RTN Field Procedures and

Best Practices

New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors

January 20, 2016
Dan Martin
Northeast Regional Geodetic Advisor
[email protected]
240-676-4762
 POSITIONING TECHNOLOGY-
A CARTOON GRAPH 0.5' SAT
IMAGERY,
MOBILE TERR.
“Human knowledge is doubling GNSS- GLONASS, LASER SCANNING,
every 10 years. The scientific GALILEO, 0.10' AERIAL
COMPASS/BEIDOU, MAPPING,
knowledge produced between INDOOR POSITIONING, NATIONAL
1987 and 1997 is greater than CM PPP NETWORKS,
that produced in all mankind’s 24/7/365 SAT.
history”. COVERAGE
Michio Kaku- renowned TECHNOLOGY
theoretical physicist RTN

RTK
THE CHANGE FROM LABOR GIS
INTENSIVE TO TECHNOLOGY! GPS

THEODOLITE TOTAL STATION

STICKS AND COMPASS
STRINGS

YEAR
-2500

1250

1989
-2700

-1500

-1000

-500

500

750

1000

1500

1700

1750

1850

1900

1977

2000

2010

2017

2030
 IONO, TROPO, ORBIT CONTRIBUTE TO PPM ERROR

REMEMBER GNSS EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS’ SPECS!

 Precision vs. Accuracy measurement
from RTN correctors
More questions?
• Is there systematic bias,
multipath, and atmospheric
errors to overcome? Always
some!

• How is the accepted true

(accurate) position determined?

Accurate -
Accepted truth
Courtesy www.calguns.net
 GNSS Errors and bias while observing a mark -
to some degree always present and ever changing

Curtosy www.advanced-web-metrics.com
 RTN Measurement Precision
Typical (normal) RTN precisions at the 95% confidence
level:
• horizontal 2-3 cm
• vertical (ellipsoid height) 3-5 cm
• orthometric heights 5-7 cm (typical-using the NGS
hybrid geoid model)

Exceptional RTN derived precisions at the 95%

confidence level at the limit of RT technology:
• horizontal: ≤ 1 cm
• vertical (ellipsoid height) ≤ 1 cm
• orthometric heights ≤ 2 cm
http://www.geodesy.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/NGS.RTN.Public.v2.0.pdf
RTN Precision Measurement Field Testing
‘PRECISION’ is a computed statistical quantity to the source of
the measurement. More measurements averaged = improved
precision of the final coordinate.

RTN testing on a MARK:

-10 occupations at each
interval in rotation for similar
#SV and GDOP.

480s horiz. RMSE = 0.003 m

480s vert. RMSE = 0.009 m
 What is Accuracy (Truth)
‘ACCURACY’ is a computed statistical quantity to the realization of the
datum - Alignment of the RTN to the NSRS shows accuracy (typically by
some method of post processing static observations of the RTN stations
constrained by CORS coordinates)
Accuracy is a measure of how the positions are aligned to “truth”
NGS wishes to encourage all RTN’s to provide users with alignment to
the NSRS as the representation of truth.
• NAD 83 (horizontal and ellipsoid height)
• NAVD 88 (orthometric height)

Initial NGS guidelines support this alignment to the NSRS as: within
2 cm latitude and longitude, and within 4 cm ellipsoid height (95%
confidence) using the CORS network weighted as truth.
http://www.geodesy.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/NGS.RTN.Public.v2.0.pdf
 Field Test RTN Correctors
Horiz. Precision vs. Accuracy
Some
Conclusions
1. Meets the project
survey specification -
horizontal component
2cm @ 95% conf.
accuracy guidelines.

2. Meets the receiver

specification @ 95%
conf.

