Informed, snarky comment on GNSS receivers, software, updates and releases.
I get paid to know the details of GPS equipment. My perspective might have some value to others.
So here it is, a biased perspective.
Mark
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iG GPS · Mark's Notes
iG GPS 
Is there a way to hardreset a MM100 when it freeze
Is there a key combination to restart it at the manufacture setup and reinstall applications?
– use Reset GNSS option in GNSS Toolbox application (Cold Reset – INI command)
– pressing simultaneously ESC, IN and OK buttons (reboots the unit)
– (if none of the above is working) remove and replace the unit battery
If these don’t work, I would use the control panel ‘remove programs’ to remove existing programs, then manually delete any left over folder, then re-install.
Because of Microsoft restrictions, if you brick a PM100/PM200/MM100; it has to go to the FACTORY to get reloaded.
Mark
Mark i dont know how start a new mesagge. My question is:
Can i use a ashtech u-link whit a zsurveyor as base? The u -link radio only is in the pm500 menu in fast survey or carlson. Thank you very mucho.
Fer
You could. But you will have to select ‘Cable’ and set the baud-rate to match the radio. You won’t be able to change channels.
Also, the ULINK is end-of-life. So I would not purchase a new ULINK for an application.
Thanks, M
Hi Ashgps,
Great info in this place. Thanks for the good work.
Only one question. I have a PM100 that freezes during boot up at the “ProMark Series” start up screen.
Is there a physical reset buttom to boot the windows from zero and reconfigure like in the old good MM6?
That would save my PM from going into the recycle bin.
Thanks and cheers,
Javier
Gaby, I was looking through past comments on my blog and noticed your question about doing a factory restore on the MM100/PM100/PM200. Recently there was a tool [ CleanBoot: ftp://ftp.ashtech.com/Land%20Survey/ProMark%20100%20_%20200/Software/Reset%20factory%20settings%20Tool/CleanBoot.exe ] that does just that.
Thanks Mark, i have find very usefull info from your blog and web site, another particular situation with the MM120 is to realign the screen when it dont respond. I try to go in the menu end access the align option but i cant reach that windows icon and navigate with the keyboard into it. HAve you a last trick before we change to another technology?
I always suspect that there is a seed or grain of sand in the crack around the screen, under the bezel. I have a small metal pick (I got mine at Walmart on the rack above the toothbrushes) that I can clean around the crack with.
If the screen is working at all, then it might fix it.
Our repair depot has had some success with this issue, but a MM120 can still go to the factory to be fixed. Even if it is not under warranty. Your dealer (perhaps us?) can get you a SWO number to return it for service under.
M
Good job, I’ve learned a lot from your blog , I come From China ,and a Dealer too, Look forward to more exchanges
Hi and thank you so much for your great info .
I have a promark 200 . I recently upgraded the unit to have rtk ability.
Unfortunately yesterday I lost the invoice with the key number.
Can you please tell me if there is an option to recover the upgrade key number from promark 200 ? I want to write it down in case of need .
Can I Di that with a serial command such as promark 500?
Thanks
Hello
I have just purchased 15 MM10s and they have been delivered (late dec 2012) with MM field 2.0, and MM office 2.1. Is this normal seeing you have been extolling the virtues of the later versions? Do I have any recourse to the supplier (in Germany) to get the later versions?
I want to be able to set up jobs/templates on the MM office and then export to the hand held unit. Can’t see how to do it. Is it possible?
Hi, Many thanks for your interesting blog.
I have a MM120 and it does not start properly, it gives me the start screen and stays like this! Is there any hard reset procedure of the device?
i use GNSS ProMark 100. it seems working but when i stop the capturing data, i found out that nothing is recorded on my mark. my question is what is the cause of not capturing ? and also how can I reboot the GNSS
Do you have the latest firmware? Are you looking in the correct location for the G file?
Reboot: GNSS Toolbox: Reset
M
I am using a Mobile Mapper 120 with FAST Survey. Recently I am getting an error message that “no GNSS detected” When I reset with the GNSS toolbox I get a service layer alarm with the message “bad parameter on port F” I have tried looking on the ashtech ftp server for the clean boot tool but have been unable to locate it. Any help would be appreciated.
Bryan
I am working on an all encompassing document that describes what to do. Stay tuned or drop me an email and I will send you a preliminary copy.
I am having the exact same issue and would like to know if you have solved the problem.
Angela
Hi Mark, i’m having the same issue. Do you know how to solve it?
Hello, what does this “bad parameter on port F” means and what is the solution?
It means that a setting has been attempted that won’t work.
I see it all the time and I fix it by doing a GNSS Reset from the GNSS Toolbox.
Hello,
great blog, guess the best technical blog devoted to survey grade gps.
I am quite new ProMark 200 user and by the way I would like to ask if GLONASS L1 option enabled affects network rtk survey somehow in any positive way, I mean better performance or more stable fix or just turn it down in GNSS Toolbox or in Fast SURVEY?
