Garmin versus Lowrance

[RD]

Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to buy
a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.

--
Thank You,
Ryan

[EDR]

In article >, RD > wrote:

> Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to buy
> a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.

I have had a 195 for two years, now.
What I like about my 195... a large screen, long battery life, ease of
use.

I probably will not purchase another unit until there is a major
technical upgrade.
WAAS does not provide a significant difference for VFR flight.
RAIM will not in the forseeable future become incorporated into a
portable device.

Garmin is VERY liability concious. This was specifically stated to me
by reps at the AOPA convention and you can see it in their products.
Lowrance includes an obstruction database andn as I understand itn they
have been sue as a result of an accident, but I have not heard the
results. Databases, regardless of manufacture, must be kept current.

[Jay Honeck]

> Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to
buy
> a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.

Garmin refuses to put an obstruction database in their GPS units, which I
think is essential. That ruled them out.

Lowrance was "unable" to service our Airmap 300 when it went flakey after
just four years -- which ruled them out.

Check out the AvMap. It's awesome.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[David Reinhart]

I have a Lowrance 500 and love it. It does 90% of what the Garmin can do for
about half the price.

Dave Reinhart


RD wrote:

> Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to buy
> a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.
>
> --
> Thank You,
> Ryan

[David Johnson]

"Databases, regardless of manufacture, must be kept current."

I will second that. While using a borrowed Garmin I suffered some
consternation when I decided to divert to an alternate destination -
and couldn't find it in the database! It seems that the database
in that unit was long out of date - and the identifier in question
had changed. A completely unnecessary and avoidable problem.

[smackey]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message news:<PF4Eb.381965$Dw6.1232004@attbi_s02>...
> > Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to
> buy
> > a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.
>
> Garmin refuses to put an obstruction database in their GPS units, which I
> think is essential. That ruled them out.
>

I recent emailed Garmin about their lack of obstruction database.
I told them tha I was torn between a Garmin GNS 430 and the King KLN
94, and that the obstruction database in the KLN 94 but not the GNS
430 was a big issue. It really is, IMHO, since I am a lowly C172
pilot, and mostly fly VFR, with only occasional IFR. They responded
by telling me that they intended to add an obstruction database in
early "04. We'll see. I'm waiting.

[Martin Hellman]

"RD" > wrote in message >...
> Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to buy
> a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.

In addition to the comments already posted, I'd note that my new
Garmin 196 (which replaced a Lowarance Airmap 300) has one
disadvantage: when I scroll to an area of the map it shows me only one
airspace restriction. If there are multiple restrictions, as happens
often in complex airspace, you might not know about the class B above
the class D you're currently being warned about. My Airmap 300 (and, I
think, even my Garmin 95XL that it replaced) showed all airspace
restrictions. I've written Garmin about this, but they seem
uninterested. Other than that, I love my 196 and am glad I upgraded
from my Airmap 300. I realize this isn't comparing two current models,
and so should not be taken as a general recommendation of Garmin over
Lowrance or vv. But as far as airspace restrictions, I am really
unhappy with the tack Garmin has taken and you might want to check out
how the models you're interested in behave in that respect.

Martin

[John Bell]

Here is a review:

http://www.avionicswest.com/articles/airmap500.htm#2003

Lowrance has an emulator which is a free download at their website,
www.lowrance.com. The only problem is that the emulator does not have
aviation data. Based on my experience with the iFinder and the Airmap 500
emulator, I think that the Airmap 500 looks pretty good for the price.

The HSI is well done, but I think that it is better to customize the data
fields on the map and learn to use it. Use the map for situational
awareness and the data fields for precision.

John Bell
www.cockpitgps.com




"RD" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to
buy
> a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.
>
> --
> Thank You,
> Ryan
>
>
>

[RD]

The avmap is amazing. I'm going to read up on the monochrome unit. Anyone
own one of these that can make a few comments?


"RD" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to
buy
> a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.
>
> --
> Thank You,
> Ryan
>
>

[Dennis O'Connor]

What ever one turns you on... They all work...

"RD" > wrote in message
...
> The avmap is amazing. I'm going to read up on the monochrome unit. Anyone
> own one of these that can make a few comments?
>
>
> "RD" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to
> buy
> > a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.
> >
> > --
> > Thank You,
> > Ryan
> >
> >
>
>

[Jay Honeck]

> The avmap is amazing. I'm going to read up on the monochrome unit. Anyone
> own one of these that can make a few comments?

I've got the color version. It has EVERYTHING in it, from the obstruction
database that Garmin eschews, to all instrument approaches.

Best of all, of course, is the huge, easily readable display that still fits
neatly on the yoke. It's ideal for our kind of flying.

If you have any specific questions, fire away. :-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[RD]

What power supply does it use?

--
Thank You,
Ryan
"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:8NsEb.598071$Fm2.546574@attbi_s04...
> > The avmap is amazing. I'm going to read up on the monochrome unit.
Anyone
> > own one of these that can make a few comments?
>
> I've got the color version. It has EVERYTHING in it, from the obstruction
> database that Garmin eschews, to all instrument approaches.
>
> Best of all, of course, is the huge, easily readable display that still
fits
> neatly on the yoke. It's ideal for our kind of flying.
>
> If you have any specific questions, fire away. :-)
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993
> www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"
>
>

[Jay Honeck]

> What power supply does it use?

It plugs into the cigar lighter.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"RD" > wrote in message
...
>
> --
> Thank You,
> Ryan
> "Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
> news:8NsEb.598071$Fm2.546574@attbi_s04...
> > > The avmap is amazing. I'm going to read up on the monochrome unit.
> Anyone
> > > own one of these that can make a few comments?
> >
> > I've got the color version. It has EVERYTHING in it, from the
obstruction
> > database that Garmin eschews, to all instrument approaches.
> >
> > Best of all, of course, is the huge, easily readable display that still
> fits
> > neatly on the yoke. It's ideal for our kind of flying.
> >
> > If you have any specific questions, fire away. :-)
> > --
> > Jay Honeck
> > Iowa City, IA
> > Pathfinder N56993
> > www.AlexisParkInn.com
> > "Your Aviation Destination"
> >
> >
>
>

[No Spam Please]

I was looking for a relatively inexpensive GPS and after reading the
Avionics West review bought an AirMap 500.
I wrote about it on my weblog here:
http://www.groovelicious.org/mt/david/archives/000247.html

So far, I've been pleased with it. Haven't really had a chance to use
it much though, but for the price (especially the on-line price of
$425 I found), it represents great value in my opinion.

"RD" > wrote in message >...
> Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to buy
> a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.

[John Clonts]

Will it record tracks in 3D? I couldn't tell from your weblog entry, nor
from the user manual at lowrance.com...

Thanks,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ

"No Spam Please" > wrote in message
om...
> I was looking for a relatively inexpensive GPS and after reading the
> Avionics West review bought an AirMap 500.
> I wrote about it on my weblog here:
> http://www.groovelicious.org/mt/david/archives/000247.html
>
> So far, I've been pleased with it. Haven't really had a chance to use
> it much though, but for the price (especially the on-line price of
> $425 I found), it represents great value in my opinion.
>
> "RD" > wrote in message
>...
> > Anyone have any advice or opinions on the following models? I'm going to
buy
> > a Garmin 195 (used) or a Lowrance 500 or 1000.

[No Spam Please]

John - I don't believe that it will. Or if it does, it doesn't seem to
have a way of displaying that information. I'll do some more digging
at some point, because it would be nice to able to see that
information.

David.