Well, on some products. If the epoch is wrong, replacing or recharging
the battery doesn't fix the problem. I've got an ancient Garmin GPS 12
still with the correct date. If the battery went bad, maybe the case
could be popped open, but it wouldn't be worth messing with.

Of course if you open up a secure logger, you break the electronic seal
and there goes your valid traces. The old GPS-NAV let you easily
replace the electronic seal battery, but only if you knew to provide
external power as you were doing that. Replacing the GPS battery would
be not feasible for the user.

Still a lot of CAI 302 loggers in use, they ought to be charged a couple
times in the off season.

Dave


On 3/3/21 3:29 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
"Not user replaceable" means there's not a little door on the unit which
you can open, remove, and replace the battery.Â* If you're handy or
adventurous, pop that sucker open, find the battery, and replace it. You
may need to do a little soldering...

Dan
5J

On 3/3/21 9:45 AM, Moshe Braner wrote:
On 3/3/2021 10:49 AM, Mike Carris wrote:
On Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 8:36:11 AM UTC-7, Dan Marotta wrote:
Yeah, and all those 40 year old gliders got badges and records without
any of that fancy stuff. And who doesn't miss the fun of turn point
photos taken out of the sector, or film disallowed because the
processor
cut it, balky barographs, etc.? It took more flights but it was more
fun, I think, the diamonds still sparkle!

Dan
5J
On 3/2/21 5:54 PM, Moshe Braner wrote:
On Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at 6:26:48 PM UTC-5, nickkennedy wrote:
Len
I had a Colibri 2
I really disliked that thing, very difficult to use unless you
have programmer level skills I found out.
Ancient technology.
LXNAV has 3 IGC flight recorders from $480 ,$610 ,$810
The $$610 and 810 have map screens and alot of features along with
a logger.
Easy to use and will last forever.
CRAGGYAERO.COM has them at a good price point.
Call Richard, he'll fix you right up.
Nick
T

Alas nothing lasts "forever". Funny when people put such faith into
the current models, but when I ask why I can't get factory support
for a 15-year-old model I'm told "what do you expect?" Old
mechanical instruments of good quality did last a long time - e.g.,
Sage varios. The Scheumann box in my (originally Kai Gertsen's)
HP14 was still soldiering on after 40 years. Electronics: not so
much. Computerized electronics: designed obsolescence.

A Nano works great and is simple and relatively inexpensive.
Connected to a XCSoar smart phone via BT, gives you everything you
need for XC on any level.


Right, a usable and relatively inexpensive setup.Â* I similarly use
FLARM + Tophat.

But, after a decade or so the battery keeping the IGC security data
inside the Nano (or FLARM or whatever) will die, and you'll need to
have it officially re-blessed.Â* And even if you don't care about
official badges and records, the loss of settings may force you to
replace the battery - if it's replaceable.Â* And the tiny battery in
the GPS module will eventually die, making it slow in re-gaining a
fix, and may lose necessary settings.Â* And that battery may not be
replaceable.Â* And the main power battery inside the Nano (or any other
unit) will die, and may or may not be user-replaceable.Â* And there may
or may not be factory support.

Batteries, can't live with them, can't live without them.