Remote Station Engineering - Instruments
Technical Notes
- UNAVCO Full Test Report: Trimble NetRS GPS Receiver [pdf]
- Test Series: Average power draw of Trimble NetRS with different antennas
- Test Series: Power draw versus time for UNAVCO Polar GPS System (NetRS and Iridium)
- Test Series: Average power draw of Trimble NetR9 with different antennas and operating conditions
- Complete lists of permanent station components and tools, and a weight calculator, are maintained on the Documentation page.
GPS Receivers
| Photo | Manufacturer | Part Number | Description | Status |
 |
Trimble | NetRS UNAVCO NetRS Resource Page |
Reference station receiver, ~3 year internal memory at 15s sample rate (1GB), Linux based, L2C tracking, serial and
ethernet communications. See Documentation for firmware, configuration settings, and test procedures. See above link for power draw information. Note: The NetRS has been discontinued by Trimble. |
Operational since 2004. Deployed in: - 90+ sites in Antarctica and Greenland using Iridium and point-to-point radio comms. - 1100+ sites in EarthScope PBO network. |
 |
Trimble | NetR9 UNAVCO NetR9 Resource Page |
Reference station receiver, ~12 year internal memory at 15s sample rate (4GB), capable of tracking all GNSS constellations,
serial and ethernet communications, supports external USB data storage. Similar power consumption to NetRS. See Documentation for firmware, configuration settings, and test procedures. See above link for power draw information. Note: The NetR9 is susceptible to interference from Iridium transmissions. Where Iridium is used, install RF notch filter on GPS antenna line (see below). |
Operational since 2010. Deployed in: - 40+ sites in Antarctica and Greenland. Compatible with Iridium and point-to-point radio comms. - 100+ sites in PBO, COCONet, and other PI projects worldwide. |
GPS Antennas
| Photo | Manufacturer | Part Number | Description | Status |
 |
Trimble | Zephyr Geodetic 2 GNSS 57971-00 Manufacturer specs UNAVCO GNSS Antenna Resource Page |
Cost effective, geodetic quality antenna, capable of tracking all GNSS constellations.
Zephyr 2 Geodetic GNSS replaces old Zephyr Geodetic GPS P/N 41249-00. ANTENNA MODEL IS PROJECT-SPECIFIC. Weight: 5 lb Cube: 0.5 (∅ 16"x4") |
Used in global Geodetic networks as well as selected geodetic sites in Antarctica. Also used for Antarctic and Arctic glaciological applications. |
 |
Trimble | GNSS Choke Ring 59800-00 Manufacturer specs UNAVCO GNSS Antenna Resource Page |
Dorne-Margolin Choke Ring w/o radome, capable of tracking all GNSS constellations. Replaces old Trimble P/N 29659-00. Weight: 10 lb Cube: 0.5 (∅ 16"x6") ANTENNA MODEL IS PROJECT-SPECIFIC. |
Well-characterized global standard antenna for geodetic measurements. GNSS and older GPS-only versions deployed in Greenland and Antarctica for the POLENET project. Also used in Earthscope PBO Network. |
 |
Southern California Earthquake Center | SCIGN radome for Trimble Choke Ring UNAVCO Radome Resource Page |
Short or tall sizes. Available for different antennas. Short Model: Weight: 5 lbs Cube: 1.5 (∅ 17"x10") USE OF RADOME AND RADOME MODEL IS PROJECT-SPECIFIC. |
Legacy radome used in SCIGN, Earthscope PBO, COCONet networks. Short model deployed in Greenland and Antarctica for the POLENET project. |
GPS Antenna Accessories
| Component | Photo | Manufacturer | Part Number | Description |
| External GPS Antenna Cable | 
|
Optimum Systems | N-N90 (for Choke Ring antenna): PPS-RF-006 revB (unsheathed) PPS-RF-007 revB (sheathed) N-TNC90 (for Zephyr Geodetic antenna): PPS-RF-010 revA (unsheathed) |
Custom length Times Microwave LMR-400 cable assembly, 50-ohm,
with Times Microwave crimp-on connectors. Right-angle connector used at GPS antenna, straight connector
used at enclosure. Typical lengths are 100 ft. or 50 ft. Can also be sheathed in flexible conduit
(Electri-Flex LA-11) for protection from wildlife. LMR-400 antenna cable and sheath tested flexible to -40C. Weight (100 ft.): 5 lb unsheathed 15 lb sheathed Cube (100 ft.): 0.5 unsheathed 1 sheathed |
| Internal GPS Antenna Cable | 
 |
Optimum Systems | N-N (for NetRS): PPS-RF-005 revE N-TNC (for NetR9): PPS-RF-004 revF |
Mil-spec RG58 50-ohm cable assemblies to connect receiver to N bulkhead connector. Connectors are TNC male and/or N male 50-ohm crimp-on connectors. |
| GPS Antenna Surge Protector / Pass Thru |  |
Hutton UNAVCO Surge Protection Resource Page |
3402.17.k (surge protector body) 73z-0-0-448 (90V gas cap) |
Uses gas-discharge technology to mitigate RF surges, passes DC current for antenna power. Used for static protection at
extreme wind sites. Pass-thru fitting for GPS antenna cable on enclosure wall. See Structural page for drawing of connector layouts on enclosures. |
| RF Grounding Plate |  |
B&B Machine and Grinding | PPS-EN-012 revB | Metal plate which mounts to wall of plastic polar enclosures. Accepts RF surge protectors for GPS antenna and up to two Iridium
antennas. Connected directly to battery bank with two 10ga wires to provide ground path for static discharges. If no GPS antenna surge protector needed, can use alternate version PPS-EN-012 revA to accept N-N bulkhead pass-thru (also has one port for TNC bulkhead pass-thru or Iridium RF surge protector. See Structural page for drawing of connector layouts on enclosures. |
| GPS Antenna Bulkhead Connector |  |
Newark | Amphenol Connex 172124 | N-N thru bulkhead connector with O-ring seal and female contacts. Occasionally used instead of surge protector (above)
for pass-thru for GPS antenna cable on enclosure wall. See Structural page for drawing of connector layouts on enclosures. |
| Iridium Notch Filter |  |
Reactel | 5LM-X1582-T11 | Notch filter to remove Iridium signal from GPS antenna line when using Trimble NetR9 receiver. Install on electronics board, inline with GPS antenna. Both RF ports are TNC connectors. "IN" port faces antenna, "OUT" port faces receiver. |
Weather Stations
| Photo | Manufacturer | Part Number | Description | Status |
 |
Vaisala | WXT-520 WXT520AAB0BC10B0 Manufacturer specs [pdf] |
Versatile weather station: Pressure, Temperature, Humidity, Precipitation, Wind Speed and Direction.
No moving parts, custom-configurable. Internal heater is disabled to save power. Rime ice can
interfere with ultrasonic wind speed data. Ultrasonic wind sensor also does not function below -45C. Use with serial port surge protector (see Communications section for part information). See Structural section for mounting adatper for aluminum pipe frame, and Documentation for configuration settings. Average power draw is <0.05W. |
Simple and relatively low-cost. Easily integrated with Trimble NetRS and NetR9 GPS receivers, with met data stream injected into GPS data files. Deployed at ~30 Antarctic locations. Excellent survivability under polar conditions. |
Last modified: 2019-12-24 02:12:28 America/Denver