Summary of Contents for Novatel SUPERSTAR II OM-20000077
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SUPERSTAR II User Manual OM-20000077 Rev 3...
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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.
Table of Contents Software License Customer Service Notices Warranty Policy Foreword 1 Introduction 1.1 SUPERSTAR II GPS Card ......................14 1.2 FlexPak-SSII..........................15 2 Receiver Specifications 2.1 System Architecture........................17 2.2 Physical Characteristics......................... 17 2.2.1 Radio Frequency (RF) Section..................... 17 2.2.2 Digital Electronics Section....................
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Table of Contents 4.4.1 Mask Angle........................... 31 4.4.2 GPS Antenna Position......................31 4.5 Receiver States ..........................31 4.5.1 Non-Operational State......................31 4.5.2 Operational States........................ 31 4.6 Built-In Status Tests........................33 4.7 DATUM Support ..........................34 5 Message Formats 5.1 RTCM-Format Messages ......................35 5.1.1 RTCM1 Differential GPS Corrections (Fixed)...............
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Tables Related Publications ........................13 Minimum J1 Connections ......................22 Use of Discretes ........................... 25 Discretes IP2 and IP3 functions ....................25 Non-Volatile Memory Data ......................26 Cable Lengths Vs. Gain ....................... 42 J1 Interfaces and Power Connector Pin Assignment ..............47 I/O Signals Voltage Limits ......................
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Figures SUPERSTAR II Receiver ......................14 FlexPak-SSII Enclosure ........................ 15 Receiver Block Diagram........................ 17 Typical System Configuration......................19 Basic Setup ........................... 27 Typical Operational Configuration ....................28 The SBAS Concept ........................40 SUPERSTAR II Dimensions......................46 FlexPak Power Cable........................51 FlexPak 13-Pin Serial Cable ......................
License: NovAtel Inc. ("NovAtel") grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license (not a sale) to use one copy of the enclosed NovAtel software on a single computer, and only with the product it was supplied with. You agree not to use the software for any purpose other than the due exercise of the rights and licences hereby agreed to be granted to you.
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LOST PROFITS, EVEN IF NovAtel HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THE POTENTIAL LOSS OR DAMAGE. NovAtel will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by delay in furnishing the software or any other performance under this Agreement. NovAtel's entire liability and your exclusive remedies for our liability of any kind (including lia-...
Ephemeris Data, ID# 22 continuous Measurement Block, ID# 23 1 Hz HW/SW Identification, ID# 45 one shot 3. Send the file containing the log to NovAtel Customer Service, using either the NovAtel ftp site at ftp:// ftp.novatel.ca/incoming or the support@novatel.ca e-mail address.
Notices Notices The following notices apply to the SUPERSTAR II card. The receiver operates within the performance requirements specified herein. Electrostatic Discharge This equipment contains components which are sensitive to damage by electrostatic discharge (ESD). A label bearing an ESD marking appears on packaging for the card. When cards have to be replaced or returned for service the following precautions should be observed: 1.
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Notices WARNING: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by NovAtel Inc. could result in violation of Part 15 of the FCC rules. CE Notice The enclosures carry the CE mark. WARNING: This is a Class B product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
Software Support One (1) Year Date of sale shall mean the date of the invoice to the original customer for the product. NovAtel’s responsibility respecting this warranty is solely to product replacement or product repair at an authorized NovAtel location only.
The following sections describe functionality, and mechanical and electrical characteristics of the SUPERSTAR II board. The software messages are described in the companion L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual, NovAtel part number OM-20000086. There are also additional appendices with reference materials for you.
Chapter 1 Introduction The SUPERSTAR II, see Figure 1 below, is a quality GPS receiver for embedded applications. The SUPERSTAR II has robust signal tracking capability even under difficult signal conditions. The SUPERSTAR II is a complete GPS OEM sensor that provides 3D navigation on a single compact board with full differential capability.
