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23 April 2007

DAY 54: Lunchtime Report

DAY 54: Alston to Greenhead
Lunchtime Report: Kirkstyle Inn, Knarsdale

Made it in time for a few pints of Geltsdale Hell Beck - a lovely dark red beer. I have arrived at this pleasant location just as a little shower came in from behind me - perfect timing.

I am being a train this morning; following the South Tyne Trail rather than the Pennine Way - which the National Trail guide freely admits is pretty boring. The old railway line eases the bones after yesterday's jolts down the long stoney road from Gregs Hut (that I missed)

I spent a bit of time with my GPS this morning, to see how I got in such a mess yesterday lunchtime off Cross Fell. My GPS is telling me I am 500m further north than I actually am, yet is spot on with the East/West location and altitude. Answers on a postcard? Its the first time I used the Bl***y thing on this walk and that 500m error caused me no end of problems!

Answers on a postcard please as to why it is doing this! A Crackerjack Pencil to someone who can help me sort the thing out, or it is being stamped on and being sent back to Garmin! (They can have a cabbage)

Charlie (the surprise Lejogger I met at Dufton) is walking with me just for today before we go our seperate ways - We have also just heard from the landlord that there is another Lejogger (Very Fit Bloke) who is a couple of days ahead of me. I doubt whether I will catch him!

6 comments:

  1. Hi Alan,Waggy's your man! He is an absolute wizard with the GPS I will tell him you need help shall I???!!!
    Glad to hear you are still going well see you in Montrose.
    Michael

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  2. Are you sure that your maps and your GPS are using the same coordinate reference system?

    One may be WGS and the other NG ??
    Albeit I doubt if these differ by as much as 500 meters.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Alan

    Saw Lyn for dinner last night, saw the pics - you have got a mighty fine beard there!

    Glad to hear that all is going well on the walk.

    Watch out for the mad dogs.

    Love

    Caroline and Tony x

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  4. According to the manual, it appears that my eTrex is Subject to accuracy degradation under the US DOD-imposed selective availability program'. Although half a kilometre looks pretty decadent.

    Des

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  5. This could be due to radio interference caused by solar flares. There were reports of many devices malfunctioning back in early December when there was major solar activity and a great surge in radio noise as a result. A further, but lesser, surge is predicted for mid 2007.

    As far as I know, the accuracy degradation is no longer applied.

    The next major solar flares are predicted for 2011.

    Technophobe

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  6. Bit late now, but might be useful in future perhaps; the US no longer degrade the accuracy, but once in a while the UK MOD does. Pilots are sometimes warned about it through the NOTAM system but I don't think there's any easily available way for walkers to find out. I've personally experienced both a complete loss of signal and a huge loss of accuracy (ie repositioning me miles away) while near one of the sites. Just goes to show the value of map and compass skills!

    ReplyDelete

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