While working in PnT (Position Navigation Timing) Technology, I have list out some abbreviations for beginners.
Global positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems based on satellites are collectively referred to as GNSS (or Global Navigation Satellite System). One such sort of global navigation satellite system is the GPS (or Global Positioning System).
The US Department of Defense created GPS in the 1970s for military usage under the name “NAVSTAR” (Navigation Satellite Timing and Ranging). Following the launch of the first satellite in 1978, GPS technology advanced swiftly and started to permeate many facets of our daily life. Yet it wasn’t until until 2000, when Selective Availability was turned off, that it became fully widespread.
Term | Full-Form | Definition |
---|---|---|
CPM | Carrier Phase Measurement Receiver | Low Noise measurement observable ¬few mm’s |
BITE | Bult In Test Equipment | |
STAT | Status Message | |
1PPS | 1 Pulse-per-second | |
SSUM | Status Summary | |
PRN | Pseudorandom noise | Each satellite within a GNSS constellation has a unique PRN code that it transmits as part of the C/A navigation message |
Galileo PRS | Public Regulated Service | an encrypted positioning, navigation and timing service provided by the Galileo satellite |
GEO | Geostationary satellite | geostationary satellite is thus vertical to the equator, and appears fixed for a terrestrial observer |
GSO | Geosynchronous Satellite | satellite whose period of sidereal revolution is equal to the period of sidereal rotation of the Earth, and of any a priori inclination and eccentricity. This is the type of orbit used for QZSS. |
SBAS | Satellite Based Augmentation System | Satellite complement of a satellite navigation system. |
SDCM | System for Differential Corrections and Monitoring | |
SCC | System Control center | Infrastructure that makes it possible to control and monitor the operation of a GNSS |
GSS | Galileo Sensor Stations | |
GA | ground antenna | |
ULS | upload stations | |
TT&C | Telemetry tracking and control station | |
SLR | Laser ranging station | |
SIS | Signal In Space | Satellite signal in space of a satellite navigation system |
SPS | Standard Positioning Service | Standard Positioning Service of the GPS system, accessible to all, providing instantaneous position, speed and synchronization |
STANAG | STANdardization Agreement | NATO standardization document. The STANAG for the GPS system is STANAG 4294 |
CORS | Permanent GNSS station | station equipped with a GNSS receiver which observes continuously. |
VRS | Virtual Station | Station whose coordinates are fixed and for which pseudo-measurements are generated used to determine a nearby unknown station |
S.V. | Space Vehicle | Identification number of the GPS satellites according to the order of launch |
Multipath | propagation phenomenon defined by the reception of a parasitic reflection which is added to the signal in direct propagation | |
Triple difference | Linear combination of phase (or code) measurements generally corresponding to a difference in time of double differences with respect to two receivers and two satellites. Used in particular for the detection of cycle jumps. | |
TTFF | Time to First Fix | Delay between powering on a receiver and obtaining the first position solution. |
EBU | User Equivalent Range Error | Transcription in units understandable by the user of the various errors affecting the components involved in a GNSS calculation. For example, the clock error is converted into a distance. |
URA | User Range Accuracy | Estimator of ephemeris error and satellite clock bias. This value is independent of location and time and is provided in the GPS navigation data. |
ERU | User Range Error | Component of the error linked to the spatial part during a geolocation calculation (ephemerides, clocks). |
VDOP | Vertical Dilution Of Precision | Precision attenuation coefficient on the vertical component of the instantaneous positioning result. |
