It's Official, the GPSMAP 496

I'm cheap, too. That's why I have an $800 Lowrance Airmap 2000c. I am
quite happy with it, even if it doesn't have XM. It has everything
else! (Taxi diagrams, terrain awareness, all of the accessories and
software, reasonable support) I cannot justify at all spending nearly
US$3000.00 for a GPS, unless it was made of solid gold. Hell, the 296
at $1500 is out of my price range.

Chris G.

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article .com,
"Mike Granby" wrote:
Right now, I don't see a killer application
in the 496 that is missing from the 396.
Probably true, but I'm a gadget freak, as you know!!!

Yes, well, I'm a gadget freak but I'm also cheap, so that pretty much
results in perpetual conflict for me. When the 596 or whatever comes
next rolls along, I'm probably going to need some type of therapy!


JKG

I would probably have a Lowrance (actually, I'd probably still be using
the Garmin 195) if it weren't for one thing: weather datalink.


JKG

In article ews.net,
"Chris G." wrote:

I'm cheap, too. That's why I have an $800 Lowrance Airmap 2000c. I am
quite happy with it, even if it doesn't have XM. It has everything
else! (Taxi diagrams, terrain awareness, all of the accessories and
software, reasonable support) I cannot justify at all spending nearly
US$3000.00 for a GPS, unless it was made of solid gold. Hell, the 296
at $1500 is out of my price range.

Chris G.

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article .com,
"Mike Granby" wrote:
Right now, I don't see a killer application
in the 496 that is missing from the 396.
Probably true, but I'm a gadget freak, as you know!!!

Yes, well, I'm a gadget freak but I'm also cheap, so that pretty much
results in perpetual conflict for me. When the 596 or whatever comes
next rolls along, I'm probably going to need some type of therapy!


JKG

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message ups.com...
: http://www.aero-news.net
: just in time for Oshkosh.
:
: $600 more -- and it's still got that same dinky screen?
:
: Too bad.
: --
: Jay Honeck
: Iowa City, IA
: Pathfinder N56993
: www.AlexisParkInn.com
: "Your Aviation Destination"
:

You know, a small dinky screen, right up against my eye, would give me plenty of data to work with. Think Apache...

"Chris G." wrote in news:44bfa8ca$0$17954$892e7fe2
@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net:

Don't forget that Garmin is very Microsoft-like in its pricing...A
vendor (Pacific Coast Avionics, I think?) said that they are mandated to
sell at whatever price Garmin sets and can't waiver from that. If they
do and Garmin finds out, then that retailer will no longer be able to
sell Garmin products.

Isn't that price fixing? And isn't that illegal?

Obviously it's happening, so there must be some loophole.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Quake "predictions": http://www.skywise711.com/quakes/EQDB/index.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?

In article ,
Skywise wrote:
Don't forget that Garmin is very Microsoft-like in its pricing...A
vendor (Pacific Coast Avionics, I think?) said that they are mandated to
sell at whatever price Garmin sets and can't waiver from that. If they
do and Garmin finds out, then that retailer will no longer be able to
sell Garmin products.

Isn't that price fixing? And isn't that illegal?

Obviously it's happening, so there must be some loophole.


Ironically, this type of price fixing (terminating dealers who don't
adhere to the minimum sale price) is not illegal under United States
anti-trust law, as determined by the Supreme Court in "United States vs.
Colgate Co." And Garmin is far from the only manufacturer who practices
a "Minimum Advertised Price" or "Minimum Sales Price" policy.

That being said, someone could probably argue an implied "agreement"
between the manufacturer and one or more dealers or wholesalers happens
somewhere in the process and, indeed, manufacturers have to be
extraordinarily careful about how they apply this type of policy.
However, the bottom line is that we won't know whether the implied
"agreement" is there or not until someone challenges the issue in court.



JKG

Uh..what is AMU?

In article ,
Bob Fry wrote:

Uh..what is AMU?

It's a lot of things. What's the context?

Bob Fry wrote:
Uh..what is AMU?

If your context is its use in the aviation newsgroups, I believe the
following definition applies:

http://www.mooneyevents.com/acronyms.html

"AMU: aviation monetary unit = $1,000 U.S. Useage: "That alternator
replacement cost me 1.5 AMUs," though it would have cost $300 for a car and
$600 for a boat. (Thanks to Kelly Vinton.)"

Prior to encountering it here, I would have answered "atomic mass unit."

See http://pad39a.com/gene/amu.html


Bob Fry wrote:
Uh..what is AMU?

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
In article ,
Maule Driver wrote:

Amazingly how much more they can pack in the same physical package - a
little faster processor perhaps, more memory, improved (an already
great) screen. A winna!

Taxi diagrams would be nice, though someone pointed out that fairly
decent (but unlabeled) airport diagrams are available if you have
CitySelect data loaded.

Private airports are a big deal to some folks, not so much with me.

Right now, I think
it's a pretty good bargain, especially if you're not interested in the
automotive navigation capabilities.

(copied from RAO thread)
private airports DB is a feature I'd like.

Interestingly, having flown in and out of our private grass strip a few
times, we have a very nice set of tracks on the Garmin that outline the
runway and taxiway. It appears that in zero-zero conditions, one could
taxi from the runway to my hangar door just following the tracks. Sort
of a every-man's runway/taxiway diagram. If it cools off a bit, I may
just take the hood and a safety pilot and see if it works.... remember
'dither'? May it RIP.

Re the auto feature. The auto kit (which was shipped free as part of
the initial offer) has a memory chip and DB that for all practical
purposes gives you full auto capability. Use it all the time. Fly in,
rent car, mount 396 in bean bag holder, follow voice prompts to
destination. I often take the XM attennae for hotel room music.