Vector Pro Manual

Vector and Vector PRO
Reference Manual
Part Number Date:
875-0076-001 January 2005
Copyright Notice
Copyright 2004 CSI Wireless Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced by any means, including, but not limited to photocopy, photograph, digitizing, or otherwise, without the prior written permission from CSI Wireless Inc.
Trademarks
The CSI Wireless logo and COAST are trademarks of CSI Wireless Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
FCC Notice
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions. (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
4110 9th Street SE Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2G 3C4 Telephone number: +1-403-259-3311 Fax number: +1-403-259-8866 E-mail address: info@csi-wireless.com Web Site: www.csi-wireless.com
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CSI Wireless Inc.
CSI Wireless Limited Warranty

CSI Wireless Inc. (CSI) hereby warrants solely to the end purchaser of the Products, subject to the exclusions and procedures set forth herein below, that the Products sold to such end purchaser shall be free, under normal use and maintenance, from defects in material and workmanship for a period of 12 months from delivery to such end purchaser. Repairs and replacement components are warranted, subject to the exclusions and procedures set forth below, to be free, under normal use and maintenance, from defects in material and workmanship for 90 days from performance or delivery, or for the balance of the original warranty period, whichever is greater.
Purchasers Exclusive Remedy

The end purchasers exclusive remedy under this warranty shall be limited to the repair or replacement, at the option of CSI Wireless, of any defective Products or components thereof. The end user shall notify CSI Wireless or a CSI Wireless approved service center immediately of any claimed defect. Repairs shall be made through a CSI Wireless approved service center only.
Exclusions
CSI Wireless does not warrant damage occurring in transit or due to misuse, abuse, improper installation, neglect, lightning (or other electrical discharge) or fresh/salt water immersion of Products. Repair, modification or service of CSI Wireless products by any party other than a CSI Wireless approved service center shall render this warranty null and void. CSI Wireless does not warrant claims asserted after the end of the warranty period. CSI Wireless does not warrant or guarantee the precision or accuracy of positions obtained when using Products. Products are not intended for primary navigation or for use in safety of life applications. The potential accuracy of Products as
Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual iii
stated in CSI Wireless literature and/or Product specifications serves to provide only an estimate of achievable accuracy based on:
Specifications provided by the US Department of Defense for GPS Positioning, GPS OEM Receiver specifications of the appropriate manufacturer (if applicable), and DGPS service provider performance specifications.
CSI Wireless reserves the right to modify Products without any obligation to notify, supply or install any improvements or alterations to existing Products.
No Other Warranties
THE FOREGOING WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER WRITTEN, ORAL, IMPLIED OR ARISING BY STATUTE, COURSE OF DEALING OR TRADE USAGE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE DESIGN, SALE, INSTALLATION, SERVICE OR USE OF ANY PRODUCTS OR ANY COMPONENTS THEREOF, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Limitation of Liability
THE EXTENT OF CSI WIRELESSS LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY NATURE TO THE END PURCHASER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT AND WHETHER TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY SHALL IN NO CASE EXCEED, IN THE AGGREGATE, THE COST OF CORRECTING THE DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT OR, AT CSI WIRELESSS OPTION, THE COST OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE ITEM. IN NO EVENT WILL CSI WIRELESS BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PRODUCTION, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF USE OR FOR ANY SPECIAL,
iv Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR CONTINGENT DAMAGES, EVEN IF CSI WIRELESS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, CSI WIRELESS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND RESULTING FROM INSTALLATION, USE, QUALITY, PERFORMANCE OR ACCURACY OF ANY PRODUCTS.
Governing Legislation
To the greatest extent possible, this warranty shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona. In the event that any provision hereof is held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be severed from this warranty and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
Obtaining Warranty Service

In order to obtain warranty service, the end purchaser must bring the Product to a CSI Wireless approved dealer, along with the end purchasers proof of purchase. For any questions regarding warranty service or to obtain information regarding the location of any of CSI Wirelesss dealers, contact CSI Wireless at the following address. CSI Wireless Inc. 4110 9th Street SE Calgary AB, T2G 3C4 Canada Telephone number: +1-403-259-3311 Fax number: +1-403-259-8866 E-mail address: techsupport@csi-wireless.com
Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
Table of Contents
List of Figures ................................................................................................. xiv List of Tables .................................................................................................. xvi Preface ..........................................................................................................xviii Organization............................................................................................ xix Customer Service .................................................................................... xx World Wide Web Site.............................................................................. xxi Document Conventions ......................................................................... xxii Notes, Cautions, and Warnings............................................................. xxii 1. Quick Start..............................................................................................1 1.1 Receiving Your Shipment..................................................................2 1.2 Unpacking Your Vector System ........................................................2 1.3 Vector Interface .................................................................................3 1.4 Understanding the Vector .................................................................3 1.4.1 Moving Base Station RTK......................................................4 1.4.2 Supplemental Sensors - Reduced Search Time ...................5 1.4.3 Supplemental Sensors - Heading System Backup................5 1.5 Installation Overview .........................................................................6 1.6 Mounting Configurations and Offset Settings ...................................7 1.7 Gyro Initialization Process.................................................................8 1.8 NMEA 0183 Message Interface ........................................................9 1.8.1 Tilt Aiding ...............................................................................9 1.8.2 Tilt Sensor Calibration............................................................9 1.8.3 Magnetic Aiding ...................................................................10 1.8.4 Magnetometer Calibration ...................................................11 vi Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
1.8.5 Gyro Aiding ..........................................................................12 1.8.6 Time Constants....................................................................13 1.8.7 Level Operation ...................................................................18 1.8.8 Heading Compensation .......................................................19 1.8.9 Configuring for Pitch or Roll.................................................19 1.8.10 Configuring Negative Pitch or Roll ......................................20 1.8.11 Pitch / Roll Compensation ...................................................21 1.8.12 Forcing a New RTK Search.................................................21 1.8.13 Summary Command............................................................21 1.8.14 HELP command...................................................................22 1.8.15 $HEHDT Message...............................................................22 1.8.16 $HEROT Message ..............................................................23 1.8.17 Proprietary $PSAT,INTLT Message ....................................23 1.8.18 Proprietary $PSAT,HPR Message ......................................24 2. Installation ............................................................................................25 2.1 System Parts List ............................................................................25 2.2 Installation Overview .......................................................................25 2.2.1 Fixed Base Installation ........................................................25 2.2.2 Pole-mounting Base Installation ..........................................26 2.3 Vector Interface...............................................................................27 2.4 Choosing a Mounting Location .......................................................27 2.4.1 GPS Reception ....................................................................28 2.4.2 Beacon Reception ...............................................................28 2.5 Environmental Considerations ........................................................29 2.6 Power Considerations.....................................................................29 2.7 Electrical Isolation ...........................................................................30 2.8 Vector Mounting ..............................................................................30 Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual vii
2.8.1 Fixed Base Mounting ...........................................................32 2.8.2 Pole and Rail Mounting........................................................38 2.8.3 Vector Alignment..................................................................46 2.9 Routing and Securing the Power / Data Cable ...............................48 2.10 Interfacing the Vector ......................................................................48 2.10.1 Power / Data Cable Pin-Out ................................................49 2.10.2 Connecting to a power source .............................................50 2.10.3 Overview of Serial Port Interface .........................................50 2.10.4 Overview of Serial Port Configuration..................................52 2.10.5 Interfacing to a PC Computer ..............................................52 2.10.6 Interfacing to Other Devices ................................................54 2.11 Default Parameters .........................................................................54 3. Vector Overview ...................................................................................57 3.1 GPS .................................................................................................57 3.1.1 Satellite Tracking .................................................................58 3.1.2 Positioning Accuracy............................................................58 3.1.3 Update Rates .......................................................................59 3.2 SBAS ...............................................................................................59 3.2.1 Automatic Tracking ..............................................................59 3.2.2 SBAS Performance..............................................................60 3.3 Beacon Operation ...........................................................................61 3.3.1 Tune Modes .........................................................................61 3.3.2 Receiver Performance .........................................................63 3.4 COAST Technology.....................................................................63 3.5 Vector Architecture..........................................................................64 3.5.1 GPS Hardware.....................................................................64 3.5.2 GPS Firmware .....................................................................64 viii Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
3.5.3 GPS Applications.................................................................65 3.5.4 Beacon Firmware ................................................................65 4. Operation .............................................................................................66 4.1 Powering the Vector........................................................................66 4.2 Communicating with the Vector ......................................................66 4.2.1 NMEA 0183 Interface ..........................................................67 4.2.2 Binary Interface....................................................................68 4.2.3 RTCM SC-104 Protocol.......................................................68 4.3 Configuring the Vector ....................................................................70 4.4 Configuring the Data Message Output ...........................................70 4.4.1 This Port and the Other Port................................................71 5. 6. PocketMAX /PocketMAX PC ...............................................................72 NMEA 0183 Messages ........................................................................74 6.1 NMEA Message Elements ..............................................................74 6.2 General Commands........................................................................75 6.2.1 $JASC,D1 ............................................................................77 6.2.2 $JAIR ...................................................................................77 6.2.3 $JASC,VIRTUAL .................................................................78 6.2.4 $JALT ..................................................................................79 6.2.5 $JLIMIT................................................................................80 6.2.6 $JAPP..................................................................................80 6.2.7 $JBAUD ...............................................................................82 6.2.8 $JCONN ..............................................................................82 6.2.9 $JDIFF .................................................................................83 6.2.10 $JK.......................................................................................83 6.2.11 $JPOS .................................................................................84 6.2.12 $JQUERY,GUIDE................................................................85 Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual ix
6.2.13 $JRESET .............................................................................85 6.2.14 $JSAVE................................................................................86 6.2.15 $JSHOW ..............................................................................86 6.2.16 $JT .......................................................................................88 6.2.17 $JI ........................................................................................89 6.2.18 $JBIN ...................................................................................89 6.3 GPS Commands .............................................................................90 6.3.1 $JASC ..................................................................................91 6.3.2 $JAGE..................................................................................92 6.3.3 $JOFF ..................................................................................93 6.3.4 $JMASK ...............................................................................93 6.3.5 $J4STRING..........................................................................94 6.3.6 $JSMOOTH .........................................................................95 6.4 SBAS Commands ...........................................................................95 6.4.1 $JWAASPRN .......................................................................96 6.4.2 $JGEO .................................................................................97 6.4.3 $JASC,D1 ............................................................................99 6.4.4 $JASC,RTCM ......................................................................99 6.5 Data Messages ............................................................................ 100 6.5.1 GGA Data Message.......................................................... 101 6.5.2 GLL Data Message ........................................................... 102 6.5.3 GSA Data Message .......................................................... 103 6.5.4 GST Data Message .......................................................... 104 6.5.5 GSV Data Message .......................................................... 105 6.5.6 RMC Data Message.......................................................... 106 6.5.7 RRE Data Message .......................................................... 107 6.5.8 VTG Data Message .......................................................... 108 x Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
6.5.9 ZDA Data Message ...........................................................109 6.5.10 RD1 Data Message ...........................................................110 6.5.11 $PCSI,1 Beacon Status Message .....................................112 6.5.12 HDT Data Message ...........................................................113 6.5.13 ROT Data Message...........................................................113 6.5.14 HPR Data Message...........................................................113 6.6 Beacon Receiver Commands .......................................................114 6.6.1 $GPMSK Beacon Tune Command ...................................114 6.6.2 $PCSI,1 Beacon Status Command ...................................116 6.7 GPS Heading Commands.............................................................116 6.7.1 $JATT,TILTAID..................................................................117 6.7.2 $JATT,TILTCAL.................................................................118 6.7.3 $JATT,MAGAID .................................................................118 6.7.4 $JATT,MAGCAL ................................................................119 6.7.5 $JATT,MAGCLR................................................................120 6.7.6 $JATT,GYROAID...............................................................121 6.7.7 $JATT,LEVEL ....................................................................122 6.7.8 $JATT,CSEP .....................................................................123 6.7.9 $JATT,MSEP .....................................................................123 6.7.10 $JATT,HTAU .....................................................................123 6.7.11 $JATT,PTAU......................................................................124 6.7.12 $JATT,HRTAU...................................................................125 6.7.13 $JATT,COGTAU................................................................126 6.7.14 $JATT,SPDTAU.................................................................127 6.7.15 $JATT,HBIAS ....................................................................128 6.7.16 $JATT,PBIAS.....................................................................129 6.7.17 $JATT,NEGTILT ................................................................129 Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual xi
6.7.18 $JATT,ROLL ..................................................................... 130 6.7.19 $JATT,SEARCH ............................................................... 130 6.7.20 $JATT,SUMMARY ............................................................ 131 6.7.21 $JATT,HELP ..................................................................... 133 7. Binary Data........................................................................................ 134 7.1 Binary Message Structure............................................................ 134 7.1.1 Bin 1 .................................................................................. 136 7.1.2 Bin 2 .................................................................................. 136 7.1.3 Bin 80 ................................................................................ 138 7.1.4 Bin 93 ................................................................................ 139 7.1.5 Bin 94 ................................................................................ 140 7.1.6 Bin 95 ................................................................................ 141 7.1.7 Bin 96 ................................................................................ 142 7.1.8 Bin 97 ................................................................................ 143 7.1.9 Bin 98 ................................................................................ 144 7.1.10 Bin 99 ................................................................................ 146 8. Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................. 149 8.1 Heading ........................................................................................ 149 8.2 General......................................................................................... 149 8.3 Support and Repairs .................................................................... 150 8.4 Troubleshooting............................................................................ 151 8.5 Power, Communication, and Configuration ................................. 152 8.6 GPS Reception and Performance................................................ 154 8.7 SBAS Reception and Performance.............................................. 155 8.8 Beacon Reception and Performance ........................................... 156 8.9 External Corrections..................................................................... 157 8.10 Installation .................................................................................... 158 xii Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
9.
Troubleshooting .................................................................................159 Radiobeacon DGPS......................................................................186 DGPS Service Comparison...................................................................188
Appendix A - Specifications...........................................................................162 Appendix B - Interface...................................................................................163 Appendix B Introduction to GPS, SBAS, and Beacon ...............................164 Appendix C Resources ..............................................................................190 Index ...........................................................................................................193
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List of Figures
Figure 1-1 Vector ...............................................................................................1 Figure 1-2 Cable Interface.................................................................................3 Figure 2-1 Vector Interface..............................................................................27 Figure 2-2 Vector with Fixed Mount Base .......................................................31 Figure 2-3 Vector with Pole Mount Base.........................................................31 Figure 2-4 Fixed Mount Base ..........................................................................33 Figure 2-5 Bottom View of Fixed Mount Base.................................................33 Figure 2-6 Running Cable Through Fixed Base Mount...................................34 Figure 2-7 Running Cable Through Fixed Base..............................................35 Figure 2-8 Power / Data Cable Key and Keyway ............................................35 Figure 2-9 Connecting the Power / Data Cable to the Vector .........................36 Figure 2-10 Fastening the Fixed Base to the Vector.......................................37 Figure 2-11 Fastening the Fixed Base to the Vector.......................................37 Figure 2-12 Threading on the Lock Nut and Washer ......................................39 Figure 2-13 Running the Cable Through the Pole Base .................................40 Figure 2-14 Running the Cable Through the Pole Base .................................40 Figure 2-15 Running the Cable Through the Pole Mount ...............................41 Figure 2-15 Completed Cable Run..................................................................41 Figure 2-16 Threading the Pole Base onto the Mount ....................................42 Figure 2-17 Pole Base Threaded onto Mount .................................................42 Figure 2-18 Power / Data Cable Key and Keyway..........................................43 Figure 2-19 Connected Power / Data Cable ...................................................44 Figure 2-20 Fastening the Pole Base to the Vector ........................................45 Figure 2-21 Threading the Lock Nut Against the Pole Base ...........................45 Figure 2-22 Locking the Vector once Aligned .................................................46 xiv Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
Figure 2-23 Lining up the Alignment Sight ......................................................47 Figure 2-24 Correctly Lined-up Alignment Sight .............................................47 Figure 2-25 DB9 Socket Numbering ...............................................................54 Figure C-1 WAAS Coverage .........................................................................181 Figure C-2 EGNOS Coverage.......................................................................182 Figure C-3 Broadcast WAAS Inonspheric Correction Map...........................184 Figure C-4 Extrapolated WAAS Inonspheric Correction Map.......................184 Figure C-5 Broadcast EGNOS Inonspheric Correction Map ........................185 Figure C-6 Extrapolated EGNOS Inonspheric Correction Map ....................185 Figure C-7 World DGPS Radiobeacon Coverage.........................................188
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List of Tables
Table 2-1 Power Requirements.......................................................................30 Table 2-1 Wire Color Interface ........................................................................49 Table 2-2 Primary GPS Port A DB9 RS-232 Interface....................................53 Table 2-3 Secondary GPS Port A DB9 RS-232 Interface ...............................53 Table 3-2 Firmware Applications.....................................................................55 Table 3-3 Default Port Settings .......................................................................55 Table 3-4 Available Baud Rates ......................................................................55 Table 3-5 Default GPS NMEA Message Output .............................................56 Table 3-6 Correction Age and Elevation Mask Defaults .................................56 Table 3-7 Default Differential Mode.................................................................56 Table 3-8 Beacon Operating Parameters........................................................56 Table 3-1 Beacon Receiver Performance - SNR Reading..............................63 Table 6-1 NMEA Message Elements ..............................................................74 Table 6-2 General Commands ........................................................................76 Table 6-3 GPS Commands .............................................................................90 Table 6-4 SBAS Commands ...........................................................................96 Table 6-5 Data Messages ............................................................................ 100 Table 6-6 GGA Data Message Defined........................................................ 101 Table 6-7 GLL Data Message Defined......................................................... 102 Table 6-8 GSA Data Message Defined ........................................................ 103 Table 6-9 GST Data Message Defined ........................................................ 104 Table 6-10 GSV Data Message Defined ...................................................... 105 Table 6-11 RMC Data Message Defined ..................................................... 106 Table 6-12 RRE Data Message Defined ...................................................... 107 Table 6-13 VTG Data Message Defined ...................................................... 108 xvi Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual
Table 6-14 ZDA Data Message Defined .......................................................109 Table 6-15 RD1 Data Message Defined .......................................................110 Table 6-16 SBX Beacon Commands ............................................................114 Table 6-17 GPS Heading Commands...........................................................117 Table 7-1 Binary Message Structure.............................................................135 Table 7-2 Bin 1 Message ..............................................................................136 Table 7-3 Bin 2 Message ..............................................................................137 Table 7-4 Bin 80 Message ............................................................................138 Table 7-5 Bin 93 Message ............................................................................139 Table 7-6 Bin 94 Message ............................................................................140 Table 7-7 Bin 95 Message ............................................................................141 Table 7-8 Bin 96 Message ............................................................................142 Table 7-9 Bin 97 Message ............................................................................143 Table 7-10 Bin 98 Message ..........................................................................144 Table 7-11 Bin 99 Message ..........................................................................146 Table 9-1 Troubleshooting ............................................................................159 Table A-1 Vector Specifications ....................................................................162
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Preface
Welcome to the Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual and congratulations on purchasing this high-performance GPS compass. This product is based upon the successful heritage of our SLX enginebased GPS products that are renowned for performance and reliability. The Vector is a complete GPS compass and positioning system in a single enclosure that requires only one power / data cable connection. The Vector has been designed primarily for the Marine market, however it is also suitable for other markets, such as Machine Control and Agricultural Guidance. This reference manual has been written to address the primary use of the Vector in the Marine industry, however the information provided should be sufficiently broad to also satisfy the needs of Vector use in other markets. The Vector is an integrated system that houses two tightly coupled high-performance GPS receivers, dual GPS antennas, a DGPS beacon module (PRO version only), H-field beacon antenna, power supply, a single-axis gyro, a magnetic compass, and a tilt sensor. The gyro, magnetic compass, and tilt sensor are present to improve system performance and to provide backup heading information in the event that a GPS heading is not available due to signal blockages. Note - The Vector model is identical to the Vector PRO with the exception that it does not contain a DGPS beacon module. If you have purchased the Vector, please ignore the sections of this manual that discuss the beacon signal, receiver operation, and implications to installation relating to the beacon signal. The GPS antennas inside the Vector are separated by approximately 0.5 m between antenna phase centers, resulting in a 0.5 rms heading performance. The Vector provides industry standard $HEHDT and $HEROT NMEA heading messages at rates of up to 10 Hz and delivers sub-meter positioning (95%) using corrections from Space
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Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) or its internal SBX beacon demodulator at position update rates of up to 5 Hz. An additional feature offered by the Vector is our unique COAST technology that allows the internal GPS to use old correction data for up to 30 to 40 minutes without dramatically affecting the quality of your positioning. Using COAST, the Vector is less vulnerable to differential signal outages, weak differential signal conditions, differential signal blockage or interference. The purpose of this manual is to familiarize you with the proper installation, configuration, and operation of your new GPS compass. This document is a comprehensive resource rather than a simple users guide in order to place a generous amount of information in one place. We hope this saves you time by providing complete information in a single document and also increases your knowledgebase beyond the basic operation of the Vector. At the same time, weve written Chapter 1 such that it condenses much of the heading aspect of the product in one convenient place. CSI Wireless has designed this GPS product to function in a wide array of applications and environments for many years of reliable operation.
Organization
This manual contains the following chapters.
Chapter 1: Introduction - provides an introduction to GPS and DGPS

technology, and the Vector system.
Chapter 2: Installation - describes how to install the Vector and

provides a foundation for interfacing it with an external navigation system or similar device.
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Chapter 3: Overview - provides details on the fundamental operating

modes of the Vector system and its associated default parameters.
Chapter 4: Operation - describes how to configure and operate the

Vector receiver.
Chapter 5: PocketMAX Utility - describes the general usage of the

CSI Wireless PocketMAX utility with the Vector.
Chapter 6: NMEA 0183 - describes the subset of NMEA 0183

commands and queries used to communicate with the Vector.
Chapter 7: Frequently Asked Questions - This chapter provides

answers to frequently asked questions about the Vector.
Chapter 8: Troubleshooting - provides you with diagnostic information

to aid in determining a source of difficulty for a particular installation.
Appendix A - Specifications: - details the technical characteristics of

the Vector system.
Appendix B Introduction to GPS, SBAS, and Beacon: provides

details on GPS, SBAS, and beacon services, and the implications to the Vector and Vector PRO.
Appendix C - Resources: This appendix lists a number of different

resources that may be useful for the advanced user. The Index provides a listing of the locations of various subjects within this manual.
Customer Service
If you encounter problems during the installation or operation of this product, or cannot find the information you need, please contact your
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dealer, or CSI Wireless Customer Service. The contact numbers and e-mail address for CSI Wireless Customer Service are: Telephone number: Fax number: E-mail address: wireless.com +1-403-259-3311 +1-403-259-8866 techsupport@csi-
Technical Support is available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time, Monday to Friday. To expedite the support process, please have the product model and serial number available when contacting CSI Wireless Customer Service. In the event that your equipment requires service, we recommend that you contact your dealer directly. However, if this is not possible, you must contact CSI Wireless Customer Service to obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number before returning any product to CSI Wireless. If you are returning a product for repair, you must also provide a fault description before CSI Wireless will issue an RMA number. When providing the RMA number, CSI Wireless will provide you with shipping instructions to assist you in returning the equipment.
World Wide Web Site

CSI Wireless maintains a World Wide Web home page at the following address. www.csi-wireless.com A corporate profile, product information, application news, GPS and DGPS literature, beacon coverage information, and software are available at this site.
Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual xxi
Document Conventions
Bold is used to emphasize certain points.
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings stress important information regarding the installation, configuration, and operation of the Vector system. Note - Notes outline important information of a general nature. Cautions - Cautions inform of possible sources of difficulty or situations that may cause damage to the product. Warning - Warnings inform of situations that may cause harm to yourself.
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1. Quick Start
The purpose of this chapter is to help you get your Vector running as quickly and painlessly as possible. This chapter is not intended to replace the balance of this reference manual and it assumes that you have a reasonable amount of knowledge with installation and operation of GPS navigation systems. The Vector is a highly functional system, and as such, it will take care to successfully install and configure. Although this chapter is titled Quick Start, the volume of information presented may be initially overwhelming, however, the default configuration of the Vector provides a functional heading and positioning data output that satisfies many requirements little additional configuration. Note - The Vector model is identical to the Vector PRO with the exception that it does not contain a DGPS beacon module. If you have purchased the Vector, please ignore the sections of this manual that discuss the beacon signal, receiver operation, and implications to installation relating to the beacon signal. Figure 1-1 shows the Vector mounted on the fixed base.
Figure 1-1 Vector

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual 1
The Vector System is composed of three main pieces; the Vector, the mounts, and the power / data cable. The remaining parts are the manual, screws, and screwdriver bits. If you are new to GPS and SBAS, we recommend that you consult Appendix B for further information on these services and technology before proceeding.
1.1 Receiving Your Shipment

If you find that any of these items are damaged due to shipment, please contact the freight carrier immediately for assistance.
1.2 Unpacking Your Vector System

When you unpack your Vector PRO system, please ensure that it is complete by comparing the parts received against the packing slip. Unless your system has intentionally been equipped differently than a standard Vector, you should find the following parts in your system.
One Vector PRO receiver (P/N 804-0021-01A or greater) or One Vector (P/N 804-0020-03A or greater) One pole mount (P/N 603-1002-000) One fixed mount (P/N603-1001-000) One power / data cable - 15 m (P/N 051-0063-003) One Vector and Vector PRO Manual (P/N 875-0076-000) One set of base mounting screws (8 pieces) (P/N 675-1078-000) Two T-20 Torx screwdriver bit for base mounting (P/N 675-0037-000) One 1-14-UNS stainless steel jam nut (P/N 676-1003-000) One stainless steel washer (P/N 678-1039-000)
Note - If, for some reason, you find a discrepancy between your packing slip and the contents of your shipment, please contact the sales person with which you placed your order.
1.3 Vector Interface

The Vector features a single power / data connection located on the bottom of the enclosure. This connector, when mated with the cablemounted connector is weatherproof. Additionally, when the mounting base is fitted, this will provide addition protection from the elements. The following figure shows the Vectors power / data connection.
Figure 1-2 Cable Interface
1.4 Understanding the Vector

The purpose of the Vector system is to provide accurate, reliable heading and position information at high update rates. To accomplish this task, the Vector uses two internal high performance GPS engines and two multipath-resistant antennas for GPS signal processing. One pair of receiver and antenna is designated the primary GPS and the second pair is designated as the secondary GPS. Positions computed by the Vector are referenced to the phase center of the primary GPS
antenna. Heading data references the vector formed from the primary GPS antenna phase center to the secondary GPS antenna phase center. The following figure shows the location of a heading arrow on the bottom of the Vector enclosure, which defines system orientation. The arrow points in the direction that the heading measurement is computed (when the antenna is installed parallel to the fore-aft line of the vessel). The antenna inside the enclosure directly above the arrow is the secondary antenna.
1.4.1 Moving Base Station RTK

