What device to use with the InReach?

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

Now that I have an InReach, I'd like to have a device to communicate
with it for text messages. My phone is dumb and won't do it, so I'm
considering an iPod Touch or similar device that would also let me have
a sectional maps and airports app, run a soaring app (like XCSoar) to
back up my panel mounted computer, and check the weather via wifi at the
airport.

My main concern is visibility in the cockpit - what's be best choice
among iPod Touch a similar Android-based devices?

The 7" tablets are also attractive for those uses, but again I don't
know if their sunlight visibility is adequate or if the larger size is
impractical in the cockpit. They'd be better outside the cockpit, I expect.

Can anyone with some experience with these devices in the cockpit give
me some suggestions?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

[JS]

Eric, this might work.
http://tinyurl.com/pc8h5
Jim

[Papa3[_2_]]

On Friday, March 15, 2013 1:34:53 PM UTC-4, JS wrote:
> Eric, this might work.
>
> http://tinyurl.com/pc8h5
>
> Jim

Cool. One card per turnpoint. Manually sorted/indexed for your easy access. "Aww crap, can't find turnpoint #2 - it must've slipped behind my back".

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

On 3/15/2013 10:34 AM, JS wrote:
> Eric, this might work.
> http://tinyurl.com/pc8h5

Great sunlight visibility, but are you sure it runs Android 2.4 or higher?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

[Morgan[_2_]]

You might consider a Dell Streak 5. ~$200 on Ebay, excellent sunlight readability and can connect via bluetooth. Also runs XCSoar as a backup flight computer if you wish.

Good multi-tasker device. Can even be a phone, but I find it too big to want to carry it around.

On Wednesday, March 13, 2013 1:17:01 PM UTC-7, Eric Greenwell wrote:
> Now that I have an InReach, I'd like to have a device to communicate
>
> with it for text messages. My phone is dumb and won't do it, so I'm
>
> considering an iPod Touch or similar device that would also let me have
>
> a sectional maps and airports app, run a soaring app (like XCSoar) to
>
> back up my panel mounted computer, and check the weather via wifi at the
>
> airport.
>
>
>
> My main concern is visibility in the cockpit - what's be best choice
>
> among iPod Touch a similar Android-based devices?
>
>
>
> The 7" tablets are also attractive for those uses, but again I don't
>
> know if their sunlight visibility is adequate or if the larger size is
>
> impractical in the cockpit. They'd be better outside the cockpit, I expect.
>
>
>
> Can anyone with some experience with these devices in the cockpit give
>
> me some suggestions?
>
>
>
> --
>
> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
>
> email me)

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

On 3/15/2013 2:54 PM, Morgan wrote:
> You might consider a Dell Streak 5. ~$200 on Ebay, excellent
> sunlight readability and can connect via bluetooth. Also runs XCSoar
> as a backup flight computer if you wish.

I like the idea of the good display, but I'm concerned it can't be
updated past version 2.2 (which was two years ago, I think), and might
not be able to run some useful apps in the near future.

Since the lack of responses suggests I'm the only that's not planning to
use a smartphone on the inReach, I'll look into those again. I rarely
use a mobile phone, but they seem to cost about the same iPad Touch and
similar Android devices, and I can get one that works with my prepaid
phone plan.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

[Dan Marotta]

Hey, I used one of those in college!

And I upgraded my Dell Streak 5 to Android 2.3.7 via Cyanogen. Of course,
it's a do-it-yourself thing, you can't just go to a site and hit "Upgrade".


"Eric Greenwell" > wrote in message
...
> On 3/15/2013 2:54 PM, Morgan wrote:
>> You might consider a Dell Streak 5. ~$200 on Ebay, excellent
>> sunlight readability and can connect via bluetooth. Also runs XCSoar
>> as a backup flight computer if you wish.
>
> I like the idea of the good display, but I'm concerned it can't be updated
> past version 2.2 (which was two years ago, I think), and might not be able
> to run some useful apps in the near future.
>
> Since the lack of responses suggests I'm the only that's not planning to
> use a smartphone on the inReach, I'll look into those again. I rarely use
> a mobile phone, but they seem to cost about the same iPad Touch and
> similar Android devices, and I can get one that works with my prepaid
> phone plan.
>
> --
> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
> email me)

[bumper[_4_]]

On Friday, March 15, 2013 9:20:53 PM UTC-7, Eric Greenwell wrote:
> On 3/15/2013 2:54 PM, Morgan wrote:
>
> Since the lack of responses suggests I'm the only that's not planning to
>
> use a smartphone on the inReach, I'll look into those again. I rarely
>
> use a mobile phone, but they seem to cost about the same iPad Touch and
>
> similar Android devices, and I can get one that works with my prepaid
>
> phone plan.
> --
>
> Eric Greenwell


