Confirm my parts list

Operations/Getting Started Getting Started
1

I’m looking to build my first RTK GPS set up for our tractor and just want to get some reassurance before I start buying parts and pieces. I live in Wisconsin which has a free to use RTK base station network throughout the state for the DOT and land surveyors. I plan to use this network of base stations for correction via NTRIP. I’m not looking to do any autosteer, just guidance for now.

My impression is all I need is:

  1. A Windows tablet
  2. An RTK GPS antenna
  3. A wireless hotspot (my smartphone)

Is this correct? Seems almost too easy!

Lastly, I’m looking at the ArduSimple SimpleRTK2B Budget or the ArduSimpleRTK2B Starter Kit. I can’t figure out what exactly the differences are and which one I should get.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

2

That’s all you need - and the starter kit is just the budget+antenna.

And if all you want is guidance, you can even plug the F9P into an android phone and use one of the many free guidance apps on that.

3

For the NTRIP correction to happen, do I need to have just the tablet (Window or Android in your example) connected to the wireless hotspot or does the circuit board of the ArduSimple also need to connect? I saw something that some can come with headers to attach things to connect it to others via Bluetooth or WiFi.

4

I send the correction data to a SparkFun gps/rtk receiver over an USB/Serial converter.
I’ve never done it with WiFi. My phone is not a good hotspot.
I use a Teltonika RUT240 router.

5

If you want a standard f9p to be wireless to whatever tablet you prefer, put a Bluetooth xbee in the standard f9p xbee socket, and connect as an example, Lefebure NTRIP client on tablet (which have connection to the internet, ) then f9p can return the RTK fixed signal to tablet where you can use it in another steer guiding app!

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6

On the subject of antennas, I have a Patchwork black box g1 antenna from my existing system. Does anyone know if it’s a single or multi band antenna? Or even if it will work with ghet f9p receiver I plan on putting on my pcb?