GPS Information                                   GIS Maps

This page: GPS - quick and easy

Our GPS equipment - hardware and software
Links to daily satellite availability
Getting started: The absolute minimum to collect data.

 
GPS - How to do it all:
Mission Planning, Almanac file naming conventions,   and Downloading an almanac file
What to try when the GPS doesn't work
Getting data from the Ranger into AutoCAD 

Space Vehicle Availability for the Iowa City Area
(in .pdf format)         Get Acrobat Reader
The right axis in the charts shows the number of satellites available. The left axis shows the Positional Dilution of Precision -- a value of two or less is desirable, but the Ranger will tell you if the reading is acceptable by going from "floating" to "fixed" and having horizontal and vertical accuracy estimates of 0.02 and 0.03 respectively.

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GPS Equipment        
After evaluating quotes for Leica, Trimble, and Ashtech GPS equipment and training, The University selected Ashtech and awarded the contract to Aerial Services Inc. of Cedar Falls, Iowa.
 Hardware:
  • GPS base station: Pacific Crest radio and Ashtech Z-xtreme (shared by University of Iowa, Coralville, and Iowa City) 
  • Rover all-on pole setup: Ashtech Z-Xtreme receiver, Total Data Station Ranger handheld data receiver

    • Software: 
  • Ranger: Windows CE &Total Data Stations (TDS)Survey Pro;
  • Office Computer: TDS Survey Link, Ashtech Solutions, and AutoCAD
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