GEOMATICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING • Volume 1 • Number 3 • 2007

Tomasz Lipecki*

The Modern Technologies of DGPS

and RTK Corrections Transfer**

1. Introduction
GPS technology is one of the basic geodetic techniques used in surveying, networ-
king, engineering projects, measurements of ground and structural deformations.
RTK (Real Time Kinematic) GPS technique provides information about the current
position of a GPS antenna during an observation. RTK GPS measurements require
that information about GPS signal corrections, emiĴed from the base station, should
pass to GPS receivers. Information is normally sent by radio modems, which restricts
the range of operational performance to 1–3 km (depending on the land features).
Extensive applications of this technology as well as the developments of wireless
transmission systems have prompted the researchers to search for methods that wo-
uld improve the range of corrections accessibility. The conventional corrections trans-
fer format (DGPS/RTK) is specified by the international standard RTCM SC 104 [3].
Nevertheless, operators have their own binary standards for corrections transfers, to
be used in radio modem transmissions.
This paper reviews the current solutions in the area of wireless technologies of RTK
corrections transfer. Of major importance is cellular telephony which, thanks to connec-
tion to the Internet via GPRS, EDGE and shortly also UMTS, allows practically unrestric-
ted range of transfer of GPS signal corrections [6–8, 10]. Research is underway to develop
methods that would improve quality and confidence of real-time GPS positioning.

2. RTK and DGPS corrections transfer technologies

Despite similar requirements for DGPS and RTK surveys (Fig. 1), the accuracy
of DGPS systems supported by code solutions will range from 0.5 to 1.5 m, the use of

* Faculty of Mining Surveying and Environmental Engineering, AGH University of Science and
Technology, Cracow
** This study is sponsored through the University research program no 11.11.150.652

67
68 T. Lipecki

corrections in (RTK) phase monitoring allows for finding a point co-ordinates with
the accuracy of 0.01 m. The application of correction transfer depends on the requ-
ired accuracy in positioning and the available equipment. The basic method of RTK
corrections transfer is by radio modem transmission. Since the operator needs the
power capacities and frequency, corrections transfer is restricted by applicable legal
permissions specifying the types and parameters of signals to be emiĴed. Power ca-
pacities of modems are usually restricted to 0.5–1 WaĴ whilst frequency approaches
450 MHz. More powerful transmission is allowed in rare cases only. That is why
monitoring and surveying are restricted by engineering facilities and location of the
base station, though aĴempts are being made to extend the range of RTK corrections
transfer [9]. As conventional RTK measurements are now in widespread use, this
method shall not be explained in detail.

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of DGPS/RTK surveys

Source: [1]

2.1. DGPS corrections transfer

DGPS corrections are a less accurate version of satellite signal corrections in
GPS systems. They contain information about code measurements executed by the
receiver, so they can be picked up even by tourists’ GPS receivers. As the solution
provides for lower accuracy, there are no strict constraints as to signal quality. Wi-
dely used methods of corrections transfer/ reception involve the signal emission
from a geo-stationary satellites supporting the GPS system: WAAS (Wide Area Au-
gmentation System) for the North America, EGNOS (Euro Geostationary Navigation
Overlay Service) for Europe and MSAS (Multi-Functional Satellite Augmentation
The Modern Technologies of DGPS and RTK Corrections Transfer 69

System) for Asia and Japan, ensuring the coverage of vast areas on these continents.
Corrections can be received via a wide range of code receivers, the method is chiefly
employed in marine and aviation navigation.
Another method of corrections transfer is long-wave radio transmission, so
they can travel large distance, particularly in marine navigation. Most lighthouses
now have GPS equipment to allow for corrections emissions within the radius of
several hundred kilometres (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Coverage range of DGPS lighthouse stations in USA

Source: [1]

Both methods require specialized GPS equipment. With satellite-supported

systems, a receiver with implemented correction decoding is required. In the other
approach, an additional correction-receiving device is needed to receive radio-
transmiĴed DGPS signals.
One has to bear in mind that methods of corrections transfer outlined in fur-
ther sections are widely applied in DGPS transmission, too. They are listed here to
demonstrate their potential applications in GPS RTK systems.

