Abstract
To better understand how receiver antenna calibration models contribute to GPS positioning error budget, we compare station positions estimated with different calibration models: igs05.atx, igs08.atx and individual antenna calibrations. First, the impact of switching from the igs05.atx antenna calibration model to the igs08.atx antenna calibration model is investigated using the EUREF Permanent Network historical data set from 1996 until April 2011. It is confirmed that these position offsets can be effectively represented by the igs05.atx to igs08.atx latitude-dependent model. Then, we demonstrate that the position offsets resulting from the use of individual calibrations instead of type mean igs08.atx calibrations can reach up to 1 cm in the up component, while in the horizontal, the offsets generally stay below 4 mm. Finally, using six antennas individually calibrated by a robot as well as in an anechoic chamber, we observe a position agreement of 2 mm in the horizontal component and a bias of 5 mm in the up component. Larger position offsets, dependent on the antenna/radome type, are, however, found when these individual calibrations are compared to type mean calibrations of two tested antennas.
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Acknowledgments
This research is supported by the Solar Terrestrial Center of Excellence. The authors would like to thank Dr. M. Schmitz from Geo ++ for providing detailed information on type mean calibrations. Thanks to P. Rebischung from the Institut National de l’Information Géographique et Forestière for his help and comments on his model and to Dr. R. Schmid from the Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut for his valuable comments on the IGS antenna calibrations. The authors would also like to thank the editor and the reviewers for their constructive comments on the manuscript.
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Baire, Q., Bruyninx, C., Legrand, J. et al. Influence of different GPS receiver antenna calibration models on geodetic positioning. GPS Solut 18, 529–539 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-013-0349-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-013-0349-1