GPS compass testing in real-world conditions

This article presents the results of tests comparing satellite compass readings with a gyrocompass, conducted on the vessel “Horyzont II”. The tests were carried out during the vessel’s turning circle maneuvers at various rudder angles and while the vessel maintained a steady course.1. INTRODUCTION
Satellite navigation systems allow for determining an observer’s position and, based on its changes, calculating the course over ground (COG) and speed over ground (SOG).
Errors in satellite navigation systems that limit positioning accuracy can be divided into:
• signal propagation errors (ionospheric and tropospheric delay), • errors resulting from relativistic effects, • system operation errors, i.e., those arising in the space and control segments (satellite ephemeris errors, satellite clock errors relative to the navigation system’s time scale, dilution of precision (DOP) errors, multipath errors), • receiver errors (user segment errors).
The PL-EN 61108-1:2000 standard specifies the requirements for determining the vessel’s course over ground, as shown in Table 1. (…)

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