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Create your own NRTK?
Posted by therock003 on January 4, 2017 at 11:17 amFor these occasions when i exceed the 3-5km radio frequency and i can no longer connect to my base that way to get a fixed RTK solution, how do i go about setting it up so i can access it remotely via NRTK and continue on with the project
elrifle replied 3 years, 6 months ago 12 Members · 28 Replies- 28 Replies
We need to know what type of RTK system you already have.
A pair of Trimble R8s Base+Rover Setup
It is not an R8 (This is Legacy), it is a newly purchased R8s which is bluetooth enabled. From the Rovers side of things i can easily connect to the internet via the controller and the builtin internet.
In case i have a second controller left at the base controlled via bluetooth as well, and have an internet connection, how do i set it into server mode ready to broadcast?
I occasionally use a Leica GX1230 as base transmitting data via GPRS/GSM. The first hurdle is to get a static IP for the base so the rover can find it. Depending on your provider it can be around $500 just to acquire the static IP. Other than connecting the base to the web everything else on the same. You still have the model limitations associated with a single base RTK solution.
Or if you don’t want to roll your own as in Gavin’s answer (#4 above), you can purchase turn key solutions, the one I am using is the the Intuicom Bridge-X, run in base-socket mode, get a static IP address for the bridge and you can get corrections within the confines of single baseline limitations anyplace you have cellular data at the base and rover.
SHG
IP is not an issue. Lets say i get static, or i know my ip at the time of the job. So connecting my Base to the PC via Bluetooth, what are the actual steps that i got to setup, in order to start broadcasting as a server?
therock003, post: 407476, member: 12282 wrote: IP is not an issue. Lets say i get static, or i know my ip at the time of the job. So connecting my Base to the PC via Bluetooth, what are the actual steps that i got to setup, in order to start broadcasting as a server?
In the case of Leica, you just treat the base like any other base setup. The only difference is that instead of broadcasting via radio, you tell it to use the modem. You do not use NTRIP or any other feature. As far as the static IP, I tried to go down the hole of using a dynamic IP. It never worked, at least in the US. I could see what I thought was the current IP for the base but could never capture the data stream on a rover or my PC for that matter. A GPRS network does not appear to work exactly the same as hard wired systems. Only when I got a static IP, on both rover and base, was I able to connect to the base.
I also tried the dynamic IP, but the modem would show one WAN IP, and then the dynamic IP service would show a different one, and I could not connect to either one. Not sure if it was something AT&T was doing purposefully (i.e. masking the true IP, or blocking ports). But, I do use the dynamic IP service (no-ip.com) at my home/office for cameras and FTP. Works fine, never had an issue there, but that connection is verizon FIOS (always on) and the IP address changes infrequenctly
gschrock, post: 407501, member: 556 wrote: Considering you started this thread with very little info for us to go by; expecting a step-by step detailed answer is a tall order.
Again, more info needed: if you have R8-3’s, then they come with a built-in NTRIP caster: i.e. the rover R8-3 can connect via the NTRIP client in Access (or Survey Pro if that is what you are running) to the NTRIP caster (on the specified static IP) of the base. So if it is an R8-3 (or newer) it will be a simple exercise in “looking in the manual”.
If you buy a piece of equipment it is good idea to know its capabilities – like looking at the datasheets, then familiarizing yourself with the manual. That is what the rest of us do before getting on the forum and demanding (in bold letters) step-by-step instructions.
therock003, post: 407353, member: 12282 wrote: A pair of Trimble R8s Base+Rover Setup
therock003, post: 407359, member: 12282 wrote: It is not an R8 (This is Legacy), it is a newly purchased R8s which is bluetooth enabled. From the Rovers side of things i can easily connect to the internet via the controller and the builtin internet.
In case i have a second controller left at the base controlled via bluetooth as well, and have an internet connection, how do i set it into server mode ready to broadcast?
Are you mistaking the “s” on R8s as plurar? It is part of the name. R8s. It is the latest on the R8 series.
http://www.trimble.com/Survey/Trimble-R8s.aspx
Besides this information what else would you like me to give you guys? All help is appreciated I am not demanding anything, the bold was just an emphasis on placing my focus on asking help for the practical steps not the theory.
