GPS "EOW Event" problem

[Joe Brown]

Wondering whether anyone else has had problems with their GPS as a result of the "GPS week 1024 rollover" which occurred
on August 22. During a three-day cruise on the Maine coast last week, my hand-held Garmin 45 went bonkers for the first
time after several years of very faithful and very reliable service. This is also referred to as an "EOW event" and has to do with
the government changing satellite signals which will be restored to normal (?) on September 22. Even following Garmin's
instructions to "autolocate" my older Garmin hand-held, it took more than 45 minutes to load (usually only about five minutes)
after which when moving toward a programmed waypoint the instrument occasionally went blank. Indicated speed over the
bottom often fluctuated, from 0 to more than 12 knots (my hull speed is about 6.2 knots). With the government's tinkering with
satellites, I don't think I can ever trust my GPS again. If someone lost his or her boat due to all this, relying on GPS data, there
could be a massive lawsuit against Uncle Sam, and rightly deserved. We'll see if all goes back to normal on September 22, but
by then our 1999 sailing season in Maine will be about over. Thanks for your patience. --Joe Brown, Rockport, Maine



joebrown@mint.net

[Mike Everett]

I had no problems with my Garmin 38, which I used a lot lately. How about that persistent fog last week?
The factor that governed whether the Garmin worked well or not during the changeover was the age of the software. With the software version number from your machine you can check the Garmin website to see whether you need to upgrade. If you do, Garmin offers a free download.



everett@megalink.net

[Tony Raymond]

I had the same problem on Sept 11th. My Garmin 128 could only find 1 satelite that day. I didn't have the manual and couldn't remember how to get it to relocate. The good news is it was a clear day, so I navigated the old fashioned way. Used my compass and chart. A few days later, it seemed to be fine and could see 9 satelites without a problem. Can't explain it. Was there some kind of annoucement by the gov't that I missed?



tony.raymond@worldnet.att.net