GPS for the Out Of Touch

[Brian Whatcott]

I'm out of touch.
I'd like advice on selecting the
1) cheapest GPS that
2) can enter waypoints and
3) can display cross track error, time and distance to go.

It would also be pleasant to
4) dump track made good coordinates in a form that Google Earth could
handle, directly or indirectly.

Any thoughts?

TIA

Brian W

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

"brian whatcott" > wrote in message
...
> I'm out of touch.
> I'd like advice on selecting the
> 1) cheapest GPS that
> 2) can enter waypoints and
> 3) can display cross track error, time and distance to go.
>
> It would also be pleasant to
> 4) dump track made good coordinates in a form that Google Earth could
> handle, directly or indirectly.
>


That would be a used non-aviation GPS on Ebay...

I have an old Garmin GSMAP-76 that does all that. I suspect that just about
any GPS will also.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

[Jim Logajan]

"Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" <The Sea Hawk @See My Sig.com> wrote:
> "brian whatcott" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm out of touch.
>> I'd like advice on selecting the
>> 1) cheapest GPS that
>> 2) can enter waypoints and
>> 3) can display cross track error, time and distance to go.
>>
>> It would also be pleasant to
>> 4) dump track made good coordinates in a form that Google Earth could
>> handle, directly or indirectly.
>>
>
>
> That would be a used non-aviation GPS on Ebay...

I'd put some cavets on some older GPS models one might find for sale:

For example, I have an "old" Lowrance iFinder Pro that can determine
latitude, longitude, altitude, and time - but when it records a track to
flash memory, it appears it only records latitude and longitude. I wish it
would record all four space-time coordinates. Otherwise a nice model.

> I have an old Garmin GSMAP-76 that does all that. I suspect that just
> about any GPS will also.

Some are harder to transfer data to Google Earth than others. I had to
track down software that could translate the Lowrance file format to a
format that Google Earth could understand. Track format conversion issues
are also something to keep in mind.

Also, in the case of the iFinder, getting the track files into your
computer involves pulling the flash card out - which requires removal of
the batteries first (not that hard, actually) - and plugging the card into
a Flash USB card reader from whence I then tansfer the file to my computer
using regular file copy operations. Other models no doubt use other
mechanisms (I have a very old Magellan unit that used an RS-232 serial
cable specific to that unit for transfering data.)

[Brian Whatcott]

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe wrote:
> "brian whatcott" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm out of touch.
>> I'd like advice on selecting the
>> 1) cheapest GPS that
>> 2) can enter waypoints and
>> 3) can display cross track error, time and distance to go.
>>
>> It would also be pleasant to
>> 4) dump track made good coordinates in a form that Google Earth could
>> handle, directly or indirectly.
>>
>
>
> That would be a used non-aviation GPS on Ebay...
>
> I have an old Garmin GSMAP-76 that does all that. I suspect that just
> about any GPS will also.
>

Thanks for responding. I have two GPSs presently - an Explorist 300
[Magellan] and a GPS40 [Garmin] -both long in the tooth.

I notice the Garmin GPS 40 has only limited channels (4 or 5?) but it
shows CTE AND has a 4 pin output connection which (I assume)
offers NMEA. I thought it had gone splat years ago, but on an impulse
put batteries in, and lo - after a few minutes, it powered up.
Favorable constellation siting, I suppose... I cannot enter waypoints
though...

The other handheld from Magellan does not talk to anyone, and cannot
enter waypoints, [except as present positions] but it acquires fast and
tracks 13 birds (I think).

If the GSMAP-76 will enter coordinates, I will take a search.

Regards

Brian W

[Brian Whatcott]

