Hi there, WAAS is actually the American system, the European equivalent is EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation O??? (Orbiting?) System.
Amazingly, even astoundingly) the two systems are compatible so if you switch on WAAS on your GPSr it will pick up the EGNOS satellites. As these satellites are in Geostationary orbit they are over the equator and so are not far above the horizon and may be difficult to pick up in the north of England and Scotland
(Thats why a bigger Sky dish is needed in Scotland). I don't know about your Fortrex but most Garmins show a 'D' in the signal strength bars in the Satellite page when you are locked on to EGNOS.
As to what it does for you, until you get the 'D' to indicate that the system is in use the answer is - not a lot. Once it is all locked on and running the "accuracy * " figure may drop from around 20 feet to six or seven.
* Not wishing to start a flame war - the figure which Garmin and others choose to call accuracy is really nothing of the sort. It is purely a theoretical calculation based on the distribution of the satellites at the time (If they are all in a straight line the "accuracy" will be terrible compared to the case when the satellites are nicely spread around over the sky). It takes no account of other factors such as cloud cover reflections off buildings , trees or other local factors. Also, I believe it is a Standard Deviation figure so the 95% confidence level will be 3 times the displayed figure even ignoring local interferences.
Thank you so much for your lightening fast reply!!
I have been scratching my head about this one for a week or two...
I have as i write turned Waas/Egnos!! back on and put the gps in the open to see if i can get some 'D's in the sat screen...
Thanks again very much appreciated info.
Chris Scott,
Derbyshire,
UK.
