TerraStar Correction Services

To use TerraStar Correction Services and obtain a PPP solution, perform the following steps.

  1. Ensure the GNSS system has the required components. See Required Hardware.

  2. Ensure the OEM7 receiver has a model that supports the TerraStar Correction Service to be used. See Receiver Models Needed for TerraStar Correction Services.

  3. Enable L-Band tracking on the receiver. See Enable L-Band Tracking.

  4. Obtain a subscription to the TerraStar Correction Service to be used. See TerraStar Subscriptions.

Required Hardware

To use TerraStar Correction Services, the GNSS system requires the following components:

  • An OEM7 receiver.
    (OEM719, OEM729, OEM7500, OEM7600, OEM7700, OEM7720, PwrPak7, CPT7 or CPT7700)

  • A GNSS antenna capable of receiving L-Band signals.

    For the best TerraStar performance, select a GNSS antenna that provides full GNSS signal support. (i.e., GPS L1/L2/L5, GLONAS L1/L2, Galileo E1/E5a/E5b/E6 and BeiDou B1C/B2a/B2b/B3)

    Refer to our web site novatel.com/products/gps-gnss-antennas for information about NovAtel L-Band-capable antennas.

    L-Band reception is not required if using IP delivered TerraStar Corrections. See APN-089: IP Delivery for Gloabl TerraStar Corrections for more information.

  • Receiver firmware that is compatible with TerraStar Correction Services.

    • TerraStar-L – all OEM7 firmware versions

    • TerraStar-C PRO – firmware version 7.05.00 or later

    • TerraStar-X Regional – firmware version 7.06.03 or later

    Firmware version 7.08.10 or later is required for the best convergence performance for TerraStar-C PRO and for use of TerraStar-X when the receiver is outside of the region.

    For instructions on upgrading the OEM7 receiver firmware, see NovAtel Firmware.

Receiver Models Needed for TerraStar Correction Services

Specific receiver models are required to use the correction data provided by TerraStar Correction Services.

To check the model of the receiver:

  1. Request the VERSION log to view the current receiver model.

    log version once

    <VERSION USB1 0 57.0 FINESTEERING 2232 422240.766 02000020 3681 16809

    <   11

    <      GPSCARD "FFNRNNCBES1" "BMHR17090005E" "OEM7700-1.00" "OM7CR0810RN0000" "OM7BR0001RBG000" "2021/Dec/06" "11:16:48"

    <      OEM7FPGA "" "" "" "OMV070001RN0000" "" "" ""

    <      APPLICATION "" "" "" "EP7AR0810RN0000" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:16:59"

    <      DEFAULT_CONFIG "" "" "" "EP7CR0810RN0000" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:17:11"

    <      PACKAGE "" "" "" "EP7PR0810RN0000" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:17:05"

    <      DB_WWWISO "WWWISO" "0" "" "1.8.0" "" "2022/Apr/11" "15:44:16"

    <      ENCLOSURE "PWRPAK7-E1" "NMNE17200009B" "" "" "" "" ""

    <      WIFI "RS9113" "" "" "1.7.12" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:17:22"

    <      REGULATORY "US" "" "" "" "" "" ""

    <      IMUCARD "Epson G320N 125" "00000354" "G320PDGN" "2510" "" "" ""

    <      WHEELSENSOR "" "" "" "SWS000201RN0000" "" "" ""

  2. Compare the model number of the receiver to the model required for a TerraStar subscription. The first four letters of the receiver model must match the letters in the table below.
    In the example above, the receiver model number is FFNRNNCBES1.

     

     

    TerraStar-L

    TerraStar-C PRO

    TerraStar-X

    RTK ASSIST

    RTK ASSIST PRO

    OEM719, OEM729, OEM7700, PwrPak7, CPT7700,

    Minimum model required

    GDN-L​

    DDN-P​

    DDN-R​

    DDN-R

    DDN-R​

    Model for full functionality

    DDN-L

    FFN-P

    FFN-R​

    DDN-R

    FFN-R​

    OEM7500, OEM7600, OEM7720, PwrPak7D, CPT7

    Minimum model required

    GDN-L

    DDN-P

    N/A

    DDN-R

    DDN-R

    Model for full functionality

    DDN-L

    MFN-P

    N/A

    DDN-R

    MFN-R​

    Notes about the fourth letter. A P model (e.g. DDN-P)meets the requirements for L and P. An R model (e.g. FFN-R) meets the requirements for L, P and R.

