Polaris – Top RTK Correction Network in Michigan

Polaris RTK is the best real-time kinematic network in Michigan. It offers unparalleled GNSS accuracy with centimeter-level positioning on all dual-band GNSS devices, such as surveying equipment and agricultural machinery. It has over 1,700 base stations with 99.99% uptime and less than 5 seconds convergence time. 

Polaris gives users access to RTK corrections data wherever they need it and has a self-service portal for device activation, credentials, and management. With Polaris, set-up time is reduced to only 5 minutes by connecting to a single NTRIP mount point.

Public RTK networks are set up by the government or educational organizations for public use. MDOT CORS is one of the public RTK networks in Michigan. It’s a public collection of GPS base stations across Michigan, offering free access to RTK corrections. It also supports free connections for older devices that require legacy device connections and offers real-time mapping, access to post-processing data, and legacy RINEX 2.3 data streams after an MDOT CORS sign-up.

However, while MDOT CORS provides services for basic RTK needs, it offers a lower level of reliability and accuracy than a private RTK network. Private RTK networks in Michigan offer greater control over the network and produce higher accuracy due to the tailored placement of base stations. You’ll need a subscription to access these private networks. 

Polaris is one of the best private and professional RTK networks in Michigan. It has several base stations in the region for comprehensive coverage. It’s the only network that works with almost all GNSS receivers and is the only network that’s transparent about the location of its base stations. With its L-band feature, Polaris also powers GNSS corrections in areas without cell coverage and occluded sky environments, ensuring continuous and accurate corrections throughout Michigan.

The accuracy of your RTK network in Michigan depends on the RTK network you are using, so you need to choose the best RTK network for the highest accuracy. 

The Point One Polaris RTK network ensures the highest level of accuracy in RTK service. This means that the error in positioning is reduced to centimeter-level accuracy, an accuracy level necessary for construction surveys, precision agriculture, and other critical tasks such as mapping with survey poles and range poles.

The best RTK network in Michigan is Polaris RTK by Point One. It’s the only RTK network service on the market that’s transparent about the location of its base stations, but that’s not the only differentiator. Polaris has other standout features:

• It is the most comprehensive network with unmatched density
• It has the most modern and reliable base stations
• Supports automatic connection/transfer to the closest local base station
• Has predictable and transparent pricing
• Offers the best coverage and works in areas without cell coverage (L-band, future feature) and positioning in occluded sky environments
• It works with most GNSS receivers
• It also has a self-service portal for device activation, credentials, and management

NTRIP is a contemporary precision location technology. It stands for Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol. This technology is a high-precision location service used to stream DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) and RTK corrections over the Internet. Meanwhile, CORS (Continuous Operating Reference System) is a stationary GNSS receiver network that supports 3D positioning and provides GNSS data. 

NTRIP and CORS are both RTK differential correction methods used for transmitting RTK corrections. CORS provides the correction data from its network of reference stations, while NTRIP delivers this data to users in real-time, often via the Internet and through an NTRIP service provider. 

With NTRIP, you can get accurate RTK corrections data without investing in expensive base station infrastructure once you have a reliable NTRIP service provider.

Real-time kinematic (RTK) base stations are essential for high-precision navigation and location accuracy. They act as fixed reference points that send out correction signals to RTK receivers. 

An RTK-enabled receiver is then equipped with a very heavy math routine that’s able to resolve the ambiguities in the carrier measurements. These GNSS corrections can compensate for errors introduced by factors such as atmospheric conditions, satellite orbit deviations, and signal propagation delays.