Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Absolute calibration of GPS antennas: laboratory results and comparison with field and robot techniques

  • Original Article
  • Published:
GPS Solutions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A critical assessment of the accuracy of GPS antenna calibration is most effectively done by comparison between different calibration methods. We present new chamber calibrations of five different GPS receiver antenna types in an anechoic chamber and a comparison of an individual antenna calibrated by the absolute field calibration technique with robot mount of IfE/GEO++. The accuracy is described using standard error parameters which allow the characterization of the quality of different antennas. The results validate the absolute calibration methods at the 1-mm level and confirm the presence of significant variations in quality between antennas of different design. For the antenna pattern we directly use the measured phase variations and do not have to fit any functions for the chamber calibrations. We include the results of an earlier test made with a set of identical antennas calibrated at five different institutions: two using the absolute field technique with robot mount and three others applying the standard field calibration with reference antenna.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Breuer B, Campbell J, Görres B, Hawig J, Wohlleben R (1995) Kalibrierung von GPS-Antennen für hochgenaue geodätische Anwendungen. SPN-Zeitschrift für Satellitengestützte Positionierung, Navigation und Kommunikation 49–59

  • Campbell J, Görres B, Siemes M, Wirsch J, Becker M (2004) Zur Genauigkeit der GPS Antennenkalibrierung auf der Grundlage von Labormessungen und deren Vergleich mit anderen Verfahren. Allgemeine Vermessungs-Nachrichten 111:2–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldmann-Westendorff U, Sorge B (2002) Vergleichstest von Kalibrierverfahren für GPS-Antennen. 4. GPS-Antennenworkshop Hannover, Mai 2002

  • Geiger A (1988) Einfluβ und Bestimmung der Variabilität des Phasenzentrums von GPS-Antennen. IGP-ETHZ-Mitteilungen 43. Zürich

  • Mader GL (1999) GPS antenna calibration at the National Geodetic Survey. GPS Solut 3(1): 50–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menge F, Seeber G, Völksen C, Wübbena G, Schmitz M (1998) Results of absolute field calibration of GPS antenna PCV. Proc ION GPS−98, Nashville, TN, pp 31–38

  • Rothacher M (2001) Comparison of absolute and relative antenna phase center variations. GPS Solut 4(4):55–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothacher M, Schmid R (2002) GPS-Antennenkalibrierung aus nationaler und internationaler Sicht. 4. SAPOS-Symposium 21–23. Mai 2002, Hannover, pp 124–131

  • Schmid R, Rothacher M (2002) Ergebnisse und Analyse des Vergleichstests von Kalibrierverfahren für GPS-Antennen. 4. GPS-Antennenworkshop, Hannover, Mai 2002

  • Schmid R, Rothacher M (2003) Estimation of elevation-dependent satellite antenna phase center variations of GPS satellites, J Geod 77: 440–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitz M, Wübbena G, Boettcher G (2002) Tests of phase center variations of various GPS antennas, and some results (Springer). GPS Solut 6(1–2): 18–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Schupler BR, Clark TA (1991) How different antennas affect the GPS observable. GPS World 32–36

  • Wübbena G, Schmitz M, Menge F, Seeber G, Völksen C (1997) A New approach for field calibration of absolute antenna phase center variations, navigation. J Inst Navigat 44: 2

    Google Scholar 

  • Wübbena G, Schmitz M, Boettcher G (2003) Analyse umfangreicher Messreihen von GPS Antennen PCV aus absoluten Roboter-Feldkalibrierungen seit Januar 2000. In: Görres B, Campbell J, Seeber G (eds) 5. GPS-Antennen-Workshop 2003, Geodätisches Institut der Universität Bonn

  • Zhu SY, Massmann F-H, Yu Y, Reigber Ch (2003) Satellite antenna phase center off sets and scale errors in GPS solutions. J Geod 76(11–12): 668–672

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are grateful for the occasion to use the anechoic test chamber of the “Technical Center for Information Technology and Electronics” in Greding/Germany (WTD81 of the FAF) and for providing the Leica AT303 antenna by the Bavarian State Survey Department, Munich. The robot data were kindly made available by the company Geo++.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geodätisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Nussallee 17, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    B. Görres, J. Campbell & M. Siemes

  2. Institut für Physikalische Geodäsie der Technischen Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstr. 13, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    M. Becker

Authors
  1. B. Görres
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Campbell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Becker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Siemes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. Görres.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Görres, B., Campbell, J., Becker, M. et al. Absolute calibration of GPS antennas: laboratory results and comparison with field and robot techniques. GPS Solut 10, 136–145 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-005-0015-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-005-0015-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation