Saturday is Y2K for your GPS!

[Ken Shubert]

Pack your old sextant before this weekend cruise. GPS System Time rolls over at midnight Saturday. Newer receivers should be OK but old ones may think it's 6 January 1980, and heaven knows where it thinks you are. For more info check the USCG web-site:http://www.navcen.uscg.mil/gps/geninfo/y2k/ USCG Groups have broadcast announcements this week but the weekend sailors probably haven't been warned. Even owners of new GPS units should be prepared with alternate nav aids this weekend. But isn't that what the 'startup' page always told us? KenS/V Wouff Hong

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

Thanks for the reminder, Ken

It's a good lesson for us all to be versed in alternate forms of navigation (not reliant on electronics). Thanks again for the reminder!Lest anyone be skeptical, this is not Y2K paranoia; this is a fact that the GPS industry has been warning us about for a while now. At the very least, your GPS will slow down & not work for a little while. Might be fun to watch it, even if you're not using it to navigate. "Where were you when the GPS rollover happened?"LaDonna

 

[Gordon S.]

Rollover, not Y2K

The rollover on the 21st was not a Y2K issue. That remains to be seen. It was a change from week 1024 to week 0000 in the system. My early model Magellan 6000 chartplotter/GPS survived OK but a friend with an old Garmin can no longer acquire satellites. I am told there is a way to correct this via info on the Garmin site.Gordon S. C27 6529

 

[Steve Magennis]

Are there still Satellites in the sky?

Since Saturday, my Garmin GPS II has been unable to acquire any satellites. I checked with the Garmin web site and that assured me that my model (with firmware revision 2.05) was compatible with the end of week event. B.S. Fortunately, I was only doing race committee work this weekend and didn't need the GPS.

 

[Pete]

Petei@loa.com

I have a Garmin 45, and could not lock in to a satallite. Called the company and they told me to hold the page button before you put the unit on, and it will automatic search for sats IT WORKED. It takes about 10-30 min. This may continue until 9-21-99.