Manitoba Geocaching Association

[ertyu]

The Winnipeg Ground Reference Station for WAAS has gone online recently. What this means is that we should get much better WAAS corrections for GPS. In simple terms, more accuracy for WAAS enabled receivers.

WAAS Service Expanded into Canada and Mexico

This week also saw the successful launch of another IIR-M style GPS satellite. Always good news to have more and newer satellites flying.

Launch Info

Not that long ago the new stationary satellites that transmit the WAAS corrections were brought into full service and the old ones turned off. Both of the new WAAS satellites are also capable of operating as a GPS positioning satellite and both are currently doing so, although they aren't subject to WAAS corrections yet. More good news as we get additional tracking sources which are almost always in view.

[Ztirnats]

So basically what you are saying is that we have less excuses than we used to?

[Kabuthunk]

Yeah, and sunspot activity is damn near zero right now... so we can't even say THAT'S causing our DNF's.

I guess I'll have to start getting less DNFs for the next while

[ertyu]

A 32nd satellite was set healthy and added to the almanac today, #32, I was able to track it this afternoon. This is the largest gps constellation EVER.

[Butterfly]

Fascinating! Thanks for the great reading Ertyu!

Mighty kind of them to be continually enhancing our sport!

Glad this thread got a bump up. I had not seen it until now...

[ertyu]

The FCC has started testing a 3rd WAAS satellite for North America. It's located at 98° which is nearly due south of here and should be the highest elevation satellite available. All that should mean we get WAAS signals easier, plus the satellite can be used as a normal GPS satellite for additional tracking. Not sure if the WAAS signal can be used during testing or if most units firmware will support it, the GPS component is set unhealthy for sure. Anticipated in service date is Jan 2011.

[angelcastaneda]

Can I retroactively blame all my DNFs on the lack of WAAS?

[1Queenand4Jokers]

I'm kind of anti-ATTRIBUTE since I believe it is just another clue for the clueless. We so seldom get a chance to look at the actual page. Just download the bulk caches and off we go. And they don't have attributes I really could use like flood friendly. Shouldn't there be an attribute for SUMMER friendly only? Many of our island caches are great in winter but useless without specialized equipment in summer.

Ironically anything hidden previous to better WAAS will have co-ordinates based on the old style so...new cachers may have no excuse but those of us who refuse to update our old ones (heh heh) now maybe it will make it more difficult for newbies who trust their better signal at old caches? YES OR NO.

Whatever. I'm chuckling as I write this so no one needs to delete their cache that has all the attributes added. Would be fun to do though - create a cache with ALL the negatives. Does the space one have a ZERO gravity icon?

I'd like one main attribute icon that shows a flipper, snowshoe, ladder, swimsuit, gloves that states BE READY 4 ANYTHING- you are a cacher for heaven's sake! I'd add that to ALL of mine in a minute. Stealth needed is an amusing one if you think about it and if you have ever watched anyone caching from a distance.

[ertyu]

Well I wonder if they foresaw this, one of the existing WAAS satellites has gone out of control, but remains in service, not sure if it is still properly usable? This would be the more distant of the 2 satellites, at 133degrees and further west. It shows as sat #48 (Garmin) or 135.

[1Queenand4Jokers]

Thanks for the updates Steven. I am so uninformed in this technology but it is fascinating reading. I can handle wonky signal for caches but hate to think it affect airplanes. Wonder what the Polish crash relates to? I read too many CIA spy books to think it is accidental that the whole Polish leadership dies on one plane while the pro-Russian Polish opposition leader takes a different flight. Pilot error blamed. Maybe following a Magellan GPSr?

[ertyu]

This satellite wouldn't be in view for the area where the plane crashed. The satellite covers North and South America, while WAAS is good only for North America.

[ertyu]

BTW I just noticed that the new 3rd satellite will be using #133 or #46 depending on receiver.

[ertyu]

The faulty WAAS satellite will be usable for only 2-4 weeks more. They are trying to get a replacement enabled quickly, but it will likely be months before they can do anything.

[wauchope]

A reciever only uses one waas satelite at a time anyway,either 138 on the east coast or 135 on the west coast.
135 is a little more accurate as it is closer to us but the new one at 98 degrees will diffinately help the farm gps systems and maybe our little units.
you got to consider our little handheld units are good for 2 meters, maybe 3 ,so if your geocaching always keep in mind that error possibility.they just have little antennas,always consider interference from water bodies,trees,power lines, buildings or anything that just might reflect a signal.
you want perfect accuracy of one inch then you need some expensive equipment,try several thousands of dollars will get you RTK which is a ground station with precise known cordinates.
ever see suveyors with those tripod setups with an round looking object about the size of a cereal bowl on top? well thats just thier attenna the rest of the equipment sitting there is very expensive plus they have to buy a subscription just to use that equipment. try trimble.com ,theres even a fun tutorial you can try

[wauchope]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that one of the two WAAS GEO satellites will drift out of usable orbit within two to four weeks. Earlier this week, Intelsat announced it had lost control of its Galaxy 15 satellite that hosts the WAAS SBAS transponder used by the FAA.

The FAA says it is monitoring the satellite, but that failure is imminent. When G-15 is out of usuable orbit, WAAS will be disrupted for users in northwest Alaska. The rest of the WAAS service area — U.S., Canada, Mexico — will operate normally but will be reduced to a single point of failure with only one WAAS broadcasting satellite remaining (PRN 138).

for more info go here
http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/augmentation-assistance/news/failure-imminent-waas-geo-satellite-9841


it always pays to check sources,sorry folks I gave out some wrong info

I was at a trimble seminar and the instructor told us 135 was the better sat to lock on to ,well she was wrong as 138 is the best one for accuracy as far as farmers are concerned.they are fast tracking the new Waas sat.
yesterday I was trying to use 135 and my gps was giving me all kinds of grief till I went back to 138