AKDub

Ok, so I just got off the phone with a much more reasonable rep from Garmin. Apparently Garmin is aware of the problem and is working on the issue: I was able to get a lock in PRN-33 this weekend (it's INMARSAT's Atlantic Ocean Region East bird - located more or less over the West Coast of Africa) with my 60csx. Personally, now knowing that Garmin is working the issue, I'm willing to relax a little more. The gentleman that I spoke with this afternoon was infinately more helpful, and didn't offer a snap-reflex stock answer. For now, with a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel, I plan on waiting out the move and the PAN-AM sat coming back online this fall.. I was also assured that the tech reps would be providing a more unified front with the answers to our questions. Thanks, Jeff (apparently they do read the forums...) Ben

Look closer at the top of the page. The first blue-shaded icon says "WAAS Enabled". Also, look at the box, same thing. Garmin is marketing this as a WAAS enabled receiver. It's like buying a car in a cold climate- the sticker says it has AC and all the documentation hints at it as well (e.g. - There's a section in the manual about how to turn on the AC and how to properly use it, as well as a section in the back that mentions the impact of how AC affects performance and so on and so forth..) Well, you order the car, pay the man at the dealer, take it home and find out that the AC isn't actually installed, but when you call the dealer back, they say "You live in a cold climate, you don't need AC, just roll down your windows.." That would be a big hit..

Thanks for the picture Kenjobi. Just out of curiosity - what firmware version are you using? Based solely on the e-mail correspondence from the tech-rep, either Garmin is pulling some sort of stunt, the SiRF chips are completely unstable, or the Tech Rep hasn't a clue. Either way it'd be more responsible for the rep to refer the question to someone who knows better rather than make something up. I live in NE, but between work and play I have access to 8 other SDGPS units that are getting a WAAS fix. The only odd man out is the SiRF chip. The 60CSX is consistently the furthest out from corrected benchmarks, and drifts at an alarming rate. Bottom line is I paid for a WAAS enabled GPSr, I'd like some affirmation that I got what I paid for. None of us would settle for a TV that was advertised as having 2 S-video inputs if it showed up with only an "Antenna In" jack. We also wouldn't be that satified if the tech rep's solution to your problem was "You don't really need it, and we have no plans for making it available." The first time I called tech support on the phone, the rep I spoke with seemed puzzled and walked me through a master reset. So already there's some disparity. Now there's pictures of a 60CSX with a "D" lock. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? The only difference in the units should be the serial number!! Why would the RCVR reserve slots for PRN's higher than 35 and show intermittent signals if it was never intended to work. BTW- best EPE I've gotten out of the 60CSX is +/- 21' - Seing the 7 is a little alarming. And New England isn't an excuse- I've gotten locks on Ross Island in Antarctica before, so satellite elevation above the horizon is a crock.... I've got 10+ years experience as a marine NAV/COMMS tech and have seen much lesser units perform better at the ends of the ends of the earth- Vermont should not be a challenge. If Garmin wants to tell me that due to the move of AOR-W the PDOP/HDOP is out of range for an SBAS correction in the Northeast, then that's fine, but don't explain it away as "We got your money. We say you don't need it. We probably won't give it to you.." Bottom line is that the box says it's WAAS enabled, and that's what I want! /end_rant

Garmin's site sure does tout the 60csx as definately being WAAS capable. All of their literature points in that direction, as does the packaging and product manual. There is even a user setting to disable and enable WAAS/EGNOS support. Heck- even when you dig into SiRF's website for the SiRFstarIII (the chipset in the "x" series), one of the features listed on the product information page is "SBAS (WAAS/EGNOS) Support" It's unacceptable to me to have been misled like this. This is 2006 and my new unit has about 10 times the position drift as a unit that I've had since 2003. I think a pic showing an "x" series locked up with a "D" in the signal bar would be helpful, because in another e-mail from Mr. Ainsworth he indicated the following: Which, OK, fine, but the satellite information page still allows slots for PRN numbers above 30. If there proof out there of a "x" unit with a "D" in the bars, that would tend to further discredit their stance. I'm going to let this fester for another day or two, then I'm going to block off some phone time to play the "Let me talk to your supervisor" game. Ben Ruel A.K.A. AKDub

I purchased a 60csx a couple of weeks ago and noticed the same thing. I compared my 60CSX with a Rhino 530 and E-Trex Vista and found that the two older non-SiRF GPSrs were getting a WAAS corrected fix, while the 60csx wouldn't. I contacted GARMIN's Tech Support and asked them why this was- here's the reply that I got: So after reading the e-mail I went back to Garmin's website and took a look at the product page for the 60csx, and yep, sure enough, there was an icon on the top that hinted that the unit was "WAAS Enabled". The WAAS functionality was also listed as a primary product feature. Oh, and wouldn't you know it, the box for the unit has the same things noted. I replied to the e-mail above voicing my concerns and asking how Garmin could legally sell the unit as a WAAS capable unit when their tech support seems to be OK saying that it isn't. Here's the reply to that e-mail: I'm sorry, but this doesn't cut it. If you advertise the unit as WAAS enabled, sell it as such, you should support it as the same. When a customer asks a question about a problem with one of the features don't explain it away or downplay it's importance. Seems like a classic example of bait and switch and false advertising. Not to mention that my primary concern with the unit's performance is the positioin wander that I experience, above and beyond what I get with an e-trex Vista. WAAS capability would help correct the 1/4 mile hikes that my unit takes while sitting stationary with a clear view of the horizons. Garmin needs to send their engineers back to the drawing board to correct this, and their sales department needs a wake-up call. I urge any of you out there that have notice the same thing to contact Garmin and ask them to correct this, and also forward your concerns to the FTC. We paid too much money for a WAAS enabled receiver for Garmin to try to downplay it's importance. I don't know if I got a bum unit on top of the fact that I'm more than a little miffed at the bait and switch, but I can't help but feel I got swindled. We shouldn't let them get away with this. AKDUB