3. Different datasets may

yield different results.
 Field Test Vert. Precision vs. Accuracy
The black horizontal line represents the 4 hour independent published OPUS solution
and considered the truth (and representing the NSRS) in this case, while the blue
horizontal straight line is the average of the 10 individual 8 minute RTK shots. They are
about 1.6 cm apart vertically but many of the individual shots were outside the 4 cm
vertical project specification.
Real Time Networks
SmartNet (Leica)
KeyNet GPS (Keystone Precision)
TopNet (Topcon)
Boyd Instrument
 BIG PICTURE ISSUES IN RT
POSITIONING
• PASSIVE / ACTIVE – WHAT IS ‘TRUTH’?
• GEOID + ELLIPSOID / LOCALIZE –
QUALITY OF GEOID MODELS LOCALLY.
ORTHOMETRIC HEIGHTS ON CORS?
• ACCURACY / PRECISION- IMPORTANCE OF METADATA
• SINGLE SHOT / REDUNDANCY
• RTK / RTN
• NATIONAL DATUMS / LOCAL DATUMS / ADJUSTMENTS-
DIFFERENT WAYS RTN GET THEIR COORDINATES-VARIOUS
OPUS, OPUS-DB, CORS ADJUSTED, PASSIVE MARKS.
VELOCITIES - NEW DATUMS, “4 -D” POSITIONS

• GNSS / GPS
 GPS AND GLN

DUAL CONSTELLATION RT POSSIBILITIES:

GPS ≥ 5, GLN = 0
GPS = 4, GLN = 2 BEST SCENARIO = 7 OR MORE GPS
GPS = 3, GLN = 3
GPS = 2, GLN = 4
(Can't initialize with only GLN Sats.)
 - Multipath
- Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP)
- Baseline Root Mean Square (RMS) SOME RT FIELD
- Number of satellites CONSIDERATIONS
- Elevation mask (or cut-off angle)
- Base accuracy- datum level, local level
- Base security
- Redundancy, redundancy, redundancy
- Part(s) Per Million Error (ppm) – iono, tropo models,
orbit errors
- Space weather- sunspot numbers, solar maximum
- Geoid quality
- Site calibrations (a.k.a. Localizations)
- Bubble adjustment
- Latency, update rate
-- Accuracy versus Precision
- Signal to Noise Ratio (S/N or C/N0)
- Float and Fixed Solutions
- Carrier phase precisions
- Code phase precisions
- VHF/UHF radio communication
- GSM/CDMA/SIM/Cellular TCP/IP communication
- WGS 84 versus NAD 83, or other local datums
- GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Compass Constellations
 GNSS TO ANY DATUM

• GNSS ECEF X,Y,Z (WGS 84 & PZ90)

NAD 83 (,,h) SPC N,E,h

+ GEOID XX = SPC N,E,H

OR

CALIBRATE TO 4-5 SITE POINTS IN THE

DESIRED DATUM. THIS IS USED TO LOCK TO
PASSIVE MONUMENTATION IN THE PROJECT
AREA.
BEST METHODS FROM THE GUIDELINES:
THE 7 “C’s”

• CHECK EQUIPMENT
• COMMUNICATION
• CONDITIONS
• CONSTRAINTS(OR NOT)
• COORDINATES
• COLLECTION
• CONFIDENCE
 ACHIEVING ACCURATE, RELIABLE
POSITIONS USING GNSS REAL TIME
TECHNIQUES

FROM NGS SINGLE BASE GUIDELINES

CHAPTER 5 - FIELD PROCEDURES, AND
“USERS” CHAPTER OF RTN GUIDELINES:

