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Thales Z-Max, Operation And Application Manual

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Thales Z-Max Operation And Application Manual Download Page 210

Hardware Connectivity

187

System Guide to R

T

K Surveying

in Figure 3.9. The radio and the antenna together are raised as high as possible 
to maximize transmission distance.    

 Figure 3.8  

Thales U-Link Radio Antenna

G3.book  Page 187  Saturday, May 24, 2003  12:52 PM

Summary of Contents for Z-Max

Page 1: ...Z Max Operation and Applications Manual www thalesnavigation com THALES NAVIGATION ...

Page 2: ...h America 56 2 234 56 43 Fax 56 2 234 56 47 In China 86 10 6566 9866 Fax 86 10 6566 0246 European Headquarters Carquefou France 33 2 28 09 38 00 Fax 33 2 28 09 39 39 Email professionalsalesemea thalesnavigation com In Germany 49 81 6564 7930 Fax 49 81 6564 7950 In Russia 7 095 956 5400 Fax 7 095 956 5360 In UK 44 1993 8867 66 Fax 44 1993 8867 67 In the Netherlands 31 78 61 57 988 Fax 31 78 61 52 0...

Page 3: ...nd limitations imposed by the copyright laws of the United States of America U S A and or the jurisdiction in which you are located For information on translations and distribution outside the U S A please contact Thales Navigation Printed in the United States of America Part Number 630880 01 Revision A May 2003 Trademark Notice Z MaxTM and AshtechTM are registered trademarks of Thales Navigation ...

Page 4: ...a Return Materials Authorization RMA number prior to shipping by calling 800 229 2400 U S or 408 615 3981 International or by sending a repair request on line at http products thalesnavigation com en support rma asp The purchaser must return the product postpaid with a copy of the original sales receipt to the address provided by Thales Navigation with the RMA number Purchaser s return address and...

Page 5: ...ES ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER FAULT OFTHALES NAVIGATION OR NEGLIGENT USAGE OF THE PRODUCT IN NO EVENT WILL THALES NAVIGATION BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH DAMAGES EVEN IF THALES NAVIGATION HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES This written warranty is the complete final and exclusive agreement between Thales Navi...

Page 6: ...on Thales Navigation does not warrant the software will meet purchaser s requirements or that its operation will be uninterrupted error free or virus free Purchaser assumes the entire risk of using the software 2 PURCHASER S REMEDY PURCHASER S EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS WRITTEN WARRANTY OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT AT THALES NAVIGATION S OPTION OF ANY DEFE...

Page 7: ... Satellite System of the Russian Federation which are solely responsible for the accuracy and maintenance of their systems Certain conditions can cause inaccuracies which could require modifications to the receiver Examples of such conditions include but are not limited to changes in the GPS or GLONASS transmission Opening dismantling or repairing of this product by anyone other than an authorized...

Page 8: ...ds and shall benefit Thales Navigation its successors and assigns THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT AFFECT THE CUSTOMER S STATUTORY RIGHTS UNDER APPLICABLE LAWS IN FORCE IN THEIR LOCALITY NOR THE CUSTOMER S RIGHTS AGAINST THE DEALER ARISING FROM THEIR SALES PURCHASE CONTRACT such as the guarantees in France for latent defects in accordance with Article 1641 et seq of the French Civil Code For further informa...

Page 9: ...plication Survey Technology PC Personal Computer IBM compatible GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System GSM Global System for Mobile Communication LNA Low Noise Amplifier PIN Personal Identification Number PWR Power RTK Real time Kinematic SD Secure Digital memory card SIM Subscriber Identification Module USB Universal Serial Bus UTC Coordinated Universal Time G3 book Page viii Saturday May 24 200...

Page 10: ...ition 23 Communication Module 23 UHF Antenna Module 26 Handheld Computer Field Application Software 28 Chapter 3 Getting Started 31 Chapter 4 Operation 43 Front Panel User Interface 43 General 43 Control Keys 45 Menus 47 Main Menu 47 System Information SYSINFO 50 Survey Parameters and Status Survey mode 51 Survey Configuration SURVCONF 60 Session Control SESSIONS 66 Receiver Parameters Settings SE...

Page 11: ... 97 Post processing GPS Data 98 Applications 99 Limitations 99 Thales Navigation Z Max System 100 Chapter 2 System Components 101 Hardware 101 Z Max GPS Receiver Module 101 GPS Antenna Module 102 Z Max Power System 103 Communication Module 104 Mounting Accessories 105 Handheld Computer 108 Z Max Application Software 110 Field Application Software 110 Office Software 110 Chapter 3 Connecting System...

Page 12: ...s 157 Thales Navigation Z Max 158 About The Guide to RTK Surveying 158 Chapter 2 System Components 159 GPS Receiver and Antenna 160 Data Link 164 Power Sources 170 Mounting Accessories 172 Handheld Computer Field Application Software 175 Office Software 177 Chapter 3 Hardware Connectivity 179 RTK Base System 179 GPS Receiver Receiver Power System 179 GPS Receiver GPS Antenna 181 GPS Receiver Commu...

Page 13: ...r GPS Receiver 213 Fully Connected Z Max Backpack Rover System 215 Chapter 4 RTK Survey Preparation 217 RTK Parameters 217 Data Formats 217 RTK Positioning Modes 218 RTK Logging Modes 220 RTK Position Output 221 Base Station Position 221 Antenna Reduction 222 Base System Setup 223 Select Appropriate Base System Site 223 Position Tripod Over Base Point 223 Mount the Base Radio and Antenna 224 Conne...

Page 14: ...eshooting 254 GPS Receiver Does Not Track Satellites 254 Base System Does Not Transmit Data 256 Rover System Troubleshooting 260 GPS Receiver Does Not Track Satellites 260 Radio Not Receiving Data Transmitted By Base 260 Rover System Is Not Computing A Position 263 Rover Computing Positions With High Uncertainties 266 Appendix A Serial Power Port Pinouts 269 Appendix B User Parameters 273 Appendix...

Page 15: ...xiv Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page xiv Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 16: ... GPS Receiver Module 25 Figure 2 14 GSM Antenna and SIM Card Slot 26 Figure 2 15 Vortex UHF Antenna Module 27 Figure 2 16 FAST Portable Data Terminal 28 Figure 3 1 Charging the Power Module 32 Figure 3 2 Connecting Power Module to GPS Receiver Module 33 Figure 3 3 Connecting Communication Module to GPS Receiver Module 34 Figure 3 4 Connecting GPS Antenna Module to GPS Receiver Module 35 Figure 3 5...

Page 17: ...ure 3 3 External Power Port Connection 116 Figure 3 4 FAST Terminal 117 Figure 3 5 Static Setup 119 Figure 3 6 Pole Mounted Rover Setup 120 Figure 3 7 Z Max Backpack Connectivity 121 Figure 3 8 Backpack Mounted Rover Setup 122 Figure 4 1 Soft Case 124 Figure 4 2 Inside View of Soft Case 124 Figure 4 3 Conventional and Fixed Height Tripods 127 Figure 4 4 Measuring HI Height of Instrument of GPS Ant...

Page 18: ...ceiver Module and Tripod Adapter 184 Figure 3 6 GPS Receiver Module Fixed Height Tripod Installation 185 Figure 3 7 GPS Receiver Module Adjustable Tripod Installation 186 Figure 3 8 Thales U Link Radio Antenna 187 Figure 3 9 Mounting the Thales U Link Transmitter 188 Figure 3 10 PDL Radio and Radio Antenna 189 Figure 3 11 Connecting PDL 35 W Radio Z Max GPS Receiver Module 191 Figure 3 12 Connecti...

Page 19: ...dule Connection 212 Figure 3 32 GPS Receiver Module Range Pole RF Adapter Cable Connection 213 Figure 3 33 FAST Terminal Handheld Computer 214 Figure 3 34 Fully Connected Backpack Mounted Rover Systems 215 Figure 4 1 Conventional and GPS Tripods 224 Figure 4 2 Mounted Thales Base Radio and Antenna 225 Figure 4 3 Mounted PDL Base Radio Antenna 226 Figure 4 4 Measuring HI Height of Instrument of Bas...

Page 20: ... Edit Mode Control Buttons 46 Table 4 3 Main Menu Submenus 49 Table 4 4 Data Recording Modes 80 Table 4 5 File Types 85 Table 4 6 Warning Messages 88 APPENDICES Table A 1 Power Connector Pinouts 269 Table A 2 Pinout of Serial Port A 270 Table A 3 Pinout of Serial Port B 271 Table A 4 Pinout of USB Connector 271 Table B 1 User Parameters 273 LIST OF TABLES G3 book Page xix Saturday May 24 2003 12 5...

Page 21: ...xx Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page xx Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 22: ...Reliance Fundamentals SECTION 1 Operation and Reference Guide G3 book Page 21 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 23: ...Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 22 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 24: ... part of the system causes down time We designed a system which reduces the number and complexity of components required for GPS surveying We improved the performance in critical areas such as RTK weight and power consumption We added software functionality and workflow efficiencies drawn from years of surveying experience The result is the Z Max Surveying System The Z Max system is designed to me...

Page 25: ...a tripod Want to perform an RTK survey Connect the Communication Module and you are ready for that too The Z Max system can be tripod mounted for base station setups or static surveys and either backpack mounted or pole mounted for rover system RTK surveys With its lightweight durable magnesium housing the rover system is light enough to be carried around all day Battery issues won t slow you down...

Page 26: ...s to best meet the challenges of real world environments Functional Description The receiver is activated when the Power button is pushed Provided that a power source is connected the unit will perform a self test and then initialize its tracking channels and begin searching for all satellites SVs within the field of view of the GPS antenna The receiver can track up to 12 satellites at the same ti...

Page 27: ...D card recording data at 20 second intervals with an average of 8 satellites tracked could log about 28 days worth of continuous data Standard Z Max SD memory cards have a capacity of 64Mb For intensive data storage requirements higher capacities are available Technical Specifications Table 1 1 lists the technical specifications of the Z Max modules Table 1 1 Technical Specifications Characteristi...

Page 28: ...SM modem antenna Pacific Crest PDL Radio GSM modem antenna all options have plug in internal connectors for power and serial connection to GPS Receiver Module Vortex UHF Antenna Module Antenna for Thales U Link Radio or PDL Radio Power Module Lithium Ion smart battery module Max Run 13 hours of operation Max Lite 6 hours of operation Table 1 2 Receiver Firmware Options Option Letter Description B ...

Page 29: ...TCM Base When this option is enabled the receiver can be set as an RTCM base station capable of outputting real time RTCM differential corrections The output will be in RTCM 104 version 2 3 format Message types available are types 1 2 3 6 9 and 16 If the K option RTK Base is enabled RTCM message types 18 19 and 20 21 are also available OPTION U RTCM Rover When this option is enabled the receiver c...

Page 30: ...e of receiving carrier phase data transmitted by the Base receiver and used to compute real time centimeter level RTK positions This option requires that the Observables option be set to 3 For RTCM message types 18 19 and 20 21 the RTCM Rover option U is also required OPTION K RTK Base When this option is enabled the receiver can be set as an RTK base station capable of outputting carrier phase da...

Page 31: ...hen the G and the J options are enabled the rover receiver uses the Long Range RTK algorithms incorporating a new data processing strategy for integer ambiguity initialization over long baselines Using Long Range RTK the rover can typically fix integer ambiguities over baselines up to 50 kilometers in length when 6 or more satellites are available with reasonably open sky and low multipath OPTION ...

Page 32: ...e In Chapter 3 Getting Started we will present a more detailed initiation and put these components together to create a working system GPS Receiver Module The Z Max GPS Receiver Module is the main receiver module Figure 2 1 The GPS Receiver Module contains the GPS receiver the memory card front panel display external serial ports USB port and power port The GPS Receiver Module also contains the in...

Page 33: ...10 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual Figure 2 1 GPS Receiver Module G3 book Page 10 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 34: ...t panel display Below the display are the four control keys that are used to navigate through the display menu tree The 2 yellow keys are the UP arrow and DOWN arrow control keys The round green key below the yellow keys is the ENTER control key and the square red key is the CANCEL control key Below the control keys is another green key the Power ON OFF key which can also be used to reboot and ini...

