The earlier discussion:
Today I went to a Starbucks, got a copy of NTRIP, loaded in my Dell laptop with WIFI and a 9 pin serial port, started the program, let is search for a network, picked one near me -CALTECH - and let is stream to COM 1 (the 9 pin serial port) which I attached a PDL radio that blinked TX for transmitting, then turned on my Astech X-Treme with built in PDL radio (both of which I made sure were on the same channel) It began to blink, indicating that the transmission was be successfully received. Being indoors I could go no further. However other surveyors I know have successfully used the NTRIP (google it)program to RTK with a laptop, radios and rover.
Maybe a diagram will help, LOL. Still Greek to me. What does it all mean? I set up my Promark3 and run static most the time and RTK sometimes with the mickey mouse radios. The RTK uses Fast Survey. I have one Sprint Wireless Internet card that I use in the office for my office or in my notebook portable for an broadband internet connection. I have two cell phones neither have internet, an old AT&T palm Treo, and a U.S.Cellular old cell phone. So is there a way to use those resourced with NTRIP and some sort of connections to do RTK better?
you need a laptop with access to the internet the ntrip program
the laptop must have a serial port unless your mickey mouse radio transmitter can use usb
run the program, it will promt you for networks so do a search, a list will come up with networks that transmit RTK data real time.
pick one near you.
plug the transmitting radio into your serial port as if it was the GPS unit,
you may need a special connecting wire.
now it should be transmitting RTK, if not read the instructions for the program.
go to rover and start RTKing
I thought this out before and end up in the same dead end. No serial port - they are primitive and not my friend, LOL. The very useful, inexpensive, and somewhat limited PM3RTK has a connection that is equally primitive but familiar to those using the hand held gps units of the past and present with no provision for connection to USB or serial or anything other than it to the radio as supplied. The charging and connection piggyback unit that comes with it will allow me to use the unit with my Total Station and does have the cursed DB9 serial connection and other connections that will allow me to go from the piggyback to a PC with a usb or serial but not at the same time as the radio. I have seen the PM3 work with the Bluetooth and that is the way I suspect that I could get a connection to a cell phone internet.
Opps, I just realized that you are saying that I will not be using my mickey mouse radios and that maybe the GPS PM3 units will somehow connect to my notebook and the notebook with your NTRIP software will immulate the radio using the internet to transfer data back and forth to a nearby internet connected transmitter. Now if I had a diagram, I could confirm this revelation.
I recall seeing a download of an exe for Windows XP for the NTRIP program and I could try an experiment. Thanks.
Who do you know that can email regarding what phone to use and how to set it up to communicated to my RTK? No one at the Sprint, AT&T, or US Cellular locally can tell me anything of how to.....
Replies
so its a year later from when this discussion was started. here are a few new things which have surfaced since then.
A guide to Connect to RTK using a Blackberry
For those visiting who do not know, RTK, or Real Time Kinematic, surveying is a process that utilizes GPS and/or other measurement signals to produce highly accurate reports. In order to accomplish this, a computer with an Internet connection is required for the surveying software to communicate with GPS satellites. If a user does not have a wireless modem, a cell phone can be used to establish an Internet connection by tethering it with a computer. The easiest device to tether is a BlackBerry smart phone, most of which are designed specifically with that function in mind.
Initial Computer Setup
1
Install your BlackBerry desktop software onto your PC. This installation has the necessary programs and drivers required to connect your computer to the Internet via the phone.
2
Add your BlackBerry to your computer’s list of Bluetooth devices. After your BlackBerry is connected to your computer, this can be accomplished through the Control Panel in Windows XP and Vista by clicking the “Bluetooth Devices” icon and then following the prompts. For Windows 7 users, click “View devices and printers” under the “Hardware and Sound” category in the Control Panel. From there, click on “Add a device” and follow the prompts.
3
View the properties of the BlackBerry from the Bluetooth devices dialog window. Ensure dial-up networking (DUN) is checked and the two BlackBerry services are unchecked.
4
Enter the Networking or Sharing Center found in the Windows Control Panel.
5
Click on “Set up a new connection” and select dial-up as your connection type.
