Reach M2 w/ Mini-Survey Antenna Static/Rapid Static Testing Results

I recently occupied/observed two local NYHARN control monuments nearby to test the Reach M2’s accuracy/precision under ideal conditions. I simply wanted to know what this device is capable of different time occupations post processed utilizing the NYCORS base stations and to share the results here. The two monuments chosen were each occupied for a slightly over 2 hour duration (I purposely went over two hours to evaluate OPUS static processing also). I chose a couple of NY CORS stations at different distances to evaluate the precision/accuracy of these time durations as distance to the rover increased. I then processed the data in RTKLIB at 2 hr, 1 hr, 45 min, 30 min, 15 min, 10 min, 5 min, 2 min durations by trimming the original rinex file from start of the occupation to the stated time duration. The results are shown below for the differences in easting, northing, and ellipsoidal heights calculated against the NGS published values. I have attached the NGS data sheets for both stations Ft Miller (PID AA7911) and Wright (PID NA2015). Both occupations were made with my antenna (Harxon GPS500 Mini-Survey Antenna with NGS antenna calibration) mounted on a 2 meter fixed height range pole. I cannot stress enough about the importance of using your antenna’s calibration AS WELL AS THE CORS BASE STATION CALIBRATION in your processing. I have attached the latest NGS antenna calibration file .atx that you can include in the Options/Files tab. This will provide a dropdown list for all antennas available with calibrations. To find out the antenna type of the base data downloaded from NGS it is located in the header information of that stations rinex file. Both .ubx files are attached so that those that wish can see if they can achieve better results by tweeking the setting in RTKLIB. Enjoy!

My Reach M2 setup consists of

Reach M2 $468

Swift Navigation GPS500 Mini Survey Antenna $225

2 x 2400 mah rechargeable power banks $11.99 each
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Slim-Universal-Rechargeable-Credit-Card-Smartphones/dp/B076JB8P4Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=5v%2Bcredit%2Bcard%2Bbattery&qid=1574954964&sr=8-1

Raw Data Files
FtMi_202004021452_ubx.zip (6.0 MB)

Observation Photos:
Ft Miller


Wright

NGS Data Sheets and NGS Antenna Calibration file:
FtMi_Wrig_NGS_Antennas.zip (3.2 MB)

Results;

Rover Occupation Station Wright PID NA2015
26 Km Baseline CORS NYCS
Observation Time (Min) Delta Y (m) Delta X (m) Delta Z (m)
120 0.005 0.015 0.011
60 0.005 0.018 0.012
45 0.004 0.019 0.012
30 0.004 0.019 0.008
15 0.001 0.03 0
10 0.004 0.023 0.013
5 0.005 0.021 0.008
2 0.005 0.021 0.005

50 Km Baseline CORS NYST
Observation Time (Min) Delta Y (m) Delta X (m) Delta Z (m)
120 0.03 0.016 0.025
60 0.036 0.021 0.033
45 0.039 0.022 0.026
30 0.038 0.024 0.021
15 0.043 0.025 0.014
10 0.039 0.019 0.022
5 0.029 0.016 0.023
2 Float

86 Km Baseline CORS NYKT
Observation Time (Min) Delta Y (m) Delta X (m) Delta Z (m)
120 0.05 0.003 0.043
60 0.06 0.013 0.03
45 0.052 0.006 0.032
30 0.068 0.004 0.043
15 0.066 0.002 0.031
10 0.057 0.006 0.033
5 0.055 0.002 0.042
2 Float

Rover Occupation Station Ft Miller PID AA7911

22 Km Baseline CORS NYST
Observation Time (Min) Delta Y (m) Delta X (m) Delta Z (m)
120 0.004 0.011 0.03
60 0.002 0.009 0.029
45 0.003 0.009 0.032
30 0.001 0.009 0.031
15 0.003 0.008 0.03
10 0.002 0.007 0.031
5 0 0.006 0.029
2 0.003 0.003 0.031

44 Km Baseline CORS VTBE
Observation Time (Min) Delta Y (m) Delta X (m) Delta Z (m)
120 0.025 0.002 0.011
60 0.026 0.003 0.015
45 0.028 0.004 0.017
30 0.027 0.004 0.022
15 0.025 0.002 0.028
10 0.024 0.002 0.03
5 0.026 0.001 0.03
2 0.024 0.001 0.027

68 Km Baseline CORS NYFV
Observation Time (Min) Delta Y (m) Delta X (m) Delta Z (m)
120 0.001 0.02 0.046
60 0.001 0.019 0.05
45 0.003 0.017 0.053
30 0.006 0.02 0.053
15 0 0.015 0.046
10 0 0.013 0.042
5 0.008 0.01 0.042
2 Float

15 Likes

Nice report, thanks! Those little battery packs are perfect for these applications. Same one I used on my drone…

2 Likes

did you get time stamp from camera on this Yuneec ?

2 Likes

No, I use checkshots and GCP’s. We do survey grade topography so we have to use GCP’s in order to integrate with design files. All the PPK does is get better relativity.

Yuneec does now have an RTK/PPK version, but it is not publicly released.

2 Likes

I saw someone post those batteries on this site a while back and I think it was you. In the future I may want to pick your brain regarding your Reach M+ setup on your drone. I initially purchased the M2 as GCP collection tool but down the road I may want to integrate it with my Phantom 4 Pro.

3 Likes

Absolutely. Shoot me a PM with your contact info and i’ll send mine. I have been running the RS+/M+ combo on my Yuneec H520 and P4P for a while and it is well worth it, not to mention a ton more cost-effective than the P4P RTK or other alternatives. I’m pretty excited to get to the new generation to run some test on RTK vs PPK to see if it is viable now with multi-path receivers. Honestly though all RTK is going to do for me is cut about 20 minutes off my workflow for not having to do PPK, but I have to know it’s solid and trustworthy.

