Connecting to a Trimble GNSS receiver

Trimble GNSS receivers provide better accuracy than the integrated receiver in your device.

The TerraFlex software supports the following Trimble GNSS receivers:

  • Trimble Catalyst™ GNSS positioning service:
    • Trimble Catalyst DA2 GNSS receiver
    • Trimble Catalyst DA1 digital antenna
  • Trimble R Series GNSS receivers:
    • Trimble R1, R2, R580
    • Trimble R8s (Android and Windows devices only)
    • Trimble R10 Model 2 (Android and Windows devices only)
    • Trimble R12, R12i
    • Trimble R780 (Android devices only)
    • Trimble R980 (Android and iOS devices only)
  • Trimble handheld devices with integrated GNSS
    • Trimble TDC6 GNSS handheld
    • Trimble TDC650 GNSS handheld
    • Trimble TDC150 handheld
    • Trimble Empower EM100 module (on supported Trimble Android and Windows devices)
  • Spectra Geospatial SP100 GNSS receiver (Android devices only)

Supported receiver functionality depends on the connected receiver or the operating system of the connected device:

  • Trimble R1 and R2 receiver functionality is fully supported.

  • For other Trimble R series receivers, not all receiver functionality is fully supported, and data collected using these receivers cannot be processed using offline GNSS corrections.

  • Processing using offline GNSS corrections is supported for data collected using the Catalyst DA2 GNSS receiver, Trimble R580, R2, and R1 GNSS receivers, Trimble TDC650 GNSS handheld, Trimble TDC150 handheld, and Trimble Empower EM100 module.

  1. Press the power button on the receiver until the LED starts blinking.

  2. To pair with the receiver on an:

    • iOS device, go to the iOS Bluetooth settings screen.

    • Android device, in TerraFlex tap and tap Settings. Tap Location Service.

    • Windows device, in TerraFlex tap and tap Settings. Tap Location Service.

  3. The device scans for nearby devices. Receivers are listed by model name and serial number. If you are not sure which receiver is yours, check the serial number label on the underside of the receiver.

  4. If the receiver is not listed, tap the Refresh icon to rescan. If there are a number of Bluetooth devices in the vicinity you may need to refresh the list a couple of times.

  5. Select the receiver to connect to.

    If you are prompted to enter a PIN when connecting to a Trimble R series receiver, the default PIN is 0000. Note however that this may have been changed for your receiver in the web interface used to configure the receiver settings.

  6. Once connected, in TerraFlex tap and tap Settings. The Location Service field shows the name of the connected receiver. Tap Antenna Settings and enter the height of the antenna.

Resetting the receiver will force the receiver to forget any previously connected Bluetooth devices. Press and hold the power button on the receiver until the LED turns off. The receiver will reset itself and turn off. Press the power button again to restart it.

  1. Connect the DA1 antenna to the device using the USB cable provided with the antenna.

  2. In TerraFlex, tap and tap Settings.

  3. Tap Location Service and select the Trimble Catalyst DA1 option at the top of the list.

  4. The Catalyst Service pop-up appears. Tap OK to grant access and proceed.

    When the receiver is connected, the software returns to the Settings screen.

  5. Tap Antenna Settings and enter the height of the antenna.

  6. The Real-time Configuration field shows Trimble Corrections Hub.

  7. The Catalyst Subscription Information field shows the type of subscription you are using.

If you are running TerraFlex on a Trimble device that has an integrated Trimble GNSS receiver or a Trimble Empower EM100 module, the integrated receiver is used by default. The Location Service field in the TerraFlex Settings screen shows Internal.

TIP technology (Trimble Inertial Platform technology) uses an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) in the receiver to correct for any tilt in the pole the receiver is mounted on. A key feature of the Trimble R12i, Trimble R780, and Trimble R980 GNSS receivers, TIP technology enables you to collect accurate measurements when the pole is on an angle, so you don't have to ensure the receiver / pole is perfectly upright before collecting a feature.

While TIP technology can function without real-time corrections, Trimble recommends using real-time corrections to improve the precision and reliability of TIP technology.

When you are connected to an R12i, R780, or R980 GNSS receiver, TIP status (readiness) will normally move between the following statuses (these are shown on the Location Status screen and the Form and Map screens when you are collecting data):

  • TIP Disabled: Start moving to initialize -> TIP Ready (Poor IMU Alignment) -> TIP Ready

All TIP technology statuses are as follows:

  • TIP Disabled: Start moving to initialize - You will usually see this status during start-up or changes to real-time configuration. With good satellite coverage this state should last <30s.

  • TIP Ready (Poor IMU Alignment) - TIP technology is running but not in an optimal state; the receiver needs movement to reach its optimal state.

  • TIP Ready - TIP technology is functioning in its best state. With the correct antenna height set TIP technology will correctly use the bottom tip of the pole regardless of the tilt on the pole.

  • A status of TIP Disabled: Laser Rangefinder in use may also display. TIP technology cannot be used with a laser rangefinder, so if you are connected to a supported receiver with TIP technology and you connect to a laser rangefinder, this status will show; the raw GNSS position is used, with no tilt data (IMU offset position) in the measurement. When using a laser rangefinder, you must ensure you have the receiver pole completely upright for precise measurements. When you disconnect the laser rangefinder, TerraFlex will re-enable the IMU, and you must re-align the receiver before TIP technology becomes ready once again.

If the receiver's calibration exceeds acceptable tolerances, an error message will display: The IMU has excessive bias, please disconnect the receiver and recalibrate the IMU in the Mobile Manager application. You may also see: An IMU error has occurred, please reboot the receiver. The following statuses may also show:

  • TIP Disabled: IMU Calibration Required - For information on calibrating the receiver's tilt sensors, refer to the Trimble Mobile Manager Help or the Trimble Access Help.

  • TIP Disabled: Receiver Reboot Required - Reboot your receiver. Refer to the documentation for the receiver for details.