Lowrance GPS quandry.

AdamZ

AdamZ

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Adam Zucker
To get a GPS or not to get a GPS that is not the only question.

I used to have a Lowrance Airmap 300 and LEI stopped supporting the database so I turned it into Lowrance for $$$ off a new GPS. I did this a while ago and now have 6 months to use the certificate. Many of the planes I rent are 430 equipped so I think why do I need one. I dunno a good back up I guess. So I'm wondering do I get a GPS.

The certificate is good for

$50.00 off a 600c
$100 off a 1000
$200 off a 2000c

Gulf Coast is selling the 600c for $499 just like everywhere else so I could get it for $449
They are selling the 1000 for $489 so I could get it for $349 and
They are selling the 2000c for $689 so I could get it for $489.

I'm sure they are all good units I wish they had Wx but they don't.

The 1000 and 2000c are bigger the battery life in the 2000c stinks but I could use ships power.

is the color that much better than the gray scale?

The 600 and 2000c have terrain.

I dunno what are your thoughts
 
I ended up with the 600C. I was looking at the 496 or the 2000. The 2000 has the same resolution as the 600 but on a bigger screen. Seemed to me that the bigger screen was not worth the extra bucks when I looked at each right next to each other. But with your deal you would be getting a 2000 for less than a new 600 at retail.

As for the Garmin I felt it was far too much money for what it offered.
 
I've had the 1000 for a while. I love it. It's not as good as the Garmin 430, but there's little that would be. It does pretty much everything I could ask for and it does it pretty well. The lack of color has never bothered me any (less clutter, anyway) and the back lighting on the 1000 makes it incredibly easy to read in any light. In other words...I'd recommend the 1000.
 
Lots of IFR flight? - I like having the second GPS show moving maps/nearest VORs, intersections, etc/ or just another page.

Night flight over terrain? - Having the terrain added in is comforting. Although if you're renting something with the 430w, its already there.

Otherwise, its probably not that helpful. :)
 
I have the 2000c. Like it very much. When flying with a 430, the 430 certainly gives you the IFR options you often need; but I rely more on the 2000c for situational awareness than on the 430. The 2000c just provides more useful information in a more useful format than the 430 does for 90% of my flying.

I've never considered the need for ship's power a downside of the 2000c. I'd be using ship's power for any gps, so what does it matter.

As soon as Lowrance comes out with a weather unit, I will be trading up immediately.
 
AdamZ said:
To get a GPS or not to get a GPS that is not the only question.

I used to have a Lowrance Airmap 300 and LEI stopped supporting the database so I turned it into Lowrance for $$$ off a new GPS. I did this a while ago and now have 6 months to use the certificate. Many of the planes I rent are 430 equipped so I think why do I need one. I dunno a good back up I guess. So I'm wondering do I get a GPS.

The certificate is good for

$50.00 off a 600c
$100 off a 1000
$200 off a 2000c

Gulf Coast is selling the 600c for $499 just like everywhere else so I could get it for $449
They are selling the 1000 for $489 so I could get it for $349 and
They are selling the 2000c for $689 so I could get it for $489.

I'm sure they are all good units I wish they had Wx but they don't.

The 1000 and 2000c are bigger the battery life in the 2000c stinks but I could use ships power.

is the color that much better than the gray scale?

The 600 and 2000c have terrain.

I dunno what are your thoughts
Click to expand...
THE 2000C FOR $489 IS A HUGE GREAT DEAL!!!!! Hell, even if you only end up using it as a backup later, it's STILL a great deal! I dearly love my 2000c!!

One man's STRONG opinion! :)

And I, too, will immediately trade up for a Lowrance with weather. :yes:
 
AdamZ said:
The certificate is good for

$50.00 off a 600c
$100 off a 1000
$200 off a 2000c

Gulf Coast is selling the 600c for $499 just like everywhere else so I could get it for $449
They are selling the 1000 for $489 so I could get it for $349 and
They are selling the 2000c for $689 so I could get it for $489.

