AnywhereMap GPS (for Compaq iPAQ)

[TangoZulu]

Does anyone out there have any experience of using the AnywhereMap GPS software for the Compaq iPAQ PDA - or any of the alternatives.

I am particularly interested in how easy it is for some of these "S/W" GPS packages to get the latest aviation database - as opposed to the Garmin Pilot III GPS with the Jepp database?

Also any thoughts on battery usage - I am not sure the iPAQ is really up to an extended flight of more than about 1 hour and the club aeroplanes I fly do not have a power socket for external supply to the iPAQ.

Thanks

TZ

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Tango Zulu:

I have been using the Anywheremap ever since it first came on the market.

First with the Cassiopea and now with the Ipac.

The downloads are simple, you down load off your computer.

The Ipac must have external power I believe it needs from 6 to 36 volts DC.

I have several power cables from alligator clipons to a post light cable that I made myself, what really works perfect is batteries from ELT's they have lots of power left and work just fine.

As to how good is the Anywhere?

The only system that I find better is in Airbus or Boeing.

PS: I use it regularly flying out of North Weald and it is great. However the North America data base has far more information than the European data base.

Cat Driver:

[drauk]

I've used AnywhereMap for about a year - both in the US and in the UK. It is very functional and offers more facilities than anything else I've come across. The US database is excellent - it is frequently updated and the download process is simple. The process is simpler than doing say a Garmin one (which is pretty simple itself). The updates are cheap - free for 6 months then about GBP75/year thereafter.

However, the European database is not nearly as good. The latest version available "expired" in June 2001. That is to say, it can still be used but that was the expiration date belong which is was no longer deemed current. Worse still (most airfields and navaids haven't moved in the last year - some might close and frequencies do change but I always have up to date paper backups) is that the UK database of airfields is really lacking. I'm not just talking about unpaved unlicensed runways either - Elstree isn't in there for example. It wouldn't be so bad if you could add your own, but you can't. You can add waypoints, but not airfields. ControlVision have said for months that they'll release an updated European database soon, but have not done so yet. The European database has no approaches and no airfield diagrams either, unlike the US one.

I've tried quite a few and no other PocketPC software around is as good as AnywhereMap.

Battery life on the iPAQ can be fairly good - with the backlight on a low setting you should get 3-4 hours or better still with the light off altogether as you can when using it in bright daylight. An expansion jacket (essential if you want to use cheap compact flash memory cards) can hold an extra battery which will add 70-100% to this time. As Chuck says, it is easy to rig up an external battery pack or you can buy ready made ones. Not using the aircrafts power sockets (even if it had them) means you are completely independent of the aircraft. They even do an external gyro which will gives you an AI in the event of a vacuum or electrical failure.

Keep in mind you'll need to power whatever GPS unit you choose - the figures I've suggested above are not powering it. The neatest solution here is a bluetooth GPS - no cable to tie the two together and at least 8 hours battery life. Some people may worry about the RF nature of the communications but empirical evidence suggests otherwise.

My personal favourite for UK flying is a Garmin for routing (mainly because of the shortfalls in the database as described above) and a moving map display of a CAA chart on the iPAQ.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

drauk:

I agree with all your comments and like you I run two GPS handhelds at all times.

For really accurate mpping in Europe I have a Lowrance 300 with the mapping cards for Europe, however the anywhere is the one that sits in front of me.

I let my crew have the Lowrance in front of them.

Aren't I nice? :D :D

PS.

Jay the president of Anywhere assures me they are going to get the rest of the world the same as N. America.

Cat Driver:

[Rod1]

I am trying to find a moving map/HIS solution on the iPAQ. I have found some moving map s/w called Navgps pro (www.gonavgps.com), which works with the PC flight systems HIS (http://www.pcflightsystems.com/).

I am still finding out about the database situation, but there is a UK rep. The bad news is he is away until the 20 Jan on holiday. He has produced some enhanced UK data, but I have not got this to try yet.

