pocket pc for air navigation

[Marco Rispoli]

I am about to take the plunge a possibly buy an etrex and PPC.

I plan to hook it up to a Pocket PC (I have neither at this point) and use
the PPC/etrex combo as an avation/flight plan/navigation multifunction
gadget

if I only wanted navigation and I had lots of money I would buy one of those
super-complex specialized aviation GPS ... but the pocket pc is expandable
and I can do other things, like flight planning, weight and balance,
checklists, that most common areonautical GPS don't come with and when they
do... they cost a kidney and and a leg.

I am not too concerned about technical challenges of connecting the two
togheter but I would like to know from the community, if anyone has tried an
Etrex/PPC combo for air navigation?

Which one would be the best to get? Etrex Vista? Legend? (since the etrex
would be used 90% of the time as an appendix to the air nav software running
on the PPC I wouldn't need to spend too much on it).

Anybody ever bought a used Etrex? Any bad experiences with it? Which PPC
would be the best to work with the etrex?

Are there any pitfalls I should look out for? Would I do better getting an
GPS expansion for the PPC instead of a completely separate unit?

Just feeling my ground before I start dishing out money.

My budget goes from 300-500 (would like to keep it under 500 bux if I can).

Any advice/comments are much appreciated!

--
Marco Rispoli - NJ, USA
I SOLOed!! You can read my flight training diary at
http://www.tranceweb.net

[John T]

Have you looked at CompactFlash-based GPS cards? Or Bluetooth units?

FWIW, I've heard of people using the eTrex line for various software
packages. Some packages require a little tweaking to get the unit to work,
but most seem to accept it OK.

I purchased the PPC/AnywhereMap setup with a CompactFlash Sentinel GPS
receiver that comes with a remote antenna and I'm quite satisfied with it.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?developerid=4415
____________________

[EDR]

I think you would be money ahead to purchase a GPS III or Garmin 195
from someone who wants to or already has purchased a newer unit.

[Marco Rispoli]

"John T" > wrote in message
ws.com...
> Have you looked at CompactFlash-based GPS cards? Or Bluetooth units?
>
> FWIW, I've heard of people using the eTrex line for various software
> packages. Some packages require a little tweaking to get the unit to
work,
> but most seem to accept it OK.
>
> I purchased the PPC/AnywhereMap setup with a CompactFlash Sentinel GPS
> receiver that comes with a remote antenna and I'm quite satisfied with it.
>
> --
> John T
> http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
> http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?developerid=4415
> ____________________
>
>

Hey John is the Sentinel GPS internal? or is it an external unit attached to
the PPC through a cable?

--
Marco Rispoli - NJ, USA
I SOLOed!! You can read my flight training diary at
http://www.tranceweb.net

[John T]

"Marco Rispoli" > wrote in message
t
>
> Hey John is the Sentinel GPS internal? or is it an external unit
> attached to the PPC through a cable?

The Sentinel is a CompactFlash card so depending on the PocketPC model you
buy, it may require an external adapter (like my iPAQ 3955 requires) or it
may simply fit in the built-in CF slot (like the iPAQ 2215, for example).

However, Bluetooth GPS receivers would work with the lower-cost iPAQ 1945
which has built-in Bluetooth support. A receiver and iPAQ (both new units)
would cost under $600US.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?developerid=4415
____________________

[Thomas Borchert]

Marco,

for software, check www.pocketfms.com

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Hilton]

Marco Rispoli wrote:
> if I only wanted navigation and I had lots of money I would buy one of
those
> super-complex specialized aviation GPS ... but the pocket pc is expandable
> and I can do other things, like flight planning, weight and balance,
> checklists, that most common areonautical GPS don't come with and when
they
> do... they cost a kidney and and a leg.

Marco,

Check out WingX at http://www.hiltonsoftware.com (disclaimer: see my name).
You can download a free demo.

WingX does graphical W&B, route planning, and much more including FARs Parts
1, 61, 91, 119, 141, and 830, the Pilot/Controller Glossary, and we just
added AC61-65D (endorsements) and NWS Contractions. It's currently just
$39.99.

Hilton

[Newps]

Just bought a Dell Axim X5 for $280, it's the 400 MHz model. This model
is specifically named in several Pocket PC flying sites. Haven't had a
chance to really figure it out yet.

Marco Rispoli wrote:
> I am about to take the plunge a possibly buy an etrex and PPC.
>
> I plan to hook it up to a Pocket PC (I have neither at this point) and use
> the PPC/etrex combo as an avation/flight plan/navigation multifunction
> gadget
>
> if I only wanted navigation and I had lots of money I would buy one of those
> super-complex specialized aviation GPS ... but the pocket pc is expandable
> and I can do other things, like flight planning, weight and balance,
> checklists, that most common areonautical GPS don't come with and when they
> do... they cost a kidney and and a leg.
>
> I am not too concerned about technical challenges of connecting the two
> togheter but I would like to know from the community, if anyone has tried an
> Etrex/PPC combo for air navigation?
>
> Which one would be the best to get? Etrex Vista? Legend? (since the etrex
> would be used 90% of the time as an appendix to the air nav software running
> on the PPC I wouldn't need to spend too much on it).
>
> Anybody ever bought a used Etrex? Any bad experiences with it? Which PPC
> would be the best to work with the etrex?
>
> Are there any pitfalls I should look out for? Would I do better getting an
> GPS expansion for the PPC instead of a completely separate unit?
>
> Just feeling my ground before I start dishing out money.
>
> My budget goes from 300-500 (would like to keep it under 500 bux if I can).
>
> Any advice/comments are much appreciated!
>

[Paul Sengupta]

"John T" > wrote in message
ws.com...
> "Marco Rispoli" > wrote in message
> t
> >
> > Hey John is the Sentinel GPS internal? or is it an external unit
> > attached to the PPC through a cable?
>
> The Sentinel is a CompactFlash card so depending on the PocketPC model you
> buy, it may require an external adapter (like my iPAQ 3955 requires) or it
> may simply fit in the built-in CF slot (like the iPAQ 2215, for example).

If you don't have a compact flash slot but have an SDIO slot,
you can get an SDIO GPS (eg, for the Ipaq 5550 or 4150). A bit
expensive at the moment, but I'm sure they'll come down to
somewhere around the price of a compact flash one.

Do a google search for SDIO GPS.

Paul