Page 35: ...commonly referred to as a float solution Accuracy of a float solution can range between 10 cm and a few meters depending on the operational scenario If the LED is blinking red then the receiver is not computing RTK positions and indicates a problem in the RTK setup or configuration The LED blinks at the frequency of the solution output COMMUNICATION LED The COMMUNICATION LED indicates when real ti...

Page 36: ...k red once every 1 2 seconds to indicate that the unit is powered on Between each red blink the LED will also blink green once for each satellite that the receiver is tracking Front Panel User Interface Below the LEDs is the Front Panel User Interface Figure 2 4 The interface is an 8 character scrolling alphanumeric LED display that allows you to monitor receiver status set receiver parameters and...

Page 37: ...begin to blink red every second indicating that the unit is turned ON Turn the Unit OFF Power down the unit by pressing and holding down the power key for two seconds The receiver will generate a beep every second a shutdown message will be displayed and the receiver will then power down If the user releases the power key before the complete two seconds has elapsed the unit will remain powered on ...

Page 38: ...reamed in real time from the Z Max Utilizing the USB port requires a USB interface cable Be aware that it shares the internal connection with the Serial A port located on the rear panel see below so the USB port and the Serial A port can not be in use at the same time Pinout descriptions of the USB port are provided in Appendix A Serial and Port Pinouts The SD memory card is described in more deta...

Page 39: ...nel of the receiver Figure 2 5 The SD card is used to record data and load new receiver firmware The receiver comes with a 64 MB SD card as standard but optionally SD cards with larger capacities are available Weighing less than two grams the SD card offers a powerful combination of small size high storage capacity and fast data transfer Figure 2 6 SD Memory Card CAUTION It is important to power o...

Page 40: ...r commands or queries receive or transmit RTK or code phase corrections The serial ports include the ports seen on the rear panel and the USB port located inside the small door on the front panel described on page 11 Serial A Serial A is a full duplex serial port with RS 232 protocol Pin 1 supplies 12 V output that can be used to power external devices Pin 7 is a 1PPS output NOTE Internal to the r...

Page 41: ...al power source such as a battery or an auto lighter The port is a 3 pin Fischer connector with a voltage input range of 10 28VDC For pinout definitions see Appendix A Serial and Power Port Pinouts GPS Antenna Module The Max Trac GPS Antenna Module Figure 2 8 contains the GPS antenna which allows the Z Max receiver to track signals from the GPS satellites This geodetic quality antenna will accurat...

Page 42: ...Lite Power Module is capable of powering the receiver for over 6 hours in typical user scenarios The Power Module also contains a battery charger and other smart functionality to provide usage information monitor the battery while it s recharging and advise the user about battery maintenance The Power Module does not require any cables it simply plugs into the left hand side of the GPS Receiver Mo...

Page 43: ...wer source can be connected at any time without concern for damage to the Power Module When both the Power Module and an external power source are connected the Z Max will use power from the external source first When the unit transitions from an external source to an internal source or from an internal source to an external source there is no interruption to any data recording or receiver functio...

Page 44: ...module Plug the charger into a 100 240 VAC power source The status lights on the charger indicate the following Yellow Standby Red Charging Green Charged Blinking Red Error Conditioning The battery circuitry in the Power Module stores and communicates charge capacity and charge level information The accuracy of the charge level indicator will degrade over time When this happens the battery informa...

Page 45: ... Max Run Power Module and up to 12 hours for the Max Lite Power Module While calibration is in progress the status lights on the charger will indicate the following Yellow Calibrate mode is in progress Off Calibration completed The duration of the conditioning process can be shortened by using a combination of the receiver and the charger to perform the calibration process To condition the Power M...

Page 46: ...e neither toxic nor reactive Communication Module The Communication Module Figure 2 12 contains the data link s for transmitting or receiving data during DGPS and RTK applications The Communication Module can include one or a combination of the following options Thales U Link radio receiver Pacific Crest PDL radio receiver Cellular Modem Depending upon the option you have selected the Communicatio...

Page 47: ...r Interface discussion on page 43 Thales Navigation U Link The only configurable parameters of the Thales Navigation U Link radio are the channel frequency and the baud rate The data transfer speed or link speed is fixed at 4800 bps Pacific Crest PDL Configurable parameters of the PDL radio include the link speed sensitivity and the channel frequency index For more information about advanced confi...

Page 48: ...s Module supports the use of a SIM card and the Z Max supports the use of a PIN number The GSM Communication Module has 2 additional hardware features a built in GSM antenna and a slot to hold the SIM card Figure 2 14 The SIM card comes from your GSM service provider and must be installed for the GSM modem to operate To install the SIM card slide it into the slot provided and close the door Figure...

Page 49: ...ual UHF Antenna Module The Vortex UHF Antenna Module Figure 2 15 is the UHF antenna for all UHF Communication Modules The UHF Antenna Module is connected between the GPS Figure 2 14 GSM Antenna and SIM Card Slot G3 book Page 26 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 50: ... the GPS Receiver Module Make sure the base of the Antenna Module is oriented so that the flattened side of the Antenna Module base is lined up with the flattened area of the receptacle and the module will easily slide into place Once in place twist the threaded collar on the UHF Antenna Module until it s securely locked in place Once the UHF Antenna Module is connected to the GPS Receiver Module ...

Page 51: ... with Bluetooth short range wireless technology so no cable is required between the handheld computer and the receiver The operator can either communicate with the receiver from up to 10 meters away without cables or may choose to use a cable FAST Terminal The standard handheld computer used by the Z Max Survey system is the FAST Terminal Figure 2 16 The FAST Terminal features wireless communicati...

Page 52: ...t Survey has been designed by Thales Navigation specifically for use with the Z Max Surveying System and emphasizes ease of use and flexibility For more information on using the FAST Terminal and the Fast Survey software for GPS surveying refer to the Fast Survey user s manual G3 book Page 29 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 53: ...30 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 30 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 54: ...nd know how it works identify the front panel display control buttons and be aware of the functionality of the LEDs The purpose of this chapter is to help you become comfortable with the different modules that comprise the Z Max System and how to operate them Therefore this chapter will focus on the basic system setup and will not cover surveying applications Once you are familiar with basic syste...

Page 55: ...erformed once a month or after the battery has been stored for long periods of time without being connected to the charger Verify that the battery is fully charged by pressing the button on the back side of the Power Module The four LEDs should light up green Step 2 Attach the Power Module to the GPS Receiver Module As you are facing the front panel of the GPS Receiver Module the Power Module atta...

Page 56: ...ther tight seal of the Z Max GPS Module As you are facing the front panel of the GPS Receiver Module the Communication Module attaches to the left hand side Attaching the Communication Module does not require any cables To attach the module insert the small ledge of the Communication Module into the rear of the GPS Receiver Module housing first as shown in Figure 3 3 This will correctly align the ...

Page 57: ...UHF Antenna Module is covered on page 181 in the System Guide for RTK Surveying section of this manual The GPS Antenna Module connects to the GPS Receiver Module without cables The base of the Antenna Module is circular except for a flattened area The top of the GPS Receiver Module is keyed so there is only one way it can be inserted Make sure the base of the Antenna Module is oriented so that the...

Page 58: ...r To ensure that you are comfortable with both installing and removing the SD Memory Card perform both procedures Installation To install the SD Memory Card into the slot orient it so that the card label is facing to the right as shown in Figure 3 5 Gently push the card into the slot until you feel a soft click The click indicates that the card is properly seated A correctly inserted SD Memory Car...

Page 59: ...ly repeat the procedure Step 6 Turn the System ON Once the various modules are connected the system is ready to be powered on Power on the system by pressing the Power button on the receiver front panel for 2 seconds then release the Power button During the 2 second period the LEDs will be solid not blinking green Once the Power button is released the SV Power LED should begin to blink red once pe...

Page 60: ... front panel to initialize the receiver parameters will be reset to default values ephemeris and almanac information will be cleared but the SD card will not be reformatted 1 Press the UP arrow button G until the submenu SETTINGS is seen on the display 2 Press the Enter button to enter the SETTINGS submenu 3 Press the UP arrow button G until the function MEMORY RESET is seen on the display 4 Press...

Page 61: ...ink green once for each satellite that is being tracked Within 15 minutes of tracking a satellite the receiver will acquire satellite almanac data that provides the location of all the GPS satellites in the sky After almanac data is stored acquisition of satellites and data recording should begin within 10 20 seconds of a power cycle Step 8 Monitor System Operations With the receiver powered up an...

Page 62: ...emaining memory and battery time available 1 If the front panel display is in sleep mode nothing is displayed press any of the display control buttons 2 If SYSINFO is not displayed press the up arrow button C until the submenu SYSINFO is visible on the Display 3 Press the Enter button to enter the SYSINFO submenu 4 Press the up arrow button G to scroll through the options until the function MEM is...

Page 63: ...uting a position 1 If the front panel LED display is in sleep mode nothing is displayed press any of the display control buttons 2 Press the up arrow button G until the submenu SURVEY STATIC is visible on the Display 3 Press the Enter button to enter the SURVEY STATIC submenu 4 Press the up arrow button G until the submenu STATUS is seen on the Display 5 Press the Enter button to enter the STATUS ...

Page 64: ... Press the up arrow button G to scroll until the function SAVE is seen on the Display 5 Press the Enter button to initiate parameter saving The message Save settings will be displayed 6 Press the Enter button to confirm the action 7 Press the Cancel button K to return to the top level of the menu tree The user changed parameters are now stored to memory and will not be lost after a power cycle The...

Page 65: ...ayed 6 Press the Enter button to confirm the action Parameters are now reset to their default values 7 Press the Cancel button K to return to the top level of the menu tree Congratulations The Z Max Surveying System should be tracking satellites and recording satellite measurements into its internal SD card It may not seem like much but tracking a signal no stronger than small light bulbs from 20 ...

Page 66: ...nfigure the receiver to perform different types of surveys and to monitor system status during operation The front panel user interface is also used to show equipment status messages and warnings that are automatically generated by the Z Max All functions in the Front Panel User Interface are organized in a menu tree Figure 4 2 on page 48 The menus are displayed in the Front Panel User Interface a...

Page 67: ...citly saved The operational parameters of the Z Max are saved as a group in one step Go to the SETTINGS submenu and select the SAVE option to save operational parameters to memory If the operational parameters of the Z Max are not explicitly saved the unit will revert to factory defaults or the last saved parameter set after a power cycle By default the receiver will emit a beep every time a contr...

Page 68: ...is initially at the top level of the menu tree see Figure 4 2 and is in display mode Pressing the G up arrow key will scroll through the submenus SYSINFO SURVEY mode SURVCONF SESSION SETTINGS and COM OPTN Pressing the H down arrow key will scroll through the same submenus but backwards If you stop when the display reads SETTINGS you are now at the entry point for the SETTINGS submenu Press the ENT...

Page 69: ...nk to indicate that this character is now active Continue entering characters in this way until the field is complete If you press the ENTER key when the cursor is on the last character the Display will accept the changes leave Edit mode and display the new parameter value of the parameter If the character has been entered incorrectly press the CANCEL key and the cursor will backspace one characte...

Page 70: ...er Interface When the Z Max is first powered up the front panel user interface is at the top level of the menu tree From the top level the six main submenus are accessible SYSINFO SURVEY mode SURVCONF SESSIONS SETTINGS and COM OPTN Table 4 3 describes the six main submenus of the main menu tree Scroll to one of the six main submenus by using the UP or DOWN control key Move down into one of the sub...

Page 71: ...EMATIC SITE ANT HT STATUS RTK ROVER See Fig 4 4 STATIC OR RTK BASE PORT TYPE REC INI ELEV MASK MODE OR OR REC INI ELEV MASK KINEMATIC EPOCH CNTR MIN SV REC INI ELEV MASK MODE STOP SESSION START SESSION LIST SESSION NEW SESSION DELETE ALL MEMORY RESET RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULTS BAUD RATE LANGUAGE BEEP ON SAVE THALES RADIO See Fig 4 5 PDL See Fig 4 6 GSM ROVER See Fig 4 7 GSM BASE See Fig 4 8 Symbolo...

