New Soaring PNA Available

One question

what makes this device so expensive please?

I see a normal cheap chinese Navigation device with no additional
gear.
Also if this is additional gear it will cost about 10$


So lets calculate

Cheap chinese Navigation device : 60-100$
Additional Gear : 10$
Software : 0$ (XCSoar and LK8000) is FREEWARE

On May 10, 10:42*pm, TRKA wrote:
One question

what makes this device so expensive please?

I see a normal cheap chinese Navigation device with no additional
gear.
Also if this is additional gear it will cost about 10$

So lets calculate

Cheap chinese Navigation device : 60-100$
Additional Gear : 10$
Software : 0$ (XCSoar and LK8000) is FREEWARE

There are many different options out there for "cheap chinese
navigators" I chose what I consider to be the best value and
performance.
Then you have configuration setup and support.

Sure anyone can put together the same solution however there are a lot
of pilots out there who want something that is easy to use and works
out the box in their region configured for their glider.

You should ask the other vendors selling similar products at over 2
times the price the same question.

Al

On May 11, 6:26*am, "
wrote:
On May 10, 10:10*pm, JS wrote:

On May 10, 9:53*pm, "
wrote:

What is more important is the readability with more screen real
estate.

And a free Plastic Jesus!http://web.archive.org/web/200605210...ght.com/Glidin...

Ok Jim, I'll throw in free plastic Jesus upgrade for the first 10
purchasers.

The JPS (Jesus Positioning Unit) will be autographed with a Sharpie by
yours truely.

Al

Plastic is a bit old hat. I'd expect Jesus to be digitized and to
appear on screen as a pop-up at appropriate times - such as below a
user defined altitude or on a marginal final glide - and I'd expect to
have a choice of prophets and deities for pilots of other faiths - or
for those (like me) who can go through a variety of short term
religious conversions in the course of a single flight.

On May 11, 12:22*am, johngalloway wrote:
On May 11, 6:26*am, "
wrote:



On May 10, 10:10*pm, JS wrote:

On May 10, 9:53*pm, "
wrote:

What is more important is the readability with more screen real
estate.

And a free Plastic Jesus!http://web.archive.org/web/200605210...ght.com/Glidin...

Ok Jim, I'll throw in free plastic Jesus upgrade for the first 10
purchasers.

The JPS (Jesus Positioning Unit) will be autographed with a Sharpie by
yours truely.

Al

Plastic is a bit old hat. *I'd expect Jesus to be digitized and to
appear on screen as a pop-up at appropriate times - such as below a
user defined altitude or on a marginal final glide - and I'd expect to
have a choice of prophets and deities for pilots of other faiths - or
for those (like me) who can go through a variety of short term
religious conversions in the course of a single flight.

All you have to do is rub the head of your JPS.

The Voodoo version ships with a rubber chicken which you can choke
when low..

On May 11, 1:42*am, TRKA wrote:

So lets calculate

It's the difference between "an egg" and "breakfast".

-T8

In my experience, XC Soar does't always install easily. Once the
program is running, getting all the files you need (especially
terrain) isn't as simple as with SeeYou PDA or PNA or WinPilot (I've
only installed WP on PDAs). No experience with LK8000. To be honest, I
prefer the $2500 Altair to display XC Soar. Not a touch screen, but
very bright and clear with buttons next to where you would ordinarily
touch. It's necessary to design the panel around it.
There are quite a few cheap Chinese PNAs available in bulk from Hong
Kong, and some even locally as single units. TRKA, how does the less
than $100 unit you bought and configured work? The cheapest ones I've
built would be a Navigon with SeeYouPNA (and a later failure
installing XC Soar on the same device), or a HP 310 with XC Soar. The
Navigon works great, HP too after much suggestion that it's parents
weren't married. It still has no terrain. Neither are particularly
readable.
I heard the XC Soar terrain file generator problem is from having
too large a task area?
Jim

On May 10, 10:42*pm, TRKA wrote:
One question

what makes this device so expensive please?

