Novatel GPStation-6 User Manual

GPStation-6™

GNSS Ionospheric Scintillation

and TEC Monitor (GISTM)

Receiver

User Manual

OM-20000132 Rev 2 November 2012

2 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Proprietary Notice

GPStation-6 Receiver User Manual

Publication Number: OM-20000132
Revision Level: Rev 2
Revision Date: 2012/11/29

This manual reflects GPStation-6 Firmware Version 6.2

To download the latest firmware and/or software visit:

http://www.novatel.com/firmware.

Warranty

NovAtel Inc. warrants that its GNSS products are free from defects in materials and workmanship, subject to the
conditions set forth on our web site:

http://www.novatel.com/products/warranty/.

GPStation-6 Unit One (1) Year
GPSAntenna Series One (1) Year

Cables and Accessories Ninety (90) Days

Software Warranty One (1) Year

Return Instructions

To return products, refer to the instructions found under the Return Tab on the Warranty page at http://

www.novatel.com/products/warranty/.

Proprietary Notice

Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment
on the part of NovAtel Inc. The software described in this document is furnished under a licence
agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with
the terms of the agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as
specifically allowed in the license or non-disclosure agreement.

No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written
permission of a duly authorized representative of NovAtel Inc.

The information contained within this manual is believed to be true and correct at the time of
publication.

GPStation and NovAtel are registered trademarks of NovAtel Inc.

OEM628, GPStation-6 and NovAtel Connect are trademarks of NovAtel Inc.

All other product or brand names are trademarks of their respective holders.

Manufactured and protected under U.S. patents. Refer to the NovAtel Patent Notice card enclosed
with the GPStation-6.

© Copyright 2012 NovAtel Inc. All rights reserved. Unpublished rights reserved under International

copyright laws.

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 3

Table of Contents

Proprietary Notice 2
Customer Support 7
Notices 8
Introduction 12
1 Installation 15

1.1 Required Equipment ................................................................................................................15

1.1.1 Included Equipment.......................................................................................................15

1.1.2 Additional Equipment.....................................................................................................15

1.1.3 Selecting an Antenna ....................................................................................................15

1.1.4 Choosing a Coaxial Cable for the Antenna ...................................................................16

1.1.5 Power Supply Requirements .........................................................................................16

1.2 Installation Overview................................................................................................................17

1.2.1 Mounting the Antenna ...................................................................................................17

1.2.2 Connecting the Antenna to the Receiver.......................................................................18

1.2.3 Applying Power to the Receiver ....................................................................................18

1.2.4 Connecting Data Communications Equipment ..............................................................18

1.3 Additional Features and Information........................................................................................19

1.3.1 Status Indicators............................................................................................................20

1.3.2 10 MHz Oscillator .......................................................................................................... 20

1.3.3 Mounting Bracket...........................................................................................................20

2 Operation 21

2.1 Pre-Start Checklist................................................................................................................... 21

2.2 Start-Up ...................................................................................................................................21

2.3 Communicating with the GPStation-6......................................................................................21

2.4 Getting Started......................................................................................................................... 22

2.5 NovAtel Connect™ .................................................................................................................. 22

2.6 NovAtel SLOG Utility ...............................................................................................................24

2.7 TEC Calibration .......................................................................................................................25

2.7.1 What is TEC? ................................................................................................................25

2.7.2 How does TEC affect GNSS? .......................................................................................25

2.7.3 Bias in TEC Measurements........................................................................................... 26

2.7.4 Determine Time of Day for Calibration ..........................................................................26

2.7.5 Use GPStation-6 Auto Calibration Feature....................................................................26

2.7.6 Apply Autocalibration Values to the Receiver................................................................27

2.8 Data Parsing Utilities ............................................................................................................... 27

2.8.1 PARSEREDUCED.exe..................................................................................................28

2.8.2 PARSERAW.exe ...........................................................................................................28

2.9 GISTM Data Processing ..........................................................................................................29

2.10 Additional Features for Real-time Operation .........................................................................29

2.10.1 Controlling the Signal and Satellite Systems...............................................................29

4 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

3 Messages 30

3.1 Message Types........................................................................................................................30

3.2 Abbreviated ASCII ...................................................................................................................32

3.3 ASCII........................................................................................................................................33

3.3.1 Binary.............................................................................................................................34

3.4 Responses ...............................................................................................................................40

3.4.1 Abbreviated Response ..................................................................................................40

3.4.2 ASCII Response ............................................................................................................40

3.4.3 Binary Response ...........................................................................................................40

3.4.4 32-Bit CRC.....................................................................................................................43

4 Commands 46

4.1 Using a Command ...................................................................................................................46

4.2 GISTM Specific Commands.....................................................................................................46

4.2.1 Listing of GISTM Commands.........................................................................................46

4.2.2 CLOCKADJUST Enables clock adjustments.................................................................48

4.2.3 ISMBANDWIDTH Controls detrending filter bandwidth .................................................49

4.2.4 ISMCALIBRATE Setup a TEC self-calibration...............................................................50

4.2.5 ISMSIGNALCONTROL Controls GISTM log output......................................................51

4.2.6 ISMTECCALIBRATION Set TEC calibration value........................................................53

4.2.7 PLLBANDWIDTH Set the phase lock loop bandwidth...................................................54

4.2.8 SETDIFFCODEBIASES Sets satellite differential code biases .....................................56

5 Logs 57

5.1 Log Types ................................................................................................................................57