RT = single base, either active or

passive
B = Both Single base and RTN
3
 CHECK EQUIPMENT
• B BUBBLE- ADJUSTED?
• RT BATTERY- BASE FULLY CHARGED 12V?
• B BATTERY – ROVER SPARES?
• RT USE PROPER RADIO CABLE (REDUCE SIGNAL
LOSS)
• RT RADIO MAST HIGH AS POSSIBLE? (5’ = 5 MILES,
20’ = 11 MILES, DOUBLE HEIGHT=40% RANGE
INCREASE). LOW LOSS CABLE FOR >25’.
• RT DIPOLE (DIRECTIONAL) ANTENNA NEEDED?
• RT REPEATER?
• RT CABLE CONNECTIONS SEATED AND TIGHT?
• B“FIXED HEIGHT” CHECKED?
• RT BASE SECURE?
 COMMUNICATION
• RT UHF FREQUENCY CLEAR?
• B CDMA/CELL - STATIC IP FOR COMMS?
• B CONSTANT COMMS WHILE LOCATING
• RT BATTERY STRENGTH OK?
• B CELL COVERAGE?
• B KEEP FIRMWARE UPDATED!
 CONDITIONS
• RT WEATHER CONSISTENT?
• B CHECK SPACE WEATHER?
• B CHECK PDOP/SATS FOR THE DAY?
• RT OPEN SKY AT BASE?
• RT MULTIPATH AT BASE?
• B MULTIPATH AT ROVER?
• B USE BIPOD?
DUAL CONSTELLATION RT POSSIBILITIES:
GPS ≥ 5, GLN = 0
GPS = 4, GLN = 2
GPS = 3, GLN = 3
GPS = 2, GLN = 4
(Can't initialize with only GLN Sats.)
3
Dilution Of Precision - DOP
 CONSTRAINTS (OR NOT)
• B ≥ 4 H & V, KNOWN & TRUSTED POINTS?
• B LOCALIZATION RESIDUALS-OUTLIERS?
• B DO ANY PASSIVE MARKS NEED TO BE
FYI: GNSS CAN PROVIDE GOOD RELATIVE
HELD? IN A PROJECT WHILE STILL
POSITIONS
RT BASE WITHIN
NOT• CHECKING CALIBRATION
TO KNOWNS (QUALITY TIE
IN AN
TO NEAREST
ABSOLUTE SENSECALIBRATION POINT)?
• B SAME OFFICE & FIELD CALIBRATION
USED?
RT DERIVED ORTHO HEIGHTS - LOCALIZE OR
NOT?
• PASSIVE MARKS ARE A SNAP SHOT OF WHEN
THEY WERE LEVELED OR DERIVED FROM GPS

• IF YOU BUILD FROM A MONUMENTED BM AND THE

DESIGN WAS DONE REFERENCED TO IT, IT IS
“THE TRUTH”, UNLESS IN GROSS ERROR.

• CONSTRAINING TO PASSIVE BMs IS A GOOD WAY

TO NOT ONLY LOCK TO THE SURROUNDING
PASSIVE MARKS, BUT ALSO TO EVALUATE HOW
THE CONTROL FITS TOGETHER.

• HOW GOOD IS THE NGS HYBRID GEOID MODEL IN

YOUR AREA? (SIDE NOTE: GEOID 09 IS THE
CURRENT MODEL USED BY OPUS)
ELLIPSOID, GEOID & ORTHO HEIGHTS
H88 = h83 – N03
Which Geoid for Which NAD 83?
• NAD 83(2011) • Geoid12A/12B

• NAD 83(2007) • Geoid09

• Geoid06 (AK only)

• NAD 83(1996) & • Geoid03

CORS96 • Geoid99
• Geoid96
 COORDINATES
• B TRUSTED SOURCE?
• B WHAT DATUM/EPOCH ARE NEEDED?
• RT GIGO
• B ALWAYS CHECK KNOWN POINTS.
• B PRECISION VS. ACCURACY
• B GROUND/PROJECT VS. GRID/GEODETIC
• B GEOID MODEL QUALITY
• B LOG METADATA

