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What is involved to setup my own RTK network
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tomi_wunder
Posted 11/25/2015 04:09 (#4918135 - in reply to #4917955)
Subject: RE: What is involved to setup my own RTK network


Hi Grant,

I had the same thoughts approximately two years ago. I'd describe myself as tech-geek (having studied computer science) and that's why I went into the details of GNSS technology very deeply. Off ebay I got some NovAtel GPS/GLONASS L1+L2 receiver-boards (plus some surveying antennas) for cheap. Additionally I needed to build or source quite some circuitry, level converters, cabling, surge protection, casing, an NTRIP-caster software (e.g. nanocast, or lance lefebure's caster) and last but not least internet access including a static IP-Adress (I already had one) that can be reached from outside. Putting everything together was a tremendous amount of work that I would never have taken if I was just interested in getting correction data quickly. In total my (GPS+GLO L1+L2) RTK-Base station cost me roughly 1.5k€ plus a yearly fee of 150€ for internet access. My RTK base station is now running for a year or so, and I'm pleased it works quite fine.
To put it short, you can either invest money and get things working quickly and reliably, or otherwise put in lots enthusiasm and work but gain expertise in that field.

This is a list of requirements, necessary to get your own RTK-Correction source running:

1. An GNSS Receiver:
It depends a bit on what your rovers require, but I'd assume that they – just as most modern rovers in ag – want GLONASS range corrections in addition GPS. So your receiver needs to output L1+L2 G+G observations either as raw data or as RTCM/CMR/etc.

2. A GNSS-Antenna (sometimes integrated with the receiver). Requirements: L1+2 G+G, weatherproof, good multipath cancelling -> e.g. choke ring / pin wheel /... type

3. Surge protection: depends on whether antenna is separate from or integrated into receiver. In any case you need surge protection for the power line (e.g. Online-UPS), since the equipment is always valuable.

4. Cabling

5. An internet connection. Need to have a static IP-adress (dynamic DNS may be an alternative option, but imho not reliable) if you want to run your own NTRIP-caster service. If you want to use an external NTRIP-provider, you still need an NTRIP-server (may also be integrated within receiver), which in turn requires a reliable internet connection, but doesn't need to be accessed from outside.

6. A computer to run the NTRIP-caster/-server on (depends...).

7. A place with an unobstructed view to the sky (in all directions), that doesn't move in itself (like e.g. wooden buildings would do) and some fixture to mount the antenna on it.

According to my experience complete high-end solutions can be as much as 15k€ or even more. So it really depends on how many rovers you have and how much subscriptions would be. Please do also take into account that technology is rapidly evolving. So maybe in three years time it might have become a standard to include Beidou/Galileo/GPS L2C+L5 observations into correction data streams.

As you said your fields are spread out over 40miles. That clearly exceeds the range of common single base RTK technolgies and I'd assume your current provider uses a technique known as VRS to combine observations from multiple base stations to cover larger areas. You may end up having to set up two or even more base stations.

I hope my pleadings helped to shed some light into this topic.
Best Regards
Thomas
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