"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:stqkd.321972$wV.301196@attbi_s54...

However, I've got an old Narco 120 Com that works fine but is getting
pretty
"long-in-the-tooth". I've also got an old Narco DME that works perfectly,
but is utterly useless to me.

I'd like to yank both those units, save about ten pounds, sell them on
Ebay,
and replace them with a new Garmin GPS/Com combo. I think that would be a
great upgrade -- but I'd like to hear from folks who have one before
making
the leap!

I do believe if you wanted to use the GPS as a DME, you'll need to have the
300XL installed IFR (which would mean you'd need to replace/add a CDI, etc.
as well as the requisite paperwork). I've thought about replacing one of my
old RT-385 Nav/Coms in the C152 for the same reasons you state in your
original post, but the cost of doing the IFR install have held me off from
doing it so far. I figure if I'm going to install a 300XL I should probably
go for the IFR cert, otherwise it's just better to go get a Garmin 296 and
buy one of those MX slide in replacement comms and still have three grand in
my pocket. I was told between the radio and install I was looking at $6,000
or so. At that point I figured why not go for the extra and get a 430, etc.
Just like anything else in aviation, there is always something better for
just a little bit more. I have been told that if you install a Garmin 430,
it is legal to install without the CDI because of the way it was approved
(at least you don't need the CDI for GPS use). I've never seen one that way,
they all have the CDI, but I think that's if you want to use the NAV
abilities for VORs, ILSes, etc. I might be able to get away with the 430
since I have ILS on my primary navcomm.

--
Louis L. Perley III
N46000 - C152
N370 - PA-23-250