Episode 4 - RTK GPS

In this episode, David Woolley, PLS will discuss the use of RTK with GPS and the benefits and shortcomings of RTK with survey measurements.

[robh]

Most quality Land Surveyors I've known will research, and check in to a known (Published) Federal Base Network point at the beginning of the work and finish with another check in on that (or another) FBN Published point at the end of the work (when using RTK/RTN). This requires very little research and extra effort for the peace of mind it provides. This builds good confidence in the results, and at least should be part of the record. No dispute on using a total station Instrument for quality work (setting corners, etc.), especially for high accuracy projects.

[beefchicken]

Unless I missed something, the results you collected and presented around 10:10 are uncorrected for local ionospheric conditions. If you compared two receivers both capturing data at the same time in the same vicinity, they would have both shown the same variation. In an RTK setup, you're ultimately calculating the difference in position between the base and the rover, not the absolute position of either, so most of the error you're seeing would disappear.

I feel like comparing your results to Roger Frank's results is a bit like comparing potatoes to apples. His results were for a 4 mile baseline, your results were for no baseline. Both are going to have problems.

I am not a surveyor, I'm just a guy playing with a bunch of 25 year old Trimble gear in his garage, so there is a good chance I am indeed missing something! I'm here to learn.