Because of space I am also considering the Garmin 295. Anybody have some first hand experience with any of these systems that are willing to share?
Title: Garmin 295
Post by: mwilli7119 on April 12, 2006, 08:06:19 AM
I have used a 295 for quite some time now. works fine for me. screen can be just a little tough to see in direct sunlight, but that' s no real big.
have not connected it to an autopilot yet but the documentation says its a snap.
Title: 295
Post by: allen on April 12, 2006, 10:10:02 AM
Can the 295 display MOA's, TFR's and things of that nature? Will it prompt you before you enter the airspace for airports? (Class B, C and D) How is the map refresh rate?
The real nice thing about the 2000c is the elevation alerts an the large screen. However, the large screen just makes for a larger device overall. Hard to justify the extra cash if I can get away with a 295 that has a smaller footprint in the cockpit.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: wvshoem on April 12, 2006, 10:11:12 AM
Right now I am planning on a Garmin 196 for the GIB. It has lots of features including a pseudo instrument panel and fairly large screen. They are often available on e-bay and are relatively inexpensive because of the introduction of the 296 and 396.
William
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Radioflyer on April 12, 2006, 10:30:36 AM
I thought I was all set to bid on a Garmin 196. The panel page, especially for the GIB, was aluring. I'm now prefering the Airmap1000.
For less than price of a used 196, you can get a new 1000. The 196 does not have terrain awareness, the 1000 does. The larger display is a big bonus for my eyes. I'm thinking the overlayed EFIS type graphics over a map might be more useful than the panel page alone. There seems to be a philosophical difference between Garmin and Lowrance on displaying Turn Coordinator info...Lowrance does not think it A GPS should display a TC facsimile. Not a big gain/loss, aty any rate.
Anybody using the 1000?
Title: G295
Post by: mwilli7119 on April 12, 2006, 11:15:35 AM
This link will let you compare all the Garmin products including discontinued ones like the 295.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: allen on April 12, 2006, 11:59:30 AM
Your link did not post.
http://www.sportys.com/gps/
This is the link I have been using to compare. However, they do not list the 295.
Radioflyer: I did not think teh 1000 had the terrain awareness. According to the sporty's website it indicates that this is not a feature until the 2000c.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: wvshoem on April 12, 2006, 12:39:00 PM
Now I'm liking the Airmap 1000 for the GIB. Bigger screen than the 196 with roughly the same features for less money.
I love it when I learn something new.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Drew on April 12, 2006, 12:42:44 PM
I have the Airmap 500---and it works great for the cost. The airmap 500 displays and alarms the airspace. It does not do TFRs nor does it even do the Washington DC ADIZ.
You can put AnywhereMap on your PDA. It will download the latest and greatest TFRs prior to takeoff. You can take up your current PDA to see if you will have any sunlight compatability problems.
I mount the GPS so that it is pretty close to my chest (Longez---ram mount on right side of fuselage-------Cozy--ram mount on fiberglass section of canopy--by my chest). If the GPS is too big (which the 1000 and 2000 can be) it may block some of your instruments---so be careful.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: allen on April 12, 2006, 02:33:43 PM
Drew, Roughly how far did your GPS sit from your chest. I have never sat in the front of a Long-Ez so I am having a tough time mentally picturing how things would look. Anybody out there have some photos of a person sitting in the nose of a Long with the canopy open and closed? I'm 5'6" at 178lbs. What kind of fit will I be. How much space will I have if I mount the GPS in the same location that Drew mounted his when he still had his LE?
Allen
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Radioflyer on April 12, 2006, 07:43:36 PM
Yes, I stand corrected about the Terrain Alert in the Airmap 1000...it does not have it. Actually, what I was thinking is that it has ''obstacle" awareness while the Garmin 196 does not.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Drew on April 12, 2006, 08:50:43 PM
If you look on my homepage (http://home.earthlink.net/~swensonaw/id9.html) on the top left picture--you can kind of see over my right shoulder the GPS in position (this one happens to be an Airmap 100 (before I got my 500).
So...how close to my chest? I estimate my eye to screen to be about 12 to 15 inches.
Next time I am in the area, I'll show you the setup on my Cozy---very similar.
Title: Garmin
Post by: EZRider on April 12, 2006, 09:55:58 PM
I have been flying the Garmin 296 in a Bonanza and plan on using it in the Longez. I has everything but uplinked weather. Easy to read and the battery lasted over 8 hours on my last trip!
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Snappy on April 13, 2006, 08:16:32 AM
The 296 has alerts for airspace and terrain. I tested the terrain feature in clear air and it's pretty darn accurate. Wouldn't fly IFR with obsured mountain tops inroute, but it keeps you safe on a dark nights.
I flew the anywhere map for a couple years and like the Garmin much better for view-ability and call for a flight brief to pick up TFR's/SFR's enroute.
Drew, I checked out your web page which you did a nice job on. What is the check valve you used for the breather onto the #1 exhaust? I've been fighting the breather system for way too long now.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Drew on April 13, 2006, 09:03:12 AM
I will have to check to see if I have a part number--I'll check when I get home. If you have the CPs, it is called out there.
Basically you get a pipe nipple to fit the part. Cut the pipe at a 45 degree angle. Take it to the weld shop.
