Geodimeter 400,500,4000,600 and Trimble 5500/5600 toolkit
Hi all,
For last few months I have been reverse engineering how 400/500/4000 series Geodimeters work. Browsing through assembler instructions, 100’s of KB of code, different processor types… splitting data from instructions, making sense of arithmetic and math used in these units. Too much time invested. Here I bring (some and restricted) fruit of this work:
This link points to my personal repository on github, I will post there tools I have for these Geodimeter machines.
So far there is:
1. 600/5500/5600 station backup and restore tool (gdm600). To use it you need to read readme, and you need python3 installed.
2. 400/500/4000 magical interface
400/500/4000 series units are programmed and configured using special LabCard, this card is not manufactured anymore ( since 1988), and there are still few operating (at trimble service centers). But there is another way to program these stations. I have successfully replicated the protocol that these stations use. I am now able to program these station with data I want, enable programs I want, set serial number, coefficients.
If you have working station its possible to backup all data and restore them later. If your station is “cleared” – Error 51. You have problem.
For this problem I am working now on calibration rig, that attaches to station and moves vertical/horizontal axis. In the end it “should” come up with working coefficients. Don’t expect this tool anytime soon. But hardware is ready now.
Geodimeter did this calibration at factory, stored these coefficients. And when battery died they just reupload the same values. (and make you pay $$$, yes they check the station’s calibration, bla bla, but still … $$$ you already payed).
I have gathered tons tons of information about the inner working of the stations, but it will take time to make it available.
If you have any trouble or improvements: use github’s issue tracker. I don’t visit the forum that often.
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