A GPS that works in USA & Europe?

[Sensible]

Does anybody have first hand knowledge of a GPS which is portable and has a database that will work in the USA, the UK and France? I have a Lowrance Airmap at the moment which works in the USA just fine although it is getting ancient now and I have a Garmin 55 which I never ever got the hang of and besides it doesn’t have a moving map or airspace alarms. I am not on a budget and I shall be very grateful for any feedback.

[Boing_737]

Got a Windows PPC2002/3 based PDA? Try pocketfms (http://www.pocketfms.com)

Its donationware, which basically means you can try it out, and if you really like it, you can donate 50 euros towards the cost of development if you want (I think they give some incentives to donate as well). You will need to connect a GPS to the PDA, but this can be done with either a cable to an existing GPS you own (if it produces NMEA output), or buy a compact flash GPS, or mouse receiver.

I guess its worth a look if you already have a PDA.

[iainpoll]

Hi,

My Garmin 196 works just fine in USA and Europe.

If you buy the 196 in the UK it will only have the Europe and Africas base-map, and very little mapping detail for the rest of the world. However you can purchase the Mapsource world map CD, and then download all the extra maps you require into the unit. You will need an additional mapsource data cartridge for this. Expect to pay about £120 for the CD and a 64mb data cartridge.

The unit will be pre-loaded with the Jeppesen data for Eupore (assuming you buy in the UK), you can easily download the the data for the region you require from the Garmin website ($35.00).
Only slight problem is you can NOT have Jeppesen data for two regions at once, so this could get expensive if you are coming and going regularly!

I've just done 70 hours in the US with the 196 and I think its great. If cost is no object the 296 is out soon, which is colour and has a terrain base-map as well!

PM me if you have any q's

Cheers
Iain.

[david viewing]

I bought a Garmin GPS92 years ago on the strength of the claim that it had a 'worldwide database' only to find that the airspace detail was Europe only.

I complained and Garmin were as good as gold, sending me a pair of Europe and USA disks FOC so that I could swap databases at will. Despite having other more advanced GPS's, I still prefer the GPS92 to cross check my 'conventional' navigation because it's small, light, reliable and has excellent battery life. And I still swap databases when I swap continents.

[IO540]

Most aviation GPS units either come with, or can be loaded with, that entire area.

If you want to fly long term, buy the best you can; it is worth it. Obviously there are size/mounting considerations according to whether you rent or own, etc.

[Aussie Andy]

Most aviation GPS units either come with, or can be loaded with, that entire area. The gotcha is with the Garmin GPS III Pilot: sure you can download (for a price) the aviation database from Garmin for any region, but with this product the land data (coastlines, rivers, roads, towns etc.) is in firmware not RAM and can't be updated. Its either US hemisphere or R.O.W.

Andy

[Sans Anoraque]

Apologies Aussie Andy, but being pretty computer illiterate I don't have a clue what you're talking about! Could you (or any one else) give a dummy's guide to updating a UK bought Garmin GPS III with a USA database without getting too 'techy'.

(Apologies to Sensible too for slightly hijacking his thread)

Ta

[jabberwok]

The UK Garmin GPSIII is supplied with the Western Hemisphere IMG file which covers a large area - Europe, Africa, Russia, Middle East and mainland Asia.

The Americas database can be bought and loaded into the GPSIII but I think it replaces the data already in the unit i.e. you have to reload the WH data when you want to swap back.

There is nothing special to say about loading the databases as this is covered well enough in the included docs with the software. All you need is the cable to connect the Garmin to your PC.

JB

[Aussie Andy]

Sans Anoraque: ditto jabberwok re- updating the db, just read the instructions with the product and on the Garmin website where you pays your money and downloads your update file.

But the point I was making was slightly different: even if you do this, your Garmin GPS III Pilot will now have US aviation info (VOR's, airports, etc.) but you will still find that it will not have land data (coastlines, rivers, roads, towns etc.) because this is not update-able in that product.

Andy

p.s. what is it about bloody anoraks and electronics? there are plenty who would accuse you of anorakishness just for being able to fly!