Left the motel before 6am to try the Leica before the heat set in:
- The optics were fine, but even with pairing with the TS at the site and driving out, I lost and couldn't get back connectivity to the handheld. I ended up setting reference point 2 manually – set the GPS pole, walk/drive back a mile to the TS to view where it was relative to the radial/distance, going back out to move the GPS pole a few meters, then back to the TS. After about 4 iterations, I think I got to within 10cm.
- Then moved the TS all the way to the midpoint of the array. I resectioned with only 2 points (R10, R11) and it seemed to be happy.
- Finally, I could start setting the line! I defined the line REALSCAN2 from TSC3 (total station, central site, third attempt) to RF1 (REAL scan line, in the field, first position, which is at the distance out where the DTS fiber will start). Not quite in this order, I now have flagged RF2 (along the REAL scan line at the distance where t0 will be), RF3 (along the REAL scan line at the distance of t49), and the base plates for t0, t2, t4, t6. I put a flag for t49, but it will have to be adjusted by 34cm due to the alternating base plate rotations.
- At that point, all my batteries died, so I returned to the motel.
All of the above was interrupted several times:
- About 7am, the ISS1 trailer was dropped off. It is now parked just outside the gate.
- About 10am, the trailer tower was dropped off. I transferred it to the silver truck and took it all the way to its final location in the field, in the correct orientation. In the process, I did manage to get stuck in soft sand, but powered through in 4low. It should be better coming out on the track I'm beginning to establish. I don't have the outrigger feet yet (coming soon), so didn't even try to set them.
- Ran into Town wastewater people unfortunately adding to the pond. Ralph also was the guy who delivered our porta potty, but to the wrong location. He'll move it Monday.
Not too bad for a morning.-- went to town with the batteries and got lunch (and gas).
Afternoon:
- 3rd trucker arrived about 4:15. To place the 2 seatainers, he first dumped both off of the trailer, then picked one up and placed it, then came back to pick and place the other. The whole process took somewhat over an hour, but now looks exactly as Bill drew in his diagram. The time to do this was comparable to loading with a crane, or using the manual jacks, though in between the two in flexibility. BTW, he says that the trailer was $130K for an 8-year-old used one and that his previous one was $180K new 20 years ago. A pricey bit of equipment!
- Now back at motel where batteries are ready. Will, Bill, Isabel, and David are now making their way up from Vegas. Company, at last!
Evening:
- A final run to the site, and Will was able to join up! Together, we flagged all the even-numbered towers. We lost the TS-handheld connection again at about 500m while trying to flag the end of the DTS fiber. As I did last night, we left the TS in place to keep its orientation/position and will do a 2-person sighting of this last point tomorrow.
Plan:
- Blaze a track to the tower line for vehicle access
- Finish the last flagging point (just one)
- Drop the chem shelter for the DTS stuff
- Empty out the seacontainer, distributing tower sections/base plates/solar panels to their respective positions
- If time, grab TT feet and set the TT legs
- Sometime, could flag the odd-numbered towers as well (and check the tower line with a measuring tape)
