New EU Sat Nav System

jamieh

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/new-eu-sat-nav-system-available-for-free-428509.html

Hi all,

Just read the above article. I presume this doesn't have any impact on Garmin nuvi devices?

Carlow52

jamieh wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/new-eu-sat-nav-system-available-for-free-428509.html

Hi all,

Just read the above article. I presume this doesn't have any impact on Garmin nuvi devices?

Interesting: more here
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM2HGF280G_index_0.html

Not clear what you need to do as it suggests the receivers are already up for it: will post on garmin forum and see what they think

Alun

It's actually been semi-operational for ages now, and is the EU equivalent of WAAS, that's all.

Most newer Garmin handhelds (etrex etc.) support it already, but AFAIK no car satnav systems do. There's little point really, the extra accuracy isn't really relevant in that scenario where the system 'snaps' the current position to the road anyway. Also since the satellites transmitting the signal are geostationary, they are relatively low on the horizon in northern latitudes and tend to be easily blocked by tall buildings etc., i.e. the very situation where you might just get some benefit from it due to the higher street density.

garydubh

Carlow52 wrote: »

Interesting: more here
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM2HGF280G_index_0.html

Not clear what you need to do as it suggests the receivers are already up for it: will post on garmin forum and see what they think

EGNOS is an addition to and not an alternative to GPS - it provides correction information (DGPS). It is the first phase of the much delayed European GNSS (alternative GPS) service - unlikey to be useful until 2013.

EGNOS is the European equivalent of WAAS and has been in use for a while. Any unit that can use WAAS can also use EGNOS and most SatNav's are already capable of using it.

However, SatNav users should not get too excited - WAAS and EGNOS are line of sight limited correction services - so if you are not driving south ( in Northern Hemisphere) and if there are lots of buildings etc around - your receiver will not be using it and no big problem!!!

coylemj

Strangely enough there used to be an ON/OFF option for WAAS/EGNOS on older Nuvis such as the 300 but the 250 and later don't mention it at all. In this part of the world the visible EGNOS satellites show up on Garmin units as Garmin 33 and 37, I can see them on my eTrex Legend C but have no way of knowing if my Nuvi 250 ever uses them.

WAAS/EGNOS was developed to improve the vertical accuracy of GPS so it's of major interest to pilots but of little or no benefit to drivers.