The Vectors internal GPS engines use both the L1 GPS C/A code and carrier phase data to compute the location of the secondary GPS antenna in relation to the primary GPS antenna with a very high subcentimeter level of precision. The technique of computing the location of the secondary GPS antenna with respect to the primary antenna, when the primary antenna is moving, is often referred to as moving base station Real-Time Kinematic (or moving base station RTK). RTK technology generally is very sophisticated and requires a significant number of possible solutions to be analyzed where various combinations of integer numbers of L1 wavelengths to each satellite intersect within a certain search volume. The integer number of wavelengths is often referred to as the Ambiguity as they are initially ambiguous at the start of the RTK solution. The Vector places a constraint on the RTK solution with the prior knowledge of the fact that the secondary GPS antenna has a fixed separation of 0.50 m from the primary GPS antenna inside the enclosure. This reduces the search volume considerably (and hence startup times) since the location of the secondary antenna can theoretically fall only on the surface of a sphere with radius 0.50 m centered on the location of the primary antenna (versus a normal search volume thats greater than a cubic meter).
1.4.2 Supplemental Sensors - Reduced Search Time

In addition to incorporating two internal GPS engines, integrated inside the Vector are a gyro, magnetometer, and a tilt sensor. When used, the combination of the tilt sensor and the magnetometer aid the rate at which a heading solution is computed on startup and also during reacquisition if the GPS heading is lost due to obstructions. Each supplemental sensor may be turned on or off individually, however, the full functionality of the Vector system is realized only when all are used. Each supplemental sensor is inside the Vector enclosure, mounted on the internal printed circuit board. The tilt sensor reduces the search volume further beyond the volume associated with just a fixed antenna separation, since the Vector knows the approximate inclination of the secondary antenna with respect to the primary. The magnetic sensor is able to provide a general indication of the true heading, reducing the search volume further. The gyro has a similar benefit as the magnetic sensor, however only on reacquisition since it initially requires a GPS heading to self-calibrate. The gyro is more accurate for the short term than the magnetic heading sensor and it further reduces the search volume. Reducing the RTK search volume also has the benefit of improving the reliability and accuracy of selecting the correct heading solution by eliminating other possible, erroneous solutions. Note - By default, the tilt aiding is turned on, however, the gyro and the magnetic sensors are turned off for shipping. The gyro sensor may be turned on at any time by sending a configuration command to the Vector. The magnetic sensor should be turned on when Vector is mounted in its final location.
1.4.3 Supplemental Sensors - Heading System Backup

The magnetic sensor and the gyro are able to operate as secondary sources of heading during periods of GPS outage due to obstruction. We require that you turn on the magnetic aiding once the installation is complete. You may configure the Vector to use the gyro aiding if you
choose. Since the gyro is more accurate than the magnetic sensor for short periods of outage, if both sensors are used, the Vector will use the gyro for heading initially during an outage. If the outage lasts longer than 60 seconds, the gyro will be deemed to have drifted too far and the Vector will begin outputting a heading based upon the magnetic sensor. There is no user control over the time-out period of the gyro. If the gyro is turned off and the magnetic sensor is the only secondary heading source, it will provide a heading indefinitely until a GPS heading has been reacquired.
1.5 Installation Overview

The following list summarizes the primary installation steps and points for consideration to successfully install and configure the Vector system.
Choose a mounting location with no structures above its horizon failure to do so can reduce heading accuracy, startup times, signal reacquisition times, positioning accuracy, and availability of satellite signals from both GPS and SBAS. Make sure the Vector is mounted away from other electronics and antennas (especially active TV antennas) by at least a few feet, preferably more. Keep in mind that the position computed by the Vector is referenced to the phase center of the primary GPS antenna, which is approximately 5.7 cm (2.25) from the aft-end of the Vector enclosure, residing on its centerline. You may want to install the Vector on the vessels axis so the resulting position from the primary GPS receiver agrees with the centerline of the vessel. The Vector does not support a command to translate its position to the vessel centerline if the enclosure is mounted offset from the centerline. The location that you choose to mount the Vector should be a quiet location from a radio frequency perspective. This should location should have an omni directional view of the horizon and be mounted reasonably high (keeping in mind serviceability). This will ensure that you minimize outside interference with beacon reception. Determine how you wish to install the Vector (either along the boats fore-aft line or athwartship (perpendicular to it) - this depends on
whether or not you would like to use the second dimension of attitude that the Vector provides - either pitch or roll) Choose either the fixed or pole mount for the installation, based on what will most easily meet your needs. If you choose to use the pole mount, ensure that once the Vector is mounted, its orientation will not change over time as this will affect the heading result. Connect the power / data cable to the Vector before you fasten on the fixed mount or pole mount. Power the Vector only with an input voltage between 8 and 40 VDC. Install the Vector so that it is horizontal (as best as can be accomplished - this will provide a foundation for performance success when the internal tilt sensor is used to supplement Vector operation). Compensate for any heading offset of the Vector, its configuration (the default is no compensation) Configure the NMEA data message output from the Vector (by default, Port A and B output GGA, VTG, GSV, ZDA, HDT, and ROT at 1 Hz) Configure the baud rates if necessary (default is 19,200 for Port A and B) Configure the supplementary sensors if necessary (the tilt sensor operates by default and the magnetic sensor and gyro are disabled, but, the magnetic sensor is required to be on after installation is complete) Configure for your desired mode of differential operation (either SBAS, beacon, or external corrections SBAS corrections are default) If you are using the second dimension of attitude provided by the Vector (either roll or pitch, depending on the Vector orientation), configure the Vector appropriately (the default is pitch) Compensate for pitch / roll error due to installation, within the Vector configuration (the default is no compensation) If your application does not involve pitching or rolling of more than 10 from horizontal, configuring the Vector for level operation will reduce startup and reacquisition times significantly
1.6 Mounting Configurations and Offset Settings

There are two primary mounting orientations possible with the Vector system. The first and most common method is to mount the Vector
enclosure pointing in a direction parallel to the axis of the boat, facing the bow. This mounting configuration will provide the ability for the Vector system to output both heading and the pitch of the vessel. If a gyrocompass is present onboard, this could be used as truth to calibrate the physical heading of the Vector and its corresponding heading measurements to true heading of the boat by entering a heading bias into the Vector configuration. For example, if a gyrocompass heading provides 183.2 while the Vector provides a heading reading of 184.0, a bias of -0.8 (the bias is added) should be programmed into the Vector to calibrate its heading. Obviously, the Vector could be adjusted physically to correct for this deviation. The second method of mounting the Vector system is to mount the Vector perpendicular to the boats symmetrical axis. This orientation will provide the heading and roll of the vessel. The Vector is then configured with a heading bias of +90 or -90 (depending if the Vector points to port or starboard) to correct the heading. A feature is present in the Vector to change the sign of the roll / pitch measurement to be positive or negative, depending on the required convention for positive / negative roll, if needed. Consult Chapter 6 for further information.
1.7 Gyro Initialization Process

When the gyro is first initializing itself, it is important that the dynamics that the gyro experiences during this warm-up period are similar to the regular operating dynamics. For example, if you will be using the Vector on a high speed, maneuverable craft, it is essential that when gyro aiding in the Vector is first turned on that it be used for the first 5 to 10 minutes in an environment that has high dynamics as well, instead of just sitting stationary.
1.8 NMEA 0183 Message Interface

The Vector uses the common NMEA 0183 interface, which allows you to easily make configuration changes by sending text-type commands to the receiver. Each of the following sections provide the appropriate commands for making the configuration change discussed. The NMEA interface of the Vector is described in more detail in Chapter 6.
1.8.1 Tilt Aiding

The Vectors internal tilt sensor (accelerometer) is enabled by default, is factory calibrated, and constrains the RTK heading solution to reduce startup and reacquisition times. To turn the tilt-aiding feature off, use the following command. $JATT,TILTAID,NO<CR><LF> You may turn this feature back on with the following command. $JATT,TILTAID,YES,<CR><LF> To query the Vector for the current status of this feature, issue the following command. $JATT,TILTAID<CR><LF>
1.8.2 Tilt Sensor Calibration

The tilt sensor within the Vector is pre-calibrated during the manufacturing process so its not necessary that it be recalibrated in the field. If, for some reason, recalibration is necessary, Chapter 6 describes the command and methodology required to recalibrate this sensor.
1.8.3 Magnetic Aiding

For shipping purposes, magnetic aiding is disabled, but, it is required to be turned on and calibrated when the final installation is complete. The Vectors internal magnetometer reduces the time required to compute a heading solution on startup and during GPS reacquisition by constraining the moving base station RTK solution. Further, it reduces the likelihood of computing the wrong GPS solution. With an approximate heading from the magnetometer, the search volume for the RTK solution is reduced, since the Vector has a general indication of the direction of the secondary GPS antenna. The magnetic sensor also can provide a secondary source of heading output in the event that a GPS outage occurs due to signal obstruction. Use of the magnetic aiding feature is now required, but, for shipping purposes, this feature is disabled. In addition to reducing the time required to compute a heading solution, it can also provide a secondary source of heading when a GPS heading is not available. When you are ready to turn the magnetic aiding feature on, there are two different ways of calibrating. The magnetic sensor must be calibrated after the completion of the installation process. To turn the magnetic-aiding feature on, use the following command. $JATT,MAGAID,YES<CR><LF> You may turn this feature back off with the following command. $JATT,MAGAID,NO<CR><LF> To query the Vector for the current status of this feature, issue the following command. $JATT,MAGAID<CR><LF>
1.8.4 Magnetometer Calibration

Metallic structures on the vessel affect a compass reading, so this effect must be removed through the calibration process. Once the Vector is installed in its final location, to use this feature, magnetic aiding must first be turned on, followed by its calibration. A valid GPS heading is mandatory for the calibration process. There are two different ways to calibrate the magnetometer. The first way is to send a command to clear the current magnetic information to begin the initialization process. $JATT,MAGCLR<CR><LF> Then, if you leave the unit powered continuously, it will automatically save the magnetic calibration tables when the system has sufficiently sampled the magnetic field with numerous rotations. Depending on this dynamics of your vessel, this may several days. For instance, if this system is being used on a large cargo vessel that may only see significant rotation during harbor approaches or maneuvers within a port or channel, this process may take many days. Thereafter, there is no further calibration required. If you wish to check if the magnetic information has been saved, you can issue the following command. $JATT,MAGCAL<CR><LF> The second method requires more work up front, but ensures your magnetic calibration information is up to date and complete within a short period of time. A command to clear the current magnetic information must first be sent to begin the initialization process, followed by slowly rotating the vessel a full 360 approximately 3 to 10 times. Calibration should be performed in a clear environment without any potential satellite blockages to minimize any possible errors during the process. The command to initialize the magnetic calibration process follows. $JATT,MAGCLR<CR><LF>
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Once the command has been issued, the vessel needs to rotate 360 three to four times. The following command can be sent during the calibration procedure to ask the Vector if the calibration is complete and if so, to automatically save it to memory for subsequent power cycles. $JATT,MAGCAL<CR><LF> If the Vector enclosure is reinstalled in a different location, even on the same vessel, you will need to clear the calibration table with the $JATT,MAGCLR command and complete the new calibration. Similarly, if any objects containing metal are moved near or away from the sensor, this command will need to be sent to the receiver and a new calibration performed. Note - It is very important to perform the calibration only after the installation of the Vector has been confirmed to be complete. If the Vectors location is changed, you will need to clear the calibration and recalibrate. A valid GPS heading is required during the calibration process.
1.8.5 Gyro Aiding

The Vectors internal gyro is not used by default, however it can offer two benefits. It will shorten reacquisition times when a GPS heading is lost, due to obstruction of satellite signals, by reducing the search volume required for solution of the RTK. It will also provide an accurate substitute heading for a short period (depending on the roll and pitch of the vessel) ideally seeing the system through to reacquisition. Should you wish to use gyro-aiding, you will need to turn it on using the following command. $JATT,GYROAID,YES<CR><LF> If you wish to turn this feature off, the use the following command.
$JATT,GYROAID,NO<CR><LF> If you wish to request the status of this message, send the following command. $JATT,GYROAID<CR><LF>
1.8.6 Time Constants

The Vector incorporates user-configurable time constants that can provide a degree of smoothing to the heading, course over ground, and speed measurements. The following sections describe how to configure their values. 1.8.6.1 Heading Time Constant The heading time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the true heading measurement provided in the $HEHDT message. The default value of this constant is 2.0 seconds of smoothing when the gyro is enabled. The gyro by default is enabled, but can be turned off. By turning the gyro off, the equivalent default value of the heading time constant would be 0.5 seconds of smoothing. This is not done automatically, and therefore must be entered manually by the user. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of heading smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the heading time constant. $JATT,HTAU,htau<CR><LF> Where htau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. Depending on the expected dynamics of the vessel, you may wish to adjust this parameter. For instance, if the vessel is very large and is not able to turn quickly, increasing this time is reasonable. The resulting heading would have reduced noise, resulting in consistent values with time. However, artificially increasing this value such that it
does not agree with a more dynamic vessel could create a lag in the heading measurement with higher rates of turn. A convenient formula for determining what the level of smoothing follows for when the gyro is in use. If you are unsure on how to set this value, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. htau (in seconds) = 40 / maximum rate of turn (in /s) gyro ON htau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum rate of turn (in /s) gyro OFF You may query the Vector for the current heading time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,HTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 2.0 seconds when the gyro is on and at 0.5 seconds when the gyro is off. 1.8.6.2 Pitch Time Constant The pitch time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the pitch measurement provided in the $PSAT,HPR message. The default value of this constant is 0.5 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of pitch smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the pitch time constant. $JATT,PTAU,ptau<CR><LF> Where ptau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. Depending on the expected dynamics of the vessel, you may wish to adjust this parameter. For instance, if the vessel is very large and is not able to pitch quickly, increasing this time is reasonable. The
resulting pitch would have reduced noise, resulting in consistent values with time. However, artificially increasing this value such that it does not agree with a more dynamic vessel could create a lag in the pitch measurement. A convenient formula for determining what the level of smoothing follows. If you are unsure on how to set this value, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. ptau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum rate of pitch (in /s) You may query the Vector for the current pitch time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,PTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 0.5 seconds.
1.8.6.3 Heading Rate Time Constant The heading rate time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the rate of heading change measurement provided in the $HEROT message. The default value of this constant is 2.0 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of heading smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the heading time constant. $JATT,HRTAU,hrtau<CR><LF> Where hrtau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. Depending on the expected dynamics of the vessel, you may wish to adjust this parameter. For instance, if the vessel is very large and is not able to turn quickly, increasing this time is reasonable. The
resulting heading would have reduced noise, resulting in consistent values with time. However, artificially increasing this value such that it does not agree with a more dynamic vessel could create a lag in the rate of heading change measurement with higher rates of turn. A convenient formula for determining what the level of smoothing follows. If you are unsure on how to set this value, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. hrtau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum rate of the rate of turn (in /s2) You may query the Vector for the current heading rate time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,HRTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 2.0 seconds. 1.8.6.4 Course over Ground Time Constant The course over ground (COG) time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the COG measurement provided in the $GPVTG message. The default value of this constant is 0.0 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of COG smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the COG time constant. $JATT,COGTAU,cogtau<CR><LF> Where cogtau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. COG is computed using the primary GPS engine only, and its accuracy is dependant upon the speed of the vessel (noise is proportional to 1/speed) and when stationary, this value is invalid.
As with the heading time constant, the setting of this value depends upon the expected dynamics of the vessel. If a boat is highly dynamic, this value should be set to a lower value since the filtering window needs be shorter in time, resulting in a more responsive measurement. However, if a vessel is very large and has much more resistance to change in its motion, this value can be increased to reduce measurement noise. The following formula provides some guidance on how to set this value. If you are unsure what is the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. cogtau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum rate of change of course (in /s) You may query the Vector for the current heading time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,COGTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 0.0 seconds. 1.8.6.5 Speed Time Constant The speed time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the speed measurement provided in the $GPVTG message. The default value of this parameter is 0.0 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of speed measurement smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the speed time constant. $JATT,SPDTAU,spdtau<CR><LF> Where spdtau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds.
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Speed is computed using the primary GPS engine only. As with the heading time constant, the setting of this value depends upon the expected dynamics of the vessel. If a boat is highly dynamic, this value should be set to a lower value since the filtering window would be shorter, resulting in a more responsive measurement. However, if a vessel is very large and has much more resistance to change in its motion, this value can be increased to reduce measurement noise. The following formula provides some guidance on how to set this value initially, however, we recommend that you test how the revised value works in practice. If you are unsure what is the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. spdtau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum acceleration (in m/s2) You may query the Vector for the current heading time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,SPDTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 0.0 seconds.
1.8.7 Level Operation

If the Vector system will operate in a level plane (within 10 from horizontal), an additional constraint can be placed upon the RTK heading solution in order to reduce the RTK search time and increase solution robustness. This feature, referred to as level operation is disabled by default but can be invoked using the following command. $JATT,LEVEL,YES<CR><LF> To turn this feature off, issue the following command. $JATT,LEVEL,NO<CR><LF>
To determine the current status of this message, issue the following command. $JATT,LEVEL<CR><LF>
1.8.8 Heading Compensation

You may adjust the heading output from the Vector in order to correct for any physical offset of the enclosure from the true heading of the vessel. $JATT,HBIAS,x<CR><LF> Where x is a bias that will be added to the Vectors heading, in degrees. The acceptable range for the heading bias is -180.0 to 180.0. The default value of this feature is 0.0. To determine what the current heading compensation angle is, send the following message to the Vector. $JATT,HBIAS<CR><LF>
1.8.9 Configuring for Pitch or Roll

The mounting orientation of the Vector determines if the second dimension of vessel orientation will be roll or pitch. As mentioned, if you install the Vector parallel to the axis of the boat, it will provide pitch in addition to heading. If the Vector were mounted athwartship (perpendicular to the vessel axis), the second dimension of orientation would be roll. If you install the Vector in a parallel direction as the boats axis, you do not need to make any configuration changes to receive the pitch measurement - you need to only turn the appropriate message on (the $PSAT,HPR message).
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If you wish to get the roll measurement, you will need to install the Vector perpendicular to the vessels axis, and send the following command to the unit. $JATT,ROLL,YES<CR><LF> If you wish to return the Vector to its default mode of outputting the pitch measurement, issue the following command. $JATT,ROLL,NO<CR><LF> You may query the Vector for the current roll / pitch status with the following command. $JATT,ROLL<CR><LF>
1.8.10 Configuring Negative Pitch or Roll

When the secondary GPS antenna is below the primary GPS antenna, the angle from the horizon at the primary GPS antenna to the secondary GPS antenna is considered negative by default. Depending on your convention for positive and negative pitch / roll, you may wish to change the sign (either positive or negative) of the pitch / roll. To do this, issue the following command. $JATT,NEGTILT,YES<CR><LF> This will cause the pitch measure to be positive when the secondary GPS antenna is below the primary GPS antenna. To return the sign of the pitch / roll measurement to its original value, issue the following command. $JATT,NEGTILT,NO<CR><LF> To query the Vector for the current state of this feature, issue the following command.
$JATT,NEGTILT<CR><LF>
1.8.11 Pitch / Roll Compensation

If you have installed the Vector and you have it correctly aligned, but there is a bias in the amount of tilt that it has, or its not fully horizontal, you may adjust the pitch / roll output from the Vector in order to calibrate the measurement. The following NMEA message allows to you to calibrate the pitch / roll reading from the Vector. $JATT,PBIAS,x<CR><LF> Where x is a bias that will be added to the Vectors pitch / roll measure, in degrees. The acceptable range for the heading bias is 15.0 to 15.0. The default value of this feature is 0.0. To determine what the current pitch compensation angle is, send the following message to the Vector. $JATT,PBIAS<CR><LF> Note - The pitch / roll bias is added after the negation of the pitch / roll measurement (if so invoked with the $JATT,NEGTILT command).
1.8.12 Forcing a New RTK Search

You may force the Vector to reject the current RTK heading solution, and have it begin a new search with the following command. $JATT,SEARCH<CR><LF>
1.8.13 Summary Command

This command is used to receive a summary of the current Vector settings. This command has the following format. $JATT,SUMMARY<CR><LF>
The Vector will reply with the following output. $>JATT,SUMMARY,TAU:H=0.50,HR=2.00,COG=0.00,SPD=0.00,BIA S:H=0.00,P=0.00,FLAG_HEX:GN-RMTL=01 Chapter 6 summarizes this output in detail.
1.8.14 HELP command

The Vector supports a command that you can use to get a short list of the supported commands if you find yourself in the field without documentation. This commands has the following format. $JATT,HELP<CR><LF> The response to this command will be the following. $>JATT,HELP,CSEP,MSEP,EXACT,LEVEL,HTAU,HRTAU,HBIASPBI AS,NEGTILT,ROLL,TILTAID,TILTCAL,MAGAID,MAGCAL,MAGCLR, GYROAID,COGTAU,SPDTAU,SEARCH,SUMMARY
1.8.15 $HEHDT Message

This message provides true heading of the vessel. This is the direction that the vessel (Vector PRO) is pointing and is not necessarily the direction of vessel motion (the course over ground), although they may be the same. The COG measurement in the $GPVTG message describes the true direction of travel of the boat as a result of the vessel trust, currents, wind, etc. Please note that the COG measure is derived from the primary GPS receiver only and is less accurate than the true heading derived using the RTK solution that uses both GPS receivers. The $HEHDT message output rate may be configured with the following command.
$JASC,HEHDT,rate<CR><LF> Where rate may be any of the following values expressed in Hz: 0, 1, 5, 10, or 0.2. The output from the $JSHOW<CR><LF> command provides the current output rate setting for this message. The details of this command and the $HEHDT are described in Chapter 6.
1.8.16 $HEROT Message

This message provides rate of turn of the vessel and has units of degrees per minute. The $HEHDT message output rate may be configured with the following command. $JASC,HEROT,rate<CR><LF> Where rate may be any of the following values expressed in Hz: 0, 1, 5, 10, or 0.2. The output from the $JSHOW<CR><LF> command provides the current output rate setting for this message. The details of this command and the $HEROT message are described in Chapter 6.
1.8.17 Proprietary $PSAT,INTLT Message

The $PSAT,INTLT data message is a proprietary NMEA sentence that provides the tilt measurement from the internal inclinometer, in degrees. This message can be output only at 1 Hz and is turned on using the following command. $JASC,INTLT,1<CR><LF>
To turn this message off, use the following command. $JASC,INTLT,0<CR><LF> The details of this command and the $PSAT,INTLT message are described in Chapter 6.
1.8.18 Proprietary $PSAT,HPR Message

The $PSAT,HPR message is a proprietary NMEA sentence that provides the heading, pitch / roll information, and time in a single data message. The output of this data message is controlled using the following message. $JASC,HPR,rate<CR><LF> Where rate may be any of the following values expressed in Hz: 0, 1, 5, 10, or 0.2. The details of this command and the $PSAT,HPR data message are described in Chapter 6.
2. Installation
This chapter contains instructions and recommendations for the installation of the Vector GPS heading system.
2.1 System Parts List

The following list of standard equipment is included with the Vector.
One Vector PRO receiver (P/N 804-0021-01A or greater) or One Vector (P/N 804-0020-03A or greater) One pole mount (P/N 603-1002-000) One fixed mount (P/N603-1001-000) One power / data cable - 15 m (P/N 051-0063-003) One Vector and Vector PRO Manual (P/N 875-0076-000) One set of base mounting screws (8 pieces) (P/N 675-1078-000) Two T-20 Torx screwdriver bit for base mounting (P/N 675-0037-000) One 1-14-UNS stainless steel jam nut (P/N 676-1003-000) One stainless steel washer (P/N 678-1039-000)
2.2 Installation Overview

The following sub-sections summarize the installation steps for the Vector, which differs depending on which mount that you choose.
2.2.1 Fixed Base Installation

When using the fixed base mount, the following list provides an overview of the installation process.
Choose a mounting location for the Vector PRO Determine if you wish to use the second dimension of attitude being either the roll or the pitch. If you wish to use the roll measure, you must install the Vector perpendicular to the direction of travel and then accommodate for this orientation in the receiver software configuration) Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual 25
Connect the power / data cable connector to the Vector connector, ensuring the locking ring has positively locked Fasten the Vector enclosure to the fixed base mount Route the cable from this location through fixed base mount, through the mounting surface, and any bulkheads as necessary (leave enough slack to remove the Vector from the fixed base as necessary) Install the fixed base mount without tightening down the screws fully, to allow for adjustment at a later step Adjust the orientation of the Vector as necessary and secure it when complete (you may wish to use the alignment sights on the top of the enclosure for this purpose) Interface the Vector to a PC computer for configuration of the communication settings, data message output, and any offset thats necessary.
2.2.2 Pole-mounting Base Installation

The following list details the installation process when using the pole mount.
Choose a mounting location for the Vector PRO Determine if you wish to use the second dimension of attitude being either the roll or the pitch. If you wish to use the roll measure, you must install the Vector perpendicular to the direction of travel and then accommodate for this orientation in the receiver software configuration) Install the mounting pole as necessary Thread the hex nut and then the washer onto the threaded pole Thread the Vectors pole-mounting base onto the threaded pole (do not tighten down at this point to allow for adjustment of orientation at a later time) Route the cable through the pole mount, pole, and any bulkheads as necessary (leave enough slack to remove the Vector from the polemounting base as necessary) Connect the cable-mounted connector to the Vector bulkhead connector, ensuring the locking ring has positively locked With the Vector approximately facing the final direction, align the polemounting base and nut / washer combination to the GPS compass. Fasten the Vector enclosure to the pole-mounting base
Adjust the orientation of the Vector as necessary and secure it when complete (you may wish to use the alignment sights on the top of the enclosure for this purpose) Interface the Vector to a PC computer for configuration of the communication settings, data message output, and any offset thats necessary.
2.3 Vector Interface

The following figure shows the location of the connector located on the bottom of the Vector enclosure. This connector is the only interface to the product and includes the power input and the serial communication input / output.
Figure 2-1 Vector Interface
2.4 Choosing a Mounting Location

When considering the various mounting locations present, you will need to give regard for both GPS (and hence SBAS) and beacon reception. The following two sections provide information that will help you determine the best location for the Vector.
2.4.1 GPS Reception

When considering various locations to mount the Vector, consider the following recommendations closely.
The primary GPS engine inside the Vector computes a position based upon measurements from each satellite to the internal primary GPS antenna element. Mount the Vector in the location for which you desire a position with respect to the primary GPS antenna. When choosing a location to mount the antenna, please ensure that there is an unobstructed hemisphere of sky available to the Vector. This will ensure that GPS and SBAS satellites are not masked by obstructions, potentially reducing system performance. Its important to locate any transmitting antennas away from the Vector by at least a few feet. This will ensure that tracking performance is not compromised, giving you the best performance possible. Make sure that you have enough cable length to route into the vessel, in order to reach a breakout box or terminal strip. Do not locate the antenna where environmental conditions exceed those specified in Section 2.4.
2.4.2 Beacon Reception

