"RD" wrote in message
...
Good day,
Can someone give me an opinion on what type of GPS unit is good enough for
me. I'm a GA pilot, very low time, looking for a decent GPS to take along
for some X/C flying in the rentals. Just need to see highways and cities
etc. I'm not very worried about airspace as there isn't much around my
local
airport and the charts do a good enough job.
1. Are basic GPS modules such as the ones you take camping/fishing good
enough?
Some are, look at the features such as number of waypoints and routes. There
are some that are a lot cheaper than the aviation and will work fine for
regular VFR XC's.
2. What about PalmPilot/Windows CE based hand held units?
Don't know. I haven't checked them out too closely. Some look good by their
descriptions.
3. Is it worth buying a decent Garmin model?
It depends on features, costs, accessories, etc. Check other vendors also.
What are your experiences?
I have an Apollo Precedus that I've never used for flying. It's bulky and
some of the menus aren't intuitive. It seems to be more hassle than useful.
I used a Magellan Pioneer on a XC from MN to TX. It's a cheap no-frills
non-map GPS that got me there fine. Every fuel stop I programmed in the next
waypoints and leg. It's very limited in the number of waypoints and routes
(1!).
I now use a Magellan 330 Map. It allows 500 waypoints and 20 routes. It
interfaces nicely with the computer and its mapping software, I can edit
routes and waypoints and save them between the computer and GPS. I have put
in over 200 private and public airports around MN and IA by using airport
identifiers and also put in antenna towers as obstructions. I'm pleased with
the 330 and it works well for me. It costs a lot less than the typical
aviation GPS.
Hope this helps. Each person has their own preferences as to what they want
in a GPS. There's a lot of information online about GPS's at these (and
others):
http://gpsinformation.net/
http://www.thegpsstore.net/
http://www.affordablegps.com/
http://www.garmin.com/
http://www.magellangps.com/en/