CadastreGPS / EquipmentLand survey

GPS Mobile Mapper 6, Capture data

El Mobile Mapper 6 Is the generation that came to replace the CX and Pro, formerly produced by Magellan. Today we will see how to capture data in the field.

1. Basic settings.

To capture data, the computer must have the software installed Mobile Mapping, Which comes with the disks when purchasing the equipment and is installed via Active Sync. (Eye, do not confuse it with Mobile Mapper Office)

Gps mobile mapper To execute it, it is done Home> Mobile Mapping. The navigation view appears, when loading it for the first time you must configure some parameters from the option Menu On the lower right side.

  • Registry: Here you must establish if we want it to automatically record the position every so often. For example, every 30 seconds.
  • We can also define it to take it automatically every certain amount of meters of displacement. This is ideal for routes.
  • It could also be said that it is taken manually, when I select it. And for this, it must be indicated above, how long to average positions, it means that if I indicate 45 seconds, the equipment will collect data during that time and it will capture the averaged value.
  • Units. Here it is established if we will work in meters, kilometers, miles, feet etc. same for area.
  • There are other parameters, for now we will define only those.

2. Create new map

Gps mobile mapperFor this, it is done Menu> new ... It is necessary to understand how the Mobile Mapper operates, to know where the data is stored.

  • The file .map. This is a kind of container, just like ArcView's .apr, ArcGIS .mxd. Contains no data, only loaded layer settings. You must specify the name and where it will be stored.
  • The .shp file. This equipment allows creating layers of the shape file type, where the captured information is stored. When created, the required .dbf and .shx files are also created.

Gps mobile mapper This is done Menu> layers, and there you can select an existing layer, or a new one. These layers can be of the line, point or polygon type, 2D or 3D. Then the attributes can be of type text, numeric, yes / no, date, image or audio captured with the same equipment.

Thus you can create layers such as: Buildings, street axes, control points, tree, etc.

Each layer can have attributes stored in the .dbf, such as: owner, photo, house number, audio declaration, etc.

Also display attributes such as symbol, color, thickness, fill.

Each layer can have display scale. For example, if I set the municipal boundary layer to 1: 10,000, I won't see it unless it's scaled above it and it won't get in the way when I'm working with parcels at 1: 400 scales.

You can also load an existing layer, such as a property or road map. It may even be a georeferenced image.

  • Gps mobile mapperThe .grw and .crg files. These are created as we take points, and they are necessary so that in due course we can do post-processing based on data obtained with other static equipment. The data without post-processing will walk in a radius of 3 to 5 meters -Like any browser-, with post-processing sub-metric precision is reached.

Warning: Mobile Mapper 6 (MM6) cannot be base (so far). They can be base the old Mobile Mapper Pro, I think the CX and Magellan Promark 3 (This costs around US $ 2,500 while MM6 walks down the $ 1,500, almost what was worth the Pro or CX)

It means that for a mass process, there could be a Promark3 and 5 MM6, about US $ 10,000. Perhaps an incomparable solution if we compare prices with brands such as Trimble.

Gps mobile mapper

It will also be necessary to set the projection and coordinate system the first time a layer is loaded.

3. Capture data.

Once the above is done, the GPS starts and we will have a window similar to the one shown in the image.

Above is the number of satellites visible, down the coordinate and in the viewfinder location.

To capture data, it is selected from the bottom menu, on the left side, where it says log. If we have it in Spanish it will say Registration. It immediately lets us choose in which layer we will save the point to capture, and if we have it configured manually, as I explained in step 1, Gps mobile mapper Then a progress bar will do the process for the set seconds until the point is captured.

Then the panel opens to enter attributes. If you have another configuration, for example, every 10 meters, we can leave the equipment on the dashboard of the car and drive, it will make a capture every time it detects a displacement of 10 meters.

In the next post we will see how to download data and Postprocessing them.

