Handheld GPS--key features?
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I reckon this whole scene will change in 1-2 years' time, with devices such as this with a hopefully much improved display re-writing speed, enabling a moving map GPS to be implemented.
Current e-book readers such as this (I have one of those) cannot do that because screen rewrite is extremely slow (or so it seems; there may be a way to re-write just a small piece of the screen, but Irex won't talk about it).
The e-book readers are so much lighter, thinner, less power hungry, that they will pull the rug out from all the current aviation GPS products, IMHO.
Current e-book readers such as this (I have one of those) cannot do that because screen rewrite is extremely slow (or so it seems; there may be a way to re-write just a small piece of the screen, but Irex won't talk about it).
The e-book readers are so much lighter, thinner, less power hungry, that they will pull the rug out from all the current aviation GPS products, IMHO.
Just to change angles a little on this search for excellence at reasonable cost.
Intead of spending on another new 'screen device, is there any simple (for me !) to use compatible with WindowsXP software for my ready to hand notebook ? My efforts in attempting to download even portions of a chart to experiment with have failed !
[Toshiba NB205] with 10 diagonal screen & >8hrs battery life:-
I'm thinking of, say, some form of GPS gizmo and a 1/4 mill SEast GB chart from somewhere, so at least it plots my track onto a CAA type chart display.
Intead of spending on another new 'screen device, is there any simple (for me !) to use compatible with WindowsXP software for my ready to hand notebook ? My efforts in attempting to download even portions of a chart to experiment with have failed !
[Toshiba NB205] with 10 diagonal screen & >8hrs battery life:-
I'm thinking of, say, some form of GPS gizmo and a 1/4 mill SEast GB chart from somewhere, so at least it plots my track onto a CAA type chart display.
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If you have a Windoze device, then you have various options.
Memory Map will run the CAA charts, which (1:500k) are about £25 each and for the whole UK you need three of them.
Oziexplorer will run any map whatsoever which is available in one of the common graphical formats, and which can be "calibrated". Maps which have a lat/long grid are trivial to calibrate (all aviation charts); ones which don't (e.g. city maps) are more tricky (people tend to use google maps to locate some landmark coordinates; not accurate but better than nothing). There is a vast choice of free maps for Oziexplorer, on P2P / underground sites, including the usual aviation charts.
Then you need to connect a GPS to it - bluetooth is a popular method, which allows the GPS receiver (£20 on Ebay) to be located where it can see the sky properly.
However, a laptop is not good for airborne use; a tablet format is much better. This is another long story but basically the challenge is to find one which is sunlight readable.
Memory Map will run the CAA charts, which (1:500k) are about £25 each and for the whole UK you need three of them.
Oziexplorer will run any map whatsoever which is available in one of the common graphical formats, and which can be "calibrated". Maps which have a lat/long grid are trivial to calibrate (all aviation charts); ones which don't (e.g. city maps) are more tricky (people tend to use google maps to locate some landmark coordinates; not accurate but better than nothing). There is a vast choice of free maps for Oziexplorer, on P2P / underground sites, including the usual aviation charts.
Then you need to connect a GPS to it - bluetooth is a popular method, which allows the GPS receiver (£20 on Ebay) to be located where it can see the sky properly.
However, a laptop is not good for airborne use; a tablet format is much better. This is another long story but basically the challenge is to find one which is sunlight readable.
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Not sure if Memory Map PC version will accept the input of a GPS...some who are more familiar with it can advise.
Ozi Explorer can do what you ask, but it requires a scan of your chart (not easy to do because of the size of it).
PocketFMS can be used to do what you want, but uses it's own digital charting...not CAA charts. (Free 30 day trial available on the website.)
In all cases you'll need a gps receiver to connect to your laptop. Ebay is your friend here, with lots of cheap gps receivers. If your laptop has bluetooth, then this would be the best option.
But I have to say that a laptop is far from ideal in the cockpit, for three principal reasons:
1. It's too big and bulky. It's not easy to place where you can easily see it. It wants to slide around the place if left on a seat. It annoys the passenger if you ask them to hold it. The keyboard is bulky and takes up too much room.
2. The screen are not bright enough. They look great in doors, but take them into a cockpit, and the screen is totally washed out by sunlight, and not really useable.
3. Control in flight is difficult. Trackpads and keyboards are not really designed for use in a cramped turbelent cockpit.
If looking for a cheap solution, I think you'd be better off looking at one of the car nav units, and putting aviation software on it.
Ozi Explorer can do what you ask, but it requires a scan of your chart (not easy to do because of the size of it).
PocketFMS can be used to do what you want, but uses it's own digital charting...not CAA charts. (Free 30 day trial available on the website.)
In all cases you'll need a gps receiver to connect to your laptop. Ebay is your friend here, with lots of cheap gps receivers. If your laptop has bluetooth, then this would be the best option.
But I have to say that a laptop is far from ideal in the cockpit, for three principal reasons:
1. It's too big and bulky. It's not easy to place where you can easily see it. It wants to slide around the place if left on a seat. It annoys the passenger if you ask them to hold it. The keyboard is bulky and takes up too much room.
2. The screen are not bright enough. They look great in doors, but take them into a cockpit, and the screen is totally washed out by sunlight, and not really useable.
3. Control in flight is difficult. Trackpads and keyboards are not really designed for use in a cramped turbelent cockpit.
If looking for a cheap solution, I think you'd be better off looking at one of the car nav units, and putting aviation software on it.
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MM windoze does take GPS input; the ls800 tablet computer pic I posted the URL to earlier is doing just that.
Actually MM is really very similar to Ozi in the end result; the difference is that MM is more or less a UK-only dead-end.
Chart scanning is one (messy, as you say) way to get maps into Ozi but not the only way
Actually MM is really very similar to Ozi in the end result; the difference is that MM is more or less a UK-only dead-end.
Chart scanning is one (messy, as you say) way to get maps into Ozi but not the only way
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PPrune, when it is bad it is really bad....... and when it is good it is VERY VERY GOOD.
Many thanks for your contributions which have clarified for me what I need and equally what I don't. Something which manufacturers information and recent aviation magazine tests had failed to do.
TIM
Many thanks for your contributions which have clarified for me what I need and equally what I don't. Something which manufacturers information and recent aviation magazine tests had failed to do.
TIM
