Pairing Bad Elf

by | Nov 8, 2021 | Uncategorized, FAQ

Pairing the Bad Elf Flex Unit with PointMan 

Details

Accuracy 

  • Without any additional subscription or cost, the Flex unit provides 30 cm – 60 cm (sub-meter) accuracy and includes full access to an unlocked RTK rover workflow.  
  • For higher accuracy readings and/or locations with little to no cellular coverage, tokens can be purchased for full access to the Atlas L-Band Correction Service.  
  • Provides accuracy down to 5 cm RMS 
  • Expect a typical convergence time of 10 – 40 minutes 
  • Unlimited switching between L-Band and RTK  

Compatibility 

  • Android and iOS 
  • Can be used with other CORS or VRS Networks

Additional Information 

  • The Helical Antenna Phase Center is 23cm above the base of the Flex unit without an adapter installed and 24.5cm with an adapter installed. Note: Please include these measurements when setting your Antenna Height in the PointMan Settings page.  
  • If you require an RTK survey-grade rover for use more than 30 to 40 days a year, consider the Extreme bundle. 
  • Please visit the Bad Elf website for more information: https://bad-elf.com/pages/flex  
  • Download the User Manual here: https://epo.bad-elf.com/webcontent/docs/manuals/Product-Manual-Bad_Elf_Flex-2.0.pdf  
  • For Firmware Updates: https://badelf.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000857156-bad-elf-flex-updating-firmware-using-a-usb-drive  

Setup 

Note: No additional software or special configuration is required for the setup of this unit. However, please see Step 10 on specifications for setting the Antenna height. 

Elf Flex Unit

1. Turn on the Bad Elf Flex by holding down the power button 

2. Wait for the initial Main Menu to appear and Select the Bluetooth menu in the Flex unit

Elf Flex Unit

3. Select “Clear All Pairings” to make sure no other devices are connected to the Flex unit

Elf Flex Unit

4. Open the Android Settings app to the Bluetooth Settings page. Turn on Bluetooth and Select the device named “Bad Elf Flex #…”

5. Make sure that the code on both devices match. Select the “Yes” option on the Flex unit (center button) and “Pair” on the mobile device to allow them to pair together

Elf Flex Unit

6. Open the PointMan app and Login to your project

7. Navigate to the PointMan Settings page by tapping the Menu button in the upper-left corner of the screen

8. Under the “Devices” section, tap the dropdown next to the “GPS” label and Select “Bad Elf Flex” 

Elf Flex Unit

9. Another dropdown will appear to the right. Select your Flex unit model. It should appear as “Bad Elf Flex  #…” 

Elf Flex Unit

10. Under the “GPS” section, there is a text field for the Antenna height. Please add 23cm to your initial height value if using a Flex unit without an adapter and 24.5cm if with an adapter.

 

Data Collection & View 

For steps on “Creating and Editing Map Features”

Please follow this link here: https://pmhelp.pointman.cloud/Create-Edit-Feat

 

To view the information captured in the feature

  1. Tap on the feature to select it (there will be a light blue highlight around the currently selected feature)
  2. Tap either “Details” for point features or “Pedigree” for line and polygon features

Tokens

If you have Tokens with Bad Elf and would like to have a more accurate GPS reading:

Elf Flex Unit

1. On the Main Menu screen, go to the Tokens menu located in the bottom-right corner 

Elf Flex Unit

2. Select the center button to confirm “Extreme Mode”.

 

Note: This change can be seen in the Status Menu (black dialogue box located in the upper-right corner during Data Collection mode on PointMan), where “Fix type” will display “RTK” instead of “GPS”. The Token you used will be active for 24 hours.