You can use the no-ip service to bypass the static ip problem. At least it works for me.
The base is configured as ntrip server which sends the corrections to the home or office pc running lefebure ntrip caster.
Then the rover connects to the caster and recives the corrections.
It sounds complicated but it is not so much. Also it depends on the equipment you have and it’s capabilities.
Some gear have built in the ntrip caster so they transmit without intemediate pc. In my situation i had only ntrip server capabilities so i had to use the Lefebure ntrip caster.gschrock, post: 407514, member: 556 wrote: Hi Rock… sry, I see now… it is the R8s :p The manual for the R8s does not seem to mention the NTRIP caster that the R8-3’s have (but it is a surprisingly thin manual) so check the web interface for any mention of a caster option, or option to push correction outputs to an IP. It may be an option you can have turned on (but maybe only your dealer could answer that).
Weird isnt it that an older R8-3 supports this and R8s does not? I did contact my Trimble Dealer prior to posting on the board, he confused me by saying you have to purchase a base+rover radio antenna for this to work, instead of the unit being set up as just base, so i assumed he didnt know what he was talking about and i decided to ask here. I keep googling but nothing comes up as this having this ntrip caster feature
gto234, post: 407681, member: 6780 wrote: You can use the no-ip service to bypass the static ip problem. At least it works for me.
The base is configured as ntrip server which sends the corrections to the home or office pc running lefebure ntrip caster.
Then the rover connects to the caster and recives the corrections.
It sounds complicated but it is not so much. Also it depends on the equipment you have and it’s capabilities.
Some gear have built in the ntrip caster so they transmit without intemediate pc. In my situation i had only ntrip server capabilities so i had to use the Lefebure ntrip caster.Nice. I downloaded the Ntrip caster software. Now Specifically my Trimble R8s, can you help me on how to set the base to act as an ntrip server so the software picks it up? I have no clue how to do that
See here https://surveyorconnect.com/community/threads/guide-setup-sokkia-gsr2700isx-w-internal-gsm-gprs-modem-as-mobile-reference-station.324670/
Unfortunately I can’t help you with your equipment because I own other brand.
See your manuals and help files and keep the post above as reference.If you’re looking at going over 5km (how much more?) range how does using say a 10 or 35 W base radio with a high antenna compare? There would be the cost of radio + licencing but the flexibility to set up at hilltop base stations and maybe have coverage where there’s no cell coverage. I’ve been using this method for shore support on hydrographic work and we’ve had ranges of 30+ miles even when there’s no line of sight. The electronic engineer on the ship says it’s all in the antennas – even a back up base radio, only 1W, gave a line of sight range of 20 miles, that was with high quality antennas, cables and plugs.
Artie Kay, post: 407773, member: 3428 wrote: only 1W, gave a line of sight range of 20 miles
Being over open ocean is the ideal case for these things. I’d expect far shorter range over land.
With Lefebure you have 2 options. The first is to set the base in a permanent spot eg rooftop and connect to pc with serial cable. Then ntrip caster listens to the base and transmits the corrections. This works if you work in reasonable range e.g. 30km with dual frequency receivers.
The other option works only if you have internet in the base and depends on the software you are using. For example Carlson SurvCE does not have ntrip server options. in this situation you have either set the base in an unknown point and work with autonomous base coords while the base collects data for post processing or you have to connect the base to a coors at first and let it fix and store the position and then you configure the ntrip server.have you accessed the web interface of the base R8s? I assume that it will have one and this will allow you to setup the corrections output.
I have done what you are trying to do but with different Trimble equipment.
How are you planning on connecting the base to the internet? I am not sure that doing it through the controller is possible but I may be wrong.