2 Likes

Hi David,. Those are the accuracies I’m seeing also. I think the M2 is pretty neat. I’ve been using mine in a couple of projects as a check with my RTN receiver. Coming from the days of suitcase size L1 receivers (late 80’s) using car batteries, it simply amazes me.

I noticed the antenna from Swift doesn’t use Galileo sats. I was interested in the antenna until I saw that. I’m happy with the supplied helical M2 antenna, but I’m wondering if a better antenna would give even better performance. It’s like everything else, you get what you pay for.

Good morning @EBE111057,
Actually that must be a typo on their website as I am receiving the Galileo satelites. See my screenshot below.

Ha ha “suitcase size L1 receivers”…My very first GPS observation was in the spring of 1987 when there were only 4 satellites and you had to wait for that 4 sat constellation to come into view. I think those observations started at like 1 in the morning and we did 3 consecutive days at the same time. Fun fun fun. And we used the Ishtach model 2002 receiver which was actually 2 large suitcases :slight_smile: Most of my GPS experience was with the Trimble 4000SSE’s then 4700’s utilizing first TrimVec Plus (DOS based software), then GPSurvey/Trimnet Plus Baseling Processing/Network Adjustment software, the Trimble Geomatics Office software suite. I was spoiled with the Trimble turn key product.

3 Likes

Thanks David !! I’m going to buy one today ! We got our first 3 receivers in the late 80’s for a mining project. Approx 60 GCP’s to survey and like you, middle of the night 3-4 sats only. You really had to plan observations, due to availability and HDOP VDOP. I think it took us about 3-4 weeks to do the project. Reduction of the data was really neat using Trimble’s TRIMNET software, computer would run for days. Accuracies were 1: 500 000 +, unheard of for the the typical Surveyor back then. That really brings back fond memories working with my dad and brother.

1 Like

I hope the antenna works out for you. As for the “computer would run for days” I post processed/adjusted New York State’s entire HARN network in the mid-1990’s on a windows 3.1 66MHz pc with a “monster” 250 MB hard drive with Trimble’s GPSurvey/TrimNet Plus software. Each 4 hour observation session of (4) 4000SSE’s processed over night and we thought that was “good”. We observed a 3rd of the state each year for 3 years to complete the entire project with the guidance of NGS. Then we Blue Booked the entire project for NGS. Those were great times in the early “wild west” days of classical GPS network surveying and I truly do miss that. I wish I had my hands on some of the photographs that we took. Enjoy that antenna.

3 Likes

Thanks for remembering the good old times of Trimble 4000 and Trimnet ! I think this gives us a very good idea of the progress we made, even if we compare to only 2 years ago.
I found just amazing to get now a dual frequency and multi constellation with RTK possibility for a few hundreds bucks. And all that with free to use computation tools like the incredibly good RTKlib.

4 Likes

Ditto. I am one of those lucky inbetweeners before GPS surveying that remembers hand-calc’ing and the big technology boost of CAD and an HP48 data calculator that we could load txt coordinate files with a serial cable up to this crazy tech we have now. I also remember when Trimble swiped Spectra Precision out from underneath Agtek and Topcon, but their construction solutions are steadily declining now that they are focused on software and the office.

1 Like

Yep, that project paid for the receivers. Have upgraded several times since then. Our latest machines are JAVAD LS, JAVAD T2, and VICTOR-LS with T2. This has almost eliminated terrestrial traverse unless it’s on a construction site. JAVAD’s are really the best receivers out there today. I just bought the JUSTIN PP package and really haven’t gotten into it yet due to our work load, pretty expensive but it’s top of the line. The PP engine is very robust and is just as good as the OPUS engine if not better.

2 Likes

Galileo support

1 Like

Thanks Rafael and David, got mine Friday. I’m looking forward to testing this p.m. on my farm. I ordered two, as I’ll be getting another M2. I had seen the .pdf file of the antenna when I ordered, David verified that it indeed picks up Galileo signals. I’ll try and PP with our new JAVAD Justin software the coming week. Breezing through the software looks like a hard climb to learn… it’ll use all the sat constellations in PP

2 Likes

I saw these at Home Depot https://www.homedepot.com/p/Tzumi-2600-mAh-Pocket-Juice-5476HD/309543580

They’re only 2600 mAh and $6.00. I’m going to see how long they last with the M2 and the Swift antenna. Pretty small form factor and will fit in modified mount I’ll make for the supplied M2 antenna. It’ll be a backup. I’m wondering how long battery will last powering the M2 and the Swift antenna.

2 Likes

Bryan,

I’m getting 6 1/2 hours on each of the below batteries (I have two). Logging all constellations in RTK mode while driving that Harxon GPS500 antenna. They have a very small form factor about the size of a credit card and the thickness of 4 credit cards stacked on each other.
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Slim-Universal-Rechargeable-Credit-Card-Smartphones/dp/B076JB8P4Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=5v%2Bcredit%2Bcard%2Bbattery&qid=1574954964&sr=8-1

3 Likes

Hi David,
I can help you with photos.
Special greetings


7 Likes

Wow !!! That’s very cool Ryszard ! I think that’s even before Trimble got started

Foto from 1988. The portable :smile: receiver was 8-channel, single-frequency, weighed 20.2 kg without antenna and car battery 12V, produced by Western Atlas International with AIMS-10 (Automatic Interferometric MINI-MAC Software). There were only 6 GPS satellites in orbit.

2 Likes