5.1.1 Listing of GISTM Specific Logs......................................................................................57

5.1.2 ISMDETOBS Detrended phase and amplitude measurements.....................................59

5.1.3 ISMRAWOBS Raw phase and amplitude measurement...............................................62

5.1.4 ISMRAWTEC Raw TEC measurements........................................................................64

5.1.5 ISMREDOBS Reduced phase and amplitude measurements.......................................66

5.1.6 ISMREDTEC Reduced TEC measurements .................................................................69

5.1.7 ISMCALIBRATIONSTATUS TEC self-calibration status ...............................................71

6 Technical Specifications 73

6.1 GPStation-6 Enclosure ...........................................................................................................73

6.2 Port Pin-Outs ...........................................................................................................................76

6.2.1 Cables............................................................................................................................77

6.2.2 USB Serial Cable (NovAtel part number 01017664) .....................................................80

6.3 Mounting Bracket Dimensions .................................................................................................81

Troubleshooting 82
Index 87

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 5

List of Figures

Figure1 Primary and Secondary Lightning Protection ............................................ 10

Figure2 GPStation-6 Enclosure .............................................................................. 12

Figure3 Typical Receiver Installation ...................................................................... 17

Figure4 Ionospheric TEC Characterized ................................................................ 25

Figure5 TEC Before and After Example ................................................................. 26

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 6

List of Tables

Table 1 Status Indicators (RS232)................................................................................. 20

Table 2 Field Types .......................................................................................................31

Table 3 Byte Arrangements ...........................................................................................32

Table 4 ASCII Message Header Structure..................................................................... 34

Table 5 Binary Message Header Structure.................................................................... 36

Table 6 Detailed Port Identifier ......................................................................................38

Table 7 Binary Message Response Structure ...............................................................41

Table 8 Binary Message Sequence ...............................................................................42

Table 9 GISTM Commands ...........................................................................................47

Table 10 Legacy GSV4004B Commands ........................................................................47

Table 11 Signal Type .......................................................................................................52

Table 12 Signal Combination Code .................................................................................53

Table 13 PLL Aiding Parameters .....................................................................................55

Table 14 Log Type Triggers............................................................................................. 57

Table 15 GISTM Logs......................................................................................................57

Table 16 Legacy GSV4004B Logs................................................................................... 58

Table 17 Satellite System ................................................................................................61

Table 18 Signal Mapping for Satellite Systems ...............................................................61

Table 19 Power and ADR Bit Field Description ...............................................................61

Table 20 Signal Combination Type.................................................................................. 72

Table 21 Serial Port Pin-Out Descriptions .......................................................................76

Table 22 I/O Port Pin-Out Descriptions............................................................................ 76

Table 23 Troubleshooting Based on Symptoms ..............................................................82

Table 24 Resolving a Receiver Error Word .....................................................................83

Table 25 Resolving an Error in the Receiver Status Word ..............................................84

Table 26 Resolving an Error in the AUX1 Status Word ...................................................86

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 7

Customer Support

Customer Support

NovAtel Knowledge Base

If you have a technical issue, visit http://www.novatel.com/support/. You can search for general information

about GNSS and other technologies, information about NovAtel hardware and software and installation and
operation issues.

Before Contacting Customer Support

Before contacting NovAtel Customer Support about a software problem, perform the following steps:

1. Log the following data to a file on your computer for 15 minutes:

RXSTATUSB once
RAWEPHEMB onchanged
RANGECMPB ontime 1
BESTPOSB ontime 1
RXCONFIGA once
VERSIONA once

2. Send the file containing the logs to NovAtel Customer Support at ftp.novatel.com/incoming

or

through [e-mail]

.

3. You can also issue a FRESET command to the receiver to clear any unknown settings.

If you have a hardware problem, send a list of the troubleshooting steps taken and results.

Contact Information

Use one of the following methods to contact NovAtel Customer Support:

The FRESET command erases all user settings. Before you issue the FRESET
command, record the receiver’s settings so that you can reconfigure the receiver.

Call the NovAtel Hotline at 1-800-NOVATEL (U.S. and Canada) (1-800-668-2835)

or [phone] (international)

Fax: [phone]

E-mail:

[e-mail]

Web site: http://www.novatel.com

Write: NovAtel Inc.

Customer Support Department
1120 - 68 Avenue NE
Calgary, AB Canada, T2E 8S5

8 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Notices

The following notices apply to GPStation-6.

FCC Notices

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this
device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.

GPStation-6 has been tested and found to comply with the radiated and conducted emission limits for a Class B
digital device. The Class B limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation.

The equipment listed generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver

• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help

Industry Canada

GPStation-6 Class B digital apparatus comply with Canadian ICES-003.
GPStation-6 appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

CE Marking

The GPStation-6 carries the CE mark.

Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by NovAtel Inc.
could result in violation of FCC, Industry Canada and CE Marking rules and void
the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

To maintain compliance with the limits of a Class B digital device, you must use properly
shielded interface cables (such as Belden #9539 or equivalent) when using the serial data
ports, and double-shielded cables (such as Belden #9945 or equivalent) when using the
I/O strobe port.