Introduction Chapter 1 • Operating temperature range of -30°C to +75°C • 1PPS output aligned on GPS Time + 200 ns • 1Hz measurement output aligned on GPS Time • Support for 62 predefined datums • Field-upgradeable firmware (stored in Flash memory) through the TTL serial port •...
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1 +12 dB active GPS antenna with magnetic mount and integrated RF cable (6 m) • 1 CD containing: • An installation program for NovAtel’s GPS L1 graphical user interface software, StarView • Product documentation, including user manuals SUPERSTAR II User Manual Rev 3...
Chapter 2 Receiver Specifications System Architecture Figure 3 below depicts the block diagram of the receiver assembly. Figure 3: Receiver Block Diagram Physical Characteristics This section applies to the OEM board version of the receiver. For details on the physical characteristics of the FlexPak-SSII version of the receiver, please see Appendix B, FlexPak-SSII Specifications, starting on Page 49.
The purpose of the GPS antenna is to convert the electromagnetic waves transmitted by the GPS satellites into RF signals. An active or passive GPS antenna may be used in the operation of the receiver. NovAtel’s active antennas are recommended.
This section covers the installation of the receiver. NovAtel’s StarView graphical user interface software running on a PC allows you to control the receiver and to display its outputs. See Section B.3, StarView Software Installation starting on Page 55 for its installation instructions.
Chapter 3 Installation In order for the SUPERSTAR II to perform optimally, the following additional equipment is required: • NovAtel GPS antenna • NovAtel coaxial cable • Regulated power supply providing +5 VDC • A wiring harness to provide power (connected to J1) as an interface for power, communications and signals •...
Your receiver must be a BASE model to act as a base station. A list of models is in Appendix A of the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual and in our Price List available from the Sales side menu of our website at www.novatel.com. 1. The base station must be located on a site that is above all obscuring elements on the surrounding terrain in order to have all satellites above the horizon visible at the base station’s antenna.
Chapter 3 Installation 3.3.3 Data Link The data link for differential operation must operate at a minimal rate of 9600 bps. 3.3.4 Base Station and Rover Units Separation The operational range of carrier-phase differential measurements is limited to about 20 km, after which significant accuracy degradation can occur.
COM1 and COM2 support communication using the binary protocol. Through specific binary messages, the ports are re-configurable to communicate with NovAtel’s PC-based user-interface StarView software (for extensive monitoring of SV tracking, measurements and navigation status). The default data transfer rate is 9600 bps but can be reconfigured (refer to Message ID# 110, Configure COM1 Port Mode in the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual).
Chapter 3 Installation Interface between SUPERSTAR II and customer application: Suggested Supplier: Omni Spectra Supplier part number: 5831-5001-10 Suggested Supplier: Suhner Supplier part number: 11MCX-50-2-10C Suggested Supplier: Radiall Supplier part number: R113082. The center conductor provides power for an active antenna (PREAMP signal from J1-1). 3.4.3.1 Preamplifier Power Pass-Through (Antenna Supply) The PREAMP signal is available on the I/O connector for the host to provide power to the antenna preamplifier...
Installation Chapter 3 Table 3: Use of Discretes Discrete Name FlexPak Equivalent Name Direction GPIO2 Navigator IN/OUT GPIO3 IN/OUT GPIO5 GPS Data IN/OUT GPIO6 NVM Control IN/OUT GPIO7 Protocol Select IN/OUT If you use NMEA, the SUPERSTAR II offers you the option of setting the I/O operating mode to NMEA through discrete input levels.
19200. A list of models is in Appendix A of the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual and in our Price List available from the Sales side menu of our website at www.novatel.com. If DISC_IP2 is tied to LO logic, the default ROM configuration will be used and the following...
Once you have selected the appropriate equipment, complete the following steps to set up and begin using your NovAtel SUPERSTAR II receiver. If your receiver has been provided as a GPS card without an enclosure, install the card in an enclosure to reduce environmental exposure, RF interference and vibration effects.
