RTCM 3 Message List

A complete list of all adopted RTCM 3 Messages with brief commentary.

The official release of the standard at this time is called:
RTCM 10403.4, Differential GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) Services
– Version 4  
(published December 01, 2023)

Purchase a copy from RTCM here.

Comments

If you are interested in the messages you are more likely to encounter in the real world, here is a link to our popular RTCM 3 cheat sheet summary.  By contrast, the list below contains all official messages defined in the current published standard. [If you are not an active member of the RTCM SC-104 efforts, we do not recommend that you attempt to deploy the experimental messages the committee has in development at any given time as they are almost certain to change.]

The text below is taken from the pop-up tool tips that SNIP will display when decoding various messages from an NTRIP stream.  Unlike most NTRIP Casters, SNIP has the ability to decode and process the RTCM messages to provide additional functionality.

The Message List

 

Msg# Message Name & Usage Commentary
1~100 Experimental Messages
The messages in this range are temporary value assignments used by the RTCM SC-104 committee to develop and validate new messages before formal adoption and assignment of a permanent value.
1001 L1-Only GPS RTK Observables
This GPS message type is not generally used or supported; type 1004 is to be preferred.
1002 Extended L1-Only GPS RTK Observables
This GPS message type is used when only L1 data is present and bandwidth is very tight, often 1004 is used in such cases (even when no L2 data is present).
1003 L1&L2 GPS RTK Observables
This GPS message type is not generally used or supported; type 1004 is to be preferred.
1004 Extended L1&L2 GPS RTK Observables
This GPS message type is the most common observational message type, with L1/L2/SNR content. This is the most common legacy message found.
1005 Stationary RTK Reference Station ARP
Commonly called the Station Description this message includes the ECEF location of the antenna (the antenna reference point (ARP) not the phase center) and also the quarter phase alignment details.  The datum field is not used/defined, which often leads to confusion if a local datum is used. See message types 1006 and 1032. The 1006 message also adds a height about the ARP value.
1006 Stationary RTK Reference Station ARP with Antenna Height
Commonly called the Station Description this message includes the ECEF location of the antenna (the antenna reference point (ARP) not the phase center) and also the quarter phase alignment details.  The height about the ARP value is also provided. The datum field is not used/defined, which often leads to confusion if a local datum is used. See message types 1005 and 1032. The 1005 message does not convey the height about the ARP value.
1007 Antenna Descriptor
A textual description of the antenna “descriptor” which is used as a model number. Also has station ID (a number). The descriptor can be used to look up model specific details of that antenna.   See 1008 as well.  Search for ADVNULLANTENNA for additional articles on controlling this setting.
1008 Antenna Descriptor and Serial Number
A textual description of the antenna “descriptor” which is used as a model number, and a (presumed unique) antenna serial number (text). Also has station ID (a number). The descriptor can be used to look up model specific details of that antenna.   See 1007 as well. Search for ADVNULLANTENNA for additional articles on controlling this setting.
1009 L1-Only GLONASS RTK Observables
This GLONASS message type is not generally used or supported; type 1012 is to be preferred.
1010 Extended L1-Only GLONASS RTK Observables
This GLONASS message type is used when only L1 data is present and bandwidth is very tight, often 1012 is used in such cases.
1011 L1&L2 GLONASS RTK Observables
This GLONASS message type is not generally used or supported; type 1012 is to be preferred.
1012 Extended L1&L2 GLONASS RTK Observables
This GLONASS message type is the most common observational message type, with L1/L2/SNR content.  This is one of the most common legacy messages found.
1013 System Parameters
This message provides a table of what message types are sent at what rates.  This is the same information you find in the Caster Table (this message predates NTRIP).  SNIP infers this information by observing the data stream, and creates Caster Table entries when required.  This message is also notable in that it contains the number of leap seconds then in effect.  Not many NTRIP devices send this message.
1014 Network Auxiliary Station Data
Contains a summary of the number of stations that are part of a Network RTK system, along with the relative location of the auxiliary reference stations from the master station.
1015 GPS Ionospheric Correction Differences