RSV | Virtual Reference Station | technique used for real time which simulates observations at this station by interpolation on real permanent stations surrounding it. |
WAAS | Wide Area Augmentation System | US GPS Augmentation System. |
WGS | World Geodetic System | Geodetic reference system initially produced by the DMA. |
Y Code | Encrypted version of the P code. | |
PPS | Precise Positioning Service | |
EEPROM | Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory | |
EGNOS | European Geo-Stationary Navigation System | |
FIFO | First In, First Out | |
FKP | Flachen Korrectur Parameter (Plane Correction Parameter) German | |
2-D or 2D | Two Dimensional | |
3-D or 3D | Three Dimensional | |
AC | Alternating Current | |
A/D | Analog-to-Digital | |
ADC | Analog-to-Digital Convertor | |
ADR | Accumulated Doppler Range | |
ADR | Accumulated Delta Range | |
AGC | Automatic Gain Control | |
AK | Authentication Key | |
AL | Alarm Limit | |
AltBOC | Alternate Binary Offset Carrier | |
AMSAT | American Satellite | |
APC | Aircraft Power Conditioner | |
ARNS | Aeronautical Radio Navigation Services | |
ARP | Antenna Reference Point | |
AS | Anti-Spoofing | |
ASCII | American Standard Code for Information Interchange | |
ASIC | Application Specific Integrated Circuits | |
AVL | Automated Vehicle Locations | |
BCD | Binary Code Decimal | |
BDE | Borland Database Engine | |
BDS | Black Diamond System | |
BFS | Broadband Fiber Source | |
BIH | Bureau l’International de l’Heure | |
BIST | Built-In Self-Test | |
BIT | Built-In Test | |
BNR | Binary Numerical Representation | |
BOC | Binary Offset Carrier | |
BPS | Bits per Second | |
BPSK | Bi-Phase Shift Key | |
BSG | Baseband Signal Generator | |
BTS | Conventional Terrestrial System (BIH defined) | |
BW | Bandwidth | |
C/A Code | Coarse/Acquisition Code | |
CAN | Controller Area Network | |
CASM | Coherent Adaptive Subcarrier Modulation | |
CBIT | Continuous Built In Test | |
cc | Cubic Centimeters | |
CCITT | Command, Control, and Intelligence Technical Test | |
CD | Clock Drift | |
CD | Compact Disc | |
cd | Change Directory | |
CDGPS | Canada-Wide Differential Global Positioning System | |
CDMA | Code Division Multiple Access | C/A Code – 1.023 MHz coarse acquisition code, repeat @ 1ms P(Y) Code – 10.23 MHz, encrypted M Code – New military spilt spectrum L2C, L5, L1C – New civil codes |
CDPD | Cellular Digital Packet Data | |
CDU | Control and Display Unit | |
CE | Conformité Européenna | |
CEP | Circular Error Probable | |
CF | Compact Flash | |
CFGP | Configuration Parameters | |
CISPR | International Special Committee On Radio Interference | |
CKSC | Clock/Status Card | |
CL | Long Code | |
CLK | System Clock | |
CM | Moderate Length Code | |
CMG | Course Made Good | |
CMP | Comparator Message Processor | |
CMR | Compact Measurement Record | |
C/No | Post Correlation Carrier to Noise Ratio in dB-Hz | |
CoCom | Coordinating Committee on Multilateral Export Controls | |
COG | Course Over Ground | |
COGO | Coordinate Geometry | |
COSPAS | Cosmitscheskaja Sistema Poiska Awarinitsch Sudow (Russian: space system for search of vessels in distress) | |
CPLD | Complex Programmable Logic Device | |
CPU | Central Processing Unit | |
CR | Carriage Return | |
CRC | Cyclic Redundancy Check | |
CRR | Common Reference Receiver | |
CS | Commercial Service | |
CSIC | Coordination Scientific Information Center | |
CSA | Canada Shipping Act | |
CTP | Conventional Terrestrial Pole | |
CTS | Clear To Send | |
CTS | Conventional Terrestrial System or Clear To Send | |
CW | Continuous Wave | |
dB | Decibel | |
dBm | Decibel Relative to 1 milliWatt | |
DC | Direct Current | |
DCD | Data Carrier Detected | |
DCE | Data Communications Equipment (Modem) | |
DCO | Digitally Controlled Oscillator | |
DDS | Direct Digitial Sampling | |
DGNSS | Differential Global Navigation Satellite System | |
DGPS | Differential Global Positioning System | NASA provide realtime corrections to the broadcast GPS satellite ephermeris and clock data Reduces ephermeris and clock errors from few meters to a few cm |