Page 72: ...n Basic information about the receiver and bat tery memory status 50 SURVEY mode Survey parameters and status Site parameter settings and survey status information for static kinematic RTK base and rover survey modes 51 SURVCONF Survey Configuration Select survey type and set general parame ters for static kinematic RTK base and rover survey modes 60 SESSIONS Session and file management Start stop...

Page 73: ...in the receiver See the Receiver Options section in Chapter 1 for an explanation of the option codes Power Status BAT min Indicates the amount of power left in the Power Module This value is expressed in minutes of remaining time left based upon the current rate of power consumption If the Power Module is not connected it will show 0 minutes Power status does not apply to the external battery Memo...

Page 74: ...e is displayed then press the ENTER key The parameters displayed and available will depend upon which survey mode has been set in the SURVCONF menu Use the UP DOWN keys to scroll through the following parameters SURVEY STATIC The parameters displayed in SURVEY STATIC are the following Site ID SITE Displays and sets the 4 character Site ID To change the Site ID press the ENTER key and use the contr...

Page 75: ... time CNT is the time since power up and is displayed until the receiver first locks onto a satellite GPS is GPS time and is displayed between locking onto a satellite and until receiving UTC time corrections UTC is UTC time SURVEY KINEMATIC The parameters displayed in SURVEY KINEMATIC are the following Site ID SITE Displays and sets the 4 character Site ID To change the Site ID press the ENTER ke...

Page 76: ...satellite and until receiving UTC time corrections UTC is UTC time SURVEY RTK BASE The parameters displayed in SURVEY RTK BASE are the following Site ID SITE Displays and sets the 4 character Site ID To change the Site ID press the ENTER key and use the control keys to enter the desired site name Antenna Height ANT HT m Displays and sets the height of the antenna above the survey mark To change th...

Page 77: ...osition PDOP number of satellites and time To enter this submenu press the ENTER key and the following parameters are accessible Current Position LAT N S LON E W ALT m This field displays the computed latitude and longitude in degrees minutes and seconds and the computed ellipsoidal height meters The displayed position is either an autonomous or code phase differential position PDOP PDOP Displays ...

Page 78: ...n Key ANT HT ENTER CANCEL ANT RAD LOGGING SITE START CANCEL ENTER TIME ELAPSED HRMS VRMS STOP HRMS VRMS LOG AUTO SITE SITE ENTER CANCEL AUTO POINT HRMS VRMS SITE TRAJECTORY ENTER CANCEL FIRST LEVEL SECOND LEVEL THIRD LEVEL NOTE AUTO POINT or TRAJECTORY will be shown depending upon rover configuration Automatically increment site ID by 1 when time interval expires ENTER ENTER ENTER CANCEL G3 book P...

Page 79: ... To change this parameter press the ENTER key Entry to Logging submenu LOGGING Entry point to the second level of submenus Press the ENTER key to reach the 2nd level submenu 2nd Level The 2nd level submenu allows you to select between MANUAL and AUTO POINT if the Auto Point option was selected as the LOG TYPE in the SURVCONF menu or between MANUAL and TRAJECTORY if the Trajectory option was select...

Page 80: ... automatically increment only if the last character is numeric 3rd Level The third level parameters allow you to set survey parameters execute the survey and monitor accuracy for the type of data logging selected in level 2 Only the parameters applicable to that logging type will be displayed The possible data logging modes are AUTO POINT MANUAL POINT and TRAJECTORY MANUAL POINT Site ID SITE Displ...

Page 81: ...er the Site ID Once the Site ID is entered data will automatically log for the duration of the Time To Stay field set in the SURVCONF menu Data will only be logged if the receiver is computing fixed RTK positions the RTK SOL LED is blinking green While logging is in progress data can be monitored with the LOG HRMS and VRMS parameters described below When logging at this site is complete the Site I...

Page 82: ...a will be collected at every interval equal to the Distance Interval parameter set in the Survey Configuration SURVCONF submenu If the last character of the Site ID is numeric the Site ID will increment each time data is logged to the receiver HRMS HRMS m Displays the horizontal RMS in meters during data logging RMS is an estimate of the 1 sigma position accuracy VRMS VRMS m Displays the vertical ...

Page 83: ... going to the SURVEY mode menu Note that certain choices made in the SURVCONF screen will affect what parameters and options are available in the SURVEY mode menus SURVCONF STATIC Recording Interval REC INI s Displays and sets the data recording interval To change this parameter press the ENTER key and use the control keys to enter the desired value in seconds The default is 20 seconds The valid r...

Page 84: ... enter a value and press ENTER to select it The default is 0 alarm disabled Recording Interval REC INI s Displays and sets the data recording interval To change this parameter press the ENTER key and use the control keys to enter the desired value in seconds The default is 20 seconds The valid range is 0 2 999 seconds Elevation Mask ELEV MASK Displays and sets the data collection elevation mask To...

Page 85: ...alue in seconds The default is 20 seconds The valid range is 0 2 999 seconds Elevation Mask ELEV MASK Displays and sets the RTK data elevation mask To change this parameter press the ENTER key and use the control keys to enter the desired value in degrees The default is 10 degrees Mode MODE RTK BASE Displays and sets the selected survey mode Change the survey type by pressing the ENTER key and use...

Page 86: ...ology Thin arrow Enter or Cancel Key Thick Arrow Up or Down Key TYPE ENTER CANCEL POSITIONING LOGGING RAW DATA LOG TYPE TIME TO STAY DISTANCE INTERVAL RECORDING INTERVAL RECORDING INTERVAL RECORDING INTERVAL OFF AUTO RTCM A RTCM B RTCM D CANCEL ENTER G3 book Page 63 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 87: ... data B E and S files along with the epoch solution file CBEN data and the vector solution file OBEN file OFF will log the CBEN and the OBEN files only The default is ON To change this setting press the ENTER key and use the control keys to select ON or OFF and press ENTER RTK Logging Method LOG TYPE Displays and sets the method of RTK logging The options are Auto Point AUTO PT and Trajectory TRAJ...

Page 88: ...t is 20 seconds Elevation Mask ELEV MASK Displays and sets the RTK data elevation mask To change this parameter press the ENTER key and use the control keys to enter the desired value in degrees The default is 10 degrees Mode MODE RTK ROVER Displays and sets the selected survey mode Change the survey type by pressing the ENTER key and use the UP DOWN control keys to choose the desired survey mode ...

Page 89: ...ion Must be done to continue data collection if a STOP SESSION has been performed To restart a session press the ENTER key The query Start Session will appear on the display Press ENTER to confirm or CANCEL to cancel List delete sessions in memory LIST SESSIONS Lists all of the session files on the memory card in the order that they were recorded Individual session files can be deleted by using th...

Page 90: ...300 600 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 and 115200 The default for each port is 9600 To change a baud rate press ENTER and use the UP DOWN control keys to scroll through the current baud rate setting for each port When the port of interest is displayed press ENTER and use the UP DOWN control keys to choose the desired baud rate for that port Press ENTER to select it Set screen language LANGU...

Page 91: ... four submenus Enter each submenu by pressing the ENTER key COM OPTN THALES RADIO The Thales Radio menu is shown in Figure 4 5 To access the Thales radio menu from COM OPTN use the UP DOWN control keys until THALES RADIO is displayed and press the ENTER key When the Thales radio submenu is entered the PORT parameter is the first parameter displayed From this level all other Thales Radio parameters...

Page 92: ...Reference Figure 4 5 Thales Radio Menu THALES RADIO Symbology Thin arrow Enter or Cancel Key Thick Arrow Up or Down Key PORT ENTER CANCEL BAUD RATE LOAD CHN RX TX FRQ PROGRAM PWR OFF G3 book Page 69 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 93: ...ters to the receiver LOAD Press the ENTER key to load Thales radio parameters to the receiver This is done to ensure that any other active data links are fully turned off and the receiver is ready to use the Thales radio Perform a LOAD before attempting to send user parameters PROGRAM to the receiver Channel selection CHN Displays and sets the radio frequency channel number Channel numbers range f...

Page 94: ... 4 6 To access the PDL radio menu from COM OPTN press ENTER and use the UP DOWN keys until PDL is displayed Press the ENTER key to enter the submenu When the PDL radio submenu is entered the PORT parameter is the first parameter displayed From this level all other PDL radio parameters can be accessed by using the UP key To move back to a previous menu item press the DOWN key Press CANCEL from any ...

Page 95: ...cations Manual Figure 4 6 PDL Radio Menu PDL RADIO Symbology Thin arrow Enter or Cancel Key Thick Arrow Up or Down Key PORT ENTER CANCEL BAUD RATE LOAD SENSITIVITY LINK SPEED CHN RX TX PROGRAM PWR OFF G3 book Page 72 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 96: ... and the receiver is ready to use the PDL radio Perform a LOAD before attempting to send user parameters PROGRAM to the receiver Radio sensitivity SENSITIVITY This submenu sets the radio sensitivity Options are LOW MEDIUM HIGH and OFF Normal settings are LOW for the external transmitter and HIGH for the radio receiver It is recommended that this parameter is never set to OFF To select the sensitiv...

Page 97: ...ng the parameters will trigger a message that will be displayed on the front panel Power off the radio PWR OFF This is NOT a power status indication for the radio but a function to turn off the radio Communication Module The Port must be set to D before entering this field Press the ENTER key to power off the PDL radio COM OPTN GSM ROVER The GSM Rover menu is shown in Figure 4 7 Figure 4 7 GSM Rov...

Page 98: ...press ENTER scroll to the desired value and press ENTER to select it The default is AUTO For the receiver to dial the base automatically the modem must be turned on using the PWR parameter see below and CPD or RTCM rover mode must be enabled and set to the correct port Band setting BAND The band parameter sets the operable frequency band In general set this parameter to 1900 in North America or 90...

Page 99: ... STATE submenu will display ONLINE Disconnect the call HANG UP Press ENTER to terminate the current connection to the base modem The confirmation message Disconnect call will appear Press ENTER to confirm or CANCEL to cancel Power on off the modem PWR The PWR submenu is NOT a power status indicator for the GSM modem but a submenu that allows you to power the modem on or off The power must be turne...

Page 100: ...ress the DOWN control key To exit the GSM Base setup menu press the CANCEL key from any of the submenus The parameters are described in order as follows Configure the GSM SETUP This submenu is the entry point for the initial setup of the GSM modem Press the ENTER key to access the following parameters Band setting BAND The band parameter sets the operable frequency band In general set this paramet...

Page 101: ...r on off the modem PWR The PWR submenu is NOT a power status indicator for the GSM modem but a submenu that allows you to power the modem on or off The power must be turned on for the modem to be used Once the power is turned on the modem will automatically initialize to the carrier To change the power status press ENTER to access the submenu scroll to either OFF or ON and press ENTER to select it...

Page 102: ...u can either delete old files from the card using the SESSIONS menu of the front panel user interface or else put in a new card Setting the Data Recording Interval The default recording interval is 20 0 seconds The data recording interval can be changed from the front panel LED display in the SURVCONF submenu to any value between 0 1 and 999 seconds Recording interval can also be controlled by ent...

Page 103: ... a default setting for any surveying mode Data modes 5 and 6 are only applicable with RTK Data mode 5 will store ONLY the epoch solution record CBEN data and the vector solution file OBEN file Data mode 6 combines data mode 0 and data mode 5 Data mode 5 is the best mode to use when recording trajectory RTK data Trajectory RTK data is the primary method for mapping lines or paths the user has trave...

Page 104: ...ity of the GNSS Studio software download files Downloading Directly from the SD Memory Card Downloading directly from the SD memory card is the fastest way to download data since the data does not need to be transferred from the receiver to the PC To use this method an SD card reader must be connected to the PC To download data directly from the SD card 1 Power off the receiver using the Power key...

Page 105: ...ination directory A progress dialog box indicates the status of the download Note that the files on the SD card will not be erased after download is complete If you need instructions on how to remove the SD card from the receiver refer to Chapter 3 Getting Started Step 4 Downloading Using a USB cable When using the USB port to download data the USB interface cable is attached from the receiver USB...

