Best Handheld GPS??
Best Handheld GPS??
Sprucegoose
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Hughes Point, where life is great! Was also resident on page 13, but now I'm lost in Cyberspace....
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Gidday Bollix,
The best one I have ever had the pleasure of using was the Garmin GPS III Pilot.
Of course that was a few years ago and I expect there are far more advanced units now.
Cheers, HH.
The best one I have ever had the pleasure of using was the Garmin GPS III Pilot.
Of course that was a few years ago and I expect there are far more advanced units now.
Cheers, HH.
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Bollix69
A couple of things to be wary of, make sure the GPS doesn't have a max speed limit, heard there were some out there that stopped at 100kts which is probably fine if all you do is fly a tiger moth or a C150 and use flap for descent
The other thing is the voltage that the unit will allow, some with the ciggy plug will only have a couple of volt tollerance around 12v which is not much use as lots/perhaps most aircraft are using a 28v system.
You can save yourself some money by not getting a specific aviation hand held with the disadvantage being it won't have an aviation database in it and you will have to put them all in your self. I got a Garmin 12 XL volt range between as I recall 10-40v and I got it working through the window of a BAE146 so no speed limit problems either. I didn't mind entering my own data base but thats a personal thing. Also think about an external antenna, can be handy to put that up on the dash and have the unit on the seat or somewhere rather than having the unit on the dash in the sun all the time (LCD screen didn't love it) and having to pick it up every time I wanted to check it. Not all units have external antenna options so its worth being aware of it.
My Garmin 12 XL is a great robust user friendly unit, if your looking at them though watch out for the plain Garmin 12 though as it has no option for external antenna and very limited voltage (at least that was the case a few years ago, could well have changed)
A couple of things to be wary of, make sure the GPS doesn't have a max speed limit, heard there were some out there that stopped at 100kts which is probably fine if all you do is fly a tiger moth or a C150 and use flap for descent
The other thing is the voltage that the unit will allow, some with the ciggy plug will only have a couple of volt tollerance around 12v which is not much use as lots/perhaps most aircraft are using a 28v system. You can save yourself some money by not getting a specific aviation hand held with the disadvantage being it won't have an aviation database in it and you will have to put them all in your self. I got a Garmin 12 XL volt range between as I recall 10-40v and I got it working through the window of a BAE146 so no speed limit problems either. I didn't mind entering my own data base but thats a personal thing. Also think about an external antenna, can be handy to put that up on the dash and have the unit on the seat or somewhere rather than having the unit on the dash in the sun all the time (LCD screen didn't love it) and having to pick it up every time I wanted to check it. Not all units have external antenna options so its worth being aware of it.
My Garmin 12 XL is a great robust user friendly unit, if your looking at them though watch out for the plain Garmin 12 though as it has no option for external antenna and very limited voltage (at least that was the case a few years ago, could well have changed)
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Sydney NSW Australia
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for a long time i used a very basic GARMIN Etrex! it runs on 2 AA batteries! or 12 volt cigarette lighter plug. very basic, but surprisingly accurate. max speed was 999 Kmph!! i have only ever seen a max of 240 Kts. no map, just basic goto, nearest heading bearing info, but what more do you need when you have a map, VOR DME ADF etc et.
I have just bought a GARMIN GPSMAP 96 for $800, similar size and look to my old etrex, but with jepps database!! and fits in the palm of your hand, about the size of a mobile phone
I have just bought a GARMIN GPSMAP 96 for $800, similar size and look to my old etrex, but with jepps database!! and fits in the palm of your hand, about the size of a mobile phone
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Garmin 96
I would recommend the Garmin 96 or 96C, I have the 96C and it is a fantastic piece of equipment.
Check out. http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap96c/
Defiant.
Check out. http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap96c/
Defiant.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Springfield, USA
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Well it's what you can afford I guess. You can spend $3000+ on a colour moving map unit that uses 8 x AA cells each time you turn it on and includes its own instrument panel just in case.
These units are great for completely f*#king you situational awareness. Was checking a pilot once who whipped his out for the flight. He was quite happy barrelling along fixated to the screen completely oblivious to what was going on outside. The scary part was when I said he couldn't use it anymore.
He became lost in a pretty short space of time, and this was a 1000+hr CPL. Clock-Map-Ground 
I think the best handheld gps is the cheapest one that does the job. For me it's the MAGELLAN 310. $300 at any Tandy, 100 waypoints, dist, gs, eti (eta if you use your watch), miles off track, etc...... Takes 2 x AA cells (Duracells will last months if used sparingly).
Sure it doesn't have a airspace database but that's why I carry an ERC.
These units are great for completely f*#king you situational awareness. Was checking a pilot once who whipped his out for the flight. He was quite happy barrelling along fixated to the screen completely oblivious to what was going on outside. The scary part was when I said he couldn't use it anymore.
He became lost in a pretty short space of time, and this was a 1000+hr CPL. Clock-Map-Ground I think the best handheld gps is the cheapest one that does the job. For me it's the MAGELLAN 310. $300 at any Tandy, 100 waypoints, dist, gs, eti (eta if you use your watch), miles off track, etc...... Takes 2 x AA cells (Duracells will last months if used sparingly).
Sure it doesn't have a airspace database but that's why I carry an ERC.
Join Date: Dec 2000
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after reading above, how could a good pilot let their skills diminish to such a point? like i said earlier, my original GPS was very basic, but it served its purpose well, it was cheap $169, 100 or so waypoints. On my usual flight in a piper or Ultralight, i used normal nav techniques, clock, map, ground etc and VOR, NDB etc where equipped. 99% of the time, i used my gps to cross check time to next waypoint, or kept it on the "nearest waypoint" screen. as you were flying along it would give bearing and dist to nearest waypoint, which were all possible alternates programmed in during planning, just in case the engine decided to take lunch break or another emergency occured.
a GPS should just be another tool, not a complete nav package!
a GPS should just be another tool, not a complete nav package!