Ours was connected by ethernet to the office router. You may need to use a serial output cable from the R8s then into a serial GSM modem. (As described above I believe)- Posted by: gschrock
therock003, post: 407683, member: 12282 wrote: Weird isnt it that an older R8-3 supports this and R8s does not? I did contact my Trimble Dealer prior to posting on the board, he confused me by saying you have to purchase a base+rover radio antenna for this to work, instead of the unit being set up as just base, so i assumed he didnt know what he was talking about and i decided to ask here. I keep googling but nothing comes up as this having this ntrip caster feature
Nice. I downloaded the Ntrip caster software. Now Specifically my Trimble R8s, can you help me on how to set the base to act as an ntrip server so the software picks it up? I have no clue how to do that
I feel your pain Rock. Now this has my curiosity piqued. I’m going to try to get my hands on an R8s and see what’s up… not sure if/when or if it could help you but sounds like you are on a promising path with e Lefebure caster…
I salute you once again in order to ask if you got the chance so far to test this functionality with the Trimble R8-S model that i got. The need for this feature has come once again for me, and i am still looking for a solution.
Not sure if theres the latest legacy version lying somewhere around, but it seems lefebure ntrip caster is now discontinued, and a SNIP package is now being marketed
http://lefebure.com/software/ntripcaster/
Anyway i can tell you that i got a lemo to serial cable, so if there is a way to set my equipemtn to output corrections from the cable and not via radio, and if i can then receive those corrections on the laptop and with this ntrip caster and i can broadcast them and receive them in the field.
I dont mind that this is a single station correction setup, since i will be operating on a 15km radius and i’m only seeking this method for scenarios when i cannot receive radio corrections due to mountains and city buildings or radio intereference comes into play, which seems to be the case more often than not this past year that i started operating on a base-rover solution.
I use a windows tablet with survey pro to connect to my equipment with 3g functionality builtin, so i can easily connect to nrtk via software solution.
So to sum things up, i only need to correctly set the output to be serial not radio, and then succesfuly receive via seiral on the laptop and get a working lefebure app and get the laptop to finally act as a server.
R8-3 can seemingly do this, but i find no information on prdocuct pages nor manuals, for R8-S [Latest model] and my local Greek representative was not able to help me on this matter. I tried the global US site and sent my queries as a ticket, but they remained unanswered.
I have setup just such a system with an older R7 GNSS receiver. I output the corrections (RTCM or CMR+) on one of the three serial ports. This serial flow connects to a Microhard Bullet Plus cell modem (http://www.microhardcorp.com/BulletPlus.php). I have the modem setup to auto connect to my office server running SNIP (https://www.use-snip.com/) so that as soon as data is received on the serial port in the modem it forwards the data packet to my office. To do at the office this I had to open my firewall to that selected port on my router, and then I run TCP-COM (http://www.taltech.com/tcpcom) on my office computer to receive the data and convert it back to serial, which then feeds in to SNIP via a virtual serial port). Up to now there is no NTRIP involved. SNIP takes the data and serves it up as an NTRIP caster.
Here is a rough sketch…
Hi therock003
Here is my tutorial about Trimble RTK config via internet. As example i used my own caster, but you can use another one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgd_5w3yrYM&t=65s
Start from 3:40 to skip marketing garbage
- Posted by: John Hamilton
I have setup just such a system with an older R7 GNSS receiver. I output the corrections (RTCM or CMR+) on one of the three serial ports. This serial flow connects to a Microhard Bullet Plus cell modem (http://www.microhardcorp.com/BulletPlus.php). I have the modem setup to auto connect to my office server running SNIP (https://www.use-snip.com/) so that as soon as data is received on the serial port in the modem it forwards the data packet to my office. To do at the office this I had to open my firewall to that selected port on my router, and then I run TCP-COM (http://www.taltech.com/tcpcom) on my office computer to receive the data and convert it back to serial, which then feeds in to SNIP via a virtual serial port). Up to now there is no NTRIP involved. SNIP takes the data and serves it up as an NTRIP caster.
Here is a rough sketch…
Thank you for this detailed description. But the base station will be directly connected to a computer running SNIP so there will be no need for a bridge in my case since the computer running SNIP will be directly receiving corrections via serial.
BTW ill have to go through my old stuff and see if i got an old laptoo with serial otherwise ill have to get a usb to serial dongle.
Installed the free lite version of SNIP and went through the options. I felt overwhelmed at first glance. Is there possibly a tutorial?
I get that computer running SNIP is set to 127.0.0.1 but how do i set the parameters on receiving the packets and how are they send out for a client to receive them?
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