What is Required to Use Skadi Tilt Compensation?

Before you get started with Skadi Tilt Compensation, you will need to make sure you have the following items:

Hardware:

• A Skadi 200, Skadi 300, or Skadi Gold GNSS receiver
• A surveying range pole
• The Skadi Pole Mounting Cradle Assembly [SKA-POL-CRADLE] to mount your receiver to your range pole
• An Android™, iOS®, or Windows® mobile device
• A bracket to mount your mobile device to your range pole

Software:

• Eos Tools Pro for iOS or Android

Activation:

• Skadi Tilt Compensation activation

GNSS Corrections:

• An RTK corrections source

Steps to Enable and Initialize Skadi Tilt Compensation

Method 2: Press the Skadi receiver power button three times.

Once Skadi Tilt Compensation is enabled, the Skadi “Tilt” LED will turn on. New fields will become active.

B. Set Range Pole Height

You must next enter a range pole height; if you skip this step, Skadi Tilt Compensation will not initialize. If a wrong value is entered, it will greatly impact your positional accuracy. At this stage, the “Tilt” LED on your Skadi receiver will be fast-blinking red.

Your range pole height is measured from the tip of your pole to the bottom of the Skadi receiver (i.e., the “Antenna Phase Center Reference Plane”). This includes both the pole height and the included Pole Mounting Cradle Assembly [SKA-POL-CRADLE] onto which the Skadi receiver is mounted. The cradle assembly adds 0.037 meters to create your total pole height.

Here are some examples of pole height values:

• If you are using the 2m Sectional Carbon Fiber Pole [POL-2MC4] made by Eos Positioning Systems, your pole height is 2.00 meters, and your mounting cradle assembly is 0.037 meters. So, you will enter a pole height of 2.037 meters.
• If you are using a range pole from another manufacturer, consult their specifications for your range pole height. Then add 0.037 meters to yield your total range pole height.
• If you are using a telescopic range pole, measure the distance from the tip of your pole to your chosen height. Then add 0.037 meters to yield your total range pole height. Repeat this every time you change the height of your pole.

Note: For those used to entering a total antenna height with the antenna phase center in your mobile app, note that you do not need to enter this value when using Skadi Tilt Compensation. Instead, your antenna phase center will be handled directly by your Skadi GNSS receiver.

Important: You must not enter an antenna height into your data-collection app when using Skadi Tilt Compensation as this will cause your antenna height to be added twice. Instead, set the antenna height in your data-collection app to zero.

C. Acquire “RTK Fixed” Position

Skadi Tilt Compensation requires an RTK fixed status to operate. At this point, if a pole height has been entered, the “Tilt” LED on your Skadi will be blinking red at a medium rate while waiting for an RTK fixed position.

In Eos Tools Pro, follow your normal procedure to connect to your local RTK corrections source.

Once your RTK status is fixed, your “Tilt” LED will red blink at a slow, steady rate while waiting for the final step: initialization.

D. Initialize Skadi Tilt Compensation

Simply wave your range pole back and forth in a smooth motion to initialize. You do not need to shake quickly nor vigorously; a gentle and ample back-and-forth motion at a pace of about 1 meter (3 feet) per second will suffice.

Once tilt compensation is initialized, your “Tilt” LED will turn solid green.

Note: When tilt compensation is enabled, valid positions are sent to your mobile app only if tilt is in its initialized state and RTK is in fixed mode (“Tilt” LED green), otherwise (“Tilt” LED red) no valid positions are sent to your mobile app.

Understanding “Tilt” LED Behaviors

The “Tilt” LED on your Skadi Series GNSS receiver can help you understand the current status of your tilt compensation. Use this chart to interpret your “Tilt” LED:

Note 1: Valid GNSS locations are sent to your data collection software only when the “Tilt” LED is green.

Note 2: If your receiver is idle for 10 minutes, initialization will end. Your “Tilt” LED will revert to slow blinking red. Simply perform the initialization movement again to re-initialize.

Hint: For faster subsequent initializations, (Eos Tools Pro will remember the last Pole Height you entered,) set your NTRIP connection to Auto-start streaming in the NTRIP menu of your Eos Tools Pro Differential settings. Once your Skadi is in RTK fixed mode, you will only have to initialize with a motion.