Your receiver must be a BASE model to act as a base station. A list of models is in Appendix A of the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual and in our Price List available from the Sales side menu of our website at www.novatel.com. SUPERSTAR II User Manual Rev 3...
Getting Started Included with your receiver is NovAtel’s StarView program. StarView is a Windows-based graphical user interface which allows you to access the receiver's many features without struggling with communications protocol or writing special software. The information is displayed in windows accessed from the Window menu.
Section 4.5.2, Operational States starting on Page 31. If a persistent error develops, please contact your local NovAtel dealer first. If the problem is still unresolved, please contact NovAtel directly through any of the methods in the Customer Service section at the beginning of this manual on Page 9.
Your receiver must be a BASE model to act as a base station. A list of models is in Appendix A of the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual and in our Price List available from the Sales side menu of our website at www.novatel.com. 4.4.1...
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Chapter 4 Operation The receiver switches between modes automatically. The receiver reports on its host port the current operating and navigation modes. 1. Self-Test Mode The receiver enters Self-Test mode upon request from an external source (please refer to Message ID# 51, Initiated BIT in the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual).
Your receiver must be a BASE model to act as a base station. A list of models is in Appendix A of the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual and in our Price List available from the Sales side menu of our website at www.novatel.com. a. Differential (Roving Unit Only)
Chapter 4 Operation DATUM Support The receiver has the ability to provide its position in one of the 62 predefined datums. The list of the supported datum and details on Message ID# 88, Select/Define Datum to Use are provided in the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual.
The standards recommended by the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services Special Committee 104, Differential GPS Service (RTCM SC-104,Washington, D.C.), have been adopted by NovAtel for implementation into the receiver. Because the receiver is capable of utilizing RTCM formats, it can easily be integrated into positioning systems around the globe.
9 messages. For this reason, only receivers with an external oscillator can generate Type 9 messages. SUPERSTAR II receivers can accept Type 9 messages. NovAtel recommends a high-stability clock such as the PIEZO Model 2900082 whose 2-sample (Allan) variance meets the following stability requirements: 3.24 x 10...
Message Formats Chapter 5 Type 9 messages contain the following information for a group of three satellites in view at the base station: • Scale factor • User Differential Range Error • Satellite ID • Pseudorange correction • Range-rate correction •...
See Appendix G, GPS Overview on Page 67 for an overview of GPS positioning. Single-Point or Autonomous The NovAtel SUPERSTAR II receiver is capable of absolute single-point positioning accuracies of < 5 meters CEP (GDOP < 2; no multipath). The general level of accuracy available from single-point operation may be suitable for many types of applications that do not require position accuracies of better than 5 m CEP.
Positioning Modes of Operation Chapter 6 OCXO, and so on). • Multipath Signal Reception – Multipath signal reception can potentially cause large pseudorange and carrier phase measurement biases. Multipath conditions are very much a function of specific antenna site location versus local geography and man-made structural influences. Severe multipath conditions could skew range measurements by as much as 100 meters or more.
6.2.1 SBAS Receiver NovAtel SUPERSTAR II-based receivers are equipped with an SBAS feature. The ability to simultaneously track two SBAS satellites, and incorporate the SBAS corrections into the position, is available in these models. These models can output the SBAS data in log format (refer to Message ID# 67, WAAS Data in the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual), and can incorporate these corrections to generate differential-quality position solutions.
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Positioning Modes of Operation Chapter 6 134. 4. Select Status | SBAS from the Window menu to see the number of valid SBAS messages that are being decoded for a specific SV number since the last power-up. When the Valid Messages count is not incrementing, it means that either the receiver is not tracking any SBAS satellites, or it is unable to demodulate the SBAS bit stream.
Chapter 7 Troubleshooting When your receiver appears not to be working properly, often there are simple ways to diagnose and resolve the problem. In many cases, the issue can be resolved within a few minutes, avoiding the hassle and loss of productivity that results from having to return your receiver for repair.
