New firmware HPG1.30 for u-blox ZED-F9P
New firmware
At the end of last year, new firmware for u-blox’s positioning satellite signal module ZED-F9P was released。
According to the release note published on December 23rd, 2021, comparing it with the earlier firmware of version HPG1.13, the receiver with the version HPG1.30 firmware is capable of
- using the augmentation signals of SPARTN with use of u-blox’s NEO-D9S,
- processing the CSSR (compact state space representation) messages of the quasi-zenith satellites’ CLAS (centimeter-level augmentation service), and
- processing BeiDou’s SVIDs（space vehicle identification）of 37-63, and activating the use of the geostationary satellites that have SVIDs of 1-5 and 59-63.
This is a wonderful upgrade. The CLAS information processing function is very much appreciated for Japanese users.
CLAS message processing
The new firmware is capable of processing CLAS message. To provide a CSSR message as the CLAS message, we send it to ZED-F9P in the raw data format of UBX-RXM-QZSSL6. The description of the message is:
QZSS L6 message. Input support for QZSS L6 messages containing a CLAS CSSR correction stream. UBX-RXM-QZSSL6 output requires a NEO-D9C.
The receiver with this new firmware requires only a single way information transmission from the NEO-D9C receiver to the ZED-F9 receiver.
I wonder the use of NEO-D9C may not be mandatory for obtaining the ZED-F9P applicable CLAS message, and the ZED-F9P would work on the message UBX-RXM-QZSSL6 produced by a message converter from the other proprietary CLAS message of, for example, Allystar HD9310 option C.
Relationship between ZED-F9P and VRSC
A BizStation’s CLAS receiver, Drogger VRSC, requests us to provide u-blox’s proprietary raw data of UBX-RXM-SFRBX and UBX-NAV-PVT, and it virtually produces VRS (virtual reference station) observation data with use of the two messages and the CLAS message received by itself. The requirements of providing u-blox’s proprietary raw data is for VRSC, not for ZED-D9C.
The CLAS message process on the new firmware is for GPS’s L1C/A and L2C, QZS’s L1 C/A and L2C, and Galileo’s E1B/C. On the other hand, the VRSC receiver produces Galileo’s E5b augmentation message in addition to them.
The ability of creating VRS observation data on VRSC would be the BizStation’s work rather than the NEO-D9C’s work. VRSC is also an attractive receiver.