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GPS field procedure and components

Short answer

GPS field procedure: plan with good satellite geometry, select open-sky stations, set up antenna with accurate height, observe for the required session, record field data, and process baselines for network adjustment. GPS components are the space segment (24+ satellites), control segment (tracking and updating stations), and user segment (receivers).

Describe briefly about field procedure of GPS and components of GPS.

Field procedure of GPS

  1. Planning: study the area, locate existing control, check satellite visibility and DOP, and plan the observation sessions.
  2. Station selection: choose points with a clear sky view above 15°, away from reflecting surfaces and electrical interference.
  3. Set-up: centre and level the antenna on the tripod over the station mark; measure the antenna height.
  4. Observation: start the receiver, enter the station name and antenna height, set the logging interval and observe for the required session time (a few seconds per point for RTK after initialisation; 30 min or longer for static).
  5. Recording and processing: note the details in the field book, download the data, process the baselines, adjust the network and convert to the local datum.

Components of GPS

  1. Space segment: 24+ satellites at about 20 200 km in six orbital planes, transmitting L1 and L2 signals and the navigation message.
  2. Control segment: master control station, monitor stations and ground antennas that track the satellites and update orbit and clock data.
  3. User segment: GPS receivers and antennas used by the surveyor for positioning.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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