Portable GPS Nav system

[[email protected]]

Looking for suggestions on a portable GPS Nav system. I was wondering
if a portable system could be cobbled together using a plug-in GPS
module on a PDA using Glide Navigator II or any other current software
like SeeYou mobile. I want a system I can use in rental planes.

Guy

[Mike[_8_]]

http://www.geocities.com/jhderosa/aviation/cambridge302a/



On Mar 31, 10:59 pm, wrote:
> Looking for suggestions on a portable GPS Nav system. I was wondering
> if a portable system could be cobbled together using a plug-in GPS
> module on a PDA using Glide Navigator II or any other current software
> like SeeYou mobile. I want a system I can use in rental planes.
>
> Guy

[Paul Remde]

Hi Guy,

Yes, Please take a look here:
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/pdagps.htm

Is that what you are looking for?

I use systems like that often.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Looking for suggestions on a portable GPS Nav system. I was wondering
> if a portable system could be cobbled together using a plug-in GPS
> module on a PDA using Glide Navigator II or any other current software
> like SeeYou mobile. I want a system I can use in rental planes.
>
> Guy
>

[Mike Baldwin]

On Apr 1, 7:23 am, "Paul Remde" > wrote:
> Hi Guy,
>
> Yes, Please take a look here:http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/pdagps.htm
>
> Is that what you are looking for?
>
> I use systems like that often.
>
> Good Soaring,
>
> Paul Remde
> Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
>
> > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>
> > Looking for suggestions on a portable GPS Nav system. I was wondering
> > if a portable system could be cobbled together using a plug-in GPS
> > module on a PDA using Glide Navigator II or any other current software
> > like SeeYou mobile. I want a system I can use in rental planes.
>
> > Guy

I have used a small GPS unit to plug directly into the PDA, but the
issue then becomes power. Unless you can power the PDA the PDA
battery is quickly exhausted when it's driving the PDA and a direct
connect GPS. I found it better to use a Bluetooth GPS unit (which
has it's own power), connected to a Bluetooth enabled PDA with a large
capacity battery. Surprisingly (to me) the Bluetooth consumed less
power than the direct attached GPS card and I was able to soar for
many hours.
Mike.

[[email protected]]

I use:
* Palm Tungsten T (NOT T2, T3 etc.)
* Magellan GPS companion for M500 series
* Bracket for above
* power cable for above - with car lighter type plug, takes 12V with a
wide margin
* SoaringPilot software( http://www.soaringpilot.org/ )

Total cost: <$200, for hardware (only on e-bay!), $0 for software

Advantages:
* Stick the bracket to the canopy with suction cups
* plug into available 12V lighter plug or to your own 12V battery
* GPS also charges PDA
* superb daylight readability of color screen
* excellent software - puts to shame some of the commercial ones (not
all..)
* fantastic software support

Uri
4X-GGG
P.S.: if you find the charger in the GPS module interferes with the
radio, reduce input voltage to 9V...




On Apr 1, 5:18 pm, "Mike Baldwin" > wrote:
> On Apr 1, 7:23 am, "Paul Remde" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi Guy,
>
> > Yes, Please take a look here:http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/pdagps.htm
>
> > Is that what you are looking for?
>
> > I use systems like that often.
>
> > Good Soaring,
>
> > Paul Remde
> > Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
>
> > > wrote in message
>
> ups.com...
>
> > > Looking for suggestions on a portable GPS Nav system. I was wondering
> > > if a portable system could be cobbled together using a plug-in GPS
> > > module on a PDA using Glide Navigator II or any other current software
> > > like SeeYou mobile. I want a system I can use in rental planes.
>
> > > Guy
>
> I have used a small GPS unit to plug directly into the PDA, but the
> issue then becomes power. Unless you can power the PDA the PDA
> battery is quickly exhausted when it's driving the PDA and a direct
> connect GPS. I found it better to use a Bluetooth GPS unit (which
> has it's own power), connected to a Bluetooth enabled PDA with a large
> capacity battery. Surprisingly (to me) the Bluetooth consumed less
> power than the direct attached GPS card and I was able to soar for
> many hours.
> Mike.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[John Scott]

For the last several years I have flown using a 3850 iPAQ with a PCcard
jacket and a PCcard GPS card installed and a suction cup mount. This allows
me to switch between club planes.

With everything fully charged I can get about 2 hours, a little short. I
built a 6 volt battery pack using a D-cell battery clip from the aviation
aisle at Radio Shack. I also purchased a cable with the appropriate
Adapt-a-Plug to fit the connection on the iPAQ jacket. Using 4 D-cells (6
v, 20AH battery), I flew all last summer on the same batteries. The iPAQ and
Jacket were always fully charged.

I have a RAM mount from Cumulus Soaring consisting of the holder for the
iPAQ with jacket, the large balls with about a 3" arm and the really big
suction cup.
I've flown for 6 hours with this config and not had the suction cup come
loose from the canopy. I had one langing hard enough to pop the stylus out
of the top of the iPAQ, but the suction cup held.