When using the Vector PROs internal beacon receiver as the correction source, you will need to consider the possible mounting locations from a perspective of ambient noise within the beacon band. The following list provides some general guidelines for deciding upon a location with respect to maximizing beacon performance.
Ensure that the antenna is as far as possible from all other equipment that emits Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), including DC motors, alternators, solenoids, radios, power cables, display units, and other electronic devices If you are installing the antenna on a vessel (using DGPS beacon corrections), mount the Vector antenna as high as possible, considering maintenance and accessibility. In addition, ensure that the antenna is lower than the highest metal object on the vessel. If a radar system is present, mount the antenna outside the path of the radar beam
The Vector PROs internal beacon receiver calculates a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), measured in dB (Decibels) that indicates the receivers performance. The SNR is height of the signal above the noise floor. The higher the SNR, the better your beacon receiver is demodulating the signal. The optimum antenna location will be a position where your average SNR is highest. You should turn on all accessories that you intend to use during normal operation when locating the best position for the antenna. By monitoring the SNR, you can determine the optimum location with respect to beacon reception. The SNR is available in the $CRMSS NMEA message described in Chapter 6. Note Beacon data is only accessible via primary GPS Port A and B. The secondary GPS Port A does not provide access to the beacon receiver.
2.5 Environmental Considerations

The Vector is designed to withstand the harsh outdoor environment, however, there are specific environmental limits that you should ensure are met when storing and using this system. The Vector is designed to be stored between -40C and +85C. The operating temperature range is -30C and +70C. It is designed for harsh marine use and will operate in an environment with 100% relative humidity.
2.6 Power Considerations

The Vector is powered with an input voltage of between 8 and 40 VDC. For best performance, the supplied power should be continuous and clean. Table 2-1 details the power specifications of the Vector.
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Table 2-1 Power Requirements

Input Voltage 8 to 40VDC Input Current <360 mA @ 12 VDC Input Power <4.5 W maximum
The Vector power supply features reverse polarity protection but will not operate with reverse polarity power.
2.7 Electrical Isolation

The Vector features a power supply that is isolated from the communication lines. Further, the PC-ABS plastic enclosure isolates the electronics mechanically from the vessel. This addresses the issue of vessel hull electrolysis.
2.8 Vector Mounting

The Vector may be mounted with either the fixed base or polemounting base, both supplied with the system. The fixed base allows you to mount the Vector on a wide array of flat surfaces, such as radar platforms. The pole mount is designed for use with 1-14-UNS-2B threaded mounts, such as pole and rail mounts. Note - Installations that use the pole mount require the use of the supplied hexagonal jam nut and flat washer in order to mechanically couple the Vector system to the pole mount with less stress on the threads. If the nut / washer combination is not used, failure of the pole mounting base could occur, which may damage the Vector. Any such damage to the Vector system resulting from not using the nut / washer combination is not covered under warranty.
The following figure shows the Vector mounted with the fixed base.
Figure 2-2 Vector with Fixed Mount Base The following figure shows the Vector with the pole mount.
Figure 2-3 Vector with Pole Mount Base
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2.8.1 Fixed Base Mounting

The fixed base supplied with the Vector is intended to allow you to mount the system to a flat surface. This surface may be something that you fabricate for the sake of the installation, or may be something that already exists on your vessel or an off-the-shelf item, such as a radar mounting plate. 2.8.1.1 Fixed Base Overview As you can see from Figure 2-4, the fixed base has the following features:
Six holes for mounting onto the Vector enclosure A channel through the mount for the power / data cable. Two small keys that aid the alignment of the base to the enclosure. Four slots used for fastening the mounted enclosure to the vessel. Four tunnels that allow you to route the cable outside the base and along the mounting surface.
The slots on the bottom of the base allow for a degree of adjustment when the Vector is secured in its final location. Note - You do not necessarily need to orient the antenna precisely as you can enter a software offset to accommodate for any bias in heading measurement due to installation. The base also features four tunnels that allow you to bring the power / data cable out from within the mount in order to route it along the surface of the plate beneath the Vector system. Alternatively, you may wish to route the power / data cable through the mounting surface rather than bringing it out through one of the tunnels.
Figure 2-4 Fixed Mount Base
Figure 2-1 Bottom View of Fixed Mount Base
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2.8.1.2 Before you start To mount the antenna on the fixed base
Decide if you need the roll measurement, as if you do, the Vector will need to be installed orthogonal to the vessel axis. If you dont require roll, install the Vector parallel with the vessels axis. Choose a location that meets the requirements of Section 2.5 Using the fixed base as a template, mark and drill the mounting holes as necessary for the mounting surface Alternatively, you may rail mount the Vector with appropriate hardware
2.8.1.3 Routing the cable To install the Vector using the fixed base, insert either end of the power / data cable through the center of the fixed base as shown in the following two figures.
Figure 2-6 Running Cable Through Fixed Base Mount
Figure 2-7 Running Cable Through Fixed Base Align the connector keyway of the cable to the key of the connector mounted on the Vector enclosure as show in Figure. Insert the cablemount connector into the bulkhead connector, aligning the locking ring at the same time.
Figure 2-8 Power / Data Cable Key and Keyway
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Once inserted, rotate the ring clockwise until it locks. The locking action is firm, but you will feel a positive click when it has locked, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 2-9 Connecting the Power / Data Cable to the Vector Once you have secured the connector, slide the fixed base up to the bottom of the Vector enclosure. There are two alignment keys on top of the base that must fit into two holes of the Vector enclosure. Once you have aligned the base, use a screwdriver fitted with the supplied Torx T20 bit to fasten the base to the enclosure using the supplied screws. These screws self tap a thread in the blind screw holes of the enclosure. Fasten the screws firmly, but be careful not to strip the thread. Note - The base is not intended to be removed and re-fastened frequently. Frequent removal of the base from the enclosure may result in failure of the screw hole threads. Stripped threads are not covered under the product warranty. The following two figures show the location of the screw holes.
Figure 2-10 Fastening the Fixed Base to the Vector
Figure 2-11 Fastening the Fixed Base to the Vector Once you have fastened the fixed base to the Vector enclosure using six mounting screws, you are ready to fasten the assembly to your mounting surface. We recommend that you use machine screws that
have an Allen Key head (hexagonal) and an L-shaped Allen Key, as there may not be sufficient clearance between the bottom of the antenna and your mounting surface to use a normal screwdriver. Note - As we do not supply the mounting surface, you will need to supply the appropriate fastening hardware required to complete the installation of the Vector and mount assembly.
2.8.2 Pole and Rail Mounting

You may choose to pole-mount or rail-mount the Vector as opposed to the magnetic mounting approach. The pole mount incorporates a 114-UNS thread. To aid in the installation of the Vector, we have supplied a hex jam nut and washer. These are used to secure the antenna in a particular direction without bottoming out the system on the threaded pole. Additionally, the nut and washer distributes forces associated with vibration onto the bottom surface of the Vector pole mount. Caution Do not bottom out the Vector pole base on the threaded mount. Such manner can damage the system. Use of the jam nut and washer are mandatory for pole mounting. Any damage resulting from not using these pieces to mount the Vector will not be covered under warranty. 2.8.2.1 Before you start To mount the antenna on the pole mount bracket:
Decide if you need the roll measurement, as if you do, the Vector will need to be installed orthogonal to the vessel axis. If you dont require roll, install the Vector parallel with the vessels axis. Choose a location that meets the requirements of Section 2.5 Mark and drill the mounting holes as necessary for the threaded pole as necessary Alternatively, you may rail mount the Vector with appropriate hardware
2.8.2.2 Pole Mount Installation and Preparation You will need to supply the pole or rail mount hardware that you wish to use. Once you have installed the pole or rail mount, thread the hexagonal jam nut onto to the mount, followed by the stainless steel washer, both supplied with the Vector system. You should thread the nut onto the mount approximately 8 to 10 full turns to provide adequate mounting thread for the pole mount base. The following figure illustrates this step.
Figure 2-12 Threading on the Lock Nut and Washer 2.8.2.3 Routing the Cable When mounting the Vector using the pole mount, the cable must be run first through the center of the pole mount base (from top to bottom), through the pole, and then through any bulkheads as needed (the power / data connector is too large to fit through the threaded portion of the pole mount base). Note - Be sure to have some slack to move the cable in and out of the pole mount by a few inches. This will allow you to connect the cable to the Vector easily. The following three figures detail the process of routing the cable.
Figure 2-13 Running the Cable Through the Pole Base
Figure 2-14 Running the Cable Through the Pole Base
Figure 2-14 Running the Cable Through the Pole Mount Once you have routed the cable correctly through the pole mount base and the mounting pole, the mounting assembly should look like the following figures.
Figure 2-15 Completed Cable Run
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2.8.2.4 Mounting the Pole Mount Base Thread the pole mount base onto the pole mount four to five full turns.
Figure 2-1 Threading the Pole Base onto the Mount Ensure that theres a gap between the lock nut and washer, and the pole mount base as shown in the following figure. This will allow you to orient the combination of Vector and pole mount base to the vessel.
Figure 2-17 Pole Base Threaded onto Mount
2.8.2.5 Connecting the Cable to the Vector At this point, fasten the cable to the Vector connector. Notice that the connector on the receiver enclosure has a key and that the cablemount connector has a keyway. The key and keyway need to align as you insert the cable-mount connector into the bulkhead connector. Note you may have to align the locking ring on the cable-mount connector as you insert it into the bulkhead connector, to ensure that it seats properly. Once the cable-mount connector has seated fully, rotate the locking ring clockwise until it locks. You will feel the ring click when it has locked. The following two figures show the key, keyway, and the connection when complete.
Figure 2-18 Power / Data Cable Key and Keyway
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Figure 2-19 Connected Power / Data Cable 2.8.2.6 Fastening the Vector to the Pole Mount Base The next step is to fasten the Vector enclosure to the pole mount base using the supplied self-tapping screws. The following figure illustrates this process. There are two alignment keys on top of the base that must fit into two holes of the Vector enclosure. Once you have aligned the base, use a screwdriver fitted with the supplied Torx T20 bit to fasten the base to the enclosure using the supplied screws. These screws self tap a thread in the blind screw holes of the enclosure. Fasten the screws firmly, but be careful not to strip the thread. Note - The base is not intended to be removed and re-fastened frequently. Frequent removal of the base from the enclosure may result in failure of the screw hole threads. Stripped threads are not covered under the product warranty.
Figure 2-20 Fastening the Pole Base to the Vector The next step is to rotate the hex nut and washer up to the bottom surface of the pole mount base. Do not tighten them at this point as you will need to align the Vector.
Figure 2-21 Threading the Lock Nut Against the Pole Base
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Orient the Vector using the sights on the top of the enclosure. Using an adjustable wrench, tighten the lock nut against the Vector while ensuring accurate alignment of the antenna system. Section 2.8.3 details the use of the alignment sights. 2.8.2.7 Alignment of the Vector
Figure 2-22 Locking the Vector once Aligned Note - You will need to tighten the locking nut against the pole mount base tightly. To ensure that you dont over tighten the nut, periodically check to see how secure the antenna system is, as mounted on the pole. If its loose, tighten the lock nut further until you can not move it.
2.8.3 Vector Alignment

The top of the Vector enclosure incorporates a pair of sight design features for assisting antenna alignment. The sights will help you to align the enclosure with respect to an important feature on your vessel. To use the sights, center the small post on the opposite side of the enclosure from you, within the channel made in the medallion located in the center of the enclosure top as shown in the two following figures.
Alignment accuracy when looking through the long site is approximately 1. Using the short site, alignment is approximately accurate to 2.5.
Figure 2-23 Lining up the Alignment Sight
Figure 2-24 Correctly Lined-up Alignment Sight
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If you have another accurate source of heading data on your vessel, such as a gyrocompass, you may use its data to correct for a bias in Vector alignment within the Vector software configuration. Alternatively, you may wish to physically adjust the heading of the Vector so that it renders the correct heading measurement, however, adding a software offset is an easier process.
2.9 Routing and Securing the Power / Data Cable

The Vector comes with a 15 m power / data cable. When choosing a route for the antenna extension cable:
Avoid running the cable in areas of excessive heat Keep the cable away from corrosive chemicals Do not run the cable through door or window jams Keep the cable away from rotating machinery Do not bend excessively or crimp the cable Avoid placing tension on the cable Secure along the cable route using plastic tie wraps as necessary
Warning - Improperly installed cables near machinery can be dangerous.
2.10 Interfacing the Vector

The Vector uses a single cable for application of power and to facilitate the input and output operations. The power cable is 15 m in length and is terminated on the receiver end with an environmentally sealed 18-pin connection. The opposite end is un-terminated and requires field stripping and tinning. Depending on your application and installation needs, you may have to shorten this cable. If so, this is a simple matter.
However, if you require a longer cable run than 15 m, we recommend that you bring the cable into a break-out box that incorporates terminal strips, within the vessel. To lengthen the serial lines inside the vessel, ensure that you use 20 gauge twisted pairs and minimize the additional wire length. The RS-422 signal should be used for longer cable runs as compared to the RS-232 ports, as its more resistant to noise and attenuation. When lengthening the power input leads to the Vector, please ensure that the additional voltage drop is small enough that your power system can continue to power the system above the minimum voltage of the system. Wire of 18 gauge or larger should also be used.
2.10.1 Power / Data Cable Pin-Out

The following table details the wire colors and their associated functions. Each wire color is twisted with a black wire.
Table 2-1 Wire Color Interface

Wire Pairs Red Black Blue Black White Black Green Black Brown Black Yellow Black Orange Black Bare Wire Signal Power input (8 to 40 VDC) Power ground Primary GPS Port A transmit RS-232 Primary GPS Port A receive RS-232 Primary GPS Port B transmit RS-232 Signal Ground Primary GPS Port A transmit RS-422+ Primary GPS Port A transmit RS-422Secondary GPS Port A transmit RS-232 Secondary GPS Port A receive RS-232 Primary GPS Port B transmit RS-422+ Primary GPS Port B transmit RS-4221 pulse per second + (1 PPS +) 1 pulse per second - (1 PPS -) Drain for RF shielding Do not connect
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Note - To identify the function of each black wire, you need to examine which color it is twisted with. For instance, if you look at one black wire and its twisted with a green wire, the function of that black wire is Primary GPS Port A transmit RS-422.
2.10.2 Connecting to a power source

The first step to powering the Vector is to terminate the wires of the power cable as required. There are a variety of power connectors and terminals on the market from which to choose, depending on your specific requirements Caution - do not apply a voltage higher than 40 VDC as this will damage the receiver and void the warranty To interface the Vector power cable to the power source:
Connect the red wire of the cables power input to DC positive (+) Connect the black wire of the cables power input to DC negative (-)
The Vector smart antenna features reverse polarity protection to prevent damage if the power leads are accidentally reversed. The Vector, however, does not function with reverse polarity. Once the Vector system has been installed, youre ready to turn the system on by applying power to it. The Vector smart antenna will start when an acceptable voltage is applied to the power leads of the extension cable. Be careful not to provide a voltage higher than the input range as this will damage the antenna.
2.10.3 Overview of Serial Port Interface

The Vector offers position and heading data via both RS-232 and RS422 level serial ports. The answer of which serial port level to use resides with the serial port level(s) supported by the other electronics involved. You may find that the other electronics need either serial port level or mixture of both.
The following sections describe the two serial port levels supported by the Vector. 2.10.3.1 RS-232 Interface Level The Vector features two full duplex (bi-directional) RS-232 serial ports, one each for the primary and secondary GPS receivers. In addition to outputting data, these ports are used for firmware upgrades. Warning - the port for the secondary receiver may be used for output of heading data only, and specifically, the $HEHDT and $PSAT,HPR data messages. All other messages should not be considered accurate. This port has been included primarily for firmware upgrades to the secondary GPS receiver. The primary GPS receiver full duplex serial port is Port A, however the primary receiver also features a second half-duplex RS-232 serial port output, Port B (an additional, programmable output data port). You may configure Port B through Port A, so the input to Port B is not required. In addition to supporting RS-232 signal levels, data output from both Port A and B are available with an RS-422 interface level. Again, these signals are outputs only as you configure the data output from Port A and B through the RS-232 Port A input line. Note - For general configuration of the Vector, such as adjusting the time constants, primary GPS Port A should be used. 2.10.3.2 RS-422 Interface Level The RS-232 interface level is intended to be used with one-to-one communications, where the serial port communicates only to one listening device at a time. The RS-422 standard allows for one device to communicate with many other devices simultaneously. The Vector supports both serial port levels as its likely that the variety of electronic devices that you use will support one or the other, or both. This improves the versatility of the Vector.
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2.10.4 Overview of Serial Port Configuration

You may configure Port A or B of the primary GPS receiver to output any combination of data that you wish. Port A can have a different configuration from Port B in terms of data message output, their data rates, and also the baud rate of the port. This allows you to configure the ports independently, based upon your needs. For instance, if you wish to have one generalized port and one heading-only port, you may wish to configure Port A to have GGA, VTG, GSV, ZDA, and HDT all output at 1 Hz over a 9600 baud rate. You may also wish to configure Port B for HDT and ROT message output at their maximum rate of 10 Hz over a 19,200 baud rate. The messages that you configure each port to output, and the rate of the port will be the same for both RS-232 and RS-422 interface levels. For instance, the RS-232 primary GPS receiver Port A and RS-422 primary GPS receiver Port A output the same data messages at the same baud rate. If you wish to change the baud rate or messages for the RS-422 port, this needs to be commanded through the RS-232 primary GPS Port A. You may use both the RS-232 and the RS-422 output signals simultaneously.
2.10.5 Interfacing to a PC Computer

PC computers typically use a DB9-male connector for RS-232 serial port communications. To terminate either the primary GPS receiver Port A and the secondary GPS Port A for connection to a PC serial port, connect the wires to a DB9 female connector according to the following two tables.
Note If you need to upgrade the primary and receiver firmware in the future, you will need to load it from a PC by connecting the primary GPS Port A and secondary GPS Port B to a PC using the DB9 interface shown below.
Table 2-2 Primary GPS Port A DB9 RS-232 Interface

Pin 2 3 5 Wire Color Blue Black twisted with blue Black twisted with white Signal Primary GPS Receiver Transmit Data RS232 Primary GPS Receiver Receive Data RS232 Sig. Ground
Table 2-3 Secondary GPS Port A DB9 RS-232 Interface

Pin 2 3 5 Wire Color Brown Black twisted with brown Black twisted with white Signal Primary GPS Receiver Transmit Data RS232 Primary GPS Receiver Receive Data RS232 Sig. Ground
The following figure displays the numbering scheme for a DB9 socket connector (female). The associated numbering for the plug connector (male) on a PC computer is a mirror reflection of scheme showed in this figure.
54321
9876
Figure 2-25 DB9 Socket Numbering Note - For successful communications, the baud rate of the Vector serial ports must be set to match that of the devices to which they are connected. Chapter 6 describes the baud rate change command.
2.10.6 Interfacing to Other Devices

When interfacing to other devices, make sure that the transmit data output from the Vector is connected to the data input of the other device. The signal grounds must also be connected. Since RS-422 is a balanced signal with positive and negative signals referenced to ground, ensure that you maintain the correct polarity. For instance, when connecting the transmit data output positive signal to the receive line of the other device, it should be connected to the receive positive terminal. The negative transmit data signal from the Vector is then connected to the receive data negative input of the other device. Theres likely not much reason to connect the receive data input of the Vector to another device, unless it is able to send configuration commands to the Vector. Since the Vector uses proprietary NMEA 0183 commands for control over its configuration, the vast majority of electronics will not be able to configure its settings unless the other device has a terminal setting where you can manually issue commands.
2.11 Default Parameters

This section outlines the default parameters of the Vector. The following tables provide details on the firmware types, port settings, default NMEA messages, elevation mask, differential age mask, default differential mode, and beacon receiver settings.
Note - Any changes you make to the Vector configuration need to be saved with the $JSAVE NMEA command in order to be present for a subsequent power-cycle.
Table 3-2 Firmware Applications

GPS Receiver Primary Secondary Application 1 Attitude master firmware Attitude secondary firmware Application 2 None None
Table 3-3 Default Port Settings

Port Primary Port A Primary Port B Secondary Port A Primary Port A Primary Port B Baud Rate 19200 19200 19200 19200 19200 Data Bits 8 8 8 8 8 Parity None None None None None Stop Bit 1 1 1 1 1 Interface Level RS-232C RS-232C (output only) RS-232C RS-422 (output only) RS-422 (output only)
Note - The data bits, parity, and stop bit are not adjustable. They are fixed with an 8-n-1 configuration.
Table 3-4 Available Baud Rates

Baud Rates 4800 9600 19200 38400
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Table 3-5 Default GPS NMEA Message Output

Port Primary A Primary B Secondary A GPS NMEA Messages GGA, GSV, VTG, ZDA, HDT, ROT GGA, GSV, VTG, ZDA, HDT, ROT No output (idle) Update Rate 1 Hz 1 Hz N/A
Table 3-6 Correction Age and Elevation Mask Defaults

Max DGPS Age 1800 seconds Elevation Mask 5
Table 3-7 Default Differential Mode

Differential Mode SBAS (WAAS / EGNOS)
The internal beacon module, though not the default differential correction source, operates in full automatic mode by default as shown in the following table.
Table 3-8 Beacon Operating Parameters

Default Differential Mode Automatic MSK Rate Selection Automatic
3. Vector Overview
This chapter provides a brief introduction to the Vector system and some its high-level features. The remaining chapters provide more detailed information on the workings of the product. As mentioned in the previous chapter, if you are new to GPS and SBAS, we recommend that you consult Appendix B for further information on these services and technology. For your convenience, both the GPS and SBAS operation of the Vector feature automatic operational algorithms. However, you must program the receiver inside the Vector for which differential service to use as it does not automatically choose one service over the other. By default, the Vector operates with SBAS corrections. When powered, the internal GPS system performs a cold start, which involves acquiring the available GPS satellites in view and the SBAS and beacon differential services, if available. Acquisition of a GPS heading is also automatic, however, you are able to force a new heading search if needed. If SBAS or beacon corrections are not available in your area, an external source of RTCM SC-104 differential corrections may be used. If you choose to use an external source of correction data, you will need to ensure that the external source supports RS-232 and an eight data bit, no parity, and one stop bit configuration (8-N-1) and also configure the Vector for external correction operation.
3.1 GPS
The following sections describe the general operation of the GPS technology within the Vector.
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3.1.1 Satellite Tracking

The internal GPS receivers automatically search for GPS satellites, acquire the signal, and manage the associated navigation information required positioning and tracking. This is a hands-free mode of operation. Satellite acquisition quality is described as a signal to noise ratio (SNR). A higher SNR is indicative of better quality signal reception. The primary GPS receiver supplies SNR information via $GPGSV NMEA 0183 data messages that may be output through either Port A or B.
3.1.2 Positioning Accuracy

The Vector provides sub-meter 95% accurate positions under ideal conditions horizontally (minimum errors). Since the Vector will be used in the real world, multipath signals and GPS signal blockages can reduce the level of system performance. To aid in challenging environments, the internal antennas feature a ground plane to reduce the effects of multipath. The performance of common GPS systems is affected when using old correction data. Blockage of signals from SBAS satellites is often inevitable in real world environments, as are weak beacon signals or a noisy beacon spectrum. The COAST feature of the Vector provides solace from obstruction of SBAS services and intermittent beacon reception for up to 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the amount of tolerable performance drift. After 30 minutes, our testing has shown that the Vector. This feature operates by default and the COAST time is adjusted by setting the maximum differential age as needed. COAST is discussed in further detail in Section 3.4. For example, if you wish to shorten this time period in order to minimize the effect of the divergence between COAST modeling and the true errors, the maximum COAST age can be changed to 10 minutes (600 seconds) with the following command: $JDIFF,600<CR><LF>.
The estimated positioning precision is accessible through the use of NMEA 0183 command responses as described in Chapter 6 (The GST NMEA data message). As the receiver is not able to determine accuracy with respect to a known location in real time (this is traditionally performed in post-mission analyses), the precision numbers are relative in nature and are only approximate.
3.1.3 Update Rates

The update rate of each Vector NMEA message can be set independently with a maximum that is dependant upon the message type. Some messages have a 1 Hz maximum, for example, while others are 5 Hz or 10 Hz. Consult Chapter 6 for further information on individual NMEA messages.
3.2 SBAS
The following sections describe the general operation and performance monitoring of the SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, and SNAS) demodulator within the Vector. SBAS are described in further detail in Appendix A.
3.2.1 Automatic Tracking

The SBAS demodulator featured within the Vector automatically determines if your receiver can receive WAAS or EGNOS based upon its location. This automatic tracking allows the user to focus on other aspects of their application rather than ensuring the receiver is tracking SBAS correctly. The SBAS demodulator features two-channel tracking that provides an enhanced ability to maintain acquisition on a SBAS satellite in regions where more than one satellite is in view. This redundant tracking approach results in more consistent acquisition of a signal when in an area where signal blockage of either satellite is possible.
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Since SBAS broadcast at L-band frequency, a line of sight to the SBAS satellites is required in order to acquire the signal.
3.2.2 SBAS Performance

The performance of the SBAS receiver is described in terms of a bit error rate (BER). It indicates the number of unsuccessfully decoded symbols in a moving window of 2048 symbols. Due to the use of forward error correction algorithms, one symbol is composed of two bits. The BER value for both SBAS receiver channels is available in the RD1 NMEA data message described in detail in Chapter 6. A lower BER indicates that data is being successfully decoded with fewer errors, providing more consistent throughput. The bit error rate has a default, no-lock value of 500 or more. As the receiver begins to successfully acquire the signal, it will result in a lower bit error rate. For best operation, this value should be less than 150 and ideally less than 20. Space-Based Augmentation Systems broadcast an ionospheric map on a periodic basis that may take up to 5 minutes to receive upon startup. The Vector uses the GPS broadcast ionospheric model until it has downloaded the SBAS map, which can result in lower performance as compared to when the map has been downloaded. This will be the case for any GPS product supporting SBAS services. Caution Soon after startup, when the map has been downloaded, you may observe a position jump due to the potential difference between the GPS ionospheric model and the ionospheric SBAS map. To minimize the impact of this issue on your use of the Vector, you may wish to wait up to five minutes before using the Vector or issue the $JQUERY,GUIDE<CR><LF> message to determine if the internal GPS receiver has achieved optimum performance.
3.3 Beacon Operation

The following sections describe the general operation and performance monitoring of the SBX beacon engine within the Vector PRO.
3.3.1 Tune Modes

