WAAS - upgrade to Map 330

[Guest Tronapoke]

Does anyone have any experience upgrading a map 330 to utilize WAAS, or use of WAAS on any other unit. Are there any problems with it?

[Guest ClayJar]

I just made sure I put a fresh set of batteries in before I uploaded the new firmware/basemap (not because I had to, but because it made me feel safer). It went on without a hitch and has had no problems. (And occasionally I'm in places where I can get a WAAS lock.)

[Guest wizmedic]

Hello,

 

I just got my 330 yesterday and that was the first think i did was upgrade it. had new batteries and the upgrade went without any problems. Got a lock on the east WAAS satellite, still havent got a lock on the west yet. I sure enjoy my 330!

 

Cheers,

WizMedic

[Guest bunkerdave]

I uploaded the upgrade the same day it came out, and usually can get the west WAAS. Wierd that Wiz-medic gets the East. Hmmm.

 

Haven't noticed much significant improvement, but have found lots of caches since installing it. Coincidence?

 

I have one recommendation re: power supply. Radio Shack sells a converter into which you can plug your car adapter, and then the converter plug into a wall socket. This way you aren't using batteries when doing route/waypoint/track downloads/uploads in the house. Only costs 10 bucks. I accidentally left mine on all night once, and had used zero battery juice. I use rechargeables anyway, but it's a good safety valve.

[Guest n5xbs]

Installed V1.56 last night. Took about 30 minutes. I haven't noticed the improvement yet. Will post later with observations.

[Guest Big Jack VI]

I got my 330 yesterday. Was it hard to upload?

[Guest Tronapoke]

I uploaded the v1.56 finally, no problems. I don't know if I am getting the WAAS or not, I assume they are the W's on the satallite screen? Thanks for the comments.

[Guest Duger]

I installed and tried the upgrade a few days ago. It worked pretty good, even under intense foliage. I recommend the upgrade.

[Guest Tronapoke]

I had my 330 out yesterday, first time since the upgrade. At home I couldn't get the WAAS sats, but I live in a valley. At higher elevation with a clear southern exposure the unit indicated "WAAS" on the display area that usually indicates EPE. The "Vertical Profile" feature on the upgrade is kind of neat.

[Guest lhocking]

Just got a 330X (moved up from a 315) and it came with the latest software installed. WAAS was the clincher in the decision to upgrade. So far, I have had no trouble picking up the satellite. The only observable difference is that vertical position seems quicker and more accurate.

 

[This message has been edited by lhocking (edited 01 July 2001).]

[Guest Show Me The Cache]

I'm a newbie and I bought a Magellan 330X Mapping, mostly because of reviews I read and the Sam's offer and rebate that resulted in a $200 cost. I immediately downloaded the WAAS and that went smoothly. I'm hooked!

QUESTIONS: If I use WAAS and the seeker does not, what have we gained? Vice versa, if the stasher did not have WAAS and I seek with it, what have we gained? Isn't accuracy always going to depend on the "weakest link"?

 

I'm concerned because I occasionally read reports on here saying things like "our readings differ by 100 feet." Since I'm new, I do not know whether that is expected because of tree canopy and buildings and heavy clouds, my technique lacks, their technique lacks, someone is not using WAAS, or my unit is substandard. Hopefully everything is fine and that's just the reality of the situation. If I am patient, pivot for better satellite strength, and give the averaging a minute or so, I get readings that will "move" 25 feet sometimes in the identical spot.

Anything I should do differently?

 

Opinions please.......Thanks, Darrell

[Guest ClayJar]

Just a little note: at the top of Blood Mountain in Georgia, I had not one but two WAAS satellites going. (Can I assume that the one was the eastern US bird and the other was the European bird?)

 

Anyway, I get WAAS a lot better in flat, open Louisiana than I do in the hills and mountains of northern Georgia, where I was this weekend, but the firmware is nicely solid.

[Guest WaylandersMA]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Show Me The Cache:

......

QUESTIONS: If I use WAAS and the seeker does not, what have we gained? Vice versa, if the stasher did not have WAAS and I seek with it, what have we gained? Isn't accuracy always going to depend on the "weakest link"?....

---

 

No. In GPS, two weak links are worse.

Go to kitchen and get two pie plates and a butter plate.

If the planter of the cache and the seeker both have 50 feet accuracy then take both pie plates and put them on top of each other so they are just barely overlapping. This shows you could be up to 100 feet off.

 

If the planter of the cache has 50 foot accuracy but you have 10 foot then take the pie plate and the butter plate and overlay. The worst you could do is 60 feet off.

 

Confused? Eat some pie.

 

Paul

[Guest leemannn]

If you buy a 330 do! do! upgrade its worth it.

[Guest Iron Chef]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ClayJar:

Just a little note: at the top of Blood Mountain in Georgia, I had not one but two WAAS satellites going. (Can I assume that the one was the eastern US bird and the other was the European bird?)

 

Anyway, I get WAAS a lot better in flat, open Louisiana than I do in the hills and mountains of northern Georgia, where I was this weekend, but the firmware is nicely solid.

---

 

What numbers were the birds? The Eastern-US WAAS sat is number 35 and the Western-US sat is number 47. If you had something other than that then you might be getting the Euro one.

 

------------------

-Iron Chef

_ _ _ _ _ _____ _ _ _ _ _

agefive.com/geocache/ ~ Fe-26

Lets Drive Fast and Eat Cheese!

[Guest ClayJar]

Don't know the numbers (they both just show up as "w", but one was about 45 degrees up from the SE horizon, and the other was right near the horizon farther east, so I doubt it was the western US bird.

[Guest ClayJar]

Don't know the numbers (they both just show up as "w", but one was about 45 degrees up from the SE horizon, and the other was right near the horizon farther east, so I doubt it was the western US bird.

[Guest Iron Chef]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ClayJar:

Don't know the numbers (they both just show up as "w", but one was about 45 degrees up from the SE horizon, and the other was right near the horizon farther east, so I doubt it was the western US bird.

---

 

Sorry about the confusion, I forgot that the 330s don't show the bird numbers for some reason.

[Guest Iron Chef]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ClayJar:

Don't know the numbers (they both just show up as "w", but one was about 45 degrees up from the SE horizon, and the other was right near the horizon farther east, so I doubt it was the western US bird.

---

 

Sorry about the confusion, I forgot that the 330s don't show the bird numbers for some reason.

[Guest ClayJar]

No confusion, but am I sane in saying it must have been the eurobird?