Sokkia is a big name in land survey equipment. The company produces lots of land surveying instruments, like GNSS receivers and total stations.
History of Sokkia
This company was established in 1920. For that reason it has a big history.
When they started, they started in a small work place in Tokio, Japan. In that time the companies name was Sokkisha. They built instruments and between 1940 and 1950 they convinced Lietz Company to stop building their own instruments and to sell instruments of Sokkisha.
In took some decades before Sokkia took the next step. The official name was still Sokkisha. But between 1970 and 1980 they made Lietz Company un exclusive distributor of their products in the United States.
After that the it went quicker with Sokkisha. In 1980 Sokkia took over Lietz Company. They moved their distribution centre to Kansas in the United States. Also they expanded with offices in Australia and Europe.
On their 70th birthday in 1990 they decided to change the name. It was necessary to give the company an more international look and feel. Finally the name became Sokkia. From that time they kept growing.
The growth became spectacular in 1999 when they started a cooperation with NovAtel Inc. The coorperation has as a target to develop and sell advanced GPS products. That they did till 2009. In that year Sokkia Co. LTD merged with Topcon Coorperation to one of the largest suppliers of land survey equipment in the world.
GNSS receivers
Even after the merge of the two companies there are still GNSS receivers of Sokkia.
Sokkia GCX3
One of their GNSS receivers is the GCX3. This GNSS receiver is very noticeable because of the shape. It looks different from other GNSS receivers.
The main specifications of the GCX3 GNSS receiver are:
- Dimensions: 47x47x197 mm
- Weight: 440 gram
- Ingress protection: IP67
- Corrections: NTRIP, TPS, RTCM2, RTCM3, MSM, CMR, CMR+
- Position output: NMEA
- Positioning kinematic horizontal: 10 mm + 0.8 ppm
- Positioning kinematic vertical: 15 mm + 1 ppm
- GNSS signals tracked: GPS/QZSS L1, L2, GLONASS L1, L2, BeiDou B1, B2, Galileo E1
- Number of channels: 226
Sokkia GRX2
Another GNSS receiver of this company is the GRX2. It has a more traditional shape.
You can compare the specs of this GNSS receiver with the specifications of the GCX3.
- Dimensions: 184x184x95 mm
- Weight: 1195 gram
- Ingress protection: IP67
- Corrections: NTRIP, TPS, RTCM2, RTCM3, MSM, CMR, CMR+
- Position output: NMEA
- Positioning kinematic horizontal: 10 mm + 1.0 ppm
- Positioning kinematic vertical: 15 mm + 1 ppm
- GNSS signals tracked: GPS/QZSS L1, L2, GLONASS L1, L2, Galileo E1
- Number of channels: 226
Sokkia GRX3
The last GNSS receiver is the big brother of the GRX2.
The Sokkia GRX3 has better specifications than the GRX2.
- Dimensions: 150x150x100 mm
- Weight: 1150 gram
- Ingress protection: IP67
- Corrections: NTRIP, TPS, RTCM2, RTCM3, MSM, CMR, CMR+
- Position output: NMEA
- Positioning kinematic horizontal: 5 mm + 0.5 ppm
- Positioning kinematic vertical: 10 mm + 1 ppm
- GNSS signals tracked: GPS/QZSS L1, L2, L5, GLONASS L1, L2, L3, BeiDou B1, B2, Galileo E1, E5a, E5b, AltBoc
- Number of channels: 226
GPS surveying software
Sokkia has their own surveying software with Geopro Field. Also the GNSS receivers work with Topcon’s Magnet. But the best surveying software that is compatible with the GCX3, GRX2, and GRX3 is Apglos Survey Wizard.
It is easy to use and has many features for mapping and staking out. Check out all the features here. If you want to try Apglos Survey Wizard right away then download it from the Google Play Store.
Total stations
Besides GNSS receivers Sokkia also produces total stations.
They have different series of total stations like the CX, iM-100 and iM-50. For using total stations you need to have more knowledge about land surveying than when you use GNSS systems. Especially when you use Apglos Survey Wizard this is the case.
If you want to know more about Sokkia then check their website.