Flight Logging - Cheap

[Marry Daniel or David Grah]

Partially for purist and self righteous reasons, I avoid the use of a flight
computer or GPS while soaring. I like to look at the map and look out the
canopy to figure out where I am and if I am high enough. With this approach
I am free to feel a little snobby that I am not depending on a flight
computer or GPS to tell me where I am or how much fun I am having. When I
wanted a flight record other than my log book entry, I'd smoke up the drum
of my Winter barograph and make a trace. This low tech way I also save more
money for tows.

Well, I am starting to think that a GPS flight log from might be a neat
thing to have for flight records. At the same time I want to minimize the
risk to my self righteousness and to my skinny pocket book as well.

What I would like to do is identify a GPS model or so that I could pick up
on ebay for not a lot of money and that I could use to log flights and
download them to my computer. So as not damage my righteous flying style,
I'd plan to turn the GPS on to log, stick in in the bag behind my head in my
Libelle, and then fly like I normally do, with my eyes, my glide card, and
with my map. I go as far not wanting to look at any sort of GPS display
while flying. Maybe in time I will ease into that.

I need to figure out what would some good GPS to my purposes. In search of
such items I have searched RAS and the web and have found a couple good
references, but not a lot more:

http://www.forsterlewis.com/soaring/soaring_with_gps/index.html

http://www.forsterlewis.com/soaring/soaring_with_gps/garminfr.html

If anyone can suggest some GPS models, including some older ones, that don't
necessarily have fancy mapping features but would have enough memory for a
good trace of a ten hour flight, I would greatly appreciate it.

David Grah
Bishop, California
H301 Libelle N11GV

[Marc Ramsey]

Marry Daniel or David Grah wrote:
> If anyone can suggest some GPS models, including some older ones, that don't
> necessarily have fancy mapping features but would have enough memory for a
> good trace of a ten hour flight, I would greatly appreciate it.

Get a Garmin Geko 201 (not 101), I've seen them on sale for under $100,
they record 10,000 track points with time and altitude, and you can set
the recording interval to 4 seconds, which will give you more than 10
hours...

Marc

[Eric Greenwell]

Marry Daniel or David Grah wrote:
> Partially for purist and self righteous reasons, I avoid the use of a flight
> computer or GPS while soaring. I like to look at the map and look out the
> canopy to figure out where I am and if I am high enough. With this approach
> I am free to feel a little snobby that I am not depending on a flight
> computer or GPS to tell me where I am or how much fun I am having. When I
> wanted a flight record other than my log book entry, I'd smoke up the drum
> of my Winter barograph and make a trace. This low tech way I also save more
> money for tows.
>
> Well, I am starting to think that a GPS flight log from might be a neat
> thing to have for flight records. At the same time I want to minimize the
> risk to my self righteousness and to my skinny pocket book as well.
>
> What I would like to do is identify a GPS model or so that I could pick up
> on ebay for not a lot of money and that I could use to log flights and
> download them to my computer. So as not damage my righteous flying style,
> I'd plan to turn the GPS on to log, stick in in the bag behind my head in my
> Libelle, and then fly like I normally do, with my eyes, my glide card, and
> with my map. I go as far not wanting to look at any sort of GPS display
> while flying. Maybe in time I will ease into that.

Welcome to the Slippery Slope, Dave. Here are some ideas...

- get one that logs altitude: the older ones don't, the newer ones
usually do
- make sure it's well out reach in flight, so you don't find the Devil
tempting you
- be darn sure it can go 10 hours on it's batteries unless you are
prepared to add an external source for it
- borrow one from a buddy - maybe you don't need to buy one at all!
- be sure you have a computer that can download the trace, meaning you
will need a serial port and not just USB ports
- and make sure it's a type compatible with the Pocket PC or Palm
computers and soaring programs that run on them, "just in case" the
purist bites the apple and is thrown out of heaven...

--
-----
change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[Bob Gibbons]

A slightly different approach;

Get an inexpensive older GPS like a Garmin 12 and mate it with Nick
Bonniere's very neat GPS recorder,

http://www.magma.ca/~bonnfutt/Varicalc/NMEArecorder/

This unit is about the size of a pack of cigarettes, is under $100 and
will record GPS altitude, which few of the GPS units will do
themselves. The output of the unit is a formated IGC file (without
security, of course).

I flew with one of these units for several years without any problems
at all. Nick's unit can even downconvert its input 12v to 8v to power
a GPS that requires this lower voltage.

