The PwrPak7 is a scalable, high-precision GNSS receiver housed in a compact, lightweight, and environmentally protective enclosure. It offers various hardware versions to suit a range of GNSS applications.
Function Description:
The PwrPak7 is designed for high-precision positioning and navigation. It supports multi-frequency and multi-constellation GNSS, providing robust positioning solutions. Specific variants integrate Inertial Navigation System (INS) hardware for SPAN GNSS+INS functionality, delivering accelerometer and gyroscope measurements, and offering high-performance SPAN capabilities. Dual-antenna variants provide high-precision positioning and heading solutions. The receiver includes various communication interfaces, internal memory for data logging, and a web user interface for configuration and monitoring.
Important Technical Specifications:
Physical:
- Size: 147 mm x 125 mm x 55 mm
- Weight:
- PwrPak7/PwrPak7D: 500 grams
- PwrPak7-E1/PwrPak7D-E1: 510 grams
- PwrPak7-E2/PwrPak7D-E2: 560 grams
- Ingress Protection Rating: IP67
- Position Accuracy (Typical RMS):
- Single point L1: 1.5 m
- Single point L1/L2: 1.2 m
- SBAS: 60 cm (GPS-only)
- DGPS: 40 cm
- TerraStar-L: 40 cm
- TerraStar-C PRO: 2.5 cm
- TerraStar-X: 2.0 cm
- RTK: 1 cm + 1 ppm
- Time to First Fix:
- Hot: <20 s (Almanac and recent ephemeris saved, approximate position and time entered)
- Cold: <39 s (No almanac or ephemeris, no approximate position or time)
- Signal Reacquisition:
- <0.5 s L1 (typical)
- <1.0 s L2 and L5 (typical)
- Data Rates:
- Measurements: up to 100 Hz
- Position: up to 100 Hz
- GNSS Measurements: up to 20 Hz
- GNSS Position: up to 20 Hz
- INS Position/Attitude: up to 200 Hz
- IMU Raw Data Rate: 125 Hz (PwrPak7-E1), 200 Hz (PwrPak7-E2)
- Time Accuracy: 20 ns RMS (excluding RF or antenna delay biases)
- Velocity Accuracy: <0.03 m/s RMS
- Measurement Precision:
- GPS L1 C/A: 4 cm Code, 0.5 mm Carrier
- GLONASS L1 C/A: 8 cm Code, 1.0 mm Carrier
- Galileo E1: 3 cm Code, 0.5 mm Carrier
- BeiDou B1I: 4 cm Code, 0.5 mm Carrier
- Velocity Limit: 515 m/s (Export licensing restriction)
- ALIGN Heading Accuracy:
- Baseline = 2 m: 0.08 degrees
- Baseline = 4 m: 0.05 degrees
- Other position and velocity RMS values are similar to the PwrPak7.
IMU Specifications (PwrPak7-E1, PwrPak7D-E1):
- Gyroscope Performance:
- Input Rate (max): ±150 °/second
- Bias Repeatability: 0.5 °/second
- Rate Bias Stability: 3.5 °/hour
- Angular Random Walk: 0.1 °/√hour
- Accelerometer Performance:
- Accelerometer Range: ±5 g
- Bias Repeatability: 15 mg
- Bias Stability: 0.1 mg
- Velocity Random Walk: 0.05 m/s/√hour
IMU Specifications (PwrPak7-E2, PwrPak7D-E2):
- Gyroscope Performance:
- Input Rate (max): ±450 °/second
- Rate Bias Stability: 0.8 °/hour
- Angular Random Walk: 0.06 °/√hour
- Accelerometer Performance:
- Accelerometer Range: ±10 g
- Bias Stability: 0.012 mg
- Velocity Random Walk: 0.025 m/s/√hour
Electrical and Environmental:
- Operating Temperature: -40°C to +75°C
- Storage Temperature: -40°C to +85°C
- Humidity: 95% non-condensing
- Power Supply: +9 to +36 VDC, at least 15 W
- Power Consumption (Typical):
- PwrPak7: 2.75 W (GPS/GLONASS, dual-frequency, no L-band tracking), 3.25 W (Multi-constellation, multi-frequency, no L-band tracking)
- PwrPak7D: 3.95 W (Multi-constellation, dual-frequency, no L-band tracking)
- PwrPak7-E1/PwrPak7-E2: 3.4 W (Multi-constellation, multi-frequency, no L-band tracking)
- PwrPak7D-E1/PwrPak7D-E2: 4.15 W (Multi-constellation, dual-frequency, no L-band tracking)
- Inrush Current: 1.5 A for less than 1.3 ms (@ 12 V; typical)
- RF Input Frequencies: GPS (L1, L2, L5), GLONASS (L1, L2, L3), Galileo (E1, E5a, E5b, E5 AltBOC, E6), BeiDou (B1I, B1C, B2I, B2a, B2b, B3I), L-Band (1545-1560 MHz or 1525-1560 MHz depending on hardware version).
