  Here we summarize our results from a detailed multi-frequency study of the
QSO 3C309.1 based on the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations made in
mid 1998. From our images, we find a curved jet extending up to 100
milliarcseconds (mas) to the east at low frequencies with two main components,
A and B. A preliminary astrometric analysis (Ros and Lobanov 2001) provides a
determination of the core position at different frequencies by
phase-referencing to a nearby radio source, QSO S5 1448+76. The changes of the
core position with frequency suggest high opacity close to the core caused by
synchrotron self-absorption. Due to the large astrometric uncertainties we
cannot draw any conclusions about the values of the opacity gradients at high
frequencies. We believe that a detailed analysis of the frequency depedence of
the core position will reveal the profile of the matter distribution in the
broad line region, as was initially suggested by Lobanov (1998).
