Hi,
I came across a theoretical problem I have not experienced in the real life yet. What would happen if a rover were in the range of multiple bases emitting corrections on the LoRa interface ? How can it discriminate which base to use ?
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I understand you said “theoretical”, but would it be common at all to have multiple bases in the same operation area broadcasting on the same frequency? Seems as likely to win the Lotto.
They would all theoretically have to use the same data rate too.
I think theoretically you would have major problems getting a fix, because the RS2 would have to restart the calculation from a new baseline randomly, or be hammered with interference and have garbled data.
I’m with @dpitman its lottery type odds, unless you are at a surveyor convention.
This has to be very unlikely in the vast majority of cases. But I am actually about to start a study to deploy a small network over a large farming area. For some reasons, the customer would like to use radio instead of Internet to broadcast corrections. Considering the size of the area, the LoRa range is the limiting factor of the network, and several bases will have to be set to cover the whole site. This means some places will be in an overlapping area where two or more correction signals will be seen by the rover.
Also, if I recall correctly, some historical brands allowed to set an SSID in the radio signal of the base, and the rover could be set to process only this SSID.
What is cellular reception like in the area?
What type of guidance is on the machines?
How large are the fields?
If its for farming, the customer is no doubt trying to be cheap to a point of making it more expensive for no reason. But buying multiple RS2 to use LORA will be much more expensive than using cellular. Especially if you can use an existing phone as the modem in the tractor.
With cellular one base covers 60km radius for grain farming if inch accuracy is all that is required.
What you describe would require putting each base on a different frequency, and having the farmer remember to change for each area.
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If cellular is not an option, perhaps look into a small radio repeater. Talk to your local HAM club or organization for help setting it up. I think it would be a much cleaner setup than trying to use multiple bases all at the same time.
I really like the idea of a radio repeater. I will sink into that, thank you Dave !
Yes I totally agree with you there.
Cellular is fine in some areas and non existent in others. Machines carry a smart sprayer for trees that is activated according to the location. Fields are a few acres wide, but they are spraid in the region. Some of them are 20 km apart from each other.
Cellular would be so much easier in the end. I also like the idea of the radio repeater from Dave.
Having run both Radio and Cellular
If you can do it with cellular and possibly a cell booster in the tractor, its always choice number 1. Cellular is the least hassle and maintenance.
Would this farmer require year to year accuracy, or is the farmer fine with zeroing the first pass each time?
The fields are only a few acres, so you could just put a benchmark thread on the gatepost, or one new post at each location and keep the base in the cab. Have it set up to auto average.
I ask this because I have met farmers running RTK that run it only because of its stability during the day… I feel they are missing out. But I also understand they just want something they do not have to nudge, and does not take a random walk. But its still like having internet and never leaving the yahoo home page, so much unused potential.
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