- LNA Power Output: +5.0 VDC ±5%, 0 mA to 200 mA
- Random Vibration: MIL-STD-810H, Method 514.8, Category 24 (20 g RMS) for PwrPak7/D/E1/DE1. Specific profiles for PwrPak7-E2/D-E2/Q-E2/DQ-E2 (Rail, Composite Wheeled Vehicle, Aircraft Propeller).
- Sinusoidal Vibration: IEC 60068-2-6 for PwrPak7/D/E1/DE1. N/A for PwrPak7-E2/D-E2/Q-E2/DQ-E2.
- Bump: IEC 60068-2-27 (25 g)
- Shock – operating: MIL-STD-810H, Method 516.8 Procedure 1, 40 g 11 ms terminal sawtooth
- Acceleration: MIL-STD-810H, Method 513.8 Procedure II (16 g)
Data Communication:
- Serial Ports (COM1, COM2, COM3): RS-232/RS-422 (COM1, COM2), RS-232 (COM3). Data rates from 2400 to 460800 bit/s.
- USB Ports: Two USB 2.0 compatible ports (COM PORTS for communication, TRANSFER for data transfer). Hi-speed (480 Mb/s).
- Ethernet Port: RJ45, 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX, IPv4, TCP/IP, Telnet.
- CAN Bus Port: DSUB HD26, ISO 11898-2, 1 Mbps maximum. Supports J1939 and NMEA2000 protocols.
- Wi-Fi: 2.4 GHz 802.11 Access Point (AP) by default. Supports Client and Concurrent modes. Security: WPA2, Encryption: AES. (PwrPak7M and PwrPak7Q variants do not support Wi-Fi).
Strobe Specifications:
- Event Inputs (EVENT_IN1, EVENT_IN2, EVENT_IN3): Active low, leading edge triggered.
- Event Outputs (EVENT_OUT1, EVENT_OUT2, EVENT_OUT3): Active low, programmable frequency (0 Hz to 50 MHz).
- Pulse Per Second (PPS) Output: Active low, time synchronized to receiver calculated GNSS Time.
- Wheel Sensor Inputs: RS-422 Quadrature Input.
Usage Features:
- Multi-frequency/Multi-constellation: Tracks signals from various GNSS constellations for enhanced accuracy.
- SPAN GNSS+INS Functionality: Combines GNSS with IMU data for robust positioning and attitude solutions.
- Dual Antenna Inputs: Available on PwrPak7D variants for heading solutions.
- Communication Interfaces: Offers serial, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and CAN bus for versatile connectivity.
- Web User Interface (WebUI): Provides a browser-based tool for monitoring, configuring, and updating receiver functions.
- NovAtel Application Suite: Desktop software for configuration and monitoring.
- Positioning Solutions: Supports PPP, RTK, SBAS, and DGPS.
- GLIDE and ALIGN: Advanced positioning options for smooth, accurate output and heading solutions.
- STEADYLINE: Mitigates position discontinuities during GNSS mode changes.
- TerraStar Subscriptions: Enables sub-meter position accuracy using L-Band correction data.
- RTK ASSIST: Maintains centimeter-level accuracy during RTK correction outages.
- Time Transfer: Procedures for synchronizing receiver clocks with GPS time.
- Interference Toolkit (ITK): Monitors, quantifies, and removes interference sources to maintain receiver performance. Includes High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode, Notch Filter, and Bandpass Filter.
- Data Logging: Logs data to internal memory (16 GB) or a USB stick. Supports file rotation and automatic file transfer to USB.
- Log Button: Physical button on the receiver to start/stop data logging.
- Firmware Updates and Model Upgrades: Can be performed using WinLoad utility, NovAtel Application Suite, Setup & Monitor (Web), or SoftLoad commands.
- Authorization Codes: Used to unlock purchased receiver features.
Maintenance Features:
- Built-In Status Tests: Monitors system performance and status, reporting events and errors via status words and logs (RXSTATUSEVENT, RXSTATUS).
- Troubleshooting Guide: Provides symptom-based solutions for common issues, including power, communication, tracking, and data logging problems.
- Temperature Monitoring: Allows users to monitor receiver temperature via RXSTATUS and HWMONITOR logs to prevent overheating.
- Safe Mode: A diagnostic state triggered by critical problems (e.g., corrupted NVM, unsupported Auth Code, firmware issues) to allow for recovery steps.
- Internal Memory Repair: Tools to repair errors on the PwrPak7 internal memory, either via computer-based utilities or through the receiver's interface (reformatting).
- Customer Support: Access to NovAtel Customer Support for technical issues, firmware, documentation, and accessories.
- Lightning Protection: Recommendation for installing lightning protection devices in permanent installations.
- Fuse Protection: Requires a user-supplied 2 A slow blow fuse for the power supply wiring.
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