 AUTONOMOUS LOCAL BASE STATION POSITION ARE

OK IF CORRECT COORDINATES ARE INTRODUCED IN
THE PROJECT FIRMWARE/SOFTWARE LATER
 COLLECTION
• B CHECK ON KNOWN POINTS!
• B SET ELEVATION MASK
• B ANTENNA TYPES ENTERED OK?
• B SET COVARIANCE MATRICES ON (IF NECESSARY).
• B RMS SHOWN IS TYPICALLY 68% CONFIDENCE (BRAND
DEPENDENT)
• B H & V PRECISION SHOWN IS TYPICALLY 68% CONFIDENCE
• B TIME ON POINT? QA/QC OF INTEGER FIX
• B MULTIPATH? DISCRETE/DIFFUSE
• B BUBBLE LEVELED?
• B PDOP?
• B FIXED SOLUTION?
• B USE BIPOD?
• B COMMS CONTINUOUS DURING LOCATION?
• B BLUNDER CHECK LOCATION ON IMPORTANT POINTS.
 CONFIDENCE
• B CHECK KNOWN BEFORE, DURING, AFTER
SESSION. COMPARE POSITIONS
WITH/WITHOUT GLONASS.
• B NECESSARY REDUNDANCY? (U. of
CAN’T INITIALIZE? BAD CHECKS? PLENTY
Newcastle)
OF SATS? TRY:
• B WHAT ACCURACY IS NEEDED?
 TURN OFF GLONASS IF YOU HAVE ≥6
• RT REMEMBER
COMMON PPM
GPS SATS
• RT BASE PRECISION TO NEAREST
 REININTIALIZE
CALIBRATION
 CHECK POINT SATS IN DATA
FOR “NOISY”
• B AVERAGE REDUNDANT SHOTS – PRECISION
COLLECTOR
DIFFERENCE
 LOOK WITHIN NEEDS
FOR MULTIPATH OF SURVEY
NEARBY
• B BE AWARE OF
ALSO-COMPARE POTENTIAL
GNSS INTERFERENCE
POSITION TO GPS
ONLY(E.G., HIGH TENSION TOWER LINES)
POSITION
Comparison of 30 Minute Solutions - Precise Orbit; Hopfield (0); IONOFREE
(30 Minute solutions computed on the hour and the half hour) Two Days/Same Time
-10.254
MOLA to RV22 10.8 Km THE IMPORTANCE OF -10.251
> -10.253
REDUNDANCY
Difference = 0.3 cm
Day 264 * Mean dh *
Day 264
dh Hours
Day 265
dh minus diff Mean dh minus diff “Truth” = -10.276
(m) Diff. (m) Day 265 >2 (m) "Truth" >2
Difference = 2.3 cm
(cm) cm (cm) cm

14:00-14:30 -10.281 27hrs 17:00-17:30 -10.279 -0.2 -10.280 -0.5

14:30-15:00 -10.278 27hrs 17:30-18:00 -10.270 -0.8 -10.274 0.2
Two Days/
15:00-15:30 -10.281 27hrs 18:00-18:30 -10.278 -0.3 -10.280 -0.4 Different Times
15:30-16:00 -10.291 27hrs 18:30-19:00 -10.274 -1.7 -10.283 -0.7
16:00-16:30 -10.274 27hrs 19:00-19:30 -10.274 0.0 -10.274 0.2 -10.254
16:30-17:00 -10.287 27hrs 19:30-20:00 -10.276 -1.1 -10.282 -0.6 -10.295 > -10.275
17:00-17:30 -10.279 27hrs 20:00-20:30 -10.261 -1.8 -10.270 0.6
17:30-18:00 -10.270 27hrs 20:30-21:00 -10.251 -1.9 -10.261 1.5
Difference = 4.1 cm
18:00-18:30 -10.277 21hrs 15:00-15:30 -10.270 -0.7 -10.274 0.2
18:30-19:00 -10.271 21hrs 15:30-16:00 -10.276 0.5 -10.274 0.2
“Truth” = -10.276
19:00-19:30 -10.277 21hrs 16:00-16:30 -10.278 0.1 -10.278 -0.2 Difference = 0.1 cm
19:30-20:00 -10.271 21hrs 16:30-17:00 -10.286 1.5 -10.279 -0.3
20:00-20:30 -10.259 18hrs 14:00-14:30 -10.278 1.9 -10.269 0.7
20:30-21:00 -10.254 18hrs 14:30-15:00 -10.295 4.1 * -10.275 0.1
"Truth"
14:00-21:00 -10.275 14:00-21:00 -10.276 0.1 -10.276
DRAFT GUIDELINES- 95% CONFIDENCE
 Precision/Accuracy
• NGS Accuracy Classes defined by 2d horizontal, 1d vertical precision
(Repeatability) at 95% per redundant observation set

Horizontal Resultant (pub-obs) Average Day1-Day2 dh (pub-obs) Average Day1-Day2

0.06 0.05
0.04
0.05
0.03
0.04 RT1r RT1h
0.02
RT2r RT2h
(m)

(m)
0.03 0.01
RT3r RT3h
0
0.02 RT4r RT4h
-0.01
0.01
-0.02
0 -0.03
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000
Distance (m) Distance (m)

2σ Horizontal 2σ Vertical   2σ Horizontal (m)

