Waas

[+marknhelen]

I am sorry if this question has been asked before but without the search facility....

 

I got a new GPS today (GPS60), old etrex has been given to Ben (geominime) for his birthday. The new one has WAAS on it. Is this enabled in europe/UK, if so does anyone find it useful?

 

I never paid much attention before now because my good old etrex didn't have it on.

 

Oh, and any other top tips for the use of a GPS60 will be very well received. For instance, I know it has a differrent aerial on. The etrex works best when held flat. I am sure I read somewhere the GPS60 works best when held upright. Is this true ?

 

Many thanks

[+Moote]

WASS or EGNOS as it is called in Europe, is very useful as it can increase the accuracy of you GPS

[+sTeamTraen]

My 60cs (same series) seems to display lower (better) "Accuracy" numbers when I hold it vertical. This may or may not indicate that it is in fact more accurate.

 

EGNOS seems to work most of the time these days. But I wouldn't get too excited about the fabulous reduction in cache hunting time which it will bring about.

[+Chaotica_UK]

I think you need to look for Satellite 33 on your display - thats our WAAS satellitte. When my GPS has downloaded the corrections from no 33 it displays a D against each Satellite signal strength bar.

Edited January 20, 2006 by Chaotica_UK

[+Mr'D]

The new one has WAAS on it. Is this enabled in europe/UK, if so does anyone find it useful?

Not really.

 

When searching for a cache the coords are only as good as the placers coords...

 

Once within an indicated 30' area of the cache, I usually put the GPSr in my pocket and start searching, using my intuition.

 

Jon

[+marknhelen]

Thanks for the advice, I will test it tommorrow. I wasn't really expecting amazing results just a little biot more accuracy than with the Etrex.

[Iwuzere]

Sorry to resurrect a dormant thread but I'm trying to decide (for bog-standard geocaching) between a

a ) cheap yellow etrex off ebay

b ) nearly twice the price GPS60 - or

c ) Legend (not colour)

 

The Garmin site says the yellow etrex *DOES* do WAAS/EGNOS (same thing I assume?!) and yet time and time again I see people saying it doesn't.. it's really confusing!!

 

Does it, or not?

 

I like the 60's USB and better aerial/reception but it looks quite big in the local shop.. but I haven't seen a yellow etrex in the flesh.. is there much in it?

 

Is the 60 better or worse to use the the "click stick" on the Legend?

 

All help gratefully received, thanks

[+BareClawz]

I have a Etrex that I bought off Ebay at Christmas and it does have WAAS.

If I remember correctly you go to setup, PC and have a look there. I'm sure somebody will correct me :-)

Since enabling WAAS I have found I get more accuracy but do use slightly more batteries.

 

BareClawz

[+dino-irl]

The Garmin site says the yellow etrex *DOES* do WAAS/EGNOS (same thing I assume?!) and yet time and time again I see people saying it doesn't.. it's really confusing!!

 

Does it, or not?

I think the newer versions have WAAS capability but older ones don't. That may explain the differring views

 

I like the 60's USB and better aerial/reception but it looks quite big in the local shop.. but I haven't seen a yellow etrex in the flesh.. is there much in it?

The "yellow" is pretty much the same size as the Legend. It's just more difficult to lose in undergrowth

 

It doesn't have the little joystick so you naviagte only using the side buttons (pretty much the same layout as the side buttons on the Legend).

 

Is the 60 better or worse to use the the "click stick" on the Legend?

I only have a Legend so can't really comment on this one

[+marknhelen]

I started with an ETREX (without WAAS, this was added later) and then decided I was ready for the next level so I gave the etrex to my son and brought myself a GPS 60. The 60 is a slightly bigger unit but more comfortable to hold and I think easier to use. It has more functions on and due to the aerial more accurate when side by side with the ETREX.

 

I think I have only had the WAAS bird once but I was so accurate that when I took one step to right the GPS reflected this and told me I was half a meter away.

 

I have never used a legend so can't comment.

 

In your shoes I would go for the GPS 60 every time, although the ETREX is more than adequate for geocaching. Would you rather have a Ford Escort or a Jaguar ???

[+Pharisee]

Is the 60 better or worse to use the the "click stick" on the Legend?

 

I've just taken 'the plunge' and upgraded from a monochrome Legend to a 60CSx. They are different shapes and the 60 is larger overall as it has the antenna sticking out of the end and it's also a bit thicker but they're both easy to hold and use.

