Avmap EKPIV

[Shoestring Flyer]

Hi all,

Does anyone have experience of the Avmap EKPIV?...What do you think of it?

I am considering buying one of these as apposed to the Garmin 496 but I am slightly concerned by reports that the European Jepp database used by Avmap has deficiences.
Also the number of routes that can be stored in the Avmap is refered to as 10flightplans...which is no where near enough for my purpose...is this correct.?
I do however like the size of this unit over the Garmin and the split HSI/Map ability.

Before I make a final decision, can anyone give me some generel feedback please.

[RJC]

PM sent.

I would say I was sold on the AvMap, but when sitting with them side by side I ended up with the Garmin unit.

The AFE shop in Manchester let me play with both whilst there. You really do need to get your hands on such units before spending those sums of money.

[Shoestring Flyer]

Thanks for the input,

I just might go along and do the same as you did.

Much appreciated.

[IO540]

I would go for the larger screen device every time, subject to it being satisfactory in the other departments.

G496 has a much longer battery life than the Avmap whose battery life is ~ 1hr.

The Avmap has a much bigger display.

The Avmap is better for leg mounting; the G496 is better for sticking on top of the panel.

The G496 has a very good TAWS function which really does work. The Avmap claims to have TAWS but how good is it? The Garmin topo data is from space radar imagery and very accurate.

The Garmin has a flimsy power cable which many users have broken, often damaging the connector in the GPS.

[PH-UKU]

:ugh: DON'T BUY AN AVMAP EKP-IV !! :ugh:

We bought one .. looks very impressive, with the big screen and all that. Had all the water and lochs outlined nicely .... but ....

Reliability ? = Sh#te - we had 3 units exchanged over 12 months

Customer support ? = Sh#te - Avmap in Italy didn't even respond to email queries or software registration. They are useless.

User Forum ? =Sh#te - closed down .. because of all the negative comments?

Heard that over 40 units have been returned in the last year alone (from one supplier) because of chip problems.

If you buy it you are asking for trouble.

Shame, cos it has a lot of potential, but the market moves fast.
We exchanged it (thanks Harry) for a Lowrance Airmap 2000C and are now VERY happy.

We compared the Lowrance Airmap 2000C with the Garmin496 and the Skymap. Skymap reminded me of playing The Hobbit on a Sinclair Spectrum back in the 1980s .. very clunky and not impressive.

IMHO the Garmin 496 is not worth the extra over the Garmin 396 because you can't get TIS and Weather info in Europe .. so you would be paying an extra £500-£600 just to get a better obstruction database. Also the fancy, bright colours in the ads are not that bright on screen, and especially not if it is on a panel mount at a slight angle. Garmin was more intuitive than the Lowrance, but the small screen put me off.

Terrain on the Avmap was out on a lot of the Scottish mountains - sometimes by up to 1000 feet. This is because they only sample height info ar 30secs of arc intervals, so can miss peaks. Not very good. Avmap said that it was the same database as Garmin ... I'm not sure ... the Lowrance seems to be much more accurate than the Avmap in this regard.

Lowrance has big bright screen and is easy to use once you practice a bit. :ok:

Lowrance has spilt screens, HSI, Terrain and it is almost half the price of the Avmap or the 496... and it has an online emulator (http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Aviation/AM2000C.asp) that you can try !!! :ok:

[IO540]

Customer support ? = Sh#te - Avmap in Italy didn't even respond to email queries or software registration. They are useless

I agree. I found their "support" utterly impenetrable when I looked at this unit, 1-2 years ago when it came out.

They set up a well organised distributor network in the USA and over there it seems to be doing OK. But in Europe it's the usual situation... I would hope that with a handheld this isn't much of a problem, with only occassional database updates required.

However if the reliability is bad that's no good.

Interesting comment about the terrain. It sounds like they have done what Jepp have done in say Flitestar - averaging the terrain out. The resulting errors (http://www.pplir.org/images/stories/pplir_files/jepp%20flitemap%20terrain%20article%20v12.pdf)are up to 3000ft, mostly in the unsafe direction. Garmin have fixed this on the 496, by using the US shuttle radar data.

All this is unfortunate because the Avmap looks such a nice product. I fly with a yoke mounted G496 (wired up for TAWS, and for a nav backup in case of a total power failure) and frankly wouldn't like to fly with it as my main GPS. The screen is too small. But it does the job, no doubt.

[Shoestring Flyer]

These negative comments are what is being said on other forums which is obviously very worrying.
Thanks PH-UKU for that descriptive insight into the aftersales dept of Avmap. I certainly would be an unhappy bunny like you if I had 3 units go belly up on me!
Shame really because the performance on paper looks so impressive.

I'll check out the Lowrance but it looks at this stage as if its the Garmin again ( I previously had a 295) is going to get the final vote.

[volition]

Don't know about the Airmap, but I do know about the Garmins. I decide to go with this model, and it's been a great choice so far!

http://www.aviationsafety.com/fl_190.htm

[IO540]

Looks v. nice but I would check out the database coverage outside the USA. Most U.S. nav products have little coverage in Europe, what they do have is untested (due to lack of sales here), and now that DAFIF is closed to public access they are gradually washing their hands of it anyway.

Just something to watch out for. There is a lot of great stuff in the USA.

[justinmg]

Was looking at the Avmap, now not keen :sad:
We want something with a big screen that we can see from the opposite seat. Time to look at AirMap 2000.

[volition]

Yeah, Airmap2000 is the one I'm more looking at!! All the reviews I've gotten is only great ones so far.:)

[justinmg]

Spoke to Harry Mendelsons re these today. Apparently Avmap have improved a lot recently.......so does anyone have recent experience??

[PH-UKU]

Well, we finally got rid of the Avmap in May - and don't regret dumping it for a moment. We used it for just over a year, and in that time we had to take back and get units exchanged 3 (yes THREE) times.

I doubt Avmap could turn it around in the last 2 months. You are either tuned into the customers, or you ain't. Avmap ain't.

Seriously, look at the Lowrance Airmap 2000C. It is half the price and has a much better and brighter display than the Garmin.