What are the cheapest GPS receivers made for recording pseudorange and other data for postprocessing?
Typically such a receiver would be operated for minutes or even hours in a fixed location, and would deliver a text file in “RINEX” format containing individual pseudoranges, Doppler shifts, and other data, recorded separately for each visible satellite at intervals like 5 or 30 seconds.
Typically you’d take the data back home and maybe the next day pull a similar file off the web, from whichever is the nearest “CORS” (constant observation reference station). You’d then run these text data files through a postprocessing program and wind up with latitude and longitude with something like 5 to 20 inches accuracy.
Trimble, Thales and Leica are some major manufactures. Lots of these things cost $5000 or $10,000 or so.
I am aware of the DeLorme “GPS PostPro” software and their Earthmate and Blue Logger receivers.
Who knows what make and model are the lowest priced devices of this kind?
We could consider new or new-but-outdated or maybe used off of Ebay, especially if it comes with some kind of warranty.
Thanks!
PS I’m not fishing for recommendations, here, just - factually - what are some units offered for sale?
There was a thumb sized GPS unit sold at PEP Boys designed to be attached to a car, record the route and be recovered and downloaded & processed later. Is that what you’re looking for? It was around $ 200. Here also from Amazon
I don’t think so. That device records actual GPS fixes, whereas the OP is looking for a device that records “raw” GPS satellite data, with the idea of post-processing it into location info.
Here’s a selection of GPS data loggers, starting at $49.95.
You can also find free software that records the NMEA data coming off a standard USB, Bluetooth, or serial-port equipped GPS. Running this on a GPS-equipped PDA or cell phone may fit your requirements.
Xema is right, I’m looking for a specific kind of GPS receiver, not a general purpose one.
The ones I am looking for are typically used for surveying. They don’t record position over time, only the separate satellite measurements. They don’t do anything at all with waypoints and tracks. Sometimes they have no displays. Typically they don’t output NMEA data and only “sort of” measure position at all. Sometimes you see surveyors working with a device on a tripod that looks like a half-sized hubcap. That’s the thing I’m looking for.
There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of handheld GPS units that log tracks and so forth. That’s not the thing I’m looking for.
A NovAtel SuperStarII can give you code-phase and carrier-phase measurements (according to the StarView software manual I have), and it’s about a hundred bucks from Navtech GPS, but I haven’t used it for this purpose so am not as familiar with the software (there is a note in the manual about making sure to have a SuperStar that provides carrier-phase outputs for this).
A NovAtel OEM4 is pretty nice with the new CDU software, and that’ll run you in the few hundreds (if I remember correctly). This can come with in enclosure so it won’t get damaged around the lab. Is there something specific you are looking to do? I’m not really up on all the product offerings, but maybe I can provide some thoughts.