U-blox F9 Series Receivers: Review & RTK Set-Up
The U-blox F9 series is a notable contender in the GNSS receiver market, offering high precision and versatility for a range of applications. This article explores the specifics of the U-blox F9 series, including the various models and their features, and how to easily set up your U-blox F9 receiver.
Additionally, we’ll compare the U-blox F9 series with other high-precision solutions available, helping you make the most informed decision about the best and most cutting-edge RTK technology for your needs.
What is U-blox?
U-blox is a Swiss company that specializes in wireless and positioning semiconductors and modules for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their GNSS products provide reliability and performance in a variety of applications, from automotive navigation to industrial automation.
Their product portfolio includes GNSS receivers, modules, and chips.
What is the U-blox F9?
The U-blox F9 series represents a line of GNSS receivers designed to provide centimeter-level accuracy and reliable positioning for a wide range of applications. The U-blox F9 series incorporates advanced technology, including multi-band GNSS support, real-time kinematic (RTK) capability, and precise timing features.
Fortunately, the U-blox F9 GNSS receiver series is compatible with leading RTK correctional services like Point One Polaris. This is essential for anyone seeking state-of-the-art technology. Unlike the Ublox Point Perfect RTK correctional software, which may occasionally experience drift and inaccuracies, Polaris maintains consistent performance even in extremely challenging environments.
The F9 series includes several variants, each tailored for specific use cases.
U-blox NEO-F9
The U-blox NEO-F9 is a compact GNSS receiver module. Its design is best for applications where space is limited but accuracy remains essential. This product would be most useful in precision agriculture applications such as field mapping, crop monitoring, or automated machinery control, as well as in drones and UAVs, providing precise positioning for aerial mapping, surveying, and surveillance missions.
Features and specifications:
- Multi-band GNSS support with BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS / QZSS
- Support for up to 4 concurrent GNSS
- Integration with RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) technology
- GNSS bands: B1l, B2a, E1B/C, E5a, L1C/a, L1OF, L5
- Compatible with TCXO high-precision oscillator
- Low power consumption and compact size
U-blox ZED-F9
The U-blox ZED-F9 is a GNSS receiver designed for industrial and automotive applications. It offers high precision and reliability, making it a popular choice for more demanding environments such as industrial automation applications like robotic guidance, material handling, and machine control, as well as surveying and construction applications and automotive navigation.
Features and specifications:
- Multi-band GNSS support with BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS / QZSS
- Support for up to 4 concurrent GNSS
- Integration with RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) technology
- GNSS bands: B1l, B2a, E1B/C, E5a, L1C/a, L1OF, L5
- Compatible with TCXO high-precision oscillator
- Compact design for a rugged environment
U-blox EVK-F9
The U-blox EVK F9 is an evaluation kit designed to help developers test and integrate U-blox F9 modules into their applications. It provides a comprehensive set of tools for evaluating performance and functionality. There are three available models:
- EVK-F9DR: Used for evaluation of U-blox F9 automotive dead reckoning (ADR) and real-time kinematic (RTK) technology
- EVK-F9P: Used for evaluation of U-blox F9P high-precision GNSS module
- EVK-F9T: Used for evaluation of U-blox ZED-F9T module, targeting timing applications with precise timing signals
Features and specifications:
- Full support for U-blox F9 modules
- EVK-F9DR includes ADR support, L-band reception, and CAN-bus interface
- EVK-F9P offers a 14-pin connector for interface access and is the successor to the C099-F9P
- EVK-F9T provides a 1PPS signal on an SMA connector
- Easy integration and testing
- All ports accessible outside
- USB connectivity for power supply and data transfer
U-blox F9p Manual: Easy RTK setup on a U-blox F9 Receiver with Polaris RTK
Today we're going to show you how to use a U-blox F9 receiver with Point One's Polaris RTK network.
First, you'll want to connect your receiver to your computer and make sure that the antenna has a clear and open view of the sky. After you've done that, go ahead and install Ucenter, which is available from the Ublox website. Then open it on your computer.
Once it starts, you'll want to make sure that you connect to the proper port for your receiver. You can do that by simply clicking on the item on the top and checking that you're connected to the correct comport. This will be different depending on your computer. In our case, it's Com 27. To make sure things are working correctly, you can look on the menu on the right and you should see that the fix mode is showing something like 3D or something similar that ultimately indicates that the position is coming through correctly from the receiver.
Now, in order to enable the RTK service, we need to use an NTRIP client which is conveniently built into Ucenter. Click on the receiver menu and then go to the NTRIP client option. From there you'll have some fields that you have to fill out. The address is going to be polaris.pointonenav.com. If you're in the EU, you'll want to make sure to use the polaris-eu.pointonenav.com address. The port will be 2101 and then the username and password are available on the Point One website.