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Troubleshooting Chapter 7 • Verify DGPS base station is actually transmitting DGPS corrections and base data is being received by the SUPERSTAR II. 4. If you are not receiving expected messages from the SUPERSTAR II: • Verify transmit message settings (i.e. receiver's output configuration or requested message). •...
Appendix A Technical Specifications A.1 SUPERSTAR II Family Performance PERFORMANCE* Position Accuracy: DGPS <1 m (CEP) Single Point <5 m (CEP) SBAS <1.5 m (CEP) Time to First Fix: Hot start: 15 s typical, with current almanac, position, time and ephemeris Warm start: 45 s typical, with current almanac, position and time Cold start: 2 min.
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Technical Specifications Appendix A COM1: NMEA or proprietary binary Input Messages: COM2: RTCM SC-104 types 1, 2, and 9 COM1: NMEA or proprietary binary Output Messages: (NMEA types GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC, ZDA, GLL plus proprietary messages) 1PPS, aligned with GPS time (± 200 ns typical in absolute mode) Time Mark Output: Discrete: 3 general purpose input/output lines...
Appendix A Technical Specifications A.2.1 Mechanical Drawing Figure 8 shows the SUPERSTAR II OEM board outline. Figure 8: SUPERSTAR II Dimensions SUPERSTAR II User Manual Rev 3...
Technical Specifications Appendix A A.2.2 Connector Pin Assignment Table 7 shows the Interface and Power connector J1 pin assignment. Table 7: J1 Interfaces and Power Connector Pin Assignment J1 PIN # SIGNAL NAME FUNCTION PREAMP Power for active antenna (40 mA max) Primary power (3.3V or 5.0V -0.5 V/+0.25 V) Back-up battery for real-time clock device VBATT...
Appendix A Technical Specifications A.2.3 I/O Electrical Characteristics Table 8 shows the voltage level limits for the different I/O signals: Table 8: I/O Signals Voltage Limits Input low Input high Output low Output high SIGNAL NAME TYPE max (V) min (V) max (V) min (V) 0.50...
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Appendix B FlexPak-SSII Specifications B.1 FlexPak-SSII INPUT/OUTPUT CONNECTORS Waterproof TNC female jack, 50 Ω nominal impedance Antenna +4.25 to +5.25 VDC, 90 mA max (output from FlexPak to antenna/LNA) 3-pin waterproof Deutsch connector (Deutsch PN 59065-09-98PN) Power Input Voltage: +6 to +18 VDC Power Consumption: 0.7 W (typical) 13-pin waterproof Deutsch connector (Deutsch P/N 59065-11-35PF) COM1...
Appendix B FlexPak-SSII Specifications B.1.1 Status Indicators The FlexPak-SSII provides the status indicators shown in Table 9. Table 9: FlexPak Status Indicators Indicator Indicator Color Status Green Data is being transmitted from COM1 COM1 Data is being received on COM1 Green Data is being transmitted from COM2 COM2...
Cables B.1.3.1 Automobile Power Adapter Cable (NovAtel part number 01017374) The power adapter cable supplied with the FlexPak provides a convenient means for supplying +12 V DC while operating from an automobile. The figure below shows the cable and a wiring diagram of the automobile adapter.
FlexPak-SSII Specifications B.1.3.2 13-Pin Deutsch to DB9 Serial Cable (NovAtel part number 01017375) The null-modem serial cable shown below provides a means of interfacing between the COM1 or COM2 port on the FlexPak and another serial communications device, such as a PC. At the FlexPak end, the cable is equipped with a 13-pin Deutsch connector (Deutsch part number: 59064-11-35SF), which plugs directly into a COM port.
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Your receiver must be a BASE model to act as a base station. A list of models is in Appendix A of the L1 GPS Firmware Reference Manual and in our Price List available from the Sales side menu of our website at www.novatel.com. B.2.2.1...
