SparkFun GNSS-RTK Accessory Kit

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

Galileo

Europe’s satellite navigation system. Galileo support can improve satellite availability and accuracy, especially when combined with GPS and other constellations.

GLONASS

Russia’s satellite navigation system. A receiver that can also use GLONASS has more satellites to choose from, which can improve positioning reliability when the sky view is partly blocked.

GNSS

GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System, covering positioning systems such as GPS and similar satellite networks. It matters here because high-precision GNSS modules can output lots of serial position data that this product can send wirelessly to a computer or phone.

GPS

The US satellite navigation system used by GNSS receivers to calculate position and time. Support for GPS is important because it is widely available and often used together with other constellations for more reliable positioning.

ground plane

A ground plane is a large area of copper on a circuit board connected to ground. It helps provide a stable return path for signals and is especially important for reducing noise in high-speed connections.

L5

A modern GNSS signal band used by several satellite systems for more accurate and robust positioning. Dual-band receivers that include L5 can often perform better than single-band receivers, especially for RTK and areas with reflected signals.

RTK

Real-Time Kinematic positioning is a GNSS technique that uses correction data from a base station to greatly improve location accuracy. It matters if you need centimetre-level positioning for robotics, mapping, surveying, or tracking rather than ordinary metre-level GPS accuracy.

SMA

A threaded coaxial connector commonly used for antennas. It matters because you need antennas with matching SMA connectors, or suitable adapters, for the LTE and GNSS antenna ports.

Thread

A low-power wireless mesh networking standard designed for smart home and IoT devices. It matters because Thread devices can relay messages through each other, helping build reliable networks for sensors and controllers.

USB-C

A modern reversible USB connector used for power and data connections. On this product it matters because it can connect directly to a computer as well as to a microcontroller project.

VBUS

A label often used for the main bus or supply voltage being measured or distributed on a board. Knowing what VBUS refers to helps you wire the monitor to the correct point in the circuit, especially for high-side measurements.

ZED-F9P

A u-blox GNSS receiver module designed for high-precision positioning, including RTK rover and base-station use. The exact module matters because it determines the supported satellite bands, update rates, correction formats and achievable accuracy.