Golgi Alvarez

Writer, researcher, specialist in Land Management Models. He has participated in the conceptualization and implementation of models such as: National Property Administration System SINAP in Honduras, Management Model of Joint Municipalities in Honduras, Integrated Cadastre-Registry Management Model in Nicaragua, Territory Administration System SAT in Colombia . Editor of the Geofumadas knowledge blog since 2007 and creator of the AulaGEO Academy that includes more than 100 courses on GIS - CAD - BIM - Digital Twins topics.

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76 Comments

  1. The postprocess code is purchased. It does not come with the GPS; So the only one who can give you that code is who sold it to you, if he wants to give it to you.

  2. good morning I have two GPS that a friend sold me but I don't have the code to activate the postprocess, they could support me in finding or how to activate the postprocess

  3. Friend already I went to the page where you say that the software but says that it does not exist and that update is for a mobile maper 6.0

  4. I do not know how to enter coordinates to the mobile mapper 10 if someone can help me

  5. Hello, I have a MM6 that I have not been able to activate, and tried to communicate to the telephone numbers without success, I would like to help me to activate it I have from 2010 with the saved computer the different activation codes do not work. I appreciate your help in getting it working.

  6. Hello, I need to collaborate I have a mobile mapper 6 I do not know how to configure it for flat coordinates here in colombia

  7. I COULD DO THE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND ACCESSORIES FOR GPS MOBILEMAPPER 6, I AM FROM CHIAPAS, MEXICO, I NEED A TOPOGRAPHY STORE AS CLOSE TO WHERE I WANT TO BUY ACCESSORIES. IN ADVANCE I GIVE THANK YOU FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WAITING FOR A QUICK ANSWER.

  8. I'm about to acquire an Ashtech Mobile Mapper 10 PostProcess Precision from 0.5 Metros Post-Process Code and tell me the provider that I do a GPS Tuning Complete installation and configuration of the MM SUITE. And that they can do the SETUP of the equipment and that it has an additional cost of $ 995 pesos. The question is that if it suits me that they will make the necessary configurations and pay this amount or I can do it without so much complication?

  9. HELLO GOOD AFTERNOON I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HOW I CAN GET INTERNET TO MY MIBILE MAPPER-6 AND HOW TO MAKE IT TO METER OR PROGAMAR GOOGLE EARTH IN MY EQUIPMENT AND METER DIGITAL PLANE

  10. best regard. I have a mobile mapper 6, can tell me where or how to do the steps for the post process thanks
    Of bucaramanga colombia. Thank you

  11. Hi, I would like to know if you. Can help me to program and start my 6 mobile mapper.

  12. Hi, I'm from Mexico, and they gave me an 6 mobile mapper, on my laptop I have 7 windows, and I can not install the gps programs, can someone support me with the programs for that version of windows ???

    FIRST OF ALL, THANKS

  13. The .map files do not contain data, but references to .shp files that contain the captured information.

    You must download the three files: .shp .dbf and .shx to your computer. These are fairly common files, any GIS program can open them and export them to dxf to open them in AutoCAD.

    Options to do it:

    Ashtech Mobile Mapper Office
    GvSIG
    ArcGIS
    Quantum GIS
    Microstation XM or higher
    etc.

  14. Hello, how could you help me by saying how to export a .map file from the mobilemapper office so that it opens in Autocad 2010 .. thanks

  15. Please someone tell me, I do the differential correction and I get an error that says: "The file xxxx.grw the vectors do not match in the map" something like that, that error has already been coming up several times and it worries me because it looks like the correction is made but I don't know if the data is reliable because of the message that comes out” if someone could help me, thanks.

  16. For that price, with any Ashtech dealer in your country. For less, on eBay.
    The post process is lifelong, non-transferable from one computer to another.

  17. Hello, could you tell me where I can buy this GPS for less than 1000 euros in any store that allows importing it to Spain? If it is possible at that price, does it include post-price at that price? Is post-processing a lifelong or should it be updated?