    Models that enable TerraStar-C PRO, TerraStar-X or RTK ASSIST PRO also enable the Subscription Managed Channel Configuration feature. For more information, see Subscription Managed Channel Configuration.

  3. If the receiver does not have the minimum model required, or if you want to upgrade to full TerraStar functionality, contact your local NovAtel sales representative to upgrade the receiver model.

Enable L-Band Tracking

The receiver must be powered and tracking an L-Band signal from a TerraStar satellite prior to the planned activation time. Send the ASSIGNLBANDBEAM command to configure the receiver to track the L-Band signals from TerraStar satellites.

ASSIGNLBANDBEAM auto

To confirm the receiver is tracking of an L-Band signal, request the LBANDTRACKSTAT log to view the L-Band tracking status information.

log lbandtrackstat

<LBANDTRACKSTAT USB1 0 54.5 FINESTEERING 2232 421280.000 02000020 29e3 16809

<   5

<      "98W" 1545865000 1200 974c 00c2 0 -449.146 40.239 2.8709 160.522 2944 1 1 376832 287 0.0005

<      "AORW" 1545845000 1200 974c 00c2 0 -178.422 44.178 4.1159 171.958 3200 0 0 409600 2 0.0000

<      "POR" 1545905000 1200 974c 0000 0 643.962 0.000 0.0000 0.000 0 0 0 0 0 0.0000

<      "" 0 0 0000 0003 0 0.000 0.000 0.0000 0.000 0 0 0 0 0 0.0000

<      "" 0 0 0000 0003 0 0.000 0.000 0.0000 0.000 0 0 0 0 0 0.0000

If the receiver is tracking an L-Band signal from a TerraStar satellite, the tracking status word (shown in bold in the example above) of the LBANDTRACKSTAT log will be 00c2. In the example above, the tracking status word indicates that the receiver has locked onto the signal from "98W" and "AORW", but not "POR".

The latest services and coverage can be obtained from novatel.com/products/gps-gnss-correction-services/terrastar-correction-services. For additional information on TerraStar activation, contact NovAtel Customer Service at novatel.com/support or download APN-087 TerraStar on OEM7 from novatel.com/support/support-materials/application-notes

TerraStar Subscriptions

A subscription is required to use TerraStar Correction Services for land and airborne applications.

There are several TerraStar Correction Services available:

  • TerraStar-L
    TerraStar-L is a real-time correction service that includes GPS and GLONASS satellite clock and orbit corrections that provides sub-metre accuracy.

  • TerraStar-C PRO
    TerraStar-C PRO is an advanced GNSS correction service that provides additional information, including higher rate clock and orbit corrections, and makes PPP ambiguity resolution possible. TerraStar-C PRO provides centimetre-level accuracy, fast convergence and fast re-convergence after GNSS outages.

  • TerraStar-X Regional
    TerraStar-X Regional GNSS correction technology leverages Hexagon’s continuously operating global and regional reference networks for correction generation, data compression and delivery for precise, safe, reliable solutions at centimetre-level accuracy with convergence in less than one minute.

  • RTK ASSIST
    RTK ASSIST enables OEM7 receivers to maintain centimetre-level accuracy for up to 20 minutes of RTK correction outages.

  • RTK ASSIST PRO
    RTK ASSIST PRO enables OEM7 receivers to maintain centimetre-level accuracy for longer RTK correction outages. It also provides independent centimetre-level positioning enabling operations in areas where there is no RTK base or network coverage

For more information about TerraStar services, visit novatel.com/products/gps-gnss-correction-services/terrastar-correction-services.

Obtain a Subscription

To obtain a subscription, contact your local NovAtel sales representative. The NovAtel product serial number (PSN) is needed to obtain a subscription. Request the VERSION log to view the receiver serial number.

log version once

<VERSION USB1 0 57.0 FINESTEERING 2232 422240.766 02000020 3681 16809

<   11

<      GPSCARD "FFNRNNCBES1" "BMHR17090005E" "OEM7700-1.00" "OM7CR0810RN0000" "OM7BR0001RBG000" "2021/Dec/06" "11:16:48"

<      OEM7FPGA "" "" "" "OMV070001RN0000" "" "" ""

<      APPLICATION "" "" "" "EP7AR0810RN0000" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:16:59"

<      DEFAULT_CONFIG "" "" "" "EP7CR0810RN0000" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:17:11"

