RTK vs. Satellite & Beacon Differential
A local RTK base station must be located within 10 km (6 miles) of a rover to insure carrier phase initialization. Satellite differential service covers vast areas in comparison while a beacon differential transmitter is available from 160 to 400 km (100 to 250 miles).
Feature |
RTK Carrier Differential |
Beacon Differential |
Satellite Differential |
Accuracy |
1 cm + 1 ppm base line length |
<1 m
(depends on distance from beacon station) |
<0.75 m uniform over service area (depends on service provider) |
Initial
equipment
cost |
High |
Lower initial cost |
Higher initial cost than beacon |
Annual subscription cost |
None |
None in the USA, coastal regions of Canada and many parts of the world. There is a cost for service in Argentina and parts of Canada |
$500 to $1000 per year depending on the level of service. |
Interference susceptibility |
Minimal interference from man-made sources |
Subject to local man-made noise sources |
Minimal interference from man-made sources |
Range |
10 km
(6 miles) |
160 to 400 km
(100 to 250 miles) |
Continental coverage area |
