Overview
Introduction
PointPerfect Flex Localized correction service via NTRIP (Internet) offers quick delivery of high precision accuracy by providing your device only the SPARTN corrections applicable to your location. This feature offers several advantages over the traditional continental streams, including improved performance, significantly reduced bandwidth requirements, easy usage and integration, and seamless transition between regions.
This page describes our PointPerfect Flex correction service with localized corrections delivered via our NTRIP service. If you wish to use our continental corrections service with an L-Band satellite delivery, please see the L-Band Configuration page.
Benefits of Localized Corrections Distribution
PointPerfect Flex Localized offers many benefits to users, including:
-
Improved performance: improved performance compared to the now legacy Continental service, at no additional cost.
-
Reduced bandwidth requirements: PointPerfect Flex Localized can reduce bandwidth requirements by up to 80% compared to the now legacy Continental service. This is a significant advantage for applications sensitive to bandwidth constraints, such as those that operate in remote areas or use low-power devices.
-
Unencrypted Corrections: The device does not need to decrypt messages.
-
Centimeter-level accuracy: PointPerfect Flex Localized uses the advanced PPP-RTK technology, delivering centimeter-level accuracy in seconds.
-
Continent wide seamless coverage: PointPerfect Flex Localized still covers all the same regions as continental. The following page shows the latest coverage area; PointPerfect Flex Service Coverage page.
-
High reliability and availability: PointPerfect Flex Localized is backed by u-blox's global network of reference stations, ensuring high reliability and availability even in challenging environments.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do's & Don'ts: Best Practices and Common Pitfalls
Do's:
-
Check out our Python sample script PointPerfect Flex NTRIP Client: Our sample script located within the Thingstream Downloads page for PointPerfect Flex can give you a great example on how to implement this into your setup.
-
Keep your F9 or X20 receiver firmware up to date: Regularly update your receiver firmware to ensure compatibility with SPARTN corrections and to benefit from performance enhancements, bug fixes, and new features.
-
Send GGA messages every 10 seconds: The NTRIP server needs a current GGA message from the rover to ensure correct localized corrections. Most NTRIP Clients are set to send GGA every 10 seconds. (The NTRIP server disconnects if no GGA is sent within 30 seconds.)
Don'ts:
-
Don’t send inaccurate GGA messages: Some NTRIP Clients send fixed or “baked” GGA messages that don’t reflect the rover’s real-time position. This can lead to DGNSS or Float problems. Always ensure GGA messages reflect the rover’s current location.
-
Don’t Use the same login credentials on multiple devices at once. Doing so will lead to frequent disconnect and reconnect issues.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PointPerfect Flex Localized System Architecture
The correction data format used by the Localized distribution method is the same as in our high-precision Continental streams. For the localized PointPerfect Flex architecture, the correction data is spread across multiple nodes and delivered through the NTRIP end point.
How it works
It is important to remember that the NTRIP server needs a current GGA message from the rover to ensure correct localized corrections. Most NTRIP Clients are set to send GGA every 10 seconds.
Provisioning the device, i.e. obtaining the NTRIP client credentials from the Thingstream portal is explained in the Creating a Thing guide.
For more information see the following guide:
-
PointPerfect Flex SPARTN over NTRIP Distribution - Localized SPARTN corrections delivered via NTRIP protocol for GNSS modules that natively supports SPARTN .
-
PointPerfect Flex RTCM Distribution - Localized RTCM corrections delivered via NTRIP protocol.
Service to Service
For service to service (S2S), the user is responsible for distributing the localized corrections data, this requires additional configuration at the user backend to redistribute the service data to the devices.
To access the service via service-to-service approach, please contact us at services-support@u-blox.com
Configuration
To complete the configuration, follow the steps in the PointPerfect Flex u-center guide.
Python sample script: PointPerfect Flex NTRIP Client
To evaluate the PointPerfect Flex localized version with an NTRIP Client built-in your host application, please refer to the PointPerfect Flex NTRIP Client sample python script available in the Thingstream Downloads page for PointPerfect Flex to help you get started.
Still need help?
If you need more help or have any questions, please send an email to services-support@u-blox.com.
Reference Documentation
[1] ZED-F9P Integration manual, UBX-18010802
[2] u-center User guide, UBX-13005250
[3] u-blox F9 HPG 1.32 Interface description, UBX-22008968
[4] C099-F9P application board User guide, UBX- 18063024
[5] EVK-F9P-01 evaluation kit User guide, UBX-22038408
[6] Thingstream Knowledge Base – Services Support