DHCP | Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol | |
DL | Data Logger | |
DLL | Delay Lock Loop | |
DoD | Department of Defence (U.S.) | |
DOP | Dilution Of Precision | |
DPB | Digital Pulse Blanking | |
DR | Dead Reckoning | |
DRAM | Dynamic Random Access Memory | |
DRMS | Distance Root Mean Square | |
DSP | Digital Signal Processor | |
DSR | Data Set Ready | |
DTE | Data Terminal Equipment | |
DTR | Data Terminal Ready | |
D/U | Desired/Undesired | |
e | Eccentricity | |
E-L | Early to Late | |
ECEF | Earth-Centred-Earth-Fixed | |
EDM | Electronic Distance Measuring (instrument) | |
EMC | Electromagnetic Compatibility | |
EMI | Electromagnetic Immunity | |
EP | Engineering Practice | |
ESA | European Space Agency | |
ESD | Electrostatic Discharge | |
ESN | Electronic Serial Number | |
FAA | Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) | |
FCC | Federal Communication Commission | |
FDA | Frequency Distribution Amplifier | |
FDMA | Frequency Division Multiple Access | |
FEC | Forward Error Correction | |
FEPROM | Flash Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory | |
FLL | Frequency Lock Loop | |
FMEA | Failure Mode Effects Analysis | |
FOC | Full Operational Capability | |
FOG | Fibre Optic Gyro | |
FOM | Figure of Merit | |
FPGA | Field-Programmable Gate Array | |
FR | Factory Reset | |
FTP | File Transfer Protocol | |
FTS | Frequency and Time Standard | |
FW | Firmware | |
GAGAN | GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (India) | |
GaIn | Galileo Industries | |
GCC | Galileo Control Centre | |
GDOP | Geometric Dilution Of Precision | Quality of receiver-to-GPS satellite range geometry |
GIC | GPS Integrity Channel | |
GL | GLONASS (NMEA talker ID) | |
GLONASS | Global Navigation Satellite System | |
GM | Gauss-Markov | |
GMS | Ground Mission Segment | |
GMT | Greenwich Mean Time | |
GN | Combined GPS and GLONASS (NMEA talker ID) | |
GND | Ground | |
GNSS | Global Navigation Satellite System | |
G.P. | Ground Plane | |
GP | GPS (NMEA talker ID) | |
GPAI | General Purpose Analog Input | |
GPS | Global Positioning System | |
GRC | Galileo Reception Chain | |
GRCN | Galileo Reception Chain Non-PRS | |
GSTB | Galileo System Test Bed | |
GTR | Galileo Test Receiver | |
GTS | Galileo Test Signal Generator | |
GUI | Graphical User Interface | |
GUS | Ground Uplink Station | |
GUST | WAAS GUS-Type 1 | |
GUSTR | WAAS GUS-Type 1 Receiver | |
HDOP | Horizontal Dilution Of Precision | |
hex | Hexadecimal | |
HFOM | Horizontal Figure of Merit | |
HMAC | Hashed Message Authentication Code | |
HP | High Performance (standard OmniSTAR service) | |
HTDOP | Horizontal position and Time Dilution Of Precision | |
Hz | Hertz | |
I and Q | In-Phase and Quadrature (Channels) | |
I Channel | In-phase data channel | |
IBIT | Initiated Built In Test | |
IC | Integrated Circuit | |
ICAO | International Civil Aviation Organization | |
ICD | Interface Control Document | |
ICP | Integrated Carrier Phase | |
ID | Identification | |
IEC | International Electrotechnical Commission | |
IEEE | Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers | |
IERS | International Earth Rotation Service | |
IF | Intermediate Frequency | |
IGP | Ionospheric Grid Point | |
IGRF | International Geometric Reference Field | |
IGS CB | International GPS Service Central Bureau | |
IM | Intermodulation | |
IMLA | Integrated Multipath Limiting Antenna | |
IMO | International Maritime Organization | |
IMU | Inertial Measuring Unit | |
INH | Inhibit | |
INS | Inertial Navigation System | |
I/O | Input/Output | |
IODE | Issue of Data (Ephemeris) | |
IOV | In-Orbit Validation | |
IP | Internet Protocol | |
IRQ | Interrupt Request | |
ISG | IF Signal Generator | |
ISO | International Standards Organization | |
ITRF | International Terrestrial Reference System | |
JPL | Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA) | |
JTAG | Joint Test Action Group | |
KPA | Klystron Power Amplifier | |
Kb | Kilobit | |
KB | Kilobyte | |
KMF | Key Management Facility | |
