Master Auxiliary Concept (MAC)

3.1.5 Network RTK Corrections

Different concepts to provide corrections from Network RTK are supported. There are
（1） FKP: range correction gradients 
（2）Non-Physical Reference Station 
（3）MAC: Master Auxiliary Concept

FKP range correction gradients

With the concept of FKP (from the German word: “Flächenkorrekturparameter” = Area Correction Parameters) horizontal gradients of distance-dependent errors like ionosphere, troposphere and orbits are derived from a network of GNSS reference stations and transmitted to a rover together with raw or correction data of a corresponding reference station.

Non-physical reference station

The Non-Physical or Computed Reference Station is typically calculated based on information from a network of reference stations. Different approaches have been established over years. The Non-Physical or Computed Reference Stations are sometimes trademarked and may not be compatible. Examples of these names are “Virtual Reference Stations”, “Pseudo-Reference Stations”, and “Individualized Reference Stations”.

Master Auxiliary Concept (MAC)

The fundamental functionality of networking software that combines the information of several permanent reference stations is the determination of integer ambiguities between the reference stations. The resulting integer ambiguities may be used for reducing the original raw reference station observations. This manipulation of the raw observations leaves the general properties of the carrier phase observations (troposphere, ionosphere, phase center variations, etc.) untouched, since only integer numbers have been introduced. This process is named “integer ambiguityleveling” and the resulting observations of permanent reference stations are “(integer) ambiguityleveled”.

An application accessing ambiguity-leveled observations of a single reference station will not see any difference. The modeling requirements within the application are identical. However, when an application uses the observations of more than one reference station, the application will no longer have to account for integer ambiguities between the reference stations on the same ambiguity level. Roving user equipment receiving observations of more than one reference station on the same ambiguity level and utilizing the observations in its positioning algorithm may switch from one reference station to another without reinitialization of its filter.

In order to preserve throughput, Network RTK messages utilize data fields that extend the approach described above: the raw observations are reduced by the geometric representation of the satellite and receiver distance; and inter-reference station single differences are used (see Appendix A). Master-Auxiliary Network RTK Corrections (MAC) are designed as additional information for improved performance and precision. A service provider utilizing the network capability will broadcast Precision GPS and GLONASS RTK messages for the Master Reference Station, but will broadcast Auxiliary Reference Station information as well. Until a future version of revision of this standard is published, service providers are advised to limit the data stream to information associated with one single Master Reference Station and its associated Auxiliary Reference Stations. Participating mobile receivers must be designed to accept and process the Network RTK Corrections. Mobile equipment operating close to the Master Reference Station may be designed to use the Observation, Station Description, and Antenna Description information of the Master reference station exclusively.