WAAS

(The Wide Area Augmentation System for GPS)

See Also: GPS Links    GPS Info    GPS Workshop

 

While intended originally as an aid to aviation (funded by the FAA), WAAS also provides greater accuracy for handheld GPS receivers on the ground.

 

Almost all GPS receivers purchased in the last 5 years are now WAAS enabled.

 

There are currently 4 WAAS satellites that may be visible from Bellingham.

Originally, there were two satellites (one east coast and one west coast). More recently one of these has been moved and two new satellites have been added.

New satellites were slated to be in test mode during early 2007 and online by mid-2007.

 

 

Name NEMA # PRN # Longitude Azimuth* Elevation* Date
POR 47 134 178 E 245 11 1996
AOR-W** 35 122 142 W 206 29 1997
Galaxy XV*** 48 135 133 W 193 32 2005
Anik F1R**** 51 138 107 W 160 32 2005

 

 * Approximate azimuth and elevation from Bellingham, WA

 * For Azimuth, north is 0 and the degrees count clockwise

 ** AOR-W used to be the USA east coast WAAS but was moved in 2006

 *** (Also referred to as PanAm) - Scheduled to be available by "mid-2007"

 **** Scheduled to be available by Spring 2007

 

 

 

 See Also:

    FAA Satellite Navigation ( http://gps.faa.gov/programs/index.htm ) - click WAAS at left

    Google map of WAAS Satellites ( http://members.shaw.ca/pdops/WAAS_GM.html  or for

            Internet Explorer, use: http://members.shaw.ca/pdops/IE_WAAS_GM.html )

    Wiki ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide_Area_Augmentation_System )

    WAAS and Handheld GPS units ( http://gpsinformation.net/exe/waas.html )