GPS Broken? No, WAAS changed

2581 Views 12 Replies 9 Participants Last post by AgentFlounder, Jan 10, 2009

AgentFlounder

Discussion Starter · Dec 17, 2008

So, my eTrex Legend started crapping out while hunting this year. Screen would blank out at random times.

Rather than throwing the unit away, I submitted a query about repairing it with Garmin support. They wrote back to say:

The issue that you are having is directly related to changes that are being made in WAAS satellite signal. Garmin is aware of the issue and has made an update available that will resolve the freezing problem that is being exhibited on your GPS. A quick fix for this issue is to temporarily disable the WAAS reception from your system setup page. This will have a very minimal effect on your GPS accuracy.

Thought I'd let folks know in case you haven't used yours in awhile and find it freaking out.

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endurance

· #11 · Dec 19, 2008

Smithy said:
WAAS is a method of refining the signal in order to provide a more accurate location. It is done on the device, and if you have WAAS enabled, you use that part of the signal to get your fix. If not enabled, then plain basic location is still available, but just not as spatially accurate. No big deal if you're backpacking, very big deal if you're surveying or targeting.

So if your device is acting like the OP's, just disable WAAS and take the location with a small grain of salt (10-30 meters off, maybe).

It's actually pretty important for those of us who use GPS hiking and on bikes if we want accurate speed. If it's off 10m behind you and then 10m in front of you the next reading, your speed will jump up and down constantly if you're moving at only 1-2mps. Not that it'll get you lost, but you might want to tear it off the bars in frustration.

@Canadian-great line! lol

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