Triumph-LS as base with external radio

Shawn Billings

Shawn Billings
5PLS
I'm sure many are considering options for obtaining a base receiver that will track GPS+Glonass+Galileo+Beidou.

As things are situated on March 19, 2020, for most customers, I recommend the Triumph-3 as a base because it has the new Triumph-3 chip which will track. The chip in the Triumph-LS and Triumph-1M is the Triumph-2 chip (not to be confused with the Triumph-2 which actually has the Triumph-1 chip in it). The Triumph-2 chip (in the Triumph-LS and Triumph-1M) does not track the Galileo E5 AltBoc and E6 signals or the Beidou B2 AltBoc or B3 signals, even though it does track Galileo E1, E5B, and E5A and Beidou B1, B2B, B2A, and B1C. The Triumph-LS Plus with the new Triumph-3 chip will track these additional signals and use them if the signals are present in the correction stream, which within the Javad family will require a base with a Triumph-3 chip.

But there are other considerations. You may be looking to just get your current Triumph-LS up to multi-constellation by adding a base that tracks Galileo and Beidou. The options are Triumph-3, Triumph-1M and Triumph-LS. I've hesitated to suggest the Triumph-LS as a base for various reasons, the main one being it is limited to the internal 1-watt radio or TCP over cellular. For my customers in rural areas with poor cell coverage needing the long range of the HPT435BT radio, the Triumph-LS just wasn't a good option. But many like the Triumph-LS as a base because:
  • it tracks GPS, Glonass, Galileo, and Beidou in standard configuration
  • allows for a user to have two LS's that can be split using their current base (i.e. Triumph-2) or an RTN to double production when appropriate
After speaking with several people on the PLS team and the development team about this, I found that the Triumph-LS can be connected to the HPT435BT JL radio for 35-watt output! The HPT435BTJL (JL is for JLink), is a 35-watt radio with WiFi and an optional cellular modem. The LS can connect to the JL radio just like any other mobile hotspot (like the JetPack) using WiFi. To the LS the corrections are going out like a cellular hotspot using TCP. However, the JLink modem then can transmit the signal over UHF. There is no need for the cellular option for the JL radio for this to work, although it is a very nice feature as well and makes the JL a true "bridge" between cellular, WiFi and UHF.

An instructional how-to can be found here:

I'm not particularly recommending this setup, but for some this will be a good option.
 

Nate The Surveyor

Well-Known Member
So, can the LS connect to a standard 35 watt UHF radio, or does it have to go to that special radio?
And, if running another LS, (@1 watt), could it run to a 35 watt radio, like mine, as a repeater? Is that a good option?
And, what is the true final cost on another LS, WITH the plus option?
N
 

Adam

Well-Known Member
5PLS
So, can the LS connect to a standard 35 watt UHF radio, or does it have to go to that special radio?
And, if running another LS, (@1 watt), could it run to a 35 watt radio, like mine, as a repeater? Is that a good option?
And, what is the true final cost on another LS, WITH the plus option?
N
Only the J-Link radio is capable of this. UHF to UHF repeater use does not support multiconstellation signals but the J-Link via TCP to UHF repeater does.
 

Nate The Surveyor

Well-Known Member
So, fundamentally, an LS on base, will not bluetooth to my 35 watt, or my 4 watt radio?
But, it will link to that new 35 watt radio, via mifi?
My brain wrapper is needing assist to wrap around all this!
Thanks,
N
 

Shawn Billings

Shawn Billings
5PLS
So, fundamentally, an LS on base, will not bluetooth to my 35 watt, or my 4 watt radio?
But, it will link to that new 35 watt radio, via mifi?
My brain wrapper is needing assist to wrap around all this!
Thanks,
N

WiFi, not MiFi, but otherwise correct. The LS would connect using WiFi to the JL radio just like it connects to any other WiFi access point. The JL just doesn't have access to the internet (necessarily).
 

Shawn Billings

Shawn Billings
5PLS
To the LS it would be like connecting to a MiFi device (like a jetpack). The TCP settings etc. would be the same. The JL would take that TCP data and send it out over UHF.
 

Adam

Well-Known Member
5PLS
I wanted to give a little update on this topic. I recently purchased a J-Link radio and got to try it out at the LS base connecting with wifi and transmitting 25 watt UHF. I was set up on top of the ridge here at the house and was able to get corrections 2.5 miles away ridge top to ridge top. It works really well as an external radio for the LS. It increases the range that the LS base provides. With the LS internal 1 watt (at the same location) I can get close to 1 mile. I haven't had the chance to try it out as a TCP to UHF repeater yet but will soon. Using with TCP to UHF I should be able to go as far as I like as long as there is good cell service at the base and at the J-Link.
 

A.lacey

Member
I'm having trouble understanding why the LS can sent over uhf and my radio has the d8psk option in it to transmit the new constellations over uhf. 90% of my jobs are in no service areas.
 

Adam

Well-Known Member
5PLS
I'm having trouble understanding why the LS can sent over uhf and my radio has the d8psk option in it to transmit the new constellations over uhf. 90% of my jobs are in no service areas.
the ls doesn't have the ability to connect via Bluetooth to an external radio. That's why the j-link radio has to be used. It connects over Wi-Fi
 

Nate The Surveyor

Well-Known Member
Adam... It has bluetooth. Is the software simply not written?
It would be good if it did bluetooth to a radio... Just like T-2, or T-3.
Is this even possible?
Thank you,
Nate
 

Adam

Well-Known Member
5PLS
They have worked on this some. The options are there now for repeater. Last time I tried it was a month or so ago and I couldn't get it to work. It may work now with a repeater for GPS and glo. Repeater use with multiconstellation doesn't work.
 

A.lacey

Member
I tried today and once i turned the repeater option on i couldnt get any fix and ls rover would only see 8 sat compared to the 28 when repeater button was off
 

Adam

Well-Known Member
5PLS
Here is the status with repeater use. @Vladimir Zhukov described it below.

"Base/Repeater/Rover (1 sec correctio rate) for GPS/GLO: use RTCM 3 Min messages and D8PSK modulation

Base/Rover (1 sec correctio rate) multi constellation use RTCM 3 MSM short and D8PSK modulation.

Base/Repeater/Rover (1 sec correctio rate) multi constellation (all 4 constellations): conventional mode is not recommended to use, because the communication channel will be overloaded. "
 

A.lacey

Member
I was able to test again today and found with multi constellations when putting it all on independent it still wouldn't send corrections to rover.
 

Shawn Billings

Shawn Billings
5PLS
When you mention independent, do you mean tracking? I think at present it's recommended to use conventional tracking. If I'm misunderstanding your statement, please forgive me.
 
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