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Interesting. I wonder if the altitude readings were WAAS augmented, or if this is a case where theory doesn't translate in to reality.


Ah. You may be right, there. WAAS is enabled on my GPS (a Garmin 60CSx).

Link for bystanders: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waas

WAAS uses a network of ground-based reference stations, in North America and Hawaii, to measure small variations in the GPS satellites' signals in the western hemisphere. Measurements from the reference stations are routed to master stations, which queue the received Deviation Correction (DC) and send the correction messages to geostationary WAAS satellites in a timely manner (every 5 seconds or better). Those satellites broadcast the correction messages back to Earth, where WAAS-enabled GPS receivers use the corrections while computing their positions to improve [3D] accuracy.


And if you need even higher resolution (centimeter resolution), use use NOAA CORS sites (either with post-processing, or real time with their experimental datafeed)

http://geodesy.noaa.gov/CORS/data.shtml

http://beta.ngs.noaa.gov/CORS/NGSRealtimeGNSS/




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