The internal beacon sensor may be operated in either Automatic or Manual beacon tune modes. In Automatic Beacon Search (ABS) mode, the receiver will identify and tune to the station providing the strongest DGPS signal. In Manual Tune mode, you specify the frequency to which the receiver will tune. NMEA 0183 commands are used to modify the configuration of the beacon sensor. 3.3.1.1 Automatic Beacon Search (ABS) Mode The Vector PROs internal beacon sensor operates in Automatic Beacon Search (ABS) mode by default, selecting and tuning to the most appropriate beacon without operator intervention. The beacon receiver uses its two independent beacon channels to identify and lock to DGPS beacons without interrupting the continuous flow of RTCM data to the GPS receiver. ABS mode is ideal for navigation applications that traverse considerable distances, eliminating the need for operator intervention when transitioning from one beacon coverage zone to another. The beacon module may be manually tuned, however, this requires a NMEA command to be send to the Vector PRO as discussed in Chapter 6. Note - We recommend that you leave the beacon receiver in the default ABS mode unless your requirements mandate operating with a specific beacon. 3.3.1.2 ABS Global Beacon Search When powered for the first time in ABS mode, the beacon sensor
initiates a Global Search using both channels, examining each available DGPS beacon frequency, and recording Signal Strength (SS) measurements in units of dBV to the Global Search Table. The receiver uses these measured values to compute an average SS, noise floor, and to sort the frequencies in descending order of SS. The beacon receivers two channels cooperatively examine the frequencies with the highest SS measurements, above the computed noise floor, to determine the station providing the strongest RTCM signal. The receiver's primary channel locks to the first identified DGPS broadcast, while the second channel continues searching in the background for superior beacon signals. If no signal is available, the Vector PRO will initiate a fresh Global Search, continuing this cycle until it finds a valid station. 3.3.1.3 ABS Background Beacon Search During the Background Search, the second beacon channel examines all frequencies at both 100 and 200 bps MSK bit rates to identify beacons possessing superior signal quality. If a DGPS broadcast is identified that exhibits a 2 dB stronger signal strength than that of the primary station, the receiver will automatically switch to this beacon. No loss of lock occurs on the primary station during the background scan. The beacon module stores the current primary beacon in memory so that it is available upon subsequent power-up. 3.3.1.4 Manual Tracking In manual tune mode, you may select a specific frequency and bit rate for the receiver to tune, or specify the frequency only, allowing the Vector PRO to identify the correct MSK bit rate on its own. This mode of operation is most useful when working in an area where you know the frequency though not necessarily the MSK bit rate of the closest beacon.
3.3.2 Receiver Performance

The Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) best describes the Vector PROs internal SBX beacon receiver performance. The SNR, measured in dB, is the height of the signal above the noise floor. The higher the SNR, the more successfully the beacon receiver is demodulating the signal. You can easily monitor the SNR in the Beacon Status menu. Table 3-1 describes the beacon receiver quality of reception with respect to the SNR reading.
Table 3-1 Beacon Receiver Performance - SNR Reading

SNR >25 20 to 25 15 to 20 10 to 15 7 to 10 <7 Reception Description Excellent Very Good Good Stable Intermittent No Lock Approximate Data Throughput 100% data throughput 100% data throughput Good data throughput up to 100% Moderate to good data throughput Low data throughput No data throughput
3.4 COAST Technology

The Vector GPS technology incorporates CSI Wireless COAST technology that allows it to operate with old correction data for up to 30 to 40 minutes or more without significant accuracy degradation. The features performance is attributed to sophisticated algorithms that are able to anticipate how errors change during a period of correction loss. Traditional receiver technology would experience an increasing degradation with increasing age of corrections, resulting in less than adequate performance over a shorter period of time. COAST technology provides more consistent positioning during periods when signal loss occurs, thus bridging the gap to when the signal is reacquired. This means that the Vector GPS is more tolerant than competing products to loss of SBAS or externally input RTCM SC-104 corrections.
3.5 Vector Architecture

The Vector is comprised of two main components - hardware and software. This section provides a brief overview of the hardware and software architecture of the Vector receiver in order to provide further insight into the operation of the product. As the Vector receiver supports the following services, it provides receiving capability for each.
GPS SBAS (WAAS and EGNOS) Beacon (PRO version only)
3.5.1 GPS Hardware

The CSI Wireless GPS engines inside the Vector provide receiving capability for GPS and SBAS correction services (including WAAS, and EGNOS). The GPS engines process GPS and SBAS signals simultaneously, devoting 2 of the primary GPS engines 12 parallel channels to SBAS tracking while using the remaining 10 channels for GPS. This provides effective tracking of multiple SBAS satellites if available.
3.5.2 GPS Firmware

The software that operates the internal components of the Vector operates within internal, low-level devices and is often referred to as firmware. There are two types of firmware within the Vector. One type of firmware drives the on-board digital signal processors (DSP) and another the ARM processors. Each of these types of firmware may be upgraded in the field through either primary GPS receiver port as new revisions become available. The secondary GPS receiver may be upgraded through the secondary GPS receiver port.
3.5.3 GPS Applications

The ARM processor of the two GPS engines inside the Vector each support two simultaneous versions of firmware. In the case of the Vector both the first application contains the Vector heading application. The second application is empty. The primary GPS receiver uses master vector firmware for both applications while the secondary uses slave vector firmware for both of its applications. Note - As new firmware is released, to alleviate having to different versions of heading firmware inside the primary and secondary GPS receiver at the time of field upgrade of firmware, both application slots should be overwritten with the new version of firmware.
3.5.4 Beacon Firmware

The Vector PROs internal beacon module incorporates its own version of firmware that controls its operation. This firmware can be updated independent of the Vector GPS firmware if needed through either primary GPS Receiver port.
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4. Operation
This chapter provides a brief overview of the operations of the Vector and provides an introduction its the input / output interface. This will help you understand how to customize its configuration to meet your needs.
4.1 Powering the Vector

As described in Chapter 2, Installation, the Vector is powered by connecting the red and black power leads of the power cable to an 8 to 40 VDC power source. You may wish to use an ammeter in-line of the power leads in order to verify that the system has been correctly powered. Once powered, the Vector will proceed through an internal start-up sequence, however it will be ready to communicate within a few seconds. On power-up, you will see through the communications port the GSV message output at 1 Hz. This is another method to confirm that the receiver is powered and communicating correctly. When installed such that the Vector has an unobstructed view of the sky, it will provide a position within approximately 60 seconds from startup. SBAS and beacon lock require approximately 30 and 60 seconds to acquire from startup, respectively. Note - It can take up to 5 minutes for a full ionospheric map to be received from SBAS. Optimum accuracy will be obtained once the Vector is processing corrected positions using complete ionospheric information. This can be confirmed with the $JQUERY,GUIDE<CR><LF> command.
4.2 Communicating with the Vector

The Vector features two full-duplex serial ports, one to each GPS receiver inside the Vector enclosure. In addition to the primary GPS
receivers full-duplex Port A, it features a second half-duplex, outputonly port (Port B) that may be configured through Port A. The data message output from the primary GPS receivers Port A and B may be configured for a mixture of NMEA 0183, binary, and RTCM SC-104 data. The usual data output is only required NMEA data messages. The output from the secondary GPS Port A is limited to heading data only. Note - If you require different data types to be output from the Vector simultaneously you may wish to separate the data between two serial ports if this is more convenient. Warning - In addition to heading information, you can turn position-related data on, on the secondary GPS receivers Port B. Please note that the position data is NOT valid and should NOT be used. This data is accessible for factory testing only.
4.2.1 NMEA 0183 Interface

NMEA 0183 is a communications standard established by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) and provides data definitions for a variety of navigation and related equipment. Such instruments supported include gyrocompasses, Loran receivers, echo sounders, GPS receivers, and more. NMEA functionality is virtually standard on all GPS equipment available. NMEA has an ASCII character format that allows you to read the data via terminal software on the receiving device (if possible). Some example NMEA data from the Vector follows.
$GPGGA,144049.0,5100.1325,N,11402.2729,W,1,07,1.0,1027.4,M,0,M,,0100*61 $GPVTG,308.88,T,308.88,M,0.04,N,0.08,K*42 $GPGSV,3,1,10,02,73,087,54,04,00,172,39,07,66,202,54,08,23,147,48*79 $GPGSV,3,2,10,09,23,308,54,11,26,055,54,15,00,017,45,21,02,353,45*78 $GPGSV,3,3,10,26,29,257,51,27,10,147,45,,,,,,,,*74
Depending on each manufacturers goals for a product, they may have the need to combine data into custom messages, which allows them to
improve communication and programming efficiency. The standard NMEA standard provides for manufacturers to define their own custom, proprietary messages as required. Proprietary NMEA messages are likely to be supported only by the specific manufacturer and partners. The Vector supports a variety standard and proprietary NMEA messages. These messages are used to configure the Vector and also contain the required information from the system. You may configure a selection of NMEA 0183 data messages on one port at various update rates (each message has a maximum update rate) and a different selection of NMEA 0183 messages with different rates on the other port. Chapter 6 presents information relating to the NMEA interface of the Vector. Appendix C - Resources provides contact information should you wish to purchase a copy of the NMEA 0183 standard.
4.2.2 Binary Interface

Binary messages may be output from the Vector along with NMEA 0183 data. Binary messages have a proprietary definition that likely will require custom software support if you wish to use it. Binary message inherently are more efficient than NMEA 0183 and would be used when you require maximum communication efficiency. Use of binary messages for most users is not recommended as the NMEA interface allows you to control the operation of the Vector and also receive all necessary data regarding status and positioning information. Binary messages are described in Chapter 7.
4.2.3 RTCM SC-104 Protocol

RTCM SC-104 is a standard that defines the data structure for differential correction information for a variety of differential correction applications. It has been developed by the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime services (RTCM) and has become an industry standard for communication of correction information. RTCM is a binary data protocol and is not readable via a terminal program. It
appears as garbage data on-screen since it is a binary format and not ASCII text. The following is an example of how the RTCM data appears on-screen.
mRMP@PJfeUtNsmMFM{nVtIOTDbA^xGh~kDH`_FdW_yqLRryrDuhc B\@}N`ozbSD@O^}nrGqkeTlpLLrYpDqAsrLRrQN{zW|uW@H`z]~a GxWYt@I`_FxW_qqLRryrDCikA\@Cj]DE]|E@w_mlroMNjkKOsmMF M{PWDwW@HVEbA^xGhLJQH`_F`W_aNsmMFM[WVLA\@S}amz@ilIuP qx~_IZhTCpLLrYpdP@kOsmMFM[kVDHwVGbA^P{WWuNt_SW_yMsmM nqdrhcC\@sE^ZfC@}vJmNGAHJVhTCqLRryrdviStW@H_GbA^P{wx u[K
RTCM has various levels of detail, however the highest level is the message. RTCM defines numerous messages that contain specific information. The Vector processes the C/A code for positioning and does not support more advanced methods of differential such as realtime kinematic (RTK) positioning that uses different RTCM message types. Considering this fact, the following RTCM messages are important for use with the Vector.
Type 1 and Type 9 messages, both of which contain similar information. These two messages contain pseudorange corrections and range rate corrections to each GPS satellite. The Type 2 message contains delta differential corrections that are used when the remote receiver is using a different satellite navigation message than used by the base station. The Type 5 message contains GPS constellation health information used for improving tracking performance of a GPS receiver The Type 6 message contains null information, and is broadcast so that a beacon receiver demodulating the data from the broadcast does not lose lock when the beacon station has no new data to transmit.
Note - RTCM is a local area data standard. This means that when positioning with correction input to the Vector from an external source or outputting corrections from the Vector to another GPS receiver, performance will degrade as a function of distance from the base station. The additional degradation will depend on the difference in observed orbit and ionospheric errors between the
reference station and the remote unit. A general rule of thumb would be an additional 1 m error per 100 miles. This error is often seen as a bias in positioning, resulting in a position offset. The scatter of the receiver is likely to remain close to constant. The RTCM SC-104 data output by the Vector is converted from the RTCM SC-159 data broadcast by SBAS. Appendix C - Resources contains the contact information should you wish to purchase a copy of the RTCM SC-104 specification.
4.3 Configuring the Vector

All aspects of Vector operation should be configured through the primary GPS Port A with the use of NMEA 0183 commands. These commands are described in the Chapter 6. The following items are user-configurable only through the primary GPS receiver).
NMEA 0183 message interface Tilt aiding Tilt Sensor calibration Magnetic aiding Magnetometer calibration Gyro aiding Time constants Level operation Heading compensation Configuration for pitch or roll Antenna separation Elevation mask Differential timeout Baud rates
4.4 Configuring the Data Message Output

The Vector primary GPS receiver features two serial port outputs referred to as A and B. GPS data messages for both ports are easily
configured by sending NMEA commands to the Vector receiver through Port A (the output of Port B can be configured through A). The $JASC NMEA message discussed in Chapter 6 in details allows you to turn messages on and off as you require.
4.4.1 This Port and the Other Port

When interfacing to Port A for the sake of turning data messages on or off on Port B, Port B is referred to as the Other port. For example, if you are communicating with the Vector Port A, and wish to turn the GPGGA message on at an update rate of 5 Hz on Port B, the following command would be used. $JASC,GPGGA,5,OTHER<CR><LF> If you wish to turn the GPGGA message on at 5 Hz on Port A, you would issue the following command. $JASC,GPGGA,5<CR><LF> Consult Chapter 6 for more information on NMEA messages.
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5. PocketMAX /PocketMAX PC
CSI Wireless offers configuration utilities designed for use with CSI Wireless SLX and SX-1 based products, including the Vector OEM. As these utilities were not designed specifically for any one product alone, they support features not offered by every product, such as tracking of the OmniSTAR differential service and display of our Vector products true heading, however, the interface may be used for all I/O operations. PocketMAX is a configuration program designed for PDAs with Windows PocketPC software that runs on PocketPC 2000, 2002 and 2003 platforms. PocketMAX PC runs on laptop and PC computers running the Microsoft Windows 95 or higher operating system. This software offers you the following flexibility: Tune your beacon and WAAS receivers Monitor beacon and WAAS reception Configure GPS message output and port settings Configure and monitor heading, time constants, etc. Record various types of data The current versions of PocketMAX and PocketMAX PC, as well as their associated user manuals are available for download from our website at: www.csi-wireless.com/products/software.shtml Caution It is important to note that when you are using PocketMAX, the program is doing many operations behind the scenes. This includes modifying the data output from the serial port as the program require, which is screen dependant. When you close PocketMAX, it will give you a message confirming the current settings. It will then ask you if you want to proceed and save these settings or go back and change them. Once you have
the settings configured properly for you, it is imperative to let the program close completely on its own before you disconnect or power down the receiver. This may take up to 10 seconds. If this is not performed, the receiver will not be configured as you feel it should, and can output a mixture of binary and NMEA data.
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6. NMEA 0183 Messages

This chapter identifies the selection of standard and proprietary NMEA 0183 messages for the Vector receiver. Note All NMEA commands must be sent through the primary GPS Port A RS-232 port. From this port, you can configure the settings of the Vector and also the data messages output from primary GPS Port A and B. The secondary GPS may be configured for HDT and HPR message output only, using appropriate commands.
6.1 NMEA Message Elements

NMEA 0183 messages have a common structure, consisting of a message header, data fields, checksum, and carriage return/line feed message terminator. An example NMEA sentence follows. $XXYYY,zzz,zzz,zzz*xx<CR><LF> The components of this generic NMEA message example are displayed in the following table.
Table6-1 NMEA Message Elements

Element $ XX YYY zzz *xx <CR> <LF> Description Message header character NMEA Talker field. GP indicates a GPS talker Type of GPS NMEA Message Variable Length Message Fields Checksum Carriage Return Line Feed
Null, or empty fields occur when no information is available for that field.
6.2 General Commands

This section presents various commands relating to the general operation and configuration of the Vector. The following table provides a brief description of the general commands supported by the Vector.
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Table 6-1 General Commands

Message $JASC,Dx $JAIR Description Command to turn on diagnostic information. This is a command to place the receiver into AIR mode where the receiver will respond better to the high dynamics associated with airborne applications. This command is used to output RTCM data fed into the other port, through the current port This command is used to output RTCM data from the SBAS demodulator This command is used to set the altitude aiding mode of the Vector PRO This command is used to query the current applications and also choose the current application. Baud rate change command for the Vector. Virtual circuit command used to interface to the internal beacon receiver or communicate with the menu system microprocessor. This command is used to set the differential mode. This command is used to subscribe certain features of use of the Vector. This command is used to provide the Vector with a seed position to acquire a SBAS signal more quickly upon start-up. This is not normally needed. This command is used to poll the Vector for its opinion on whether or not it is providing suitable accuracy after the both SBAS and GPS have been acquired (up to 5 min) This command is used to reset the configuration of the Vector This command is used to save the configuration of the Vector This command is used to query the Vector for its configuration This command is used to poll the Vector for its receiver type This command is used to turn on the various binary messages supported by the Vector This command is used to get information from the Vector such as its serial number and firmware version information
$JASC,VIRTUAL $JASC,RTCM $JALT $JAPP $JBAUD $JCONN $JDIFF $JK $JPOS
$JQUERY,GUIDE
$JRESET $JSAVE $JSHOW $JT $JBIN $JI
The following subsections provide detailed information relating to the use of each command.
Note - Please ensure that you save any changes that you wish to survive beyond the current power-up by using the $JSAVE command and wait for the $> Save Complete response.
6.2.1 $JASC,D1
This command allows you to adjust the output of the RD1 diagnostic information message from the Vector. This command has the following structure. $JASC,D1,r[,OTHER]<CR><LF> Currently, only the RD1 message is currently defined, with x = 1. The message status variable r may be one of the following values.
r 0 1 Description ON OFF
When the ,OTHER data field is specified (without the square brackets), this command will enact a change in the RD1 message on the other port.
6.2.2 $JAIR
This command allows you to place the primary GPS engine within the Vector into AIR mode HIGH, where the receiver is optimized for the high dynamic environment associated with airborne platforms. JAIR defaults to normal (NORM) and this setting is recommended for most applications. Turning AIR mode on to HIGH is not recommended for Vector operation. The format of this command follows. $JAIR,r<CR><LF> Where feature status variable, r, may be one of the following values.
r 0 1
Description NORM HIGH
The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.2.3 $JASC,VIRTUAL
When using an external correction source, this command is used to daisy chain RTCM data from being input from one port and output through the other. For example, if RTCM is input on Port B, this data will correct the position and also be output through Port A. The Vector acts as a pass-through for the RTCM data. Either port may be configured to accept RTCM data input and this command then allows the opposite port to output the RTCM data. To configure the Vector to output RTCM data on the current port from data input on the other port, issue the following command. $JASC,VIRTUAL,r<CR><LF> To configure the Vector to output RTCM data on the other port from RTCM data input on the current port, issue the following command. $JASC,VIRTUAL,r,OTHER<CR><LF> Where the message status variable, r, may be one of the following.
6.2.4 $JALT
This command turns altitude aiding on or off for the Vector module. When set to on, altitude aiding uses a fixed altitude instead of using one satellites observations to calculate the altitude. The advantage of this feature, when operating in an application where a fixed altitude is acceptable, is that the extra satellites observations can be used to betterment of the latitude, longitude, and time offset calculations, resulting in improved accuracy and integrity. Marine markets, for example, may be well suited for use of this feature, however, its not normally required for Vector operation. This command has the following layout. $JALT,c,v[,GEOID] <CR><LF> Where feature status variable, c, and threshold variable, v, may be one of the following.
c NEVER SOMETIMES Description This is the default mode of operation where altitude aiding is not used. Setting this feature to SOMETIMES allows the receiver to use altitude aiding, dependent upon the PDOP threshold, specified by v Setting this feature to ALWAYS allows the receiver to use altitude aiding regardless of a variable. In this case, you may specify the ellipsoidal altitude, v that the receiver should use. Optionally, if you specify the ,GEOID field, the receiver will use the GEOID as its reference.
ALWAYS
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6.2.5 $JLIMIT
This command is used to change the threshold of estimated horizontal performance for which the DGPS position LED is illuminated. The default value for this parameter is a conservative 10.0 meters. This command has the following format. $JLIMIT,limit<CR><LF> Where limit is the new limit in meters. The receiver will respond with the following message. $> If you wish to verify the current $JLIMIT threshold, the response to the $JSHOW command provides this information.
6.2.6 $JAPP
This command allows you to request the Vector for the currently installed applications and to choose which application to use. Both internal GPS engines each have two copies of their firmware in both application slots. This ensures that the application is not accidentally changed such that the receiver fails to function correctly. To poll the receiver for the current applications, send the following message. $JAPP<CR><LF> There are no data fields to specify in this message. The receiver will respond with the following message.
$>JAPP,current,other Where current indicates the current application in use and other indicates the secondary application that is not in use currently. To change from the current application to the other application (when a two applications are present), issue the following command. $JAPP,OTHER<CR><LF> or $JAPP,app<CR><LF> Where app may be one of the following by name.
app ATTITUDEM ATTITUDES Description Attitude master firmware Attitude secondary firmware
Note - Other derivatives of the $JAPP command are the $JAPP,1<CR><LF> and $JAPP,2<CR><LF> commands that can be used to set the Vector to use the first and second application. Its best to follow up the sending of these commands with a $JAPP query to see which application is 1 or 2. These two commands are best used when upgrading the firmware inside the Vector, as the firmware upgrading utility uses the application number to designate which application to overwrite. Note - When running an application, you can issue a $JI command to determine the version of that application.
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6.2.7 $JBAUD
This command is used to configure the baud rates of the Vector. This command has the following structure. $JBAUD,r[,OTHER] <CR><LF> Where r may be one of the following baud rates.
Baud Rates 4800 9600 19200 38400
When this command has been issued without the ,OTHER data field, the baud rate of the current port will be changed accordingly. When the ,OTHER data field is specified (without the square brackets), a baud rate change will occur for the other port. The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.2.8 $JCONN
This command is used to create a virtual circuit between the A and B port, if needed. This allows you to communicate through the Vector from Port A or B to the opposite port. The virtual circuit command has the following form. $JCONN,p<CR><LF>
Where the connection type, p, may be one of the following.

p AB X Description Specify AB in order to connect the A port to the B port Once a virtual circuit has been established, to remove the virtual circuit, specify X in this command to return the current port to normal
6.2.9 $JDIFF
This command is used to change the differential mode of the Vector receiver. The default differential mode is SBAS (WAAS). The structure of this command follows. $JDIFF,diff<CR><LF> Where the differential mode variable, diff, has one of the following values.
diff OTHER Description Specifying OTHER instructs the Vector to use external corrections input through the opposite port from which you are communicating Specifying BEACON instructs the Vector PRO to use corrections from the internal SBX beacon engine Specifying WAAS instructs the Vector to use SBAS corrections In order for the Vector to operate in autonomous mode, the NONE argument may be specified in this command.
BEACON WAAS NONE
6.2.10 $JK
This command is used by the Vector to enable subscriptions for various features. This command will have the following format.
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$JK,x<CR><LF> Where x is the subscription key provided by CSI Wireless and is 10 characters in length. If you send the $JK command without a subscription key as follows, it will return the expiry date of the subscription. $JK<CR><LF> Reply. $>JK,12/31/2003,1
6.2.11 $JPOS
This command is used to speed up the initial acquisition when changing continents with the Vector (for example, powering it for the first time in Europe after it has been tested in Canada). This will allow it to begin the acquisition process for the closest SBAS spot beams. This will save some time with acquisition of the SBAS service, however, use of this message is typically not required due to the quick overall startup time of the Vector receiver. This command has the following layout. $JPOS,lat,lon<CR><LF> Where lat and lon have the following requirements.
Position Component lat Description Latitude component must be entered in decimal degrees. This component does not have to be more accurate than half a degree. Longitude component must be entered in decimal degrees. This component does not have to be more accurate than approximately half a degree.
lon
Note - this command is not normally required for operation of the Vector module.
6.2.12 $JQUERY,GUIDE
This command is used to poll the Vector for its opinion on whether or not it is providing suitable performance after the both SBAS and GPS have been acquired (up to 5 min). This feature takes into consider the download status of the SBAS ionospheric map and also the carrier phase smoothing of the GPS. This command has the following format. $JQUERY,GUIDE<CR><LF> If the Vector is ready for use with navigation or positioning with optimum performance, it will return the following message. $>JQUERY,GUIDE,YES<CR><LF> Otherwise, it will return the following message. $>JQUERY,GUIDE,NO<CR><LF>
6.2.13 $JRESET
This command is used to reset the Vector GPS engines to their default operating parameters. This message has the following format. $JRESET<CR><LF>
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6.2.14 $JSAVE
Sending this command is required after making changes to the operating mode of the Vector in order to ensure the changes are present for the subsequent power cycle. $JATT commands do not require a $JSAVE command to be issued subsequently as their changes are automatically saved. This command has the following structure. $JSAVE<CR><LF> The Vector will reply with the following two messages. Ensure that the receiver indicates that the save process is complete before turning the receiver off or changing the configuration further. $> Saving Configuration. Please Wait... $> Save Complete No data fields are required. The receiver will indicate that the configuration is being saved and will notify you when the save is complete.
6.2.15 $JSHOW
This command is used to poll the Vector for its current configuration. This command has the following structure. $JSHOW[,subset] <CR><LF> Using the $JSHOW command without the optional ,subset field will provide a complete response from the receiver. An example of this response follows.
$>JSHOW,BAUD,9600 $>JSHOW,BAUD,9600,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPGGA,1.0,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPVTG,1.0,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPGSV,1.0,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPGST,1.0,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,D1,1,OTHER $>JSHOW,DIFF,WAAS $>JSHOW,ALT,NEVER $>JSHOW,LIMIT,10.0 $>JSHOW,MASK,5 $>JSHOW,POS,51.0,-114.0 $>JSHOW,AIR,AUTO,OFF $>JSHOW,FREQ,1575.4200,250 $>JSHOW,AGE,1800
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15)
This example response is summarized in the following table.

