Buying a GPS for use worldwide

[Mikehotel152]

I would consider buying a Garmin or other GPS providing it's easy and cost-effective to buy the software for other countries - specifically UK/Europe and South Africa. Unfortunately, being a bit daft, I am stuggling to find the relevant info on the web.

Can anyone offer advice? Pretty please? :)

[Fitter2]

Any portable Garmin unit purchased in UK will have a worldwide geographical basemap, but the detail is greater in Europe than elsewhere (units purchased in the US will have a different basemap moe US centric).

It will also have an 'Atlantic International' Jeppesen VFR aviation database, covering low-level airspace for all of Europe and Africa. The 496 also has an obstacle database (and VRP data). These databases are updated on the Garmin website monthly (you choose between the current and next update when downloading).

You can update anytime to any of the 3 aviation databases (Atlantic International, Americas, and Pacific (a misnomer as it covers all of Asia up to the middle East, but that's American geography for you). You can only have one loaded, but if you travel with your PC and make sure you keep a record of the unlock code which is unique for the individual unit and download, then you can swap between them.

You get a free update with the unit, after that it's $35 a time. (You also give your address, and if in the Euro VAT zone get charged the appropriate VAT - you can of course give an outside Europe address, but who would do that to avoid paying VAT?)

[IO540]

I can't speak for this personally but a while ago I was talking to an ATPL hour builder who was offered a flying job that included flying turboprops, low level, in Europe and Africa, and he found that the only handheld GPS which had the proper coverage was the Skyforce (Bendin/King now) Skymap 3C.

It contains no batteries so you have to use aircraft power, or knock up an external battery pack. I did the latter for my monochrome Skymap 2 which I still have in the emergency bag, but that one did have internal batteries.

The Skymap 3 has a good display with good detail for VFR and IFR. It includes VFR VRPs and all sorts of other goodies. I fly behind a panel mounted KMD550 multifunction display (from the same company) which has a very similar presentation, and can speak for that. Much nicer than a Garmin 530 for example.

It's an old product though - designed maybe 15 years ago?

The other way to do this is to buy a tablet computer, say a Motion LS800 with the sunlight readable screen option, and on that you can run all kinds of software e.g. Jeppesen Flitedeck, the old Jeppesen Flitemap, Oziexplorer, Memory Map, etc. You can run Jepp VFR/GPS charts on it (their "raster charts" product; all of Europe for £200) under Flitemap, there are even conversions of these to be "found" which run under Oziexplorer, and you can get the U.S. ONC/TPC charts in electronic form for about $7.50 per download from the USA which cover the rest of the world. You can also find loads of general topo charts for the whole world - there is a huge underground map distribution community ;)

[drambuster]

MikeHotel

If you buy a Garmin portable, a 296 for example, you can download any of the three Jeppesen databases for $35. These cover either 'Atlantic International' (which is the base map if you buy in Europe), 'Americas' or 'Pacific International'. You can load any of these maps but you can't have all three installed at the same time. Take a look at:

http://shop.garmin.com/aviation/databases/ (and then choose a 296 for example, then the Jeppesen database and just keep clicking through to the map to show extent of coverage)


However, as Fitter 2 points out, you do get all major airports and navaids worldwide with any base map but there is no topographical detail for areas outside your installed database - therefore the land just appears as black and sea is blue (i.e very basic). There is no limitation on creating routes worldwide or on making your own waypoints.

All of Africa is included in the 'Atlantic International' database.

[Mikehotel152]

Thanks everyone. Much obliged.

I have used the Garmin 296 and thought it was fantastic (I'm easily pleased), so I'm keen on it, especially if it's easy to download additional maps. To be honest I'm only keen on the Atlantic coverage for now, which appears to come as standard for European models.

If someone can plug the Skymap IIIc some more, please do.

:ok:

[Mark 1]

With the Garmins you can augment the base map with a memory card and MapData from the CDs such as the metromap and city select series.

Quite easy to load the maps for the area you are flying in.

Details should be on the Garmin web-site