Geodetski list, Vol. 79 (102) No. 3, 2025.
Review article
RINEX Observation Format and CROPOS GPPS
Danijel Šugar
orcid.org/0000-0002-7796-9915
; Faculty of Geodesy, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Petar Jelić
orcid.org/0009-0007-9943-5096
; Faculty of Geodesy, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The RINEX format is an international standard for storing and exchanging GNSS observation data. Its development began at AIUB in the late 1980s to meet the needs for exchanging observation data collected with GPS receivers from different manufacturers during the first large-scale survey campaign, which aimed to establish the European reference frame EUREF89. The establishment of GNSS constellations, as well as their subsequent upgrades and modernization, required the definition of new format versions (RINEX 2, 3, 4) as well as their updates through subversions (e.g., 2.10, 2.11; 4.01, 4.02). Since version 3.02, the development and maintenance of the RINEX format have been entrusted to the International GNSS Service (IGS), and the rule of assigning long filenames was introduced. The RINEX format consists of ASCII characters and, as such, is readable by both humans and computers. The format consists of three types of files: observation files (OBS), broadcast ephemeris files (NAV), and meteorological data files (MET). Using the example of an observation data file from the CROPOS CORS station RGNF, the structure of RINEX version 3.04 is explained, which consists of a header and a data section (Body), with each observed quantity assigned a corresponding three-character code. Due to space limitations in this article, but also because of its importance for surveyors and geodetic practice, the focus here is placed on the structure and content of the observation (OBS) file. Based on the success of the RINEX format, similar ASCII formats (e.g., ANTEX, IONEX, SINEX) have been developed, which are also being maintained and developed by the IGS.
Keywords
RINEX; GNSS; observation file (OBS); IGS; GPPS CROPOS
Hrčak ID:
340082
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2025.
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