North sea sat nav

[T4 Risen]

Hi folks,
anyone using or heard of a good satnav programme on a hand held/ pda on the north sea as a "back up" to the aircraft system? preferably moving map and with the platform waypoints?

cheers
T4

[stix]

any GPS would do the trick mate.

[magbreak]

check your Pm's. don't want tog et my leg slapped for advertising (even though I have no connection with the company!!) :)

[MightyGem]

any GPS would do the trick mate.

Yes, but you can use a PDA as a GPS, but you can't use a GPS as a PDA.

[malabo]

Looking at the first post, T4 is looking for something handheld/portable with a map view that he can display and manage user waypoints on through some software program.

I think all handheld GPS units can do this. Some of the better aviation ones, like the Garmin 296 series, can also give you EGPWS, full aviation data including airspace boundaries, detailed base maps, voice driving directions from your hotel to your airport - hell, even tell you what gas stations are on the way. Waypoints are managed through a slick interface with your computer.

There are some PDA's that also do the same, the Garmin 3600A for example. I find they are no better in size, not as good for display or controls, and the software generally more awkward than the non-PDA units.

I don't work for or advertise for any manufacturer either, but in my part of the world you'll find almost all the ones used here start with the letter G.

malabo

[jemax]

I use a Fujutsu Siemens N560, PDA with an in built GPS, I can plan in moments, inserting waypoints. It tracks my route so I can refer to it afterwards even giving me the heights and groundspeed.

CAA 250 and 500 maps loaded in, you can also have OS maps/Aerial photos. As well as other aviation maps once you have bought them. Moving map and I find the screen big enough and GPS aquires in a couple of minutes max and rarely drops out.

With the microsoft mobile suite on it I have excel, with all the aircraft Mass and Balances on it. Also has Tom Tom with all of Western Europe and North America.

The whole thing is super slim and works great, about £500 a year ago.

Only downside was battery life which could be down to 3-4 hours, but I have just bought a 2400mamp battery for £12 which has more than doubled.

[T4 Risen]

The reason i ask is that i have just got hold of a PDA with a built in GPS. I hope to use it on the North Sea as a back up to the old antiquated system on the puma.....( no moving map)
I have the flight planning and weight and balance programmes but the hand held gps thing is new to me, I am looking for something with moving map display that i can use in a puma in the event of the gas driven trimble giving up the ghost.
any thoughts appreciated

T4

[jemax]

The memory map software I installed on my PDA, can either be fixed or moving map. Doesn't go very far offshore though, I'm afraid.