Frequently Asked Questions

Answering questions about RTK-Net, what it's uses are, and what it can do for you.

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What is RTK-Net?

Is RTK-Net widely used?

I often hear of other GPS networks potentially starting in Virginia and Maryland. Why should I subscribe to RTK-Net now?

What benefits can I expect from RTK-Net?

How is the network monitored to ensure data integrity?

Are RTK-Net GPS Reference Stations part of the National Geodetic Survey (N.G.S.) CORS network?

Is RTK-Net a "cooperative" of reference stations owned by different entities and then managed by Loyola Spatial Systems?

Can any building be a site for a GPS reference station?

What is RTK-Net?

RTK-Net is one of the United States' largest, privately owned and operated, high accuracy, real time GPS reference station network that is currently operational in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C. and West Virginia.

Provided exclusively by Loyola Spatial Systems, RTK-Net provides increased accuracy, production and profitability to GPS users in the Surveying, Engineering, Construction and GIS communities. RTK-Net is comprised of advanced GPS technologies by Leica Geosystems and the latest in cellular communications.

Step out onto the job site and start collecting data at survey grade accuracy in a matter of minutes. One person, one GPS rover and one high accuracy reference station network. Now, you can perform construction stakeout, topographic surveying, precise GIS data collection, machine control, hydrographic surveying, dredging and a wide array of other high precision applications without setting up your own GPS base station and without paying an employee to "guard" the base station. Surveying in the RTK-Net footprint is easy. You can work in any coordinate system, even local, assumed systems. Thinking of a GPS purchase? With RTK-Net you can now perform RTK operations with the purchase of just one rover. Your investment to implement RTK into your company has just been cut in half.

RTK-Net will drastically increase your production and provides our clients a strategic advantage to complete projects more efficiently than ever before. RTK-Net... Work Smart.

Is RTK-Net widely used?

Yes. As of May, 2008 there are more than 65 companies using RTK-Net on a daily basis. This equates to more than 150 RTK rovers connected to the network and growing. The size of the network combined with the accuracy and reliability have enabled our clients to make drastic increases in production and profitability.

Our growing list of clients include private surveying & engineering firms, construction companies, utility companies and GIS organizations as well as local, state and federal government agencies.

Please visit our testimonial page at leica.loyola.com/rtk-net/reviews.html

I often hear of other GPS networks potentially starting in Virginia and Maryland. Why should I subscribe to RTK-Net now?

Establishing a solid, reliable GPS network is not a simple task. A substantial investment in hardware, software and a very sophisticated IT infrastructure is needed to make the network successful. Loyola Spatial Systems has spent considerable time in research and development in regard to network connectivity, monitoring and management. In fact, proprietary IT components have been developed by Loyola to ensure the integrity of the network and to provide an extremely reliable service to our clients. Loyola employs a professional staff of network engineers and programmers that provide direct support to the operation and maintenance of RTK-Net.

Today, RTK-Net is fully operational, tested for integrity and certified by N.G.S. RTK-Net provides the greatest coverage area available in the Virginia and Maryland region and continues to grow. It is an existing, monitored infrastructure that provides our clients a strategic advantage over their competitors. Our clients are reporting significant increases in production and profitability. Although there may be other networks in the future, RTK-Net will always be the largest, most reliable and most technologically advanced RTK network service available. RTK-Net is fully operational today and our clients are making money on a daily basis.

Please visit our testimonial page at leica.loyola.com/rtk-net/reviews.html

What benefits can I expect from RTK-Net?

ACCURACY

• Instant cm level accuracy within coverage areas
• Sub-meter accuracy outside coverage areas
• N.G.S. Cooperative CORS / Network integrity monitoring by Leica Geosystems technology

PRODUCTIVITY

• Perform cm accuracy RTK surveys with one rover
• Eliminates daily base station setup & potential errors
• Reduces dependency on ground control monuments
• Far exceeds range of conventional RTK systems
• Convert your existing base station into a productive rover

AVAILABILITY

• "Always on" & 24 /7 monitored service
• Allows subscribers to easily work in various locations

COST

• Eliminates the need to purchase a base station
• Approximately $24,000 saved on initial investment
• Eliminates paying an employee to guard base station against theft
• Turnkey packages available

How is the network monitored to ensure data integrity?