Page 106: ...sion data file s from the SD card pane that you want to download and drag them to the PC pane This starts the download 10 The selected files will be downloaded and converted into individual data files and placed in the selected destination directory A progress dialog box indicates the status of the download Note that the files on the SD card will not be erased after download is complete G3 book Pa...

Page 107: ...ect menu select Download Data from External Device 7 Select Real time results from the list on the left This will open the CE Download utility and the CE Download main window appears The right pane of the main window is the source directory from the data collector currently blank and the left pane is the currently selected PC destination directory 8 From the File menu select Connect Data Collector...

Page 108: ...and stores the CBEN file containing RTK solution records and the OBEN solution vector files An event file D file is created if the receiver is collecting attribute or event driven data Lastly the receiver creates and stores an almanac file ALM file that stores satellite almanac data used by the Mission Planning program Table 4 5 provides a summary of the file types including file names a descripti...

Page 109: ...rds recorded during the session During the downloading process the U files are decoded into the individual file types onto the PC for storage and processing Both the session file and the created individual files follow a naming convention that includes the file type the site name a session identifier year and the day of the year DOY Figure 4 9 outlines the file naming convention The single excepti...

Page 110: ...his field automatically increments from A Z with each new session on a given day The next two characters indicate the last two digits of the year when the session was terminated e g 03 for year 2003 The 3 digit file extension is the day of the year when the session was terminated e g January 1 is day 001 December 31 is day 365 G3 book Page 87 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 111: ...Messages Warning Definition Action THALES RADIO WARNINGS Wrong setting A conflict in one of the parameters is preventing radio programming Check and reset radio parameters Communication Error A timeout or checksum error has occurred during setup or user is trying to power off an external device by front panel menu Recheck the port and baud rate parameters Not Loaded Yet The LOAD function was not p...

Page 112: ...dule Insert valid SIM card MODEM Initialization Error Cannot initialize modem 1 Verify the BAND is correct 2 The GSM network may be tempo rarily down Wait 20 30 minutes and try again 3 Contact your service provider MODEM SIM Card Failure SIM card failed Contact your GSM service provider RTK RTCM WARNINGS Solution Is Float The CPD solution is a float not a fixed solution n a Invalid Site ID One or ...

Page 113: ...attery 10 min Remaining life of internal battery is 10 minutes Change Power Module or attach external battery Low Int Battery 30 min Remaining life of internal battery is 30 minutes Change Power Module or attach external battery Low Backup Battery The internal battery that powers the non volatile memory and the real time clock is low and needs to be changed Contact Customer Support Backup battery ...

Page 114: ...receiver If problem per sists re initialize the receiver using the power key download data first If problem persists replace the SD memory card Data Card Error Rename Cannot rename the files of the session Power cycle receiver If problem per sists re initialize the receiver using the power key download data first If problem persists replace the SD memory card Data Card Error Corrupted FAT File All...

Page 115: ...ees Shield receiver from the sun or increase air flow around the receiver Download in Progress Receiver is currently downloading data from the SD memory card to a PC No session management operations can be conducted at this time Wait for download to complete oper ation before performing the com mand If Download is not running run Download again to perform proper shutdown routine Indicates warning ...

Page 116: ...Reliance Fundamentals SECTION 2 System Guide to Post process Surveying G3 book Page 93 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 117: ...Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 94 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 118: ...ng data is collected in the field and later downloaded and processed on a computer to produce the final results i e positions of all points surveyed This method can be equated to using a conventional theodolite and an EDM to collect a sequence of angles and distances between points later computing the coordinates of the surveyed points Until the mid 1990s post processing was the only method availa...

Page 119: ...ellite among other things is a radio transceiver The transceiver receives information and instructions from the control station and transmits information about its identity location time etc Each satellite is capable of transmissions on two separate frequencies L1 at 1575 42 MHz and L2 at 1227 60 MHz Unlike control and monitoring stations it is important to have knowledge regarding the location ge...

Page 120: ...urveyed points are determined Similar to a conventional traverse your initial set of coordinates can originate from a known control point incorporated into your survey Alternatively assumed coordinates can be used Post process GPS Surveying Post process GPS surveying can be broken down into two primary tasks data collection and data processing Let s examine each task in detail Post process Data Co...

Page 121: ...s Once finished the operator moves on the next point Also the operator can position linear features such as the centerline of a road by simply walking along the centerline and instructing the rover system to store a position every five seconds for example The result is a trail of points defining the centerline To facilitate the mobility required to utilize the kinematic method of data collection t...

Page 122: ...se types of surveys than a conventional total station with the added benefit that a GPS system can be operated by only one person Limitations GPS surveying systems have limitations that affect their ability to perform some of the survey tasks discussed above Being aware of these limitations will ensure successful results from your GPS surveys The main limitation is not confined to post process GPS...

Page 123: ...e face of a building but only if that location leaves enough of the sky open to allow the system to observe at least five satellites Thales Navigation Z Max System The Z Max System is Thales Navigation s most advanced post process survey system This modular system includes all the required components to perform post process GPS surveys The Z Max System is built around the Thales Z Max dual frequen...

Page 124: ...Module attaches directly to the tripod in the case of static surveys or to the survey pole in the case of stop and go kinematic surveys Keep these concepts in mind as we explain each of the components Hardware The Z Max system includes a number of hardware components or modules each with a specific function Choosing the right combination of modules will depend on the user s needs and the environme...

Page 125: ...rol receiver functions and also supports the ability to perform most post process survey tasks without a handheld computer GPS Antenna Module In order for the GPS Receiver Module to receive satellite signals it must utilize an antenna The GPS antenna is the actual collection point of the satellite signals It is also the point from which the position of the system is computed To determine the preci...

Page 126: ... the top of the receiver or to pass through other modules without the need of any cables Z Max Power System All electronic devices require power to operate and the Z Max is no different A number of options are available for powering the Z Max system Each is described below Power Module The internal power source for the Z Max is the Power Module Figure 2 3 Inside the Power Module are rechargeable l...

Page 127: ...ion page 19 External Power For extended operation an external power source is available as an option with the Z Max The Z Max GPS Receiver Module contains an external power connector that allows you to power the receiver externally via an AC to DC transformer or an additional battery Optional cables are available to allow the use of other DC power sources 10 28VDC such as a vehicle battery or an a...

Page 128: ...d Execution HI Measurement Plate An accurate measurement of the height of the antenna above the survey mark is very important However when the Z Max System is attached to a tripod there is not enough clearance to measure the antenna height from the survey mark to the GPS antenna The HI Measurement Plate Figure 2 5 is used to provide a convenient location on the Z Max System where the slant height ...

Page 129: ...onnects to the survey pole and the GPS Antenna Module The Range Pole RF Adapter connects between the survey pole and the GPS Antenna Module Figure 2 6 Max RF Adapter When the Z Max System is operating as a backpack mounted kinematic rover a cable is required to connect the GPS Receiver Module in the backpack to the GPS Antenna Module on the survey pole The Max RF Adapter is the module where the ca...

Page 130: ...Pole Adapter is used to raise the GPS Antenna Module high enough on the survey pole so that the antenna s view to the satellites is not blocked by the user The Pole Adapter connects between the GPS Antenna Module and the GPS Receiver Module when using a pole mounted system or between the GPS Antenna Module and the Range Pole RF Adapter see below when using a backpack mounted system Figure 2 8 The ...

Page 131: ...evices with specialized application software can greatly enhance the utility of the system FAST Terminal The standard handheld computer supplied with the Z Max System is the FAST Terminal Figure 2 9 The FAST Terminal is a light weight rugged handheld computer running Microsoft Pocket PC operating system The FAST Terminal is a robust field computer with a full keyboard and an easy to read touch scr...

Page 132: ... process GPS Surveying wirelessly communicate with the receiver from up to 10 meters away The FAST Terminal runs the FAST Survey Field Application software discussed below Figure 2 9 FAST Terminal G3 book Page 109 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 133: ...ding topography and construction FAST software can control the Z Max GPS receiver and conventional instruments with the same intuitive user interface For more detailed information on use of FAST Survey software refer to the FAST Survey user manual Office Software GPS surveying requires a certain level of preparation and also post analysis after data is collected With post processed GPS surveying d...

Page 134: ...tween the office computer and field devices process collected data and create your choice of detail rich maps and reports This is all accomplished through a user interface which is a rare mix of simplicity and power This concludes the Z Max System for post processed GPS surveys Next we will examine how the individual Z Max hardware and software modules are to build a powerful system for data colle...

Page 135: ...112 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 112 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 136: ...e requires that a GPS Antenna Module be connected in order to measure and record the data being transmitted by the satellites The GPS Antenna Module connects directly to the GPS Receiver Module and does not require any cables At the top of the GPS Receiver Module is an antenna receptacle The base of the GPS Antenna Module is circular except for a flattened area To connect the GPS Antenna Module ju...

Page 137: ...le The Max Run Power Module can power the receiver for over 13 hours so only one Power Module is needed for a full day of data collection The Power Module does not require any cables It simply connects to the right hand side of the Receiver GPS Receiver Module To connect the Power Module to the GPS Receiver Module insert the small ledge of the Power Module into the rear of the GPS Receiver Module ...

Page 138: ...n be used External DC sources can be plugged in using a cable and the external power port The external power cables come in different types for each type of power source used External power is applied to the Z Max GPS Receiver Module by connecting the power source with a cable Figure 3 3 to the external power port located on the rear panel of the GPS Receiver Module The power port is a sealed 3 pi...

Page 139: ...odule with no interruption in operation Handheld Computer GPS Receiver Handheld computers Figure 3 4 may be used to control the Z Max during surveying operations The use of a handheld computer with application software can add significant utility to the system Connection of the handheld computer is accomplished either wirelessly using the Bluetooth protocol module or with a cable If the handheld i...

Page 140: ... with the Z Max System for post processed surveys It is lightweight durable and weather resistant for use in outdoor environments The FAST Terminal allows both wireless and cabled connections with the Z Max Receiver Module and a PC When using a cable connection the FAST Terminal should be connected to serial port A on the GPS Receiver Module labeled SERIAL A The FAST Terminal supports use of Bluet...

Page 141: ...urvey mounting device We will review the three basic types of setups and the equipment configuration for each Static The Static setup Figure 3 5 is used with all receivers in a static survey and the base receiver in a kinematic survey In the Static setup the receiver system with Antenna and Power Modules attached is mounted on the tripod that is set up over the point In order to accurately measure...

Page 142: ...range pole mounted or backpack mounted Pole Mounted A typical configuration for a pole mounted rover includes GPS Receiver Module Power Module V Module and Pole Adapter In the pole mounted configuration Figure 3 6 the entire rover system with modules attached is attached to the top of the survey pole The bottom of the Z Max GPS Receiver Module has a 5 8 threaded receptacle that fits standard surve...

Page 143: ...Adapter attach to the top of the survey pole The GPS Antenna Module is attached to the top of the survey pole assembly The GPS signal is passed from the survey pole assembly to the GPS Receiver Module with a cable The cable is attached to the Range Pole RF Adapter to the Max RF Adapter on the top of the GPS Receiver Module If you are collecting data using a backpack mounted system without a range ...

Page 144: ...e data collector cable Before connecting the cables from the backpack to the pole assembly put on the backpack The last step is to connect the cable s to the connectors on the pole assembly The completed backpack mounted system for collecting post processed data is shown in Figure 3 8 The handheld computer if used can be carried or attached to the survey pole Figure 3 7 Z Max Backpack Connectivity...

Page 145: ... how they work and how they fit together to create a flexible streamlined system for recording GPS data In the following chapters you will learn about how to set up the equipment in the field and execute a post processed GPS survey Figure 3 8 Backpack Mounted Rover Setup G3 book Page 122 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 146: ... Module Each Z Max system resides in its own padded soft case which has semi rigid compartments for each module and additional storage for miscellaneous items The compartments in the soft case are adjustable to accommodate different collections of modules and peripheral hardware All components required to perform your post processed survey can be housed in the soft case with the exception of the t...

