On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 01:34:37 GMT, "John R. Copeland"
wrote:

A disappointment in the CNX80 is in navigating to a distant VOR.
No matter how far away, it displays the fixed inbound VOR radial,
but calls it "Bearing to Waypoint".
In truth, it becomes the bearing only when you are near the VOR.
All other types of waypoints always display the correct great-circle bearing.

The manual (pg.13) implies this VOR behavior exists only for OBS mode,
but it's the case in any mode whenever a VOR is the current waypoint.

I received a private communication to the effect that they will make the
manual agree with the CNX80's behavior instead of fixing the problem.

My work-around is to create a User Waypoint at the same Lat/Lon
as any distant VOR I want to navigate toward.
I regret needing to do that.

I was told this choice was forced upon GarminAT by outside influences.
It was not the choice of GarminAT engineering.

I really hope they will find some compromise which will allow VORs
to become useful as waypoints. Right now, they are not.
Perhaps it could help if more CNX80 users told GarminAT they'd like
to navigate toward distant VORs.
---JRC---

John,

I've finally had some time to play with my new CNX80 as well as the
simulator recently posted on their web site. And I'd like to add a few
things to your observation, and possibly a different work-around.

As I played with things more and more, I decided that I'm actually OK with
how it works!

1. As you note, the "Bearing" on Map 1 represents the final course to the
VOR. However, (I think this next is true) since VOR radials follow a great
circle route, it also represents the VOR radial (reciprocal, actually) that
you would be flying were you to be navigating to that VOR.

2. The CNX80 will still navigate along the Great Circle route. So, for
example, if I were to set up a flight plan from my home base (KEPM) to the
POMona VOR (NE of KLAX), the "Bearing" on Map 1 is 224° but my actual
course, at the beginning of the flight, will be 291°.

3. You can customize one of the other pages to show the Desired Track (DTK)
which will, indeed, be 291° when starting out.

But thanks for bringing up the point. It got me thinking about things I
might not otherwise have considered in using this box.




Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)