Needed: comparison of popular Aviation GPS units, Garmin, Lowrance, AvMap, etc.

[C. Osbourne]

Maybe another way to describe what I'm looking for, is a
Consumer Report's type of grid that shows features of
each of the GPS's and ranks them as "good, better, and best"

Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?

Thanks for answering here.

[Stubby]

C. Osbourne wrote:

> Maybe another way to describe what I'm looking for, is a
> Consumer Report's type of grid that shows features of
> each of the GPS's and ranks them as "good, better, and best"
>
> Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?

I've started looking for a GPS that allows selecting (switch?) a
database for roads, aviation, hiking, marine, etc. I like the Palm
Pilot a friend had during a balloon chase recently but it only had a
"roads" database.

_____________________________________________
Bill Plummer, BBN 1971 - 1980

[Matt Barrow]

"C. Osbourne" > wrote in message
...
>
> Maybe another way to describe what I'm looking for, is a
> Consumer Report's type of grid that shows features of
> each of the GPS's and ranks them as "good, better, and best"
>
> Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?

Not quite, but try this - Which GPS is Right For YOU?
http://www.avionicswest.com/myviewpoint/whichgps.htm

[James Ricks]

> wrote:

>
>Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?
>
No. www.Sporty's.com has a grid-like comparison, but unlike Consumer's
Reports, they would have a vested interest in your choice.

My $.02 worth: Lowrance comes complete- mounts, automotive/nautical software,
even batteries. Their software is easy to update online using readily
available SD memory cards, not proprietary memory. At about 60% the cost of
comparable, though incomplete Garmin. Garmin's high end 296 has surface
elevation database, whereas Lowrance just uses Jeppesen Obstructions database,
so you have antennas, mtn. peaks and such, but not the surrounding terrain.

I enjoy my Lowrance 1000. With a little looking around you can get one of
these for $500 or so.

Best wishes. . . Jim

[Stubby]

James Ricks wrote:
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?
>>
>
> No. www.Sporty's.com has a grid-like comparison, but unlike Consumer's
> Reports, they would have a vested interest in your choice.
>
> My $.02 worth: Lowrance comes complete- mounts, automotive/nautical software,
> even batteries. Their software is easy to update online using readily
> available SD memory cards, not proprietary memory. At about 60% the cost of
> comparable, though incomplete Garmin. Garmin's high end 296 has surface
> elevation database, whereas Lowrance just uses Jeppesen Obstructions database,
> so you have antennas, mtn. peaks and such, but not the surrounding terrain.
>
> I enjoy my Lowrance 1000. With a little looking around you can get one of
> these for $500 or so.

That's an excellent reference matrix, Jim. Thank you.
The L 1000 does look good but no color. I gotta have color in my next
GPS. Note that I limp along with a Garmin 12 these days.

[James Ricks]

>
>I've started looking for a GPS that allows selecting (switch?) a
>database for roads, aviation, hiking, marine, etc.

Bill, My Lorrance 1000 will do that- it just takes a few keystrokes, and to
get at the really small roads- like dirt tracks- you might have to remove your
'aviation' memory card and slip in the terrestrial one you will have made from
the included CD ROM. Maybe a 1 minute operation.

I use mine both for aviation and in the big truck I drive to find addresses in
unfamiliar places and it switches back and forth easily- as well as giving you
values in km,miles,or nautical miles- again easily switchable.

Jim

[Thomas Borchert]

C.,

> Consumer Report's
>

Uhm, www.aviationconsumer.com does that. You will have to subscribe to read the articles online, but it's well worth the money, IMHO.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)
M

[Thomas Borchert]

Stubby,

> The L 1000 does look good but no color. I gotta have color in my next
> GPS.
>

so get the Airmap 2000c.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Greg Copeland]

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 21:02:44 -0400, Stubby wrote:

> James Ricks wrote:
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?
>>>
>>>
>> No. www.Sporty's.com has a grid-like comparison, but unlike Consumer's
>> Reports, they would have a vested interest in your choice.
>>
>> My $.02 worth: Lowrance comes complete- mounts, automotive/nautical
>> software, even batteries. Their software is easy to update online using
>> readily available SD memory cards, not proprietary memory. At about 60%
>> the cost of comparable, though incomplete Garmin. Garmin's high end 296
>> has surface elevation database, whereas Lowrance just uses Jeppesen
>> Obstructions database, so you have antennas, mtn. peaks and such, but
>> not the surrounding terrain.
>>
>> I enjoy my Lowrance 1000. With a little looking around you can get one
>> of these for $500 or so.
>
> That's an excellent reference matrix, Jim. Thank you. The L 1000 does
> look good but no color. I gotta have color in my next GPS. Note that I
> limp along with a Garmin 12 these days.