The network is monitored in three ways. First, N.G.S. performs daily position plots of each antenna. Second, the network is monitored and controlled 24/7 at the RTK-Net control center in the Richmond office of Loyola Spatial Systems. Loyola uses Leica Geosystems' "Spider" GPS network control software. Spider provides real-time monitoring of the network with automatic "event" notices sent to the managers of the network. Third, Loyola employs Leica's GNSS QC software for data analysis and integrity monitoring. Leica GNSS QC is the first choice in quality monitoring software to compliment Leica Spider. It is a stand-alone software that performs automatic quality checking and reporting of the logged RINEX data. Advanced analysis tools allow detailed site evaluation, receiver performance testing and multipath assessment.

Are RTK-Net GPS Reference Stations part of the National Geodetic Survey (N.G.S.) CORS network?

Yes. All of the GPS Reference Stations in RTK-Net are now or have been submitted to be part of the N.G.S. Cooperative CORS network. Each station meets or exceeds the N.G.S. requirements. Once a station is established, N.G.S. site logs are completed and submitted to N.G.S. Additionally, data paths are provided to N.G.S. from Loyola's web site to enable N.G.S. to process and monitor the position of each antenna. Once a position has been computed, the N.G.S. enters the station into the N.G.S. database and provides a link on their Cooperative CORS web site to access the free RINEX data.

Is RTK-Net a "cooperative" of reference stations owned by different entities and then managed by Loyola Spatial Systems?

No. RTK-Net is wholly owned and operated by Loyola Spatial Systems. Being wholly owned enables us to properly install, manage the network, keep the latest technology in place and expand the network more efficiently.

The cooperative network model does not provide the integrity and operational reliability needed for a professional, commercial service. Consider these factors about a GPS network that is comprised of GPS reference stations owned by several entities:

How a Cooperative GPS Network is Established:
Generally, a cooperative GPS network is established by a local GPS vendor. Instead of purchasing the reference stations themselves, the vendor will sell the reference stations to customers. The customer may be a private or public entity. The customer is typically responsible for the installation, operation, upgrades and maintenance of the reference station. The vendor will generally operate the control software for the network. The customer provides a data stream to the GPS vendor's software for generation of a RTK differential correction. The customer benefits by having access to the network at no cost or at a discounted cost because of their investment and participation.

Problems with the "Cooperative" network business model:
While the cooperative approach is an easy way for a vendor to establish a GPS network without a huge financial commitment, it creates operational limitations that result in major risks to the end users. These risks come in many forms:

Responsible Party:
Since there is no single owner of the network, there is no single responsible party in a cooperative business model. When a reference station stops working, the end user is typically relying on the GPS vendor to contact the owner of that particular reference station to try to figure out why it is not working. The GPS vendor who is "managing" the network now becomes the middle man between the end user and the actual owner of the reference station. This creates delays in getting the network operational and results in lost time and money for the end user.

Frequently, the end user will be utilizing a reference station that is owned by a direct competitor and thus relying on their competitor to keep their reference station operational.

Technology Expertise:
GPS reference station network technology is relatively new and changing rapidly. In a cooperative business model, the end user is relying on various organizations of varying degrees of expertise to keep their own reference station operational and functioning at its maximum capacity. GPS reference station technology and its associated I.T. backbone is quite complex. Successful operation of a GPS network requires trained experts in the field.

Technology Upgrades:
A major downfall to the cooperative business model is the inability to keep the technology at the highest level. Since the network is comprised of reference stations owned by multiple parties, there is absolutely no guarantee that an owner will be able or be willing to invest the money to repair, replace or upgrade the reference station.

Inevitably, the cooperative business model quickly creates a mix of new and old technologies incapable of delivering the best product to the end users.

In contrast, RTK-Net is wholly owned, operated, monitored and maintained by Loyola Spatial Systems. As a result, there are no middle men between the end user and the owner of the reference station. This allows us to react quickly if any issues ever arise and keeps our clients productive and profitable. Loyola maintains a professional staff dedicated to RTK-Net and keeps a sufficient amount of parts inventory to deploy when and where needed.

Can any building be a site for a GPS reference station?

No. Prior to permanently mounting any GPS reference station, certain criteria must be met for the location. Initially, geographic location, availability of a stable internet connection, structural stability of the mounting site and obvious physical obstructions are reviewed. Once these issues are confirmed to be satisfactory, Loyola establishes a temporary station for site testing and analysis.

The data collected by the temporary station are analyzed for local RF interference, multi-path and cycle slips due to physical obstructions. When a site has passed all tests, a permanent antenna mount is then installed.

For more information on becoming an RTK-Net Reference Station host, see our host benefits page at leica.loyola.com/rtk-net/host.html.