Polaris – Top RTK Correction Network in Texas

RTK stands for Real-Time Kinematic. It's a satellite navigation technique that enhances the precision of position data derived from GNSS. By using a fixed base station that knows its exact location, RTK can correct the position data obtained from GNSS, achieving centimeter-level accuracy.

An RTK (Real Time Kinematic) Network dramatically enhances real-time location accuracy using a network of reference stations that monitor and correct constellation signals. It also optimizes precision by providing real-time corrections, offering centimeter-level accuracy for GNSS devices. This enhanced precision is pivotal in fields requiring exact location information. 

RTK positioning technology relies on communication between the user's rover and the RTK provider's base station. The base station is surveyed very precisely so that its position is known to be accurate within one or two centimeters. 

It then transmits its observations to the rover receiver in real time. By comparing the measurements the rover receiver makes to those obtained from the base station, the rover can cancel out all the major sources of error in its own measurements. The resulting measurements are 100x more precise than normal stand-alone measurements.

With an RTK service like Point One Polaris, you don’t have to get into the technicalities of a base station or RTK corrections. You can easily connect to a single NTRIP mount point and set it up in five minutes—with cm-level accurate positioning and 99.99% uptime. 

Yes, Texas has an RTK network, and while it is public, it is only accessible by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) employees and contractors working on TxDOT projects.

While public RTK networks can be free of charge, they come with different sort of costs:  including a higher chance of downtime, lower accuracy, and slower convergence times. 

However, with professional RTK networks like Polaris, users can access unparalleled GNSS accuracy and reliability, 99.99% uptime, cm-accurate positioning, and lightning-fast convergence times of less than five seconds. 

This network is designed for exceptional accuracy, reliability, and rapid location fixing. It’s compatible with RTK receivers that support RTCM v3 and is supported by an extensive network of over 1,400 owned base stations across regions, including the US, Canada, and Europe.

The cost of an RTK network can vary widely depending on the scale, coverage, and specific services required. For example, subscription-based RTK network services can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per year. 

Some networks offer tiered plans based on usage and features, such as different levels of precision, number of users, and geographical coverage. Additional costs may include hardware, maintenance, and support services.

 It's important to note that these costs can differ significantly between service providers and specific user requirements. Scroll up to compare some Texas RTK network costs. 

NTRIP (Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol) and RTK are related to high-precision GNSS technologies but serve different functions. RTK is a method for improving the accuracy of GNSS signals to achieve centimeter-level precision by using a base station and a mobile receiver. It can also be integrated with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) to enhance precision. 

NTRIP is an online protocol for streaming Differential GNSS (DGNSS) or Real-Time Kinematic correction data. It enables the delivery of RTK correction data from the base station to the rover (mobile receiver). In essence, while RTK is a technique for achieving high accuracy, NTRIP is a method for transmitting the correction data required by RTK systems.

NTRIP and RTCM (Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services) are both linked to GNSS technology but have distinct roles. RTCM is a standard format for the data used in differential GPS (DGPS) and RTK systems, specifying how correction information is formatted. NTRIP, on the other hand, is a protocol for streaming this RTCM-formatted data over the internet. 

RTCM is about the content (the format of GNSS correction data), while NTRIP concerns the delivery method (how this data is transmitted).

There are free RTK networks in Texas however, uptime, accuracy, and reliability aren’t the strongest. If you need a professional RTK network to take your operational efficiency and accuracy to the next level, with access to professional-grade troubleshooting support and encrypted implementation,  subscribe to an affordable solution like Polaris. 

Polaris is one of the best RTK networks in Texas. It offers 99.99% uptime, cm-level accuracy, and international coverage–plus all other necessary features at an affordable $50 per month.  It also uses inertial sensing techniques like dead reckoning for accurate GNSS positioning and protection against signal jamming.

CORS (Continuously Operating Reference Stations) is a stationary GNSS receiver network that provides correction data to improve positional accuracy. These receivers continuously collect and broadcast GNSS data. 

NTRIP is a protocol for transmitting this GNSS correction data over the internet. Essentially, 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.

Point One builds high precision GNSS solutions. Standard GNSS accuracy ranges from 1m to 10m and can be worse based on the operating environment. Point One’s high precision GNSS delivers accuracy from 10cm to 1cm, and does so even in challenging environments such as urban canyons and occluded sky-views.

Standard GNSS systems observe position uncertainty from sources such as atmospheric signal delay, satellite orbit variation, clock drift, and signal multi-path. Precision GNSS systems use additional sources of information, in our case from our Polaris corrections network, reducing uncertainty down to just a few centimeters.

Purchase a Standard Dev Kit, purchase an Advanced Development Kit, or create a Point One account to access Polaris corrections and services.

Many, including series production automobiles, consumer electronics products, and autonomous vehicle prototypes.

Real Time Kinematics; a fixed base station communicates with a roving GNSS system to remove sources of error common to the base and rover (satellite clock, satellite orbit, ionosphere delay, troposphere delay). Rover performance depends on survey accuracy of base location, quality of sky view at base location, and distance between base and rover.