<      PACKAGE "" "" "" "EP7PR0810RN0000" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:17:05"

<      DB_WWWISO "WWWISO" "0" "" "1.8.0" "" "2022/Apr/11" "15:44:16"

<      ENCLOSURE "PWRPAK7-E1" "NMNE17200009B" "" "" "" "" ""

<      WIFI "RS9113" "" "" "1.7.12" "" "2021/Dec/06" "11:17:22"

<      REGULATORY "US" "" "" "" "" "" ""

<      IMUCARD "Epson G320N 125" "00000354" "G320PDGN" "2510" "" "" ""

<      WHEELSENSOR "" "" "" "SWS000201RN0000" "" "" ""

In the example above, the receiver serial number is BMHR17090005E.

Verify the Subscription Status

After a subscription is purchased, the subscription activation signal can be broadcast at the time of the service activation (default), or at a specified start date and time (upon user request).

The receiver must be configured to track the TerraStar signal prior to the subscription start time. See Enable L-Band Tracking.

To confirm the TerraStar subscription status, request the TERRASTARSTATUS log:

log terrastarstatus

<TERRASTARSTATUS USB1 0 57.0 FINESTEERING 2232 423531.436 02000020 32bc 16809
<     ENABLELOCKED 0 IN_RANGE DISABLED

The first field after the log header will be ENABLE to indicate the TerraStar subscription is valid. The second field after the log header will be LOCKED to indicate the decoder is locked to the data format.

To achieve full TerraStar performance, reset the receiver using the RESET command or by power cycling the receiver.

Monitor PPP Convergence

The PPP position calculated using TerraStar Correction Services is not ready for use until the PPP solution has converged. To monitor the PPP convergence, request the PPPPOS log:

log ppppos ontime 1

<PPPPOS USB1 0 47.5 FINESTEERING 2232 424797.000 02000020 9078 16809
<     SOL_COMPUTED PPP_CONVERGING 51.15043905734 -114.03067597608 1096.6201 -17.0001 WGS84 0.6791 0.4277 1.7640 "TSTR" 17.000 0.000 34 34 34 33 00 00 7f 37

<PPPPOS USB1 0 58.5 FINESTEERING 2232 424886.000 02000020 9078 16809
<     SOL_COMPUTED PPP 51.15043767399 -114.03067692975 1097.4541 -17.0001 WGS84 0.2498 0.1951 0.4824 "TSTR" 16.000 0.000 34 34 34 33 00 00 7f 37

Initially the position type will report PPP_CONVERGING for TerraStar-C Pro and TerraStar-X, or PPP_BASIC_CONVERGING for TerraStar-L. After the PPP solution has converged, the position type in the PPPPOS log will change to PPP for TerraStar-C PRO and TerraStar-X, or PPP_BASIC for TerraStar-L.

Subscription Managed Channel Configuration

When using TerraStar‑X, TerraStar‑C PRO or RTK ASSIST PRO service, an all constellation, all frequency channel configuration gives better accuracy and faster convergence time compared to a dual-constellation, dual-frequency channel configuration. To allow the receiver to make best use of the TerraStar subscription, the Subscription Managed Channel Configuration (SMCC) feature automatically changes the channel configuration of the receiver to ensure all available constellations and frequencies are used. The specific channel configuration used is shown in the table below.

Receiver

TerraStar-C PRO

TerraStar-X

RTK ASSIST PRO

OEM719, OEM729, OEM7700, PwrPak7, CPT7700

FF config (7)

FF config (7)

FF config (7)

OEM7500, OEM7600, OEM7720, PwrPak7D, CPT7

MF config (6)

N/A

MF config (6)

For information about channel configurations, refer to the SELECTCHANCONFIG command and the CHANCONFIGLIST log.

SMCC is enabled by default.

For information about enabling or disabling SMCC, see the TERRASTARAUTOCHANCONFIG command.

The automatically applied channel configuration takes effect on the next receiver restart after the TerraStar subscription is received.

If the TerraStar‑X, TerraStar‑C PRO or RTK ASSIST PRO subscription becomes inactive, the receiver will revert to the channel configuration enabled by the receiver model.

This feature is available on OEM firmware version 7.08.10 and later.

Additional Information

For more information on TerraStar Correction Services, refer to APN-087: TerraStar on OEM7 available from novatel.com/support/support-materials/application-notes

For information on getting started with TerraStar Correction Services, refer to the TerraStar Correction Services Quick Start Guide Video