Contains a short message with ionospheric carrier phase correction information for a single auxiliary reference station for the GPS GNSS type.  See also message 1017.
1016 GPS Geometric Correction Differences
Contains a short message with geometric carrier phase correction information for a single auxiliary reference station for the GPS GNSS type.  See also message 1017.
1017 GPS Combined Geometric and Ionospheric Correction Differences
Contains a short message with both ionospheric and geometric carrier phase correction information for a single auxiliary reference station for the GPS GNSS type.  See also messages 1015 and 1016.
1018 RESERVED for Alternative Ionospheric Correction Difference Message
This message has not been developed or released by SC-104 at this time.
1019 GPS Ephemerides
Sets of these messages (one per SV) are used to send the broadcast orbits for GPS in a Kepler format.
1020 GLONASS Ephemerides
Sets of these messages (one per SV) are used to send the broadcast orbits for GLONASS in a XYZ dot product format.
1021 Helmert / Abridged Molodenski Transformation Parameters
A classical Helmert 7-parameter coordinate transformation message.  Not often found in actual use.
1022 Molodenski-Badekas Transformation Parameters
A coordinate transformation message using the Molodenski-Badekas method (translates through an arbitrary point rather than the origin)   Not often found in actual use.
1023 Residuals, Ellipsoidal Grid Representation
A coordinate transformation message.  Not often found in actual use.
1024 Residuals, Plane Grid Representation
A coordinate transformation message.  Not often found in actual use.
1025 Projection Parameters, Projection Types other than Lambert Conic Conformal
A coordinate projection message.  Not often found in actual use.
1026 Projection Parameters, Projection Type LCC2SP (Lambert Conic Conformal
A coordinate projection message.  Not often found in actual use.
1027 Projection Parameters, Projection Type OM (Oblique Mercator)
A coordinate projection message.  Not often found in actual use.
1028 Reserved for Global to Plate-Fixed Transformation
This message has not been developed or released by SC-104 at this time.
1029 Unicode Text String
A message which provides a simple way to send short textual strings within the RTCM message set. About ~128 UTF-8 encoded characters are allowed.
1030 GPS Network RTK Residual Message
This message provides per-SV non-dispersive interpolation residual data for the SVs used in a GPS network RTK system.  Not often found in actual use.
1031 GLONASS Network RTK Residual
This message provides per-SV non-dispersive interpolation residual data for the SVs used in a GLONASS network RTK system.  Not often found in actual use.
1032 Physical Reference Station Position
This message provides the ECEF location of the physical antenna used.  See message types 1005 and 1006.  Depending on the deployment needs, 1005, 1006, and 1032 are all commonly found.
1033 Receiver and Antenna Descriptors
A message which provides short textual strings about the GNSS device and the Antenna device.  These strings can be used to obtain additional phase bias calibration information. This message is often sent along with either MT1007 or MT1008.
1034 GPS Network FKP Gradient
A message which provides Network RTK Area Correction Parameters using a method of localized horizontal gradients for the GPS GNSS system.
1035 GLONASS Network FKP Gradient
A message which provides Network RTK Area Correction Parameters using a method of localized horizontal gradients for the GLONASS GNSS system.
1036 Not defined at this time
This message has not been developed or released by SC-104 at this time.
1037 GLONASS Ionospheric Correction Differences
Contains a short message with ionospheric carrier phase correction information for a single auxiliary reference station for the GLONASS GNSS type.  See also message 1039.
1038 GLONASS Geometric Correction Differences
Contains a short message with geometric carrier phase correction information for a single auxiliary reference station for the GLONASS GNSS type.  See also message 1039.
1039 GLONASS Combined Geometric and Ionospheric Correction Differences
Contains a short message with both ionospheric and geometric carrier phase correction information for a single auxiliary reference station for the GLONASS GNSS type.  See also messages 1037 and 1037.
1042 BDS Satellite Ephemeris Data
Sets of these messages (one per SV) are used to send the broadcast orbits for the BeiDou (Compass) system.
1043 Not defined at this time
This message has not been developed or released by SC-104 at this time.
1044 QZSS Ephemerides
Sets of these messages (one per SV) are used to send the broadcast orbits for QZSS in a Kepler format.
1045 Galileo F/NAV Satellite Ephemeris Data
Sets of these messages (one per SV) are used to send the Galileo F/NAV orbital data.
1046 Galileo I/NAV Satellite Ephemeris Data