  18. Hello, could you tell me where I can buy this GPS for less than 1000 euros in any store that allows importing it to Spain? If it is possible at that price, does it include post-price at that price? Is post-processing a lifelong or should it be updated?

  19. albeiro

    To configure the compass is easy you just have to follow the step

    put the gps in a flat place and when you give calibrate the compass keep the cursor pointing to the north rotating the cps in the opposite direction to which the pointer rotates apara turning in labrujula

  20. hello my question is the following one I have 3 gps mobilemapper6 and I want to know how I can locate one with the other bone saver the position of one of my technicians in real time as a monitoring

    I want to know how it is achieved and what I need to do it

  21. Greetings to all my question is as follows:
    I have 3 gps 6 mobilemapper and I want to know how and what I need to locate one with the other

    I explained I have baria brigades collecting cartographic data in motion and I would like to see their position at any given moment or locate them

  22. There you have in the options, so that you can configure the compass, once you activate it you must be turning the gps on a horizontal platform, following the orientation that it asks for.

    I understand that for geotagging photos, you must create an image field in a shape, so when you capture the data you will be asked to take the photograph.

  23. Hi, I live in Colombia; I have a MobileMapper 6, I have never managed to configure the E-compass, nor geotag a photogtaphy taken with this, how is it done ?. thank you very much for your help.

  24. thank you very much, the software comes with the gps, and if you do it, thanks for your comment, it's very helpful

  25. good afternoon, I have a question, I need to upload an axis to rethink in an 100 mobile mapper, but the two options indicated are .dxfo .map, the dxf does not work due to its vector configuration and does not identify the properties of the point, specifically the name, just upload points, the .map I have not found a way to generate it. I appreciate your attention and response as it would be very useful to know how to upload a file with geographical coordinates that show me on the gps screen every name, thank you very much

  26. Hello Paul.

    It should not give you problems because of size, it's not such a big file. It will not be that the georefernciaste wrong, try a smaller image to verify.

    Greetings to Peru.

  27. Hello G !, a question, I have the google earth pro, and as you know you have to save images in various qualities. I tried saving in the highest quality, and when I went to options in the MM6 to add the background image everything well, I recognized it and everything, the georeferency but when I hit the OK button to see it at work, nothing! did not appear the supposed background image, so ¿any data for the images in terms of size and quality ?. A part, what other sources can I get photos ?, that is part of google earth.
    regards
    Paul

  28. Hello, Beto.
    To evacuate possibilities. Try the distance tool, see how much they measure the boundaries of some properties in different areas of the map and compare with the map in AutoCAD.

    It could be a matter that is taking an incorrect projection and therefore appear deformed.

    Do you see any pattern of deformation or feature of the buildings that are not seen? For example, if they have many vertices, if they were in different level, if they had some kind of different line, etc.

  29. I am trying to send a job to my maguellan professional promark3. I created the file in autocad DWG to load the file to mobilemapper and there if all the lots of the properties are seen, but when loading the file to my maguellan, there are poligos of my plane that are seen and others not, looking like they had different format .. they could support me telling me what is the reason for this to happen in my file.

  30. Hi Paul, I think the sensible thing is to go with the local Magellan dealer. The least they should do is help you with the use of the equipment, as the compass looks like it could be a factory error.
    From the photos, try the external buttons.

  31. Hi friend, I recently acquired a MM6, but a big favor, I can not calibrate the Electric Brujula, for more that I follow the steps I do not manage to fill the circle with blue color, after almost 5 min to be spinning, Parts and I get a notice that the E-compass could not be calibrated. Another query is how you can take the photos, as I give the image attribute to the point, and when I want to take photos the camera is activated but I do not get any buttons where I can take the photo.

    Thank you

  32. Hello friends, I have a problem. I opened a shp file as the initial layer, however the location of the cursor that indicates the current position does not match the locations of the shp layer (0,5 km is offset) what could it do?

