WAAS turned off?

[+WMAcachecrew]

Hi All. I've been told by a few people that WAAS function is currently not available because of our conflict/war with Iraq. My GPS (Magellen companion) is WAAS enabled but I never get a WAAS signal. Is the information that I've been told legit...or do I need to change my settings or what?

[+4dingdongz]

Now I'm certainly no genius, but my etrex Lagend has waas and it appears to be on. The only evidence I have is the little waas icons on my satellite bars, and they are on.

 

Remember: Stop, Look, and Listen

[+Scott Johnson]

I am still getting a WAAS signal. Although lately, I am having trouble receiving a strong sat. signal on occasion. Could be because I have dropped my unit one or two times too many... or maybe I am not holding my mouth right.

 

Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large groups.

[+Kealia]

Guys,

 

WAAS is still on and functioning properly. I get the signal when I have a clear view of the horizon (which isn't very often due to the heavy Redwood cover).

 

There are only 2 WAAS sats and they are in the West & East. (I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong and they're actually North/South).

 

Good luck.

[+Prime Suspect]

quote:

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Is the information that I've been told legit...or do I need to change my settings or what?

---

No, it isn't. Rather than changing your settings, I would suggest changing the people you listen to.

 

"Don't mess with a geocacher. We know all the best places to hide a body."

[+Touchstone]

This may sound like a stupid question, but how do you tell if you're picking up the WAAS signal? Someone mentioned the icon bars on an eTrex. I've got an eMap, would the screens look similar?

[+Team DEMP]

The eMap Spec Page doesn't list WAAS as a feature on that GPSr.

[+WMAcachecrew]

This is the equipment that I am using. http://www.magellangps.com/en/products/product.asp?PRODID=13

 

Two of my buddies use the same GPS unit. The "W" satellite is shown but I never get a signal. And my buddies tell me they never get a "W" signal either.

[+Touchstone]

quote:

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Originally posted by Team DEMP:

The http://www.garmin.com/products/emap/spec.html doesn't list WAAS as a feature on that GPSr.

---

 

Bummer

 

Then again, I didn't know what I was missing before reading this thread. Ignorance is bliss, which is the way I cache most of the time .

[+Team DEMP]

I wouldn't worry about not having WAAS. I have it and don't enable it. It slows down the GPS (I have a Gamrin GPS V) plus you need a pretty wide open view to get them, which in Northern NJ and when geocaching around here, isn't something that will typically happen.

 

Maybe I'll turn it on and see if I ever get WAAS going around here.

[+Maeglin]

It was turned on for civlian use in the middle of the conflict, if I remember correctly. Why would they turn it off again?

 

Not that it would do much good outside of the US anyway... that's all it's calibrated for. Anywhere else it's bound to do more harm than good.

[+Renegade Knight]

WAAS was operational prior to the official "Launch" date.

 

Magellans don't seem to have a way to tell you when WAAS is on. It can be turned off but it's not nearly as easy as turning on and off in the Garmins.

[+headmj]

Absolutely no reason to turn it off in a megellan meridian. More battery life, better fixes without, its all gathering the force of an urban legend here and it is all baloney! On the meridians if you want to know if your receiving a WAAS signal look at the satellite screen. If the W satellite is highlighted you are receiveing a WAAS signal. There is also WAAS information on other screens.

 

This comment is strictly for Magellan meridians and sportracks. There is some indication here that Garmins handle WAAS differently. I don't own one and don't have a clue.

[+EraSeek]

Of coarse WAAS is not turned off!

One thing probably common to both Megellan and Garmin is that you must first intitialize WAAS by having a good open view of the sky for about 15 minutes or so if you have not recieved WAAS yet. It has to search for the proper satelites and then download the WAAS almanac. If an open spot, have patience, watch for the "W's" or "D's" on the sat screen.

 

 

"See the wonderous works of Providence! The uncertainty of human things!" Geo.Washington

[+gallahad]

When I was a kid, I knew a guy named "Jerry". Jerry claimed that drinking Coca-Cola after putting burnt matches in it would get you drunk. The guy who told you that WAAS was turned off - is his name Jerry?

I disagree with the statement that "ignorance is bliss", Allow me to recommend you read the brief series of paragraphs at:http://www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html regarding WAAS. It's probably all you'll ever need to know about it.

 

"Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks

[+EraSeek]

Hey! I ran into that same kid! That was back when I was young and dumb(er).

[notec]

Jerry once told me if I ate lots of styrofoam I could fly!!! Im not sure but I think I'm eating the wrong kind

 

If it doesn't hurt your not doing it right

[Kerry.]

No point in turning WAAS off with respect a war in the Gulf as WAAS doesn't even work there and if there was a need to put WAAS into emergency military mode (as far as US coverage was concerned) then one might find some strange happenings with straight GPS.

 

No nothing wrong with WAAS, operating normally since changed from test mode to normal operational mode on July 10, 2003.

 

Cheers, Kerry.

 

I never get lost everybody keeps telling me where to go

[+Moonbase]

On my Garmin there is a setting that allows you to enable and disable the wass. Even when mine was enabled, You had to find open area and let it aquire Satts for a half hour. After that it aquires faster.

[+kd7edh]

As a general I turn my WAAS off on my Garmin eTrex Legend, as it just wastes batteries. True it may help you lock a specific location better, which is helpful in placing a cache, but as you are moving through trees and loosing signals, WAAS really slows initial location find greatly.

[+WMAcachecrew]

Thanks for all the info. Tried it on Saturday in an open area. After approximately 10 minutes I finally did get a WAAS signal. Last time I listen to those guys...thanks again.

[+mattyhayes]

quote:

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Originally posted by WMAcachecrew:

Thanks for all the info. Tried it on Saturday in an open area. After approximately 10 minutes I finally did get a WAAS signal. Last time I listen to those guys...thanks again.

---

 

I just got a Meridian Gold, and I get the WAAS signal frequently. Yesterday, while looking through some cache printouts, I actually had both WAAS signals locked. I have found that it does help when stationary and averaging my position.

 

M.

[+Always & Forever 5]

I've got a Garmin Legend, and with WAAS enabled or not, I've not seen any difference in GPS speed or battery usage. All I know is it cuts the error distance by about 1/2! Great if you're in a heavily wooded area...once you get a specific starting point in the woods, that is.

[+xenophon10k]

quote:

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Originally posted by WMAcachecrew:

Hi All. I've been told by a few people that WAAS function is currently not available because of our conflict/war with Iraq. My GPS (Magellen companion) is WAAS enabled but I never get a WAAS signal. Is the information that I've been told legit...or do I need to change my settings or what?

---

 

What you need to do is stop listening to those people!

 

WAAS is on - I've been getting WAAS signals, though not as often as I would like.

 

Put that fweakin' sandwich down!