Easy and affordable IGC logger

Since my FLARM doesn't have an SD card slot, I'm looking for an easy to use IGC logger.

Right now, I can get the EW IGC-logger microRecorder for € 295, which has built in GPS, antenna, SD card and USB cable in the box.

An LX Nano (regular nano, no display) is also an option, which is € 399, but is from LXNav, so probably more support available, SD card, wall charger and requires no additional cables.

What would your suggestions be? Do you have experiences with any? All info is welcome, thanks!

On 17/04/2018 08:31, Senna Van den Bosch wrote:
Since my FLARM doesn't have an SD card slot, I'm looking for an easy to use IGC logger.

Right now, I can get the EW IGC-logger microRecorder for € 295, which has built in GPS, antenna, SD card and USB cable in the box.

An LX Nano (regular nano, no display) is also an option, which is € 399, but is from LXNav, so probably more support available, SD card, wall charger and requires no additional cables.

What would your suggestions be? Do you have experiences with any? All info is welcome, thanks!


With the Nano the SD card is the internal storage and the recomendation
is you do not remove it to download traces. It is easy to do over USB
or bluetooth with the Nano config app on a phone. The config app also
alows you to configure the parameters, declare tasks etc on the Nano
from your phone.


--

Nick Hill

I used an old EW MicroRecorder (pre-SD card version) for a number of years. Always a bit of a hassle to have to do the declaration from a PC and having to have a laptop at the airfield etc. The aerial is also separate and so has to be stuck somewhere and then plugged into the unit prior to the flight. But the unit was generally reliable and easy to use.

I have just purchased a Nano4. Was looking at the Nano and Nano3 too - but liked the airspace warnings as well as final glide and climb optimiser which are now part of the Nano4. The NanoConfig App and Bluetooth connectivity mean declarations can be done from an android cellphone saving the hassle of having to connect any of the Nano units to a laptop for the declarations. Flights can also be downloaded using Bluetooth. I hate cables generally. The battery life is also far longer than the EW and its a far smaller unit overall. I personally think the extra Euro100 is worth the expense considering it is a far more modern unit. Both types are approved for all flights.

Clinton

Op dinsdag 17 april 2018 11:27:17 UTC+2 schreef :
I used an old EW MicroRecorder (pre-SD card version) for a number of years. Always a bit of a hassle to have to do the declaration from a PC and having to have a laptop at the airfield etc. The aerial is also separate and so has to be stuck somewhere and then plugged into the unit prior to the flight. But the unit was generally reliable and easy to use.

I have just purchased a Nano4. Was looking at the Nano and Nano3 too - but liked the airspace warnings as well as final glide and climb optimiser which are now part of the Nano4. The NanoConfig App and Bluetooth connectivity mean declarations can be done from an android cellphone saving the hassle of having to connect any of the Nano units to a laptop for the declarations. Flights can also be downloaded using Bluetooth. I hate cables generally. The battery life is also far longer than the EW and its a far smaller unit overall. I personally think the extra Euro100 is worth the expense considering it is a far more modern unit. Both types are approved for all flights.

Clinton

Hmm, good points. I always used FLARM in our club's gliders to record flights and used my phone as a GPS, maybe the Nano4 would be a good replacement for both. Do you need any other connections to the Nano/Nano4? Vario for example, or can the GPS register the differences in altitude automatically? Thanks!

Op dinsdag 17 april 2018 11:00:59 UTC+2 schreef Nick Hill:
On 17/04/2018 08:31, Senna Van den Bosch wrote:
Since my FLARM doesn't have an SD card slot, I'm looking for an easy to use IGC logger.

Right now, I can get the EW IGC-logger microRecorder for € 295, which has built in GPS, antenna, SD card and USB cable in the box.

An LX Nano (regular nano, no display) is also an option, which is € 399, but is from LXNav, so probably more support available, SD card, wall charger and requires no additional cables.

What would your suggestions be? Do you have experiences with any? All info is welcome, thanks!


With the Nano the SD card is the internal storage and the recomendation
is you do not remove it to download traces. It is easy to do over USB
or bluetooth with the Nano config app on a phone. The config app also
alows you to configure the parameters, declare tasks etc on the Nano
from your phone.


--

Nick Hill

That would be very handy, is it android/iOS only? Or both?

Op dinsdag 17 april 2018 11:27:17 UTC+2 schreef :
I used an old EW MicroRecorder (pre-SD card version) for a number of years. Always a bit of a hassle to have to do the declaration from a PC and having to have a laptop at the airfield etc. The aerial is also separate and so has to be stuck somewhere and then plugged into the unit prior to the flight. But the unit was generally reliable and easy to use.

I have just purchased a Nano4. Was looking at the Nano and Nano3 too - but liked the airspace warnings as well as final glide and climb optimiser which are now part of the Nano4. The NanoConfig App and Bluetooth connectivity mean declarations can be done from an android cellphone saving the hassle of having to connect any of the Nano units to a laptop for the declarations. Flights can also be downloaded using Bluetooth. I hate cables generally. The battery life is also far longer than the EW and its a far smaller unit overall. I personally think the extra Euro100 is worth the expense considering it is a far more modern unit. Both types are approved for all flights.

Clinton

I have just found the apps, they look very easy and I'm able to use my phone as well. Getting the regular Nano without display, would that be possible to mount it to the side of my instrument panel? Does it require to be put in direct view of the sky?

The Nanos' are all totally self-contained. Have built-in antenna, battery, pressure sensor, GPS and noise sensors. Can literally slip it into a pocket and forget about it. Very long battery lives. They look like great little units.

Op dinsdag 17 april 2018 12:39:50 UTC+2 schreef :
The Nanos' are all totally self-contained. Have built-in antenna, battery, pressure sensor, GPS and noise sensors. Can literally slip it into a pocket and forget about it. Very long battery lives. They look like great little units.

Does it matter where you place the Nano? For example, just like you said, in a pocket (side bag for example)?

Well - I plan to mount the Nono4 where it can be observed and have a suction-cup mount for it already (a suitable generic cellphone mount). However, my understanding of the Nano is it can be put into the pocket. That can be confirmed with LX Nav.


Clinton

On Tue, 17 Apr 2018 10:00:57 +0100, Nick Hill wrote:

On 17/04/2018 08:31, Senna Van den Bosch wrote:
Since my FLARM doesn't have an SD card slot, I'm looking for an easy to
use IGC logger.

Right now, I can get the EW IGC-logger microRecorder for € 295, which
has built in GPS, antenna, SD card and USB cable in the box.


I have one of these, which has always worked well for me.

It records on a 2GB SD card, which is easy to pop out when you're
downloading the log from it.

Its only drawback as far as I'm concerned is its power switch, which is
of the "always powered pushbutton" type. The problem here is that, during
the winter when the logger is not being used, is that the MicroRecorder
will flatten fully charged batteries in a bit over three months by
watching the switch for the 'turn on' press and, because these are NiMH
chemistry, letting them go flat for any length of time wrecks them.
However:

- All you need do to avoid this problem is to remember to charge the
Microrecorder every couple of months.

- The batteries are a set of four NiMH AA cells kept as a flat package,
with white shrink-wrap plastic and fitted with a connector on the end
of a short cable. They can be replaced without breaking the security
seal and, if you're happy to use a soldering iron, you can make up a
replacement pack rather than buying one from EW.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org