  33. Good day.

    Maybe my question is simple, but really I've been stuck for weeks and I can only resort to your kind help.
    I have a MobileMapper 6 in the office, and we need to get the speed data during a tour. As it does not report it automatically, we decided to do it via distance and time. For the distance, we convert the excel files to the Mapsource platform. But when you get the time, the GPS repeats the start time at each point. We already searched the Internet, contacted the distributor, to technical assistance of ashtec and read the manuals hundreds of times without results. I wish it could help us to configure the equipment in such a way that it reports the time of each point that it raises during a line trip. Thank you.

  34. Good day, I have an 6 mobile mapper, which was purchased last year, I installed the program but the cd where it came was lost, now what happens is that it becomes necessary to reinstall the mobile mapping, but I only find the 1.44 version and the gps does not receive it, since the one that was used was 2.0, do you know where I can find that version of the mobile mapping?
    I would greatly appreciate the help and equally congratulate you for this interesting post.

  35. Screen size is 2.7 ″ (corner to corner)
    The QVGA resolution is 240 x 320 pixels

  36. I would like to know the resolution of the screen to compare with other equipment

  37. From Colombia, cordial greeting, I have not been contacted for codes .. could you help me with the contact ???
    Thank you

  38. Hey Pablo, I already sent an email to a representative of Magellan that can attend you, I hope tomorrow is doing.

    all the best

  39. I need to contact a user of magellan mobile mapper 6 if possible province of cádiz

  40. Thank you, Ing. I need to acquire the post code and for the mapping FOR THE MM6 to be able to take data in the field. Can you please guide me where I can get them ?. I am in Colombia.

  41. Ing. I'm in Colombia, thank you for your guidance.

  42. Hello girls, if you can inform me where I can get maps of the equator to use in the MM6.

  43. Racias, Ing. I need to buy the post code and the mapping to be able to take data in the field. Can you please guide me where you can buy ?. And reasonably priced ?. FOR THE MM6

  44. Thank you, Ing. I need to buy the post code and the mapping to be able to take data in the field. Can you please guide me where you can buy ?. And reasonably priced ?.

  45. Dear Mr Geofumadas, I have two promark 3 with windows CE, I wanted to install the ArcPad but ma has been impossible, I assume that it is perative system, is it possible to change operating system, for example to windows mobile.
    Greetings and keep going.

  46. Hello Leonardo.

    The CE is not recommended at this point, because it is a very old computer, I understand that it still runs on Windows CE. The case of MM6 is better option as it already runs on Windows 6, and you do not hear the many problems that the previous one gave.

    Now, if you want to use two, they do not serve you two MM6, since that equipment can not be base, just rover. If you want to put one as base you will have to use a MobileMapper Pro, a Promark3 or a Mobile Mapper 100.

    When using only one and make corrections with Rinex data, do not expect great precision. The MM6 even with data from a Promark3 team working in the same work area gives radial precisions that walk for 1.30 meters. So precisions with a close base will be higher than that.

  47. Best regards, excellent comments give a good orientation.
    I live in Colombia and I am interested in acquiring a GPS for surveying jobs. The options are Mobile mapper or MM6, the query is as follows, for the post-processing work, two devices are required, one as a base and the other as mobile or I can only buy one with a Beacon antenna and request the rinex files from a nearby base, if so, what would be the maximum distance to work from the base. Thanks for your help, continue like this.