Notices

9 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Notices

WEEE

If you purchased your GPStation-6 in Europe, please return it to your dealer or supplier at the end of its life. The
objectives of the European Community's environment policy are, in particular, to preserve, protect and improve
the quality of the environment, protect human health and utilise natural resources prudently and rationally.
Sustainable development advocates the reduction of wasteful consumption of natural resources and the
prevention of pollution. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is a regulated area. Where the
generation of waste cannot be avoided, it should be reused or recovered for its material or energy. WEEE

products may be recognized by their wheeled bin label ( ).

1

RoHS

The GPStation-6 is classified as an Industrial Monitoring and Control Instrument and is currently out of scope of
EU RoHS (2002/95/ED). Industrial monitoring and control instruments enter into the scope of EU RoHS Recast
(2011/65/EU) on July 22, 2017.

Lightning Protection Installation and Grounding
Procedure

What is the hazard?

A lightning strike into the ground causes an increase in the earth's potential which results in a high
voltage potential between the centre conductor and shield of the coaxial cable. This high voltage
develops because the voltage surge induced onto the centre conductor lags in time behind the voltage
surge induced onto the shield.

Hazard Impact

A lightning strike causes the ground potential in the area to rise to dangerous levels resulting in harm
to personnel or destruction of electronic equipment in an unprotected environment. It also conducts a
portion of the strike energy down the inner conductor of the coax cable to the connected equipment.

Actions to Mitigate Lightning Hazards

1. Do not install antennas or antenna coaxial cables outside the building during a lightning storm.

2. It is not possible to avoid over-voltages caused by lightning, but a lightning protection device
may be used to shunt a large portion of the transient energy to the building ground reducing the
over-voltage condition as quickly as possible.

3. Primary lightning protection must be provided by the operator/customer according to local
building codes as part of the extra-building installation.

1. See www.novatel.com | Products | WEEE and RoHS for more information.

Only qualified personnel, electricians as mandated by the governing body in the country of
installation, may install lightning protection devices.

Notices

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 10

4. To ensure compliance with clause 7 "Connection to Cable Distribution Systems" of EN 60950-1,

Safety for Information Technology Equipment, a secondary lightning protection device must be
used for in-building equipment installations with external antennas. The following device has
been approved by NovAtel Inc.:

Polyphaser - Surge Arrestor DGXZ+24NFNF-A

If this device is not chosen as the primary lightning protection device, the device chosen must
meet the following requirements:

• UL listed, or equivalent, in country of installation (for example, TUV, VDE and so
on) for lightning surge protection

• The primary device must be capable of limiting an incoming surge to 10 kV

5. The shield of the coaxial cable entering the building should be connected at a grounding plate at
the building's entrance. The lightning protection devices should have their chassis grounded to
the same ground near to the building's entrance.

6. The primary and secondary lightning protections should be as close to the building's entrance as
possible. Where feasible they should be mounted onto the grounding plate itself. See also
Figure 1 on Page 10.

Figure 1: Primary and Secondary Lightning Protection

Ref # Description Ref # Description

1 Primary lightning protection device 4 GNSS Receiver
2 Secondary lightning protection

device

5 To ground

3 External antenna 6 Grounding plate or grounding point

at the building’s entrance

11 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Notices

These installation instructions are the minimum requirements for receiver and antenna installations.
Where applicable, follow the electrical codes for the country of installation. Examples of country
codes include:

• USA National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)

• Canada Canadian Electrical Code (CSA C22)

• UK British Standards Institute (BSI 7671)

Acceptable choices for Earth Grounds, for central buildings, are:

• Grounded interior metal cold water pipe within five feet (1.5 m) of the point
where it enters the building

• Grounded metallic service raceway

• Grounded electrical service equipment enclosure

• Eight-foot grounding rod driven into the ground (only if bonded to the central
building ground by #6, or heavier, bonding wire)

12 GPStation- 6 User Manual Rev 2

NovAtel’s GPStation-6 technology combines a rugged enclosure with an ultra-low phase noise OCXO
and advanced OEM628 receiver, providing a modernized GNSS Ionospheric Scintillation and TEC
Monitor (GISTM) receiver. The GPStation-6 provides advanced ionospheric monitoring capabilities,
using a future proof platform, supporting an array of ionospheric monitoring and space weather
applications with the GNSS signals of today and tomorrow.

Figure 2: GPStation-6 Enclosure

With the 120-channel multi-constellation, multi-frequency OEM628 measurement engine at its core,
the GPStation-6 takes advantage of NovAtel’s industry leading signal tracking and positioning
performance to deliver the channel capacity and signal tracking capabilities to support all current and
planned GNSS signals for the foreseeable future. The OEM628 receiver software is updated to
provide advanced GISTM algorithms for Ionospheric Scintillation Monitoring (ISM) and Total
Electron Content (TEC) measurements for all tracked signals. Depending on the GPStation-6 model
purchased, ISM and TEC measurements are output for a combination of the following GNSS
constellations and signal types:

GPS L1-C/A, L2-P(Y), L2C, L5; GLONASS L1, L2; Galileo E1, E5a, E5b, AltBOC; SBAS

L1, L5; COMPASS; QZSS

With the ability to upgrade the GPStation-6 firmware in the field, additional signal support can be
purchased as new signals become available.

