GNSS & GPS Receivers

GNSS receivers are where used buying delivers the largest saving in surveying, and also where you need to be most careful about firmware, subscriptions and radio configuration.

Network rover or base and rover

If you have RTN coverage and a data plan, a network rover alone is all you need, and a lighter, cheaper receiver such as a HiPer SR or GCX3 does the job.

If you work outside network coverage, or on sites where you need your own control, you need a base and rover pair with matched radios. Confirm the radio frequency band is legal and usable in your region before buying.

Firmware, options and tilt

Some receivers are capability-gated by firmware options, so two physically identical units can behave very differently. We report the installed option set as the receiver reports it, not as the original order specified.

IMU tilt compensation — on the Leica GS18 T, Trimble R12i or Topcon HiPer HR — removes the need to level the pole and genuinely speeds up detail survey. It is the single feature most worth paying for if your work is topographic.

Common questions