ELT RTK Base

Choosing a GNSS Base Station for Onocoy

If you want to understand how our stations differ from competitors, see Types of CORS Stations.

How to Choose a GNSS Base Station for the Onocoy Network

The first step is to decide whether you need an advanced (wired) GNSS base station or a budget (wireless) GNSS base station. If you need Ethernet, PoE, 5GHz WiFi, 4G/5G USB modem or data transmission via Radio Modem, choose a wired basestation. If 2.4GHz WiFi is sufficient, a budget station will do. For more details, refer to Choosing a Base Station Type.

Choosing a GNSS Receiver for Onocoy

The second step is to choose the GNSS receiver. For Onocoy, we recommend the Unicore UM980 as the optimal choice with a good balance of quality and price. If you're looking for the cheapest GNSS receiver, there is the Bynav M20, but it earns less. If you want maximum quality and interference resistance, choose the Septentrio Mosaic X5 — a mid-range survey-grade receiver, though more expensive. The u-blox ZED-X20P receiver does not support GLONASS and therefore is not suitable for Onocoy. For more details see Choosing a Receiver.

Choosing an Antenna for a GNSS Base Station

Recommended antennas for Onocoy:

• Survey 160 mm (ELT0123) – high-quality stationary GNSS antenna
• Budget 38dB (ELT0323) – cost-effective stationary GNSS antenna
• ANN-MB2 (ELT0317) – for simple installations where there is no snow and animals or birds do not perch on the antenna.

More details are available in Choosing an Antenna.

Table 1: GNSS Base Station Prices (April 1, 2025)

Base Price (no antenna / power)			Typical Price
	Budget	Advanced	Budget	Advanced
Receiver kit
Bynav M20	229.99€	299.99€	359.99€	494.99€
Unicore UM980	299.99€	369.99€	429.99€	564.99€
u-blox ZED-X20P	329.99€	499.99€	459.99€	694.99€
Mosaic X5	539.99€	599.99€	669.99€	794.99€

Prices exclude VAT and shipping. VAT and shipping depend on the buyer's country. Outside the EU, import duties may apply. Full station list.

Note: Before purchasing a base station without a power adapter, read the warning in the Connection section.

© Eltehs SIA 2025

Choosing a Base Station Type

We offer two types of base stations: advanced and budget.

Advanced (Wired) Station:

• Supports Ethernet, 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi, 4G/5G USB modem
• Data Transmission via Radio Modem
• Powered via USB adapter or PoE
• Based on Raspberry Pi 4B
• Can be rack-mounted (standard 19-inch rack)

Budget Station:

• Connects via 2.4GHz WiFi only
• Powered by USB adapter only
• Based on the compact Raspberry Pi ZERO 2W
• Features an NTRIP LED and USB output from the receiver

Note:

WiFi without an external antenna can be weak. It will work best in the same room as the access point or maybe one wall away. This is especially true for 2.4GHz, which tends to be overcrowded in apartment buildings. So either get a wired station and connect it via Ethernet, or before purchasing a budget station, disable 5GHz on your smartphone and check WiFi quality where the station will be installed. This is explained in a bit more detail in the section “Connection Drops"

Aside from the ability to place a wired station far beyond WiFi range, the budget station offers better functionality overall.

That’s because it also acts as a GNSS receiver. If you don’t need the base station features, you can simply disable the “Main Service” and use it as a high-quality USB GNSS receiver.

© Eltehs SIA 2025

Choosing a Receiver

The base stations from gnss.store differ in the type of GNSS receiver they use.

Unicore UM980

This is an entry-level survey-grade receiver, comparable to those used by other manufacturers of Onocoy-compatible miners. The only differences are likely to be in configuration and firmware version. A typical Onocoy base station using this receiver is LVARIGRIG10. On average, it receives 165 signals with a quality score of 0.870.

Many survey receivers have been built on the UM980/UM981 platform, such as the Sfaira One, NetBOX2, Stonex S900.

Bynav M20

A simpler and cheaper receiver. It tracks slightly fewer signals and provides a slightly lower reward. Compared to UM980, it lacks signals such as GPS L1C, L2P(Y), Galileo E6, Beidou B1C, B2b, and QZSS L1C. However, support for Beidou B1C is expected in a future firmware update.

Fortunately, for Onocoy, only the absence of Galileo E6 matters. This receiver is not survey-grade and is suitable as a base for tractors, drones, or GNSS mining. It’s not recommended for serious geodetic work. Example base station: LVARIGRIG11. It typically tracks 123 signals with an average quality of 0.714.