Appendix B FlexPak-SSII Specifications B.2.2.2 DGPS Setup with the FlexPak-SSII Set up the equipment as in Figure 11 on Page 54, for differential messages. Differential operation requires that stations operate in pairs. Each pair consists of a base station and a rover station. For each receiver, the base and the rover, follow the set-up steps in Section B.2.2.1 on Page 53.
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3. Download the StarView setup program and save it in a temporary directory (for example, C:\temp). 4. Use the setup program to install the StarView software by following the steps on the screen. After installation, StarView also appears in the Windows Start menu at Start | Program Files | NovAtel L1 Software.
Appendix C Antenna Specifications The GPS antenna is an important part of the total system performance and its selection should be based on your application. The L1 GPS receivers include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) before the RF ASIC. This +20 dB LNA permits reasonable performances with a passive GPS antenna.
Antenna Specifications Appendix C Table 12: Antenna Gain Depending on Cable Length Required Cable PNs ANTENNA GAIN CABLE TYPE MIN. LENGTH MAX. LENGTH 217-601730-XXX 0 dB (no LNA) RG-58 Low Loss 3 meter (3 dB) 0 feet 217-601730-XXX +12 dB RG-58 Low Loss 20 meter (12 dB) 0 feet...
Marine 201-990144-807 TNC Female Bulk head Prices and availability can be found in the latest Price List on our website at http://www.novatel.com. C.4 Passive Antenna For DGPS applications where <1 m accuracy is required, it is strongly recommended to use an active geodetic GPS antenna if possible.
Antenna Specifications Appendix C Figure 15: GPS Antenna 201-990147-432 (1575 MHz) and 201-990144-807 (Pre-Amplifier) SUPERSTAR II User Manual Rev 3...
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Appendix D Standards/References RTCM STANDARDS REFERENCE For detailed specifications of RTCM, refer to RTCM SC104 Version 2.1 of "RTCM Recommended Standards For Differential NAVSTAR GPS Service", January 3, 1994 Radio Technical Commission For Maritime Services 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 600 Alexandria, VA 22314-2480, USA Phone: +1-703-684-4481 Fax: +1-703-836-4229...
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Appendix E TTFF and Satellite Acquisition Time-To-First-Fix (TTFF) The receiver enters Navigation mode, see Operational States on Page 31, and provides valid outputs in less than 50 seconds after completion of the self-test and the following initialization criteria have been met: 1.
The registration key contains your host computer information. Only the computer that originally generated the ID number that you sent to NovAtel, is able to run the update.exe program. If you have multiple updates or upgrades, you must do them all from this one computer.
The Update utility prompts you to remove or apply power to the GPS receiver. The sessions counter decrements every time a programming session is successfully executed. An example is shown in Figure 19 below. NovAtel Inc. L1 Figure 19: Update Utility Activation SUPERSTAR II User Manual Rev 3...
Appendix F Updating Receiver Firmware F.5.1 Programming Success The Update utility confirms programming success at the end of the programming session, see Figure 20 below. At this point, remove power from your GPS receiver. Figure 20: End of Programming Session SUPERSTAR II User Manual Rev 3...
Space Vehicle Number (SVN) or the Pseudorandom Code Number (PRN). The PRN is used by the NovAtel receiver. The GPS satellites transmit on two L-band frequencies; one centered at 1575.42 MHz (L1) and the other at 1227.60 MHz (L2).
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G.1.3 The User Segment The user segment, such as the NovAtel receiver, consists of equipment which tracks and receives the satellite signals. The user equipment must be capable of simultaneously processing the signals from a minimum of four satellites to obtain accurate position, velocity and timing measurements.
This value is not easy to determine. A world-wide model is generally used to provide these values. NovAtel GPS receivers store this value internally. This model can also be augmented with local height and gravity information. A more precise geoid model is available from government survey agencies e.g.
