A GPS Receiver Designed for Carrier-Phase Time Transfer

Abstract

In this paper, the Global Positioning System (GPS) carrier-phase time transfer technique is described and a discussion is included on the error components that currently limit the time-transfer accuracy using this method. Previous testing with conventional GPS receivers has shown that carrier phase instabilities can cause offsets on the order of 1-2 nanoseconds. This error source currently dominates the error budget when performing carrier-phase time transfer. NAVSYS' High-gain Advanced GPS Receiver (HAGR) was originally developed to allow phase coherent measurements to be made from multiple antenna elements to enable digital beam forming to be performed. This same design, however, also provides a highly phase stable observation of the GPS carrier, relative to a local reference oscillator, that enables precise time observations to be made for carrier-phase time transfer. The design of this receiver is described in this paper. Test results are included to show the carrier-phase time transfer accuracy.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA454373

Entities

People

  • Alison Brown
  • Ed Powers
  • Randy Silva

Organizations

  • United States Naval Observatory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Accuracy
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Beam Forming
  • Beam Steering
  • Clocks
  • Data Sets
  • Errors
  • Frequency
  • Gain
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • High Gain
  • Measurement
  • Navigation
  • Observation
  • Observatories
  • Phase Measurement

Readers

  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.

Technology Areas

  • Space