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GPSeismic QuikCon Tutorial

QuikCon is survey processing software originally created in the 1990s to process reciprocal surveys in South America. It allows users to import raw survey observations, compute splits and reciprocals, check for errors, create QCN files with takeoff information, and process the QCN files to determine coordinates. When processing QCN files, users can choose to hold fixed backsight azimuths from control files, prorate azimuth differences, adjust coordinates if control points are provided, and generate misclosure reports.

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267 views5 pages

GPSeismic QuikCon Tutorial

QuikCon is survey processing software originally created in the 1990s to process reciprocal surveys in South America. It allows users to import raw survey observations, compute splits and reciprocals, check for errors, create QCN files with takeoff information, and process the QCN files to determine coordinates. When processing QCN files, users can choose to hold fixed backsight azimuths from control files, prorate azimuth differences, adjust coordinates if control points are provided, and generate misclosure reports.

Uploaded by

gbetoni
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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QuikCon Basic Processing Tutorial

QuikCon processing has not fundamentally changed since it was written in the late 1990s except for
user interface items. What has continually changed is the library which makes up the DCO editor. We
have continued to improve editing capabilities and to add additional raw observation import
mechanisms.
QuikCon was originally written to accommodate a major geophysical company doing reciprocal surveys
in the jungles of South America. Presently, it is used in South America, Africa, South East Asia,
Indonesia, Mexico and several US locations.
In the traditional reciprocal survey,
the surveyor set up on location,
shoot sideshots (optionally), shoots a
point to set up on (turnpoint), moves
to the new setup point, backsights on
the point he moved from, and then
repeats the process. Backsights and
turnpoints are normally shot twice,
once with the scope flipped. This is called a face turn. For the purposes of this document, we will refer to
the simple traverse shown here. The surveyor sets up on A, backsights B, shoots sideshots C and D,
then shoots turnpoint X. He moves his equipment to X, backsights A, then shoots sideshot Y.
Before we start, lets
look at the overall
picture of what we
are about to do. The
first thing is to import
your observations
into the DCO editor.
Here you can correct
errors, compute
splits and reciprocal,
and otherwise
prepare to make a
QCN file. Then we
save a file with the
extension, QCN. When we save it, we must provide the coordinates and backsight azimuth for the very
first takeoff point. The takeoff information comes from one of two sources: 1) Manually enter it, or 2)
point to a file that has that information in it. The final step is to open the QCN file with QuikCon. The
coordinates for the entire traverse are computed.

Importing The Raw Observations


This is the tough part. We
support many file types but in
many cases the field
procedures to obtain those files
are as important as what type
of instrument it came from. At
this point, we can only say that
if the import is successful, you
will see something like this in
the DCO Editor.

At this point you could make the QCN file assuming you provided the coordinates and backsight azimuth
for takeoff point A. However, you will typically check the observations for error and compute splits
first. The DCO Editor makes this very simple for you. To compute splits and reciprocal information,
simply press
. You will see the split and reciprocal values appear on the right side of the spreadsheet.

Next, you would display he Errors tab page and press the buttons there. The DCO
Editor will spot a many types of errors and categorize them for you. Finally, you will create the QCN file.
Supplying Takeoff Information

Manual Entry - Here you either enter the known


coordinates and height for A and the coordinates for B
or the known coordinates and height for A and the know
backsight azimuth to B. Either way works.

Using A QCC Control File - The other way is to assign the


required information to the takeoff is to indicate on the
DCO dialog that a QCC control file is to be used. You check
the appropriate checkbox and then navigate to and then select the file to be used.

The control file must either have one record in it that indicates the coordinates and height for A AND
the backsight azimuth at that point.

or two records, one for A and one for B. For A, the coordinates and height are required and for B,
the coordinates:

Note above the use of the checkboxes. You check on what information is to be used for that record.

Opening/Processing The QCN

OK, now lets say you make the QCN. Exit the DCO
editor and open the QCN in QuikCon. When you
do, the file is processed and it determines
coordinates for all points. However, there are
many options that you either used are didnt use
as the file was processed:
Scale factor and MSL adjustment dont make large
differences unless you are at significant altitude
or at the extreme distance from your projections
central meridian. A curvature and refraction value
of 13.9 is fine for most situations. Using any
reciprocal heights or distances is probably a good
idea since in essence you are meaning reciprocal
shot and face turn differences.

An option that can have a significant effect is whether to use a control file and
fix backsight azimuths.

Lets say you went back to the field and did a sunshot at a bend so you know that from turnpoint point
X to turnpoint Y is 90 degrees. You could make a control file with a record like this:

If you dont fix backsights, then when QuikCon computes the coordinates and backsight at X, it might
come up with something else. Lets say 90.0010 (which is ninety degrees ten seconds in DD.MMSS). If
you fix backsights, at each turn point, QuikCon looks at the control file and determines if there is a fixed
backsight azimuth record for that turn point. If there is, it blows off the computed backsight angle and
uses the one in the file. So the remaining part of the traverse is affected (by the ten second change if
horizontal angle at X). The difference between the computed and known is displayed in the
spreadsheet (in this case ten seconds).

If you do fix azimuths, this option becomes enabled.


What this does is to take all azimuth differences and prorate them backwards into the traverse. It would
determine how many setups there were between X and the initial takeoff, divide the ten seconds by
this, and then give each setup that amount of adjustment rather than just a single ten second
adjustment at X. Some of our clients do this and some dont. We believe it would actually produce
more accurate coordinates for the points prior to the sunshot since all of the angular error up until
setup X is more likely the result of an accumulation of errors rather than a single error.

There is an optional final step. If, in the control file, you have the
known coordinates for any points you shot in your traverse, you
can elect to hold those coordinates fixed, then select Adjust
Coordinates. This action would have the effect of rubber
sheeting all coordinates to best fit the points held fixed. Note that this is not a least squares adjustment,
but rather adjusted coordinates are equivalent to the processed coordinates plus a weighted set of
translation values.

In summary, the conventional data workflow can be as follows:


Import into DCO
Make QCN by providing takeoff information
Open/process w/no backsights held fixed
-orImport into DCO
Make QCN by providing takeoff information
Open/process w/backsights held fixed
-orImport into DCO
Make QCN by providing takeoff information
Open/process w/backsights held fixed
Prorate Azimuths
-orImport into DCO
Make QCN by providing takeoff information
Open/process w/backsights held fixed
Prorate Azimuths
Adjust coordinates
At any time after opening/processing a QCN you can generate a
misclosure report. Misclosures also rely on a currently selected control
file. If you have known coordinates for any processed point or you have
a known backsight from any processed point, then you will get a
summary of the coordinate misclosures and azimuth differences if there
is a match on station name and you have checked the appropriate FixXY, FixH and FixAz checkboxes.

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