Geoscience Australia's GNSS Antenna Calibration Facility (ACF)

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Geoscience Australia’s robotic antenna calibration facility.

Background

To achieve high accuracy Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning, the phase centre variations (PCVs) of GNSS antenna must be determined accurately. One of the most widely used calibration methods is the so-called robotic absolute field GNSS antenna calibration. Geoscience Australia uses robotic absolute field GNSS antenna calibration at our antenna calibration facility (ACF). The ACF was established under AuScope's Australian Geophysical Observing System (AGOS), it consists of two outdoor robotic systems.

The first is a Geo++ supplied system, which includes both the robotic arm hardware and pre-programmed software to complete an absolute field antenna calibration.

The second is a Kuka system, which enables heavy-lift experiments to assess the impact of station and antenna design on positioning accuracy. The Kuka robot has a lifting capability strong enough to support the calibration of GNSS antennas and monuments heavier than 15 kg and up to 60 kg. The Kuka system also supports a range of motions that enable a wide variety kinematic GNSS research projects, such as earthquake simulation.

Offer to perform antenna calibration service at GA

Geoscience Australia may provide GNSS antenna calibration services. The facility is heavily utilised and GNSS calibration services are scheduled using the following priority framework:

Priority 1: GNSS antennas to be installed on AuScope CORS stations
Priority 2: GNSS antennas to be installed on state or territory CORS stations contributing to the APREF project
Priority 3: Other antennas where there is an assessed national benefit.

What you need to provide us:

An email formally requesting an antenna calibration. This letter should include: the number of antennas that you require calibrations for; and clearly indicate who you are, including your address and contact details. This letter should be addressed to dl-AntennaCalibration@ga.gov.au. Once we agree to calibrate your antennas, the antennas should be sent to the following address:

Antenna Calibration Facility
GNSS Analysis Section
Geoscience Australia
GPO Box 378
Canberra ACT 2601

Please complete the forms for GA to perform antenna calibration services. The template of the forms can be downloaded from here:

You will also need to provide us with a pre-paid freight voucher for the return of your antennas after calibration.

Publication of GNSS calibration results

A condition of Geoscience Australia's calibration services is that the results will be made publicly available. All results will be distributed via the Internet. Following calibration, Geoscience Australia will provide you with the individual PCV file in the ANTEX format from the link https://ga-gnss-products-v1.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html#public/antenna-calibrations/

A list of antennas calibrated in GA can be found here: https://ga-gnss-products-v1.s3.amazonaws.com/public/antenna-calibrations/ClientIDnumbers.xlsx