Eagle Electronics 250i manual Introduction to GPS and Waas

Think of this data storage like the hard drive memory in a computer or a tape in a cassette tape recorder. You can save several different GPS data files, erase 'em and record new ones, over and over again.

Introduction to GPS and WAAS

Well, now you know the basics of how the unit does its work. You might be ready to jump ahead to Section 2, Installation, on page 13, so you can mount your unit and plug in the power. Or you might want to see how our text formatting makes the manual tutorials easy to skim. If that's the case, move on to "How to Use This Manual" on page 9. But, if you want to understand the current state of satellite navigation, look over this segment describing how GPS and its new companion WAAS work together to get you where you're going.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) was launched July 17, 1995 by the United States Department of Defense. It was designed as a 24- hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year, all weather global navigation system for the armed forces of the U.S. and its allies. Civilian use was also avail- able at first, but it was less accurate because the military scrambled the signal somewhat, using a process called Selective Availability (SA.)

GPS proved so useful for civilian navigation that the federal govern- ment discontinued SA on May 2, 2000, after the military developed other methods to deny GPS service to enemy forces. Reliable accuracy for civilian users jumped from 100 meters (330 feet) under SA to the present level of 10 to 20 meters (about 30 to 60 feet.)

Twenty-four satellites orbit 10,900 nautical miles above the Earth, passing overhead twice daily. A series of ground stations (with precisely surveyed locations) controls the satellites and monitors their exact loca- tions in the sky. Each satellite broadcasts a low-power signal that identi- fies the satellite and its position above the earth. Three of these satellites are spares, unused until needed. The rest virtually guarantee that at least four satellites are in view nearly anywhere on Earth at all times.

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