Page 147: ...124 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual Figure 4 1 Soft Case Figure 4 2 Inside View of Soft Case G3 book Page 124 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 148: ...nuous lock must be maintained with 4 or more satellites during 10 60 minute blocks of time For Kinematic surveying continuous lock must be maintained with 5 or more satellites during blocks of at least 15 min The longer the baseline length the longer occupation time that is required for survey quality results Satellite geometry is measured using a calculated value called Dilution of Precision DOP ...

Page 149: ...ystem modules together as listed below Check these connections to ensure the connectors are seated properly Refer to the previous chapter on how to establish these connections GPS Antenna Module GPS Receiver Module Power Module GPS Receiver Module V Module GPS Receiver Module External power source GPS Receiver Module if applicable Using the handheld computer to configure the receiver for a static ...

Page 150: ...and the tribrach adapter and HI Measurement Plate are attached to the GPS Receiver Module carefully place the assembly into the tribrach mounted on the tripod over the point 6 Measure and record instrument height HI of GPS antenna Remember that the measurement of satellite data is made at the center horizontally and vertically of the GPS antenna Yet the location of the point to be surveyed is not ...

Page 151: ...ed is turned on using the power button on its keyboard Check that all components are powered up The GPS Receiver Module has an LED to indicate that power has been applied and the receiver is on 8 Configure GPS receiver to perform a Static survey By default the Z Max system is configured to perform a static survey When turned on the receiver automatically begins to collect and store data in a new d...

Page 152: ...ach observation during data processing These parameters can be entered either in the SURVEY Static menu of the Z Max front panel user interface or by using the handheld computer running field application software The Site ID and the antenna HI should also be written down on the observation log It is recommended to have the manually written information as a cross check 10 Fill out the observation l...

Page 153: ...ters the simultaneous observation time would be 15 minutes Since it takes less time to collect additional data than to return to the site on a different day some safety factor 20 or more added to observations is recommended Optimistic observation times are generally adequate when vector lengths are less than 30 km 19 miles there are more than 6 satellites visible obstructions are minimal and there...

Page 154: ...n the receiver is powered down the active measurement file is automatically closed and when the receiver is powered back up a new measurement file is automatically created At the end of the day the receivers are returned to the office where the data are downloaded to the PC for post processing Figure 4 5 shows what a typical Z Max system for static data collection should look like Figure 4 5 Z Max...

Page 155: ...isely the same manner as a system set up for a static survey with one possible exception During kinematic data collection it is recommended that a more frequent recording interval be utilized Common recording intervals for kinematic data collection are 1 5 seconds Be sure that the recording interval for all receivers is set to the same value Keep in mind that unless a new recording interval settin...

Page 156: ...e Backpack Max RF Adapter Max RF Cable Pole Adapter Handheld Computer Handheld Computer Cable GPS Receiver Module optional 2 Mount the Rover system on a survey pole or on a backpack For kinematic data collection the rover system is either mounted on a survey pole carried by the operator Figure 4 6 or on a backpack with the range pole assembly connected to a backpack with a cable Figure 4 7 Both co...

Page 157: ...f Z Max assembly On a backpack mounted system the HI is the known fixed length of the survey pole plus the height of the Range Pole RF Adapter the Pole Extension and the GPS Antenna Module The vertical height of typical Z Max configurations are printed on the front of the receiver Figure 4 6 Pole Mounted Rover System G3 book Page 134 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 158: ... pole as shown in Figure 4 8 A special mounting bracket for the handheld is typically required when a handheld computer is used When mounting the mobile system in a backpack the handheld computer must still be secured to the range pole with a bracket but it will also require a cable to connect the handheld computer to the GPS Receiver Module which is in the backpack Figure 4 7 Backpack mounted Rov...

Page 159: ...atic survey the only parameter that may need to be changed is the recording interval The recording interval is set to 20 seconds by default As stated earlier an interval of 1 5 seconds is normally used for kinematic data collection The recording interval can be set using the Front Panel User Interface or by the field application software running on the handheld computer NOTE It is very important t...

Page 160: ...e 138 The recording interval epoch counter and Min SV can be set using the Front Panel User Interface or field application software running on the handheld computer Refer to the Operations chapter for specific steps on how to set these parameters through the Front Panel User Interface Refer to the user manual of the field application software for more details on setup and execution of post process...

Page 161: ...eady to survey Kinematic Survey Execution Now that the base and rover systems are configured point location can begin Using the rover system you will move about the project area collecting data on points of interest This process involves two primary functions These functions are Initialization and Point Observation Each of these functions is discussed below Figure 4 9 Pole Mounted Rover System Rea...

Page 162: ...rent location can be determined very quickly and very precisely Once the integer ambiguities are solved the position of your location can be computed with only an epoch or two of data In addition once the integer ambiguities are computed they stay the same fixed as long as you maintain lock on at least five satellites If you happen to lose lock on satellites due to an obstruction and go below the ...

Page 163: ...st left for project sites where obstructions are a minimum Consider a scenario where this method of initialization would be useful You have a landfill that you need to topographically survey Since the project site is a landfill most of the area has no obstructions with the possible exception of trees along the perimeter You set up your base station in an open area You then set up your rover system...

Page 164: ...time wasted waiting for the system to initialize But you must be careful that you collect clean data during the initialization period or you run the risk of getting poor positions on some of your points 2 Initialize by performing a static survey Initialization of your kinematic survey can be accomplished by performing a static survey Refer to the static survey section Step 11 on page 129 for guide...

Page 165: ...ng to your initialization point 0100 and observing it once again but this time your observation needs to be only 10 seconds in duration because this point is now a known point Your initialization point is a known point because you successfully performed a static survey on this point earlier When you observe your initialization point the second time you need to assign it the same point ID as your f...

Page 166: ...with the rover system Using the handheld software you instruct the system to record data every 2 seconds You then walk along the centerline from beginning to end When this data is processed you will see the centerline of the road delineated by a series of closely spaced data points that are the post processed results of the 2 second data recording interval for the time period which you were walkin...

Page 167: ...data samples are used to compute a position for each point feature With Stop Go Kinematic you can expect positions at the 0 01 0 03 meters 0 03 0 10 ft level If your linear features require the level of accuracy produced by the Stop Go Kinematic method this method can be used to position your linear features by used multiple Stop Go observations to delineate the feature Congratulations You have fi...

Page 168: ...o perform a static or kinematic data collection If the steps outlined in this troubleshooting section fail to get you up and running there is a chance that a component in your system has failed In case of such an event contact your local Thales Navigation dealer or Thales Navigation Technical Support for assistance Explain the steps you have taken to attempt to remedy the problem They will need ce...

Page 169: ...power on You will see the power LED turn on and the display will begin to show text Assuming that you are in an area with a relatively unobstructed view to the sky within a minute of power up the receiver should be tracking multiple satellites Go to step 2 if the receiver does not power up 2 Check the power source The Z Max supports both internal Power Module and external power sources a If using ...

Page 170: ...op of the GPS Receiver Module Make sure the base of the Antenna Module is oriented so that the flattened side of the Antenna Module base is lined up with the flattened area of the receptacle and the module will easily slide into place b Once in place twist the threaded collar on the Antenna Module until the antenna is securely locked in place c Once connected give the GPS receiver a few seconds to...

Page 171: ...low to determine the cause of this problem Step 1 Is the GPS receiver tracking satellites The GPS receiver must first be tracking satellites before it can log data to memory Check the SV Power LED on the front panel of the Z Max GPS Receiver Module to determine if the receiver is tracking satellites Receiver is not tracking satellites Refer to the above troubleshooting item on satellite tracking t...

Page 172: ... Stop Session has been issued a Start Session is required to resume data collection Also it is possible using the handheld software to turn data recording off Perform the following two steps to ensure data recording is enabled 1 On the front panel display go to the SESSIONS submenu and perform a START SESSION 2 Using the handheld data collector and the field application software make sure that dat...

Page 173: ...150 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 150 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 174: ...Reliance Fundamentals SECTION 3 System Guide to RTK Surveying G3 book Page 151 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 175: ...Z Max Surveying System Operation and Application Manual G3 book Page 152 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 176: ...day and the price of the typical system would be under 40 000 What you ve just read is the difference between GPS surveying in the early 1980s and GPS surveying today Early GPS surveying was static in nature A user sat on a point for a extended period of time 1 3 hours or more If time permitted this user would move to another point after data collection was completed Data was then sent off to the ...

Page 177: ... and monitoring stations it is important to have knowledge regarding the location geometry and number of satellites available during data collection periods Since the satellites are not geosynchronous the number of satellites that are available and the satellite geometry PDOP at any given time will vary significantly It is important that you are aware of the favorable times of the day and choose t...

Page 178: ...e transmitter broadcasts the packaged raw data to anyone who wants to listen This is the basic function of a base receiver in an RTK system The RTK rover is the mobile part of the system The rover system is lightweight and portable situated either in a backpack or mounted on a pole You interface with the system through either a handheld computer data collector or from the front panel display Once ...

Page 179: ...ys and have the added benefit that an RTK system can be operated by only one person There are two primary survey tasks for which RTK systems are used One method is the precise positioning of features that already exist topography mapping as built surveys Another powerful application of RTK is navigating to features with known coordinates This is done when recovering boundary control or while trans...

Page 180: ...Some objects such as buildings will completely block out the satellite signal Therefore GPS cannot be used in tunnels under water or any indoor space where the signal level drops below detectable levels Other objects will partially obstruct or reflect refract the signal such as trees Reception of GPS signals is very difficult in a heavily forested area While enough signal can often be observed to ...

Page 181: ... data to and from the receiver and a PC With the Z Max System RTK surveying is more cost effective than it s ever been Thales Navigation has also developed a software suite that encompasses all phases of GPS surveying and provides connectivity with existing survey systems Thales Navigation s focus on software has generated additional improvements in the application of the technology to real work i...

Page 182: ...ch directly to the GPS Receiver Module without the need for cables This greatly simplifies the configuration process Secondly in most of the configurations the GPS Receiver Module attaches directly to the tripod in the case RTK Base or to the survey pole in the case of RTK Rover Keep these concepts in mind as we explain each of the components The major components of an RTK System are as follows GP...

Page 183: ...perform Q A generate mapping products and generate printed reports Now that we have a general understanding of the components that comprise an RTK surveying system let s apply that information to the Z Max While the Z Max RTK system is comprised of several different modules each module accomplishes one of the functions described above In addition the nearly cable free design of the Z Max makes con...

Page 184: ...tem requires at least two GPS receivers a base receiver and a rover receiver The base receiver is usually mounted on a tripod over the known point The rover receiver is either mounted on a pole Figure 2 2 or mounted on a backpack Figure 2 3 Figure 2 1 Z Max GPS Receiver Module G3 book Page 161 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 185: ...162 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual Figure 2 2 Pole Mounted Z Max RTK Receiver Figure 2 3 Backpack Z Max RTK Receiver G3 book Page 162 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 186: ...le In order for the GPS receiver to receive satellite signals it must be connected to a GPS antenna The GPS Antenna Module is precise and sensitive device used to receive satellite signals Figure 2 4 It is designed to attach securely to the receiver without cables The GPS receiver antenna is the actual collection point of the satellite signals It is also the point where the position of the rover s...

Page 187: ...nd the rover system receives the data Typical data links for mobile RTK systems are UHF radio VHF radio and cellular modem Various different types of data links are available with the Z Max RTK System Distance requirements regional regulatory statutes local interference and available infrastructure will influence which data link to use Z Max Communication Module The Communication Module Figure 2 5...

Page 188: ...ver Because the base radio needs to send data over long distance it has a sizeable transmitter that is too large to fit into the Communication Module housing It consumes much more power than the Z Max and generally requires its own dedicated power supply The base radio is an external device that is connected to the GPS Receiver Module serial port and is powered by a separate power supply The remot...

Page 189: ...iable performance and range of functional options The PDL rover is housed in the Z Max Communication Module Base and rover channels can be changed through the Z Max front panel or through application software running on a handheld computer The base radio channel can also be changed directly from a button on the front of the device Figure 2 6 Thales U Link Radio Figure 2 7 Pacific Crest PDL Base Tr...

