Performance of Open Source Precise Point Positioning Software Using Single-Frequency GPS Data

Abstract

This research aims to assess the performance of GPS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) with code and carrier phase observations from L1 signal collected from geodetic GPS receiver around the world. A simple PPP software developed for processing the single frequency GPS data is used as a main tool to assess a positioning accuracy. The precise orbit and precise satellite clock corrections were introduced into the software to reduce the orbit and satellite clock errors, while ionosphere-free code and phase observations were constructed to mitigate the ionospheric delay. The remaining errors (i.e. receiver clock error, ambiguity term) are estimated using Extended Kalman Filter technique. The data retrieved from 5 IGS stations located in different countries were used in this study. In addition, three different periods of data were downloaded for each station. The obtained data were then cut into 5-min, 10-min, 15-min and 30-min data segments, and each data segment was individually processed with the developed PPP software to produce final coordinates. Results indicate that the use of 5-min data span can provide a horizontal positioning accuracy at the same level as a pseudorange-based differential GPS technique. Furthermore, results confirm effects of station location and seasonal variation on obtainable accuracies.