What Is Waas - Garmin GPSMAP 276C Owner's Manual

A > L A GPS
PPENDIX EARNING BOUT
• 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?

The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is an FAA-funded
project to improve the overall integrity of the GPS signal and
increase position accuracy for users in North America.
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.
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According to the FAA's Web site, testing in September 2002 of
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 MOPS
(Minimum Operational Performance Standard) 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 276C in
regions that are not supported by ground stations may 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/Programs/WAAS/
waas.htm.
GPSMAP 276C Owner's Manual