Lots of green bars but no base fix. Trying to understand

It’s my understanding is that seeing a lot of green bars is nice but the number of green bars connected to satellites in a single constellation (eg. GSP, Galileo, etc) is the important thing. In the attached screen shot that has a SNR of 35, I’m connected to 6 satellites in the G constellation. (I assume each letter refers to a specific constellation.) This number jumps around between 5 and 7. The R constellation shows 2 here but it’s often 3 to 4. I’ve followed Emlid’s recommendations on base station Hz settings for GPS, Glonass, Galileo and base station. I can’t get a base station fix. I must be missing something. What should I be doing to get a fix? ReachView v2.10.0. Thanks for any insights you can offer. (If it helps, I live near Toronto, Canada.)

IMG_1132

Your screenshot looks good. Record log files and we’ll take a look at them. About 20 minutes in length should do. You can upload (or link) them or you can send them in a PM if you prefer.

Rover:

  • Raw data
  • Position
  • Base correction

Base:

  • Raw Data

Check if you are receiving a valid base position. If your base station is Reach RS check that message 1006 is enabled.

1006 is checked at 0.1Hz

Please show us how you have configured the base.

Here are shots of my base configuration:

Change “Average fix” under base coordinates to "average singel"
Your base is not able to obtain fix solution (only singel) without a second service correction data input

If you look right under accumulation time, you see that your base has not obtained a position yet, its still waiting for a fix, which would never happen unless you provide it with a correction service of some kind

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That worked. Thanks! The Reach RS is an interesting technology but it is complex.There are a lot of menus and sub menus interacting with each other and it can be difficult for the uniformed (like me) to understand all of it. The price point of the Emlid unit is appealing to users who are not familiar with the technology. Emlid needs to put more effort into education. Having said that, I’ve found the Emlid forum and online service very useful. I just wish there was a complete single manual directed at the uniformed.

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There are other beginners lurking about that would also benefit from a manual aimed at those that are not surveyors. It is difficult to know what you don’t know.

There is a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein or Richard Feynman. “if you can’t explain something in simple terms, you don’t fully understand it yourself” (paraphrased). We need someone that fully understands and has the inclination to share. This in not to discount the tutorials that have been shared and the help in this forum which are appreciated.

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Remembering having been in that situation, I agree. Not being there now, it is hard to understand why things aren’t obvious to people. A catch-22!

It is also difficult to know you should be explaining something when you think everyone already knows it! (or that it is obvious, or easier that is really is, etc.).

All a matter of perspective!

@bide I agree. It seems simple, but it is actually a fairly rare talent to be a good technical writer. Knowledge of the subject matter is simply not enough.

For a piece of gear lite the Reach / Reach RS, I would suggest a scenario based approach to a manual. Start with the basic tasks for which the gear would be used and write down in detail the steps that should be taken to achieve the best result. As each setting in addressed, don’t just specify the setting, but explain why the specified setting is chosen over the other options for that setting.

Each scenario will probably have overlap and so there will begin to be “modules” within the manual common to more than one scenario. Some will probably be unique.

Currently, the documentation kind of assumes you have used gear with similar settings already and just need to know how to access them in this particular hardware. Ultimately, the manual should allow someone who has never used gnss gear before to properly set the general best settings for a particular task without having to ask for outside help.

The forum is great. But ultimately, if the manual I describe existed, it would be much less work for those that are helping because they could refer to the manual instead of writing up a detailed, or not so detailed reply to each new request.

A good approach to writing is for a knowledgeable person to start writing and when the scenario if followed by someone without knowledge, anything unclear or a stumbling block that was not anticipated by the knowledgeable writer will be sussed out and can be re-written.

This depth of documentation would most benefit Emlid and they should really task someone to do it.

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Dave, thank you for your input! Just recently we started making tutorial videos for our products and Reach RS setup video was first step in that direction.

There are more videos like this to come that will show how to use Reach in more details. Discussing different settings and their effect.

We are trying to automate as much as possible in the interface and will be removing many settings in the future. Heck, we thought that ReachView 2.x.x was a radical simplification! There is a fine balance between needs of experienced users and new ones that we are constantly calibrating the app for :slight_smile:

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That is very encouraging. I know your team has lots to do but I believe this will be good for everyone. Thank you Igor !

That video is very good. Task (scenario) based. I look forward to more !

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