Product review of SN-10 USB adapter and Garmin 16X GPS

I have been waiting for the SN-10 USB "stick" to come out and it came
just in time for Santa to stuff it in old JJ's sock. Installation was
straight forward, but when I tried to enter the latest software (2.34)
using the stick, it wouldn't take it. Paul Remde answered my e-mail
right away and indicated I would have to enter it the old way using
the DB-9 cable, then future software changes could be uploaded using
the stick. He was right and it took 2.34, but when I tried to change
the soaring site I got an error message "this stick is using too much
power, try another one". I replaced the Verbatim 4GB stick with a
Toshiba 4GB. and it worked as advertised.

Next I installed the Garmin 16X GPC to drive my SN-10. Garmin didn't
provide the mounting screws and the lay-out template wasn't full
scale, so I couldn't use it to make a hole template. Made my own
punching through a sheet of paper held over the mounting surface. When
I turned it on, nothing happened! Another e-mail to Paul and he said I
must hook the remote on/off wire to ground if I wasn't turning on the
GPS through the SN-10. I soldered the yellow wire to ground and the
GPS cranked right up. It doesn't have an indicator light as in the
model 20, but the GPS page on the SN-10 shows (no power, searching,
tracking)

This "stick" setup is soooooo much better than the old system where
you had to download a new site, move the file, change the name, take
your lap-top to the sailplane, plug it in, open an umbrella so's you
could read the screen.........................then do it all again
when down-loading the flight! Both good products, well worth the
price, $295 for USB and $110 for GPS.
Cheers,
JJ