Still waiting to see if Eric is really gonna struggle out of the dark ages. Talks "electronics", but rumor has it still generates electricity rubbing a rubber rod with wool. :c)

bumper

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

On 3/16/2013 10:28 AM, bumper wrote:
> On Friday, March 15, 2013 9:20:53 PM UTC-7, Eric Greenwell wrote:
>> On 3/15/2013 2:54 PM, Morgan wrote:
>>
>> Since the lack of responses suggests I'm the only that's not
>> planning to
>>
>> use a smartphone on the inReach, I'll look into those again. I
>> rarely
>>
>> use a mobile phone, but they seem to cost about the same iPad Touch
>> and
>>
>> similar Android devices, and I can get one that works with my
>> prepaid
>>
>> phone plan. --
>>
>> Eric Greenwell
>
>
> Still waiting to see if Eric is really gonna struggle out of the dark
> ages. Talks "electronics", but rumor has it still generates
> electricity rubbing a rubber rod with wool. :c)

Wool works? That would be a lot easier than the cat I've been using.
He's pretty fed up with it anyway, because he thinks it's in violation
of the "substantial petting" clause in his contract.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

[Craig Funston[_2_]]

On Saturday, March 16, 2013 11:18:43 AM UTC-7, Eric Greenwell wrote:
> On 3/16/2013 10:28 AM, bumper wrote:
>
> > On Friday, March 15, 2013 9:20:53 PM UTC-7, Eric Greenwell wrote:
>
> >> On 3/15/2013 2:54 PM, Morgan wrote:
>
> >>
>
> >> Since the lack of responses suggests I'm the only that's not
>
> >> planning to
>
> >>
>
> >> use a smartphone on the inReach, I'll look into those again. I
>
> >> rarely
>
> >>
>
> >> use a mobile phone, but they seem to cost about the same iPad Touch
>
> >> and
>
> >>
>
> >> similar Android devices, and I can get one that works with my
>
> >> prepaid
>
> >>
>
> >> phone plan. --
>
> >>
>
> >> Eric Greenwell
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Still waiting to see if Eric is really gonna struggle out of the dark
>
> > ages. Talks "electronics", but rumor has it still generates
>
> > electricity rubbing a rubber rod with wool. :c)
>
>
>
> Wool works? That would be a lot easier than the cat I've been using.
>
> He's pretty fed up with it anyway, because he thinks it's in violation
>
> of the "substantial petting" clause in his contract.
>
>
>
> --
>
> Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
>
> email me)

Now that we're completely off topic you'll need to consult the "Engineer's Guide to Cats" for further elucidation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHXBL6bzAR4

Good luck,
Craig

[[email protected]]

> Cool. One card per turnpoint. Manually sorted/indexed for your easy access. "Aww crap, can't find turnpoint #2 - it must've slipped behind my back".

Using punched paper tape would solve that problem, Erik. Same technology, different medium.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
U.S.A.

[Martin Gregorie[_5_]]

On Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:17:26 -0700, chip.bearden wrote:

>> Cool. One card per turnpoint. Manually sorted/indexed for your easy
>> access. "Aww crap, can't find turnpoint #2 - it must've slipped behind
>> my back".
>
> Using punched paper tape would solve that problem, Erik. Same
> technology, different medium.
>
There's a problem: there's no stairwell in most gliders. I used to work
with paper tape and the stair-well is essential. If you get a large roll
tangled, e.g. drop it and have the centre fall out, the quick fix is to
hold one end, dump the rest down the stair well and wind it up again.
OTOH I can imagine loose tape in a cockpit trussing the pilot like a
turkey ready for Thanksgiving.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[Dan Marotta]

We had some machines that had to be booted from punched tape. We did it so
often that we used mylar tape! We also had a hand-held, battery powered,
winder up thingie to wind it back up and then wrap a rubber band around it.
Ah... The days of core memory...

I wonder how that punched mylar tape would work as a combined control
seal/turbulator...


"Martin Gregorie" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:17:26 -0700, chip.bearden wrote:
>
>>> Cool. One card per turnpoint. Manually sorted/indexed for your easy
>>> access. "Aww crap, can't find turnpoint #2 - it must've slipped behind
>>> my back".
>>
>> Using punched paper tape would solve that problem, Erik. Same
>> technology, different medium.
>>
> There's a problem: there's no stairwell in most gliders. I used to work
> with paper tape and the stair-well is essential. If you get a large roll
> tangled, e.g. drop it and have the centre fall out, the quick fix is to
> hold one end, dump the rest down the stair well and wind it up again.
> OTOH I can imagine loose tape in a cockpit trussing the pilot like a
> turkey ready for Thanksgiving.
>
>
> --
> martin@ | Martin Gregorie
> gregorie. | Essex, UK
> org |

[BobW]

On 3/17/2013 6:41 AM, Martin Gregorie wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:17:26 -0700, chip.bearden wrote:
>
>>> Cool. One card per turnpoint. Manually sorted/indexed for your easy
>>> access. "Aww crap, can't find turnpoint #2 - it must've slipped behind
>>> my back".
>>
>> Using punched paper tape would solve that problem, Erik. Same
>> technology, different medium.
>>
> There's a problem: there's no stairwell in most gliders. I used to work
> with paper tape and the stair-well is essential. If you get a large roll
> tangled, e.g. drop it and have the centre fall out, the quick fix is to
> hold one end, dump the rest down the stair well and wind it up again.
> OTOH I can imagine loose tape in a cockpit trussing the pilot like a
> turkey ready for Thanksgiving.
>
>
Thanksgiving?!? Wow. We colonials mostly presume youse guys are as ignorant of
our holiday as we are of Guy Fawkes' Day. :-)