  48. Greetings, first I thank you for the creation of this blog because it has been very helpful, I have a MM6, the first problem I have is that only two options appear on the mobile mapping in the menu, the registry and the units , do not appear the DGPS and those that follow as raw data etc, I would like to know ak is this problem and I synchronize it to the computer but I do not know how to configure the MM6 to connect it to the internet, I have a wireless modem for mobile or cellular telephony, I would appreciate if you thank me how to do these activities since I am a civil engineer and I need it to do land surveys and I would like to do the polygonal with elevations with this device, blessings

  49. Mr. geofumadas, a cordial greeting, I write from Colombia.
    I have a GPS magellan mobile mapper 6 and I have problems to configure it in such a way that allows me to work in flat or rectangular coordinates. I have followed the instructions but do not offer what is necessary for Colombia. I would greatly appreciate if you can help me in this regard. So far I have not had any problems with working in geographic coordinates or with post-processing. but there are times when I need to work with coordinate plans. THANK YOU

  50. They are two different teams. The Triton is a browser only, does not bring Windows mobile, so it does not support Arcpad.

    Its precisions walk by three meters, while the mm6 supports post-processing taking its accuracy near or less than the meter.

  51. Which difference of character and specification is there between the 6 professional mapper mobile and the 2000 triton, you can install the 8 arc pad software to both computers

  52. I'm sorry to install the ActiveSync, but on the disk I can not find MobileMapping.

    Could you explain what to do. I need to use it on the ground

    Thanks Ing.

  53. Hello, in the box comes a disk, you must install the ActiveSync, then connect the device to the PC, and by that means install the MobielMapping that comes in the disk.

    Also in the box comes a document that has the warranty conditions and the activation code of the post process.

    If your friend bought the device in a new store, everything should come.

  54. Hello, in the box comes a disk, you must install the ActiveSync, then connect the device to the PC, and by that means install the MobielMapping that comes in the disk.

    It is of some versions that only comes the system in English.

  55. Greetings from Colombia. I have a serious problem, I have acquired a MobileMapper 6, through a friend in the USA, first comes the Operating System in English, the code for post-processing, no idea and to top it off I DO NOT see the Mobile Mapping application.

    Could you please orient me ?, I need to pass it to Spanish and be able to capture data in the field. I have always worked with MobileMapper Pro and it is very different.

    Thank you

  56. The problem is not downloading the data. The problem arises when I start the mobile mapping to register new entities in a .map on a layer ... it is not possible to do so because the GPS does not provide information on the screen. Do you think it is possible because it is connected to the PC? Is it possible to capture GPS data connected to the PC?

  57. As I do not know, it will be some port problem. You can also download the data by removing the SD memory

  58. USB. If you install the ActiveSync ... and it works (because that way install the software on the GPS).

  59. And how are you connecting the computer? Usb Did you install ActiveSync?

  60. Good friend… after installing mobile mapping and mobile mapper today (these two on the gps) and mobile mapper 6 office (on the PC), I followed your methodology. However, when starting mobile mapping, the following message appears: "Cannot connect to gps". What does it mean and how do I solve the problem because I have not been able to capture data.
    I thank you for your kind assistance and I congratulate you on your work.

  61. Well, leave your doubts here, to see where we can help you

  62. I would appreciate to be part of this site since I have just acquired a gps magellan mobile mapper 6 postprocess and I have many doubts regarding its use abradesco I can support thanks

  63. A cordial greeting from Honduras, for such an elegant program concerned every day to improve the relation, science study, work.

    Blessings from on high for all

  64. Let's see.
    Does the .map file's properties have the same system as the shape files you're uploading?

    Have you included the .prj?

    Normally the system occupies: the three files of shape file: .shp, .dbf, .shx and also the .prj that contains the projection. Then a .drw that I do not remember for what.

  65. Hello...I want to open some SHPs from a different geographical area than the one I am in...when I follow the process it sends me a message that says “A layer cannot be added. The layer coordinate system does not match the active map options.” However, OF COURSE I am in the correct coordinate system and projection, I would appreciate the help .. I am starting to use GPS but I almost always use ArcPad. It seems to me that this is easier... I DON'T KNOW
    regards
    Tavo

  66. A greeting Antonio, good that the information has served you.

  67. For Mr. Geofumadas there is no doubt that we must remove the hat when details in his data of consultations and other data of investigation that are of much help and interest for all, since his page is very complete, that continues thus and improving.

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