Magellan GPS Accuracy Better Than Three Meters With New Product Upgrades
Magellan Corporation,
originators of the first GPS handheld, announced today its first shipment of
upgraded GPS receivers offering accuracy of better than three meters.
Selected Magellan handhelds now feature Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)
technology that improves positioning accuracy.
Factory-installed WAAS
capabilities are available in the MAP 330M(TM) and the MAP 330(TM), which is
also contained in the MAP 330X(TM) bundled package.
At no additional cost,
customers who previously purchased these products can upgrade their receivers
to obtain this improved level of accuracy by downloading free software from
www.magellangps.com.
WAAS, developed by the United States government, calculates errors in the
GPS signal then transmits correction messages to WAAS-capable GPS receivers.
Upgraded Magellan receivers provide higher accuracy, not only from WAAS
signals, but also when receiving correction signals from the European
Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS), which covers Europe.
Additionally, projected specifications for the forthcoming Multifunctional
Transport Satellite-based Augmentation System (MSAS) for Asia suggest that
upgraded Magellan receivers will work with this system as well.
As a result,
Magellan customers will gain better than three-meter positioning accuracy
throughout much of the world.
“We’re excited to offer this revolutionary breakthrough,” said
Michael Griffin, President and CEO of Magellan.
“With WAAS technology, our
GPS receivers that previously achieved 15-meter accuracy, are more precise
than ever at better than three meters.
Most of all, the improved GPS accuracy
will be more beneficial and useful in the daily lives of outdoor and marine
enthusiasts, business professionals and countless other customers who rely on
our products.”
Magellan customers do not need special equipment to take advantage of the
increased accuracy because WAAS uses the same frequency as the standard GPS
signal.
However, only Magellan’s newer GPS receivers have adequate memory
capacity to add the WAAS software.
Customers can obtain free and easy
upgrades by downloading the software to their MAP 330 or MAP 330M from the
product support section at www.magellangps.com.
For upgrade assistance or
technical support, call Magellan’s toll-free help line at 866-737-8604.
Testing by Magellan shows its newly released WAAS-capable GPS receivers
can obtain improved accuracy of better than three meters when the GPS unit
receives full WAAS correction signals.
Though three meters is a typical
accuracy figure during WAAS usage, in some cases users will experience poorer
accuracy because the effectiveness of WAAS corrections varies randomly.
“Multipath” (bouncing of the GPS signals on the ground) and satellite location
can also impair accuracy in some situations.
In addition, unlike GPS, the
WAAS and EGNOS satellites are in geostationary orbits over the world’s oceans
and appear low on the horizon from the Western and Central continental U.S.
Therefore, receiving correction signals can be difficult if buildings,
foliage, terrain and other ground obstacles block the signal from view.
Reception will improve as the U.S. government adds more satellites to the WAAS
system.
For more information about WAAS, visit the FAA website at
http://gps.faa.gov/Programs/WAAS/waas.htm.
About Magellan Corporation
Magellan Corporation, headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., is a
broad-based satellite access technology company specializing in positioning,
navigation, communications and guidance products.
A leading manufacturer of
handheld GPS receivers and vehicle navigation systems, Magellan is a private
company with a majority of stock held by Orbital Sciences Corporation, one of the world’s largest, most diversified commercial space
products and services companies.
For more information about Magellan, visit
www.magellangps.com.
MAP 330, MAP 330M and MAP 330X are trademarks of Magellan Corporation.
