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WAAS indication on an old Legend?


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Picked up an old Garmin Legend recently. I thought these units were able to receive WAAS.

 

I have not seen any indication that it does. I don't see it in any of the screens. Any ideas? Thanks.

Go to the satellite page. If there is a small "D" at the bottom of the signal bars, you're getting WAAS correction. If not, go through the System setup and ensure that WASS is enabled.

 

HTH!

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Finally got a data cable for a used Etrex Legend (plain, no "H" kind).

 

I've never seen any indication of WAAS in any of the screens with 3.60. Upgraded to ver. 3.90. 3.90 is the last release for this unit.

 

Anyway, got to use the little Legend a few hours tonight after the FW load and still haven't seen any indication that it is receiving/using WAAS. No "D" or sandy beaches. <_<

 

Also, it is enabled on the setup screen.

 

Do any of you know the current WAAS sat numbers that are in current use? 138 and 135 seem to stick in my memory.

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PDOPS

 

I know I haven't seen 48 and 51 in the satelite status bar. The highest number in that set is 34 and 35. Niether of those have shown any signal strength (rising bar above the sat-number).

 

As to the orignal 135 and 138 I mentioned.....those may not be correct or current WAAS sat numbers.....just something I pulled from a (maybe faulty) memory.

 

Thanks for the link. Will study it.

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I know I haven't seen 48 and 51 in the satelite status bar. The highest number in that set is 34 and 35. Niether of those have shown any signal strength (rising bar above the sat-number).

If the WAAS almanac hasn't been updated in your Legend it won't know where to look for the current WAAS satellites

 

As to the orignal 135 and 138 I mentioned.....those may not be correct or current WAAS sat numbers.....just something I pulled from a (maybe faulty) memory.

135 and 138 are the current WAAS satellites over North America. However 135 is ailing and will probably not last much longer. A new satellite (133) is in the testing stage and is scheduled to become operational toward the end of this year.

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PDOP,

 

How do I update the almanac on the Legend? I thought you just had to expose handhelds to the sky to do this. Is this different with a Garmin? I know my Explorists and PN take a while (15-45 minutes) to get WAAS signals and then do corrections. I used the Legend for over 5 hours yesterday while out rambling in the car and woods.

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PDOP,

 

How do I update the almanac on the Legend? I thought you just had to expose handhelds to the sky to do this. Is this different with a Garmin? I know my Explorists and PN take a while (15-45 minutes) to get WAAS signals and then do corrections. I used the Legend for over 5 hours yesterday while out rambling in the car and woods.

Rambling in the woods won't do it. It needs an uninterrupted signal, for a significant length of time. Set in in some secure location with a good view of the sky for a half hour or more.

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Prime Suspect,

 

I left the little booger out, exposed to the sky (clear night, no obstructions above 10 degrees above the horizon all the way around) for 5 hours. Still no WAAS.

 

I was incorrect in stating earlier that the two satelite slots had 34 and 35. Put on some good reading glasses and those slots are 33 and 34. :D Looks just like the photo above that Sokoloo was kind enough to post (left one) In his/her pic it shows the 33 and 34 slot and sat reception bars fluctuating. On my Legend the numbers 33 and 34 flash on and off at slow intervals. They never show incoming signal though.

 

Just for giggles I went into the menu and turned WAAS off. 33 and 34 never appear with WAAS disabled.

 

Only thing I can think of is to re-flash the FW.

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Coggins,

 

As of last today, I've flashed it to the new 3.90 FW twice. Set it out again for a couple of hours, again to re-almanac, and it still has no WAAS indication. 33 and 34 spots in the sat-page just wink on intermittantly, again, with no signal strength indication.

 

PDOP said one of those sats was flaking out and will be replaced. Maybe that's it. Or I have a faulty unit. I'd think not.....everything else works great.

 

Sokoloo,

 

If you happen by this thread again could you tell me if your Legend still gets WAAS.

Edited by Woodstramp
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... Set it out again for a couple of hours, again to re-almanac, and it still has no WAAS indication.

Does the location where you had it set out have a clear view of the sky to the south? The WAAS satellites orbit over the equator so there can't be anything blocking the sky to the south (same as a satellite TV dish)

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Coggins,

 

As of last today, I've flashed it to the new 3.90 FW twice. Set it out again for a couple of hours, again to re-almanac, and it still has no WAAS indication. 33 and 34 spots in the sat-page just wink on intermittantly, again, with no signal strength indication.

 

PDOP said one of those sats was flaking out and will be replaced. Maybe that's it. Or I have a faulty unit. I'd think not.....everything else works great.

 

Sokoloo,

 

If you happen by this thread again could you tell me if your Legend still gets WAAS.

WAAS should show on that unit as 48 & 51, not 33 & 34. I have the older yellow eTrex (gen 2 w/WAAS) and it gets both of those so a blue Legend should also. As started above, recheck the setting to enable WAAS (SBAS) and get a new almanac.
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... Set it out again for a couple of hours, again to re-almanac, and it still has no WAAS indication.

Does the location where you had it set out have a clear view of the sky to the south? The WAAS satellites orbit over the equator so there can't be anything blocking the sky to the south (same as a satellite TV dish)

 

After first changeover to 3.90 FW I sat it on top of a building at work a few hours. So high up there that there's nothing above 10 degrees above the horizon to obstruct the view.