RT1 0.024663 0.020933 RT1 0.010786

RT2 0.021754 0.023475 RT2 0.011772

RT3 0.020684 0.027002 RT3 0.013639

RT4 0.025223 0.027488 RT4 0.014448

 Example of a “bad” initialization
RT1 Northing (Pub-Obs)

0.2

0.15
Day 1
0.1
(m)

Day 2
0.05 Ave

-0.05
0 20000 40000 60000 80000
Distance (m)
 2 Sigma Horizontal and Vertical Precisions vs.Time
Horizontal Coeficient of Correlation = 0.899
Vertical Coeficient of Correlation = 0.947

0.03
2-Sigma Precision (m)

-0.0965
y = 0.0347x
0.025 2
R = 0.9946
0.02 2-Sig H
2-Sig V
0.015
Power (2-Sig V)
0.01 -0.1007 Power (2-Sig H)
y = 0.018x
0.005 2
R = 0.992
0
0 50 100 150 200
Length of Observation (Sec)
 QUICK FIELD SUMMARY:
•• Set
Set the
the base
base atat a
a wide
wide open
open site
site
•• Set
Set rover
rover elevation
elevation mask
mask between
between 12° 12° &
& 15°
15°
•• The
The more
more satellites
satellites the
the better
better
•• The
The lower
lower the
the PDOP
PDOP thethe better
better
•• The
The more
more redundancy
redundancy the the better
better
•• Beware
Beware multipath
multipath
•• Beware
Beware long
long initialization
initialization times
times
•• Beware
Beware antenna
antenna height
height blunders
blunders
•• Survey
Survey with
with “fixed”
“fixed” solutions
solutions only
only
•• Always
Always check
check known
known points
points before,
before, during
during and
and after
after new
new
location
location sessions
sessions
•• Keep
Keep equipment
equipment adjusted
adjusted forfor highest
highest accuracy
accuracy
•• Communication
Communication should should be be continuous
continuous while
while locating
locating aa point
point
•• Precision
Precision displayed
displayed in in the
the data
data collector
collector can
can be
be at
at the
the 68
68 percent
percent
level
level (or
(or 1σ),
1σ), which
which isis only
only about
about half
half the
the error
error spread
spread to
to get
get 95
95
percent
percent confidence
confidence
•• Have
Have back
back up
up batteries
batteries & & cables
cables
•• RT
RT doesn’t
doesn’t like
like tree
tree canopy
canopy or or tall
tall buildings
buildings
 METADATA !
BESIDES ATTRIBUTE FIELDS, THE RT PRACTICIONER
MUST KEEP RECORDS OF ITEMS NOT RECORDED IN THE
FIELD, FOR INSTANCE:

 WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE DATA?

 WHAT WAS THE DATUM/ADJUSTMENT/EPOCH?
 WHAT WERE THE FIELD CONDITIONS?
 WHAT EQUIPMENT WAS USED, ESPECIALLY- WHAT
ANTENNA?
 WAS COMMUNICATION SOLID?
 WHAT FIRMWARE WAS IN THE RECEIVER &
COLLECTOR?
 WERE ANY GUIDELINES USED FOR COLLECTION?
 WHAT REDUNDANCY, IF ANY, WAS USED?
 WERE ANY PASSIVE MARKS CONSTRAINED?

(GOOD IDEA TO CREATE A TABLULAR CHECK LIST FORM)

 THE QUICK SUMMARY BOILED DOWN:
FOUR CARDINAL RULES FOR RT POSITIONING

• COMMUNICATIONS: THE KEY TO SUCCESS

• CHECK SHOT: FIRST BEFORE NEW WORK

• REDUNDANCY: FOR CONFIDENCE

• MULTIPATH: AVOID UNSUITABLE CONDITIONS

≥200 RTN WORLDWIDE

≥80 RTN IN THE USA
≥37 DOT WITH STATEWIDE
NETWORKS OPERATING
OR PLANNED
 RTK Observation Procedures
1. Initialize “in the clear”
2. Observe as “control” for 60 epochs
3. Monitor RMS
4. Enter feature and attribute information
5. Store point
6. Repeat steps 1-5 (4 hours later/next day),
consider initializing using a different CORS