WAAS - is it working yet

[tim griffin]

Originally Posted by arn.george

Out this evening and still struggling to get a WAAS signal - test or not
I have cut and rejoined the antennae cable and hoping this is not responsible. Getting good reception of satellites otherwise.

i don't think your set is WAAS enabled check out www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html as i can not find your set as listed but dont worry still accurate enough @95% for 15 metres , any one losing their signal around mid day at the moment
regards tim
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

[arn.george]

Thanks for the link which quotes:-
"The GPSMAP 182/182C feature crisp, high-resolution displays and high-speed processors, which allow for an extremely fast redraw rate. These chartplotters have a built-in WAAS receiver, which means they can pinpoint your location and other map features within three meters, on average. "

Out yesterday and still had "searching for WAAS" on the screen - last two satellites not showing any reading.

[tim griffin]

bugger missed that one , still dont know why you are not picking up the signal
regards tim
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

[arn.george]

Thanks Tim,
Perhaps time to contact Garmin?

[tim griffin]

i would , as its a new model even though WAAS is US i would still like it to do what it say's on the tin , i also can't find much info re upgrades although i think their is talk of sharing the same frequencies? so that when EGNOS kicks in , in June we should not have a problem again though only a test signal
so accurate to 15 metres 95% of the time and 5 metres 75% of the time
which is good enough for me .
regards tim
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

[arn.george]

Found this link today regarding agreement between US and Europe for GPS agreement.

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<a href="http://www.rics.org/ricscms/bin/show?class=News&template=/includes/shownews.html&id=9363&faculty=Geomatics&faculty=Al l%20Faculties" target="_blank"> Galileo will work in partnership with Americas GPS (RICS News) </a>

<!-- RICS.org content end-->
Hope link works!

http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/energy...o/index_en.htm

Claims a "few years time"!!
Alex

[DGR]

Isn't that something completely different to WAAS?

I think that this article relates to the future European (Galileo) and US (GPS as it currently is) NAV systems being compatible - a good idea, I would have thought. WAAS is a GPS enhancment on the current US system, and I don't think it has anything to do with Galileo.

Might be wrong, but I thought that WAAS was a US GPS system enhancement.

By all means, someone shoot me down if I'm wrong......

D...

[Erin]

I also think Galileo is something different from WAAS or EGNOS. As far as i can tell, WAAS (by which I actually mean EGNOS) is already doing something.

I posted sometime earlier that my handheld GPS 76 already shows WAAS being used and I'm pretty sure it's on satelites 33 and 44 as these only show if the GPS is set with WAAS enabled. Interestingly they don't show on my fixed GPS 2006 so although I'm sure it's using them, it just doesn't show up on the sat page (perhaps the 2006 can handle 12 normal sats plus the two WAAS extras). The signal from 33 & 44 is pretty erratic mind you. Very sensitive to direction the handheld is being pointed and they normally seem to be in the east to south east area IIRC.

I also get little D symbols on some sat strength bars which means they are using differential which must also confirm that its doing something more than just bog standard GPSing. And error goes down to something like 6 or 7 feet sometimes.

[tim griffin]

Gallileo expected online 2008 its a inter operable system that will work with GPS and GLONASS , it is a public system unlike GPS and works on a dual frequency so compatible with GPS and GLONASS
first sat expected to launch in 2005 more in 2006 consists of 30 sats 27 operational 3 spare it will be orbiting earth at 23616 km and at a inclanation of 56 degrees with ref to the equatorial plane once this is acheived signals should be received at lat 75 degrees north expected to be accurate to within 3 metres a further feature is the provision of SAR based on the present COSPAS-SARSAT system , each sat will be fitted with a transponder which will send the signal to the rescue centre and the cool bit is it will tell the sender that help is on the way how fantastic will that be .
regards tim
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

[DGR]

From a sad mag I'm reading at work ('cos it's raining so hard I can't see out of the window)...

"A new US Air Force/Lockheed Martin GPS spacecraft is drifting into Slot-4 of the Navigation satellite constellation following launch on 23rd June... ...the satellite is the 11th in the IIR series and the third with the advanced antenna system that provides enhanced signal strength to GPS users on the ground. Nine more IIR models are to be launched, eight of them with additional upgrades..."

Would that include WAAS?

D...

[tim griffin]

yes Lockheed have the contract from the FAA to stick the sat in space and they will have 3 geostationary sats in situ as will provide a better system asopposed to 2 in case of failure . Italy has been chosen as a ground station control for EGNOS the precursor to Gallileo
regards tim ( another sad bloke)
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

[DGR]

To further illustrate how fun packed my day is today...

http://gpsinformation.net/waasgps.htm

That seems to be the answer then!!

Dylan...