SparkPNT RTK Facet mosaic L-Band

Designed and manufactured in Boulder, Colorado, USA, and utilizing the multi-band mosaic-X5 from Septentrio, the SparkPNT RTK Facet mosaic L-Band is the top-of-the-line receiver for high-precision geolocation and surveying needs. It’s incredibly easy for basic users to get up and running; for advanced users, the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band is a flexible and powerful tool. With just the press of a button, the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band is the fastest way to take centimeter-grade measurements. With built-in corrections, 6mm Real Time Kinematic fixes are less than a minute away. Connecting your phone to the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band over Bluetooth® lets your phone or tablet receive the NMEA output and work with most GIS software programs. This is exactly how $10,000 surveying devices have been operating for the past decade - Sparkfun just made it faster, more precise, and much more economical.

The RTK Facet mosaic L-Band utilizes corrections from u-blox's PointPerfect service broadcast from a geosynchronous Inmarsat satellite. The only setup required is a WiFi SSID and password. Once entered, the device will provision itself and periodically (once a month) update the decryption keys necessary to use the PointPerfect service. This service requires an additional monthly subscription fee. Please see this page for more details.

Under the SparkPNT RTK Facet mosaic L-Band hood is an ESP32 WROOM connected to a mosaic-X5 GNSS multi-band receiver and various peripheral hardware (LiPo fuel gauge, microSD, etc.). Additionally, housed under the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band dome is a surveyor grade L1/L2/L5-Band antenna. This antenna combines elements designed to receive the GNSS signals (L1/L2/L5) alongside the 1.55GHz PointPerfect corrections. The RTK Facet mosaic L-Band is programmed in Arduino and can be tailored by you to fit whatever your needs may be.

This device can be used in a variety of modes:

• GNSS Positioning (~40cm accuracy) - also known as Rover
• GNSS Positioning with RTK L-Band (3cm to 6cm accuracy) - also known as Rover with L-Band RTK Fix
• GNSS Positioning with RTK (6mm accuracy) - also known as Rover with RTK Fix
• GNSS Base Station
• GNSS Base Station NTRIP Server

At Power On, the device will enter Rover or Base mode, whichever state the device was in at the last power down. When the POWER/SETUP button is pressed momentarily, a menu is presented to change the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band from Rover to Base mode or vice-versa. The display will indicate the change with a small car (Rover) or flag (Base) icon.

In Rover mode, the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band will check if WiFi is available and update any L-Band keys needed (keys expire every 56 days). The device will automatically begin receiving and decrypting position correction data. Simultaneously, the RTK L-Band will receive L1, L2, and L5 GNSS signals from the four constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou). The device will calculate the position based on GNSS and correction signals. The receiver will quickly (within 60 seconds) obtain an RTK float and then fix it. Like a standard-grade GPS receiver, the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band will output industry-standard NMEA sentences at 2Hz and broadcast them to any paired Bluetooth® device. The end user will need to parse the NMEA sentences using commonly available mobile apps, GIS products, or embedded devices (there are many open-source libraries). Unlike standard-grade GPS receivers with 2500mm accuracy, the accuracy in this mode is approximately 6 to 60mm horizontal positional accuracy.

If the device is in Rover mode but L-Band is unavailable, regular RTCM-based RTK is still possible. When RTCM correction data is sent over Bluetooth®, or into the radio port, the device will automatically enter Positioning with RTK mode. In this mode, the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band will receive the antenna's L1/L2/L5 signals and correction data from a base station. The receiver will quickly (within a second) obtain an RTK float and then fix it. The NMEA sentences will have increased accuracy of 6mm horizontal and 10mm vertical. The RTCM correction data is most easily obtained over the Internet using a free app on your phone (see our SW Maps (Android/iOS) or Lefebure NTRIP instructions) and sent over Bluetooth® to the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band. However, RTCM correction data can also be received over an external cellular or radio link from a 2nd RTK Facet, Surveyor, Express, etc., set up as a base station.

In Base mode, the device will enter Base Station mode. This is used when the device is mounted to a fixed position (like a tripod or roof). The RTK Facet mosaic L-Band will initiate a survey. After 60 to 120 seconds, the survey will be complete, and the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band will begin transmitting RTCM correction data out of the radio port. A base is often used with a second RTK Facet mosaic L-Band (or RTK Torch, Postcard, etc) unit set to Rover to obtain the 6mm accuracy. Similarly, the Base sits still and sends correction data to the Rover so that the Rover can output accurate position data for its location.

In addition to supplying position data, the RTK Facet mosaic L-Band can log NMEA and RINEX for post-processing, making it ideal for research and advanced positioning applications.

The RTK Facet mosaic L-Band is an open-source hardware product, meaning you can fully obtain, see, and modify the electrical and mechanical design files. This allows for easier maintenance and repair over time.

The SparkPNT RTK Facet mosaic L-Band kit includes everything you need: the enclosed device, thread adapter, charger, data cables, and carrying case.

Important: The SparkPNT RTK Facet mosaic L-Band is not designed for permanent outdoor mounting. Please use theRTK mosaic-X5or theRTK Reference Stationthat is located inside or protected from the elements. Or, for a DIY solution, the ESP32 attached to ourZED-F9P breakoutis a great way to go. See ourHow to Build a DIY GNSS Reference Station tutorialfor more information.

Features & Specs