[Bill D]

1957, Holloman AFB, NM, Univac 1103A, 5000 - 7000 vacuum tubes, 4096 words core memory (and IIRC, some electrostatic memory). One 4k magnetic drum mass memory plus six Uniservo tape drives. OAT typically 120F. Air conditioning kept computer room at 60F but MTTF was only 6 - 8 hours. Acquired what turned out to be one of life's most useless skills, testing and replacing 12AX7 vacuum tubes.

Purpose of 1103A, data reduction from missile tests. Some target drones became gliders. Some guided missiles became unguided. Many just vanished. Glad we were in a bunker. Lt.Col. Howard Ebersole and some other guys were trying to start a glider club which eventually became White Sands Soaring Association. The most complicated glider instrument: pellet variometer. Radios? You're kidding, right? Navigation? IFR (I Follow Roads) backed up with IFRR. (I Follow Rail Roads)



On Sunday, March 17, 2013 9:20:37 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
> We had some machines that had to be booted from punched tape. We did it so
>
> often that we used mylar tape! We also had a hand-held, battery powered,
>
> winder up thingie to wind it back up and then wrap a rubber band around it.
>
> Ah... The days of core memory...
>
>
>
> I wonder how that punched mylar tape would work as a combined control
>
> seal/turbulator...
>
>
>
>
>
> "Martin Gregorie" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > On Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:17:26 -0700, chip.bearden wrote:
>
> >
>
> >>> Cool. One card per turnpoint. Manually sorted/indexed for your easy
>
> >>> access. "Aww crap, can't find turnpoint #2 - it must've slipped behind
>
> >>> my back".
>
> >>
>
> >> Using punched paper tape would solve that problem, Erik. Same
>
> >> technology, different medium.
>
> >>
>
> > There's a problem: there's no stairwell in most gliders. I used to work
>
> > with paper tape and the stair-well is essential. If you get a large roll
>
> > tangled, e.g. drop it and have the centre fall out, the quick fix is to
>
> > hold one end, dump the rest down the stair well and wind it up again.
>
> > OTOH I can imagine loose tape in a cockpit trussing the pilot like a
>
> > turkey ready for Thanksgiving.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > --
>
> > martin@ | Martin Gregorie
>
> > gregorie. | Essex, UK
>
> > org |

[Martin Gregorie[_5_]]

On Sun, 17 Mar 2013 14:09:30 -0600, BobW wrote:

> On 3/17/2013 6:41 AM, Martin Gregorie wrote:
>> On Sat, 16 Mar 2013 21:17:26 -0700, chip.bearden wrote:
>>
>>>> Cool. One card per turnpoint. Manually sorted/indexed for your
>>>> easy access. "Aww crap, can't find turnpoint #2 - it must've slipped
>>>> behind my back".
>>>
>>> Using punched paper tape would solve that problem, Erik. Same
>>> technology, different medium.
>>>
>> There's a problem: there's no stairwell in most gliders. I used to work
>> with paper tape and the stair-well is essential. If you get a large
>> roll tangled, e.g. drop it and have the centre fall out, the quick fix
>> is to hold one end, dump the rest down the stair well and wind it up
>> again. OTOH I can imagine loose tape in a cockpit trussing the pilot
>> like a turkey ready for Thanksgiving.
>>
>>
> Thanksgiving?!? Wow. We colonials mostly presume youse guys are as
> ignorant of our holiday as we are of Guy Fawkes' Day. :-)
>
The Thanksgiving Turkey is about the only traditional association between
a bird and a public holiday I can think of that still exists in the
anglophone world and no other bird is so often trussed for cooking.

Over here it used to be the Christmas Goose, but thats fading fast. The
Norfolk turkey farmers are pushing the Xmas Turkey really hard but it
hasn't yet achieved traditional status. That means your traditional
Thanksgiving nosh holds the iconic number one slot.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

On 3/17/2013 1:48 PM, Martin Gregorie wrote:

>
> Over here it used to be the Christmas Goose, but thats fading fast. The
> Norfolk turkey farmers are pushing the Xmas Turkey really hard but it
> hasn't yet achieved traditional status. That means your traditional
> Thanksgiving nosh holds the iconic number one slot.

Maybe not the record for "farthest thread drift", but satellite
communicator to not-yet traditional Xmas dinner probably rates at least
an Honorable Mention!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)

[JS]

Happy (early) first of April, Eric!
Jim

On Sunday, March 17, 2013 5:04:08 PM UTC-7, Eric Greenwell wrote:
> Maybe not the record for "farthest thread drift", but satellite
> communicator to not-yet traditional Xmas dinner probably rates at least
> an Honorable Mention!
>