Page 190: ...ellular data links for RTK cost more per use than other systems since the user must have be actively connected to the other side of the link while performing RTK The phone call between RTK receivers can last for many hours a day Cellular links work the best where there is extensive geographic coverage and flat rate unlimited air time rate structures are available When cellular data links are used ...

Page 191: ...computer GSM modems require the use of a SIM card The SIM card helps maintain the security of a GSM user account and is inserted into the modem through an access door on the underside of the GSM enabled Communication Module The GSM enabled communication module includes an integrated antenna which protrudes from the top of the device Data Link Configurations While the cellular modems in the Communi...

Page 192: ...receiver UHF Antenna When using a UHF radio as the data link in an RTK system antennas must be connected at the base and rover to transmit and receive data The external base radio uses its own antenna that is attached to either a separate tripod or directly to the base radio The base radio antenna is often raised as high in the air as possible to maximize transmission distance The rover system usi...

Page 193: ... of many possible power sources as the power supply including a Z Max Power Module or an external DC power source such as a battery an AC DC converter or an auto cigarette lighter Specially designed cables are available for using each type of external DC power source The external battery cables connect to the Z Max GPS Receiver Module at the power port located on the rear panel of the GPS Receiver...

Page 194: ...e the Power Module as its main power source An external power source must be provided for the power output on the serial port to be enabled The Power Module includes a smart monitoring system that continually monitors the battery life remaining There are two ways to monitor battery life remaining via the LED indicators on the Power Module and using the Front Panel User Interface The LED indicators...

Page 195: ...ight of the antenna above the survey mark can be consistently and accurately measured It attaches to the system between the bottom of the GPS Receiver Module and the tribrach The HI Measurement Plate is only used when the Z Max system is a base station receiver The HI Measurement Plate is not necessary when using a fixed height tripod Pole Adapter The Pole Adapter Figure 2 12 is used with the RTK ...

Page 196: ...backpack to the GPS Antenna Module on the survey pole The Range Pole RF Adapter Figure 2 13 is the module where the cable physically connects to the survey pole and the GPS Antenna Module The Range Pole RF Adapter connects between the survey pole and either the UHF Antenna Module or the Pole Adapter Figure 2 12 Pole Adapter Pole Mounted System Pole Adapter G3 book Page 173 Saturday May 24 2003 12 ...

Page 197: ...GPS Antenna Module on the survey pole The Max RF Adapter is the module where the cable physically connects to the GPS Receiver Module The Max RF Adapter connects to the top of the GPS Receiver Module in the same receptacle where the GPS Antenna Module connects during a static survey Figure 2 14 Figure 2 13 Range Pole RF Adapter Backpack Mounted System Range Pole RF Adapter G3 book Page 174 Saturda...

Page 198: ... it is possible to configure and perform RTK surveys using the Front Panel User Interface a handheld computer is more convenient and provides more capabilities Many users will recognize this component as a data collector commonly used with conventional total stations In fact the handheld computer used with an RTK system is very similar in function to those used with total stations Only one handhel...

Page 199: ...a Bluetooth enabled Compact Flash card a monochrome 320x240 display and an RS 232 port located at the top of the unit In addition the unit comes with 64 MB RAM and 32 MB of ROM FAST Survey Residing on the FAST Terminal data collector is the field application software FAST Survey As with a conventional total station this software is the user s interface to the base and rover systems facilitating su...

Page 200: ...iles and then for QA analysis of the collected data Depending on the sophistication of the package office software can generate graphical mapping products text reports and export data into a format that assists integration into other systems In some cases GPS measurements collected in post processed mode are used in conjunction with RTK Thales Navigation GNSS Studio The standard office software pa...

Page 201: ...178 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 178 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 202: ... of these configurations will be discussed separately Lastly remember that the Z Max RTK system comes with a choice of data links and the data link used will have a big effect on the system configuration Each type of data link will also be discussed separately where appropriate RTK Base System The fundamental components of the RTK base system are the receiver the GPS antenna and the wireless data ...

Page 203: ... insert the small ledge of the Power Module into the rear of the GPS Receiver Module housing first as shown in Figure 3 1 This will correctly align the module Using the ledge like a hinge swing the module closed until the latch on the Power Module clicks into place If the Z Max system is to collect data unattended for a period of time exceeding the capability of the Power Module an external power ...

Page 204: ...odule requires that a GPS Antenna Module be connected in order to measure and record the data being transmitted by the satellites The GPS Antenna Module connects directly to the GPS Receiver Module and does not require any cables At the top of the GPS Receiver Module is an antenna receptacle The base of the GPS Antenna Module is circular except for a flattened area To connect the GPS Antenna Modul...

Page 205: ... blowing dust or moisture If the RTK base system is using UHF radios then an empty Communication Module housing called V Module is required to protect the Z Max If the RTK base system is using a cellular modem then the Communication Module serves as the modem transmitter The Communication Module connects directly to the left hand side of the GPS Receiver Module without cables To connect the module...

Page 206: ... will also have an access door on the underside of the module to enable the installation of the SIM card GPS Receiver Tripod The Z Max RTK base system is designed to attach directly to a tripod Center and level the tripod over the ground mark prior to attaching the receiver On the bottom of the GPS Receiver Module is a standard 5 8 threaded receptacle that fits the tribrach adapter Figure 3 5 Atta...

Page 207: ...d set the assembly onto the tripod When fixed height tripods are being used the vertical height of the tripod is known It is not necessary to measure the HI as it can be computed To determine the total vertical height HI of the setup add the vertical height of the Z Max system to the known height of the tripod Figure 3 5 GPS Receiver Module and Tripod Adapter G3 book Page 184 Saturday May 24 2003 ...

Page 208: ...x is securely mounted to the tripod the height of the GPS antenna must be measured The HI measurement plate is used to measure a slant height from the receiver to the survey mark The HI measurement plate provides a fixed radius which allows a reduction to vertical height To determine the total height of the setup add this reduced vertical height to the vertical height of the Z Max which is printed...

Page 209: ...e radio range The radio antenna connection will differ depending upon which radio you are using Thales U Link Transmitter The transmitting antenna connects directly to the Thales U Link radio without a cable The advantage of a direct antenna connection is that there is little signal power loss between the transmitter and the antenna Attach the antenna by screwing the antenna to the antenna connect...

Page 210: ...ystem Guide to RTK Surveying in Figure 3 9 The radio and the antenna together are raised as high as possible to maximize transmission distance Figure 3 8 Thales U Link Radio Antenna G3 book Page 187 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 211: ...ntenna is connected to an antenna mount that allows the antenna to be attached to the top of a telescoping pole or a tripod Screw the antenna on to the top of the telescoping pole or tripod and connect the antenna cable to the radio antenna port Figure 3 9 Mounting the Thales U Link Transmitter U Link Antenna U Link Radio Pole Mounting Bracket G3 book Page 188 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 212: ...odem skip this section In an RTK system using radios data must be passed from the GPS base receiver to the transmitter for broadcast to RTK rover systems configured to receive the base transmissions To pass the data from the GPS receiver to the radio transmitter they must be connected through a data cable Depending on the type of radio used this Figure 3 10 PDL Radio and Radio Antenna CAUTION It i...

Page 213: ... to a power supply The receiver connector of the data power cable connects to one of the two serial ports on the rear panel of the Z Max GPS Receiver Module The 2 receiver ports are serial A and serial B labeled SERIAL A and SERIAL B and each port is a 7 pin Fischer connector Pacific Crest PDL UHF 2 35 Watt Transmitter The RTK base configuration using a Pacific Crest 35 Watt base transmitter requi...

Page 214: ...data power cable can connect to either serial port A or serial port B of the Z Max but port B is recommended At the radio end of the PDL data power cable is a 5 pin right angle Lemo connector The data power connector on the radio is located under the LED display of the radio This connection serves as both the power connector and the data cable Connect the radio to the receiver by connecting the 5 ...

Page 215: ...the Z Max serial port B must be configured in RS 422 This is done in the radio configuration port setup menu of the Front Panel User Interface When the Z Max is setup for a Thales U link radio on Port B automatically changes the port protocol to RS 422 At the radio end of the U Link data power cable is a 15 pin connector The data power connector on the radio is located under the LED display of the...

Page 216: ... any type of battery power source It is recommended that the radio be connected to the receiver and the external battery be connected to the Z Max external power port prior to powering up the receiver This will ensure a clean power up of the radio Figure 3 13 Connecting Thales U Link Radio Z Max GPS Receiver Module G3 book Page 193 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 217: ... PC Running on the FAST Terminal is specialized software for field surveying called FAST Survey FAST Survey has been designed by Thales Navigation specifically for use with Z Max RTK systems The standard Z Max GPS Receiver Module is equipped with an internal Bluetooth module that is on any time the receiver is powered No further configuration is necessary Fully Connected RTK Base System Depending ...

Page 218: ...ver Module When using the Thales U Link radio power is supplied from the Z Max serial port In this configuration an external power source is required for the Z Max Plug the external power source into the external power port of the Z Max GPS Receiver Module 2 The transmitting antenna attached directly to the connector on the Thales U Link Figure 3 15 Figure 3 14 Z Max RTK Base with Cellular Modem G...

Page 219: ...ts an external power source to the Z Max GPS Receiver Module This is an essential connection to power the radio 2 Radio data power cable plugged into the port labeled SERIAL B This cable connects the Z Max GPS Receiver Module to the radio This cable is mandatory Figure 3 15 Thales U Link Radio In RTK Base Configuration G3 book Page 196 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 220: ...nto the radio s DATA PWR port This cable connects the radio to the Z Max GPS Receiver Module and also connects the radio to an external power source 2 The radio antenna cable plugged into the ANTENNA port that connects the radio to the radio antenna Figure 3 16 RTK Base with Thales U Link Radio G3 book Page 197 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 221: ... pole or placed in a backpack The pole mounted rover system places the GPS receiver and all other modules directly on the rover pole All of the components are pole mounted eliminating the need for cables or any physical connection between the user and the system In the backpack rover system the GPS receiver power supply and data link are all mounted in a backpack The GPS antenna and UHF antenna ar...

Page 222: ... empty UHF Antenna Module called the Pole Adapter attaches between the GPS Receiver Module and the GPS Antenna Module and maintains a constant antenna height The UHF Antenna Module Figure 3 18 connects directly to the top of the GPS Receiver Module without any cables The base of the UHF Antenna Module is circular except for a flattened area Orient the UHF Antenna Module so that the flattened side ...

Page 223: ...he GPS Antenna Module connects directly to the Pole Adapter The Pole Adapter is essentially an empty UHF Antenna Module To attach the GPS Antenna Module to the UHF Antenna Module or Pole Adapter note that the base of the GPS Antenna Module is circular except for a flattened area The top of either the UHF Antenna Module or the GPS Receiver Module has a receptacle designed to hold the GPS Antenna Mo...

Page 224: ...t the connection is secure GPS Receiver Communication Module Just like the RTK base system the Communication Module connects to the right hand side of the GPS Receiver Module To connect the module align the module and the housing and insert the small ledge of the module into the rear of the GPS Receiver Module housing as shown in Figure 3 21 Swing the module closed until the latch on the module cl...

Page 225: ...ystem is identical to the Power Module for the RTK base system The Power Module connects directly to the GPS Receiver Module without cables Just like the RTK base system the Power Module connects to the left hand side of the GPS Receiver Module To connect the module align the module and the housing and insert the small ledge of the module into the rear of the GPS Receiver Module housing as shown i...

Page 226: ...uter is accomplished either wirelessly using the Bluetooth protocol module or with a cable If the handheld is going to interface with the receiver wirelessly no physical connection is required The Bluetooth module in the receiver is on anytime the receiver is powered on Just make sure that the Bluetooth module is present in handheld terminal If you need to use a cable the computer communication ca...

Page 227: ...ule that is installed in the compact flash receptacle of the device The compact flash receptacle is located underneath the FAST Terminal battery in a compartment located at the lower back of the device Mounting the System to the Pole Now that the UHF Antenna Module the Communication Module and Power Module are all connected to the GPS Receiver Module the system is ready to be mounted on the pole A...

