What is the best survey instrument you ever had?

[Roadbridge]

Recently I moved to a new site as an RE for a local government job. Every thing was new on the job; new jeeps site offices mobiles etc except for the total stations apparently some years back some guy rushed out an bought a flock of EDM’s at an outrageous price and now there stock with them for the foreseeable future.
By today’s standards these EDM’s are slow to use and quite backward, my first time taking it out to check a few point was a complete waste of time, it took ages to set up and to bring up the programmes by the time I’d done that the battery died and so on.
Basically I looked like I’d never used an Edm before.

I longed for the days of my Topcon GTS 500 series with its sleek look and user-friendly keys. It was the best Edm I ever had, so I was wondering if any of you had encountered the same problem with you change instruments.

 

[keano1]

This reminds me of some thing that happened me once. I stated this job with a small company and was asked to set out holding down bolts with a very old theodolite when I looked through it every thing was up side down. When nobody was it anciently fell over and the company had to hire a brand new EDM. Never did see the old one again.