Data Transfer & Conversion Workflow

The Trimble Data Transfer tool sometimes has trouble transferring files from the receiver when using a USB to serial converter. I’ve had better luck using the rutils package.

In this example, I ran the rutils on a Windows XP VM, and teqc natively on a mac.

Prerequisites

UNAVCO’s TEQC
Trimble R-Utilities (via UNAVCO)

Overview

Use rfile to transfer the raw observation data from the receiver
Use runpkr00 to convert the raw file into a trimble dat file
use teqc to convert the trimble dat file to RINEX 2

1. List files

Note: The Remote Download option (Option #14) must be enabled for transfers to work.

rfile -DCOM2 -B57600 -Pn --rtscts -N

Confusingly, --rtscts disables RTS/CTS flow control. Like most FTDI based converters, the one I used does not have any of the hardware flow control signals connected.

This will produce the following output:

RC REMOTE CONTROL, v2.55  WIN32 (Jan 16 2004)
Copyright (c) 1993-2001 Trimble Navigation Limited.  All rights reserved.
rfile, 2.102
Storing new device file name (COM2).
Setting COM2 to 57600,NONE,8,1.
Setting flow control off.
Testing communications link...wait.
Flushing receive buffers.
  Read     0 bytes

Testing receiver configuration
Got receiver configuration
Flushing receive buffers.
  Read     0 bytes

Getting directory

***** RFILE BEGIN DIRECTORY

CREATION TIME            INDEX      NAME  RECORDS    BYTES
________________________ _____  ________  _______  _______
96.09.18 14:50:00 UTC      016  41132620    24863  4375546
96.09.25 14:41:00 UTC      017  41132690    21798  3918113
01.06.12 15:20:00 UTC      018  41131630       45     4465
01.06.13 10:04:00 UTC      019  41131640    35613  6299940
***** RFILE END DIRECTORY

Done.

2. Transfer

Use the number from the INDEX column to select the file to transfer. In this example, I want 41131640, which has index 019:

rfile -DCOM2 -B57600 -Pn --rtscts -F -I019,41131640

This will transfer the file to your PC. In my case it produced a lot of errors and retries, but was ultimately successful. It seems to struggle regardless of baud rate.

3. Convert

Now, convert the .r00 file to a .dat file:

runpkr00 -d 41131640.r00 41131640.dat

And then use teqc to convert the .dat file into a RINEX 2 file. In this case, I’m using a receiver with stock firmware, so it thinks it’s 2001 when it’s actually 2021, so I have to tell teqc what week it is.

teqc -tr d -week 2142 41131640.dat > 41131640.21o

And you’re done!