As a result of this specialized integration of advanced hardware and software, the GPStation-6
provides a unique platform to support local monitoring of ionospheric effects on GNSS. The receiver
outputs raw (or detrended) observation data once every second, which includes 50 Hz phase and
amplitude measurements and 1 Hz TEC measurements. The receiver also outputs extended summary
messages every 60 seconds that include additional information and calculations for each tracked
signal, including SV azimuth/elevation angle, C/N

0

, lock time, code-minus-carrier, calculations of

different amplitude scintillation (S

4

), phase scintillation (σф) and TEC statistics.

The wealth of data generated by the GPStation-6 GISTM receiver can be used to enable an array of
applications. For example:

• Raw high-rate data can be used to develop real-time local ionospheric monitoring applications,
where the primary goal may be to detect and report random ionosphere-induced disturbances in
support of signal integrity.

• Summary data can be used for near real-time applications to generate a local “map” of the
ionosphere, where the primary may be to providing ionospheric corrections (TEC delay,
scintillation) for local GNSS users.

Introduction

13 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Introduction

• A combination of raw and summary data may be used to study the diurnal and seasonal trends of
the ionosphere at a location of interest, in support of scientific research and long-term data
collection.

The GPStation-6 also includes a SW utility package to support control of receiver operations and data
post-processing. Custom data extraction utilities for processing the GPStation-6 GISTM logs are
included, and example C++ source code (.cpp files) is supplied to aid in users developing their own
extraction or processing code. Detailed descriptions of all of these various software utilities are
included on page 21.

System Components

The GPStation-6 GISTM system consists of the following components:

• GPStation-6 r eceiver. The enclosure houses a OEM628 GNSS receiver and an Oven-Controlled

Crystal Oscillator (OCXO)

• CD-ROM. Real time data collection, status monitoring, receiver configuration and post-

processing software utilities.

GISTM Receiver Heritage and the GSV4004B

Built on nearly 20 years of technological heritage and a collaborative partnership between NovAtel
Inc. and GPS Silicon Valley, the GPStation-6 is the next offering in a long line of GISTM receivers.
The GPStation-6 is a direct upgrade and product replacement for the GSV4004B GISTM receiver, a
product sold and supported by GPS Silicon Valley since 2004 (no longer commercially available). A
business partnership with GPS Silicon Valley continues via GPStation-6 consulting support.

The GPStation-6 combines the field proven enclosure design of the GSV4004B platform with
NovAtel Inc.’s future-proof OEM628 GNSS receiver. This combination of advanced technologies
allows NovAtel to bring to market a performance-proven, next generation GISTM receiver.

The GPStation-6 was designed to provide maximum backward compatibility for existing GSV4004B
customers. The enclosure communication interface and supporting software utilities will be familiar
to existing customers and legacy logs and commands have been carried forward as possible. Due to
fundamental changes between the OEM4 receiver used in the GSV4004B and the OEM628 receiver
used in the GPStation-6, certain legacy commands have been replaced with their OEM628
equivalents. The new commands and logs are defined in Chapter 4, Commands and Chapter 5, Logs
of this User Manual. Due to the required changes, special care should be taken when migrating
existing GSV4004B scripts and processing software.

What’s New from the GPStation-6

• GPS L2C/L5, SBAS L5, GLONASS L1/L2, Galileo E1/E5a/E5b/AltBOC, COMPASS, QZSS
support

•USB 2.0

• Higher speed RS-232 communications (up to 921,600 bps)

• New GPStation-6 commands and logs

Introduction

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 14

Prerequisites

Chapter 1, Installation and Chapter 2, Operation of this document provide information concerning the
installation requirements and considerations for the GPStation-6 receiver and supporting utilities. In
order to operate the GPStation-6 Software Utility toolkit, a Windows system is required. It should be
noted that the GPStation-6 receiver itself has no reliance on any operating system and that interface
and data processing software can be developed on a suitable processing platform.

15 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Chapter 1 Installation

Installation

This chapter contains instructions and tips to setup your NovAtel GPStation-6 receiver and create a GNSS
Ionospheric Scintillation and TEC Monitor (GISTM) receiver system.

1.1 Required Equipment

1.1.1 Included Equipment

The GPStation-6 package includes the following equipment for receiver operation:

• Null modem serial cable (x1)

• Straight through serial cable (x1)

• I/O strobe cable (x1)

• USB cable (x1)

• Power cable (x1)

1.1.2 Additional Equipment

In order for the receiver to operate, the following additional equipment is required:

• An interface for power, communications and other signals

• An antenna

• A quality coaxial cable (and interconnect adapter cable as necessary)

• Data communications equipment capable of serial and/or USB communications

• A power supply

1.1.3 Selecting an Antenna

The GPStation-6 receiver is offered in a variety of dual-frequency (L1/L2, L1/L5) or triple-frequency (L1/L2/L5)
configurations. Frequency support is controlled by firmware model, allowing for any purchased model of the
GPStation-6 receiver to be updated to triple-frequency in the field.

