GPS POST PROCESSING USING TRIMBLE BUSINESS CENTER

What you need

1. Trimble Business Center (TBC) software

2. TBC dongle
3. An EGM 2008 file with .ggf file extension

We assume that the software has been just installed in your working computer. The following steps
below must be done but only once if followed correctly. And thus we call this…

Note: don’t forget to insert the TBC dongle on your usb port.

TBC SET-UP
1. Locating Survey on the main menu

Your fist interface for TBC shall look like this

Notice that there is no Survey in the menu. Survey contains all the functions used for GPS post
processing both in PPK and Static.

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To display this menu item simply click on Tools->Customize, a new window shall pop:

Click on Save/Load tab then select the ConstructionPlusSurvey under the Default Layouts.

Click on load->ok->save->close. A Survey selection shall then be available in main window menu.

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2. Loading a Geoid model (EGM 2008)

We have a Geoid model file named EGMPH.ggf, it is a portion of the world’s EGM 2008 model.
Portion because the file covers only the Philippines. This was done to have a lower memory size.

EGMPH.ggf shall be copied to directory: C:\ProgramData\Trimble\GeoData. Please note that

ProgramData is a hidden folder so you may want to display hidden files, folders and drives first.

To add a Geoid model click from the main menu Tools->Coordinate System Manager. A new
window shall appear: current - Coordinate System Manager.

Click on Edit->Add Geoid Model…

You shall automatically be taken to the Geoid Models tab and Geoid Properties window shall
pop out.

a. Type the name of your choice for example EGMPH08

b. Select from the dropdown menu EGMPH.ggf

c. Click ok. EGMPH08 geoid model (inked in blue) shall now be available in the
selection of geoid models.

Currently selecting (highlighted) EGMPH08 among the geoid models available: under the
Coordinate System Manager window click File->Save as->Save->Yes. This shall overwrite the
current geoid model. You may need to restart the program for this changes to take effect.

3. Creating a default project that you can use for all your processing work.

This time, we will be needing the TBC dongle. Close the program window and connect your
dongle. Wait for the dongle drivers to finish installing before proceeding.

Open TBC.

Click File->New Project. Select metric on the templates then click set as default->ok. An
unnamed project shall open.

Click Project->Project Settings… Project Settings window shall pop out.

Go to Coordinate System then click change. Select Coordinate System window shall pop. Do the
following:

New system->Next->Coordinate System and Zone -> Next -> UTM -> 51 N -> Next ->

WGS 1984 -> Next -> EGMPH08 -> Finish.

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Note that without the TBC dongle, Baseline processing function in project settings will not be
available. Do the following:

Baseline Processing -> General -> set Store continuous as trajectory to No.

Baseline Processing -> Quality -> set the following under acceptance criteria:

If horizontal precision > flag and fail: 0.200 m + 1.0 ppm

If vertical precision > flag and fail: 0.100 m + 1.0 ppm

Then click OK.

In the main menu, File -> Save Project As… Input whatever Project name you desire, for example
DVC.

It is advised to always use this project as starting project then use “Save Project As” every time
so that you will not need to set up project settings every now and then.

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ACTUAL DATA PROCESSING
1. Importing GPS files

Trimble acquired GPS data has a .TO2 file extension so make sure you remember where you
save them. Click on

File -> Import

A window shall appear that will look like the one below labelled “Import Folder”

Clicking on the “…” will open the “Browse For Folder” window. Browse for the folder
containing your raw data then click OK.

On the import Folder window, highlight the desired T02 files you want processed then click
Import.

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 “Receiver Raw Data Check In” shall pop out

Edit necessary labels like the name of the point under “Point ID” column and values of
antenna height in the Antenna tab. Click OK.

2. Data Processing

Survey -> Process Baselines

Then wait until processing is finished. Once finished Click Save

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Under the “Project Explorer” window, click on the “+” sign next to “Points” then locate your
base point. Right click on it then select “Add Coordinate”.

Change the “Coordinate Type” to “Global”. Input your fixed WGS84 coordinates for your
base point (Control Point): Latitude, Longitude and Ellipsoidal Height. Don’t forget to change
the “Unknown Quality” to “Control Quality” of entered coordinates (Latitude, Longitude and
Height).

Control Quality

Unknown Quality

Click OK.

Survey -> Adjust Network

Click on the box under “2d” and “h” to put a check

on them. Click on “Adjust” then Click OK.

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3. Exporting Output (csv files)

File -> Export

A new window shall appear. Select

the desired File Format of the csv file.

To select points, simply click on

options and select the desired type of
selection method.

Click on the … to browse desired

location of csv file to be exported.

Click on “Export”.

You can define custom csv formats by

clicking on

File -> Export Format Editor

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