Sets of these messages (one per SV) are used to send the Galileo I/NAV orbital data.
1057 SSR GPS Orbit Correction
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains orbital error / deviation from the current broadcast information for GPS GNSS types.
1058 SSR GPS Clock Correction
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains SV clock error / deviation from the current broadcast information for GPS GNSS types.
1059 SSR GPS Code Bias
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains code bias errors for GPS GNSS types.
1060 SSR GPS Combined Orbit and Clock Correction
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains both the orbital errors and the clock errors from the current broadcast information for GPS GNSS types. Note these are given as offsets from the current broadcast data.
1061 SSR GPS URA
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains User Range Accuracy (URA) for GPS GNSS types.
1062 SSR GPS High Rate Clock Correction
A state space representation message which provides a higher update rate than message 1058.  It provides more precise data on the per-SV clock error / deviation from the current broadcast information for GPS GNSS types.
1063 SSR GLONASS Orbit Correction
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains orbital error / deviation from the current broadcast information for GLONASS GNSS types.
1064 SSR GLONASS Clock Correction
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains SV clock error / deviation from the current broadcast information for GLONASS GNSS types.
1065 SSR GLONASS Code Bias
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains code bias errors for GLONASS GNSS types.
1066 SSR GLONASS Combined Orbit and Clock Corrections
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains both the orbital errors and the clock errors from the current broadcast information for GLONASS GNSS types.
1067 SSR GLONASS URA
A state space representation message which provides per-SV data.  It contains User Range Accuracy (URA) data for GLONASS GNSS types.
1068 SSR GLONASS High Rate Clock Correction
A state space representation message which provides a higher update rate than message 1064.  It provides more precise data on the per-SV clock error / deviation from the current broadcast information for GLONASS GNSS types.
1070 Reserved for MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1071 GPS MSM1
The type 1 Multiple Signal Message format for the USA’s GPS system.
1072 GPS MSM2
The type 2 Multiple Signal Message format for the USA’s GPS system.
1073 GPS MSM3
The type 3 Multiple Signal Message format for the USA’s GPS system.
1074 GPS MSM4
The type 4 Multiple Signal Message format for the USA’s GPS system. This is one of the most common messages found when MSM is being used.
1075 GPS MSM5
The type 5 Multiple Signal Message format for the USA’s GPS system.
1076 GPS MSM6
The type 6 Multiple Signal Message format for the USA’s GPS system.
1077 GPS MSM7
The type 7 Multiple Signal Message format for the USA’s GPS system, popular.
1078 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1079 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1080 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1081 GLONASS MSM1
The type 1 Multiple Signal Message format for the Russian GLONASS system.
1082 GLONASS MSM2
The type 2 Multiple Signal Message format for the Russian GLONASS system.
1083 GLONASS MSM3
The type 3 Multiple Signal Message format for the Russian GLONASS system.
1084 GLONASS MSM4
The type 4 Multiple Signal Message format for the Russian GLONASS system.
1085 GLONASS MSM5
The type 5 Multiple Signal Message format for the Russian GLONASS system.
1086 GLONASS MSM6
The type 6 Multiple Signal Message format for the Russian GLONASS system.
1087 GLONASS MSM7
The type 7 Multiple Signal Message format for the Russian GLONASS system.
1088 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1089 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1090 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1091 Galileo MSM1
The type 1 Multiple Signal Message format for Europe’s Galileo system.
1092 Galileo MSM2
The type 2 Multiple Signal Message format for Europe’s Galileo system.
1093 Galileo MSM3
The type 3 Multiple Signal Message format for Europe’s Galileo system.
1094 Galileo MSM4
The type 4 Multiple Signal Message format for Europe’s Galileo system.
1095 Galileo MSM5
The type 5 Multiple Signal Message format for Europe’s Galileo system.
1096 Galileo MSM6
The type 6 Multiple Signal Message format for Europe’s Galileo system.
1097 Galileo MSM7
The type 7 Multiple Signal Message format for Europe’s Galileo system.
1098 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1099 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1100 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1101 SBAS MSM1
The type 1 Multiple Signal Message format for SBAS/WAAS systems.
1102 SBAS MSM2