Jim Logajan wrote:
> "Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe" <The Sea Hawk @See My Sig.com> wrote:
>> "brian whatcott" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> I'm out of touch.
>>> I'd like advice on selecting the
>>> 1) cheapest GPS that
>>> 2) can enter waypoints and
>>> 3) can display cross track error, time and distance to go.
>>>
>>> It would also be pleasant to
>>> 4) dump track made good coordinates in a form that Google Earth could
>>> handle, directly or indirectly.
>>>
>>
>> That would be a used non-aviation GPS on Ebay...
>
> I'd put some cavets on some older GPS models one might find for sale:
>
> For example, I have an "old" Lowrance iFinder Pro that can determine
> latitude, longitude, altitude, and time - but when it records a track to
> flash memory, it appears it only records latitude and longitude. I wish it
> would record all four space-time coordinates. Otherwise a nice model.
>
>> I have an old Garmin GSMAP-76 that does all that. I suspect that just
>> about any GPS will also.
>
> Some are harder to transfer data to Google Earth than others. I had to
> track down software that could translate the Lowrance file format to a
> format that Google Earth could understand. Track format conversion issues
> are also something to keep in mind.
>
> Also, in the case of the iFinder, getting the track files into your
> computer involves pulling the flash card out - which requires removal of
> the batteries first (not that hard, actually) - and plugging the card into
> a Flash USB card reader from whence I then tansfer the file to my computer
> using regular file copy operations. Other models no doubt use other
> mechanisms (I have a very old Magellan unit that used an RS-232 serial
> cable specific to that unit for transfering data.)


Thanks for the input. Going from the pencil line on the chart (from
McKinney to Oklahoma City for example) with 5 minute track marks was
once an issue of inputting waypoint coordinates to a King Loran C (did I
say I was out of touch?) - possibly from a booklet of airport
coordinates. Has this approach gone out of style? The big jets still
do something of this kind, I know....

Brian W

[Brian Whatcott]

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe wrote:
> "brian whatcott" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm out of touch.
>> I'd like advice on selecting the
>> 1) cheapest GPS that
>> 2) can enter waypoints and
>> 3) can display cross track error, time and distance to go.
>>
>> It would also be pleasant to
>> 4) dump track made good coordinates in a form that Google Earth could
>> handle, directly or indirectly.
>>
>
>
> That would be a used non-aviation GPS on Ebay...
>
> I have an old Garmin GSMAP-76 that does all that. I suspect that just
> about any GPS will also.
>

After reading "just about any GPS will do that" a couple of times
- the penny finally dropped.
I took that explorist 300 out again, and fooled around with it till I
found out how to define "points of interest" [waypoints] from the
vestigial map which did indeed show airfield symbols, then string them
together in a "Route" [Flightplan]
Ha! Whut an idjit!
Still, I do see what you mean now. Thanks again. :-)

Brian W

[Jim Logajan]

brian whatcott > wrote:
> Thanks for the input. Going from the pencil line on the chart (from
> McKinney to Oklahoma City for example) with 5 minute track marks was
> once an issue of inputting waypoint coordinates to a King Loran C (did
> I say I was out of touch?) - possibly from a booklet of airport
> coordinates. Has this approach gone out of style? The big jets
> still do something of this kind, I know....

The older model iFinder I have allows waypoint entries just by scrolling a
crosshair across the display (zoom in and out as needed) to the desired
points and pressing some buttons.

So yeah, you're kinda out of touch. ;-)
(My iFinder displays only in grayscale, so I appear to be ahead of you by
being only 5 years behind the times! :-))

[Brian Whatcott]

Jim Logajan wrote:

> The older model iFinder I have allows waypoint entries just by scrolling a
> crosshair across the display (zoom in and out as needed) to the desired
> points and pressing some buttons.
>
> So yeah, you're kinda out of touch. ;-)
> (My iFinder displays only in grayscale, so I appear to be ahead of you by
> being only 5 years behind the times! :-))


Having got a clue this evening, I pulled out my two greyscale GPSs and
set up a flight plan in each of them - for the first time.
One [explorist] set waypoints visually over a skeleton map, the other
[Garmin GPS40] set named waypoints with LAT/LON inputs. They both set a
route by selecting waypoints.

Who knew? (Just about everyone except me, apparently! :-)

Brian W

[Gene Seibel]

On Oct 14, 10:52*am, brian whatcott > wrote:
> I'm out of touch.
> I'd like advice on selecting the
> 1) cheapest GPS that
> 2) can enter waypoints and
> 3) can display cross track error, time and distance to go.
>
> It would also be pleasant to
> 4) dump track made good coordinates in a form that Google Earth could

I use a Magellan 315. It does 1 thru 3. Got it a few years ago on
eBay for $145 with airport database already loaded.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.

[gpsman]

On Oct 15, 12:39*am, Gene Seibel > wrote:
>
> I *use a Magellan 315. It does 1 thru 3. Got it a few years ago on
> eBay for $145 with airport database already loaded.

The 315 is a great unit for its time.

http://www.315aviationdb.com/
-----

- gpsman