2.2. Corrections transfer via Internet and GPRS systems

In these methods diěerential corrections are sent out from the base station in the
RTCM format to a caster (computer), which further transfers the corrections via the
Internet, utilising streamed data transmission protocols TCP/IP, UDP (supported by
NTRIP – Network Transmission of RTCM via Internet Protocol) [10, 11]. In most ca-
ses operators of base stations allow the only the restricted access to RTK corrections
via specialised equipment ensuring authorised data transmission only. An example
70 T. Lipecki

is the ASG-PL (Active Survey Grid System) in the Silesia province (Poland), which
is being extended to cover the whole area of Poland. Apart from unauthorised ac-
cess (DGPS corrections), RTK corrections for area are available in VRS mode (Virtual
Reference Stations) [6], whereby corrections values are interpolated for a virtual re-
ference station, located near the field survey spot (Fig. 3). Interpolation utilises the
satellite signals from the existing reference stations, within the range of RTK surveys
(up to 35 km). This procedure is aimed to reduce the distance between rovers and the
base station, which would vastly improve the accuracy. It is required, however, that
information about a rover’s approximate position should be transmiĴed to the ASG-
PL computing centre to determine the virtual station’s position. GPRS transmission
can be used for that purpose as it allows the data to be transferred in the form of
NMEA GGA code (containing the approximate position B, L on the ellipsoid WGS-
84 – Fig 3b). Apart from devices playing the role of digital GPRS modems oěered by
operators, other hardware and soĞware solutions can be applied, too. For example,
specialist soĞware can be implemented in a mobile phone supporting JAVA, or har-
dware implementations are possible on an IGTS device, manufactured by INS.
Apart from generating corrections for area on a virtual station, transmission
via Internet helps to extend the applicability range in corrections transfer from exi-
sting permanent stations. A solution widely applied in Poland is a system developed
within the framework of the project EUREF-IP. The authorisation procedure being
complete, RTK corrections can be received no maĴer what the distance from the
base station, though suĜcient accuracy cannot be always guaranteed.

a) b)

Fig. 3. Operating principle of VRS: a) generation of a virtual station inside the existing pa-
rametric stations; b) code NMEA GGA – application MobileNtrip f.4 to a mobile phone
Source: [12]
The Modern Technologies of DGPS and RTK Corrections Transfer 71

Tests reveal that 35 km is a limiting distance (as errors due to satellite signal
propagation in the atmosphere can never be eěectively eliminated).
Several options are currently available, there are soĞware and hardware solu-
tions, like in the case of VRS systems.
The application MobileNtrip allows for corrections reception and direct trans-
mission to a GPS receiver. Simple soĞware, oěered free of charge by the authors of
EUREF-IP: GNSS Internet Radio, enables the reception of corrections via Internet
protocol TCP/IP, saving them to a disc file, transmission to external devices (GPS re-
ceiver) via a serial port or further redistribution using the TCP/IP protocol (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. Program GNSS Internet Radio on a computer connected to Internet

via GPRS using a mobile phone

The major drawback of such configuration is that it cannot be used in field me-
asurements, yet it proves advantageous in GPS RTK monitoring [3–5] where a rover
is never displaced. The best solution in this case would be constant access Internet.
A modification enabling mobile measurements will be outlined in further sections.
An IGTS (INS GPRS Telemetric System – Fig. 5) is a device capable of replacing
a radio modem that enables various types of GPRS transmission.
72 T. Lipecki

Fig. 5. RTK GPS system complete with a modem GPRS “IGTS”

This configuration provides [13]:

– Ntrip transmission (and selection of any caster– server of DGPS/RTK correc-
tions),
– reception of VRS corrections for area,
– connection to a field base station and corrections transfer from any arbi-
trarily chosen spot,
– direct connection to the Internet – for example: browsing www pages.
Thanks to a compact housing, containing a set of baĴeries allowing uninter-
rupted several hours’ operations, the device becomes one of the most interesting
solutions available on the Polish market.
It is worthwhile to mention that GPRS transmission (no maĴer which device is
used) is subject to a charge, payable to mobile network operators. Depending on the
type of acquired data (data packages), this cost will range between ten and one hun-
dred PLN per one working day. One has to bear in mind, however, that the chief bene-
fit of RTK systems is that only one GPS RTK receiver is required, which vastly reduces
the company’s operating costs. Alternatively, when a company has more receivers,
they can be used as mobile stations to facilitate and speed-up field measurements.