L1 | The 1575.42 MHz GPS carrier frequency including C/A and P Code | |
L2 | The 1227.60 MHz secondary GPS carrier frequency (P Code only) | |
L2C | The L2 civilian code transmitted at the L2 frequency (1227.6 MHz) | |
L5 | 3rd civil GPS frequency that tracks at low signal-to-noise ratios (1176.45 MHz) | |
LAAS | Local Area Augmentation System | |
LCD | Liquid Crystal Display | |
LED | Light-Emitting Diode | |
LF | Line Feed | |
LGF | LAAS Ground Facility | |
LHCP | Left Hand Circular Polarization | |
LME | Line Maintenance Equipment | |
LNA | Low Noise Amplifier | |
LO | Local Oscillator | |
LRU | Line Replacement Unit | |
LSB | Least significant bit | |
LVTTL | Low Voltage Transistor Transistor Logic | |
MAC | Media Access Control (Ethernet) | |
MAT | Multipath Assessment Tool | |
Mb | Megabit | |
MB | Megabyte | |
MEDLL® | Multipath Estimation Delay Lock Loop | |
MEO | Medium Earth Orbit | |
MET | Multipath Elimination Technology | |
MET | Meteorological | |
MGRS | Military Grid Reference Systems | |
MHz | MegaHertz | |
MIB | Management Information Base | |
MIL | Military | |
MINOS | Multiple Independent NOmadic Stargazer | |
MKI | Mark Input | |
MKMF | Mission Key Management Facility | |
MMCX | Multimedia Communications Exchange (Lucent) | |
MMT | Multipath Mitigation Technology | |
MOPS | Minimum Operational Performance Standard | |
MP | Messag Processor | |
MPC | Modulated Precision Clock | |
MPM | Multipath Meter | |
ms | Millisecond | |
MSAS | MTSAT Satellite Based Augmentation System | |
MSAT | Mobile Satellite | |
MSB | Most significant bit | |
MSL | Mean sea level | |
MSR | Measure Output | |
MTBF | Mean Time Between Failures | |
MTSAT | Multi-Functional Transport Satellite | |
N/A | Not Applicable | |
NAS | National Airspace System (United States) | |
NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.) | |
NTS | National Topographic Series (Canada) | |
NAV | RINEX Ephemeris File | |
NAVSTAR | NAVigation Satellite Timing And Ranging (synonymous with GPS) | |
N/C or NC | Not Connected | |
NCC | Network Control Center | |
NCO | Numerically Controlled Oscillator | |
ND | Navigation Data | |
NH | Neumann-Hoffman | |
NMEA | National Marine Electronics Association | |
N. mi. | Nautical mile | |
NOC | Network Operations Center | |
ns | Nanosecond | |
NVM | Non-Volatile Memory | |
OBS | RINEX Observation File | |
OCXO | Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator | |
OEM | Original Equipment Manufacturer | |
OP | Operational Parameters | |
OS | Open Service | |
PAC | Pulsed Aperture Correlator | |
PC | Personal Computer | |
PC | Phase Centre | |
P-Code | Precise Code | |
PBIT | Power-Up Built-In Test | |
PCB | Printed Circuit Board | |
PCMCIA | Personal Computer Memory Card International Association | |
PDC | Power and Data Card | |
Power Distribution Function | ||
Portable Document File | ||
PDOP | Position Dilution Of Precision | |
PE-90 | Parameters of the Earth 1990 (see PZ90) | |
PIN | Position Indicator | |
PLL | Phase Lock Loop | |
PPM | Parts Per Million | |
PPP | Point to Point Protocol | |
PPS | Precise Positioning Service or Pulse Per Second | |
PRN# | PseudoRandom Noise number | |
PSN | Part Serial Number | |
PSR | Pseudorange | |
PV | Position Valid | |
PVT | Position Velocity Time | |
PZ90 | Parametry Zemli 1990 (see PE-90) | |
Q Channel | Quadrature data-free channel | |
RAM | Random Access Memory | |
RAS | Remote Access Service | |
RCC | Rescue Co-ordination Centre | |
RF | Radio Frequency | |
RFDC | Radio Frequency Direct Current | |
RFU | Radio Frequency Uplink | |
RHCP | Right Hand Circular Polarization | |
RI | Ring Indicator | |
RINEX | Receiver Independent Exchange Format | |
RLG | Ring Laser Gyro | |
RoHS | Restriction of the use of Hazardous Substances | |
RM | Raw Measurements | |
ROM | Read Only Memory | |
RMA | Return Material Authorization | |
RMS | Root Mean Square | |
RSS | Residual Solution Status | |
RTC | Real-Time Clock | |
RTCA | Radio Technical Commission for Aviation Services | |