I used GPSlog for a while, but have switched to SeeYou mobile. Both
products worked very well.

John Scott

[bumper]

"John Scott" > wrote in message
.. .
> For the last several years I have flown using a 3850 iPAQ with a PCcard
> jacket and a PCcard GPS card installed and a suction cup mount. This
> allows me to switch between club planes.
>
> John Scott


Be cautious parking in direct sun with a suction cup on the canopy. I have
seen suction cups cause round areas of crazed plastic. (This was not on a
RAM suction cup.)

This crazing may have been caused by differential heating, with the suction
cup area getting hotter than the surrounding plastic, or it may have been
caused by aromatics leaching out of the suction cup material.

If this is a concern, one might consider putting reflective (aluminum or SS)
where the suction cup is to go.

bumper

[bumper]

"bumper" > wrote in message news:JyRPh.5750

If this is a concern, one might consider putting reflective (aluminum or SS)
where the suction cup is to go.


That wasn't very clear. What I meant to say is: One might consider putting
reflective tape on the inside canopy surface where the suction cup is to go.
The apply the suction cup to the tape.

bumper

[Ira Blieden]

wrote:
> Looking for suggestions on a portable GPS Nav system. I was wondering
> if a portable system could be cobbled together using a plug-in GPS
> module on a PDA using Glide Navigator II or any other current software
> like SeeYou mobile. I want a system I can use in rental planes.
>
> Guy
>


As a backup system, I have a Garmin iQueM5 with See You Mobile. It is a
PDA running Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition with a built in GPS
system and a flip up GPS antenna. I have not yet registered (which
gives me the register pop-up) but it does work and works very well. I
believe that Glide Navigator II will also work. I’ll report back once I
try GNII.

Within See You Mobile, you need to set the GPS port to Com4. Leave the
other Comm settings as default.

Also:
Settings->System->Que Preferences->System: Set Launch QueMap when GPS is
enabled to Off
Settings->System->Que Preferences->Routing: Off-Route Recalculation to
Off (a)
Setting -> Button: change Button 4 from being QueCycle to your Glider
Navigation S/W. This is mostly to keep QueMap from starting up while in
the air.

Notes:
- You can run both QueMap and the Glider Navigation S/W at the same
time. Lots of fun especially in a car.
- (A) there is a setting that will automatically start up the QueMap
S/W. I believe that Off-Route Recalculation being on is it. I will
need to go flying to verify.
- I would recommend connecting the Garmin iQue M5 to an external Battery
supply. You can get a simple car charger on Ebay.

Ira

[Gunnar]

I use an iPAQ 3955 with a Navman 3420 gps. The iPAQ 3955 runs SeeYou
Moble. This works well in the car with a remote antenna for the gps
sleeve.

If I fly a glider with no flight computer or gps, I use this system
with an external battery.

The Navman 3420 and iPAQ 3955 are available on ebay all the time. So
is the remote antenna for the 3420.

Hope this helps,

Gunnar

[[email protected]]

Thank you everyone for your input.

I had the pleasure of seeing an iPAQ system for real at Williams and
it is exactly what I had in my mind's eye.

Forest came up with an HP iPAQ 4705 which has the highest resolution
screen you can get. It also has a CF card socket on the top that you
just plug in a GPS antenna. You put an extra capacity battery on the
back. Put the whole rig on a knee board that has the platform angled
towards your face at about a 40 degree angle. Then you put an anti-
reflection film on the display.

You have a complete GPS-NAV system sitting on your leg with 5+ hours
of run time. Superb!!!!!

See www.cumulus-soaring.com for this example and others. Very
portable. Less than $700.

Thank you everyone.

Guy

[Dan G]

On Apr 6, 4:05 am, wrote:
> Put the whole rig on a knee board that has the platform angled
> towards your face at about a 40 degree angle.

Do you have a source for such a thing or is it a DIY job?


Dan

[Paul Remde]

Hi Dan,

I prefer gooseneck mounts or suction cup mounts myself. But I do sell a
good knee board. You can see details here:
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/misc.htm#Knee_Board
"Dan G" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On Apr 6, 4:05 am, wrote:
>> Put the whole rig on a knee board that has the platform angled
>> towards your face at about a 40 degree angle.
>
> Do you have a source for such a thing or is it a DIY job?
>
>
> Dan
>

[Paul Remde]

Hi Dan,

I prefer gooseneck mounts or suction cup mounts myself. But I do sell a
good knee board. You can see details here:
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/misc.htm#Knee_Board

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde

> "Dan G" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> On Apr 6, 4:05 am, wrote:
>>> Put the whole rig on a knee board that has the platform angled
>>> towards your face at about a 40 degree angle.
>>
>> Do you have a source for such a thing or is it a DIY job?
>>
>>
>> Dan
>>
>
>