Challenges in the Development of GNSS Monitoring Receivers - Historical Lessons Learned

Brent A. Renfro, Shawn Furgason, Jon Little, Richard G. Mach

Abstract:	Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers designed to support signal monitoring network have some requirements that are significantly different than or incompatible with the requirements for the more typical GNSS position, navigation, and timing (PNT) or survey receivers. Monitoring receivers are better characterized as data collection instruments. Differences between monitoring receivers and more typical types of receivers must be kept in clear focus from the time that requirements are written, through development, and into testing in order to assure success. These differences produce unique challenges when developing GNSS receivers for the monitoring mission. Past history indicates that the differences in requirements are frequently not well-understood by the receiver developer despite efforts spent in writing and clarifying the requirements. The goal of the paper is to increase awareness in both the acquisition and vendor communities of the unique problems associated with specifying, developing, and testing receivers for monitoring GNSS signals. This paper considers the case histories of multiple monitoring receiver acquisition efforts in which ARL:UT has participated. The paper describes requirements that are unique to the monitoring application along with examples of how the requirements present particular challenges during the monitoring receiver development, testing, and operation. The paper presents examples of some past low-rate-of-occurrence problems, the effects these problems had on operations, and the analysis that was required to identify the causes. The paper also discusses several capabilities that are essential to a monitoring receiver but often difficult to test and evaluate. These examples help illustrate the analysis capabilities and the amount of effort that is required to adequately validate a receiver that will support an operational monitoring network.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 2008 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 28 - 30, 2008 The Catamaran Resort Hotel San Diego, CA
Pages:	1007 - 1019
Cite this article:	Renfro, Brent A., Furgason, Shawn, Little, Jon, Mach, Richard G., "Challenges in the Development of GNSS Monitoring Receivers - Historical Lessons Learned," Proceedings of the 2008 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, San Diego, CA, January 2008, pp. 1007-1019.
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