The Open Survey field guide
Practical, vendor-neutral writing on RTK GNSS, geodesy, corrections, file formats, and modern 3D field capture — the research shaping the app we're building.
Why Self-Host Your Survey Data (and How Open Source Makes It Possible)
Survey data is legal evidence and client property. What self-hosting means in practice, and what to demand from any field platform.
NMEA 0183 for Surveyors: GGA, GST, and What Fix Quality Really Means
The sentences behind every position your app shows — and why an app that ignores GST can't tell you honest accuracy.
Budget RTK Receivers in 2026: Survey-Grade Accuracy Under $1,000
The cost floor is collapsing — €225 all-band boards, sub-$1k kits, a $695 rover with corrections included. What to look for.
Stakeout Basics: Navigating to Design Points with Cut and Fill
From imported design points to as-staked records: how stakeout works and how to avoid the classic mistakes.
The PNEZD Format: How Survey Point Files Actually Work
Point, Northing, Easting, Z, Description — the humble CSV that moves survey data, and the traps hiding in it.
Free RTK Corrections: State CORS Networks, RTK2go, and Public NTRIP Casters
22 US states run free RTK networks, and community casters cover much of the rest. How to find and evaluate them.
Gaussian Splatting for Surveyors: Georeferenced 3D Scans on the Map
Photoreal 3D capture is going open. What changes when a splat carries real coordinates.
Site Calibration (Localization) Explained: Tying GNSS to Local Grid
Why RTK coordinates rarely match the plat, and how a Helmert fit over control pairs bridges the gap.
How Accurate Is iPhone GPS? From 3 Meters to 3 Centimeters
What the phone in your pocket can and can't do, and how external receivers close the gap to survey grade.
Emlid Flow Alternatives: Free and Open Options for Reach Owners
An honest look at the field-software landscape for low-cost RTK receiver owners as of mid-2026.
NAD83 vs ITRF: Why Your RTK Coordinates Are 1–2 Meters Off
Datums, epochs, and plate motion — the invisible meter that bites every new RTK user.
What Is RTK GNSS? Centimeter-Accurate Surveying, Explained
How carrier-phase corrections turn an affordable receiver into a centimeter-grade instrument.