Work-around for Garmin GPS week number rollover
Background
On April 6, 2019, the Global Positioning System (GPS) experienced an event
that occurs every 1024 weeks (19.6 years) and last occurred in 1999. Older
Garmin GPS units used with Wildlife Acoustics recorders interpret the
information received from satellites as indicating the date in August 1999
instead of April 2019. The GPS communicates only the last two digits of the
year (e.g. 99) to the Wildlife Acoustics recorders. In turn, Wildlife Acoustics
recorders interpret this incorrect information from the GPS as the year 2099
(with the incorrect month and day as well). Newer Garmin GPS units do not have
this problem.
For more information about the GPS week number rollover, you can visit
https://www.energy.gov/oe/articles/april-2019-global-positioning-system-gps-week-number-rollover
Symptoms
When connecting an older Garmin GPS to a Wildlife Acoustics recorder to
set the date and time, the month, day and year will be incorrect. The year
will be either 2099 or in the range of 2000-2018. The month and day will also
be incorrect.
Solution
Wildlife Acoustics is providing new firmware to detect and correct the
incorrect information received from older Garmin GPS units.
The following new firmware is now available:
| Products | Firmware |
| SM4, SM4BAT-FS, SM4BAT-ZC | 2.22A* |
| SM3, SM3BAT | 1.35A |
| SM2, SM2+, SM2BAT (all variants)** | 3.41B |
| SMZC** | 1.07A |
| EM3, EM3+** | 1.28A |
*Note SM4BAT-ZC firmware file is different than the file used for SM4 and SM4BAT-FS.
**Note SM2, SMZC and EM3 products were all discontinued in 2016 but we are still providing this new firmware to the benefit of our valued customers.
The latest firmware can be downloaded from our website at https://www.wildlifeacoustics.com/download/firmware-updates
The updated firmware should work-around GPS issues until the next 1024 week rollover event in about 20 years.
Please contact support2019@wildlifeacoustics.com if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely
The Wildlife Acoustics Support Team
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