Bob


On Sun, 7 Mar 2004 18:26:14 -0800, "Marry Daniel or David Grah"
> wrote:

>Partially for purist and self righteous reasons, I avoid the use of a flight
>computer or GPS while soaring. I like to look at the map and look out the
>canopy to figure out where I am and if I am high enough. With this approach
>I am free to feel a little snobby that I am not depending on a flight
>computer or GPS to tell me where I am or how much fun I am having. When I
>wanted a flight record other than my log book entry, I'd smoke up the drum
>of my Winter barograph and make a trace. This low tech way I also save more
>money for tows.
>
>Well, I am starting to think that a GPS flight log from might be a neat
>thing to have for flight records. At the same time I want to minimize the
>risk to my self righteousness and to my skinny pocket book as well.
>
>What I would like to do is identify a GPS model or so that I could pick up
>on ebay for not a lot of money and that I could use to log flights and
>download them to my computer. So as not damage my righteous flying style,
>I'd plan to turn the GPS on to log, stick in in the bag behind my head in my
>Libelle, and then fly like I normally do, with my eyes, my glide card, and
>with my map. I go as far not wanting to look at any sort of GPS display
>while flying. Maybe in time I will ease into that.
>
>I need to figure out what would some good GPS to my purposes. In search of
>such items I have searched RAS and the web and have found a couple good
>references, but not a lot more:
>
>http://www.forsterlewis.com/soaring/soaring_with_gps/index.html
>
>http://www.forsterlewis.com/soaring/soaring_with_gps/garminfr.html
>
>If anyone can suggest some GPS models, including some older ones, that don't
>necessarily have fancy mapping features but would have enough memory for a
>good trace of a ten hour flight, I would greatly appreciate it.
>
>David Grah
>Bishop, California
>H301 Libelle N11GV
>
>

[Hannes]

Marc Ramsey wrote:

> Marry Daniel or David Grah wrote:
>> If anyone can suggest some GPS models, including some older ones, that
>> don't necessarily have fancy mapping features but would have enough
>> memory for a good trace of a ten hour flight, I would greatly appreciate
>> it.
>
> Get a Garmin Geko 201 (not 101), I've seen them on sale for under $100,
> they record 10,000 track points with time and altitude, and you can set
> the recording interval to 4 seconds, which will give you more than 10
> hours...
>
> Marc

I just bought a Geko301 (the advantage about the 201 is that the 301 has
barometric altitude, electronic compass). Its a very small GPS, with all
functions you'll need. Make sure you get the PC-connecting cable, which has
the option for external power.

But If you like to compete at the "online contest", or any other contest you
should consider buying an IGC approved Logger...

Hannes

[Janos Bauer]

Think about something like this:
http://www.freeweb.hu/bauerj/soarpilot/rencer1.JPG
www.soaringpilot.org
Regards,

/Janos

ps: for me it seems to be a good candidate for an "up to badge"
recorder:)

[Scott]

Anyone know if the etrex legend will identify altitude?
"Marc Ramsey" > wrote in message
om...
> Marry Daniel or David Grah wrote:
> > If anyone can suggest some GPS models, including some older ones, that
don't
> > necessarily have fancy mapping features but would have enough memory for
a
> > good trace of a ten hour flight, I would greatly appreciate it.
>
> Get a Garmin Geko 201 (not 101), I've seen them on sale for under $100,
> they record 10,000 track points with time and altitude, and you can set
> the recording interval to 4 seconds, which will give you more than 10
> hours...
>
> Marc




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[Marc Ramsey]

Scott wrote:
> Anyone know if the etrex legend will identify altitude?

If you mean, "does the etrex legend record altitude in track logs?", the
answer is yes.

Marc

[Waduino]

The Legend does, but it's GPS altitude.
The Vista has an altimeter/barometer for altitude (more accurate) and is
similar in size, display, etc. to the Legend.

---


"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone know if the etrex legend will identify altitude?
> "Marc Ramsey" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Marry Daniel or David Grah wrote:
> > > If anyone can suggest some GPS models, including some older ones, that
> don't
> > > necessarily have fancy mapping features but would have enough memory
for
> a
> > > good trace of a ten hour flight, I would greatly appreciate it.
> >
> > Get a Garmin Geko 201 (not 101), I've seen them on sale for under $100,
> > they record 10,000 track points with time and altitude, and you can set
> > the recording interval to 4 seconds, which will give you more than 10
> > hours...
> >
> > Marc
>
>
>
>
> -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
> http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
> -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

[Eric Greenwell]

Waduino wrote:
> The Legend does, but it's GPS altitude.
> The Vista has an altimeter/barometer for altitude (more accurate) and is
> similar in size, display, etc. to the Legend.

Which method is more "accurate" depends on the atmosphere and what you
mean by "altitude". I would not base a choice on where the altitude info
comes from. For recreational logging purposes, it's irrelevant. The IGC
recorders use pressure altitude because of historical reasons, and
because GPS altitude was grossly inaccurate in the "early days" of their
use.

--
-----
change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

[Mark James Boyd]

I use a logger (Volkslogger) with an independent power source for
logging, and a separate GPS for navigation. The logger is
completely passive.

I'd consider an "integrated system" but I'd rather have the
nav part be the latest and greatest. The Volkslogger is just a
recorder, and overpriced at that.

Wouldn't it be something if we got Garmin to IGC approve their
Geko 301? $200 for a logger would be great!
--

------------+
Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA