Laying out My Farm

GPS/GNSS Development Boards
1

If you would please help me get the right equipment.

I’m setting up on a micro-farm here in Alabama, we are off-grid and don’t have internet access currently so I’m not interested in casting to/from NTRIP. We are looking to get accurate and repeatable measurements for buildings, fences, and eventually crop rotations and topography of the entire 18-acre site.

Following along in this tutorial https://docs.sparkfun.com/SparkFun_RTK_ … nent_base/ It looks like I can use:

  • - SiK Telemetry Radio – WRL-19032

  • - SparkFun RTK Surveyor -- GPS-18443
  • - GNSS Multi-Band L1/L2 Surveying Antenna (TNC) - TOP106 -- GPS-17751
  • - SMA Male to SMA Female - 10m (RG174) -- CAB-17495
  • - Interface Cable - SMA Male to TNC Male (300mm) -- CAB-17833
  • - microSD Card - 32GB (Class 10) -- COM-19041
    • Permanently mounted to the greenhouse as a base station to obtain ECEF coordinates and transmit RTCM messages to a rover.

    Either another:

  • - SiK Telemetry Radio – WRL-19032

  • - SparkFun RTK Surveyor -- GPS-18443
  • - Interface Cable - SMA Male to TNC Male (300mm) -- CAB-17833
  • - GNSS Multi-Band L1/L2 Surveying Antenna (TNC) - TOP106 -- GPS-17751
    • or
  • an RTK Facet -- GPS-19984 currently out of stock.

    • With those two “units”, I should be able to achieve consistent RTK Fix and repeatable measurements, yes?

    Is there something I am missing or not asking that I should be? I am a fairly tech-literate person but new to the GNSS environment.

    thank you for any insight and assistance you can lend.

    Jake Knapp

    2

    Hi Jake - I think you’ve nailed it! That’s the setup I would do.

    Really, the only thing left is antenna mounting. If you’ve got a flat metal roof the mag mount is easiest (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/21257). Or there’s the cinder block inserts from the tutorial (https://cdn.sparkfun.com/r/600-600/asse … _Drill.jpg). We’re also experimenting with different 5/8" 11TPI rods for mounting to eaves or walls. Many hardware stores stock a 12" all thread of 5/8". We’ve found 1/2" conduit clamps make a tight fit as well (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Superstrut- … /300325775).

    Good luck and let us know how you get on.

    3

    I’ll post some pics of the setup once I get it running.

    thanks

    4

    Well, the TOP106 is back-ordered now.

    Would the GNSS Multi-Band Magnetic Mount Antenna - 5m (SMA) GPS-15192 ROHS be just a capable?

    5

    Sorry about that! Not quite as good, but nearly as accurate, yes.

    6

    Why not the RTK Surveyor Kit? The Sparkfun website shows the RTK Surveyor Kits, which include the TOP106 antenna, as being in stock.