Lowrance 2000 GPS
 

I've tried the search but can't find any reference to anybody who has used one of these GPSs. I know the Garmins are the "weapons of choice" but my old Garmin 100 has expired and the Lowrance would fit more easily on to my panel. The questions therefore are:-
Is the mapping any good
Is the battery life reasonable
How reliable are they.
Any help gratefully received.

I use the Lowrance 1000 - the b/w version. It's great but you have to buy the additional mapping for the UK to really get the most out of it (the aviation database is fine but the basemap is too... basic). It's also larger, physically, than I expected, but it does come with a great selection of mounts (yoke, suction, &c).

The software has some limitations - there are no non-ICAO airfields, and if you add your own they can only be 'waypoints' i.e. don't benefit from any of the things you can do to airfields. And MATZs are not shown, but I don't think that's unique to Lowrance!

Unlike the Garmin units it doesn't do 'proper' road navigation, though it works just fine with the additional UK map, even showing which side of the road you are driving on!

Tim

Thanks for the update. A couple of questions. The actual dimensions have confused me as well. The details on the supppliers website differ from the details on the Lowrance site. An actual measurement would be very helpful in order to see where I could mount it. Other people have commented on the UK mapping. How expensive is it and how do you download it? (Computers ain't my thing!). Thanks in advance for your help

The mapping I bought from the same people I bought the unit from, LC Flight (www.lcflight.com) - I got mine in the States while on holiday. But I would be surprised if you couldn't get it from the suppliers here.

There is a 'gotcha' though. The mapping comes on a card - it has to, it wouldn't fit on the card supplied as standard. But the Jeppesen database is locked to a particular card and can't be transferred. So I couldn't copy the (up to date) Jeppesen database supplied with the unit onto the same card as the mapping data - to use both at once, I had to buy a database update from www.jeppesen.com (around £20 if I remember correctly). Databases you do download, and the unit comes with a card reader for the purpose in case you don't already have one (the unit uses standard SD/MMC cards).

I'll have to wait until I get home tonight to measure the unit. I think the 1000 and 2000 are the same physical size - the screen dimensions are slightly different (I think the colour screen is taller and narrower) presumably because they are bought in, rather than manufactured specially for the unit.

Where are you based? Do you want to come and have a look? Perhaps I could fly over (I'm always looking for an excuse!)

Tim

Thanks Tim. Check your PMs for my reply.
Cheers
Chris

If I was buying a new GPS I'd look at the Avmap

http://www.flightstore.co.uk/avmap_e....item_id.2255/

Pretty amazing and much better for situational awareness than the usual aviation units.

This GPS represents a real break with the past. I guess it is based on the pocket/PC operating system but that's probably hidden from the user.

The big question is whether it can accept the Jeppesen VFR Raster Charts database. That would be the key final step to producing a really good VFR GPS. If it does then you will get the proper VFR charts, with all the proper controlled airspace depictions. This functionality can be obtained with a tablet PC running FliteMap and the raster charts on that, or with Oziexplorer on a tablet or a PDA, but the Avmap is a much neater package than anything running Windoze.

This unit would either lie on one's kneeboard, or be strapped to one's leg. When I used to rent, I used a Skymap 2 strapped to my leg and found that very much better than any of the Garmin-shaped units.

I've noticed one can buy it for MUCH less on Ebay, but with the American database. Probably partly because VFR digital charts are free in the USA so Jeppesen don't have the data users over the barrel when it comes to licensing costs, they way they have in Europe.