The 'rocker' button on the 60 doesn't seem as positive or as fast as the 'click-stick' on the Legend but that could just be my unfamiliarity with it. The need to use the 60's rocker to do the selecting and then press a smaller 'enter' button to complete the selection makes it slower (for me, anyway) that the Legend's click-stick which did both the selecting and the confirming without having to change buttons (and I could use it competently with my left hand )

 

Single handed data entry with the Legend is faster than data entry on the 'Yellow' by a long way.

[Iwuzere]

Thanks for the replies.. I must admit I'm still finding it very hard to decide!

There are other 'toys' competing for my toys budget, too

 

Cheers

[+tteggod trackers]

I've had mono legend for couple of years now, its been excellant,and at least 3 friends have bought the same after using mine.My only gripe is the small memory.As i travel alot i'm constantly uploading local maps. I recently contemplated upgrading to a 60csx but i figured if it ain't broke don't fix it!!Went for a sat nav instead!!

I have never had a lock on waas,anyway i figure the majority of caches are set by gpsr's without waas so mine only needs to be as accurate as the setters gpsr.

 

PS looking through various forums and reading cache logs etc. i'd say the legend is still probably the most used gpsr around

Edited May 25, 2006 by tteggod trackers

[+purple_pineapple]

I have a Etrex that I bought off Ebay at Christmas and it does have WAAS.

If I remember correctly you go to setup, PC and have a look there. I'm sure somebody will correct me :-)

Since enabling WAAS I have found I get more accuracy but do use slightly more batteries.

 

BareClawz

 

can anyone confirm this? (haven't got GPS with me at mo...)

 

We got our camo in July, and I admit to being slightly confused as to whether it should or shouldn't have waas ability!

[dpoet]

I use a Lgend no problem at all with it, I would definetly reccomend better than Etrex.

My wife uses a Garmin Geko 201. Although it has no mapping, and the AAA batteries don't last as long, It's very good too. You can buy the Geko from the States very cheap, and if you can get them to declare it as a gift, no import duty. Or buy one from Ebay. Very light and easy to use.

[dpoet]

purple_pineapple

 

I just looked on Garmin website I could not find any reference to waas on camo.

Have a look at spec http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexCamo/spec.html

Hope this helps

dpoet

[+purple_pineapple]

purple_pineapple

 

I just looked on Garmin website I could not find any reference to waas on camo.

Have a look at spec http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexCamo/spec.html

Hope this helps

dpoet

 

Taken from the spec page you kindly linked to!

 

Performance

Receiver: WAAS-enabled, differential-ready, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver continuously tracks and uses up to 12 satellites to compute and update your position

 

dunno if mine does though!

[+Mr Nibbler]

I can also confirm the camo is waas enabled - both my sons use them and I have seen lots of lovely "D's" on them long before my legend deigned to lock on

[+purple_pineapple]

I can also confirm the camo is waas enabled - both my sons use them and I have seen lots of lovely "D's" on them long before my legend deigned to lock on

 

don't suppose you could provide a quick summary of turning it on could you Mr Nibbler Sir?

 

muchos gracias!

 

Dave

 

PS - yes, I even read the manual - clear as mud!

[+UKGeoCyclist]

IIRC, Go to Settings, then System.

 

Make sure the GPS setting is Normal, as WAAS will not work in battery saver mode.

 

Then change the WAAS box to enabled.

 

Jobs a good'un.

 

Adrian

[+Geo-Kate]

With regards to the click stick on the Legends, I must say that I didn't like the one I used at all. As with similar sticks on phones, I find they don't always respond to inputs, when they are 'clicked', it often pushes to one side at tghe same time, and the one I used had an intermittent fault where the microswitch inside would go for long periods not responding to pushes to the left.

 

I personally much prefer the rocker buttons, but do agree that the 'enter' button should be incorperated, not seperate.

 

I'd definately go for a mapping unit, even if you dont own any maps now, it has a base map (good for referencing on a larger scale) and gives you the option later to upload maps. To go one step further, colour screens make map veiwing much clearer and easier.

 

The new range of garmins with the 'x' in the name have newer, much better recievers, allowing for much greater reliabilty of signal, even under thick tress or in buildings!

 

Good luck with your choice

 

Edit to include original subject

 

I leave WAAS turned on all of the time on my unit, and about 50% of the time I get the 'D's indicate correction. This has only stareted to happen more often since the last firmware update a few weeks ago. Maybe the units not locking on to satellite 33 haven't got the latest systems versions installed. In good locations, like on top of a high hill, I get a quoted accuracy of about 5'.

Edited May 26, 2006 by Geo-Kate

[oddsock]

The first series of etrex finished at firmware version 2.14 and was not waas enabled.. the next series started at firmware 3 which had hardware upgrades and were Waas enabled..this also applied to the Cameo.

 

Dave