RTK Network Base Station Setup

PC8734
 

A-7° Off the Horizon (Mask)

  

Installing and operation of the Base Station Receiver.

The base station is the most critical part of the RTK operation, so setting up a base station correctly is vital to the operation of the RTK system. If the Base Station Receiver is setup in a questionable location, the receiver could have two separate issues; Shading and Multipathing

Shading:

In order to insure proper operation of a RTK base station, the GPS Receiver must have a clear view of

the sky in all directions above 7 degrees off the horizon. Both the base receiver and the vehicle receiver will use any satellites that are above 7 degrees off the horizon. If a base station receiver can't use a satellite above 7 degrees, then all vehicles operating on that base station also can't use that blocked satellite. This is call "Shading" of the base station. If enough of this occurs your RTK system could be inaccurate. Many things can cause shading such as buildings, towers, poles and grain legs.

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PC8735
 

A-Receiver

  

NOTE: The closer the receiver is to the tower, the more it will be shaded.

In the pictures above, the base stations are shaded by the surrounding objects.

Picture on the left-the towers in the background and the pole behind the receiver will block GPS satellites as they pass behind it.

Picture on the right-the base station will be shaded by both the grain tubes and bins on the right.

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PC8736
 

A-Receiver

  

This receiver could be affected by both Multipathing and by shading. All the grain legs in the picture will shade the receiver from satellites.

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PC8737
 

A-Receiver

  

In the pictures above, both receivers will experience shading.

Picture on the left-Shaded by the tower

Picture on the right-Shaded by the pole.

The receiver on the right will have more shading issues than the receiver on the left because the pole is right up against the receiver shading a large portion of the sky. The receiver on the left has been moved further away from the tower to reduce shading issues.

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