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Re: Gps
Also have the Lowrance 2000C, for $625 it was the best features for the buck at the time of purchase. I don't worry about obsolesence much - it it does what I need - it will probably still do that till it dies - an uncomplicated, easy to use unit that gives me about 1000 X more precise and usable data than the old omni-vor ever did. For the cost of a much higher priced garmin I can replace this a few times - everything electronic becomes obsolete yesterday anyway if a person is chasing the latest and greatest. If it busts some time - I am sure I can find something else to replace it with given how fast features/prices & electronic evolution takes place.
For that matter, a cheap old hand held bottom of the bucket GPS one would use walking a trail gives you way more info than the VOR too.....
Now, If I were much richer???? Who knows!
Sincerely,
Dave S
KF7 Trigear
St Paul, MN
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Re: Gps
My advise is to look at who is in business now and what the future status could be. I'd stay away from Lowrance any more, they no longer support their aircraft units so updating is no longer possible. Garmin will soon stop making the 1xx, 3xx and 4xx so I decided not to go that way either.
I chose to pony up $800 for the Garmin 500 and I am ecstatic with the decision. I didn't need the XM features either, so I went with the "base" unit of this chassis. It is very easy to use in the plane, en-route, and logical to understand. With all the "Nuvi" units they have now sold, I thought the touch screen was sufficiently R&D'ed to death and would be reliable. I can't think of using the curser buttons like my buddy's 295.
I am not familiar with the "Anywhere Map" units so I can't offer a comparison to them, sorry.
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My experience:
I owned a Lowrance Airmap 300 back in the mid 90's. It quit on me and I bought a Garmin 196. It was quite an improvement. I sold the Garmin with the plane a 2-3 years ago. When we built another plane we opted for the new Lowrance 2000C. I had it for about 6-8 months before actually using it in flight. It was defective and so I sent it for repair to Lowrance's repair facility. They received it April 16. I'm still waiting to get it back. In one of my many conversations with their support people I was told that Lowrance was getting out of the Aviation GPS business and concentrating on their primary products in the Marine field. The 2000C has not been updated since 2006 or 2007. You can still get jeppensen updates, but that is it.
I was told Monday that they were waiting on a shipment of GPSs to come in and they would send me a new one. There was no indication of when it would be. I asked for a refund, but it was denied. I was told once that it would be 8-10 weeks before I got a replacement.
In the meantime, I've sold the plane and we are going to the factory August 13 to pick up the SS7 kit and haul it back to Alabama.
Take care,
Tommy Walker in Alabama
Can't wait till I get the Kitfox home
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Re: Gps
how are the touch screens to use when your flying in rough air and bouncing around ? i have trouble hitting some of the small buttons on my radio without steading my hand on the side of the radio .
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I would stay away from the touch screens. My Iq3600a is that way, I don't dare use the touch screen, I can never get things to work right with that, it needs to be really calm, even then I don't want to concentrat on making the right touch, button all the way, which I can do with the 3600. Buy a unit that has button capability . You will regret it if you don't.
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Re: Gps
As I said the touch screen on my Aera 500 works AWESOME in flight, even with the "active" ride of a light Kitfox.
The buttons that appear on the screen are much larger than the "hard" buttons on most GPSs. I found that in rough conditions, if I put my hand on the housing to steady myself, I can easily navigate through the screens and operate the unit. (My flight home from S'nF with the unit proved it to me.)
I have no regrets for buying the touch screen Aera 500 and enthusiastically endorse it.
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Re: Gps
Larry, how did you mount the Aera? Gizmo in the panel or surface mount?
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2 Attachment(s)
Re: Gps
I actually have mine on a suction cup mount on the panel.
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When I redo the panel in my 1200, I plan on getting a Gizmo mount for the Aera. I don't want to chop up the beautiful panel on my yellow plane so the suction cup is fine.
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Re: Gps
Anyone have any experience with the iFly 700?
7" screen, actual sectionals as background, includes Approach and Departure charts, Airport Diagrams, TACs and Sectionals and sells for $499 w/a 30 day guarantee (including return postage). Missing some of the whistles and bells that others have (like output for autopilot), but looks like it's got everthing the VFR pilot would want (and more).
Review from Plane and Pilot