Excellent Service

[Pudnucker]

Team,

Just thought I'd let you know about some excellent customer service received.

I bought a Garmin 695 & Zaon PCAS system last month. This month I've just bought a Liferaft. Both from Harry Mendelssohn - www.gps.co.uk (http://www.gps.co.uk). On both occasions Lawrence in their sales department has provided really useful and friendly advice.

On top of that, he's given me great prices and goods have both times turned up next day in perfect condition.

Can't recommend them enough :ok:

P

[pmcobban]

Good To hear. How are the 2 items working together? I have been thinking of purchasing a Zaon to work with My 550

[Pudnucker]

The PCAS works well with the liferaft but the raft doesnt move quick enough to avoid traffic......

Seriously, they are good bits of kit. The Zaon does scare the crap out of me occasionally when it saying theres something within a couple of hundred feet and I cant see it (I think its picking up my own xponder or I'm blind!). I think that with 20/20 hindsight, I'd leave the Zaon unit out as it encourages eyes down flying a bit more - I havent used it much so my opinion may change over the summer. Theres a LOT of cabling now in my cockpit. Mandlessohns could make up a cable set for some common types of a/c that is multi-cored (you have wires going from Zaon to 695, Zaon to headset, 695 to ciggie lighter socket)...

The 695 is absolutely brilliant. I swapped it for an old 296. Cant fault it. The yoke mount (a "thing" by RAM mounts) is not great and will not last as long as the unit. My personal opinion is that the RAM mounts are overpriced for what they are (look in the marine market for similar things that are MUCH better quality and cheaper). The yoke mount supplied by Garmin with the 296 is much better (I'm going to adapt it to fit the 695).

The 695 is so sensitive that it picks up gps signal while i'm sat on my sofa (inside a 400 yr old cottage with metre thick walls). Its quite amazing. No need for external aerial.

P.

[Rod1]

Did they tell you about Power Flarm as a potential alternative to PCAS?

If you get an alert from PCAS do not look at the unit or the screen look out of the window. If you are not obviously about to die then look at the unit and consider your best option. Looking at the unit if you are head on with another aircraft just reduces your chances, that is why you have the audio alarm.

Rod1

[englishal]

I have the Zaon interfaced to our 550 and it works a treat. I also have the 550 voice interfaced to a spare input on the GMA340 audio panel so you get voice warnings (traffic / terrain / altitude etc...) from the GPS through the intercom.

I have all powered from the a/c power, and a hull mounted antenna next to the 430W antenna, with all the cabling hidden behind the dash. It is seriously good bit of kit as a budget traffic detector and works well, especially at close range, and I think it makes me visually acquire far more traffic than I would have had I not had it.