is generated.
A typical example of an output record is: $GPGGA,023128.00,832518.67,N,452487.66,E,1,05,1.0,37.48,M,0.0,M,0.0,0001*49
The fields in this record are as follows:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| $GPGGA | Data type identifier for the NMEA sentence |
| 023128.00 | Time field – UTC time of position fix (hhmmss.ss) |
| 832518.67 | North coordinate in the currently set units output to 2 decimal places |
| N | Fixed text indicating preceding value was the north coordinate |
| 452487.66 | East coordinate in the currently set units output to 2 decimal places |
| E | Fixed text indicating preceding value was the east coordinate |
| 1 | Fix quality (always output as 1 = GPS fix) |
| 05 | Number of satellites (not applicable in this case and always output as 05) |
| 1.0 | HDOP value (not applicable in this case and always output as 1.0) |
| 37.48 | Elevation value in the currently set units output to 2 decimal places |
| M | Units identifier for elevation value (also indicates units for north and east values). M or F indicating meters or feet (US survey feet or international feet – both use the F output as there is no means of indicating which feet unit) |
| 0.0 | Geoidal separation (always output as 0.0 since an elevation value is being output) |
| M | Units identifier for the geoidal separation (always output as M) |
| 0.0 | Time in seconds since last DGPS update (not applicable in this case and always output as 0.0) |
| 0001 | DGPS base station ID (not applicable in this case and always output as 0001) |
| *49 | Record checksum value with * separator. |
If there are no coordinate values available for output in the Pseudo NMEA GGA sentence, the north, east, and elevation comma‑separated fields in the record are empty.
For information on outputting NMEA from the GNSS receiver, see NMEA output options.