Page 228: ...ll be connected directly to the GPS Receiver Module Even the handheld computer is wireless and may be mounted on the pole with a special mounting bracket The fully connected pole mounted system is shown in Figure 3 24 Backpack Mounted Rover System The backpack mounted rover system uses many of the same connections as the pole mounted RTK rover The Z Max receiver assembly including the GPS Receiver...

Page 229: ...s to the right hand side of the GPS Receiver Module To connect the module align the module and the housing and insert the small ledge of the module into the rear of the GPS Receiver Module housing as shown in Figure 3 25 Swing the module closed until the latch on the module clicks into place Make sure that the module is well seated and the latch is completely closed The Communication Module is now...

Page 230: ...eated and the latch is completely closed GPS Receiver Max RF Adapter To provide a path for GPS and UHF RF signals to enter the Z Max from range pole mounted antennas the Max RF Adapter is used Figure 3 27 The Max RF Adapter has a connector for UHF and GPS signal both TNC type Insert the Max RF Adapter into the antenna receptacle at the top of the GPS Receiver Module Make sure the base of the Adapt...

Page 231: ...ers to comfortably carry the unit in the pack while using a range pole to precisely center the GPS antenna over the survey point The Z Max backpack has adjustable shoulder and hip straps and an adjustable torso bar The backpack should be properly adjusted for the user To mount the unit to the backpack place the receiver onto the backpack and secure the unit with the Velcro strap Figure 3 28 Figure...

Page 232: ...e Pole RF Adapter connects directly to the survey pole Figure 3 29 and provides a cable interface for the cables that run between the Z Max backpack and the survey range pole The Range Pole RF Adapter is exactly the same height as the GPS Receiver Module in order to keep the same antenna HI as the Z Max pole mounted system To attach the Range Pole RF Adapter to the survey pole simply screw it onto...

Page 233: ...me as a UHF Antenna Module and maintains the proper height of the rover pole The UHF Antenna Module connects directly to the top of Range Pole RF Adapter Figure 3 30 Note that the base of the Antenna Module is circular except for a flattened area Orient the UHF Antenna Module so that the flattened side of the antenna module is lined up with the flattened area of the receptacle in the Pole extensio...

Page 234: ... the GPS Antenna Module is circular except for a flattened area The top of either the UHF Antenna Module or the Pole Adapter has a receptacle designed to hold the GPS Antenna Module Orient the GPS Antenna Module so that the flattened side of the Antenna Module base is lined up with the flattened area inside the top of the UHF Antenna Module or Pole Adapter and insert the GPS Antenna Module into th...

Page 235: ...d to the survey pole The GPS Antenna and the UHF Antenna or Pole Adapter are attached to the top of the Range Pole RF Adapter The GPS Receiver Module is connected to the survey pole by connecting the Max RF cable between the Range Pole RF Adapter and the Max RF Adapter as shown in Figure 3 32 Make sure that the correct cable is attached to the correct connection and check that the cable connection...

Page 236: ... These two ports are located on the rear panel of the receiver and are labeled SERIAL A and SERIAL B serial A is recommended The handheld can be connected to the receiver at any time during the equipment setup and data collection process FAST Terminal The FAST Terminal Figure 3 33 is offered as an option with the Z Max system for RTK surveys It is lightweight durable and weather resistant for use ...

Page 237: ...214 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual Figure 3 33 FAST Terminal Handheld Computer G3 book Page 214 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 238: ...k mounted Z Max Rover System is shown in Figure 3 34 Depending on the type of wireless modem being used a fully connected backpack mounted Z Max Rover will have one cable from the Range Pole RF Adapter to the Z Max assembly Figure 3 34 Fully Connected Backpack Mounted Rover Systems G3 book Page 215 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 239: ...216 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 216 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 240: ...cuted While we have made every attempt to minimize the parameters that must be changed by setting them to the most common default values we will review them and provide some guidance as to what the choices mean In addition there are several issues related to RTK surveying of which you should be aware that are presented briefly Data Formats From previous discussions it should now be clear that RTK ...

Page 241: ...receiver will also accept DSNP format output by other Thales Navigation receivers The Z Max does not transmit DSNP format RTK Positioning Modes The Z Max RTK System is designed to be flexible and robust over a number of different conditions The firmware comes equipped with RTK algorithms that will compute an RTK position with only a single epoch in certain conditions as well as those that will com...

Page 242: ...sion rate can be set to 5 Hz 5 times per second The maximum position output rate at the remote receiver is equal to the data transmission rate at the base station In other words if the base station data is transmitting data at 1 Hz then the rover can output RTK positions at a maximum rate of 1 Hz Fine positioning is less consistent in its output because any interruption in the rover station s rece...

Page 243: ...the last position is generally lower than the first position computed after the arrival of base station data The degradation of accuracy is very slight if latency is kept to less than 1 second and is often inconsequential for many applications One big advantage of Coarse positioning is that RTK will continue to be computed even if there is a minor interruption in the base station data Under good c...

Page 244: ...sitioning Modes section the maximum output frequency is higher when in Fast RTK Coarse positioning mode than with Synchronized RTK Fine positioning mode The maximum output rate is also directly affected by the firmware options that are set If the F option is enabled and the receiver is in Fast RTK mode output can be set from 0 1 999 seconds If the H option is enabled and the receiver is in Synchro...

Page 245: ...ably closer to 10 20 meters but an error of 50 meters is possible If you plan to use an estimated position for the base keep the vector lengths between the base and rover short and ensure the added error is not significant for the survey you are performing Antenna Reduction A concept related to the Base Station position is Antenna Reduction In RTK the rover receiver computes the vector from the ph...

Page 246: ...ounding terrain This is to facilitate the greatest range possible for the base radio transmissions Line of sight obstructions between the base and rover systems will reduce the workable distance between the two systems This is not important if you are using GSM modems although with GSM modems you must have access to the service If a desired existing control monument does not meet the two considera...

Page 247: ...cation on the base site The only consideration is cable length Remember that the radio the antenna and the GPS receiver must all be connected using the available cables The length of the cables will dictate the possible locations of the radio antenna Thales U Link Transmitter Set up the radio tripod on a stable site within the data cable distance of the GPS tripod The Thales radio system comes wit...

Page 248: ...RTK Survey Preparation 225 System Guide to RTK Surveying Figure 4 2 Mounted Thales Base Radio and Antenna G3 book Page 225 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 249: ... distance of the GPS tripod The PDL radio has a flange that allows the radio to hook to the side of the radio tripod Screw the radio antenna onto the telescoping survey pole The radio tripod set up is shown in Figure 4 3 Connect the radio antenna cable to the radio Figure 4 3 Mounted PDL Base Radio Antenna G3 book Page 226 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 250: ...r into the center hole of the HI Measurement Plate Screw the HI Measurement Plate tribrach adapter assembly to the bottom of the GPS Receiver Module Carefully set the GPS Receiver Module with the attached components into the top of the tribrach While placing the module into the tribrach take care not to jar the tripod out of alignment in any way You may find it more convenient to temporarily disco...

Page 251: ...applied and the component is on Configure Base GPS Receiver to Function as RTK Base This task is usually accomplished using the handheld computer running the Field Application software However the Z Max base station can also be configured through the front panel display If you are using the handheld computer to configure the base system refer to the Field Application software documentation for spe...

Page 252: ...n accurate RTK survey In addition to accurately compute the rover position the rover also needs to know the accurate base station antenna HI to perform an antenna reduction Both the base station coordinates and the antenna HI are transmitted to the rover along with the base receiver s satellite data or corrections It is very important that these values are accurate and have been accurately entered...

Page 253: ...nly The default is 9600 6 Set the channel number for transmission frequency Channel numbers range from 00 to 15 and each channel number is linked to a particular radio frequency set at the factory 7 Send user selected radio parameters to the receiver Program the user selected radio parameters port channel sensitivity link speed to the receiver Any errors in sending the parameters will trigger a me...

Page 254: ...ceiver the second LED from the left This LED should flash once every time the base radio transmits a packet of data The default transmission frequency is 1 second If you are using the GSM modem as the data link transmission will not occur until the rover modem connects calls the base modem so the COMMUNICATION LED will not be active until the rover is set up The base system is now functioning as a...

Page 255: ... Radio Antenna Module Perform this step only if you are using the UHF radio as your data link Con nect the UHF Antenna Module to the top of the GPS Receiver Module Ensure the antenna is securely locked in place It is recommended that the radio antenna be connected to the radio prior to applying power to the radio although failing to do so will not cause any harm to the equipment Attach GPS Antenna...

Page 256: ...o the Backpack Now that the Communication and Power Modules are connected the GPS Receiver Module can be mounted to the backpack Make sure the receiver is securely mounted to the backpack Attach Range Pole RF Adapter Module Attach the Range Pole RF Adapter Module directly to the survey pole The Pole RF Adapter screws onto the survey pole and provides an interface for the GPS UHF cable coming from ...

Page 257: ...ause of the design of the Z Max System the HI can always be a constant This helps you completely eliminate antenna measurement error To compute the HI with a fixed height survey pole simply add the height of the pole and the height of the components on the pole to get the total HI Power Up Rover System Power up the system by pressing the power button on the front panel of the GPS Receiver Module T...

Page 258: ... the data link depends which data link you are using a UHF radio or a GSM modem Either task can be accomplished using the Front Panel User Interface or the Field Application software on the handheld computer Thales U Link and PDL Radio The radios have several parameters that must be configured While most of the parameters apply to both the Thales and the PDL radios there are some differences that ...

Page 259: ...t must be configured before the modem can be used Set up the GSM modem by performing the following steps 1 Set the GSM mode Set this parameter to AUTO if you want to automatically dial the base modem or MANUAL to manually dial the base modem 2 Set the GSM band BAND The band parameter sets the operable frequency band In general set this parameter to 1900 in North America or 900 1800 elsewhere but v...

Page 260: ...mplished by either using the Power SV LED on the front panel of the receiver or by using the Field Application software Determine if the data link is receiving data as indicated by the COMMUNICATION LED on the front panel of the receiver the second LED from the left This LED should flash green every time the rover receives a packet of good quality data The system is now functioning as an RTK rover...

Page 261: ... the pole mounted configuration all components of the rover system are mounted on the pole removing the need for a backpack Figure 4 7 shows the pole mounted configuration Figure 4 6 Backpack Rover System Ready to Survey G3 book Page 238 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 262: ...RTK Survey Preparation 239 System Guide to RTK Surveying Figure 4 7 Pole Mounted Rover System Ready to Survey G3 book Page 239 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 263: ...240 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 240 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 264: ...rocess will help ensure a successful RTK survey Prior to initialization the rover system will compute positions at a degraded level of accuracy The accuracy prior to initialization could be anywhere from 0 15 meters 0 5 ft to several meters The initialization process is required to maximize the accuracy of the rover system Once initialized the rover system will function at its specified level of a...

Page 265: ...e rover receiver remains locked on at least 4 satellites If at any time after initialization the rover receiver does not maintain lock on at least 4 satellites initialization will be lost and the rover system will automatically execute the initialization process again Receiver initialization is most crucial when you are ready to store the position of a point of interest or about to stake out a poi...

Page 266: ...eled and an accurate antenna HI has been measured A precise base station position has been entered into the base receiver along with the antenna height information The base data link UHF radio or GSM modem has been configured and is transmitting base station data to the rover The rover receiver is either pole mounted or backpack mounted and is configured as an RTK rover The rover data link UHF rad...

Page 267: ...r see the Field Application software manual AUTO POINT RTK SURVEY Auto Point surveys are used when you have a series of closely related sites that you wish to survey for the same period of time In Auto Point RTK a Time To Stay parameter is set in seconds The receiver will collect data at each point for the duration of the Time To Stay parameter After data collection has stopped the SITE ID automat...

Page 268: ...ROVER submenu Enter the ANT HT submenu and input the accurate vertical antenna height from the mark to the GPS Antenna Module This parameter will stay constant for the duration of the survey 3 Enter the Site ID The Site ID submenu is in the 3rd level of the SURVEY RTK ROVER menu To access the 3rd level display the LOGGING submenu and press the ENTER key Select AUTO POINT and press the ENTER key En...