So to get those for you simply go into your favorite browser, log into the Point One website, and then click on add device. You can name your device anything you want. We'll call ours here Ublox. And then when we click on that device we'll see that we have a username and a password under the NTRIP header here. Go ahead and copy that username to your clipboard, put it into the dialog here, do the same for the password and then hit the update source table button. Select the Polaris NTRIP mount point and then make sure that the request interval is set to 30 seconds. Hit the ok button and then you'll notice that there is a green icon on the bottom bar indicating that you're correctly connected to the Polaris RTK service.
After a few seconds you'll also notice that the fixed mode has changed from 3D to 3D/DGNSS/FIXED. The fixed indicates that you're getting the highest possible accuracy from your F9 receiver and have successfully connected to the Point One Polaris RTK service. We can also go back to the Point One website and see that the U-blox device that we've created has a green checkbox indicating that it is receiving a good position from the receiver and that the position is accurately being reflected on the map in the upper right. Now you can see that you've successfully connected your receiver to Point One's Polaris network. You can now use your RTK receiver in your application and enjoy centimeter-accurate positions.
U-blox Point Perfect vs Point One Polaris
If you’re a U-blox F9 user, you’re going to want to use the most effective GNSS correctional method for location precision. But, is that U-blox’s own network Point Perfect? Or a different RTK network?
Let’s look into the key differences between Point Perfect and Point One Polaris.
About Point One Polaris
Point One Polaris is a high-precision GNSS correction service that leverages RTK technology to deliver superior accuracy and fast correctional speeds.
Unlike PPP (Precise Point Positioning) that Ublox uses–which has longer convergence times due to a sparse network of stations–Polaris harnesses the power of real time kinematic network supported by a vast network of base stations. This dense network ensures near-instantaneous corrections–even in challenging environments–to provide centimeter-level accuracy in real time.
With a network of over 1400+ base stations across the US, EU, and AU, Point One offers:
- Centimeter-level accuracy
- Unparalleled reliability at 99.99% uptime
- Highest overall density of US RTK corrections network
- Automatic connection and transfer to the closest local base station
- Connects to any dual band GNSS service
- Modern, scalable, and future-proof, capable of adapting to new advancements due to modular architecture
- Predictable and transparent pricing
Point One’s dedication to innovation and continuous improvement ensures that Polaris remains at the forefront of GNSS technology–offering users a state-of-the-art solution for their positioning needs.
Learn more about Polaris or try it for free.
About U-blox Point Perfect
U-blox Point Perfect is U-blox’s PPP-based correction service. While it offers decent accuracy, the nature of PPP means that it has significantly longer convergence times compared to RTK, making it less suitable for real-time applications.
PPP, or Precise Point Positioning, relies on a limited number of highly precise stations to correct errors in GNSS signals. These stations analyze known sources of error, like inaccuracies in satellite positions and discrepancies in satellite clocks, and then transmit correction information to the GNSS receiver.
Although PPP can achieve high accuracy eventually, its reliance on a sparse network of stations results in long convergence times and significantly slower signal correction, often taking 20-25 minutes or longer in challenging conditions. In contrast, RTK uses a dense network of local base stations, providing near-instantaneous signal corrections and making it a far superior choice for applications requiring real-time precision.
While Ublox Point Perfect can reach centimeter-level accuracy, it comes with several downsides:
- Longer convergence times
- Not ideal for real-time precision in diverse conditions like dense forests or urban cantons
- Occasional drift and inaccuracies
- Often requires additional configurations and adjustments to keep up with new advancements and increasing demands
- Onboarding is extremely time-consuming and complex
- Not transparent with how much coverage they offer
Set Up Your U-blox F9 Receiver with Polaris RTK
For optimal precision and reliability in your GNSS applications, there’s no better choice than pairing your receiver with Point One Polaris. You can achieve centimeter-level accuracy and near-instantaneous signal corrections, ensuring unparalleled performance in fields like precision agriculture, surveying, and autonomous vehicles.
Polaris is:
- Comprehensive: It has the best coverage with unmatched base station density, and it can solve problems like corrections without cell coverage and positioning in occluded sky environments.
- Reliable: In addition to offering the most modern, reliable base stations, Polaris is the only network that offers transparency about where its base stations are.
- Easy to Use: The only network that works with almost all the GNSS receivers on the market. It also provides a self-service portal for device activation, credentials, and management. You can get set up the day you sign up.
To maximize the precision of your GNSS receiver–whether it’s part of the U-blox F9 series or not–you need the unparalleled GNSS correction service that Point One Polaris offers. Unlock the full potential of precision positioning with Point One Polaris—your trusted partner for superior RTK network solutions.
