GPS or PDA?

[arr]

hello
thinking of getting either a gps or a pda with software and a plug in gps adapter.which is better?budget is under £250

[Whiskey Kilo Wanderer]

Hi Arr,

As with anything, it depends on what type of flying you do. My personal preference is for a PDA, ideally with a built in GPS (e.g. Mio 550 or more recent example). If you go the PDA route you can use the MemoryMap charts as well as software like PocketFMS. The other advantage of PDAs is that you can have other applications, like Excel to do W&B and Takeoff Performance Calcs etc. If it has WiFi you can get weather and e-mails down route, assuming you can find a suitable WiFi hot spot.

My present fit includes Garmin Pilot III, Garmin 95XL + Locator and Navigo V2 (car GPS modified to run MemoryMap) / Mio 550.

Safe Flying,
Richard W.

[A and C]

This issue has been a topic of much debate in the gliding world for some time.

The main problem that most glider pilots have is the readablity in bright sunlight. The best product to meet this Bendix/King AV8OR (the glider pilots install diferent software) but this is not within your budget.

As an alternative to an inferior box of tricks with a bunch of wires that is clamped to something, gets in the way of lots of other things and is powered by batterys have you considered a map & stopwatch?

From your posts (or lack of) you seem to be new to flying, and IF this is the case your money would be far better spent improving you basic navigation skills rather than flying around "head down" managing a new bit of kit that is no more than an un-approved aid, a bloke in New York has just shown us that despite flying an aircraft with all the kit he had to go back to basics and do a power off forced landing.

He has shown us that the basic skills saved the lives of all on the aircraft, don't let your hard won basic skills get rusty for the sake of a £250 box of tricks that will be outdated within the year.

[Rans Flyer]

I'm a bit of a GPS Geek. Unit's include.
Garmin 295
Garmin 96C
Garmin 296
Lowrance 600C
XDAII - Memory map & Bluetooth GPS
XDA Orbit - Pocket FMS & Memory Map
Navigo - Memory Map
Asus EEE notebook - Flightstar & Memory map with USB GPS
Xda Ignito - Memory map

I've done the pocket PC route with FMS + Memory Map but for Price, resilience, readability and functionality I would go 100% for a Garmin 96C.
Reason: The screen gets better in daylight, last 40h on 2xAA's (though charger & mount are supplied), waterproof, 128mb built memory for routes etc, has Go-To functionality, airspace warnings and details on airfields (Circuit, frequencys, fuel etc), up datable Jeppesen database, and it's tough (I dropped mine countless times and never had a problem).

Wish I still had it, I sold it for just over £200. Thinking about it, I might look on e-bay for one as a backup to my 296.

Ex. Rans and now Jabiru Flyer.
Flight for Life, Les Field, Dave Blofeld, Tony Parr & Jacqui Parker. Africa Microlight flight. Jabiru G-SIMP, Rans S6 G-BZNH, CFM Streak Shadow G-BSOR. (http://www.FlightForLife.co.uk)

[r44flyer]

Navigo here...

Navigo 3.5" Sat Nav V2 PLUS - UK Maps, Full Postcode Search - MP3 &MP4 player, Bluetooth and FM transmitter - Ebuyer (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/146673)

MemoryMap software here...

EVO Distribution Limited UK Maps | In the Air (http://www.memory-map.co.uk/acatalog/UK_Maps_In_the_Air.html)

You'll need some other files to get everything to work on the Navigo, I can email you those,

Working GPS for under £100. :ok:

[Airways B]

Version 3 of the Navigo is now available here BRAND NEW Navigo 3.5" Version 3 Sat Nav - UK Maps, Lane Navigation, Postcode Search, TFT flat Touch Screen - ALSO plays MP3 & MP4 - Ebuyer (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159765)

It's even cheaper too!

With memorymap and a CAA chart it's complete GPS for around £70.

Have just ordered both, will report back.

[r44flyer]

Have a look for a 4.3" Navigo as well. ebuyer have stopped doing them and they were the best place for them. Much better screen size than the 3.5.

I've got the 4.3 with TomTom for the car and MemoryMap for flying, as above.

[jxc]

Have a look at one of these it has a 5" screen very readable in sunlight running pocket fms and memory map and excellent battery life

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XDA-FLINT-Smartphone_W0QQitemZ320382459044QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Mobile Phones_MobilePhones?hash=item4a98485ca4&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1683|240%3A1318|301%3A1 |293%3A1|294%3A50

[znww5]

I have the 4.3" Navigo with a quarter mil memory map installed.

Pros: Cheap, works OK, MM can also be run on home PC for map browsing

Cons: Screen too small, less than 90 mins battery life, zoom steps are awkward

Although it was fun to tinker with, I've gone back to my ageing Garmin 195. Personally, I don't think the Navigo is a viable proposition for safe use in flight due to the small on-screen buttons and the shortcomings listed above.

OK I suppose, if there are 2 pilots on board or to entertain the passengers, but I couldn't recommend it as a serious nav aid.