Line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Description This line indicates that the current port is set to a baud rate of 9600 This line indicates that the other port is set to a baud rate of 9600 This line indicates that GPGGA is output at a rate of 1 Hz from the other port This line indicates that GPVTG is output at a rate of 1 Hz from the other port This line indicates that the GPGSV is output at a rate of 1 Hz from the other port This line indicates that GPGST is output at a rate of 1 Hz from the other port This line indicates that D1 is output at a rate of 1 Hz from the other port This line indicates that the current differential mode is WAAS This line indicates the status of the altitude aiding feature This line indicates the threshold of estimated differential performance that allows the green DGPS LED to illuminate This line indicates the current elevation mask cutoff angle, in degrees This line indicates the current seed position used for startup, in decimal degrees This line indicates the current status of the AIR mode This line indicates the current frequency of the L-band receiver This line indicates the current maximum acceptable differential age in seconds
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When issuing this command with the optional ,subset data field (without the square brackets), a one-line response is provided. The subset field may be either CONF or GP. When CONF is specified for subset, the following response is provided. $>JSHOW,CONF,N,0.0,10.0,5,A,60W This response is summarized in the following table.
Message Component $>JSHOW,CONF N 0.0 10.0 5 A 60 W Description Message header N indicates no altitude aiding 0.0 indicates the aiding value, if specified (either specified height or PDOP threshold) Residual limit for the $JLIMIT command Elevation mask cutoff angle, in degrees AIR mode indication Maximum acceptable age of correction data in seconds Current differential mode, W indicates WAAS mode.
When GP is specified for subset, the following is an example response provided. $>JSHOW,GP,GGA,1.0 This response will provide the >$JSHOW,GP message header, followed by each message currently being output through the current port and also the update rate for that message.
6.2.16 $JT
This command displays the type of receiver engine within the Vector and has the following format. $JT<CR><LF>
The receiver will return the following response, indicating that the receiver is an SX1a (a for attitude system) when in. $>JT,SX1a
6.2.17 $JI
This command displays Vector receiver information. It has the following format $JI<CR><LF> The receiver will reply with the following message. $>JI,11577,1,5,11102002,01/01/1900,01/01/3003,1.1,38
This command is summarized in the following table.
Message Component 11577 1 5 11102002 01/01/1900 1/01/3003 1.1 38 Description This field provides the serial number of the GPS engine This field is the fleet number This is the hardware version This field is the production date code This field is the subscription begin date This field is the Subscription expiration date This field is the ARM version This field is the DSP version
6.2.18 $JBIN
This command allows you to request the output of the various binary messages. These latter two messages contain all information required for post processing. This message has the following structure.
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$JBIN,msg,r Where msg is the message name and r is the message rate as shown in the table below.
msg Bin1 Bin2 Bin80 Bin95 Bin96 Bin97 Bin98 Bin99 r (Hz) 5, 1, 0, or .2 5, 1, 0, or .2 1 or 0 1 or 0 1 or 0 5, 1, 0, or .2 1 or 0 5, 1, 0, or .2 Description Binary GPS position message. Binary message containing GPS DOPs. Binary message containing SBAS information. Binary message containing ephemeris information. Binary message containing code and carrier phase information. Binary message containing process statistics Binary message containing satellite and almanac information. Binary message containing GPS diagnostic information.
6.3 GPS Commands

This section describes the selection of commands specific to the configuration and operation of the Vector. The following table provides a brief description of the commands supported by the GPS engine for its configuration and operation.
Table 6-3 GPS Commands

Message $JASC,GP $JAGE $JOFF $JMASK Description This command is used to configure the NMEA message output of the GPS engine A command used to configure the maximum age of DGPS corrections This command is used to turn off all data output by the GPS engine This command allows you to modify the cut-off angle for tracking of GPS satellites
$J4STRING $JSMOOTH
This command allows you to configure the GPS for output of the GPGGA, GPGSA, GPVTG, and GPZDA messages at a specific baud rate This command is used to change the carrier smoothing interval from long to short.
The following subsections provide detailed information relating to the use of each command. Note - Please ensure that you save any changes that you wish to survive beyond the current power-up by using the $JSAVE command and wait for the $> Save Complete response.
6.3.1 $JASC
Using this command, you may turn GPS data messages on at a particular update rate or turn them off. When turning messages on, you have the choice of various update rates available, depending on what your requirements are. This command has the following layout. $JASC,msg,r[,OTHER]<CR><LF> Where msg is the name of the data message and r is the message rate, as shown in the table below. Sending the command without the optional ,OTHER data field will enact a change on the current port. Sending a command with a zero value for the r field turns off a message.
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msg GPGGA GPGLL GPGSA GPGST GPGSV GPRMC GPRRE GPVTG GPZDA HDT ROT INTLT HPR
r (Hz) 5, 1, 0, or .2 5, 1, 0, or .2 1 or 0 1 or 0 1 or 0 5, 1, 0, or .2 1 or 0 5, 1, 0, or .2 5, 1, 0, or .2 10, 5, 1, 0, or 0.2 10, 5, 1, 0, or 0.2 1 or 0 10, 5, 1, 0, or 0.2
Description Global Positioning System Fix Data Geographic Position - Latitude/Longitude GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) DOP and Active Satellites GNSS Pseudorange Error Statistics GNSS Satellites in View Recommended Minimum Specific GNSS Data Range residual message Course Over Ground and Ground Speed Time and Date RTK-derived GPS Heading RTK-derived GPS rate of turn Internal tilt sensor measurement Proprietary message containing heading and roll or pitch
When the ,OTHER data field is specified (without the square brackets), this command will enact a change on the other port. The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.3.2 $JAGE
This command allows you to choose the maximum allowable age for correction data. The default setting for the Vector is 1800 seconds, however, you may change this value as you feel appropriate. This setting inherently defines how long a receiver should coast using the COAST feature. Using COAST, the Vector is able to use old correction data for extended periods of time. If you choose to use a maximum correction age older than 1800 seconds, we recommend that you consider testing the receiver to ensure that the new setting meets your requirements as accuracy will slowly drift with increasing time. This command has the following structure.
$JAGE,age<CR><LF> Where maximum differential age timeout variable, age, may be a value from 6 to 8100 seconds. The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.3.3 $JOFF
This command allows you to turn off all data messages being output through the current or other port, including any binary messages. This command has the following definition. $JOFF[,OTHER]<CR><LF> When the ,OTHER data field is specified (without the square brackets), this command will turn on the four NMEA messages on the other port. There are no variable data fields for this message. The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.3.4 $JMASK
This command allows you to change the elevation cutoff mask angle for the GPS engine. Any satellites below this mask angle will be ignored, even if available. The default angle is 5 degrees, as satellites available below this angle will have significant tropospheric refraction errors. This message has the following format.
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$JMASK,e<CR><LF> Where the elevation mask cutoff angle, e, may be a value from 0 to 60 degrees. The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.3.5 $J4STRING
This command allows the GPGGA, GPVTG, GPGSA, and GPZDA messages to all be output with the issue of a single command. The output rate of each message is limited to 1 Hz, however, you may choose the set the baud rate of the current or other port at the same time. This command has the following definition. $J4STRING[,r][,OTHER] <CR><LF> Where r may be one of the following baud rates.
Baud Rates 4800 9600
When the ,OTHER data field is specified (without the square brackets), this command will turn on the four NMEA messages on the other port. The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.3.6 $JSMOOTH
There is a new command, $JSMOOTH that enables the user to change the carrier smoothing interval between 15 minutes and 5 minutes. This command was designed to offer the user flexibility for tuning in different environments. You may find a slight improvement in positioning performance using either the short or long smoothing interval depending on your multipath environment. The default for this command is 15 minutes or LONG. To change the smoothing interval to 5 minutes or SHORT, use the following command. $JSMOOTH,SHORT<CR><LF> If you wish to change the smoothing interval to 15 minutes or LONG, use the following command. $JSMOOTH,LONG<CR><LF> If you wish to request the status of this message, send the following command. The status of this command is also output in the $JSHOW message. $JSMOOTH<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of LONG (15 minutes).
6.4 SBAS Commands

This section details the NMEA messages accepted by the internal SBAS engine of the Vector system. The following table provides a brief description of the commands supported by the SBAS demodulator for its control and operation.
Table 6-4 SBAS Commands

Message $JWAASPRN Description This message is used to reconfigure the WAAS PRN numbers for use with other Space Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) This command is used to poll the WAAS demodulator for information relating to your current location and WAAS satellites This command is used to poll the Vector for SBAS diagnostic information This feature allows you to configure the Vector to output RTCM data from the WAAS demodulator
$JGEO
$JASC,D1 $JASC,RTCM
The following subsections provide detailed information relating to the use of each command. Note - Please ensure that you save any changes that you wish to survive beyond the current power-up by using the $JSAVE command and wait for the $> Save Complete response.
6.4.1 $JWAASPRN
This command allows you to both poll the Vectors internal SBAS demodulator PRNs in memory, and change them, if desired. To poll the receiver for the current SBAS PRNs, send the following message. $JWAASPRN<CR><LF> There are no data fields to specify in this message. The receiver will respond with the following message. $>JWAASPRN,prn1,prn2 Where prn1 indicates the first PRN number and prn2 indicates the second PRN number. The PRN numbers for WAAS are 122 and 134.
EGNOS is currently using PRN 120 but also has PRN 131. The SBAS PRN numbers are described in more detail in Appendix B. To manually change the current PRN numbers, the following message should be used. $JWAASPRN[,sv1[,sv2]] <CR><LF> Where sv1 is the PRN number of the first SBAS satellite and sv2 is the PRN number of the second SBAS satellite. sv1 or both sv1 and sv2 may be specified. The Vector will reply with the following response. $> If you wish to return the unit to automatic SBAS tracking, the following command should be sent to the receiver. $JWAASPRN,AUTO <CR><LF> The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.4.2 $JGEO
This message is used to display information related to the current frequency of SBAS, and its location in relation to the Vectors antenna. Knowing the location of the SBAS satellites can be very useful when troubleshooting a reception problem, as in some geographic regions, these satellites may appear quite low on the horizon. To query the Vector for the currently used SBAS satellite information, use the following query. $JGEO<CR><LF>
97
The receiver will respond with the following data message. $>JGEO,Sent=1575.4200,Used=1575.4200,PRN=prn,Lon=lon, El=ele,Az=az This message response is summarized in the following table.
Data Field $>JGEO Sent=1575.4200 Used=1575.4200 PRN=prn Lon=-lon El=ele Az=az Description Message header. Frequency sent to the digital signal processor Frequency currently used by the digital signal processor WAAS satellite PRN number Longitude of the satellite Elevation angle from the primary GPS antenna to the WAAS satellite, referenced to the horizon. Azimuth from the primary GPS antenna to the WAAS satellite, referenced to the horizon.
To monitor this information for dual SBAS satellites, add the ,ALL variable to the $JGEO message as follows. $JGEO[,ALL] <CR><LF> This will result in the following output messages.
$>JGEO,Sent=1575.4200,Used=1575.4200,PRN=122,Lon=54,El=9.7,Az=114.0 $>JGEO,Sent=1575.4200,Used=1575.4200,PRN=134,Lon=178,El=5.0, Az=252.6
As can be seen from this output, the first message is identical to the output from the $JGEO query, however, the second message provides information on the WAAS satellite not being currently used. Both outputs follow the format in the previous table for the $JGEO query.
6.4.3 $JASC,D1
This command is used to request SBAS diagnostic information from the Vector. The following section details the contents of this message. To command the Vector to output the diagnostic information message for the currently used SBAS satellites at a rate of 1 Hz, use the following query. $JASC,D1,1[,OTHER]<CR><LF> The receiver will respond with the following data message. $> Setting the update rate to zero as follows will turn off this message. $JASC,D1,0<CR><LF>
6.4.4 $JASC,RTCM
This command allows you to configure the Vector to output RTCM corrections from SBAS through either Port A or B. The correction data output is RTCM SC-104 even though SBAS uses a different over-theair protocol (RTCA SC-159). To have the Vector unit output RTCM corrections, send the following command to the Vector. $JASC,RTCM,r[,OTHER]<CR><LF> The message status variable r may be one of the following values.
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When the ,OTHER data field is specified (without the square brackets), this command will turn RTCM data on or off on the other port. The Vector will reply with the following response. $>
6.5 Data Messages

The following subsections describe the NMEA data messages listed in Table 6-5 in detail.
Table 6-5 Data Messages

Message GPGGA GPGLL GPGSA GPGST GPGSV GPRMC GPRRE GPVTG GPZDA RD1 $PCSI,1 HDT ROT HPR Max Rate 5 Hz 5 Hz 1 Hz 1 Hz 1 Hz 5 Hz 1 Hz 5Hz 5 Hz 1 Hz 1 Hz 10 Hz 10 Hz 10 Hz Description Global Positioning System Fix Data Geographic Position - Latitude/Longitude GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) DOP and Active Satellites GNSS Pseudorange Error Statistics GNSS Satellites in View Recommended Minimum Specific GNSS Data Range residual message Course Over Ground and Ground Speed Time and Date SBAS diagnostic information (proprietary NMEA message) This is a proprietary beacon status message This message provides the true heading This message provides rate of turn information This is a proprietary message with time, true heading, and pitch or roll
Note - For clarity, each data message will be presented on a new page.
6.5.1 GGA Data Message

The GGA message contains detailed GPS position information, and is the most frequently used NMEA data message. In Table 6-6, the GGA data message is broken down into its components. This message takes the following form. $GPGGA,hhmmss.ss,ddmm.mmmm,s,dddmm.mmmm,s,n,qq,p p.p,saaaaa.aa,M,xxxx.xx,M,sss,aaaa*cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-6 GGA Data Message Defined

Field hhmmss.ss ddmm.mmmmm s dddmm.mmmmm s n qq pp.p saaaa.aa M xxxx.xx M sss aaa *cc <CR><LF> Description UTC time in hours, minutes, seconds of the GPS position Latitude in degrees, minutes, and decimal minutes s = N or s = S, for North or South latitude Longitude in degrees, minutes, and decimal minutes s =E or s = W, for East or West longitude Quality indicator, 0 = no position, 1 = undifferentially corrected position, 2 = differentially corrected position, 9= position computed using almanac Number of satellites used in position computation HDOP =0.0 to 9.9 Antenna altitude Altitude units, M = meters Geoidal separation (needs geoidal height option) Geoidal separation units, M = meters Age of differential corrections in seconds Reference station identification Checksum Carriage return and line feed
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6.5.2 GLL Data Message

The GLL message contains Latitude and Longitude. In Table 6-7, the GLL data message is broken down into its components. This message has the following format. $GPGLL,ddmm.mmmm,s,dddmm.mmmm,s,hhmmss.ss,s,v*cc<CR><L F>
Table 6-7 GLL Data Message Defined

Field ddmm.mmmmm s dddmm.mmmmm s hhmmss.ss s v Description Latitude in degrees, minutes, and decimal minutes s = N or s = S, for North or South latitude Longitude in degrees, minutes, and decimal minutes s = E or s = W, for East or West longitude UTC time in hours, minutes, and seconds of GPS position Status, s = A = valid, s = V = invalid Mode Indicator, A = autonomous, D = Differential, E = Estimated (dead reckoning), M = manual input, S = simulator, and N = data not valid Checksum Carriage return and line feed
*cc <CR><LF>
6.5.3 GSA Data Message

The GSA message contains GPS DOP and active satellite information. Only satellites used in the position computation are present in this message. Null fields are present when data is unavailable due to the number of satellites tracked. Table 6-8, breaks down the GSA message into its components. This message has the following format. $GPGSA,a,b,cc,dd,ee,ff,gg,hh,ii,jj,kk,mm,nn,oo,p.p,q.q,r.r *cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-8 GSA Data Message Defined

Field a b cc to oo p.p q.q r.r *cc <CR><LF> Description Satellite acquisition mode M = manually forced to 2D or 3D, A = automatic swap between 2D and 3D Position mode, 1 = fix not available, 2 = 2D fix, 3 = 3D fix Satellites used in the position solution, a null field occurs if a channel is unused Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) = 1.0 to 9.9 Horizontal Dilution of Precision (HDOP) = 1.0 to 9.9 Vertical Dilution of Precision (VDOP) = 1.0 to 9.9 Checksum Carriage return and line feed
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6.5.4 GST Data Message

The GST message contains Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) psuedorange error statistics. Table 6-9, breaks down the GST message into its components. This message has the following format. $GPGST,hhmmss.ss,a.a,b.b,c.c,d.d,e.e,f.f,g.g *cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-9 GST Data Message Defined

Field hhmmss.ss a.a Description UTC time in hours, minutes, seconds of the GPS position Root mean square (rms) value of the standard deviation of the range inputs to the navigation process. Range inputs include pseudoranges and differential GNSS (DGNSS) corrections Standard deviation of semi-major axis of error ellipse (meters) Standard deviation of semi-minor axis of error ellipse (meters) Orientation of semi-major axis of error ellipse (degrees) Standard deviation of latitude error (meteers) Standard deviation of longitude error (meters) Standard deviation of altitude error (meters) Checksum Carriage return and line feed
b.b c.c d.d e.e f.f g.g *cc <CR><LF>
6.5.5 GSV Data Message

The GSV message contains GPS satellite information. Null fields occur where data is not available due to the number of satellites tracked. Table 6-10 breaks down the GSV data message into its components. This message has the following format. $GPGSV,t,m,n,ii,ee,aaa,ss,ii,ee,aaa,ss,*cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-10 GSV Data Message Defined

Field t m n ii ee aaa ss *cc <CR><LF> Description Total number of messages Message number, m = 1 to 3 Total number of satellites in view Satellite number Elevation in degrees, ee = 0 to 90 Azimuth (true) in degrees, aaa = 0 to 359 SNR (dB) + 30, ss = 0 to 99 Checksum Carriage return and line feed
105
6.5.6 RMC Data Message

The RMC message contains recommended minimum specific GPS data. Table 6-11 breaks down the RMC data message into its components. This message has the following format. $GPRMC,hhmmss.ss,a,ddmm.mmm,n,dddmm.mmm,w,z.z,y.y, ddmmyy,d.d,v,w *cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-11 RMC Data Message Defined

Field hhmmss.ss a ddmm.mmmmm n dddmm.mmmmm w z.z y.y ddmmyy d.d v w Description UTC time in hours, minutes, seconds of the GPS position Status is valid if a = A, status is invalid if a = V Latitude in degrees, minutes, and decimal minutes S = N or s = S, for North or South latitude Longitude in degrees, minutes, and decimal minutes S = E or s = W, for East or West longitude Ground speed in knots Track made good, referenced to true north UTC date of position fix in day, month, year Magnetic Variation in degrees Variation sense v = E = East, v = W = West Mode Indicator, A = autonomous, D = Differential, E = Estimated (dead reckoning), M = manual input, S = simulator, and N = data not valid Checksum Carriage return and line feed
*cc <CR><LF>
6.5.7 RRE Data Message

The RRE message contains the satellite range residuals and estimated position error. Table 6-12 breaks down the RRE data message into its components. This message has the following format. $GPRRE,n,ii,rrii,rr,hhh.h,vvv.v *cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-12 RRE Data Message Defined

Field n ii rr hhh.h vvv.v *cc <CR><LF> Description Number of satellites used in position computation Satellite number Range residual in meters Horizontal position error estimate in meters Vertical position error estimate in meters Checksum Carriage return and line feed
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6.5.8 VTG Data Message

The VTG message contains velocity and course information. Table 613 breaks down the VTG data message into its components. This message has the following format. $GPVTG,ttt,c,ttt,c,ggg.gg,u,ggg.gg,u,v*cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-13 VTG Data Message Defined

Field ttt c ttt c ggg.gg u ggg.gg u v *cc <CR><LF> Description True course over ground, ttt = 000 to 359, in degrees True course over ground indicator, c = T always Magnetic course over ground, ttt = 000 to 359, in degrees (output with magnetic model option only) Magnetic course over ground Indicator, always c = M Speed over ground, 000 to 999 knots Speed over ground units, u = N = Nautical mile/h Speed over ground, 000 to 999 km/h Speed over ground units, u = K = kilometer/h Mode Indicator, A = autonomous, D = Differential, E = Estimated (dead reckoning), M = manual input, S = simulator, and N = data not valid Checksum Carriage return and line feed
6.5.9 ZDA Data Message

The ZDA message contains Universal Time information. Table 6-14 breaks down the ZDA data message into its components. This message has the following format. $GPZDA,hhmmss.ss,dd,mm,yyyy,xx,yy*cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-14 ZDA Data Message Defined

Field hhmmss.ss dd mm yyyy xx yy *cc <CR><LF> Description UTC time in hours, minutes, seconds of the GPS position Day, dd = 0 to 31 Month, mm = 1 to 12 Year Local zone description in hours, xx = -13 to 13 Local zone description in minutes, yy = 0 to 59 Checksum Carriage return and line feed
109
6.5.10 RD1 Data Message

The RD1 message contains diagnostic information for SBAS operation. Table 6-15 breaks down the RD1 data message into its components. This message has the following format. $RD1,SecOfWeek,WeekNum,FreqMHz,DSPLocked,BERBER2,AGC,DDS,Doppler,DSPStat,ARMStat,DiffStatus,NavCon dition *cc<CR><LF>
Table 6-15 RD1 Data Message Defined

Field SecOfWeek WeekNum FreqMHz DSPLocked BER-BER2 AGC DDS Doppler DSPStat ARMStat DiffStatus NavCondition Description The second of GPS week (may be a couple of seconds old) The GPS week number The L-band frequency in MHz (1475.4200 is used for SBAS) 1 if DSPStat = 1B or 1F Bit error rate - bit error rates are given for both SBAS satellites being tracked L-band Signal strength 0.0 for SBAS 0 for SBAS A status bit mask for the DSP tracking of SBAS A status bit mask for the ARM GPS solution The SBAS PRN of the satellite in use A series of hex character fields, which is read from right to left, with each field representing the number of GPS satellites satisfying a certain condition, all of which conditions are required if the satellite is to be used in the solution Checksum Carriage return and line feed
*cc <CR><LF>
The following table describes the DSP status. The DSP status should be 17, 1B, or 1F when SBAS tracking has been achieved.
Field 01 02 04 08 10
Description Carrier lock BER is ok on at least one SBAS satellite Frame synchronization has been achieved on the second satellite Frame synchronization has been achieved on the first satellite Carrier lock
The following table describes the ARM status.

Field 01 02 04 08 10 20 40 Description GPS lock DGPS valid data The ARM processor has lock DGPS solution DGPS solution is good Not used Not used
An example of the NavCondition is presented in the following table for the 179889A value.
Field A 9 8 8 Description The number of satellites with lock and carrier phase The number of satellites with ephemeris received The number of satellites with healthy ephemeris The number of satellites that are tracked, have an ephemeris, which is healthy, and are above the elevation mask The number of satellites above the elevation mask The number of satellites with differential The number of satellites with no differential
9 7 1
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6.5.11 $PCSI,1 Beacon Status Message

This message contains a variety of information relating to the status of a CSI Wireless SBX engine inside the Vector PRO. The $PCSI,1 output message from the SBX beacon module is intelligently routed through the Vector PRO to the port from which the $PCSI,1 message was requested. $PCSI,CS0,PXXX-Y.YYY,SN,fff.f,M,ddd,R,SS,SNR,MTP,Q,ID,H,T
Field CS0 PXXX-Y.YYY S/N fff.f M ddd R SS SNR MTP Q ID H T
Description Channel 0 Resident SBX-3 firmware version SBX-3 receiver serial number Channel 0 current frequency Frequency Mode (A - Auto or M - Manual) MSK bit rate RTCM rate Signal strength Signal to noise ratio Message throughput Quality number {0-25} - number of successive good 30 bit RTCM words received Beacon ID to which the receivers primary channel is tuned Health of the tuned beacon [0-7] $PCSI,1 status output period {0-99}
6.5.12 HDT Data Message

This message provides true heading of the vessel. This is the direction that the vessel (Vector) is pointing and is not necessarily the direction of vessel motion (the course over ground). The HDT data message has the following format. $HEHDT,x.x,T*cc<CR><LF> Where x.x is the current heading in degrees and T indicates true heading.
6.5.13 ROT Data Message

The ROT data message contains the vessels rate of turn information. It has the following format. $HEROT,x.x,A*cc<CR><LF> Where x.x is the rate of turn in degrees per minute and A is a flag indicating that the data is valid. The x.x field is negative when the vessel bow turns to port.
6.5.14 HPR Data Message

The $PSAT,HPR message is a proprietary NMEA sentence that provides the heading, pitch / roll information, and time in a single data message. This message has the following format. $PSAT,HPR,time,heading,pitch,roll,*7B<CR><LF>
Field time heading pitch roll Description GPS time (HHMMSS.SS) Heading (degrees) Pitch (degrees) Roll (degrees)
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6.6 Beacon Receiver Commands

As mentioned above, we have implemented some command and message pass-through intelligence for communication to the internal SBX beacon module. In this configuration, the commands in the following table may be issued to the beacon receiver through either Port A or Port B of the Vector PRO.
Table 6-16 SBX Beacon Commands

Message $GPMSK $PCSI,1 Description Command to turn on diagnostic information. This command is used to get beacon status information from the SBX beacon engine inside the Vector PRO.
6.6.1 $GPMSK Beacon Tune Command

This command instructs the SBX beacon engine to tune to a specified frequency and automatically select the correct MSK rate. When this command is sent through primary GPS Port A, it will automatically be routed to SBX. The resulting confirmation of this message will be returned to the same port from which the command was sent. It has the following form. $GPMSK,fff.f,F,mmm,M,n<CR><LF Response. $PCSI,ACK,GPMSK,fff.f,F,mmm,M,n<CR><LF>
Field fff.f F mmm M n
Description This field is the beacon frequency in kHz (283.5 to 325) and may be left null if the receiver has not yet locked This field selects the frequency selection mode, either manual M or automatic A This field is the MSK bit rate. If the following field is set to automatic MSK rate A, this field can be left null Designates automatic MSK bit rate selection Period of output of performance status message, 0 to 100 seconds ($CRMSS)
When this message is acknowledged by the SBX, it will immediately tune to the frequency specified and demodulate at the rate specified. When the n field is set to a non-zero value, the SBX will output the $CRMSS message at that period through the serial port from which the SBX was tuned. When issuing the tune command with a non-zero n field through the secondary port, the periodic output of the $CRMSS message will not impact the output of RTCM on the main port. However, when tuning the SBX with a non-zero n field through the primary port, the NMEA status message will be interspersed within the RTCM data. Most GPS engines will not be able to filter the NMEA message, causing the overall data to fail parity checking. When power to the Vector PRO is removed and reapplied, the status output interval resets to zero (no output). Section 5.7.1.2 discusses the $CRMSS status message output by the SBX as initiated using this command. Note - When tuning using the primary serial port, if the n field in this message is non-zero, the status data message output by the SBX may interrupt the flow of RTCM data to the GPS receiver. Re-power the SBX to stop the output of the $CRMSS message, or re-tune the beacon receiver with the n field set to zero.
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6.6.2 $PCSI,1 Beacon Status Command

This command is used to obtain $PCSI,CS0 beacon status data from the SBX beacon engine inside the Vector PRO. When this command is sent through either Port A or B, it will automatically be routed to Port C. The resulting $PCSI,CS0 message will be returned to the same port from which the command was sent at the desired rate. It has the following format. $PCSI,1,x<CR><LF> The beacon receiver will provide the following response. $PCSI,ACK,1,x Where x is the desired output period in seconds. If you wish to have the CS0 message output for every power cycle, use the following derivative of this command. $PCSI,1,x,S<CR><LF> The beacon receiver will provide the following response. $PCSI,ACK,1,x,S Where x is the desired output period in seconds. The S field must be present and be capitalized.
6.7 GPS Heading Commands

This section details the various settings that relate to the GPS heading aspect of the Vector system. The following table summarizes the commands detailed in this section.
Table 6-17 GPS Heading Commands