Thanks for posting.
GLONASS L1 makes RTK better if you have any canopy. But the L2 option is what makes the ProMark 200 / 220 really work well. On the PM200, I would forgo GLONASS as you can’t run GLONASS and L2 at the same time and you will usually get a better solution with L2.
Hi,
I have a ProMar500.
Today, when i power it on, i saw a message : “All attempts failed”.
When i try to survey, i can’t connect to internal GNSS.
Do u known this problem?
What can i do?
Regards,
Artur
Are you sure the message is not “No GNSS Detected”? If so, you might try reseating the ribbon cable between the main board and the GNSS bucket. That will typically fix this issue.
Hello! I have one problem with PM220. PM220 shows that he is connected to internet but it isn’t and it is impossible to connect unit to CORS. Got answer from support it is a bug and some fake solution via GNSS tollbox. Are you informed about his problem? And have any solution for this? Thanks! BR
Are you running the latest version of every piece of firmware and software?
Once you finish updating, do a GPS Reset from the GNSS Toolbox and it will most likely fix the issue.
Hello,
Our institute uses the Thales MobileMappers. I have a team of researchers who have collected some points and polygons and when we try to open them in MobileMapper Office they are not there. They display on the unit and we can find them with MobileMapper Transfer, but we can’t get them off the unit. It seems that the job file associated with the points is gone. All we see are the files with extention .G01 and .M01. Is there a way Fix this problem?
Give me a call and I can help you find the actual data files on the device. In a nutshell: open the .MAP file in a text editor (you will need to copy off of the device). It will have path relative locations and file names for each of the linked files that are part of the project. Grab all of these files.
M
hello
i have a problem with ashtech 111661 gnss receiver, when i connect to promark handheld platform , the receiver do not receive any signals from the satellites. There is any optione to restore the receiver?
111661 is a GNSS antenna. There is no GPS receiver in the package. What does the antenna connect to?
Do you know if/how the rollover will affect ZMax receivers?
Nope, no idea…
Hi Mr Mark,
My ashtech promark is on boot mode error 215.0 after loosing power can you help me about this error
I think there is a chance that if you disable GLONASS tracking they will work with GPS only. See my latest post https://blog.ashgps.com/2019/10/01/gnss-issues-october-1-2019/
After a full working day, the 215.0 error (Gnss in boot mode) apeared again and no sattelites detected. I tried to disable Glonass with no luck. It is a software bug or what ? Please help.
Dear Sir,
Thank you for suport.
I heard good news from you: a firmware update will fix the error caused by the Glonass almanach.
Until then, may I sugest to disable Glonass with the following command: $PASHS,GLO,OFF
The settings in Survce will not disable tracking Glonass sats, just not use of them.
Best regards !
There is a Firmware update for the following:
ProMark 800
ProFlex 800
ProMark 100/200
ProMark 120-/220
MobileMapper 100/120
This has fixed the issue we have had with our mobilemapper getting the 215.0 error GNSS in boot mode. I understand there will be a fix for the ProMark 500 soon.
My understanding also.
hi
I have a promark 2 , and when turn on it , show in screen ” INITING MAP UPLOAD ” AND nothing work. how I can fix it?
tnx
I don’t know. Perhaps reload the firmware?
Hi Mark, I have an MM10 and by mistake I restored and deleted MobileMapper Field, I have searched the software in many places and I don’t get it, I would appreciate it if you could help me locate it.
Thanks in advance.
https://ashgps.com/2/MobileMapper%20Field_Office/Field/index.htm
Hi Mark. Im using a PM3 in Ntrip survey mode. The ambiguitys are FIX 0.015 m but dont show coordinates, only show N 0.00 E 0.00 z 0.00
HRMS: 0.015 VRMS: 0.028. What do you think, where is the problem. im using Fast Survey. Other thing, im to +- 700 m from base, but showme 7000 km in Fast survey.
I assume it is a bad projection selected. For example, if I am here in USA-Utah and I select a projection from the other side of the planet, the math blows up and no coordinate can be computed.
Hola, Mark: tengo un MobileMapper10 y, por error, restauré y eliminé MobileMapper Field, he buscado el software en muchos lugares y no lo consigo, ademas por lo antiguo del equipo perdi el activador, agradecería que me ayudaras.
Gracias.
Hello, I have the Promark 100 working normally, in the Promark Field application when I export the points to txt, in the column “Time” I have a difference of two hours, for example I mesaured a point at time 18.05 and date 22-3-23, in the txt it shows the date 22-3-23 with time 16.05. Is it a problem?
Time Zone issue?
Not a problem in any case that I can imagine. At this point, we are lucky that ProMark 100’s work at all.
Thank you for your support. Any possible way to fix that time zone issue or should i leave it like that?
I think I would set the receiver to UTC zone. The whole offset time thing is complicated here by it changing twice per year. All the underlying files are UTC, all the CORS data is UTC, might as well just do UTC.