6
Select “Standard Modem over Bluetooth” from the list of modems.
7
Enter #777 for the dial-up phone number. Some networks require a username and password. Make sure to check with your carrier if these are necessary. When finished, click “Connect.”
Connecting to the Internet
1
Open your BlackBerry Desktop Manager program with your phone connected to your PC.
2
Verify that the manager program indicates it’s “Connected” to your BlackBerry device.
3
Enter Windows Control Panel and click “Network Connections.” Double-click the BlackBerry connection and enter your username and password (only if required by your carrier). Click “Dial” to connect the BlackBerry.
Achieve RTK Level Accuracy with CORS
ProMark3 - Internet RTK with base & rover
SurvCE / GPS Reference Networks
Bluetooth Phone Instructions:---------------------------------
connecting to a Bluetooth Phone:
SurvCE Settings for a Bluetooth Phone
2. Connect a cable from COM1 on your Data Collector to the GPS Rover
Receiver
!!! PLEASE NOTE !!! If you are using a Bluetooth Phone with SurvCE
YOU MUST PLUG IN A CABLE or you will remain in an Autonomous position and
you will not be able to use your GPS Equipment until you follow Step #2 and
plug in a Cable
3. After following Step #1 to get your data collector on the Internet open
up SurvCE
4. Tap the Equip tab / tap GPS Rover / Select the Make & Model of your GPS
Rover
5. Tap the Comms Tab / select Bluetooth / tap Configure and use "Find
Receiver" if your GPS Rover is not listed under "Instrument"
6. Tap the Receiver Tab if applicable:
a. enter in your Rover Rod height
b. set the Elevation Mask to 10
c. make sure to set the "Position Rate" to 1hz or 2hz {Do not use 5hz
or higher}
7. Tap the RTK tab:
a. Set the Device to "Data Collector Internet" / tap the Configure
button to the right
b. Set your "Data Collector RTK Port" to Com1 / tap the Green
Checkbox
8. Select NTRIP as the Network {or select the proper network}:
a. Tap the Configure button to the right of the Network Type
b. Fill out your IP address, Port, Username and Password / tap the
Green Check
c. Select the desired Base ID you would like to use from the list / tap
the Green Check
9. This will return you to the RTK tab:
a. Set "RTK Port" to the proper Port Number or Letter labeled on the
GPS Rover Receiver that we plugged the cable into in Step #2
b. The Baud Rate / Message type / Base ID and "Send Rover Position"
should all be set correctly if using NTRIP {If you are not using NTRIP fill
out the Message type and "Send Rover" checkbox}
10. Tap the Green Checkmark in the Upper right corner to Finalize the "GPS
Rover" routine and it will scroll through a series of messages then say
"Successful Connection". Now you can go into Equip / Monitor Skyplot and
verify that you are in a FIXED Status {may take a minute or two} then tap
the "REF" tab in the upper right to see the Base Data where you are getting
corrections from.
***PLEASE NOTE: After going "FIXED" one time using the steps below we
recommend exiting out of SurvCE / Powering off the GPS / Powering off the
Cellphone then following the steps below to verify your new settings:
1) Power on the GPS
2) Power on the Cellphone
3) After the GPS and Cellphone have had 1 or 2 minutes to initialize -
Open SurvCE
4) Tap Continue Last Job / Tap Equip / GPS Rover / tap the RTK tab / tap
"Configure" next to Data Collector Internet
5) Select your ISP from the pull-down list and tap the CONNECT button
6) When it says "Connected" tap the Green Check in the upper right
7) Tap the Green Check in the upper right again to Initialize your Rover
Connection
8) Verify that you can go Fixed in Equip / Monitor Skyplot
9) When your done using your GPS Equipment and want to shut down you
SHOULD DISCONNECT your cellphone by going into Equip / GPS
Rover / RTK / tap Configure next to "Data Collector Internet" / tap
the "Disconnect" button to disconnect your cellphone
10) tap Green Check / tap the X in the upper right to get to the Main
Menu of SurvCE - it is now safe to power off the Data Collector and power
off the GPS
Also CarlsonSW.com has a program which will run on cell and do RTK GPS network.