 

After second FW flash.....sat on a post on my back deck for a few hours....top of that post sees more of the total sky (south too) than does my Dish Network antenna. Delorme PN sitting next to it for control.....PN all WAASing away.

Edited by Woodstramp
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Coggins,

 

As of last today, I've flashed it to the new 3.90 FW twice. Set it out again for a couple of hours, again to re-almanac, and it still has no WAAS indication. 33 and 34 spots in the sat-page just wink on intermittantly, again, with no signal strength indication.

 

PDOP said one of those sats was flaking out and will be replaced. Maybe that's it. Or I have a faulty unit. I'd think not.....everything else works great.

 

Sokoloo,

 

If you happen by this thread again could you tell me if your Legend still gets WAAS.

WAAS should show on that unit as 48 & 51, not 33 & 34. I have the older yellow eTrex (gen 2 w/WAAS) and it gets both of those so a blue Legend should also. As started above, recheck the setting to enable WAAS (SBAS) and get a new almanac.

 

The two highest sat numbers that show on this Legend's sat page are 33 and 34. All these do is appear and disappear at irregular intervals and never build signal strength.

 

Nothing in the 40's/50's ever shows in the sat page. If I disable WAAS in the setup menu 33 and 34 never show again. Reenable WAAS and 33 and 34 just come and go like before.

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I still have a legend that I use occasionally and I still get WAAS on it.

 

PolarB,

 

Could you do me a favor if you get the chance? My Legend's sat signal page looks exactly like the one Sokoloo posted above (unit on left). 33 and 34 showing on the far right. Mine looks exactly like that except there are no grey signal strength bar above 33/34 numbers. Could you let your Legend sit out long enough to aquire WAAS and see if 33 and 34 build signal strength like in Sokoloo's pic? Thanks.

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After first changeover to 3.90 FW I sat it on top of a building at work a few hours. So high up there that there's nothing above 10 degrees above the horizon to obstruct the view.

 

After second FW flash.....sat on a post on my back deck for a few hours....top of that post sees more of the total sky (south too) than does my Dish Network antenna. Delorme PN sitting next to it for control.....PN all WAASing away.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things. The only other suggestion I have would be to try a reset. See http://www.gpsinformation.org/dale/secret.htm and scroll down to Etrex Startup modes where it says:

 

"The newer etrex units (venture, legend, and vista) with the "Click Stick" use different keys to accomplish these tasks but the idea is the same. Holding the click stick down and then powering up will enter the test screen while holding the "page" key down and the "click stick" down and then powering up will reset the unit. You will be prompted with an "are you sure?" message. On these units holding down the "find" button in addition to the others will avoid the "are you sure" message. Hold the buttons for 5 seconds to clear the unit. "

 

Use at your own risk.

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"Use at your own risk."

 

Thanks for that link, but secret menus kind of scare me. The little guy works accurately enough for getting around the woods and water like it is. I was hoping that someone with a 3.90 FW Legend could chime in to see what thier unit looks like currently, just to make sure it's not just my unit.

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"Use at your own risk."

 

Thanks for that link, but secret menus kind of scare me. The little guy works accurately enough for getting around the woods and water like it is. I was hoping that someone with a 3.90 FW Legend could chime in to see what thier unit looks like currently, just to make sure it's not just my unit.

All it will do is reset the unit back to its factory settings. It will be just as it came out of the box.

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Prime,

 

Well, the reset thing was chewing on me....gave in a tried it. It worked! Left it out to see the sky on that same post and got all kinds of "D's" and sats within an hour. 46 and 51 show now.

 

When I first looked at the accuracy it was at 8'. Wanted to see if it was fibbing..... Set a WP at the doghouse then did a Goto to that mark. Little booger zero'd 9' away from where I set the mark! Outstanding. Thank you guys for the help.

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Well, the reset thing was chewing on me....gave in a tried it. It worked! Left it out to see the sky on that same post and got all kinds of "D's" and sats within an hour. 46 and 51 show now.

Outstanding. I'm going to think you won't have to wait as long next time (more like a few minutes).
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Little Etrex now doing it's thing this afternoon. Pic taken 5 minutes after power up.

 

PICT0313.jpg

 

Misty, the mostly Nubian milk goat, was in attendance for the event.

 

(Well, she didn't really care, she's breeched the fence, again, saw me and wanted feed)

 

PICT0315.jpg

 

Jasper, the wonder dog, took the Etrex's lead and now see the new sats with his amazing golden eyes!

 

PICT0319.jpg

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Prime,

 

Well, the reset thing was chewing on me....gave in a tried it. It worked! Left it out to see the sky on that same post and got all kinds of "D's" and sats within an hour. 46 and 51 show now.

 

When I first looked at the accuracy it was at 8'. Wanted to see if it was fibbing..... Set a WP at the doghouse then did a Goto to that mark. Little booger zero'd 9' away from where I set the mark! Outstanding. Thank you guys for the help.

Awesome! Probably there some code or memory that had gotten corrupted. The reset also deleted your temperature adjustment table, but the system will build a new one over time, which will slightly increase its performance.

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