I'm sure they are all good units I wish they had Wx but they don't.
Click to expand...

Not what you want to hear, but after putting the 496 in the Mooney, I don't ever want to fly IFR again without having weather in the cockpit. I used it yesterday to dodge storms coming back home from Cincy Lunken.

Wonderful device, like having flightwatch and FSS right on your yoke.

It is that good...
 
Bill Jennings said:
Not what you want to hear, but after putting the 496 in the Mooney, I don't ever want to fly IFR again without having weather in the cockpit. I used it yesterday to dodge storms coming back home from Cincy Lunken.

Wonderful device, like having flightwatch and FSS right on your yoke.

It is that good...
Click to expand...
My feelings exactly. I'm at the point where not having XM weather to augment my strikefinder is almost a no-go item on long, multiday cross countries.

GET THE WEATHER. And then, get the FULL Aviator package of service, NOT the Aviator Lite. Yeah, it's $600 a year. So what? When your butt's hanging out there in crappy weather it's a bargain.
 
I didn't buy it and not sure I would have, but I was fortunate to win 2nd place in this year's Sporty's Skyhawk contest and won the GPS Map 496. It's absolutely amazing!! I'm sort of laid up right now recovering from knee surgery, but as soon as I'm up in the air again, I'll subscribe to the full XM weather package. The capabilities of the unit are unbelievable and, though most of what I rent now have the 430 in it, I use my 496 - first as a toy, but now as a legitimate back-up!! I can't wait to get the full weather package - if it's anywhere close to the simulator function on the 496, it will more than pay for itself with in-the-cockpit weather information - nexrad, metar, TAF, etc...
 
Bill Jennings said:
Not what you want to hear, but after putting the 496 in the Mooney, I don't ever want to fly IFR again without having weather in the cockpit. I used it yesterday to dodge storms coming back home from Cincy Lunken.

Wonderful device, like having flightwatch and FSS right on your yoke.

It is that good...
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100% unfortunatly :no: $$$:(. I dunno I kick it around a lot. A buddy will let me use his 396 when ever I need it. Decisions decisions.
 
Capt Binkley said:
As soon as Lowrance comes out with a weather unit, I will be trading up immediately.
Click to expand...

Me too!!!

Adam,

I have the 1000 and I also use it for situational awareness. I like the large screen vs the Garmin 300XL in the Archer. The 300XL works great but in my opinion is hard to see, I find myself cupping my hand on the side of the unit to block the sunlight. These old eyes like the larger screen of the 1000.

If you want to try the 1000 let me know and we'll catch up. Try it....you'll like it, as the saying goes. I'll pm my number to you and you can putz around with it a see what you think.
 
JaxOli said:
I didn't buy it and not sure I would have, but I was fortunate to win 2nd place in this year's Sporty's Skyhawk contest and won the GPS Map 496. It's absolutely amazing!! I'm sort of laid up right now recovering from knee surgery, but as soon as I'm up in the air again, I'll subscribe to the full XM weather package. The capabilities of the unit are unbelievable and, though most of what I rent now have the 430 in it, I use my 496 - first as a toy, but now as a legitimate back-up!! I can't wait to get the full weather package - if it's anywhere close to the simulator function on the 496, it will more than pay for itself with in-the-cockpit weather information - nexrad, metar, TAF, etc...
Click to expand...

We have a panel mounted 430 in our R44 plus a 496 in the pilot's line of sight below the compass. After I discovered that the 496 database contains destinations (that I actually fly to) that are not in the 430, I started using the 496 for primary navigation and the 430 for comm 2 and for backup. An example of what I mean is the restaurant next to the seaplane base (M06) at Havre de Glace, MD -- I can enter M06 in the 496 instead of having to use a VOR radial or trying to get some funky offset to another airport.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Not what you want to hear, but after putting the 496 in the Mooney, I don't ever want to fly IFR again without having weather in the cockpit. I used it yesterday to dodge storms coming back home from Cincy Lunken.

