Garmin GPSMAP 190-00683-00 User Manual

Page 131

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Using WAAS—WAAS capability is enabled and the unit is

receiving WAAS corrections.

Check Beacon Wiring—the DGPS setting is enabled in the

Interface sub tab on the Main Menu—Setup tab but no DGPS

device is detected.

No Beacon Signal—DGPS receiver is attached, but not

transmitting RTCM data to GPS.

Tuning Beacon—the receiver is tuning manually to a DGPS

frequency.

Using Differential—the unit is receiving DGPS corrections.
Scanning for Beacon—the DGPS receiver is scanning for an

available frequency.

What is WAAS/EGNOS?

The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is an FAA-funded

service to improve the overall integrity of the GPS signal and

increase position accuracy for users in North America. In Europe,

WAAS is referred to as EGNOS.
The system is made up of satellites and approximately 25 ground

reference stations positioned across the United States that monitor

GPS satellite data. Two master stations, located on either coast,

collect data from the reference stations and create a GPS data

correction message.

According to the FAA’s Web site, testing in September 2002, WAAS

confirmed an accuracy performance of 1–2 meters horizontal and

2–3 meters vertical throughout the majority of the continental

United States and portions of Alaska.
WAAS is just one service provider that adheres to the Minimum

Operational Performance Standard (MOPS) for global Satellite

Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS). Eventually, there will

be several services of worldwide geostationary communication

satellites and ground reference stations.
All SBAS systems use the same receiver frequency; therefore any

operational SBAS system should be capable of providing your GPS

unit with increased accuracy at any location in the world.
Currently, enabling WAAS on your Garmin GPSMAP 378/478 in

regions that are not supported by ground stations might not improve

accuracy, even when receiving signals from an SBAS satellite. In

fact, it can degrade the accuracy to less than that provided by GPS

satellites alone. For this reason, when you enable WAAS on your

Garmin GPS receiver, the receiver automatically uses the method

that achieves the best accuracy. To enable WAAS, see page

6

.

For more information, go to

http://gps.faa.gov

.

GPSMAP 378/478 Owner’s Manual

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