Improve the EGNOS Service in Finland Using Internet Radio Technology

A field test carried out in 2003 in Finland indicated that the EGNOS positioning accuracy (with the EGNOS System Test Bed Signal) are about 2 meters for the horizontal components and 4 meters for the vertical component at the level of 95%. However, according to a driving test of 6100 kilometres around Finland, the EGNOS GEO satellites can be accessed directly only for 51% of the main roads and highways because of the low elevation angles. Therefore, the availability of the EGNOS service is rather low in Finland for land application.

In order to improve the availability of the EGNOS service in Finland, this project prototypes a system for accessing the EGNOS service with existing DGPS receivers without the limitations of low elevation angles to the EGNOS GEO satellites. The objective is achieved by converting the EGNOS signal to DGPS RTCM signals and broadcasting the converted RTCM signals over the wireless Internet using the Internet Radio technology.

The prototype system

• overcomes the limitations of low elevation angles to the EGNOS GEO satellites,
• increases the availability of the EGNOS service in Finland for land applications from 50% to at least 90% because the EGNOS service will be available as long as a GRPS connection is available, and
• make it easy for the end users to use the EGNOS service. The pure software approach takes the advantages of the existing standard hardware components for the end users. The EGNOS service can be accessed with an old low-end DPGS