In Australia there is currently an trial SBAS signal being transmitted across the entire country.
Yes, we are just now getting into the 20th century here!!
Our penny pinching gov has avoided the cost of SBAS till now.
Apparently ?it started in JUN 17 and will run until JUN 19. However it has been deemed not to be used for operational purposes and so the safety of life message has been set to '0'. This means that all certified hardware is ignoring the signal. The safety of life message needs to be set to '1' for you to receive the signal. All 'un-certified' hardware (ie smartphones, satnav, hand held units) can read and use the signal.?
My question is will a Garmin Aera 660 pick up and use an SBAS correction if the Safety of life message has been set to ?0??
Also, on a completely separate issue, does turning off wifi and/or Bluetooth on the 660 make the battery last longer before needing to be recharged, when used for navigation?