I see a normal cheap chinese Navigation device with no additional
gear.
Also if this is additional gear it will cost about 10$

So lets calculate

Cheap chinese Navigation device : 60-100$
Additional Gear : 10$
Software : 0$ (XCSoar and LK8000) is FREEWARE

On May 11, 1:15*pm, JS wrote:
* In my experience, XC Soar does't always install easily. Once the
program is running, getting all the files you need (especially
terrain) isn't as simple as with SeeYou PDA or PNA or WinPilot (I've
only installed WP on PDAs). No experience with LK8000. To be honest, I
prefer the $2500 Altair to display XC Soar. Not a touch screen, but
very bright and clear with buttons next to where you would ordinarily
touch. It's necessary to design the panel around it.
* There are quite a few cheap Chinese PNAs available in bulk from Hong
Kong, and some even locally as single units. TRKA, how does the less
than $100 unit you bought and configured work? The cheapest ones I've
built would be a Navigon with SeeYouPNA (and a later failure
installing XC Soar on the same device), or a HP 310 with XC Soar. The
Navigon works great, HP too after much suggestion that it's parents
weren't married. It still has no terrain. Neither are particularly
readable.
* I heard the XC Soar terrain file generator problem is from having
too large a task area?
Jim

On May 10, 10:42*pm, TRKA wrote:

One question

what makes this device so expensive please?

I see a normal cheap chinese Navigation device with no additional
gear.
Also if this is additional gear it will cost about 10$

So lets calculate

Cheap chinese Navigation device : 60-100$
Additional Gear : 10$
Software : 0$ (XCSoar and LK8000) is FREEWARE

Never had a problem installing XCSoar or the terrain data on PDA's or
the MIO C320, which is done by a hack and using a SD card. The MIO is
pretty crummy in daylight though, and Al's statement that his PNA is
better than a HP 39XX in sunlight is interesting. If his device is
indeed more viewable than a 39XX and can be connected to an approved
data logger it becomes a very nice low cost option.

On Tue, 11 May 2010 12:15:51 -0700, JS wrote:

The cheapest ones I've
built would be a Navigon with SeeYouPNA (and a later failure installing
XC Soar on the same device),

Do you know what OS this Navigon runs? The reason I ask is that I have
currently got two Binatone B350 PNAs:

(a) was made in Dec 2009
It runs XCSoar 5.2.4mk and LK8000a9i.
I think this one runs Windows Mobile 5.
Its s/n starts B3510960...
It goes CLANG-CLANG when it has booted up.

(b) was made in Jan 2010
If won't run either XCSoar 5.2.4mk or LK8000a9i.
I know this one runs Windows Mobile 6.00.
Its s/n starts B3511001...
It plays a bar of music (4 beats) when it has booted up.

Listening to the first noise the B350 makes when its cold started it the
easiest way to know which OS it runs. I don't know if the same applies to
other PNAs but, if this is the default Windows Mobile start up noise,
then probably all WM5/WM6 devices do the same.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On May 11, 12:33*pm, mike wrote:
On May 11, 1:15*pm, JS wrote:



* In my experience, XC Soar does't always install easily. Once the
program is running, getting all the files you need (especially
terrain) isn't as simple as with SeeYou PDA or PNA or WinPilot (I've
only installed WP on PDAs). No experience with LK8000. To be honest, I
prefer the $2500 Altair to display XC Soar. Not a touch screen, but
very bright and clear with buttons next to where you would ordinarily
touch. It's necessary to design the panel around it.
* There are quite a few cheap Chinese PNAs available in bulk from Hong
Kong, and some even locally as single units. TRKA, how does the less
than $100 unit you bought and configured work? The cheapest ones I've
built would be a Navigon with SeeYouPNA (and a later failure
installing XC Soar on the same device), or a HP 310 with XC Soar. The
Navigon works great, HP too after much suggestion that it's parents
weren't married. It still has no terrain. Neither are particularly
readable.
* I heard the XC Soar terrain file generator problem is from having
too large a task area?
Jim

On May 10, 10:42*pm, TRKA wrote:

One question

what makes this device so expensive please?

I see a normal cheap chinese Navigation device with no additional
gear.
Also if this is additional gear it will cost about 10$

So lets calculate

Cheap chinese Navigation device : 60-100$
Additional Gear : 10$
Software : 0$ (XCSoar and LK8000) is FREEWARE

Never had a problem installing XCSoar or the terrain data on PDA's or
the MIO C320, which is done by a hack and using a SD card. The MIO is
pretty crummy in daylight though, and Al's statement that his PNA is
better than a HP 39XX in sunlight is interesting. If his device is
indeed more viewable than a 39XX and can be connected to an approved
data logger it becomes a very nice low cost option.

Meant to post this last night...

added to silentflights facebook page.. screens ipaq 3850 and SFGC side
by side on my desk last night.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php...&id=1497266715

Will see if the iphone's crappy camera can convey the same in bight
sunlight.

Cheers

Al

What is more important is the readability with more screen real
estate.

And a free Plastic Jesus!
http://web.archive.org/web/200605210...ng/gliding.htm

But I *do* care if it rains or freezes. :-)

Tony