jmtgt,

You got your iQue yet? I am interested to see how it works compared to the 296.

http://www.garmin.com/products/iQue3600a/

z

I really dig the PDA idea, since I am a PDA junkie myself (RIP Compaq Ipaq, left behind in a hotel room in Santa Barbara Sept '03.)

However, the iQue 3600a is an expensive PDA, and I don't know how I feel about toting it around in everyday life where I can get light headed and misplace stuff. I'd rather have something I could dedicate to my flight bag. I did check out John's close up and the screen is very crisp and impressive. Many different configurations of CDI and other displays are easily reachable within a few clicks of the joypad.

Z

jmtgt wrote:........... I pick up my new Maule M5 and it has a Garmin 300xl in it.

To hell with the gadgets, John, tell us about your new Maule!

Eric

Zane,
I flew my Skylane with a PDA (weather equiped) from IPAQ.

I can give you the pro's and con's. PDA's are Not meant for aircraft IMHO.

The PDA worked great on the ground. Once you load the ram up with all the stuff that is cool, it starts to get a bit cludgy. It is hard to use a stylus while bouncing around in anything other than smooth air.
I fly hard IFR a lot and before garmin had a good weather solution I was desperate and tried the PDA route. The sun has a lot to do with how your day will go with a PDA as far as being able to see the screen. Also if it locks up ( which happens usually when you need it) you have to do a complete reset and loose everything. They now have larger memory card with a "backup program" to make the restore process easier. So instead of fixing the problems, they sell you more stuff to restore. No fun restoreing in the air!!!

I fly with a Garmin 296 as my back up and find that box to be incredable!!!
The terrain mathes my MX20 and I can fly an approach all the way in with accuracy. If Garmin had come out with the 296 before the 530/430, I would have saved a lot of money. Right now, dollar for dollar, there is no better box for the $.

I have a bean bag mount and fly everywhere with it.

If I had to choose on a purchase I would save my pennies for the 296, it will save your bacon!!!! The PDA soultion is a major hassle in the cockpit.

PDA NOT!!!
Garmin 296 YES!!!
JMHO

Ki
p.s.
If you do fly with a PDA and do not have a yoke, they have a lot of mounting solutions for different scenarios.

Floatin,

I agree. A few years back I was developing a custom application for the Ipaq that required GPS coordinates w/timestamp. So, I expensed a compact flash plug-in GPS receiver for my Ipaq. I thought it would be the greatest thing ever to have GPS integrated with my PDA. Well, it sucked. Perhaps it was the particular hardware I bought, I don't know, but it took forvever to acquire satellites, whereas an eTrex I had was quite quick about it.

My experience, which includes hardcore tinkering with gadgets, and major tests of my patience (I AM a Linux user afterall) has been that, like you said, the unit will present major problems at the worst possible time. So, after messing around with the Ipaq, I decided that dedicated GPS units are the way to go. The hardware and software in a G-296 for instance, are extensively tested and made for each other, and therefore rarely have trouble.

This iQue that John has is quite a leap in the PDA-GPS realm though. I was really impressed, and actually think that having some PDA features present on your GPS, rather than using your PDA as a GPS, has advantages. You can easily scribble notes, listen to mp3s on long legs when you aren't communicating, or just stare at your friends' and family's phone numbers.

The iQue is different in that it requires no stylus to use the GPS features, it can be button operated just like a 196/296, at least while in the cradle.

Z

Floatin_around wrote:Zane,
Garmin 296 YES!!!

I agree! I just replaced my Pilot III with a 296. Yesterday I was trying to get from Portland back up to Arlington and that terrain avoidance feature sure came in handy! The WX was Waaaaaay down and it let me know where those hills were. I didn't make it though. Ended up staying in Scappoose at the B&B by the airport. Should make it home today! LT