Your laser tracker connects to the Dusty FieldPrinter through a radio, and there are three generations in the field: Radio 1, Radio 2, and Radio 3. The differences are in signal coverage, one stationing feature, how the radio is powered, and how it mounts to the tripod — not in the accuracy of your printed layout.
You do not choose a radio on its own. It arrives paired with your laser tracker, and Dusty confirms the combination before your equipment ships.
Radio 1 |
Radio 2 |
Radio 3 |
Specifications
| Radio 1 | Radio 2 | Radio 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layout printing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Measurement control point recording | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floor Elevation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2D stationing | No | Yes | Yes |
| Tracker compatibility | AT930 | AT500, AT930-NRT | AT500, AT930, AT930-NRT |
| Antennas | 1 | 1 | 2, the unit uses whichever is stronger |
| Range | ~60 m / ~200 ft | ~60 m / ~200 ft, up to ~100 m / ~330 ft in the direction the antenna faces | ~100 m / ~330 ft, consistent in every direction |
| Frequency band | 902–928 MHz | 902–928 MHz | 902–928 MHz |
| Channels | 16, selected manually | 16, selected automatically | 16, selected automatically |
| Screen | None | Black and white | Color |
| Screen languages | — | English | English, Spanish, Korean, Japanese |
| Power | Dedicated power cable | Milwaukee M18 battery or AC power adapter | Milwaukee M18 battery, or a 45 W (or higher) + USB-C charger |
| Battery runtime | — | ~16 hr on a 2 Ah M18 |
~12 hr on a 3 Ah M18 ~7.5 hr on a 2 Ah M18 |
| Boot time | — | 10–20 seconds | ~30 seconds |
| Software updates | Unit returns to Dusty | Unit returns to Dusty | Automatic field upgrades |
| Size | 7" L x 4" W x 2" H | 8" L x 3 ¾" W x 2 ⅛" H | RB2: 5″ L × 3 ½″ W × 1 ½″ H |
| Weight | 14 oz | 18 oz | 9 oz |
| FCC certified | Yes | No | Yes |
Signal coverage and antennas
Radio 3's advantage is not extra distance — it is that the signal is even in every direction.
Radio 1 and Radio 2 each have a single antenna, and on Radio 2 it is mounted on one side of the unit. That is why connection quality depends on which way the radio faces: you connect well on one side of the tracker, then start losing the link when the robot drives around to the far side. It is also why the long-standing guidance for Radio 2 is to point the radio toward the area you are printing.
Radio 3 has two antennas. It transmits through one at a time, monitors both continuously, and switches to whichever is performing better. The practical result is fewer dropouts as the robot moves around the floor, and the pointing guidance no longer applies.
One piece of orientation guidance does apply to every radio: mount it upright, so its antennas sit in the same plane as the robot's. Pointing up or down does not matter. Laying the radio flat — on the tracker case, or on the ground — turns its antennas sideways relative to the robot's and produces more dropouts and weaker signal. Height and position do not matter; angle does.
For planning purposes, keep the robot within about 60 m (200 ft) of the tracker on any radio. Beyond that the link becomes less reliable on all three units, and you will get a better result from re-stationing the tracker closer than from pushing the radio to its limit.