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Questions about my Vista HCx


NOV8TR

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Ok, I just got my new toy last Friday evening and after some time playing with it in the great outdoors, I have a few questions.

 

I’m looking for a good explanation of the “WAAS Enabled” function on my Garmin E-trex Vista HCx. I know that there is supposed to be some extra references (ground based transmitters?), and I know that these “extra” references may not always available, depending on where you are at the moment. I have also read that if you have enabled the WAAS function on your GPSr and there is no WAAS capability in your area, then the location information that is reported by the GPSr may be less accurate than if the WAAS was disabled. Is that true? How do I know if I’m in a good place for WAAS reception?

 

Next question:

When I switch to the satellite signal screen (Garmin E-Trex vista HCx), I see a little red ball or marker moving around the horizon line. I don’t find any reference to it in the manual, and I can’t seem to correlate it to anything that I know about my location (north, next waypoint, direction of travel, ect..). What is this marker for?

 

Thanks for all your replies.

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Ok, I just got my new toy last Friday evening and after some time playing with it in the great outdoors, I have a few questions.

 

I’m looking for a good explanation of the “WAAS Enabled” function on my Garmin E-trex Vista HCx. I know that there is supposed to be some extra references (ground based transmitters?), and I know that these “extra” references may not always available, depending on where you are at the moment. I have also read that if you have enabled the WAAS function on your GPSr and there is no WAAS capability in your area, then the location information that is reported by the GPSr may be less accurate than if the WAAS was disabled. Is that true? How do I know if I’m in a good place for WAAS reception?

 

Next question:

When I switch to the satellite signal screen (Garmin E-Trex vista HCx), I see a little red ball or marker moving around the horizon line. I don’t find any reference to it in the manual, and I can’t seem to correlate it to anything that I know about my location (north, next waypoint, direction of travel, ect..). What is this marker for?

 

Thanks for all your replies.

 

In our area we have excellent WAAS coverage. On your sats page you will see a "D" on the sat column above the number. That "D" indicates a WAAS satalite.

 

The red ball is the direction indicator with reference to the horizon.

 

Hang in there, it'll all come together.

Ron...

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Ok, I just got my new toy last Friday evening and after some time playing with it in the great outdoors, I have a few questions.

 

I’m looking for a good explanation of the “WAAS Enabled” function on my Garmin E-trex Vista HCx. I know that there is supposed to be some extra references (ground based transmitters?), and I know that these “extra” references may not always available, depending on where you are at the moment. I have also read that if you have enabled the WAAS function on your GPSr and there is no WAAS capability in your area, then the location information that is reported by the GPSr may be less accurate than if the WAAS was disabled. Is that true? How do I know if I’m in a good place for WAAS reception?

 

Next question:

When I switch to the satellite signal screen (Garmin E-Trex vista HCx), I see a little red ball or marker moving around the horizon line. I don’t find any reference to it in the manual, and I can’t seem to correlate it to anything that I know about my location (north, next waypoint, direction of travel, ect..). What is this marker for?

 

Thanks for all your replies.

 

In our area we have excellent WAAS coverage. On your sats page you will see a "D" on the sat column above the number. That "D" indicates a WAAS satalite.

 

The red ball is the direction indicator with reference to the horizon.

 

Hang in there, it'll all come together.

Ron...

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WAAS helps reduce the induced errors in your position, imrpoving accuracy from around 100m (300 feet) to under 10m (less than 30 feet) In some locations, at high altitude, I have seen the accuracy down to five feet which is pretty impressive.

 

WAAS helps alot when looking for caches once you are close to them, but doesn't do much if you are on an hour long trek first, so I usually turn that feature off to save battery power and then back on as I approach a site.

 

 

Ok, I just got my new toy last Friday evening and after some time playing with it in the great outdoors, I have a few questions.

 

I’m looking for a good explanation of the “WAAS Enabled” function on my Garmin E-trex Vista HCx. I know that there is supposed to be some extra references (ground based transmitters?), and I know that these “extra” references may not always available, depending on where you are at the moment. I have also read that if you have enabled the WAAS function on your GPSr and there is no WAAS capability in your area, then the location information that is reported by the GPSr may be less accurate than if the WAAS was disabled. Is that true? How do I know if I’m in a good place for WAAS reception?

 

Next question:

When I switch to the satellite signal screen (Garmin E-Trex vista HCx), I see a little red ball or marker moving around the horizon line. I don’t find any reference to it in the manual, and I can’t seem to correlate it to anything that I know about my location (north, next waypoint, direction of travel, ect..). What is this marker for?

 

Thanks for all your replies.

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WAAS helps alot when looking for caches once you are close to them, but doesn't do much if you are on an hour long trek first, so I usually turn that feature off to save battery power and then back on as I approach a site.

You're not really saving battery. Other users have tested the battery life with and without WAAS for the Vista HCx and it has a negligible effect. You'd lose more battery by clicking the backlight on a few times. So, if you're in an area that has WAAS coverage (in North America you're generally in good shape), just leave it on.

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