Message TILTAID TILTCAL MAGAID MAGCAL MAGCLR GYROAID LEVEL CSEP MSEP HTAU PTAU HRTAU COGTAU SPDTAU HBIAS PBIAS NEGTILT ROLL SEARCH SUMMARY HELP Description Command to turn on tilt aiding and query the current feature status Command to calibrate tilt aiding and query the current feature status Command to turn on magnetic aiding and query the current feature status Command to store a new magnetic calibration table Command to erase the current magnetic calibration and begin recording new magnetic table data Command to turn on gyro aiding and query the current feature status and query the current feature status Command to turn on level operation and query the current feature status Query to retrieve the current separation between GPS antennas Command to manually set the GPS antenna separation and query the current setting Command to set the heading time constant and to query the current setting Command to set the pitch time constant and the query the current setting Command to set the rate of turn time constant and to query the current setting Command to set the course over ground time constant and to query the current setting Command to set the speed time constant and to query the current setting Command to set the heading bias and to query the current setting Command to set the pitch bias and to query the current setting Command to turn on the negative tilt feature and to query the current setting Command to configure the Vector for roll or pitch output Command to force a new RTK heading search Query to show the current configuration of the Vector PRO Query to show the available commands for GPS heading operation and status
6.7.1 $JATT,TILTAID
The Vectors internal tilt sensor (accelerometer) is enabled by default and constrains the RTK heading solution to reduce startup and reacquisition times. Since this sensor resides inside the Vector, the receiver enclosure must be installed in a horizontal plane. To turn the tilt-aiding feature off, use the following command. $JATT,TILTAID,NO<CR><LF>
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You may turn this feature back on with the following command. $JATT,TILTAID,YES,<CR><LF> To query the Vector for the current status of this feature, issue the following command. $JATT,TILTAID<CR><LF> Note - If you choose to increase the antenna separation beyond the default 0.5 m length, use of tilt aiding is required.
6.7.2 $JATT,TILTCAL
The tilt sensor of the Vector can be calibrated in the field, however the Vector PRO enclosure must be horizontal when performing the calibration. To calibrate the Vectors internal tilt sensor, issue the following command. $JATT,TILTCAL<CR><LF> The calibration process takes about two seconds to complete. The calibration is automatically saved to memory for subsequent power cycles.
6.7.3 $JATT,MAGAID
Use of the magnetic aiding feature is now required but for shipping purposes, this feature is disabled. In addition to reducing the time required to compute a heading solution, it can also provide a secondary source of heading when a GPS heading is not available. When you are ready to turn the magnetic aiding feature on, there are two different ways of calibrating. The magnetic sensor must be calibrated after the completion of the installation process. To turn the magnetic-aiding feature on, use the following command. $JATT,MAGAID,YES<CR><LF>
You may turn this feature back off with the following command. $JATT,MAGAID,NO<CR><LF> To query the Vector for the current status of this feature, issue the following command. $JATT,MAGAID<CR><LF>
6.7.4 $JATT,MAGCAL
Metallic structures on the vessel affect a compass reading, so this effect must be removed through the calibration process. Once the Vector is installed in its final location, to use this feature, magnetic aiding must first be turned on, followed by its calibration. A valid GPS heading is mandatory for the calibration process. There are two different ways to calibrate the magnetometer. The first way is to send a command to clear the current magnetic information to begin the initialization process. Then, if you leave the Vector powered continuously, it will automatically save the magnetic calibration tables when it is ready. This may take up to several days or even weeks depending on the dynamics of your vessel. There is no further calibration required. If you wish to check if the magnetic information has been saved, you can issue the following command. $JATT,MAGCAL<CR><LF> The second method requires more work up front, but, ensures your magnetic calibration information is up to date and complete within a short period of time. A command to clear the current magnetic information must first be sent to begin the initialization process, followed by slowly rotating the vessel a full 360 approximately 3 to 10 times. Calibration should be performed in a clear environment without any potential satellite blockages to minimize any possible errors during the process. The command to initialize the magnetic calibration process follows.
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$JATT,MAGCLR<CR><LF> Once the command has been issued, the vessel needs to rotate 360 three to four times. The following command can be sent during the calibration procedure to ask the Vector if the calibration is complete and if so, to automatically save it to memory for subsequent power cycles. $JATT,MAGCAL<CR><LF> If the Vector enclosure is reinstalled in a different location, even on the same vessel, you will need to clear the calibration table with the $JATT,MAGCLR command and complete the new calibration. Similarly, if any objects containing metal are moved near or away from the sensor, this command will need to be sent to the receiver and a new calibration performed. Note - It is very important to perform the calibration only after the installation of the Vector has been confirmed to be complete. If the Vectors location is changed, you will need to clear the calibration and recalibrate. A valid GPS heading is required during the calibration process.
6.7.5 $JATT,MAGCLR
This command is used to clear the magnetic calibration table inside the Vectors memory. It is issued in order to begin the process of calibrating the Vectors internal magnetic sensor. This command has the following format. $JATT,MAGCLR<CR><LF> Once the command has been issued, you have two choices for calibration. You can either leave the Vector powered continuously and the magnetic aiding feature will automatically save the settings after a period of time, or you can rotate the vessel 360 3 to 10 times.
If you choose the second calibration option, the following command must be sent after the calibration procedure to ask the Vector if the calibration is complete and if so, to automatically save it to memory for subsequent power cycles. $JATT,MAGCAL<CR><LF> If the receiver responds with a negative, continue rotating and re-issue the MAGCAL command periodically until the calibration has been accepted. If the Vector system is reinstalled in a different location, even on the same vessel, you will need to clear the calibration table with the $JATT,MAGCLR command and complete the new calibration. Note - It is very important to perform the calibration only after the installation of the Vector has been confirmed to be complete. If the Vectors location is changed, you will need to clear the calibration and recalibrate. A valid GPS heading is required during the calibration process.
6.7.6 $JATT,GYROAID
The Vectors internal gyro is shipped on by default, and it offers two benefits. It will shorten reacquisition times when a GPS heading is lost, due to obstruction of satellite signals, by reducing the search volume required for solution of the RTK. It will also provide an accurate substitute heading for a short period (depending on the roll and pitch of the vessel) ideally seeing the system through to reacquisition. This is why we highly recommend you leave the gyro aiding on. Exceeding rates of 30 degrees per second is not recommended since the gyro cannot measure rates beyond this point. This is a new recommendation since we now use gyro measurements to get a heading rate measurement. To turn on the gyro-aiding feature, use the following command.
$JATT,GYROAID,YES<CR><LF> If you wish to turn this feature off, use the following command. $JATT,GYROAID,NO<CR><LF> If you wish to request the status of this message, send the following command. $JATT,GYROAID<CR><LF> The Vectors gyro now requires a warm-up procedure. The gyro will automatically warm up by itself over time, but to ensure that it is ready when you need it, it is best to follow the procedure below. When your Vector unit is installed, apply power and wait several minutes until it has acquired a GPS signal and it is computing heading. Ensure that the gyro-aiding feature is on by issuing a $JATT,GYROAID<CR><LF> command. Then, slowly spin the unit for one minute at a rate of no more than 15 degrees per second. Then, let it sit stationary for four minutes. Your Vectors gyro is now fully calibrated. Since this setting cannot be saved, this procedure must be performed every time the Vectors power is cycled.
6.7.7 $JATT,LEVEL
This command is used to invoke the level operation mode of the Vector. If your application will not involve the system tilting more than 10 maximum, then you may choose to use this mode of operation. The benefit of using level operation is increased robustness and faster acquisition times of the RTK heading solution. By default, this feature is turned off. The command to turn this feature on follows. $JATT,LEVEL,YES<CR><LF> To turn this feature off, issue the following command. $JATT,LEVEL,NO<CR><LF>
To determine the current status of this message, issue the following command. $JATT,LEVEL<CR><LF>
6.7.8 $JATT,CSEP
This command polls the Vector for the current separation between antennas, as solved for by the attitude algorithms. It has the following format. $JATT,CSEP<CR><LF> The Vector will reply with the following. $JATT,x,CSEP, Where x is the antenna separation in m.
6.7.9 $JATT,MSEP
This command is used to manually enter a custom separation between antennas (must be accurate to within one to two centimeters). Using the new center-to-center measurement, send the following command to the Vector. $JATT,MSEP,sep<CR><LF> Where sep is the measured antenna separation entered in meters. To show the current antenna separation, issue the following command. $JATT,MSEP<CR><LF>
6.7.10 $JATT,HTAU
The heading time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the true heading measurement provided in the
$HEHDT message. The default value of this constant is 0.5 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of heading smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the heading time constant. $JATT,HTAU,htau<CR><LF> Where htau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. Depending on the expected dynamics of the vessel, you may wish to adjust this parameter. For instance, if the vessel is very large and is not able to turn quickly, increasing this time is reasonable. The resulting heading would have reduced noise, resulting in consistent values with time. However, artificially increasing this value such that it does not agree with a more dynamic vessel could create a lag in the heading measurement with higher rates of turn. A convenient formula for determining what the level of smoothing follows. If you are unsure on how to set this value, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. htau (in seconds) = 10 /maximum rate of turn (in /s) You may query the Vector for the current heading time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,HTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 0.5 seconds.
6.7.11 $JATT,PTAU
The pitch time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the pitch measurement provided in the $PSAT,HPR message. The default value of this constant is 0.5 seconds of
smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of pitch smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the pitch time constant. $JATT,PTAU,ptau<CR><LF> Where ptau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. Depending on the expected dynamics of the vessel, you may wish to adjust this parameter. For instance, if the vessel is very large and is not able to pitch quickly, increasing this time is reasonable. The resulting pitch would have reduced noise, resulting in consistent values with time. However, artificially increasing this value such that it does not agree with a more dynamic vessel could create a lag in the pitch measurement. A convenient formula for determining what the level of smoothing follows. If you are unsure on how to set this value, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. ptau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum rate of pitch (in /s) You may query the Vector for the current pitch time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,PTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 0.5 seconds.
6.7.12 $JATT,HRTAU
The heading rate time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the rate of heading change measurement provided in the $HEROT message. The default value of this constant is 2.0 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of heading smoothing.
The following command is used to adjust the heading time constant. $JATT,HRTAU,hrtau<CR><LF> Where hrtau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. Depending on the expected dynamics of the vessel, you may wish to adjust this parameter. For instance, if the vessel is very large and is not able to turn quickly, increasing this time is reasonable. The resulting heading would have reduced noise, resulting in consistent values with time. However, artificially increasing this value such that it does not agree with a more dynamic vessel could create a lag in the rate of heading change measurement with higher rates of turn. A convenient formula for determining what the level of smoothing follows. If you are unsure on how to set this value, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. hrtau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum rate of the rate of turn (in /s2) You may query the Vector for the current heading rate time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,HRTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 2.0 seconds.
6.7.13 $JATT,COGTAU
The course over ground (COG) time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the COG measurement provided in the $GPVTG message. The default value of this constant is 0.0 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of COG smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the COG time constant.
$JATT,COGTAU,cogtau<CR><LF> Where cogtau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. As with the heading time constant, the setting of this value depends upon the expected dynamics of the vessel. If a boat is highly dynamic, this value should be set to a lower value since the filtering window needs be shorter in time, resulting in a more responsive measurement. However, if a vessel is very large and has much more resistance to change in its motion, this value can be increased to reduce measurement noise. The following formula provides some guidance on how to set this value. If you are unsure what is the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. cogtau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum rate of change of course (in /s) You may query the Vector for the current heading time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,COGTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 0.0 seconds.
6.7.14 $JATT,SPDTAU
The speed time constant allows you to adjust the level of responsiveness of the speed measurement provided in the $GPVTG message. The default value of this parameter is 0.0 seconds of smoothing. Increasing the time constant will increase the level of speed measurement smoothing. The following command is used to adjust the speed time constant. $JATT,SPDTAU,spdtau<CR><LF>
Where spdtau is the new time constant that falls within the range of 0.0 to 3600.0 seconds. As with the heading time constant, the setting of this value depends upon the expected dynamics of the vessel. If a boat is highly dynamic, this value should be set to a lower value since the filtering window would be shorter, resulting in a more responsive measurement. However, if a vessel is very large and has much more resistance to change in its motion, this value can be increased to reduce measurement noise. The following formula provides some guidance on how to set this value initially, however, we recommend that you test how the revised value works in practice. If you are unsure what is the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting. spdtau (in seconds) = 10 / maximum acceleration (in m/s2) You may query the Vector for the current heading time constant by issuing the same command without an argument. $JATT,SPDTAU<CR><LF> Note - If you are unsure of the best value for this setting, its best to be conservative and leave it at the default setting of 0.0 seconds.
6.7.15 $JATT,HBIAS
You may adjust the heading output from the Vector in order to calibrate the true heading of the Vector to reflect the true heading of the vessel using the following command. $JATT,HBIAS,x<CR><LF> Where x is a bias that will be added to the Vectors heading, in degrees. The acceptable range for the heading bias is -180.0 to 180.0. The default value of this feature is 0.0.
To determine what the current heading compensation angle is, send the following message to the Vector. $JATT,HBIAS<CR><LF>
6.7.16 $JATT,PBIAS
You may adjust the pitch / roll output from the Vector in order to calibrate the measurement if the Vector is not installed in a horizontal plane. The following NMEA message allows to you to calibrate the pitch / roll reading from the Vector. $JATT,PBIAS,x<CR><LF> Where x is a bias that will be added to the Vectors pitch / roll measure, in degrees. The acceptable range for the heading bias is 15.0 to 15.0. The default value of this feature is 0.0. To determine what the current pitch compensation angle is, send the following message to the Vector. $JATT,PBIAS<CR><LF> Note - The pitch / roll bias is added after the negation of the pitch / roll measurement (if so invoked with the $JATT,NEGTILT command).
6.7.17 $JATT,NEGTILT
When the secondary GPS antenna is below the primary GPS antenna, the angle from the horizon at the primary GPS antenna to the secondary GPS antenna is considered negative. Depending on your convention for positive and negative pitch / roll, you may wish to change the sign (either positive or negative) of the pitch / roll. To do this, issue the following command. $JATT,NEGTILT,YES<CR><LF>
To return the sign of the pitch / roll measurement to its original value, issue the following command. $JATT,NEGTILT,NO<CR><LF> To query the Vector for the current state of this feature, issue the following command. $JATT,NEGTILT<CR><LF>
6.7.18 $JATT,ROLL
If you wish to get the roll measurement, you will need to install the Vector perpendicular to the vessels axis, and send the following command to the Vector. $JATT,ROLL,YES<CR><LF> If you wish to return the Vector to its default mode of pricing the pitch measurement, issue the following command. $JATT,ROLL,NO<CR><LF> You may query the Vector for the current roll / pitch status with the following command. $JATT,ROLL<CR><LF>
6.7.19 $JATT,SEARCH
You may force the Vector to reject the current RTK heading solution, and have it begin a new search with the following command. $JATT,SEARCH<CR><LF> If the Vector has a lock before this command is sent, you will see the heading LED go out once the command has been sent. The heading
LED will turn back on when a new heading solution has been achieved.
6.7.20 $JATT,SUMMARY
This command is used to receive a summary of the current Vector settings. This command has the following format. $JATT,SUMMARY<CR><LF> The response has the following format. $>JATT,SUMMARY,htau,hrtau,ptau,ctau,spdtau,hbias,pbias,hexflag< CR><LF> An example of the response to this message follows. $>JATT,SUMMARY,TAU:H=0.50,HR=2.00,P=0.50,COG=0.00,SPD=0. 00,BIAS:H=0.00,P=0.00,FLAG_HEX:GN-RMTL=01
Field htau hrtau ptau cogtau spdtau hbias pbias hexflag Description This data field provides the current heading time constant in seconds This data field provides the current heading rate time constant in seconds This data field provides the current pitch time constant in seconds This data field provides the current course over ground time constant in seconds This data field provides the current speed time constant in seconds This data field gives the current heading bias in degrees This data field gives the current pitch / roll bias in degrees This field is a hex code that summarizes the heading feature status and is described in the following table
Flag
Value Feature On Feature Off 0 0 0
Gyro aiding Negative tilt Roll
02 01 08
131
Magnetic aiding Tilt aiding Level
04 02 01
0 0 0
The GN-RMTL field is two separate hex flags, GN and RMTL. The GN value is determined by computing the sum of the gyro aiding and negative tilt values, depending if they are on or off. If the feature is on, their value is included in the sum. If the feature is off, it has a value of zero when computing the sum. The value of RMTL is computed in the same fashion but by adding the values of roll, magnetic aiding, tilt aiding, and level operation. For example, if gyro aiding, roll, and magnetic aiding features were each on, the values of GN and RMTL would be the following: GN = hex ( 02 + 0 ) = hex ( 02 ) = 2 RMTL = hex ( 08 + 04) = hex (12) = C GN-RMTL = 2C The following tables summarize the possible feature configurations for the first GN character and the second RMTL character.
GN Value 0 1 2 3 Gyro Aiding Off Off On On Negative Tilt Off On Off On
RMTL Value 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
Roll Off Off Off Off Off Off Off Off On On On On On On On On
Mag Aiding Off Off Off Off On On On On Off Off Off Off On On On On
Tilt Aiding Off Off On On Off Off On On Off Off On On Off Off On On
Level Off On Off On Off On Off On Off On Off On Off On Off On
6.7.21 $JATT,HELP
The Vector supports a command that you can use to get a short list of the supported commands if you find yourself in the field without documentation. This commands has the following format. $JATT,HELP<CR><LF> The response to this command will be the following. $>JATT,HELP,CSEP,MSEP,EXACT,LEVEL,HTAU,HRTAU,HBIASPBI AS,NEGTILT,ROLL,TILTAID,TILTCAL,MAGAID,MAGCAL,MAGCLR, GYROAID,COGTAU,SPDTAU,SEARCH,SUMMARY
133
7. Binary Data
The Vector supports a selection of binary data messages that provide improved communication port efficiency. Additionally, certain data is available only in binary format, such as raw measurement information. Note - The binary messages described in this chapter are turned on or off using the $JBIN and $JOFF commands discussed in Chapter 6.
7.1 Binary Message Structure

The Binary messages supported by the Vector are in an Intel Little Endian format for direct read in a PC environment. You can find more information on this format at the following Web site. www.cs.umass.edu/~verts/cs32/endian.html Each binary message begins with an 8-byte header and ends with a carriage-return line-feed pair (0x0D, 0x0A). The first four characters of the header is the ASCII sequence $BIN. The following table provides the general binary message structure. Note - For clarity, each table begins on a new page.
Table 7-1 Binary Message Structure

Group Header Components Synchronization String Type 4 byte string Unsigned short Bytes 4 Value $BIN
BlockID - a number 2 1, 2, 80, 93, which tells the type of 94, 95, 96, 97, binary message 98, or 99 DataLength - the Unsigned 2 52, 16, 40, 56, length of the binary short 96, 128, 300, messages 28, 68, or 304 Data Binary Data - varying Mixed fields 52, 16, 40, 56, 96, Varies - see fields of data with a 128, 300, 28, 68, message total length of or 304 tables DataLength bytes Checksum - sum of all Epilogue Unsigned 2 Sum of data bytes of the data (all short bytes DataLength bytes). The sum is placed in a 2-byte integer CR - Carriage return Byte 1 0D hex LF - Line feed Byte 1 0A hex The total length of the binary message packet is DataLength plus 12 (8 byte header, 2 byte checksum, and 2 bytes for CR, LF).
135
7.1.1 Bin 1
This message has a BlockID of 1 and is 52 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. It consists of GPS position and velocity data. It is the only binary message that can be output at a rate of 5 Hz. The following table describes the content of this message.
Table 7-2 Bin 1 Message

Name AgeOfDiff Components Age of differential, seconds. Use Extended AgeOfDiff first. If both = 0 then no differential Number of satellites used in the GPS solution GPS week associated with this message GPS tow (sec) associated with this message Latitude in degrees North Longitude in degrees East Altitude above the ellipsoid in meters Velocity north in m/s Velocity East in n/s Velocity up in m/s Navigation mode: 0 = No fix 1 = 2D no diff 2 = 3D no diff 3 = 2D with diff 4, 5, or 6 = 3D with diff If bit 7 is set (left-most bit), then this is a manual mark position Extended age of differential, seconds. If 0, use 1 byte AgeOfDiff listed above Type Byte Bytes 1 Value 0 to 255
NumOfSats GPSWeek GPSTimeOfWeek Latitude Longitude Height VNorth VEast VUp NavMode
Byte Unsigned short Double Double Double Float Float Float Float Unsigned short
1 2 8 8 8 4 4 4 4 2
0 to 12 0 to 65536 0.0 to 604800.0 -90.0 to 90.0 -180.0 to 180.0
Positive Bits 0 through 6 = Navmode Bit 7 = Manual mark
Extended AgeOfDiff
Unsigned short
0 to 65536
7.1.2 Bin 2
This message has a BlockID of 2 and is 16 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains various quantities that are related to the GPS solution. The following table describes the details of this message in order.

Name MaskSatsTracked Components A mask of satellites tracked by the GPS. Bit 0 corresponds to the GPS satellite with PRN 1. A mask of satellites used in the GPS solution. Bit 0 corresponds to the GPS satellite with PRN 1. Whole seconds between UTC and GPS time (GPS minus UTC) Horizontal dilution of precision scaled by 10 (0.1 units) Vertical Dilution of precision scaled by 10 (0.1 units) PRN and tracked or used status masks Type Unsigned long Bytes 4 Value Individual bits represent satellites Individual bits represent satellites Positive
MaskSatsUsed
Unsigned long
GPSUtcDiff
Unsigned short Unsigned short Unsigned short Unsigned short
HDOPTimes10
Positive
VDOPTimes10 WAAS PRN bitmask
2 2
Positive See below
WAAS PRN bit mask.

Bit 00 Mask of satellites tracked by first WAAS satellite Bit 01 Mask of satellites tracked by second WAAS satellite Bit 02 Mask of satellites used by first WAAS satellite Bit 03 Mask of satellites used by second WAAS satellite Bit 04 Unused Bit 05-09 Value used to find PRN of first WAAS satellite (This value + 120 = PRN) Bit 10-14 Value used to find PRN of second WAAS satellite (This value + 120 = PRN) Bit 15 Unused
137
7.1.3 Bin 80
This message has a BlockID of 80 and is 40 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains the WAAS message. The following table describes the constituents of this message in order.

Name PRN Spare MsgSecOfWeek WaasMsg[8] Components Broadcast PRN Not used at this time Seconds of week for message 250 bit WAAS message (RTCA DO-229). 8 unsigned longs with most significant bit received first Type Unsigned short Unsigned short Unsigned long Unsigned long Bytes 2 2 4 4x8= 32 Future use Value
7.1.4 Bin 93
This message has a BlockID of 93 and is 45 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains information relating to the WAAS ephemeris. The following table describes the contents of this message in order

Name SV Spare TOWSecOfWeek IODE URA Consult the ICD-GPS-200 for definition in Appendix C Resources Bit 0 = 1 sec Bit 0 = 0.08 m Bit 0 = 0.08 m Bit 0 = 0.4 m Bit 0 = 0.000625 m/s Bit 0 = 0.000625 m/s Bit 0 = 0.004 m/s 2 Bit 0 = 0.0000125 m/s 2 Bit 0 = 0.0000125 m/s 2 Bit 0 = 0.0000625 m/s Bit 0 = 2**-31 s Bit0 = 2**-40 s/s Components Satellite to which this data belongs Not used at this time Time at which this arrived (LSB = 1 sec) Type Unsigned short Unsigned short Unsigned long Unsigned short Unsigned short Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Long Unsigned short Unsigned short Bytes 2 2 4 2 2 Future use Value
T0 XG YG ZG XGDot YXDot ZGDot XGDotDot YGDotDot ZGDotDot Gf0 Gf0Dot
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2
139
7.1.5 Bin 94
This message has a BlockID of 94 and is 96 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains ionospheric and UTC conversion parameters. The following table describes the details of this message in order.

Name a0,a1, a2,a3 b0,b1,b2,b3 A0,A1 tot wnt wnlsf dn dtls dtlsf Spare Components AFCRL alpha parameters AFCRL beta parameters Coefficients for determining UTC time Reference time for A0 and A1, second of GPS week Current UTC reference week Week number when dtlsf becomes effective Day of week (1-7) when dtlsf becomes effective Cumulative past leap Scheduled future leap Not used at this time Type Double Double Double Unsigned long Unsigned short Unsigned short Unsigned short Short Short Unsigned short Bytes 8 x 4 = 32 8 x 4 = 32 8 x 2 = 16 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 Value
Future use
7.1.6 Bin 95
This message has a BlockID of 95 and is 128 bits excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains ephemeris data of all 12 channels. The following table describes the contents of this message in order.

Name SV Spare1 SecOfWeek SF1words[10] SF2words[10] SF3words[10] Components The satellite to which this data belongs Not used at this time Time at which this arrived (LSB = 6) Unparsed SF 1 message Unparsed SF 2 message Unparsed SF 3 message Type Unsigned short Unsigned short Unsigned long Unsigned long Unsigned long Unsigned long Bytes 2 2 4 4 x 10 = 40 4 x 10 = 40 4 x 10 = 40 Future use Value
141
7.1.7 Bin 96
This message has a BlockID of 96 and is 300 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains phase and code data. The following table describes the constituents of this message in order.

Name Spare1 Week TOW UICS_TT_SNR_PRN[12] UIDoppler_FL[12] PseudoRange[12] Phase[12] Components Not used at this time GPS week number Predicted GPS time in seconds See below See below Pseudoranges Phase (m) L1 wave = 0.190293672798365 m Type Unsigned short Unsigned short Double Unsigned long Unsigned long Double Double Bytes 2 2 8 4 x 12 = 48 4 x 12 = 48 8 x 12 = 96 8 x 12 = 96 Value Future use
Where. UlCS_TT_SNR_PRN
Bits 0-7: PRN (PRN is 0 if no data) Bits 8-15: SNR value (SNR= 10.0 * log10 * (0.8192 * SNR value)) Bits 16-23: Phase Track Time in units of 1/10 second, range = 0 to 25.5 seconds (see next word) Bits 24-31: Cycle Slip Counter (Increments by 1 every cycle slip with natural rollover after 255)
UlDoppler_FL
Bit 0: 1 if Valid Phase, 0 otherwise Bit 1: 1 if Track Time > 25.5 seconds, 0 otherwise Bits 2-3: Unused
Bits 4-31: Signed (twos compliment) Doppler in units of m/sec x 4096. (i.e., LSB=1/4096), range = +/- 32768 m/sec. Computed as phase change over 1/10 sec.
7.1.8 Bin 97
This message has a BlockID of 97 and is 28 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains statistics for processor utilization. The following table describes the details of this message in order.

Name CPUFactor Components CPU utilization factor. Multiply by 450e-06 to get percentage of spare CPU that is available The total number of missed sub frames in the navigation message since power on Max sub frames queued The total number of missed code accumulation measurements in the channel-tracking loop The total number of missed psuedorange measurements Not used at this time Not used at this time Not used at this time Not used at this time Not used at this time Type Unsigned long Bytes 4 Value Positive
MissedSubFrame
Unsigned short Unsigned short Unsigned short
Positive
MaxSubFramePnd MissedAccum
2 2
Positive Positive
MissedMeas Spare 1 Spare 2 Spare 3 Spare 4 Spare 5
Unsigned short Unsigned long Unsigned long Unsigned long Unsigned short Unsigned short
2 4 4 4 2 2
Positive Future use Future use Future use Future use Future use
143
7.1.9 Bin 98
This message has a BlockID of 98 and is 68 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains data derived from the satellite almanacs. The following table describes the contents of this message in order.