The type 2 Multiple Signal Message format for SBAS/WAAS systems.
1103 SBAS MSM3
The type 3 Multiple Signal Message format for SBAS/WAAS systems.
1104 SBAS MSM4
The type 4 Multiple Signal Message format for SBAS/WAAS systems.
1105 SBAS MSM5
The type 5 Multiple Signal Message format for SBAS/WAAS systems.
1106 SBAS MSM6
The type 6 Multiple Signal Message format for SBAS/WAAS systems.
1107 SBAS MSM7
The type 7 Multiple Signal Message format for SBAS/WAAS systems.
1108 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1109 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1110 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1111 QZSS MSM1
The type 1 Multiple Signal Message format for Japan’s QZSS system.
1112 QZSS MSM2
The type 2 Multiple Signal Message format for Japan’s QZSS system.
1113 QZSS MSM3
The type 3 Multiple Signal Message format for Japan’s QZSS system.
1114 QZSS MSM4
The type 4 Multiple Signal Message format for Japan’s QZSS system.
1115 QZSS MSM5
The type 5 Multiple Signal Message format for Japan’s QZSS system.
1116 QZSS MSM6
The type 6 Multiple Signal Message format for Japan’s QZSS system.
1117 QZSS MSM7
The type 7 Multiple Signal Message format for Japan’s QZSS system.
1118 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1119 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1120 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1121 BeiDou MSM1
The type 1 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1122 BeiDou MSM2
The type 2 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1123 BeiDou MSM3
The type 3 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1124 BeiDou MSM4
The type 4 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1125 BeiDou MSM5
The type 5 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1126 BeiDou MSM6
The type 6 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1127 BeiDou MSM7
The type 7 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1128 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1129 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1130 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1131 NavIC/IRNSS MSM1
The type 1 Multiple Signal Message format for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NavIC/IRNSS).
1132 NavIC/IRNSS MSM2
The type 2 Multiple Signal Message format for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NavIC/IRNSS).
1133 NavIC/IRNSS MSM3
The type 3 Multiple Signal Message format for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NavIC/IRNSS).
1134 NavIC/IRNSS MSM4
The type 4 Multiple Signal Message format for China’s BeiDou system.
1135 NavIC/IRNSS MSM5
The type 5 Multiple Signal Message format for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NavIC/IRNSS).
1136 NavIC/IRNSS MSM6
The type 6 Multiple Signal Message format for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NavIC/IRNSS).
1137 NavIC/IRNSS MSM7
The type 7 Multiple Signal Message format for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (NavIC/IRNSS).
1138 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1139 Reserved MSM
This Multiple Signal Message type has not yet been assigned for use.
1140-1229 Reserved MSM
This range of Multiple Signal Message types has not yet been assigned for use.
1230 GLONASS L1 and L2 Code-Phase Biases
This message provides corrections for the inter-frequency bias caused by the different FDMA frequencies (k, from -7 to 6) used.
1300 Service-CRS
The formal name of the Coordinate Reference System (CRS) in use for this data stream (service) and details needed to link it to any coordinate transformation messages, typically static.
1301 The 15 Parameter Transformation
A set of time dependent parameters used to perform a Helmert transformation between two named regional or local plate-fixed reference frames.
1302 RTCM-CRS
A message used to provide (sets of) links to external databases with information about Coordinate Reference System (CRS).
1303 BDS Network RTK Residual Message
This message provides per-SV non-dispersive interpolation residual data for the SVs used in a BDS network RTK system.  Not often found in actual use.
1304 Galileo Network RTK Residual Message
This message provides per-SV non-dispersive interpolation residual data for the SVs used in a Galileo network RTK system.  Not often found in actual use.
4001-4095  Proprietary Messages
4095 Assigned to: Ashtech
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4094 Assigned to: Trimble Navigation Ltd.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4093 Assigned to: NovAtel Inc.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4092 Assigned to: Leica Geosystems
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4091 Assigned to: Topcon Positioning Systems
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4090 Assigned to: Geo++
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4089 Assigned to: Septentrio Satellite Navigation
