OP (OPUS Projects) works with 2-hour+ data sets collected anywhere in the world. Unlike OPUS Rapid Static and OPUS Static, OP processes vectors between local receivers and vectors out to nearby CORS. So the internal baselines are extremely accurate.

If you currently use OPUS Static, or any of the alternatives (CSRS-PPP, AUSPOS, GAPS, APPS, SCOUT, CenterPoint RTX) I think it is worth taking a moment to check out OP.

At the end of August, I promised to provide more information on OPUS Projects, after I took the course in Corbin VA. You can checkout my article in ‘The American Surveyor’ at the links below.

This PDF is easier to read as the figures are inline:

I also made a 20-minute, step-by-step accompanying video:

 

This actually is a pretty nifty and thrifty addition to the MobileMapper package line. Included with the receiver are MobileMapper Field, Post Processing Option, NTRIP Option and Flying RTK Options.

The $4,050 MSRP ($4,995 with GLONASS) package saves $1,230 over purchasing the options separately:

Here is another way to look at this package:

 

If you are going to purchase MobileMapper Field and Post-Processing, you can get NTRIP and Flying RTK thrown in and save $40!

 

If you are wondering about NTRIP and Flying RTK here is a quick refresher:

 

NTRIP allows you to make an internet connection to an internet based NTRIP or DIP correction server.

 

Flying RTK provides a ‘FLOAT’ solution, but generates accurate results after a short wait.

 

I am running some tests on ‘Flying RTK’ right now and will report on the results with long baselines in a later post.

 

For now, just remember that it may be less expensive to get the decimeter edition. We don't have the Decimeter Editions in our online store yet. If you are interested, drop me a note or call and I will hook you up with more information and competative quotation.

 

A new RINEX Convertor is available on the Ashtech FTP site:

  ftp://ftp.ashtech.com/Utility%20Software/RINEX%20Converter/RINEX/4.3.4/

 

The release document can be found here:

  ftp://ftp.ashtech.com/Utility%20Software/RINEX%20Converter/RINEX/4.3.4/RINEX%20Converter%204.3.4%20-%20Release%20Note.doc

 

There is a WinXP-7 version and a Win8 version. If you download from the FTP site, you will need a FTP client.

 

I have made single file archives available here:

 

          [ WinXP-7 ]

 

          [ Win8 ] 

 

 

NAD27 UTM in SurvCE and FAST Survey

 

NAD27 is not dead in the United States. There is just too much legacy Oil & Gas and mining data to kill it. If you need NAD27 UTM, you need to build the projection manually. Here is how: https://ashgps.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/nad27-utm-in-fast-survey-and-survce/

 

 

If you have a SD card larger than 64 Meg in your Z-Max, this FAQ may be worth a quick read:

 

  https://ashgps.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/large-sd-cards-on-z-max-receivers/

 

 

 

Over the past years I have had a difficult time hosting the mirror copy of the Thales/Magellan/Ashtech FTP site at ftp://ftp.ashtech.com.

 

The problem has been: hosting companies don’t like ‘unlinked’ files on websites.

 

I have been rudely kicked off four providers servers over the years. Last year, I gave up and moved the archives onto a server in the back closet at iGage. Admittedly the mirror has been very slow because of our upload bandwidth limitations.

 

Last month I moved the entire ashgps.com web site to Amazon Web Services (AWS). I don’t know what the best words are to describe the speed of the AWS file servers, but it seems to be about 10 times faster than ‘Smoking Hot Fast.’ And the price is less than $2 per month. Really.

 

So if you choose to download a large file from the mirror:

 

          http://ashgps.com/mirror/20130710/index.html

 

the download will be really, really fast.

 

There are still historical copies of the mirror available from the closet server that have not been moved to AWS, if you need any older files, let me know and I will point you in the right direction.

 

And if you need a recommendation for AWS, you have my mine. Nothing can touch it for performance and value.