Septentrio Mosaic X5

A high-quality mid-range survey receiver. It features AIM+ technology for interference mitigation and spoofing protection, as well as OSNMA to distinguish real signals from spoofed ones. It receives two more signals (Galileo E5ab and QZSS L6) than the UM980.

A typical Onocoy base station using this receiver is LVARIGRIG9. On average, it receives 178 signals with a quality score of 0.965. Survey-grade receivers based on Mosaic include Galaxy G1 Plus, AntaRx-Si3 and PolaRx5.

u-blox ZED-X20P

...is a reliable entry-level geodetic receiver. It delivers high-quality measurements with minimal cycle slips. Compared to the UM980, it does not support the following signals: GPS L1C and L2P(Y), Galileo E5b, Beidou B2b, QZSS L1C.The u‑blox ZED‑X20P does not support GLONASS, and therefore is not suitable for use with Onocoy. At the moment, only a preliminary firmware version is available. The final release is expected by the end of 2025."

Understanding Rewards and ROI

If you're interested in the reward, it depends on the number of “green circles”—which directly affects your station’s positioning.

ELT0631 and ELT0633 with Bynav M20

These are the most affordable full-featured multi-frequency base stations and the lowest-cost miners on the market. Ideal for those who prioritize price. Fastest return on investment in Onocoy among all base stations and miners on the market.

ELT0231 and ELT0233 with Unicore UM980

A great balance of price and performance. Perfect for users who understand that over 10–20 years they’ll need more than just mining functions—possibly two dozen features not available from competitors.

ELT0731 and ELT0733 with Septentrio Mosaic X5

The most affordable base stations with Mosaic X5 on the market. Ideal for perfectionists and for those needing a high-quality station for professional geodetic work. Highest rewards in Onocoy compared to any other base station or miner available.

Choosing an Antenna

We’re often asked: is it okay to use the ANN-MB2 antenna (ELT0317)? Here's a checklist of questions to help you decide if this antenna suits your needs. If the answer to all the questions (except the last one) is no, then ANN-MB2 will likely work just fine for you. If you answer yes to any of them, a different antenna may be a better choice.

Are you a professional surveyor? Do you need a top-tier antenna? Then you’ll want the Choke Ring 380 mm antenna (ELT0314). Just €2800—and it’s yours. ?

What’s the climate like where you’ll install the antenna? Do you get snow? Could water flood the antenna? Could birds perch on it? What about cats? Raccoons? Monkeys? Kangaroos? Pythons? If so, go with the Survey 160 mm antenna (ELT0123). It's not the cheapest, but its shape offers excellent protection from weather and wildlife. If the price feels a bit steep, consider the more budget-friendly Budget 38dB antenna (ELT0323). It has a shorter warranty and slightly lower performance, but it still provides protection from the elements and curious animals.

Do you need high accuracy—specifically a low phase center offset? Do you have a long antenna cable and require high gain? Then the best choice for you is the MultiPatch 100 mm antenna (ELT0194).

Are there buildings or trees nearby that could reflect GNSS signals and cause multipath interference? Then you’ll need an antenna that effectively suppresses multipath, ideally one designed with HELIX technology. Your choice here is the Quad Helix Antenna (ELT0316).

Looking for the most affordable option? That’s the ANN-MB2 antenna (ELT0317).

© Eltehs SIA 2025

For local power delivery, we recommend using the power adapter that we supply with the base station. It delivers 3 A and provides a wide safety margin to ensure stable operation under any conditions.

If you wish to use your own power adapter, it is best to choose one rated for 2 A without any “fast charging” features. In other words, a simple, inexpensive charger intended for modern smartphones. This ensures stable power during the first few seconds after boot, when the station's power consumption is at its peak.

Attempting to use a computer’s USB port or a power adapter rated for less than 1 A will result in the base station either not starting at all, or operating unstably.

Please do not power the station from “fast” USB chargers or USB hubs from lesser-known brands. Fast chargers using Quick Charge or Power Delivery technologies operate at elevated voltages — up to 20 V or even higher. These voltages will destroy our base stations.

Low-cost chargers often fail to correctly detect when to switch to or from these high voltages. For example, one of our users first charged their iPhone via a USB hub with Power Delivery, and later connected the base station. The hub failed to cut off the elevated voltage, and the entire base station was fried.

For remote advanced base stations, the best power solution is Power over Ethernet (PoE). In this case, your station is connected using only a single Ethernet cable, which simultaneously provides both power and Internet. The supported standard is IEEE 802.3af, the earliest and most common PoE variant.

© Eltehs SIA 2025