Yes. The Polaris network performs as an  RTK network. Non-Point One systems can access the Polaris network using standard NTRIP protocol. Access credentials and documentation are available at app.pointonenav.com.

Both Polaris and NTRIP are methods for delivering network RTK corrections, and both are available through the Point One Polaris service. The NTRIP standard is a legacy delivery method, used by a wide range of GNSS devices. The Polaris protocol uses secure connection methods for both authentication and transport to add layers of reliability and security to RTK corrections data.

RTK corrections account for various ambiguities present in navigation constellation signals, which can stem from sources such as satellite orbital errors and atmospheric disturbances. By sharing correctional data in real time, the fixed base station and rover together improve positional accuracy from meter-level to centimeter-level.

Let’s get a little more technical:

• Standalone GNSS positioning relies mostly on very accurate–but not very precise–pseudorange measurements of code phase. RTK relies on extremely precise– but ambiguous–RF carrier phase measurements.
• The heart of RTK is integer carrier phase ambiguity resolution. This process turns the ambiguous carrier phase measurements into highly precise measurements of pseudorange, which can be about 100x more precise than the code phase pseudorange measurements–but they are ambiguous to within an integer number of radio carrier wave cycles.
• An RTK-enabled receiver is equipped with a very heavy math routine that’s able to resolve the ambiguities in the carrier measurements. This unlocks the use of the previously unusable carrier phase and enables position determination to within a couple centimeters.

Fortunately, when using an RTK service like Point One Polaris, you don’t have to worry about any of this. You can get set up in five minutes by connecting to a single NTRIP mount point–and then access cm-accurate positioning lighting-fast convergence times.

An RTK base station is an integral part of any RTK positioning system. In order to correct errors in satellite signal data, RTK positioning requires stationary sites with known, precise locations to serve as reference points. These are called fixed base stations, which send observations to the rover in real time.

It’s important not to think of RTK base stations as standalone units, but rather as pieces of broader, interconnected networks that together offer more expansive coverage. For example, Point One’s Polaris RTK network has global coverage across the US, EU, UK, CA, and AU and boasts the highest overall density of US RTK corrections networks.

This allows the network to offer scalable solutions and ensure high accuracy, even in areas without cellular coverage or in challenging environments in urban canyons.

RTK offers unparalleled accuracy in positioning at centimeter-level precision. This high level of accuracy is essential for applications where even the slightest deviation can have significant consequences.

Point One’s RTK solutions are engineered to deliver exceptional precision within a few centimeters. This level of accuracy is made possible by Point One’s advanced algorithms, Polaris Network infrastructure, and commitment to using the latest technological advancements in GNSS corrections.

Point One’s RTK system is not just about precise measurements; it’s about providing reliable data you can trust for critical decision-making.

RTK technology is essential in many areas where exact positioning is needed. In farming, RTK helps guide machinery perfectly for planting and harvesting, boosting crop quality and farm efficiency. Robots in outdoor settings work better with RTK because it helps them navigate through the world with precision.

For preventing damage, especially during construction, RTK is vital for safely locating things like pipes and cables underground. Surveyors and mapmakers rely on RTK for precise measurements of land and buildings, which is important for planning new projects. In construction, RTK is key for correctly setting up sites and ensuring buildings are constructed accurately.

RTK is also crucial for self-driving cars to navigate safely, especially on busy streets. RTK is even changing how deliveries are made by helping to track and direct delivery vehicles, making sure packages get where they’re going on time.

Several GPS correction methods, including RTK, PPP, and SSR, improve the accuracy of satellite-based positioning. Each method has its unique approach to correcting GNSS data.

RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) provides real-time corrections, offering centimeter-level accuracy. It’s ideal for applications needing immediate precision, such as autonomous vehicle navigation and precision agriculture. RTK works by comparing the signals from a network of fixed base stations to the satellite data, quickly correcting any discrepancies.

PPP (Precise Point Positioning), on the other hand, doesn’t use a network of base stations. Instead, it uses a single reference station and precise orbit and clock data to offer high accuracy. While PPP can achieve a somewhat similar level of precision to RTK, it takes much longer to converge, making it more suitable for applications where immediate accuracy isn’t critical.

SSR (State Space Representation) is a more advanced method that provides correctional data in a state space format. This technique models the GNSS errors, including satellite orbits and clocks, and atmospheric delays, offering high accuracy over large areas. However, many GNSS receivers aren’t equipped to effectively process all the data provided by SSR, making it difficult to convert into meaningful positions.

Note that discussing GPS, by itself, isn’t standard practice in RTK corrections. Today, unless specifically discussing the USA constellation system, we say “GNSS ” exclusively.

RTK correction ranges vary depending on the use case. It’s challenging to put a definite number on this question, since many variables can affect accuracy, including how much of the sky is visible, the weather, and more.