If the installation only requires L1/L2 signals, then a dual-frequency antenna may be selected. A triple-frequency
(L1/L2/L5) antenna is recommended for most GPStation-6 installations, given that L5 signals are already
available and expanding (GEO, GPS, Galileo). The following NovAtel antennas may be considered:

Refer to “Cables” on page 77 for details of each cable.

When the GPStation-6 receiver is installed in a permanent location, such as in a building, it
should be protected by a lightning protection device according to local building codes (refer to
“Lightning Protection Installation and Grounding Procedure” on page 9 for details). Also refer
to the “Warranty” on page 11.

Installation

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 16

Further information is available on the complete portfolio of antenna offerings by visiting the NovAtel web site

(www.novatel.com). Please contact your NovAtel dealer for pricing and purchasing information.

1.1.4 Choosing a Coaxial Cable for the Antenna

An appropriate coaxial cable is one matching the impedance of the antenna and receiver being used (50 ohms)
and whose line loss does not exceed 10.0 dB. If the limit is exceeded, excessive signal degradation occurs and the
receiver may not be able to meet its performance specifications. NovAtel offers a variety of coaxial cables to
meet your interconnection requirements, including:

• 5, 15, or 30 m RF cables with TNC male connectors on both ends (NovAtel part numbers C006, C016
and C032 respectively)

Contact your local NovAtel dealer for advice about your specific configuration. Should your application require a
cable longer than 30 m, refer to the NovAtel application note APN-003 RF Equipment Selection and Installation

at our web site http://www.novatel.com/support/knowledge-and-learning/published-papers-and-documents/

application-notes/or contact NovAtel Customer Service directly.

High-quality coaxial cables should be used because a mismatch in impedance, possible with lower quality cable,
produces reflections in the cable that increase signal loss. Though it is possible to use other high quality RF
cables, the performance specifications of the GPStation-6 receivers are warranted only when used with NovAtel­supplied accessories.

1.1.5 Power Supply Requirements

This section contains information on the requirements for the input power to the receiver. Refer to “Technical
Specifications” on page 73 for more power supply specifications.

The receiver is designed to prevent internal damage when subjected to a reverse polarity power connection. It
also provides protection from short over voltage events. Use appropriate fuses or current limiting as a safety
precaution on all power lines used. Use a sufficient gauge of wire to ensure the voltage at the connector is within
the requirements.

1.1.5.1 GPStation-6 Enclosure

The provided power cable and the accessory power adapter for the GPStation-6 is a 12 V power adapter with a
built-in slow-blow fuse for use with a standard 12 VDC power outlet.

If a different power supply is desired, the input range required is +11 to +18 VDC. The type of connector required
to mate with the receiver’s power connector is a 4-pin LEMO socket connector labeled PWR. The supply should
be capable of 12 W.

Dual-frequency: GPS-702-GG (PinwheelTM),

ANT-C2GA-TW-N (Choke Ring)

Triple-frequency: GPS-703-GGG

(Pinwheel

TM

), GNSS-750 (Choke Ring)

L1/L2, L1/L5 L1/L2/L5

If the supplied voltage drops below the minimum specification, the receiver suspends
operation. If the supplied voltage is above the maximum specification, the receiver may
sustain permanent damage and the Warranty becomes void (refer to the “Warranty” on page
11 for details).

17 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Installation

1.2 Installation Overview

Figure 3: Typical Receiver Installation

1.2.1 Mounting the Antenna

When installing an antenna:

• Mount the antenna on a secure, stable structure capable of safe operation in the specific environment

• Choose an antenna location with a clear view of the sky so that each satellite above the horizon can be
tracked without obstruction

• For optimal performance, select a low multi-path environment

Connect the GNSS antenna
to the receiver with an
antenna RF cable (refer to
the antenna manual for
details)

Connect the receiver to a computer or other data communications

equipment (serial cable shown, Section 6.2.1.2 on page 78). A USB cable
may be used instead (refer to Section 6.2.2 on page 80 for cable specifics)

Apply power to the

receiver (refer to

Section 6.2.1.1 on

page 77 for cable

specifics)

Installation and

power up is

successful when

the PWR LED turns

Red.

COM3 Port and LED

COM1 Port and LED

COM2 Port and LED

I/O Port

OSC Port

Installation

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 18

1.2.2 Connecting the Antenna to the Receiver

Connect the antenna to the receiver using high quality coaxial cable (refer to “Choosing a Coaxial Cable for the
Antenna” on page 16 for details).

The GPStation-6 provides a TNC female connector which can be connected directly to the antenna using any of
NovAtel’s coaxial cables.

1.2.3 Applying Power to the Receiver

Connect the power supply to the PWR port of the GPStation-6 receiver.

1.2.4 Connecting Data Communications Equipment

In order to communicate with the receiver by sending commands and obtaining logs, a connection to some form
of data communications equipment is required. The default configuration for the GPStation-6 is given in the table
below. Consult NovAtel Customer Service for more details on factory configuration. Refer to the Technical
Specifications section of this manual, starting on page 74, for data connection details.

Table 21 on Page 76 specifies the COM port pinouts.

• Clear To Send (CTS)

• Transmitted Data (TXD)

• Request To Send (RTS)

• Received Data (RXD)

The GPStation-6 enclosure is Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) so that TXD and RTS are outputs while RXD and
CTS are inputs. A null modem cable is required to connect to another DTE like a terminal or a PC.

