Mapping and GIS Solutions Community

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Hi...those look to be file names for TerraSync SSF files. Without the files themselves, I'm afraid it's not possible to reconstruct positions or locations unless they were otherwise documented in the spreadsheet.

------------------------------
Matthew Morris
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 09:40
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 4/26/2022 12:51:00 PM
From: Matthew Morris
Subject: RE: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Hi...those look to be file names for TerraSync SSF files. Without the files themselves, I'm afraid it's not possible to reconstruct positions or locations unless they were otherwise documented in the spreadsheet.

------------------------------
Matthew Morris
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 09:40
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Hi Steve

*.ssf files are the native format for Trimble Terrasync and GPS Pathfinder Office software

• GPS Pathfinder Office has a free viewer mode that will enable you to open these SSF files and derive the coordinates from them.
  • Download the latest v5.90 from here and install. When you start the application it will automatically run in 'viewer mode'
  • You can access the documentation/user guides from the support section on the GPS Pathfinder Office product page
• The 'free' viewer mode is limited in it's capabilities but If you just need to open the files and get the coordinates, this will do the job

If you know who you purchased this software from originally or would like to purchase a full licence you can contact your local Trimble reseller who can help

Good luck!

------------------------------
Tom Harrison
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 10:23
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Hi Mathew,

Thanks for replying!  I do have a folder with a long list of .ssf files in the form of:

R04022A

R040220A.ssf

Obviously, I am not a geospatial specialist. Last week I tried every way that I could to open the .ssf files to no avail.  I use a Mac and couldn't find any software that worked.  I also tried on several versions of late model PCs forgotten in the lab that the student could have potentially used, but I could not find any software that recognized the .ssf files.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Steve

Original Message:
Sent: 4/26/2022 12:51:00 PM
From: Matthew Morris
Subject: RE: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Hi...those look to be file names for TerraSync SSF files. Without the files themselves, I'm afraid it's not possible to reconstruct positions or locations unless they were otherwise documented in the spreadsheet.

------------------------------
Matthew Morris

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 09:40
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 4/27/2022 8:08:00 AM
From: Tom Harrison
Subject: RE: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Hi Steve

*.ssf files are the native format for Trimble Terrasync and GPS Pathfinder Office software

• GPS Pathfinder Office has a free viewer mode that will enable you to open these SSF files and derive the coordinates from them.
  • Download the latest v5.90 from here and install. When you start the application it will automatically run in 'viewer mode'
  • You can access the documentation/user guides from the support section on the GPS Pathfinder Office product page
• The 'free' viewer mode is limited in it's capabilities but If you just need to open the files and get the coordinates, this will do the job

If you know who you purchased this software from originally or would like to purchase a full licence you can contact your local Trimble reseller who can help

Good luck!

------------------------------
Tom Harrison
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 10:23
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Hi Mathew,

Thanks for replying!  I do have a folder with a long list of .ssf files in the form of:

R04022A

R040220A.ssf

Obviously, I am not a geospatial specialist. Last week I tried every way that I could to open the .ssf files to no avail.  I use a Mac and couldn't find any software that worked.  I also tried on several versions of late model PCs forgotten in the lab that the student could have potentially used, but I could not find any software that recognized the .ssf files.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Steve

Original Message:
Sent: 4/26/2022 12:51:00 PM
From: Matthew Morris
Subject: RE: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Hi...those look to be file names for TerraSync SSF files. Without the files themselves, I'm afraid it's not possible to reconstruct positions or locations unless they were otherwise documented in the spreadsheet.

------------------------------
Matthew Morris

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 09:40
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 4/26/2022 12:41:00 PM
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 4/26/2022 4:07:00 PM
From: David Wright
Subject: RE: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Those look like Terrasync files transported through Pathfinder Office.

 

Original Message:
Sent: 4/26/2022 12:41:00 PM
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Steve,

Matt is correct and those are just file names. TerraSync uses a default name of R for Rover; the date/time (UTC) and A for the first file and B for the second. Example: If I launched TerraSync today to create a new file it would be named R042708A. Pathfinder Office can easily dump these points in NAD27, NAD83, UTM or even in USNG or MGRS coordinates. https://www.fgdc.gov/usng/how-to-read-usng Frontier Precision in your Trimble dealer and you can contact me directly and I can assist you with the .ssf files and how to get that into Goggle Earth or Esri ArcGIS Pro.

Mel Philbrook
Geospatial Technical Account Manager
(720) 273-9182

------------------------------
Mel Philbrook
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 09:40
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Hi Mel,
Thanks so much for your help.  I use a Mac (mostly) and for now I don't necessarily need to do anything special with them in (e.g. GIS).  I would be very happy  to have the coordinates (e.g. lat/long) so that I can enter them manually in Google Earth.  Let me see how far Matt has gone with recovering the data, and I will get back to you.
Steve

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-27-2022 08:46
From: Mel Philbrook
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

Steve,

Matt is correct and those are just file names. TerraSync uses a default name of R for Rover; the date/time (UTC) and A for the first file and B for the second. Example: If I launched TerraSync today to create a new file it would be named R042708A. Pathfinder Office can easily dump these points in NAD27, NAD83, UTM or even in USNG or MGRS coordinates. https://www.fgdc.gov/usng/how-to-read-usng Frontier Precision in your Trimble dealer and you can contact me directly and I can assist you with the .ssf files and how to get that into Goggle Earth or Esri ArcGIS Pro.

Mel Philbrook
Geospatial Technical Account Manager
(720) 273-9182

------------------------------
Mel Philbrook

Original Message:
Sent: 04-26-2022 09:40
From: fungi uwyo.edu
Subject: Intdrpreting Trimble field data from early 2000s

I had a student who used Trimble handheld GPS to map locations of numerous biological locations in the early 2000s (up until ~2004).  In her thesis she said she used GPS Pathfinder Office Software (Trimble, Sunnyvale CA). Unfortunately I don't have the original data spreadsheets that I can access.  I am trying to reconstruct the exact locations of these phenomena.  I have lists of what I assume are Trimble produced coordinates in the form of:
R052218A
052201

R052218B
052202

R052219A
052203

Does anyone recognize these?  Is there any way to reconstruct coordinates that I can use in e.g. Google Earth to find these exact locations?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.
Steve Miller
University of Wyoming

------------------------------
fungi uwyo.edu
------------------------------