Page 269: ...TRAJECTORY RTK SURVEY Trajectory surveys are used for setting stakeouts or other surveys where data is collected at fixed distance intervals In Trajectory RTK surveys a Distance Interval parameter is set in meters As you traverse across the site the receiver will monitor the distance covered and log data at each interval set in the Distance Interval parameter You can also collect trajectory data a...

Page 270: ...ue of 1 second of less If the Distance Interval is set to 0 meters set the Recording Interval to the desired time interval between RTK position logging for the trajectory Trajectory Survey Execution 1 Move the rover system to the start of the trajectory Verify that the RTK SOLUTION LED is blinking green the system is initialized 2 Enter the antenna height Access the SURVEY RTK ROVER submenu and us...

Page 271: ...MODE is displayed Verify that the mode is MODE RTK ROVER If it is not press the ENTER key and select RTK ROVER 2 Set the positioning algorithm From the SURVCONF menu access the POSITIONING submenu Select the desired RTK positioning algorithm COARSE will output Fast RTK positions FINE will output synchronized RTK positions Either type is acceptable The default is COARSE To change this parameter pre...

Page 272: ...inking green 6 Stop data logging When enough data has been collected at this point use the UP DOWN keys until the STOP function is displayed Press the ENTER key and the query Stop data logging will appear on the display Press ENTER to confirm 7 Move to next point Move to the next point to be surveyed and repeat steps 3 6 Continue to occupy and monitor each point until all points in the survey have...

Page 273: ...ve the SD card from the SD card slot in the receiver to the SD card reader in the PC 2 From the PC run GNSS Studio software 3 If a project has not already been created create a project This project should be open 4 From the Project menu select Download Data from External Device 5 Select Raw Data from the list on the left This will open the Download utility and the Download main window appears The ...

Page 274: ...cates the status of the download The files on the SD card will not be erased after download is complete If you need instructions on how to remove the SD card from the receiver refer to Chapter 3 Getting Started Step 4 G3 book Page 251 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 275: ...252 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 252 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 276: ...s encountered in preparing the Z Max system to perform a survey If the steps outlined in this troubleshooting section fail to get you up and operational there is a good chance that a component in your system has failed In such an event contact your local Thales Navigation dealer or Thales Navigation technical support for assistance Explain the steps you have taken to attempt to remedy the problem ...

Page 277: ...ellites Follow the outline below to determine the cause of this problem Step 1 Is the GPS receiver powered up To determine if the receiver is powered up examine the power LED on the front panel of the receiver If the LED is on red or green the receiver is on Receiver not powered up 1 Turn on the receiver Press and hold the power switch on the left side of the Z Max front panel The button must be h...

Page 278: ...Antenna Module into the antenna receptacle at the top of the GPS Receiver Module Make sure the base of the Antenna Module is oriented so that the flattened area is lined up with the flattened area of the receptacle and the module will easily slide into place b Once in place twist the threaded collar on the Antenna Module until the antenna is securely locked in place c Once connected give the GPS r...

Page 279: ...em Step 1 Is the base radio powered up To determine if the base radio is on examine the power LED on the front panel of the radio If the LED is on green or red steady or flashing the radio is on Note that the Thales radio does not have an LED Base radio is not powered up 1 Both the Thales and the PDL radios automatically turn on once power is applied a If using one of the UHF radios power is suppl...

Page 280: ...ted to receiver 1 Connect the base radio to the GPS receiver 2 On the back panel of the Z Max connect the radio cable to port B 3 Connect the radio cable to the radio connector labeled DATA PWR or SERIAL Radio connected to receiver 1 Ensure proper connection 2 Ensure that the radio cable is connected to port B on the back panel of the receiver 3 Ensure the connection between the receiver and the r...

Page 281: ...Receiver set Go to step 5 below Step 5 Base coordinates entered correctly into base receiver The base GPS receiver compares the position it computes for its location to the position entered by the user as the base position If the two sets of coordinates differ by more than 500 meters the base receiver will not output RTK base data Use the field application software or the front panel of the Z Max ...

Page 282: ...cation cable If you have another radio to try swap in the new radio and see if it makes a difference Otherwise contact your local dealer or Thales Navigation technical support for assistance Your base GPS receiver may be malfunctioning Follow these steps to determine if the base receiver is the problem 1 Replace the base GPS receiver with rover GPS receiver 2 Follow the steps outlined above to set...

Page 283: ...at on the base system Refer to the base system troubleshooting section above for details Radio Not Receiving Data Transmitted By Base The base GPS receiver by default is set to send data to the base radio once every second The base radio will transmit this data immediately upon receiving it Therefore the rover radio should be receiving data from the base once every second The receive LED on the fr...

Page 284: ... base The rover radio must be set to the same frequency as the base radio in order for the rover to receive transmissions from the base Use the field application software running on the handheld computer to determine on which frequency the base and rover radios are set Radio not set to same frequency as base Use the field application software or the front panel display to set the frequency of the ...

Page 285: ...ve closer to the base system or move the base system closer to you Within range specifications Move closer to the base receiver to test the system Since radio range is difficult to predict due the varying effects of local conditions try moving closer to the base in an attempt to resolve the problem If by moving closer you find that the rover radio begins to receive data the previous location is ou...

Page 286: ...earby or very high powered radio The disadvantage of lowering the sensitivity is a reduction in the range of your radio system A lower sensitivity at the rover may cause the rover to not hear the base transmissions as the rover moves farther away from the base 2 Try another frequency If you are licensed to operate on more than one frequency move to a different frequency in hopes that the new frequ...

Page 287: ...ove to troubleshoot this problem Receiving data Go to step 2 below Step 2 Is the Communication Module connected to the GPS receiver The rover radio in the Communication Module must send the base satellite data it receives to the rover GPS receiver in order for the rover receiver to compute a position For this to happen the Communication Module the connection between the Communication Module and th...

Page 288: ...e handheld computer to determine if the rover receiver is tracking satellites Not tracking satellites See GPS Receiver Does Not Track Satellites on page 254 to troubleshoot this problem Tracking satellites Go to step 5 below Step 5 Are base and rover tracking at least 4 common satellites In order for the rover system to compute an RTK position the base and rover receivers must observe data from at...

Page 289: ...ties Using the field application software you find that the rover is computing a position but the uncertainties HRMS VRMS assigned to the position are unacceptably high Follow the steps outlined below to troubleshoot this problem Step 1 Is the GPS receiver set to function as an RTK rover The rover GPS receiver must be set to function in RTK rover mode in order for it to compute accurate RTK positi...

Page 290: ...t least 5 healthy satellites are available d If not you will need to perform your survey at another time e Go to step 3 below if the problem is not yet resolved 2 Move base or rover if sites have satellite obstructions a If your base or rover site has any obstructions higher than 15 above the horizon the obstructions may be blocking essential satellites If obstructions exist at the base or rover m...

Page 291: ... may not be suitable to meet your precision needs due to the adverse effect on satellite geometry Step 4 Precision requirements too stringent for RTK If the RTK system is not delivering the precision requirements you need for your specific task it is possible that your precision requirements are too stringent for the RTK system Review your system documentation to determine the precision specificat...

Page 292: ... has one connector for external power External power is supplied through a 3 pin Fischer connector Figure A 1 This connector also provides one pin for a boot signal Table A 1 Figure A 1 Power Receptacle Front View Table A 1 Power Connector Pinouts Pin Number Signal Name Description 1 GND External Power Ground 2 VEXT External Power Input 9 28V DC 3 Reserved Leave unconnected G3 book Page 269 Saturd...

Page 293: ... at the same time Figure A 2 shows the pin layout for Serial A and Serial B Table A 2 and Table A 3 show the pinout descriptions Note that the pinout descriptions will be depend on if the port is configured as an RS 232 or RS 422 Figure A 2 Serial Port Pin Layout Table A 2 Pinout of Serial Port A Pin Signal Description 1 12V DC voltage 12V 2 GND Ground 3 CTSA Serial port A clear to send 4 RTSA Ser...

Page 294: ... RX Serial port B clear to send RS422 inverting input 4 RTSB TX Serial port B request to send RS422 non inverting output 5 RXDB RX Serial port B receive data RS422 non inverting input 6 TXDB TX Serial port B transmit data RS422 inverting output 7 EVENT Event marker input Table A 4 Pinout of USB Connector Pin Signal Description 1 VBus USB bus power input powers the USB transceiver 2 D D line 3 D D ...

Page 295: ...272 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 272 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 296: ... Panel Default Antenna offsets SURVEY mode 0 0 Base station position SURVEY mode n a Baud rate SETTINGS 9600 Beep setting SETTINGS ON Close session SESSIONS n a Data recording output interval SURVCONV 20 0 Delete files SESSIONS n a Elevation mask SURVCONF 10 Epoch counter SURVCONF 0 Memory reset SETTINGS n a Minimum number of satellites for data recording output SURVCONF 3 Minimum number of satell...

Page 297: ...274 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 274 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 298: ...reader attached to your PC an SD card containing the new firmware file can be purchased from Thales Navigation Technical Support Step 2 Insert the SD Card into the Receiver With the receiver powered off insert the SD card containing the new firmware file in to the SD card slot of the GPS Receiver Module If the SD card slot in the receiver contains an SD card for recording data remove the data SD c...

Page 299: ...he SD card the receiver will start the upgrade Go to Step 5 If the firmware file is not found on the SD card the front panel display will show the message No firmware to upgrade and all 4 indicator LEDs will blink red Power cycle the receiver to clear this state and then insert an SD card with valid firmware If the firmware file is corrupted the front panel display will show the message Bad image ...

Page 300: ...epeat steps 4 and 5 If after one or two attempts this problem continues contact Technical Support Step 6 Verify the New Version Verify that the correct version of firmware was loaded by going to the SYSINFO VER submenu on the front panel display If the new version is correct then the firmware upload is complete Repeat Steps 2 6 for all other receivers in your possession Once all receivers are upgr...

Page 301: ...278 Z Max Surveying System Operation and Applications Manual G3 book Page 278 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 302: ...ernational 800 Number 800 229 2400 US only Direct Dial 408 615 3980 Switchboard 408 615 5100 FAX Line 408 615 5200 e mail support thalesnavigation com Internet http www thalesnavigation com Nantes France For Europe Middle East and Africa plus International Direct Dial 33 2 2809 3934 Switchboard 33 2 2809 3800 e mail technical thalesnavigation com Internet http www thalesnavigation com When contact...

Page 303: ...tions Manual Also visit the Thales Navigation ftp site at ftp ftp thalesnavigation com for updates to current firmware software product release notices PDF versions of manuals training materials and FAQs G3 book Page 280 Saturday May 24 2003 12 52 PM ...

Page 304: ... DBEN 7 64 220 differential corrections 6 Dilution of Precision DOP 125 267 DSNP 64 E E file 80 249 INDEX elevation mask 52 53 54 60 61 62 65 79 128 130 ephemeris 14 ephemeris data 80 epoch counter 61 137 event marker data 80 external communication 160 power port 17 power source 20 F fast CPD 218 FCC 4 165 feature code definition 160 field application software 24 finalizing a survey 160 fine posit...

Page 305: ...220 RTCM 104 version 2 3 6 7 run time 171 S satellite availability 125 satellite geometry 125 267 save user parameters 273 SD memory 3 SD memory card 4 6 11 13 14 16 160 163 241 249 250 security 168 service provider 24 167 session file 249 set receiver parameters 13 set up account 167 S file 80 249 SIM card 25 168 site data 80 site ID 51 57 89 129 137 144 220 229 249 stakeout point definition 160 ...

Page 306: ...34 56 47 In China 86 10 6566 9866 Fax 86 10 6566 0246 European Headquarters Carquefou France 33 2 28 09 38 00 Fax 33 2 28 09 39 39 Email professionalsalesemea thalesnavigation com In Germany 49 81 6564 7930 Fax 49 81 6564 7950 In Russia 7 095 956 5400 Fax 7 095 956 5360 In UK 44 870 601 0000 Fax 44 208 391 1672 In the Netherlands 31 78 61 57 988 Fax 31 78 61 52 027 Web site www thalesnavigation co...

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