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4088 Assigned to: IfEN GmbH
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4087 Assigned to:  Fugro
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4086 Assigned to: inPosition GmbH
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4085 Assigned to: European GNSS Supervisory Authority
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4084 Assigned to: Geodetics, Inc.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4083 Assigned to: German Aerospace Center, (DLR)
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4082 Assigned to: Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4081 Assigned to: Seoul National University GNSS Lab
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4080 Assigned to: NavCom Technology, Inc.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4079 Assigned to: SubCarrier Systems Corp. (SCSC)
The makers of the SNIP NTRIP Caster
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4078 Assigned to: ComNav Technology Ltd.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4077 Assigned to: Hemisphere GNSS Inc.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4076 Assigned to: International GNSS Service (IGS)
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4075 Assigned to: Alberding GmbH
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4074 Assigned to: Unicore Communications Inc.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4073 Assigned to: Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4072 Assigned to: u-blox AG
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4071 Assigned to: Wuhan Navigation and LBS
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4070 Assigned to: Wuhan MengXin Technology
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4069 Assigned to: VERIPOS Ltd
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4068 Assigned to: Qianxun Location Networks Co. Ltd
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4067 Assigned to: China Transport telecommunications & Information Center
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4066 Assigned to: Lantmateriet
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4065 Assigned to: Allystar Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4064 Assigned to: NTLab
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4063 Assigned to: CHC Navigation (CHCNAV)
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4062 Assigned to: SwiftNav Inc.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4061 Assigned to: Zhejiang GeeSpace Technology Co.,
Ltd.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4060 Assigned to: ALES Corp.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4059 Assigned to: Natural Resources Canada
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4058 Assigned to: Anello Photonics
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4057 Assigned to: Sixents Technology
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4056 Assigned to: China Dayou Positioning Intelligence
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4055 Assigned to: Korea Research Institute of Ships &
Ocean engineering (KRISO)
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4054 Assigned to: GEODNET
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4053 Assigned to: Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4052 Assigned to: Furuno Electric Co., LTD.
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4051 Assigned to: Hi-Target
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4050 Assigned to: STMicroelectronics SRL
The content and format of this message is defined by its owner.
4049… Message Types 4049 — 4001 Are Reserved
They are not assigned at this time (May 27, 2020).

 

See Also

These related message sets may also be of interest to you.

A cheat sheet of common RTCM 3 Messages

A complete list of all adopted RTCM 2 Messages with commentary.

A complete list of all adopted SAE DSRC J2735 Messages with commentary.

Common NMEA-183 messages of interest to GNSS NTRIP users Site-1 and Site-2

The only way to truly understand the details of the RTCM 3 message set is to purchase a copy for yourself from RTCM, please do so if you have interest.  Here is the web page with the standards you would need to do RTK or DGPS work.

 


SNIP is a robust NTRIP Caster, but it also has several built-in utilities useful for message decoding

Need to see the internal contents of these messages?  Use SNIP‘s RTCM3 Decoder feature.

Need to use these messages in a navigation solution?  Use SNIP‘s Graphical Display feature

Need to quickly plot the ECEF location of a base station?  Use SNIP‘s Mapping feature.

Need to change the contents or format of these messages? Uses SNIP’s PFAT® features to do so.

Download your own copy of SNIP today, good for the Caster, good for msg decoders


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