Undercrank » GPS

ESTB SIS Broadcast Schedule

Mark — Tue, 28 Oct 2003 12:22:33 +0000

Just discovered this document which details the monthly schedule for EGNOS transmissions. That said, it appears to have been broadcasting quite happily for the past few days, so I imagine I need to force the unit to seek the signal out again.

Satellites on, satellites off

Mark — Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:44:05 +0000

Graeme Fowler again followed up with Garmin regarding the lack of EGNOS signals with the GPS V 2.50 update. Garmin swear blind it’s not them, citing the following:

As the EGNOS signal is still in its test phase the European Space Agency who engineer and control the EGNOS satellites can switch the signal on and off as they see fit. Currently they are broadcasting on the Indian Ocean satellite, which only just reaches the UK with its signals. This will mean that it is difficult to pick up EGNOS signals as the European satellites are currently not broadcasting.

Which I suppose sounds like a reasonable explanation. The Garmin representative also suggests checking the ESA‘s Satellite Applications page for updates on its current status.

The upgrade that needs to downgrade

Mark — Mon, 20 Oct 2003 16:38:31 +0000

According to Graeme Fowler, downgrading the system software on the GPS V to the previous version 2.40 corrects the issues with detecting and using the European EGNOS satellites to obtain a differential lock.

However, the drawback is – as with any downgrade of firmware on the GPS V – that you will lose all your previously stored waypoints, routes and indeed any other user data, so be sure to use Mapsource to backup all of that information before you proceed with this.

Garmin GPS V 2.50 Woes

Mark — Wed, 15 Oct 2003 19:09:34 +0000

Garmin cheerfully announce an update to the GPS V firmware that it assures me that it has:

Further improvements and corrections for WAAS support in the Eastern Hemisphere.

And of course ever since then, it’s not picked up a European EGNOS satellite since. Presumably because I’m just over the magical border into the western hemisphere? Expect a 2.51 or 2.60 version before you know it.