Satlab Launches SL600 on-the-Pole Survey Receiver

The SatLab SL600 GNSS survey receiver. Photo: SatLab Geosolutions AB

SatLab Geosolutions AB is now shipping its new SL600 on-the-pole GNSS survey receiver.

SatLab announced the unit earlier this year as the replacement of its SL500 on-the-pole surveying receiver. After a summer of testing and a premiere showing at InterGeo 2014, held in Berlin in October, SatLab is ready to ship the SL600 to its dealer network and customers.

The new receiver is designed to meet the evolving needs of the surveying market, and is designed for general land, marine and construction applications. At the heart of the rugged unit is a 6G GNSS receiver capable of using all six GNSS satellite networks (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS and SBAS), providing reliable operation in demanding conditions, SatLab said.

The SL600 is lightweight at 1.2 kg. Its Xenoy housing holds up well to real-world use, according to test results by SatLab, resistant to 3-meter drops and 2 meters of water submersion. The dual hot swappable batteries provide 18-24 hours of continuous field use, depending on the mode of operation.

The SL600 receiver has a new onboard computer running the LINUX operating system, which ensures easy implementation of new functionalities, often a result of customer-specific requirements. Over time, over-the-air firmware updates will be automatically available, adding new features at no additional charge. Users will be notified by the unit to accept the new firmware updates, or refuse them if they wish to keep their units as is.

The SL600 system is available with various communication capabilities. Cellular 3G and Bluetooth as well USB and RS232 connectivity are standard, and an optional internal 2W Pacific Crest XDL radio is also available. Voice notifications notify the user of issues without the need to watch the status LEDs.

The SL600 system kit includes a compact hard carrying case with the SL55 field controller, which can handle large data files with its high-speed processor and expandable memory. Furthermore, the SL55 has an onboard GPS/GLONASS L1 receiver as well as a GSM modem, which makes the unit a good and rugged companion to use in GIS data collection applications.

As part of the close cooperation between Carlson Software and SatLab Geosolutions AB, the SL600 comes with Carlson SurvCE pre-installed and activated. This ensures an “out of the box” experience for the end customer, SatLab said.