For JD, Jimbo, TM and the ORGI bunch:

Any tips on working with this part of AS? I have yet to try this feature out, have looked over the instructions in the old Locus manual, has it been improved? Just curious.

Dave

I have used the RINEX converter in Ashtech Solutions a couple of times to send some files to OPUS. It seems to work quite well but you will have to tell me whether Deral's TGO likes it very much.

Dave,

The way AS2.XX handles Rinex input is as simple as loading any other data file into a project. Here's the basic steps I use to get CORS data to Solutions.

First, I set up a download folder just for the CORS RINEX2 files I'll be downloading. Go the to CORS site to the UFCORS page and "fill in the blanks" for the data you want. To simplify our gps work, we've gone to UTC for all applications. The confusion of jumping back and forth from local to UTC just creates more problems. oooppps, got off subject a bit.

Next thing is to download each CORS file (in UFCORS you get all necessary files) to your temporary folder. It's not necessary to have this folder, but it does keep the clutter out of your AS2.XX project folder. Besides, you may want to unzip the CORS file(s) to multiple project folders (I do occassionally).

With the CORS "zipfiles" safely in your data folder you unzip each one directly to your AS2.xx project folder. The "o" and "n" files you need (which will convert to "B" and "E" files), along with other files, will unzip to your project folder. Easy enough so far, but more later on the "E" file.

Now you're ready to open your Solutions project file and "load files from disk". That's as simple as picking all the "o" files and watching Solutions Rinex Converter take over. The files will be brought into the project as "B" files.

The problem may arise with the "E" files not being created. I'm not sure about this but here's what I "think" I've experienced. When copying the RINEX zipfile directly into Solutions project folder, and unzipping directly in the folder, I don't recall having problems with insufficient "E" files for each station. When using the method I just described, unzipping from a temp folder to the Solution project file, I have had to create and rename multiple "E" files for each imported RINEX file.

And Dave, you mentioned something about a "MANUAL"? I know I downloaded the "e" manual from the cd, but I forgot to look at it. What....you think I'd follow directions or something??? (lol)


Phil,

In the original L1/CORS test sessions I sent Deral the RINEX conversions ofmy Locus files to play with. I don't think there was a problem with the "communication" part of it.

JD,

Thanks for helping me out with this. I'm almost there, but not quite.
Ok, since the online "help" function of AS is very limited (at least to my computer skill level) I have gone over what you posted here, along with the old "Locus" manual.
The manual, in the RINEX converter portion, suggests creating 4 directories: rinexin, rinexout,ashin, ashout. I have created these in AS under the project folder.
Now, I go to the NGS website, UFCORS, and select the data I want. It uses the pkzip format to send it to me, I save it to disk under the directory: C:/programfiles/AshtechSolutions/projects/rinexin

My "unzip" package is winzip, and the result in this directory is the following files: igr1153.sp3, README.txt, Vic1.ds, Vic1.log.txt, Vic1.pos, and Vic10300.02o ( I am using cors site in Vicksburg MS (Vic1), data from 2pm-5pm on January 30, 2002.
Now, when I try to "add data from disk" I navigate to the rinexin directory and try to use these files. Problem is I get the message from AS when in the project file "Navigation Data not found".
Ok, back to the NGS site and the CORS faq......which in itself is a challenge for me to obtain the specific topic! But I finally find out that the "navigation" part of the file has been updated to Southern California specs...yada yada....
so what gives??? I admit, I'm extremly far from being a whiz on a PC; Phil, if you read this, perhaps you can put together a "go-by" for the board.
Open to ALL the suggestions anybody can afford!
Dave

I have noticed that lately my closest cors site BRU1 has NOT included the nav files in my downloads. When I ask for RINEX 2 data it only gives me the danged .02o files, and leaves out the 02n files. I then have to go back and get the entire nav file by itself and then rename it to my specific time slot I previously downloaded..what a pain.

The CORS format has changed and it seems to be site specific.....any others with this issue?

Dave and Robert

I think all you need to do is load your RINEX "o" files into your project and make multiple corresponding copies of your own "E" file, renaming it for easch of the CORS sites. Since it was collected at the same time the CORS were in the session, it should be the same file. Doesn't it just include the broadcast ephemeris?

I'm not sure what happened with the CORS data either. I know I downloaded all mine last week, three days after the ORGI all nighter of 02.034, and had no problems with nav files (using 5 different CORS sites). Yesterday, again downloading 5 different CORS sites for the same project time, a week old now, I got one site's .nav file in my project. Strange thing, huh? May be worth the effort to try downloading some data the day it becomes available and verify the nav files. Then try a couple of days later. Or, it may be exactly as Robert suggested - site specific. Looks like another "project".

J.D.

Dave Huff wrote:

the result in this directory is the following files: igr1153.sp3, README.txt, Vic1.ds, Vic1.log.txt, Vic1.pos, and Vic10300.02o

You're getting the precise ephemeris (igr1153.sp3) but apparently not getting the broadcast ephemeris. AS can't yet process the precise ("soon," they tell us), so it doesn't recognize a nav file; it's looking for vic10300.02n and seems not to be finding it.

Jim,

Good catch. I didn't "read" all of Dave's above post carefully enough to catch the .sp3 file mention.

I suppose that would then fall perfectly into the suspicions I had regarding my most recent experiences. The precise orbit is included to supercede the broadcast orbit when it becomes available. But, on the UFCORS site there is a box to check (I think it always defaults to "yes") if you want or do not want the .sp3 file. I wonder now if it works the way it would appear it should.

J.D.

Speaking for a handicapped user (Trimble), then I had no trouble getting JD's rinex into my project and since he processed files in ORGI to mine, then I suspect he used mine okay...Gee..Rinex-2 must work..

Here's my take on the nav file...Trimble doesn't like the sp3 file when importing in rinex files..Why, this I don't know...but TGO allows my to pick any file I want. I generally pick the nav file from my local download and this seems to work, plus it defaults to the last file, so when importing multiple rinex files, I don't have to re-select the nav file each time..

TM
Maybe rinex takes a few extra steps, but it does work as advertised...

I would wish the UFCORS was a little more robust and the CORS sites themselves. In ORGI I was needing LMNO, but it's appearantly offline during this time..Maybe they thought no normal people would use it on a saturday night!

Guess they need to meet some of us.

Trimble Man wrote:

Trimble doesn't like the sp3 file when importing in rinex files..Why, this I don't know...but TGO allows my to pick any file I want.

I found the TGO procedure for using precise ephemerides very unintuitive, and the manual and help files useless in that regard. I was only able to get it to work after a couple of assists from Scott Partridge and John Hamilton on the Unofficial "Yellow Box" GPS Users Discussion Board.

For the curious, the procedure requires importing the RINEX observation and broadcast nav files, and separately importing the SP3 files using the "Other Survey Files" dialog box. (The SP3 files will be converted to E18 format during import.) You must also create a processing style that specifies use of the precise ephemerides.

I was referring to the fact that you can't use it when bringing in the Rinex file..It works fine using the 'import precise eph'..
I generally set my projects to 'always' use the precise eph's...When you don't have one then it uses the broadcast and gives you a warning message..This way, I don't have to remember to go and change my processing styles back and forth..

TM

If your CORS files come without an N file you can go scrounge an N file from another site for the same day, rename it to match the O file from the site you want to use, and crunch it with AS.

If you have the B files already and you are looking for an E file to go with it just scrounge an E file that will match the observation time and rename it to match the B file.

Let's also hope that soon is real soon.