Facet and Reference Station beginner setup quick guide

GPS/GNSS Development Boards
1

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I now have my RTK Facet and Reference Station :smiley: and it’s time to get it all setup. I started the facet and was amazed on it’s accuracy out of the box. In a clear sky SW Maps had it at just 88mm.

The steps I have taken for the facet are:

  1. installed Tera Term

  2. setup the usb-serial CH340 (windows 11 auto but took a few min.)

  3. Setup the Wi-Fi (menu 6-> 1&2)

  4. upgraded the firmware from 3.6 → 3.9, I found it difficult OTA until I used TeraTerm (menu f->c) got the file location and used RTKUploader.

  5. Registered on rtk2go.com (got the mountpoint and password)

  6. added the RTK2GO details in GNSS Receiver (menu 1->5,6,7,8,10) Not sure about dynamic mode left it as portable.

SW Maps

  1. Download and install

  2. Do not forget to Pair your phone to the facet !!

  3. From the menu Bluetooth GNSS → Facet Rover → connect (if you have a monopod add details)

  4. !! Not sure if I need to add in the NTRIP connection settings, can someone correct me if not.

  5. GNSS Status to view details

Reference Station (here I am a bit confused)

  1. used TeraTerm plugged into Config ESP32

  2. Setup the Wi-Fi (menu 6-> 1&2) + added the antenna provided on ESP32.

  3. Plugged it into my router.

  4. upgraded the firmware from 3.5 → 3.9, I found it difficult OTA until I used TeraTerm (menu f->c->u) No issues.

  5. Setup Base add RTK2GO details (Menu 3->7,8,9,10,11) Note: I think I needed to enable the NTRIP server via Wi-Fi.

  6. inserted the micro usb 32Gb provided

…

This is as far as I got.

I need to install the antenna on my roof, then survey in for 24h. What settings do I need to set to get the Reference Station to create the data file for Precise Point Positioning. What frequency settings should I use? And as I am an absolute beginner have I missed anything that I should also do/set?

Kind Regards

Stephen

2

And as I am an absolute beginner have I missed anything that I should also do/set?

You are doing great!

  1. !! Not sure if I need to add in the NTRIP connection settings, can someone correct me if not.

Eventually you will want to set SW Maps to connect to the caster (RTK2Go or Emlid is what we use regularly) that the RTK Reference station is pushing to.

I need to install the antenna on my roof, then survey in for 24h. What settings do I need to set to get the Reference Station to create the data file for Precise Point Positioning.

Yes. Once installed, set the Reference Station to Logging Defaults (https://docs.sparkfun.com/SparkFun_RTK_ … eax5-rxmx2). This will enable RAWX and SFRBX. Log for 24 hours (just as you said) and you’re on your way to PPP (https://docs.sparkfun.com/SparkFun_RTK_ … ur-antenna).

Have fun!

3

Hi Sparky

  1. !! Not sure if I need to add in the NTRIP connection settings, can someone correct me if not.

I can understand the Reference Station is pushing data to RTK2GO, If the Facet using Wi-Fi (+ GNSS Receiver settings) connects to the RTK2GO and uses the correction data to get an accurate location why would you need to also add it into SW Maps? or is this two different cases, i.e. (1) the Faucet gets the data and (2) if you want to use SW Maps without the Faucet it too gets correction data? This is what confused me.

Stephen

4

Sorry, I missed that in your post. You need one or the other.

I prefer to use the ntrip client built into SW Maps because it’s easier then setting up the WiFi ntrip client inside the RTK firmware. Also, SW Maps will use your cellular connection for ntrip, rather than the rover’s possibility limited WiFi reception range.

5

Ahh that’s clear Sparky, I was thinking that the rover connects via the mobile Wi-Fi hotspot to get the correction data and via Bluetooth to display the data on SW Maps. Whereas your solution is the rover send its RAW location to SW Maps and SW Maps corrects/updates the Location. **Both should therefor not be set as that could lead to applying the correction data twice.

6

Hi Sparky,

I am about to start the PPP logging, from the TeraTerm Main Menu: (Configure GNSS Messages)->(Reset to PPP Logging Defaults (NMEAx5 + RXMx2)).

I do have a question: Because the device defaults to a 4Hz fix rate the GSV is set to 4 therefore we log a message once every second, why are all the other settings set to 1? Should it be:

  1. @4Hz all set to 4 and so log all msg’s every second? or

  2. is it better to set the device to 1Hz and set everything to 1? or

  3. @4Hz every setting should be 1 and GSV set to 4?

After I finished logging I will Reset to Surveying Defaults (NMEAx5) (Main Menu option 2->10).

The following is the data that is logged for PPP and its use just for reference:

NMEA-GGA: Time, position, and fix related data

NMEA-GSA: GPS Dilution of Precision (DOP) and active satellites

NMEA-GST: Position error statistics

NMEA-GSV: Number of satellites in view, PRN, elevation, azimuth, and SNR

NMEA-RMC: Position, Velocity, and Time

RXM-RAWX: pseudorange, Doppler, carrier phase, phase lock, and signal quality information

RXM-SFRBX: reports a complete subframe of broadcast navigation data

Kind Regards

Stephen

P.S. just asking questions the I do not understand from the docs in the hope other new users will find useful.