"Neil Gould" wrote in message
et...
Recently, Allen posted:

"Steve Foley" wrote in message
news:68Ijj.10440$ac7.7748@trndny03...
"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..
Do you usually retire them because someone has marketed a better
mousetrap, because the unit is unsupported, or because the unit no
longer works properly?

I vote for no longer works properly.

I bought a Garmin Pilot III back around 2001 from someone who had
upgraded to a 295. The screen started losing lines and now is
unreadable (It's even worse since I opened it and tried to fix it).

I'll probably look around for a lightly used 295. There's a
manufacturing defect in the Pilot III's that made all of the screens
shrink. They were perfectly usable ten years ago, now they're all
too small


If I were you I would look for a 296. The 295 does not have a
built-in ability to charge the batteries. If you lose the ship's
electrical power you have only the remaining battery life. The 296
will charge the batteries while in use; if you lose the ship's power
you should still have fully charged batteries.

I have a 295 and that is the only drawback between the two. I use
ni-cads and have to remember to charge them between use.

I also have a 295, and use Li-ions with it. I haven't been inconvenienced
by the lack of charging, but as I fly club planes I don't leave the unit
in it anyway. I get about 3-4 hours on a charge, and the Li-ions retain
their charge during non-use better than Ni-Cads. For long XC, I carry an
extra set but still run the unit on the ship's power.

Hope this helps some...

Neil

I keep mine in my flight bag in the nylon pouch it came with in between use.
It has the unfortunate ability to turn itself on while in the bag. The
power button needs a guard.

I will look into the Li-ions; they use the same setting in the 295 as the
ni-cads do?

Allen