On my Cozy, I just run the breather out by the right side pipes---no nothin' in between. The builder originally had too small of a breather pipe which caused him to blow the nose seal. He had a oil-air separater that did not return the goo to the engine. And he "solved" the too small breather hose by having a "blowoff" valve. I ripped the whole thing out and put the correct size tube.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Snappy on April 13, 2006, 09:32:52 AM
I run 5/8 ID hose into aluminum tubing of the same size along the right side pipes and overboard through a clear plastic hose with about 1/2" clearence from the prop. Some oil always dribbles out after landing and I have to wipe the prop off.
So, I figured with the ck valve maybe I can keep my Silver Bullet clean? Thanks for the help, Steve
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Drew on April 13, 2006, 08:15:50 PM
The main purpose of the valve and setup is to lower the crankcase pressure and to burn any residual oil out the exhaust pipe. The valve prevents the exhaust pressure wave from pressurizing the crankcase.
Details of the setup can be seen in Central States issue 58 page 13.
The main parts are: -301SS pipe nipple -AV-7 airpump valve
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Snappy on April 14, 2006, 06:12:30 AM
Thanks Drew, I'll get right on it!
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Dave in Eugene on April 15, 2006, 03:31:38 PM
I guess for the purposes of gps discussion... How much do you want to spend?...back when I was on a tight tight budget i bought the garmin 315 which you can find on ebay for not too much (under $200). There is a crude (but wonderful when comparted to not having one) moving map and aviation database... the data base is no longer supported but I'll burn you a copy if you want (and if your is loaded then it should work fine for you)... there are lots of great mount options and I still use it as back-up. It runs on 2 AA and last a long time... I now use NiMH rechargeable batteries and get about 8 hours...(without backlight on).. this is also a great choice for GIP for cheap.
I bought the Garmin 3600 A PDA GPS and it rocks.... I do have it synched to my business data base and schedule so I am set wherever I am with that info too ... Terrain awareness is expensive but to me could prove to be very very cheap if you ever needed it... the aviation cradle that it works with is very good....Wish that it had wifi capability so that we could check TFRS/weather/email at wifi hot spots on the ground....bought a palm for that...
Good luck and report on your decision... If I were going to spend real money I am not sure that I would by other than Garmin products...
Dave
Title: GPS
Post by: easyrider on April 16, 2006, 02:58:58 PM
I feel I have the right set up for a LongEz flyer on a budget. I started with a Garmin 196 which I traded for a 296, I have that on a bracket above the speed brake about 12in. from my tired old eyes. In the panel I have an Appollo GX 55 which was plug and play for the Appollo Loran which I never did get to work..I think it was me. For the GIB I bought a Garmin Pilot 3 from E-Bay. It has an HSI display and it keeps the GIB from saying "are we there yet"" and pilot friends brave enough to fly with me really enjoy flying from the back seat. I have the Pilot 3 velcro'd on a knee pad and connected to power so batteries are never a problem.The Garmin 296 is a great GPS and updates are easy to download from the Garmin web site. The 296 also interfaces to my EI fuel computer giving me real time fuel to destination/waypoint and fuel left when you get there.It also gives miles/gall, nautical and statute.With 3 active GPS I'll never get lost....right? Easyrider
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: allen on April 18, 2006, 07:39:33 AM
Garmin is the Nike of the GPS world and for good reason. Ultimatley I would love to purchase a 396, but it will need to wait until the price comes down. Until then I think I have found what I am looking for.
This has all the options that I am looking for at the moment and has the same footprint in the cockpit that the Garmin 95 has that it will be replacing. The color upgrade is great, but I really like the idea of having terrain awareness since I will be flying this plane across the country back to Virginia. I have a PDA that is wifi (PalmOne Life Drive) that I will use for the TFR and weather lookups during preflight.
Thanks for all of the great advice guys.
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: eric r on May 12, 2006, 02:06:34 PM
try the lowrance airmap 2000, you won't be disappointed! I don't sell them, but I do own two garmins and two lowrances ... lowrance is easier to use, bigger screen, and everything you need
Title: Looking for a good GPS. On a budget so 396 is out.
Post by: Rodney on May 19, 2006, 04:31:29 PM
I own a Lowrance 1000 and I have owned a Garmin 196 which I sold with my share of a partnership. I haven't the opportunity to fly with it yet(Long Ez is down for some work). I have driven around with it in my car and played with most of the functions while driving. I haven't gotten used them side by side so my comparison to the Garmin are based on my memory of the Garmin.
There are positives and negatives to both the 1000 and 196. The price on the 1000 was my main reason for giving it a try. The larger screen is a big plus but is kind of negated by it's larger pixels then the 196. The smaller screen of the 196 seems clearer and maybe has more shades of gray. I like the way Lowrance did their keys and menus picks better than the Garmin. The picks seem a little more intuitive then the Garmin.
There are a couple of things the Lowrance doesn't have that I miss from the Garmin. When you put your destination into the Garmin it offers you the option to choose the approach proceedures offered at that airport. That's really nice if your using it as an IFR back up. The Lowrance will only offer you a choice of runways and then overlays a graphic icon of an approach arrow to help you line up with the runway centerline. Garmin had a feature that put a vector or line of a certain length from extending out from your position. I thought it was really useful. If you wanted to fly direct to a point on the map it made it easy to place the point you want to fly over under that line. The Lowrance comes with a lot of extras. You get several mounting systems. RAM's mount etc. USB card reader for the memory chip. I believe it is a over the counter type smart chip so that should make it easy to upgrade.
One big negative is I did have my Lowrance fail on me in the short time that I've owned it. They were good about replacing it but still makes me wonder about the quality.
The bottom line is you get what you pay for. If you have the money I would buy the Garmin, but for the price you get quite a lot with the Lowrance.