Rod

[englishal]

I have used AWM for several years now, and it is excellent, better than any 'moving map' GPS on the market in my opinion. I use it with the Casio Cassiopeia, with the Garmin 12 ch 'mouse' GPS module and interface which converts 12-40v from the aircraft power supply to power the GPS and Casio.

I can also plug a cheap Garmin eTrek into it and it works fine. The eTrek has a battery life of around 10 hrs, on a couple of AA's.

My only comment would be that the Casio doesn't really have a bright enough screen if you have sun in the cockpit, though if you were to make a permanent mount for it you could make some sort of screen shield (I use a yoke mount)....and I have yet to fly an A/C with a cigar lighter socket for the PSU. though I believe Controlvision make an external re-chargable battery pack which the GPS / PDA plug into, which can power then for long durations (>10 hrs).

In the US you can subscribe to a service which transmits weather radar data to AWM to overlay them on your route. Shame such technological innovations seem to take an extra 10 years to arrive over this side of the pond....

Cheers
EA

[Fuji Abound]

I am not advertising (honest) just providing some more information on this thread.

www.epcn.co.uk provides detail on European coverage.

[TangoZulu]

Fuji Abound

I am not sure what your website shows regarding European coverage - one of my major concerns is the availability (both now and in the future) of regular, and accurate, updates for any database in a GPS receiver I may choose.

Currently it seems clear that the AnywhereMap product has not been updated recently and no one actually knows when it will be updated - I am willing to be proven wrong, but I have not yet seen anything else to contradict this viewpoint.

Thanks everyone for your replies and information - will have to keep on looking at the moment I think - or maybe buy a Garmin Pilot III ?

TZ

[Chuck Ellsworth]

TangoZulu:

Your concern re. updates:

The software that is now used in the Anywheremap has proven to be as accurate as any other software. I fly with several gps units in the London area as well as other parts of Europe.

I run several GPS units at the same time. To this point in time I have found no errors in the Anywheremap display. The last flight I did was from Seia Portugal to Bordeaux France and we had a Garmin 430 and a Lowrance 300 running as well as the Anywhere.

Remember you should back up all info from a portable GPS with other info such as a map. The airports VOR's NDB's etc. very seldom move their locations.

I find the Ipac with a stowaway keyboard has completly replaced my lap top for use away from home.

I write aviation short stories part time ( in MS Word. ) in my Ipac and then download into my compurter at home.

Great little device.

Cat Driver:

[Whiskey Kilo Wanderer]

Interesting comments on the Anywhere Map system. I’ve found the same problems and benefits. The European database is very limited, although the extended centre lines feature was really helpful when getting back in to Verdun on the way home from the RSA Rally last year. The controlled airspace was also useful while transiting northern Germany. I would still monitor the relevant half mil at the same time.

The Memory Map system (seen at the PFA Rally last year and now available through the usual pilot toy shops) is very good. It allows the planning to be done on the familiar charts on the PC and the route down-loaded to the GPS (needs the latest update to work with the Pilot III). It’s great to have a moving map version of the 1:250,000 charts that come with the half mil CD. The only problem with the Memory May is that for most operations you will need additional memory for the iPAQ. The half mil charts are about 54Mb and the quarter mil is nearer 115Mb. That said the quarter mil covers almost the same area as the half mil. The other limitation is that these are UK charts. I’ve not seen any European ones yet. To power the iPAQ in the aircraft you can get iPAQ cables that have a 9 way D connector and the USB as well. There are cigar lighter adapters that will accept the USB plug. That way you power the iPAQ, and use the 9 way D for serial RS323 data from the GPS. You can get multi way cigar lighter adapters from Halfords, so run the GPS and the iPAQ off the same cigar lighter socket.

Having played with various GPS’s, both flying and at work (offshore), the Pilot III is still my favourite for most jobs. The topographical database showed roads and small towns in Australia when working down there last year, even though the unit was a ‘European’ one. We used the Pilot III to check vessel gyro compasses and DGPS positioning, it was around the 1 metre accuracy when we checked it on a trig pillar in Tasmania.

Safe Flying,

WK Wanderer