Name AlmanData LastAlman IonoUTCVFlag Components Almanac-derived-data, 8 satellites at a time Last almanac processed Flag that is set when ionosphere modeling data is extracted from the GPS sub frame 4 Not used at this time Type Structure array Byte Byte Bytes 8 x 8 = 64 1 1 Value See the following table 0 to 31 0 = not logged 2 = valid Future use
Spare
Unsigned short
AlmanData Structure Array

Name DoppHz Components Predicted Doppler in Hz for the satellite in question (assuming a stationary satellite). Number of times the almanac has changed for this satellite since the receiver was turned on Channel number (groups of 8) Type Short Bytes 2 Value
CountUpdate
Byte
Positive
Svindex
Byte
AlmVFlag
Almanac valid flag
Byte
0 to 7 8 to 15 16 to 23 24 to 31 0 = not logged 1 = invalid 2 = valid 3 = has data (not yet validated)
AlmHealth Elev Azimuth
Almanac health from sub frame 4 of the GPS message Elevation angle in degrees the azimuth in degrees
Byte Char Byte
1 1 1
See ICDGPS-200 -90 to 90 0 to 180 represents 360 degrees
145
7.1.10 Bin 99
This message has a BlockID of 99 and is 304 bytes excluding the header and epilogue. This message contains quantities related to the tracking of the individual GPS satellites along with some other relevant data. The following table describes the constituents of this message in order.

Name NavMode2 Components Navigation mode data (lower 3 bits hold the GPS mode, upper bit set if differential is available). Type Byte Bytes 1 Value Lower 3 bits: 0 = time not valid 1 = no fix 2 = 2D fix 3 = 3D fix Upper bit (bit 7) is 1 if differential is available Positive
UTCTimeDiff
GPSWeek GPSTimeOfWeek
ChannelData
ClockErrAtL1
Spare
Whole seconds between UTC and GPS time (GPS minus UTC) GPS week associated with this message GPS tow (sec) associated with this message 12 structures (see below) containing tracking data for each of the 12 receiver channels The clock error of the GPS clock oscillator at L1 frequency in Hz Not used at this time
Byte
Unsigned short Double
2 8
0 to 65536 0.0 to 604800.0
Structure array
12 x 24 = 288
See following table
Short
-32768 to 32768
Unsigned short
Future use
ChannelData Array
Name Channel SV Status Components Channel number Satellite being tracked, 0 == not tracked Status bit mask (code carrier bit frame) Type Byte Byte Byte Bytes 1 1 1 Value 0 to 12 0 to 32 Bit 0 = code lock 1 = carrier lock 2 = bit lock 3 = frame sync 4 = frame sync and new epoch 5 = channel reset 6 = phase lock 7 = spare 1 to 5 0 = not logged 1 = invalid 2 = valid 3 = has data (not yet validated) See ICD-GPS-200 0 = not logged 1 = invalid 2 = valid 3 = has data (not yet validated) See ICD-GPS-200 -90 to 90 0 to 180 degrees represents 0 to 360 degrees See ICD-GPS-200 Future use Positive
LastSubFra me EphmVFlag
Last sub frame processed in the GPS message Ephemeris valid flag
Byte Byte
1 1
EphmHealth AlmVFlag
Satellite health from sub frame 1 of the GPS message Almanac valid flag
Byte Byte
1 1
AlmHealth Elev Azimuth
Almanac health from sub frame 4 of the GPS message Elevation angle in degrees the azimuth in degrees
Byte Char Byte
1 1 1
URA Spare CliForSNR
DiffCorr
User range error from sub frame 1 of the GPS message Not used at this time Code lock indicator for SNR. SNR = 10.0 * 4096 CliForSNR / Nose_floor) where Nise_floor = 80000.0 100 times the differential correction for this channels
Byte Byte Unsigned short
1 1 2
Short
147
PosResid VelResid DoppHZ NCOHz
psuedorange 10 times the position residual from the GPS solution for this chanel 10 times the velocity residual from the GPS solution for this channel Expected Doppler for this channel in Hz Carrier track offset for this channel in Hz
Short Short Short Short
2 2 2 2
8. Frequently Asked Questions

8.1 Heading
Q - How shall I mount the Vector? A - It depends on whether or not you want to pole-mount or fix-mount the system. Offering both options provides some flexibility when mounting the Vector. If you choose to pole-mount, ensure that you use the washer and lock nut supplied. Q - Should I turn on all the supplemental sensors? A We highly recommend as that you leave the tilt sensor turned on and that you turn on the gyro and the magnetic sensor. The magnetic sensor requires calibration, but it greatly helps the heading performance, especially during GPS outages.
8.2 General
Q - Do you recommend beacon or SBAS differential services? A - It partially depends on regulations regarding on the size of your vessel and if youre going to use the Vector for positioning in addition to heading. You may be required to use beacon corrections when positioning if you plan to use the position output from the Vector PRO. If this is not the case, you will likely find that the beacon and SBAS are able to provide good levels of performance. However, currently, the SBAS services are not currently transmitting under an initial operational capability declaration. Some degree of caution should be used when positioning with SBAS until these services achieve this level of compliance.
Q - Are the SBAS services reliable for differential operation? A - These services have proven themselves for some time now and have shown excellent results. As both WAAS and EGNOS are in test mode currently, they are not to be used as a sole means of navigation. Additionally, as they are under test, there may be periods of outage or times when the signal should not be used. We recommend that you refer to Appendix C - Resources of this manual for Web sites that provide details regarding the broadcast schedule of WAAS and EGNOS. Q - Can the COAST technology work with corrections from an external source? A - Yes, the Vector will operate in a similar fashion with the COAST technology as when using SBAS or beacon corrections. However, SBAS corrections have the advantage that they are separated into separate error components, allowing the Vector to anticipate how errors will change over the coasting period with more consistent accuracy and for a longer period than regular RTCM range corrections.
8.3 Support and Repairs

Q - How do you recommend that I pursue support to solve a problem that I cant isolate? A - We recommend that you contact your dealer first. With their experience with this and other products from CSI Wireless, theyre likely to help you isolate a problem. If the issue is beyond the capability or experience of your dealer, either they or you can speak with a Technical Service Representative from CSI Wireless. Q - Can I contact CSI Wireless directly regarding technical problems? A - Yes, however, we recommend that you speak to your dealer first as they would be your local support. They may be able to solve your
problem more promptly than us, due to their location and experience with our equipment.
8.4 Troubleshooting
Q - What do I do initially if I have a problem with the operation of the Vector? A - Try to isolate the source of the problem. Problems are likely to fall within one of the following categories. Its important to review each in detail to remove each from being a suspect source of the problem.
Power, communication, and configuration GPS reception and performance Beacon reception and performance SBAS reception and performance External corrections Installation
The questions in the following sections provide information that may help you to isolate and solve the problem that you are experiencing. Q - What do I do if I cant resolve the problem after trying to diagnose it myself? A - You should contact your dealer to see if they have any information that may help to solve the problem. They may be able to provide some in-person assistance too. If this either isnt viable or does not solve the problem, CSI Wireless Technical Support is available during normal business hours to help solve the problem. You may reach Technical Support at: Telephone number: Fax number: E-mail address: wireless.com +1-403-259-3311 +1-403-259-8866 techsupport@csi-
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Technical Support is available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time, Monday to Friday.
8.5 Power, Communication, and Configuration

Q - My Vector doesnt appear to be communicating, what do I do? A - This could be one of a few issues: 1. Examine the power / data cable and its connector for signs of damage. The Vector may be powered incorrectly, or the conductor carrying power to the antenna may be damaged (open). 2. Ensure that you are properly powering the system with the correct voltage by measuring the voltage at the receiver end of the power cable when the cable is connected to the power source. 3. Since youre required to terminate the power / data input, ensure that you have made a good connection to the power supply and that the data interface is wired correctly. 4. Ensure that youre communicating at the correct baud rate 5. Consult the troubleshooting section of the other devices reference manual to determine if there may be a problem with that equipment. Q - Am I able to configure the two serial ports with different baud rates? A - Yes, the ports are independent. For instance, you may have one port set to 4800 and the other to 19,200, or vice versa.
Q - Am I able to have the Vector output different NMEA messages through the two ports? A - Yes, you may have different NMEA messages turned on for the two serial ports. Further, these NMEA messages may also be at different update rates. Q - How can I determine what the current configuration of the Vector is? A - The $JSHOW<CR><LF> command will request the configuration information from the Vectors internal GPS engine. The response will be similar to the following output and is described in detail in Chapter 6.
$>JSHOW,BAUD,19200 $>JSHOW,BIN,1,5.0 $>JSHOW,BAUD,4800,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPGGA,1.0,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPVTG,1.0,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPGSA,1.0,OTHER $>JSHOW,ASC,GPZDA,1.0,OTHER You should also query each heading feature of the Vector to determine their settings, such as the magnetic and tilt aiding using their associated commands.
Q - How can I be sure that the configuration will be saved for the subsequent power cycle? A - The surest method is to query the receiver to make sure youre happy with the current configuration, by issuing a $JSHOW<CR><LF> command (if not make the necessary changes and repeat). If the current configuration is acceptable, issue a $JSAVE<CR><LF> command. Wait for the receiver to indicate that the save is complete. You may power the receiver down and issue another $JSAVE if you feel its necessary, however, it is not required.
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Q - What is the best software tool to use to communicate with the Vector and configure it? A - We use two different software applications at CSI Wireless for this application, however you may have other preferences.
PocketMAX - Available from the CSI Wireless Web site. This application is a very useful tool for graphically viewing tracking performance, positioning accuracy, and more. HyperTerminal - Available on all Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 and XP. This tool is useful as it allows you to easily configure the Vector by directly typing commands into the terminal window. The output from the Vector is shown simultaneously. Ensure that when using HyperTerminal that it is configured to use the correct PC communication port, baud rate, and that the local echo feature is on (to see what you are typing).
8.6 GPS Reception and Performance

Q - How do I know what the GPS inside the Vector is doing? A - The GPS engine supports standard NMEA data messages. The $GPGSV data message contains satellite tracking information. Since the GPS automatically tracks GPS satellites when powered, this will give you information on the tracking status. If your receiver has computed a position, this will be contained within the $GPGGA data message. Also, the front panel LEDs provide status indication. Q - Do I have to be careful when using the Vector to ensure that it tracks properly? A - For best performance, you have to be careful such that the hemisphere above the Vector is unobstructed for satellite tracking. The Vector is tolerable of a certain amount of signal blockage due to the availability of redundant satellites. However, as more satellites are blocked, the more impact this could have your positioning accuracy. Tracking a lower number of satellites has the potential to reduce positioning performance. If a satellite is blocked due to an obstruction,
its also possible that the obstruction is contributing multipath into the position solution, which will also degrade performance.
8.7 SBAS Reception and Performance

Q - How do I know if I can receive a SBAS signal in my area? A - Refer to Appendix B that contains approximate coverage maps for both WAAS (for North America) and EGNOS (for Europe). Its important to have both signal coverage and ionospheric map coverage. In fact, its desirable to have a few degrees of latitude and longitude of ionospheric map coverage around your location to ensure that satellites available have these correctors. Q - How do I know if the Vector antenna has acquired a SBAS signal? A - The Vector allows you to request the output of the $RD1 message that contains the SBAS bit error rate (BER) for both receiver channels. The BER value describes the rate of errors received from SBAS. Ideally, this should be zero, however, the Vector should provide good performance up to a 150 BER. The PocketMAX utility discussed in Chapter 5 is a useful tool that provides this information without needing to use NMEA commands. Q - How do I know if the Vector is offering a differentially corrected position? A - The Vector outputs the GGA message as the main positioning data message by default. This message contains a quality fix value that describes the GPS status. If this value is a 2, then the position is differentially corrected. The PocketMAX utility discussed in Chapter 5 is a useful tool that provides this information without needing to use NMEA commands. Q - Does it matter much if the Vector is frequently losing lock on SBAS due obstructions and the low satellite elevation angles at my geographic location?
A - No, provided that the receiver is receiving a full set of corrections relatively often. Using the COAST technology, the Vector will be able to perform well for up to 30 to 40 minutes with old correction data, depending on the degree of tolerable drift. In order to obtain a full set of corrections, the Vector receives the ionospheric map over a period of a few minutes. This is the minimum amount of time required to get a full set of corrections for SBAS operation. After this, the receiver can coast until the next set of corrections has been received.
8.8 Beacon Reception and Performance

Q - How do I know if I can receive a beacon signal in my area? A - Refer to Appendix B that contains approximate coverage maps for both beacon networks. To ensure you have the most up to date information, please contact your local Coast Guard authority who manages the service for the network details. Q - How do I know if the Vector PRO antenna has acquired a beacon signal? A - You can receive the signal strength (SS) and signal to noise ratio (SNR) from the internal beacon sensor by sending a request for the CS0 message with the $PCSI,1<CR><LF> command. This information will tell you the quality of a lock.
Q - How do I know if the Vector PRO is offering a differentially corrected position? A - The Vector PRO outputs the GGA message as the main positioning data message by default. This message contains a quality fix value that describes the GPS status. If this value is a 2, then the position is differentially corrected. The PocketMAX utility discussed in Chapter 5 is a useful tool that provides this information without needing to use NMEA commands. Q - Does it matter much if the Vector PRO is frequently losing lock on beacon signals due to a noisy environment or weak signals? A - No, provided that the receiver is receiving a full set of corrections relatively often. Using the COAST technology, the Vector PRO will be able to perform well for up to 30 to 40 minutes with old correction data, depending on the degree of tolerable drift. In order to obtain a full set of corrections, the beacon receiver needs to be locked for a few seconds for a 200 bps station, depending on the number of satellite corrections be transmitted. For a 100 bps modulation rate, it could take up to six or more seconds, depending on the number of satellite corrections being sent. After this, the receiver can coast until the next set of corrections has been received, if theres further data loss.
8.9 External Corrections

Q - My Vector doesnt appear to be using corrections from an external correction source, what could be the problem? A - This could be due to a number of issues:
Make sure that the corrections are of an RTCM SC-104 protocol. Check to see that the baud rates of the port used by the Vector matches that of the external correction source The external correction source should be using an 8 data bit, no parity, and 1 stop bit serial port configuration. Inspect the cable connection to ensure theres no sign of damage Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual 157
Check the pin-out information for the cables to ensure that the transmit line of the external correction source is connected to the receive line of the Vectors serial port and that the signal grounds are connected.
8.10 Installation
Q - Does it matter where I mount the Vector? A - Yes, as the main consideration is that it must have an open hemisphere of sky for satellite tracking. Additionally, the position that it computes is reference to the center of the primary GPS antenna. It should be placed in the location for which you would like a position. Often, this is the center line of a vessel. Q - I have a vessel with a large amount of metal on it, including masts, outriggers, etc. How will this affect performance of the Vector? A - To some extent, it depends on where you have the Vector mounted. Ideally, you will want as much of the metallic objects well below the horizon of the antenna. The antennas inside the Vector are still sensitive to a degree, to signals reflected from below, but ensuring that the reflective surfaces are below the antenna maximizes the possible performance. The metallic surfaces reflect a delayed signal to the antenna, which can cause cycle slips in the RTK solution for satellites being track, and can reduce the integrity of the heading system. These multipath signals should be given considerable regard when considering a location to mount the Vector.
9. Troubleshooting
Use the following checklist to troubleshoot anomalous Vector receiver operation. Table 9-1 provides a problem symptom, followed by a list of possible solutions.
Table 9-1 Troubleshooting

Symptom Receiver fails to power Possible Solution Random data from Vector Verify polarity of power leads Check integrity of power cable connections Check power input voltage (8 to 40 VDC) Check current restrictions imposed by power source (minimum available should be > 1.0 A) Check receiver power status to ensure that the receiver is powered (you can use an ammeter for this) Verify that Vector is locked to a valid DGPS signal (this can often be done with PocketMAX) Verify that Vector is locked to GPS satellites (this can often be done with PocketMAX) Check integrity and connectivity of power and data cable connections Verify that the RTCM or binary messages are not being output accidentally (send a $JSHOW command) Verify baud rate settings of Vector and remote device match correctly Potentially, the volume of data requested to be output by the Vector could be higher than the current baud rate supports. Try using 19,200 as the baud rate for all devices or reduce the amount of data being output Check integrity of antenna cable Verify Vectors unobstructed view of the sky Verify the lock status of GPS satellites (this can be done with PocketMAX) Check antenna connections Verify Vectors unobstructed view of the sky Verify the lock status of SBAS satellites (this can be done with PocketMAX - monitor BER value) There is only differential positioning enabled
No data from Vector
No GPS lock
No SBAS lock
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No beacon lock
No DGPS position in external RTCM mode
Non-differential GPS output No heading or incorrect heading values
for the Primary receiver, and the Secondary should only have GPS position Verify that the receiver is tuned to the correct frequency and bit rate Ensure that beacon signal coverage is expected in your area Make sure that environmental noise is not masking the signal, reducing the SNR reading There is only differential positioning enabled for the Primary receiver, and the Secondary should only have GPS position Verify that the baud rate of the RTCM input port matches the baud rate of the external source Verify the pin-out between the RTCM source and the RTCM input port (transmit from the source must go to receive of the RTCM input port and grounds must be connected Ensure corrections are being transmitted to the correct port. Using the $JDIFF,OTHER command on Primary Port A will cause the receiver to expect the corrections to be input through Primary Port B There is only differential positioning enabled for the Primary receiver, and the Secondary should only have GPS position Verify Vector PRO SBAS and beacon lock status (or external source is locked) Confirm baud rates match an external source correctly Issue a $JDIFF<CR><LF> command and see if the expected differential mode is in fact the current mode There is only differential positioning enabled for the Primary receiver, and the Secondary should only have GPS position Heading is from Primary to Secondary antenna, so the arrow on the underside of the Vector should be directed to the bow side Use the heading output from the Primary receiver (either through Port A or B) and not from the Secondary receiver $JATT,SEARCH command forces the Vector to acquire a new heading solution Disable MAGAID this feature requires precise calibration, and if improperly performed this will affect heading output. This sensor requires recalibration each time anything in the magnetic environment changes Enable GYROAID as this will give heading for up to 3 minutes in times of GPS signal loss
Enable TILTAID to reduce heading search times Check the applications on the Primary and Secondary receivers using the $JAPP query. The Primary receiver should answer $JAPP,ATTITUDM,ATTITUDM and the Secondary will respond with $JAPP,ATTITUDS,ATTITUDS Monitor the number of satellites and SNR values for both antennas. At least 3 satellites should have SNR values above 20
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Appendix A - Specifications
This appendix provides the operational, mechanical, electrical, physical, and environmental specifications of the Vector system.
Table A-1 Vector Specifications

Item Internal GPS Engine Operational Specifications Specification 1.575 GHz 12 parallel tracking < 1 m 95% 5 Hz 10 Hz
Frequency Channels Horizontal Accuracy Maximum Position Update Rate Maximum Heading Update Rate
Item
Internal Beacon Engine Operational Specifications Specification 283.5 to 325.0 kHz 2 84 100, 200, or automatic 2.4 V for 6 dB SNR @ 200 bps Manual or automatic 5 Hz 100 dB 61 dB 1 @ fo 400 Hz Minimum shift keying (MSK) RTCM SC-104 6/8
Frequency Receiver Channels Frequency Channels MSK Bit Rates Input Sensitivity Frequency Selection Frequency offset Dynamic Range Adjacent Channel Rejection Demodulation Decoding
Item
Serial Interface Specifications (standard cable) Specification RS-232C and RS-422 Primary receiver, one full duplex and one half duplex (output). Secondary receiver one full duplex Two half-duplex (outputs) from primary GPS receiver 4800, 9600, 19200, and 38,400 Baud NMEA 0183, binary NMEA 0183 RTCM SC-104
Serial Port Interface Level RS-232 Serial Ports RS-422 Serial Ports Available Baud Rates Output Protocol Input Protocol External Correction Input Protocol
Item Input Voltage Power Consumption
Power Specifications Specification 8 to 40 VDC < 6 W Nominal Mechanical Characteristics Specification Extruded aluminum with cast aluminum front and end plates TNC socket 203 mm (8.00) 139 mm (5.47) 64 mm (2.52) < 1000 g (< 2.2 lb) - no cables Environmental Specifications Specification -40C to 85C -30C to 70C 100% condensing
Item Enclosure Antenna Connectors Length Width Height Weight
Item Storage Temperature Operating Temperature Humidity
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Appendix B - Introduction to GPS, SBAS, and Beacon

This chapter provides a brief overview of GPS, differential GPS, Space Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) such as WAAS / EGNOS / MSAS, and beacon differential services.
GPS
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) operates a reliable, 24 hour a day, all weather Global Positioning System (GPS). Navstar, the original name given to this geographic positioning and navigation tool, includes a constellation of 24 satellites (plus active spares) orbiting the Earth at an altitude of approximately 22,000 km.
How it Works
These satellites transmit coded information to GPS users at UHF (1.575 GHz) frequencies that allows user equipment to calculate a range to each satellite. GPS is essentially a timing system - ranges are calculated by timing how long it takes for the coded GPS signal to reach the users GPS antenna. To calculate a geographic position, the GPS receiver uses a complex algorithm incorporating satellite coordinates and ranges to each satellite. Reception of any four or more of these signals allows a GPS receiver to compute 3D coordinates. Tracking of only three satellites reduces the position fix to 2D coordinates (horizontal with fixed vertical). The GPS receiver calculates its position with respect to the phase center of the GPS antenna. The latitude, longitude, and altitude of the
antenna are referenced according to the World Geodetic System 1984 ellipsoid (WGS-84).
GPS Services
The positioning accuracy offered by GPS varies depending upon the type of service and equipment available. For security reasons, two GPS services exist: the Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and the Precise Positioning Service (PPS). The SPS uses a code modulated onto the signal for measurements and is referred to as the Coarse Acquisition code (C/A code). The US Department of Defense (DoD) reserves the PPS for use by its personnel and authorized partners. The PPS uses a different code than the SPS, referred to as the Precise Code (P-code) and contains more resolution than the C/A code. The DoD provides the SPS free of charge, worldwide, to all civilian users. In order to maintain a strategic advantage, the US DoD used to artificially degrade the performance of the SPS so that the positioning accuracy was limited to 100 meters 95% of the time. This intentional degradation is called Selective Availability (SA). The effect of SA has been turned to zero since mid-2000, however, it has not been officially turned off. Currently, autonomous GPS is able to provide accuracy on the order of 10 meters, depending on the sophistication of the GPS engine. For many positioning and navigation applications, this level of accuracy is not sufficient, and differential techniques must be employed.
Differential GPS
The primary sources of errors that degrade GPS performance include SA (currently set to a zero effect), atmospheric errors, timing errors, satellite orbit errors, and multipath. Differential GPS (DGPS) is essentially a differencing process that removes sources of error from
the GPS position solution and improves the integrity of the GPS position solution. There are a number of methods of differential measurement correction.
Conventional real-time differential - This is the most common form of correcting GPS errors in real-time with corrections sent to the rover GPS receiver by some form of communications equipment. Conventional real-time differential uses C/A code range measurements and their associated corrections. Carrier phase corrections are not used with this form of differential technique. Post processing - This method is often used when either higher accuracy than achievable through conventional differential is needed, or a conventional form of real-time corrections is not available in the region where the rover receiver is being operated. Depending on receiver hardware and the methodology used for post process, performance can be from many centimeters to millimeter precision. A variety of 3rd party software packages are available to post process GPS raw measurement data. The Vector can be configured to output raw measurement data at rates of up to 5 Hz in a proprietary format. This data can be converted to an industry standard RINEX format if needed. Real-Time Kinematic - This method uses more sophisticated techniques to resolve the number of wavelengths between the satellite and the user, to provide centimeter-level positioning (or better) in realtime. This technique uses high-end receiver hardware, antennas, and internal operating software to compute accurate position solutions. The compromise with this method of differential correction is increased system complexity, cost, and operating constraints.
The Vector includes two primary sources of conventional real-time corrections - beacon DGPS (PRO version) and Space-Based Augmentation System (SBAS). External corrections may also be input to the Vector for situations where either internal correction services is not available or an external source is preferential. In addition to the conventional differential positioning with internal sources of corrections, the Vector also has a documented binary raw measurement protocol. A RINEX translator is available from CSI Wireless in the event that this may be useful, in addition to some C
code snippets to aid in integrating the binary format itself into your own application. For heading determination, the Vector uses a moving base station RTK solution. This allows for a very precise computation of heading regardless of whether or not the receiver is in differential mode using either internal source of corrections or those from an external source.
Conventional Real-Time Differential

The majority of GPS navigation and positioning uses this form of positioning. Conventional real-time differential techniques are more robust in their usage and versatility than post processing or RTK solutions. They are tolerant to errors in communication of the real-time corrections from the base station or correction network, provide a reasonable amount of accuracy (sub-meter accuracy is best-case), and can be simply turned on and used without too much regard other than ensuring a lock to GPS satellite signals and the correction communication link.
How it Works
Conventional DGPS involves setting up a reference GPS receiver at a point of known coordinates. This receiver makes distance measurements, in real-time, to each of the GPS satellites. The measured ranges include the errors present in the system. The base station receiver calculates what the true range, without errors, knowing its coordinates and those of each satellite. The difference between the known and measured range for each satellite is the range error. This error is the amount that needs to be removed from each satellite distance measurement in order to correct for errors present in the system. The base station transmits the range error corrections to remote receivers in real-time. The remote receiver corrects its satellite range measurements using these differential corrections, yielding a much
more accurate position. This is the predominant DGPS strategy used for a majority of real-time applications. Positioning using corrections generated by DGPS radiobeacons will provide a horizontal accuracy of 1 to 5 meters with a 95% confidence. More sophisticated, short-range DGPS systems (10 to 15 km) can achieve centimeter-level accuracy, but are expensive and often limited to precise survey applications due to technical constraints on their use.
DGPS Format
For manufacturers of GPS equipment, commonality is essential to maximize the utility and compatibility of a product. The governing standard associated with GPS is the Interface Control Document, ICDGPS-200, maintained by the US DoD. This document provides the message and signal structure information required to access GPS. Like GPS, DGPS data and broadcast standards exist to ensure compatibility between DGPS services and associated hardware and software. The Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services Special Committee 104 has developed the primary DGPS standard associated with conventional DGPS, designated RTCM SC-104 V2.2. This correction standard is used by many correction services, including many private reference stations and DGPS beacon systems. The Vector smart antenna supports this correction protocol via either of its two serial ports. In addition to the RTCM standard, the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics has a differential service intended for wide area correction services, designated RTCM SC-159. The United States Federal Aviation Administrations Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and other compatible Space Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) such as the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) and the Japanese MT-SAT Satellite-based Augmentation System (MSAS) use this data format. The Vector system is compatible with each of these differential services.
Note - When using a differential correction service, the resultant position may be referenced to a local datum rather than the WGS84 ellipsoid. Please refer to your signal provider for more information.
Post Processing
Post processing is a method to compute accurate positions in post mission by logging raw measurement data at the base station and the from the rover simultaneously. The differential processing can then be performed later in the office using sophisticated processing software tools. There are a small variety of methodologies available to the operator, such as static, rapid static, kinematic, etc. Describing in detail the various post processing techniques is beyond the scope of this document, however, generally, post processing is more complicated from a procedural perspective and requires more skill to successfully operate than real-time systems.
Real-Time Kinematic (RTK)

Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) is a term used for describing an advanced method of correcting for GPS errors. The differential method discussed in the previous section is a conventional real-time differential GPS process.
How it Works
Similar to conventional DGPS, RTK uses a base station (or a network of base stations) installed at locations of known coordinates. Measurements in real-time are taken at both the rover and base station, however, in addition to the C/A code-based range measurement, the carrier phase is also measured. The additional measurement of the carrier phase is used to compute the number of
carrier cycles between the rover antenna and each of the satellites in view. Computing the number of cycles to each satellite from the rover antenna is easier said than done, since both the base and the rover receivers can only measure the portion of the current wavelength being received (this is the angular carrier phase, measured in degrees from 0 to 360). This means that the number of full cycles, beyond the portion of the current one being received, cant be directly measured in the same manner as the C/A code (through time alignment of a code copy within the receiver). Some advanced methods of resolving the ambiguous number of carrier waves to each satellite (called the ambiguity for each satellite) is the job of proprietary algorithms within capable receivers. There are two primary types of RTK based upon the type of ambiguity solution that they offer: an integer (a variable with no fractional wavelength) or a floating variable (a value with that also has a value beyond the decimal point). A floating integer solution can offer a designer more flexibility, but it does not provide as much accuracy as a fixed integer ambiguity solution. The Vector uses a fixed integer ambiguity solution for computing real-time heading and is able to solve the integer ambiguities quickly with prior knowledge of the antenna separation. Data from the supplemental sensors also decreases the time required for a solution to be computed.
Moving Base Station RTK

The technology at the heart of the GPS compass heading solution is a moving base station RTK solution. This RTK solution relies on high quality GPS antennas, supporting GPS receiver hardware, and sophisticated algorithms, which result in a 0.5 heading accuracy (90%).
How it Works
There are two GPS sensors inside the Vector that share the same clock. One receiver is designated the base and the other the rover. In conventional RTK systems where the base station is stationary and the rover positions away from the base station, there is a relationship between the two receivers that can be described in terms of an azimuth (a direction referenced to north) and separation from the base station to the rover. No matter where the rover moves, the relationship of position can still be described in this manner. Moving one step further, if the base station is also moving, the relationship of relative position can still be described in this manner. The Vectors base (primary) and rover (secondary) antennas are rigidly fixed in position relative to one another inside the enclosure. In the case of the Vector being used on a marine vessel for heading, when differencing the measurements, only the relative motion of the rover antenna with respect to the base will remain. Since the separation between the two antennas remains fixed with the antenna bracket, the only change is the result of the heading change.
Factors Affecting DGPS Accuracy

Many factors affect the positioning accuracy that a user may expect from a DGPS system. The most significant of these influences include:
Proximity of the remote user to the reference station (atmospheric and orbit errors) Age of the received differential corrections Atmospheric conditions at the beacon and remote user locations Satellite constellation geometry, often expressed as a Dilution of Precision (DOP) Magnitude of GPS signal multipath present at the remote station
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Quality of the GPS receiver being used at both the reference and remote stations
Proximity of the Reference Station

The distance between a remote user and the reference station can sometimes be considerable, such as when using 300 kHz DGPS radiobeacons. Consequently, some of the errors associated with GPS at the base station differ somewhat from those at the remote users location. This spatial decorrelation of errors can result in a relative position offset from the absolute coordinates of the remote receiver. This offset may be as much as one meter for every 100 km (62 miles) between the base station and remote receiver. The causes of decorrelation are:
GPS satellite orbit errors (significant) Ionospheric errors (potential to be most significant depending on level of activity) Tropospheric errors (less significant)
GPS satellite orbit errors are typically a greater problem with local area differential systems, such as that of radiobeacons. The decorrelation effect is such that the satellites orbit error projects onto the reference receiver and remote receivers range measurements differently. As the separation between the receivers increases, the orbit error will not project onto the ranges in the same manner, and will then not cancel out of the measurement differencing process completely. SBAS networks, with the use of multiple base stations, are able to accurately compute the orbit vector of each satellite. The resulting corrector is geographically independent, so minimal decorrelation occurs with respect to position within the network. The ionosphere and the troposphere both induce measurement errors on the signals being received from GPS. The troposphere is the humid portion of the atmosphere closest to the ground. Due to it humidity, refraction of GPS signals at lower elevations can distort the
measurements to satellites. This error source is rather easily modeled within the GPS receiver and doesnt constitute a significant problem. The error induced by the ionosphere is more significant, however, is not as simple a task to correct. The ionosphere is charged layer of the atmosphere responsible for the Northern Lights. Charged particles from the sun ionize this portion of the atmosphere, resulting in an electrically active atmospheric layer. This charged activity affects the GPS signals that penetrate this layer, affecting the measured ranges. The difficulty in removing the effect of the ionosphere is that it varies from day to day, and even hour to hour due to the suns 11-year solar cycle and the rotation of the earth, respectively. During the summer of 2001, the suns solar cycle reached an 11-year high and going forward we will see a general cooling trend of the ionosphere over the next few years thus reducing ionospheric activity. Removing the effect of the ionosphere depends on the architecture of the differential network. DGPS radiobeacons, for example, use a more conventional approach than WAAS or SBAS in general. DGPS beacons make use of a single reference station, which provides realtime GPS error corrections based upon measurements that it makes at its location. Its possible that the state of the ionosphere differs between the remote user and the single reference station. This can lead to incompletely corrected error source that could degrade positioning accuracy with increased distance from the base station. WAAS and SBAS use a different approach, using a network of reference stations in strategic locations to take measurements and model the real-time ionosphere. Updates to the ionospheric map are sent on a continual basis to ensure that as the activity of the ionosphere changes with time, the users positioning accuracy will be maintained. Compared to using a DGPS beacon, the effect of geographic proximity to a single reference station is minimized resulting in more consistent system performance throughout all locations within the network.
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Correction Latency
The latency of differential corrections to a lesser extent affects the achievable positioning accuracy at the remote receiver since the magnitude of SA was turned to zero in year 2000. Latency is a function of the following.
The time it takes the base station to calculate corrections The data rate of the radio link The time it takes the signal to reach the user The time required for the remote differential receiver to demodulate the signal and communicate it to the GPS receiver. Any data loss that occurs through reception problems
Most of these delays require less than a second, though in some instances, depending upon the amount of information being transferred, overall delays of three to five seconds may occur. The effect of latency is mitigated by new COAST technology within the Vector. This technology is especially valuable in conditions of DGPS signal loss where the age of corrections increases for each second of signal loss. Consult Section 1.7 for further information on COAST.
Satellite Constellation Geometry

The number of satellites visible and their geometry in the sky influences positioning accuracy. The Dilution of Precision (DOP) describes the strength of location and number of satellites in view of the receiver. A low DOP indicates a stronger potential for better accuracy than a high DOP. Generally, more satellites visible to both the reference and remote receivers will provide a lower DOP (any satellites seen by either receiver and not the other, are not used in the position solution). Additionally, if the satellites are evenly spread around the receiver, rather than grouped in a few regions of the sky, a lower DOP (stronger solution) will result.
GPS Signal Multipath

Satellite signals received by the GPS receiver by a reflection from an object can decrease positioning accuracy. These multipath signals increase the measured range to a satellite as the signal takes a longer route to the GPS antenna. Certain precautions will minimize GPS antenna sensitivity to these reflected signals. Operating away from large reflective structures such as buildings or using special antennas and GPS equipment can help to reduce the impact of multipath. For most consumer-level applications, a small amount of multipath is tolerable.
GPS Receiver Quality

The quality of a GPS receiver has a dramatic influence on positioning accuracy. Consumer-based GPS products, such as many affordable handheld and fixed-mount receivers, typically operate with an accuracy of 3 to 5 meters horizontally 95% of the time. The accuracy of a particular product depends on the specific receivers performance characteristics. Higher accuracy GPS receivers are able to achieve sub-1 meter horizontal accuracy 95% of the time using real-time DGPS transmissions. The Vector system falls in to this latter category.
Space Based Augmentation Systems

The US Federal Aviation Administration is in the process of developing a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) for the purpose of providing accurate positioning to the aviation industry. In addition to providing a high quality, accurate service for this industry, this service is available free of charge to all other civilian users and markets in North America. This service falls into the greater category of Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS). Upon the successful completion of a 21-day test on August 24, 2000, the FAA announced that WAAS would be running 24 hours per day,
seven days per week from then on. Testing has shown since that this signal is accurate and reliable, however, since no official statement regarding its Initial Operating Capability has been issued, this signal is to be used at your risk. Other government agencies are in the process of developing compatible SBAS systems for their respective geographic regions. In Europe, the European Space Agency, the European Commission, and EUROCONTROL are jointly developing the European Geostationary Overlay System (EGNOS). In Japan, the MTSAT Satellite-based Augmentation System (MSAS) is in progress of development by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). China has a similar program for a SBAS and the service is named the Chinese Satellite Navigation Augmentation System (SNAS). The Vector is capable of receiving correction data from all compatible SBAS. EGNOS is currently in a prototyping phase, referred to as the EGNOS System Test Bed (ESTB) and which has been broadcasting a test signal since February 2000. EGNOS should be used at your risk only. MSAS has yet to begin transmitting data publicly. SNAS is transmitting correction data currently on a military communication channel and is expected to become publicly available in the near future. Warning - Although WAAS has successfully passed a 21-day test, and is publicly available; its use is at your risk and discretion. EGNOS is not currently broadcasting with any form of certification or approval, may produce misleading information, and its use is entirely at your risk and discretion. MSAS may begin broadcasting a preliminary signal as early as the end of 2003.
How it Works
A SBAS incorporates a modular architecture, similar to GPS, comprised of a Ground Segment, Space Segment, and User Segment.
The Ground Segment includes reference stations, processing centers, a communication network, and Navigation Land Earth Stations (NELS) The Space Segment includes geostationary satellites (For example, WAAS and EGNOS use Inmarsat-III transponders) The user segment consists of the user equipment, such as the Vector PRO
A SBAS uses a state-based approach in their software architecture. This means that a separate correction is made available for each error source rather than the sum effect of errors on the user equipments range measurements. This more effectively manages the issue of spatial decorrelation than some other techniques, resulting a more consistent system performance regardless of geographic location with respect to reference stations. Specifically, SBAS calculates separate errors for the following.
The ionospheric error GPS satellite timing errors GPS satellite orbit errors
Provided that a GPS satellite is available to the SBAS reference station network for tracking purposes, orbit and timing error corrections will be available for that satellite. Ionospheric corrections for that satellite are only available if the signal passes through the ionospheric map provided by SBAS (for example, the WAAS ionospheric map covers the majority of North America). As an example, if a satellite is South of your current location at a low elevation angle, the pierce point of the ionosphere will be considerably South of your location since the ionosphere is at an altitude of approximately 60 km. There must be sufficient ionospheric map coverage beyond your location in order to have ionospheric correctors for all satellites.
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To enhance the information provided by SBAS, the Vector system extrapolates the ionospheric information beyond the broadcast information. This increases the usable geography for WAAS and is discussed in Section 1.5.5. This feature helps to improve the usable coverage area of a SBAS service.
Signal Information
A SBAS transmits correction data on the same frequency as GPS from a geostationary satellite (the space segment), allowing the use of the same receiver equipment used for GPS. Another advantage of having SBAS transmit on the same frequency is that only one antenna is required.
Reception
Since SBAS broadcast in the L-band, the signal requires a line of sight in the same manner as GPS to maintain signal acquisition. Currently, two commercial marine communication satellites are transmitting WAAS data for public use, and one each is located above both the Pacific Ocean and Northern Brazil. Due to their location, these satellites may appear lower on the horizon, depending on your geographic position on land. In regions where the satellites appear lower on the horizon, they may be more prone to being masked by terrain, foliage, buildings or objects, resulting in signal loss. The further that you are away from the equator and the satellites longitude will cause the satellite to appear lower on the horizon. Fortunately, the CSI Wireless COAST Technology helps alleviate this problem by maintaining system performance when WAAS (SBAS) signal loss occurs for extended periods of time. More information on COAST is provided in Section 1.7. The EGNOS System Test Bed (ESTB), also referred to as EGNOS in this document, uses two geostationary satellites (separate from WAAS), however, in this case, they are located over the Atlantic and
Indian Oceans. Similar to WAAS, the satellites may appear lower on the horizon, depending on your geographic position on land. The further that you are away from the equator and the satellites longitude will cause the satellite to appear lower on the horizon. If the EGNOS signal becomes unavailable due to obstruction, COAST technology helps to maintain system performance during times of differential outage. When using SBAS correction data, the Vector is able to provide you with the azimuth and elevation of the SBAS available satellites via a NMEA serial port command to aid in determining their position with respect to the built-in antenna. More about this feature is described in Section 5.5.2.
WAAS and ESTB Coverage

Figure 1-3 depicts the current WAAS coverage as provided by the currently leased Inmarsat Atlantic Ocean Region - West (AOR-W) and Pacific Ocean Region (POR) geostationary satellites. This figure approximates signal coverage with white shading where each satellite is 5 elevation or greater. Figure 1-3 also shows additional contours for 10, 15, and 20 elevations. Within the white shaded coverage area, at least one of the two satellites is available by line of sight. Within the overlap area, both satellites may be accessible. Although there is geographic coverage at higher latitudes, practical usage of WAAS will be limited to environments where a relatively consistent line of sight to either of the Inmarsat satellites from the Vector system. Figure 1-4 presents approximate EGNOS System Test Bed coverage provided by the leased Inmarsat Atlantic Ocean Region - East (AORE) and Indian Ocean Region (IOR) satellites. This figure approximates signal coverage with white shading where each satellite is 5 elevation or greater. Figure 1-3 also shows additional contours for 10, 15, and 20 elevations. Within the white shaded coverage area, at least one of the two satellites is available by line of sight. Within the overlap area, both satellites may be accessible. Virtually all of Europe, part of
northern Africa, and into the Middle East is covered with at least one signal. Most of Europe is covered by two signals. Note - Currently, only the AORE-E satellite is broadcasting. Refer to Appendix C - Resources for information on how to monitor the status of the ESTB. Note - The satellite elevation angle lowers with increasing distance away from the equator and from the satellites longitude. Although a good amount of signal coverage is shown in Northern latitudes for both WAAS and EGNOS, it may not be usable due to its low elevation angle and the potential for it to be obstructed. Ideally, testing of the system in the area of its use is recommended to ensure that the signal is sufficiently available.
Note - The SBAS signal coverage may be present in some areas without either sufficient ionospheric map coverage or satellites with valid orbit and clock correctors. In such a case, differential positioning with SBAS may not be desirable or possible, as four or greater satellites (with correctors) must be available to compute a DGPS position. The next section provides further information on the ionospheric map features of SBAS and the Vector.
Figure C-1 WAAS Coverage
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Figure C-2 EGNOS Coverage
SBAS Ionospheric Map Extrapolation

To improve upon the ionospheric map provided by SBAS, the Vector extrapolates a larger ionospheric map from the broadcast coverage map, extending its effective coverage. This allows the Vector to be used successfully in regions that competitive products may not. For WAAS, this is especially important in Canada for regions north of approximately 54 N latitude and east of 110 W longitude. Extrapolation also provides enhanced coverage throughout much of the Gulf of Mexico. Please note that the process of estimating ionospheric corrections beyond the WAAS broadcast map would not be as good as having an extended WAAS map in the first place. This difference may lead to minor accuracy degradation. Figures 1-1 and 1-2 depict the broadcast WAAS ionospheric map extent and the CSI Wireless extrapolated version, respectively. As can be seen from Figure 1-2, the coverage compared to Figure 1-1 extends further in all directions, enhancing usable coverage. Similar to the WAAS ionospheric map extrapolation, Figures 1-3 and 14 depict the broadcast EGNOS ionospheric map extent and the CSI Wireless extrapolated version, respectively. As can be seen from Figure 1-2, the coverage compared to Figure 1-1 extends further in all directions, enhancing usable coverage.
183
Figure C-3 Broadcast WAAS Ionospheric Correction Map
Figure C-4 Extrapolated WAAS Ionospheric Correction Map
Figure C-5 Broadcast EGNOS Ionospheric Correction Map
Figure C-6 Extrapolated EGNOS Ionospheric Correction Map

Radiobeacon DGPS
Many Marine authorities, such as Coast Guards, have installed networks of radiobeacons that broadcast DGPS corrections to users of this system. With the increasing utility of these networks for terrestrial applications, there is an increasing trend towards densification of these networks inland. Radiobeacon Range The broadcasting range of a 300 kHz beacon is dependent upon a number of factors including transmission power, free space loss, ionospheric state, surface conductivity, ambient noise, and atmospheric losses. The strength of a signal decreases with distance from the transmitting station, due in large part to spreading loss. This loss is a result of the signals power being distributed over an increasing surface area as the signal radiates away from the transmitting antenna. The expected range of a broadcast also depends upon the conductivity of the surface over which it travels. A signal will propagate further over a surface with high conductivity than over a surface with low conductivity. Lower conductivity surfaces such as dry, infertile soil, absorb the power of the transmission more than higher conductivity surfaces, such as sea water or arable land. A radiobeacon transmission has three components: a direct line of sight wave, a ground wave, and a sky wave. The line of sight wave is not significant beyond visual range of the transmitting tower, and does not have a substantial impact upon signal reception. The ground wave portion of the signal propagates along the surface of the earth, losing strength due to spreading loss, atmospheric refraction and diffraction, and attenuation by the surface over which it travels (dependent upon conductivity). The portion of the beacon signal broadcast skywards is known as the sky wave. Depending on its reflectance, the sky wave may bounce off
the ionosphere and back to Earth causing reception of the ground wave to fade. Fading occurs when the ground and sky waves interfere with each other. The effect of fading is that reception may fade in and out. However, this problem usually occurs in the evening when the ionosphere becomes more reflective and usually on the edge of coverage areas. Fading is not usually an issue with overlapping coverage areas of beacons and their large overall range. Atmospheric attenuation plays a minor part in signal transmission range, as it absorbs and scatters the signal. This type of loss is the least significant of those described. Radiobeacon Reception Various sources of noise affect beacon reception, and include:
Engine noise Alternator noise Noise from Power lines DC to AC inverting equipment Electric devices such as CRTs electric motors, and solenoids
Noise generated by this type of equipment can mask the beacon signal, reducing or impairing reception. Section 2.4.1 presents an effective procedure to minimize impact of local noise on beacon reception when using this correction service. Radiobeacon Coverage Figure C-7 shows the approximate radiobeacon coverage throughout the world. In this figure, light shaded regions note current coverage, with beacon stations symbolized as white circles.
187
Figure C-7 World DGPS Radiobeacon Coverage The world beacon networks continue to expand. For more current coverage, consult the CSI Wireless Web site at:
www.csi-wireless.com.
DGPS Service Comparison

As the Vector offers the use of two internal differential services, questions have been raised in regards to which correction source to use when more than one is available. Depending on your local legislation and vessel size, you may be required to use beacon corrections exclusively when approaching harbors or navigating in specific waterways. It is your responsibility to know what these regulations are and if you need to comply with them. By default, the Vector uses SBAS corrections.
This second provides a brief comparison of beacon and SBAS services in the event that you are able to choose which service that you wish to use. Beacon signals are not affected by a line of sight. In situations where there are tall obstacles that may block the line of sight SBAS, such as buildings, bridges, other vessels, etc. However, the value of our COAST technology is that outages of the DGPS signal are less of an influence on performance. This improves the robustness of using a line of sight signal in areas of potential blockage. If robustness to signal acquisition due to line of sight is considered a significant issue, beacon DGPS should be considered in replace of SBAS services. Both beacon and SBAS services use base stations to calculate GPS correction data. Beacons use a single, local base station for corrections, while SBAS services use a wide area network of stations. If there is a significant distance to the closest beacon (greater than a 200 - 300 hundred miles), this will have an effect on positioning accuracy due to differing environmental conditions between the remote receiver and base station (spatial decorrelation). In such a case, if the accuracy degradation is not tolerable, SBAS should be considered. However, if you are operating at distances significantly away from the SBAS network, the same issue of spatial decorrelation can occur. Beacon signals are more susceptible to radio frequency interference than SBAS signals, however the state of CSI Wireless beacon technology has progressed such that beacon systems provide very good immunity to environmental noise. If RF noise presents a continuing problem with your installation, you should first try relocating the Vector PRO away from sources of noise. If this doesnt solve the problem, consider using SBAS. Both SBAS and beacon services are free, so its possible to use both for a period of time, to determine which satisfies your needs best. Once this has been determined, its a good idea to continue using one of the two services from then on, and not switch from between the services frequently. This will help to ensure consistent positioning
189
from day to day. For information relating to locations of DGPS beacons, please consult our company web site at: www.csi-wireless.com
Appendix C - Resources
Specifications
National Marine Electronics Association, National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA 0183) Standard for Interfacing Marine Electronic Devices, Version 2.1, October 15, NMEA 1995, PO Box 50040, Mobile Alabama, 36605 USA, Tel: +1-205-473-1793, Fax: +1-205-473-1669 Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services, RTCM Recommended Standards for Differential NAVSTAR GPS Service, Version 2.2, Developed by Special Committee No. 104, RTCM 1998, 1800 Diagonal Rd, Suite 600, Alexandria, VA, 22314-2840 USA, Tel: +1-703-684-4481, Fax: +1-703-836-4429 Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for Global Positioning System/Wide Area Augmentation System Airborne Equipment, Document RTCA DO-229A, Special Committee No. 159, RTCA 1998, 1828 L Street, NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC, 20036 USA, Tel: +1-202-833-9339 ARIC Research Corporation, Interface Control Document, Navstar GPS Space Segment / Navigation User Interfaces, ICD-GPS-200, April 12, 2000, 2250 E. Imperial Highway, Suite 450, El Segundo, CA 90245-3509, www.navcen.uscg.gov/gps/geninfo/default.htm
CSI Web Site

This following address is the CSI Wireless Web site which provides detailed information on all products offered by CSI Wireless. www.csi-wireless.com
FAA WAAS Web Site

This site offers general information on the WAAS service provided by the U.S. FAAS. gps.faa.gov/Programs/WAAS/waas.htm
WAAS Broadcast Schedule Web Site

This site provides detailed information relating to the WAAS service broadcast schedule. wwws.raytheontands.com/waas/
ESA EGNOS System Test Bed Web Site

This site contains information relating to past performance, real-time performance, and broadcast schedule of EGNOS www.esa.int/export/esaEG/estb.html
Solar and Ionospheric Activity Web Sites

The following sites are useful in providing details regarding solar and ionospheric activity. iono.jpl.nasa.gov//latest.html iono.jpl.nasa.gov//gim_dailymovie.html www.spaceweather.com www.maj.com/sun/noaa.html
Index
$
$GPGGA, 130 $GPGLL, 131 $GPGSA, 132 $GPGST, 133 $GPGSV, 134 $GPMSK, 143 $GPRMC, 135 $GPRRE, 136 $GPVTG, 137 $GPZDA, 138, 139 $J4STRING, 122, 123 $JAGE, 120 $JAIR, 105 $JALT, 107 $JAPP, 108 $JASC,D1, 105 $JASC,GP, 119 $JASC,RTCM, 128 $JASC,VIRTUAL, 106 $JBAUD, 110 $JBIN, 118 $JCONN, 110 $JDIFF, 111 $JGEO, 126 $JK, 111 $JOFF, 121 $JPOS, 112 $JQUERY,GUIDE, 113 $JRD1, 127 $JRESET, 114 $JSAVE, 114 $JSHOW, 114 $JT, 117 $JWAASPRN, 125 $PCSI,1, 145
A
Accuracy, 203, 204, 206
B
Background Search (beacon), 88 Baud Rate, 80 Beacon Receiver Performance, 89 Beacon Receiver Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), 89 Bit Error Rate (WAAS), 86
C
Cable Interface, 29, 53 Cables Antenna, 74 CDA-2MAX Antenna Placement, 54 Routing and Securing Cable, 74 COAST Feature, 89 Customer Service, xxiv
D
Default NMEA Message Output, 82 Default Parameters, 80 DGPS Errors, 203 Age of Correction, 206 Geometry, 206 Latency, 206 Multipath, 207 Proximity, 204 Differential Corrections, 199 Differential GPS (DGPS), 199, 200
193
G
Global Search (beacon), 87 GPS, 200
Positioning Accuracy, 84
R
RTCM SC-104, 200
H
Humidity, 55
S
SBAS Performance, 86 Selective Availability (SA), 197 Serial Port Defaults, 81 Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), 89
I
ICD-GPS-200, 200 Installation Environmental Considerations, 55 Placement, 54 Power Considerations, 55
T
Temperature, 55 Troubleshooting, 192 Tune Mode Automatic Beacon Search (ABS), 87, 88 Manual, 88 WAAS Automatic Tracking, 85
M
Multipath, 207
N
NMEA 0183, 94, 101 NMEA 0183 Command Partial Manual Tune, 143 NMEA 0183 messages, 101 NMEA 0183 Query Reserved, 145 NMEA 0183 Response Performance Status, 144
U
Update Rates, 85
W
WAAS Bit Error Rate, 86 Receiver Performance, 86 WGS-84, 197 www.csi-wireless.com, xxv
P
PocketMAX, 99

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Vector and Vector PRO

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875-0076-001 January 2005

CSI Wireless Inc.

CSI Wireless Limited Warranty

Purchasers Exclusive Remedy

Obtaining Warranty Service

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

Troubleshooting .................................................................................159 Radiobeacon DGPS......................................................................186 DGPS Service Comparison...................................................................188

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

Chapter 1: Introduction - provides an introduction to GPS and DGPS

Chapter 2: Installation - describes how to install the Vector and

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

Chapter 3: Overview - provides details on the fundamental operating

Chapter 4: Operation - describes how to configure and operate the

Chapter 5: PocketMAX Utility - describes the general usage of the

Chapter 6: NMEA 0183 - describes the subset of NMEA 0183

Chapter 7: Frequently Asked Questions - This chapter provides

Chapter 8: Troubleshooting - provides you with diagnostic information

Appendix A - Specifications: - details the technical characteristics of

Appendix B Introduction to GPS, SBAS, and Beacon: provides

Appendix C - Resources: This appendix lists a number of different

World Wide Web Site

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

Figure 1-1 Vector

1.1 Receiving Your Shipment

1.2 Unpacking Your Vector System

1.3 Vector Interface

Figure 1-2 Cable Interface

1.4 Understanding the Vector

1.4.1 Moving Base Station RTK

1.4.2 Supplemental Sensors - Reduced Search Time

1.4.3 Supplemental Sensors - Heading System Backup

1.5 Installation Overview

1.6 Mounting Configurations and Offset Settings

1.7 Gyro Initialization Process

1.8 NMEA 0183 Message Interface

1.8.1 Tilt Aiding

1.8.2 Tilt Sensor Calibration

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

1.8.3 Magnetic Aiding

1.8.4 Magnetometer Calibration

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

1.8.5 Gyro Aiding

1.8.6 Time Constants

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

1.8.7 Level Operation

1.8.8 Heading Compensation

1.8.9 Configuring for Pitch or Roll

Vector and Vector PRO Reference Manual

1.8.10 Configuring Negative Pitch or Roll

1.8.11 Pitch / Roll Compensation

1.8.12 Forcing a New RTK Search

1.8.13 Summary Command

1.8.14 HELP command

1.8.15 $HEHDT Message

1.8.16 $HEROT Message

1.8.17 Proprietary $PSAT,INTLT Message

1.8.18 Proprietary $PSAT,HPR Message