"AirMap 2000c complete GPS package our discount price...$795.00"
http://www.airplanegear.com/special-airmap2000.htm

I have not bought from them but IIRC, I got that address from another
posting in r.a.* some time ago. If you decide to go that route, I'd love
to hear about your purchasing experience. Again, IIRC, someone here did
say they bought from them and were very happy with the experience.


Greg

[Anthony]

C. Osbourne wrote:

>Maybe another way to describe what I'm looking for, is a
>Consumer Report's type of grid that shows features of
>each of the GPS's and ranks them as "good, better, and best"
>
>Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?
>
>Thanks for answering here.
>
>
>
I think Aviation Consumer has done that??? have you seen that publication?
Tony

[[email protected]]

Anthony wrote:

> C. Osbourne wrote:
>
>> Maybe another way to describe what I'm looking for, is a Consumer
>> Report's type of grid that shows features of each of the GPS's and
>> ranks them as "good, better, and best"
>>
>> Anyone know of comparative review of several GPS's in one place?
>> Thanks for answering here.
>>
>>
> I think Aviation Consumer has done that??? have you seen that publication?
> Tony

For VFR:

Garmin 296 (or 396 if you want the XM weather add-on)

For IFR:

Garmin 480 (not as intuitive as the Garmin 530, but the 480 will do LPV
now, not later).

These are the clear winners.

[Doug]

I've been happy with my Garmin. I'm also buying an automotive Garmin
and a motorcycle Garmin. My auto one for navigating the courtesy car
and my motorcycle one so I dont get lost.

[Andrew Gideon]

wrote:

> Garmin 480 (not as intuitive as the Garmin 530, but the 480 will do LPV
> now, not later).

Why "not as intuitive"? I've yet to fly behind a 480, but my club's
aircraft all have 430s. I'm confortable with them, but I'd not call the
interface "intuitive".

Is it perhaps that you learned the Garmin units first? I didn't (my first
IFRing behind a GPS was the BK units in new Cessnas), and that may make the
difference.

I *am* eager, though, to hear about flying behind a 480 wrt flight plan
entry. The ability to enter flight plans as we've always described them
(waypoint, airway, waypoint, airway...) seems like a fantastic
"innovation".

Is it as good as it sounds?

- Andrew

[John R. Copeland]

"Andrew Gideon" > wrote in message online.com...
>
>
> I *am* eager, though, to hear about flying behind a 480 wrt flight plan
> entry. The ability to enter flight plans as we've always described them
> (waypoint, airway, waypoint, airway...) seems like a fantastic
> "innovation".
>
> Is it as good as it sounds?
>
> - Andrew
>
I felt it was actually *better* than it sounded, at least to me.
I suggest you download Garmin's 480 simulator for Windows,
and try it out to see how it seems to you, Andrew.
But be assured that the knobs and buttons on the actual unit
are easier to operate than the clunky mouse-clicks of the simulator.

[[email protected]]

Andrew Gideon wrote:
> wrote:
>
>
>>Garmin 480 (not as intuitive as the Garmin 530, but the 480 will do LPV
>>now, not later).
>
>
> Why "not as intuitive"? I've yet to fly behind a 480, but my club's
> aircraft all have 430s. I'm confortable with them, but I'd not call the
> interface "intuitive".
>
> Is it perhaps that you learned the Garmin units first? I didn't (my first
> IFRing behind a GPS was the BK units in new Cessnas), and that may make the
> difference.

No, I learned in a 767 first. The 530 was a pretty easy transition for
me. I will admit that I haven't gotten nearly as deeply into the 480.
But, everyone I chatted with who has mastered the 480 likes it, and the
airway database/LPV makes it great. I don't know the level of
difficulty of entering airways. I do know that all these G/A panel
mounts, with all their knob twisting, is much more difficult than
entering data on a FMS.
>
> I *am* eager, though, to hear about flying behind a 480 wrt flight plan
> entry. The ability to enter flight plans as we've always described them
> (waypoint, airway, waypoint, airway...) seems like a fantastic
> "innovation".
>
> Is it as good as it sounds?
>
> - Andrew
>