COM1 also supports USB 2.0 communications. A DB9 to USB communication cable is provided with the
GPStation-6 for Customers wishing to use COM1 in USB communication mode. To install the NovAtel USB

drivers, refer to Section 1.2.4.1, USB Driver Installation on page 18.

1.2.4.1 USB Driver Installation

The NovAtel Utilities CD, included with the GPStation-6, contains the NovAtel USB Driver Kit used to
configure your PC to communicate with the GPStation-6 over USB. The NovAtel USB Driver Kit contains the
following:

Receiver COM1 COM2 COM3

GPStation-6 RS-232 / USB 2.0 RS-232 RS-232

ngpsser.sys Provides a virtual serial port for each USB port of the receiver.

ngpsusb.sys Connects the virtual serial ports to the USB stack.

novatelusb.exe Controls the Windows COM ports that are assigned to each USB port of the

receiver. This utility can also be used to uninstall the drivers when a newer version
is available. During installation, a shortcut appears in the Start menu under All
Programs | NovAtel USB Drivers. The latest USB driver can be found at

www .novatel.com/Support/Firmwar e/ Sof twar e and Manuals/Product Updates/PC
Utilities.

19 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Installation

1.2.4.2 Windows Driver Signing

The NovAtel USB drivers are digitally signed and officially supported on Microsoft Windows XP, Windows
Vista and Windows 7. They can also be installed on Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 but are not WHQL
certified in that application. Depending on how your computer is configured, Windows may ignore device drivers
that are not digitally signed, display a warning when it detects device drivers that are not digitally signed (the
default) or prevent you from installing device drivers without digital signatures.

To install NovAtel USB drivers, the computer's policy must be either Ignore or Warn.

To change the Driver Signing Policy on your computer:

1. Open System in the Control Panel.

2. Select the Hardware tab.

3. Click Driver Signing.

4. Select either Ignore or Warn in the File signature verification box.

5. Click OK to accept the new policy.

6. Click OK again to close the System Properties dialog.

7. Unplug the NovAtel receiver USB cable, plug it back in and follow the installation instructions described in
either the Firmware Updates and Model Upgrades section.

1.3 Additional Features and Information

This section contains information on the additional features of the GPStation-6 receiver which may affect the
overall design of your receiver system.

The USB drivers are certified by Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Quality Lab (WHQL).
Depending on your computer’s Driver Signing Policy, Windows may refuse to install this

driver or may display a warning. See Section 1.2.4.2 for details.

Installation

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 20

1.3.1 Status Indicators

The GPStation-6 enclosure has LED to indicate system status for power and communications. Refer to Table 1 for
specific functionality.

Table 1: Status Indicators (RS232)

1.3.2 10 MHz Oscillator

The GPStation-6 enclosure houses its own high performance ultra-low phase-noise Oven Controlled Crystal
Oscillator (OCXO), so no external frequency reference is required for GPStation-6 receiver operation. The
GPStation-6 OCXO generates a 10 MHz reference signal delivered directly to the OEM628 GNSS receiver card
via internal communication lines within the enclosure.

The same 10 MHz OCXO signal is also output on the OSC port (BNC female) of the GPStation-6 enclosure and
can be used as a frequency reference for other external equipment. The OSC port for the GPStation-6 enclosure is
output only; the receiver will not operate properly if a 10 MHz signal is input to this port.

1.3.3 Mounting Bracket

Along with the GPStation-6 enclosure, a mounting kit is provided to for mounting the receivers to a surface. To
install the mounting bracket provided with the GPStation-6, refer to the instructions provided with the mounting

kit. Also refer to Section 6.3, Mounting Bracket Dimensions on page 81 for bracket dimension information.

Indicator Indicator Colour Status

COM1

Green Flashing Data is being transmitted from COM1

Red Flashing Data is being received on COM1

COM2

Green Flashing Data is being transmitted from COM2

Red Flashing Data is being received on COM2

COM3

Green Flashing Data is being transmitted from COM3

Red Flashing Data is being received on COM3

PWR Red Solid The receiver is powered

The mounting kits are not designed for use in high dynamics/vibration environments.

21 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Chapter 2 Operation

Before operating the GPStation-6 for the first time, ensure the installation instructions in Chapter 1,
Installation are properly followed.

Sufficient information is provided in this User Manual to support custom development of GPStation-6
interface and processing software on platforms other than a PC, as would be required for many
operational deployments. However, since each Customer deployment is unique, this Operation
chapter focuses on the basic operational information required to get a new GPStation-6 customer up
and running using their PC. If support is required for specific custom deployments, the Customer is
encouraged to use this User Manual as a reference and to contact NovAtel Customer Support (refer to
“Contact Information” on page 7).

2.1 Pre-Start Checklist

Before turning on power to the GPStation-6, ensure the following conditions are met:

• The antenna is properly installed, powered and connected

• The PC is properly connected to the GPStation-6 receiver using a serial or USB cable and its
communications protocol is configured to match that of the GPStation-6

Supply power to the GPStation-6 only after the above checks are made. Allow the GPStation-6
internal OCXO sufficient time to warm-up before starting normal operation. Warm-up time will vary
depending on ambient temperature. It is recommended to allow for least 15 minutes of OCXO warm­up time from a cold start condition.

2.2 Start-Up

The GPStation-6’s firmware resides in non-volatile memory. After supplying power to the unit, a self­boot occurs before the GPStation-6 is ready for command input.

When the GPStation-6 is ready to communicate, the PC will display the following prompt, indicating
COM1 is connected:

[COM1]

Once connected, commands can be entered as explained in Section 2.3, Communicating with the
GPStation-6.

2.3 Communicating with the GPStation-6

Communication with the receiver consists of issuing commands through the communication ports
from an external serial and/or USB communications device. Using a PC or laptop, connect directly to
one of the receiver’s serial ports using a null modem cable or USB port using the supplied DB9 to
USB cable.

The commands and logs used by the GPStation-6, as well as the fields within them, follow specific
formats. The valid commands, used to control the operation and data logging of the GPStation-6, are
specified in Chapter 4, Commands. Chapter 5, Logs provides details on the data logs that can be

Operation

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 22

requested from the GPStation-6. To ensure maximum utilization of the GPStation-6, a thorough
understanding of Chapters 4 through 6 is required.

2.4 Getting Started

Included with your receiver is a CD containing documentation and software utilities for the
GPStation-6.

Download the most recent versions of the NovAtel PC Utilities at: http://www.novatel.com/support/firmware-

software-and-manuals/firmware-software-updates.

2.5 NovAtel Connect™

NovAtel Connect™ is a Windows based GUI that allows for easy access to your receiver’s many
features without the need to use a terminal emulator or to write custom software. Connect lets you
easily communicate with and configure your GPStation-6 receiver via one of the serial or USB ports
using a PC running Windows XP or Windows 7.

The latest version of Connect can be downloaded from the NovAtel web site. At the time of
publication, Connect does not provide any custom display windows or tools specific to the special
GISTM logs and commands provided by the GPStation-6 receiver. Connect is recommended for new
GPStation-6 customers as it is a useful tool confirming device connections, configuring the receiver,
monitoring basic receiver functionality (i.e., signal tracking), and logging data to file for post­processing. For long-term data collection using the GPStation-6, it is recommended the user write
their own interface software package or use the provided command line utility called SLOG (refer to
“NovAtel SLOG Utility” on page 24 for details).

After NovAtel Connect is downloaded and installed on your local machine, launch the program and
create a device connection for the GPStation-6 receiver. If you are unfamiliar with Connect, then use
the provided Help file that can be accessed under the NovAtel button or by pressing F1.

After establishing a connection with your GPStation-6 receiver, Connect will automatically request
standard OEM628 data logs in order to populate the default display windows. The basic functionality
of your GPStation-6 receiver can be confirmed via these default display windows and additional
windows that can be accessed via the Windows menu.

Documentation Software Utilities

GPStation-6 User Manual (this document) SLOG (Command Line)

OEM6 Firmware Reference Guide Sample SLOG script (Command Line)

SLOG User Guide GPStation-6 Data Parsers (Command Line)

Sample C++ Source Code

Install the GPStation-6 version of the PC Utilities provided on the CD. Although the latest version
of NovAtel Connect (including Convert4) can be downloaded from the NovAtel web site, the
GPStation-6 specific utilities are only available from this CD or directly from a NovAtel Customer
Support representative.

23 GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2

Operation

For example:

• Use the Constellation window to confirm the expected GNSS constellations are tracked

• Use the Position window to confirm the receiver has solved for position/time

• Use the Tracking Channel Status windows to confirm the expected GNSS signals are tracked

The figure below provides an example default display window view for a basic connection to a
GPStation-6 device.

After the connection has been established to your GPStation-6 receiver and basic functionality is
confirmed, the Console window can be used to enter configuration commands or request data logs. If
desired, Connect can also be used to log specific GPStation-6 GISTM data to file for post-processing
using the Save Data feature, available under the Tools menu.

To ensure that only the desired data logs are saved to a file, first close all display windows except for
the Console window. Then select Save Data from the Tools menu to enter the file name and location to
save the data. Next request all desired logs, and Connect will automatically save them to file until the
feature is disabled.

Operation

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 24

The following figure provides an example of the using the Console window to save GISTM specific
data to file, assuming the Save Data configuration is already complete.

The standard NovAtel log conversion utility Convert4 is installed along with the NovAtel Connect
data package. At the time of publication Convert4 does not have support for the GPStation-6 specific
logs, however data parsing utilities for GISTM logs are included with the Software Utilities CD and
are described in detail in “Data Parsing Utilities” on page 27.

2.6 NovAtel SLOG Utility

SLOG is a Windows console application that uses a script to control GNSS receivers and equipment,
and to log data in a repeatable, controlled manner. It is also used in long-term data collection/
monitoring installations where stability and organized archiving are important. SLOG is provided
with the GPStation-6 (as it was with the GSV4004B), in particular due to its power and flexibility for
long-term data collection/monitoring applications.

SLOG was developed by NovAtel, and has been used internally for many years to support automated
testing and development activities, for data collection campaigns and NovAtel monitoring stations,
and has occasionally been provided to customers to facilitate their own custom SLOG scripts and
long-term installations. The SLOG Scriptable Logger Users Guide is provided with SLOG.exe and the
sample SLOG script (GNSStest.slg) on the GPStation-6 SW Utilities CD.

