What's The Best Handheld Gps

[Capt Groper]

I'm looking to purchase a GPS, preferably a hand held, and multi usable, aviation and marine usage.
I've looked at the Garmin 92CS but before I go ahead has anybody good advise.
The usage in aviation would be for backup navigation whilst PVt VFR flying in AUSTRALIA.
I've read about Pocket PC connected to a GPS via blue tooth.
These systems seem to be complicated as; downloads required from PC's, system compatability requirements, two power sources req'd etc
I would prefer to have an all in one package.

[funfly]

Garmin 296, bigger than the 'hand held' ones but so much better and will give good road cover as well, it really is worth the extra ££.
Be wary of the Garmin 96, it is very good for aviation but very difficult for road use as there is only a small memory for the roadmaps and you have to keep loading different ones to cover various parts of the country.
Important, in my opinion, to have one where you can plug in an extension aerial if you want reliability.
G-BYZD

Suggestion: if you go to the Kemble rally in a couple of weeks time you will be able to see many different kinds and you should get one at 'rally' prices.

[KevinBlack]

Like you in OZ. I sold a GIII Pilot and started to use PocketFMS, bit of dicking around, but much better system. Great forum and responses from developers usually within an hour or so (given the time differential between here and Europe).

Typical Costs:

PocketFMS Donor Registration $88
iPaq Hx4700 (new e-bay) $530
Holux GPSlim 236 BT GPS (new e-bay) $150
Ram Yoke Mount $126

Total circa: $894

Friend bought an ipaq GPS package for $350 - that would make the cost about $564. Also consider a smartphone lik the Mitac Mio A701 (from $600 to $1200 depending on how you shop). It is a triband cell phone, PDA and GPS all in one.

Just a thought,
Kevin

[BroomstickPilot]

I too have been considering getting a hand-held/yoke mounted GPS.

One thing I notice about some of the hand-held/yoke mounted instruments is that the screen, which is already small, is laid out in 'landscape' form when for our purposes surely it would be better laid out in 'portrait'.

Anybody have any views on the Garmin iQue 3600a?

Broomstick.

[IO540]

I would argue the best handheld GPS is the Avmap EKP IV.

A good place to get it is Harry Mandelssohn www.gps.co.uk

It has a different shape to the popular Garmins, so it's a question of usage. The Avmap is much easier to strap to one's knee; a very good way to use a GPS which Garmin users can't normally do; they end up fixing their units to the yoke or the instrument panel, in variously unwieldy ways.

The display is excellent and it's very usable.

Navbox Pro www.navbox.nl now supports this unit for route programming. An unbeatable set-up for VFR (and UK-style IFR) flying.

Not cheap though but I am answering the original question :)

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

I find my Garmin 315 a handy piece of kit that fits in my pocket. The blurb is; 6.0 X 2.0 X 1.3 inches (158 X 50 X 33 millimeters) and a high resolution (104 X 160), 4 grey shades display. When fitted with 2 AA batteries, weighs 7 oz. (199 gram) and has about 10 hours continuous life between changes. It has all significant UK towns in its map memory and the cold startup time is about a minute. A fuller picture is on http://www.gpsnuts.com/myGPS/GPS/Hardware%20reviews/Magellan%20315/magellan_315_review.htm

[BroomstickPilot]

Thanks, Guys.

Broomstick.

[Aussie Andy]

I am extremely happy with my Lowrance Airmap 1000 - huge, clear display, yoke mount included, about £340. See http://www.delahay.co.uk/acatalog/Return_Home_LOWRANCE_AVIONICS_16_CHANNEL_AIRMAP__600C_GPS_WA AS_3.html

Andy