RTCM | Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services | |
RTCMV3 | RTCM Version 3.0 | |
RTK | Real Time Kinematic | |
RTS | Request To Send | |
RXD | Received Data | |
SA | SMART ANTENNA | |
SA | Selective Availability | |
SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers | |
SAR | Search and Rescue | |
SARSAT | Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking | |
SC | Safety Computer | |
SCAT-I | Special Category I | |
SD | Standard Deviation | |
SEP | Spherical Error Probable | |
SG | Signal Generator | |
SGS-90 | Soviet Geodetic System 1990 | |
SI | Système Internationale | |
SigGen | WAAS GUS Type-1 Signal Generator | |
SiS | Signal in Space | |
SLIP | Serial Line Internet Protocol | |
SNAS | Satellite Navigation Augmentation System (China) | |
SNR | Signal-to-Noise Ratio | |
SOL | Safety-of-Life | |
SPS | Standard Position Service | |
sps | Symbols Per Second | |
SPAN™ | Synchronized Position Attitude Navigation | |
SQM | Signal Quality Monitoring | |
SRAM | Static Random Access Memory | |
SS II | SUPERSTAR II | |
SU | (former) Soviet Union (now Russia) | |
SV | Space Vehicle | |
SVID | Space Vehicle Identifier | |
SVN | Space Vehicle Number | |
SW | Software | |
SWRU | Software Replacement Unit | |
TCP | Transmission Control Protocol | |
TCXO | Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator | |
TDOP | Time Dilution Of Precision | |
TES | Time Estimator Status | |
TIL | Time Integrity Limit | |
TNM | Telecommunications Network Management | |
TOA | Time of Almanac | |
TOE | Time of Ephemeris | |
TOW | Time of Week | |
TRAIM | Time Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitor | |
TTL | Transistor-Transistor Logic | |
TTNL | Time to Narrow Lane | |
TVS | Transient Voltage Suppressor | |
TXD | Transmitted Data | |
UART | Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter | |
UDP | User Datagram Protocol | |
UDRE | User Differential Range Error | |
UHF | Ultra High Frequency | |
USB | Universal Serial Bus | |
USGS | United States Geological Survey | |
UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | |
UTC(SU) | Coordinated Universal Time (former Soviet Union, now Russia | |
V AC | Volts Alternating Current | |
V DC | Volts Direct Current | |
VARF | Variable Frequency | |
VBS | Virtual Base Station (standard OmniSTAR service) | |
VCTCXO | Voltage Controlled Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator | |
VFD | Vacuum Fluorescent Display | |
VFOM | Vertical Figure of Merit | |
VSWR | Voltage Standing Wave Ratio | |
WAAS G-II | WAAS Reference Receiver: G-II | |
WADGPS | Wide Area DGPS | |
WEEE | Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment | |
WHQL | Windows Hardware Quality Lab (Microsoft) | |
WMP | WAAS Message Processor | |
WNA | Week number of almanac | |
WPT | Waypoint | |
XP | Extra Performance (standard OmniSTAR service) | |
XTE | Crosstrack Error | |
ZUPT | Zero Velocity Update | |
FAT | Factory Acceptance Test | |
TAS | Thales Alenia Space | |
GPS Almanac | Global Positioning System Almanac | (accurate ¬1km) provides compact representation of entire constellation. Each satellite transmits the almanac for all satellites in the constellation. Receivers use it to predict satellite orbit visibility, but do use it directly for position. |
WAAS | Wide Area Augmentation System | Augmentation information to GPS receivers to enhance the accuracy, availablity, and integrity of position estimates. Relies on signnal broadcast by geostationary satellite, GPS L1 Frequency Comission July 2003 |
GBAS | Ground-based Augmentation System | Augmentation to GPS that focuses it’s service on airport area (approx. a 20-30 mile radius) Broadcasts correction message via a very high frequency (VHF) radio data link from a ground-based transmitter. |
URE / UERE | User Range Error / User Equivalent Range Error | Measure accuracy of pseudorange along the line-of-sight direction from a particular satellite to the user. Indication of signal quality Stability of particular satellite’s clock. Predictability of satellite’s orbit |