The following steps can be followed to start collecting data using SLOG:

1. Copy the “GNSStest.Slg” and “SLOG.exe” files from the GPStation-6 CD to a local drive. The
GNSStest.slg script can be edited in any text based program. This test script will log
ISMREDOBS, ISMREDTEC, ISMRAWTEC and ISMRAWOBS logs for 24 hours.

2. Open a command prompt and navigate to the directory where the script and executable are stored.

3. Type Slog GNSStest <PC port> <receiver name> to start collecting data.

For example: Slog GNSStest 20 RX1

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Operation

The SLOG interface in the command window supports real time data display. By pressing the ‘L’ key
when the SLOG script is running a summary display including signal tracking information will be
provided in the command window.

SLOG will automatically log all raw data collected from the GPStation-6 receiver to *.GPS file(s) for
post-processing. The NovAtel data parsing utilities described in the next section can be used along
with Excel, MatLab or any other data processing software (including custom software) to process and
analyze the raw data as desired.

2.7 TEC Calibration

2.7.1 What is TEC?

Total Electron Content (TEC) is an important descriptive quantity for the ionosphere of the Earth.

It is defined as the total number of electrons present along a path between two points and is significant
in determining the group delay of a radio wave through a medium.

1016 electrons/m2 = 1 TEC unit (TECU)

2.7.2 How does TEC affect GNSS?

Ionospheric TEC is characterized by observing carrier phase delays of received radio signals
transmitted from satellites located above the ionosphere (e.g., GNSS). It is strongly affected by solar
activity.

Figure 4: Ionospheric TEC Characterized

Ionosphere

Satelite

Baseline

Mobile StationReference Station

Operation

GPStation-6 User Manual Rev 2 26

2.7.3 Bias in TEC Measurements

NovAtel recommends calibrating the TEC to remove biases from TEC measurements. Sources of
TEC measurement bias include the GNSS antenna, antenna cable, amplifiers, splitters, connectors,
working temperature and equipment aging.

TEC measurement bias must be determined during the time of day when the Ionosphere shows the
lowest amount of activity. This varies between regions.

To improve the precision of absolute TEC measurements, follow the procedure outlined in the
sections below.

Figure 5: TEC Before and After Example

2.7.4 Determine Time of Day for Calibration

1. Collect GPS data using the ISMREDOBS and ISMREDTEC logs. It is recommended collecting
data for a period of 3 to 4 days to even out regional effects.

2. Identify an optimal time window to run a calibration when absolute TEC shows minimum (i.e.,
the time of day when TEC is at its minimum).

3. Apply satellite biases for available signal combinations (currently GPS C1P1).

Example:

SETDIFFCODEBIASES gps_c1p1 -0.207 -0.043 -0.623 1.018 ... ... 0.0 (40 values in nanosecond)

2.7.5 Use GPStation-6 Auto Calibration Feature

1. Send the following commands and logs to start the automatic calibration

• ISMCALIBRATE Enable 0 21600 65 (0 sec to delay calibration start, 21600 calibration

duration, 65 elevation angle cutoff)

Bias

Avoid periods of significant ionospheric scintillations (sun spots).

Refer to “SETDIFFCODEBIASES Sets satellite differential code biases” on page 56 for details
on this command.

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Operation

• Log ISMCALIBRATIONSTATUSA ONNEW (will be output each minute for calibration
duration)

• Log ISMREDTECB ONNEW

• Log ISMREDOBSB ONNEW

2. Calibration offsets can be found in the last ISMCALIBRATIONSTATUS log, when the calibra­tion period is complete.

Example:

#ISMCALIBRATIONSTATUSA,COM1,0,70.0,FINESTEERING,1704,39480.000,00800020,45d2,1
0832;18000, 5,

GPSL1CAL2Y,302,27.690591812,3.667247295

GLOL1CAL2P,131,26.807550430,4.445590496,

GPSL1CAL2C,63,21.765899658,0.235251412

GPSL1CAL5,63,10.893598557,0.282875121,

GLOL1CAL2CA,131,19.007484436,5.380369663*9c884ea9

2.7.6 Apply Autocalibration Values to the Receiver

Use the following command to apply the results of the automatic calibration:

ISMTECCALIBRATION signal_combination calibration_value

Example:

ISMTECCALIBRATION GPSL1CAL2Y 27.690591812

ISMTECCALIBRATION GLOL1CAL2P 26.807550430

ISMTECCALIBRATION GPSL1CAL2C 21.765899658

ISMTECCALIBRATION GPSL1CAL5 10.893598557

ISMTECCALIBRATION GLOL1CAL2CA 19.007484436

2.8 Data Parsing Utilities

The GPStation-6 is provided with the following command line data parsing utilities which are used to
parse the GISTM logs and output CSV data in organized and human-readable format:

The input file accepted can be created using SLOG or NovAtel Connect.

The output file is a comma separated data file (*.csv).

Refer to the SELECTCHANCONFIG command described in the OEM6 Family Firmware Ref-

erence manual for details on choosing satellite constellations and signals.