I know this forum has considered this subject ad nauseum. I have read most of the posts, and checked out many of the products. I need to come to a decision, and would like to test my “logic” with those who care to listen!
Selection criteria:
I don’t want to spend a lot.
I am a flying Luddite, who likes using his whiz wheel, map, and mark 2 eyeballs.
Sometimes the above “whiz wheel, map, and mark 2 eyeballs” don’t work as advertised. Usually when cockpit workload is high. It’s times like this when VOR triangulation loses its appeal, and a “cheap” GPS, which tells me where to go to my next waypoint, and how far away it is, would do a much better job.
Conclusion:
So the lack of usable funds and no requirement to use one as a primary navigation device, points me in the direction of a non-mapping / non-aviation database handheld. I say non-aviation database, as having one means you need to update it, and that costs money (£35 a month for the Garmin Pilot 3, I hear).
Options:
On this forum, I have read about 4 that might fit the bill:
1. Magellan 310. c$100.
2. Magellan 315. c$150. I can get this for $230 including data cable and Points of Interest Database.
3. Garmin Etrex. c$110. This goes up to c$250 for the data cable and World Map database.
4. Garmin 3 Plus GPS (ie non aviation model). c$300. Road Moving Map comes as standard – though not sure if UK is available.
Questions:
1. Are the respective non-aviation databases/maps worth the extra money? If not that would reduce the choice to the vanilla forms of options 1-3.
2. Any preferences from the list?
3. Any alternatives?
Yes, I know, huge post for someone quibbling over what is the equivalent price of an hour’s sortie… but hey, that’s the type of guy I am
.
Any help would be mucho appreciated.