DME recommendations

Let me start by admitting my ignorance about DME's.
In my plane I have to KX-170Bs, one indicator has GS.
I also have an ADF.
I have no DME, and I've never used one.
I've started studying for my instrument written test.
I've noticed that a large number of approaches would either be more
difficult or not possible without one.
So, I've been researching getting one.
I don't need anything fancy, so I've been looking at older ones.

Here's my question...
Some DMEs seem to have an indicator, and then a separate receiver box, like
the ARC 800 DME.
Others I've seen just seem to be an in-panel job, like the Narco DME 190 or
the King KN62A.
I've seen some on Ebay, and wanted to make sure that the Narco 190/ King
KN62A don't require an additional recieving unit, like the ARC 800.
That is, if I were to purchase a yellow-tagged Narco 190 (and tray and
connectors), would that be all I need? Antenna?

Thanks,

Adam
N7966L
Beech Super III

Don't waste your money on a DME. Too much maintenance.
Purchase a good used IFR GPS.

mindenpilot wrote:
Some DMEs seem to have an indicator, and then a separate receiver box, like
the ARC 800 DME.
Others I've seen just seem to be an in-panel job, like the Narco DME 190 or
the King KN62A.
I've seen some on Ebay, and wanted to make sure that the Narco 190/ King
KN62A don't require an additional recieving unit, like the ARC 800.
That is, if I were to purchase a yellow-tagged Narco 190 (and tray and
connectors), would that be all I need? Antenna?

"jsmith" wrote in message
...
Don't waste your money on a DME. Too much maintenance.
Purchase a good used IFR GPS.


What he said!

I am presently looking to replace my RNAV/DME with a new GPS. By the time
you buy and install a used DME system you will be getting pretty close to a
used IFR GPS.

In article ,
"Dude" wrote:

"jsmith" wrote in message
...
Don't waste your money on a DME. Too much maintenance.
Purchase a good used IFR GPS.


What he said!

I am presently looking to replace my RNAV/DME with a new GPS. By the time
you buy and install a used DME system you will be getting pretty close to a
used IFR GPS.

What he said, squared. About the only thing I can think of that you can do
with a DME that you can't with a terminal-certified GPS is use it to fly an
ILS-DME (because you don't have the location of the ILS DME ground station
in the GPS database). Unless you have some very specific reason to need
DME for one of the very few things GPS can't replace it for, I think it
would be foolish to invest in DME these days.

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Dude" wrote:

"jsmith" wrote in message
...
Don't waste your money on a DME. Too much maintenance.
Purchase a good used IFR GPS.


What he said!

I am presently looking to replace my RNAV/DME with a new GPS. By the
time
you buy and install a used DME system you will be getting pretty close to
a
used IFR GPS.

What he said, squared. About the only thing I can think of that you can
do
with a DME that you can't with a terminal-certified GPS is use it to fly
an
ILS-DME (because you don't have the location of the ILS DME ground station
in the GPS database). Unless you have some very specific reason to need
DME for one of the very few things GPS can't replace it for, I think it
would be foolish to invest in DME these days.

I think I'm sold on the GPS idea.
Do you think it is safe to say that an airport that has an ILS-DME approach
also has a GPS one?

Thanks,

Adam
N7966L
Beech Super III

"mindenpilot" wrote:
Do you think it is safe to say that an airport that has an ILS-DME approach
also has a GPS one?

GPS approaches are getting more and more common. My guess is it would be
pretty rare to find any airport with an ILS that didn't also have some sort
of GPS approach. If you have some specific airports you plan on visiting a
lot, check out specifically what approaches they have.

You might even discover that the DME fixes on the ILS have GPS waypoints
superimposed. For example, the ILS or LOC/DME 17 into (MHT
http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0503/00246ILD17.PDF)

On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 14:04:21 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:

In article ,
"Dude" wrote:

"jsmith" wrote in message
...
Don't waste your money on a DME. Too much maintenance.
Purchase a good used IFR GPS.


What he said!

I am presently looking to replace my RNAV/DME with a new GPS. By the time
you buy and install a used DME system you will be getting pretty close to a
used IFR GPS.

What he said, squared. About the only thing I can think of that you can do
with a DME that you can't with a terminal-certified GPS is use it to fly an
ILS-DME (because you don't have the location of the ILS DME ground station
in the GPS database).

FWIW, the KLN94 has the I-xxx stations in the database for doing DME
to ILS stations.

In article ,
Peter Clark wrote:

What he said, squared. About the only thing I can think of that you can do
with a DME that you can't with a terminal-certified GPS is use it to fly an
ILS-DME (because you don't have the location of the ILS DME ground station
in the GPS database).

FWIW, the KLN94 has the I-xxx stations in the database for doing DME
to ILS stations.

Cool, I didn't know that. I wonder why those fixes were dropped from the
databases of more modern units? It seems like such an obvious and useful
thing to have them in there.

What he said, squared. About the only thing I can think of that you can
do
with a DME that you can't with a terminal-certified GPS is use it to fly
an
ILS-DME (because you don't have the location of the ILS DME ground station
in the GPS database). Unless you have some very specific reason to need
DME for one of the very few things GPS can't replace it for, I think it
would be foolish to invest in DME these days.

Roy, you corrected yourself in a later post.
If I understand it correctly
ILS-DME approaches if loaded into the IFR GPS can be flown with the GPS, How
else could the new DA40-180 and Garmin G1000 do it? Waypoints loaded into
the ILS course provide the "distance to" information needed for an ILS-DME
approach.

Review AC90-94 and the AIM on IFR GPS in lieu of DME

As a side note, our local FBO got a "new" BE33 on the lease back rental
line, DME is broke.. the owner (Private Pilot) did not know what it was..
and did not know what "DME" was. The local radio shop told him he'd spend as
much trying to figure out what was wrong as to replace it. The owner decided
not to repair it, just placard it INOP. So, he just took away all of his IFR
rentals.

BT

What he said, squared. About the only thing I can think of that you can
do
with a DME that you can't with a terminal-certified GPS is use it to fly
an
ILS-DME

No reason you can't use your GPS to fly an ILS/DME. There's no
requirement for the DME shack to be in the database. My GX55 is just
such a unit. Terminal/enroute only. You navigate ILS/DME's using a
distance from the outer marker.