Appendix G GPS Overview High accuracy, Low accuracy, high precision high precision High accuracy, Low accuracy, low precision low precision Figure 23: Accuracy versus Precision G.3.1 Single-Point vs. Relative Positioning In single-point positioning, coordinates of a GPS receiver at an unknown location are sought with respect to the earth's reference frame by using the known positions of GPS satellites being tracked.
GPS Overview Appendix G GPS satellites GPS antenna Differential GPS antenna data (shown with choke-ring ground plane) Radio User with hand-held computer Radio Rover station Base station Figure 24: Example of Differential Positioning G.3.2 Static vs. Kinematic Positioning Static and kinematic positioning refer to whether a GPS receiver is stationary or in motion while collecting GPS data.
Appendix G GPS Overview Figure 25: Illustration of GPS Signal Multipath G.4.1 Why Does Multipath Occur? When the GPS signal is emitted from the satellite antenna, the RF signal propagates away from the antenna in many directions. Because the RF signal is emitted in many directions simultaneously and is traveling different paths, these signals encounter various and differing natural and man-made objects along the various propagation routes.
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GPS Overview Appendix G present to some degree, due to real world conditions. When a GPS multipath signal converges at the GPS antenna, there are two primary problems that occur: 1. a multiple signal with amplitude and phase shifting, and 2.
Appendix G GPS Overview Figure 26: GPS Signal Multipath vs. Increased Antenna Height When the antenna is in an environment with obstructions and reflective surfaces in the vicinity, it is advantageous to mount the antenna as high as possible to reduce the obstructions, as well as reception from reflective surfaces, as much as possible.
(there are smaller variations in 2 axes). This is what makes NovAtel's GPS antennas so successful when used with the NovAtel GPSAntenna choke ring ground plane.
Appendix H Glossary of Terms ASCII - A 7 bit wide serial code describing numbers, upper and lower case alpha characters, special and non- printing characters. Almanac - a set of orbit parameters that allows calculation of approximate GPS satellite positions and velocities.
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Glossary of Terms Appendix H Figure of Merit - The receiver provides an estimated accuracy level. The accuracy level estimate is provided in the horizontal and vertical Figure of Merit (FOM). The FOM reflects a 95% confidence level for the position solution accuracy estimate.
Appendix H Glossary of Terms P-Code (precise or protected) - a spread spectrum direct sequence code that is used primarily by military GPS receivers to determine the range to the transmitting GPS satellite. Uses a chipping rate of 10.23 MHz. PDOP - Position Dilution of Precision - A numerical value expressing the confidence factor of the position solution based on current satellite geometry.
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Glossary of Terms Appendix H Variable field - by NMEA standards, a data field which may or may not contain a decimal point and which may vary in precision following the decimal point depending on the requirements and the accuracy of the measuring device.
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Appendix I Acronyms 1PPS One Pulse Per Second Two Dimensional Three Dimensional Analog-to-Digital ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange Built-In Test Bits per Second C/A Code Coarse/Acquisition Code Circular Error Probable Carrier to Noise Density Ratio Central Processing Unit Carriage Return Decibel Decibel Relative to 1 milliWatt...
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Acronyms Appendix I Hertz Interface Control Document Intermediate Frequency Intermodulation Input/Output Line Feed Low Noise Amplifier Most significant bit millisecond MegaHertz NAVSTAR Navigation System with Timing and Ranging NMEA National Marine Electronics Association nanosecond Non Volatile Memory OCXO Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator Original Equipment Manufacturer Personal Computer Printed Circuit Board...
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Appendix I Acronyms Signal-to-Noise Ratio Standard Positioning Service SRAM Static Random Access Memory Space Vehicle TCXO Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator TDOP Time Dilution Of Precision TTFF Time-To-First-Fix Universal Time Coordinated VDOP Vertical Dilution of Precision VFOM Vertical Figure of Merit WAAS Wide Area Augmentation System World Geodetic System...
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