2.3. Internet transmission and conventional survey

Facilitated surveying and applications of advanced technologies to support co-
nventional RTK configurations prompts us to ask the question how to transfer RTK
corrections via the Internet in the cost-eěective manner and fully utilising the ava-
ilable equipment. A possible solution is incorporation of conventional measurements
supported by radio transmission with the devices connected to the global network
via constant access systems or GPRS. When a radio modem is simply connected to
a computer with Internet access and Ntrip is used in correction transmission, the cor-
The Modern Technologies of DGPS and RTK Corrections Transfer 73

rections can be received at any spot (as connection to the Internet might be achieved
via a constant access system, a stationary phone or a mobile). The corrections are then
transferred to a radio modem via a serial port RS-232, whence the information about
DGPS/RTK corrections is sent further. A laptop/computer connected to the Internet
in configuration with and a radio modem make up a transfer station transmiĴing
the corrections to conventional field devices, i.e. GPS receivers with radio modems,
distant from the base station by less than 3 km. A similar solution is obtained when
we replace a computer by a specific application (GNSS Internet Radio) via an IGTS
device (Fig. 5). Connected to a radio modem, the device can execute the same task
and its more mobile, because the base station emulated by the IGTS + radio modem
array can be easily carried on rovers to spots where field measurements are taken,
thus ensuring uninterrupted RTK transmission to GPS working stations. That vastly
facilitates monitoring and surveys, no maĴer what the actual land features.
An obvious benefit of incorporating novel transmission technologies in conven-
tional survey and measurements is that the available GPS RTK equipment is fully
utilised, at the same time the costs of procuring state-of-the art technology of RTK
corrections transfer can be minimised. A system configuration is shown in figure 6,
the survey and monitoring procedure is shown schematically in figure 7.

Fig. 6. Base station emulation by an IGTS + radio modem configuration

74 T. Lipecki

Fig. 7. Reception of corrections in GPRS and radio modem transmission

3. Conclusions
This study focuses on selected aspects only, to show the capability of RTK mea-
surements over a wide area without the need of a reference station. A major benefit
of GPRS transmission is its reliability whilst covering the whole country and hence
limitations due to radio modem range are thus eliminated. No permissions are re-
quired to carry out RTK measurements on specified radio frequencies (apart from
solutions integrating Internet transmission with conventional survey systems– see
subsection 2.3). Certain payments are due to telecom operators, though these are
traded oě by improved operational performance and cost-eěectiveness as no new
receivers are required.
This is not an exhaustive review of all solutions that are currently available.
There is also a wireless wide-range Internet technology WiFiMAX [7], enabling the
access to the global network up to 60 km from the access points. This technology,
however, is now in the design and testing stage and shall not be now explored in
detail in the context of GPS signal corrections transfer.
Another technique to increase the distance from the base station in RTK sur-
veys (up to 100 km) is referred to as Long-Range RTK. The main focus here is not on
The Modern Technologies of DGPS and RTK Corrections Transfer 75

corrections transmission via the Internet, but on the type of information contained
in the correction. This technique is not described in detail as the paper is limited in
scope, yet it is worthwhile to mention that the use of information about the current
atmospheric conditions (in the ionosphere and troposphere) in the vicinity of the
base station and interpolation of the metrological data for the control point is a fun-
damental method of improving the accuracy and range of real-time GPS systems.
Obviously these technologies (data transfer method and type of transmiĴed info)
might be integrated in one solution. This is now looking to not a very distant future,
it seems to be a maĴer of several months.
As the subject maĴer is really extensive, this is the first in the series of papers
on state-of-the-art. RTK technologies.

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76 T. Lipecki

[10] RTCM SC 104 Protocol. Internet source: www.rtcm.org.

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