Wonderful device, like having flightwatch and FSS right on your yoke.

It is that good...
Click to expand...

100% Concur

Ken Ibold said:
When your butt's hanging out there in crappy weather it's a bargain.
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

AdamZ said:
I agree with you 100% unfortunatly :no: $$$:(. I dunno I kick it around a lot. A buddy will let me use his 396 when ever I need it. Decisions decisions.
Click to expand...

Can you partner up with another pilot and split the cost of the 496 & XM?
 
bjohnson said:
Can you partner up with another pilot and split the cost of the 496 & XM?
Click to expand...
That's what I did! I partnered up with Leslie, and we're splitting the cost! (Oh yeah, it's still the same checking account!:rofl:)

I love it. But it really pithes me off that we don't have onboard power in "our" 182, and the batteries only last a couple of hours! :mad:
 
etsisk said:
can't you get yourself a little 12v gel battery? That'll last for a while!
Click to expand...
We actually have a big 12V battery from Leslie's telescope that can also be used to jump start cars. But at over 10 pounds, we can normally do without the added weight!
 
Nah, I'm talking about a little 3 or 4 pounder - if you held your hands about 3" apart, that would be the total size of the thing. I've used 'em to temporarily power remote cameras (don't ask ;)) and they work right well!
 
etsisk said:
Nah, I'm talking about a little 3 or 4 pounder - if you held your hands about 3" apart, that would be the total size of the thing. I've used 'em to temporarily power remote cameras (don't ask ;)) and they work right well!
Click to expand...
I'd rather buy a plane! :yes::D

But since it might still be a little while, do you have a link?
 
Just a point of view - I had an Airmap 500 that seemed to enjoy locking up on a consistent basis. It did it almost from the time I bought it and got worse as time went on (up to 3-4 times on a 1.5 hour flight). On Lowrance forums, I heard that this was a common Lowrance problem and about firmware updates and resets. None of the time, not even the ones from Lowrance worked.

Finally, Lowrance had a solution: pay them an extra $150 and they'd be happy to send me a reconditioned unit. That struck me as the equivalent of "...and 2nd prize is two weeks in Podunk!" I had a better solution: a used Garmin 296.
 
smigaldi said:
Go for one of these camcorder batteries. They are 12vdc, 2Ah and only weight 1.6lbs. I have used these a lot of portable application and am really happy with them. They are cheap too!!

http://www.safehomeproducts.com/shp2/sc/shopexd.asp?id=3269
Click to expand...
Fine, but how on earth would I hook it up to the 496? I've bought a couple of backup batteries for it, but the one you link to doesn't look like it'll fit a 496. If it had a standard 12v cigarette output like Leslie's Power Tank (http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=51&ProdID=371), then I could figure out how to hook it up, with the auto adapter.

Unfortunately, swapping batteries causes the 496 to lose power, split the trip in the route history, etc. Not things I'm too keen on. I swear, I can't get more than about 2 hours out of a full battery charge.
 
If it had a standard 12v cigarette output like Leslie's
Click to expand...

Go to the auto parts store, buy a cigarette lighter extension cord or splitter, and cut off the part that sticks into the car receptacle. Then hook the wires to the correct terminals and you have your "standard 12v cigarette output like Leslie's"
 
mdreger said:
Go to the auto parts store, buy a cigarette lighter extension cord or splitter, and cut off the part that sticks into the car receptacle. Then hook the wires to the correct terminals and you have your "standard 12v cigarette output like Leslie's"
Click to expand...
Yeah, pull out the solder gun that I haven't used in quite a while. Of course, a better idea would be to convince the owner of the main plane I fly to add a power connector! He actually thought he had one on there, and was surprised when I told him there wasn't one.
 
gprellwitz said:
Fine, but how on earth would I hook it up to the 496? I've bought a couple of backup batteries for it, but the one you link to doesn't look like it'll fit a 496. If it had a standard 12v cigarette output like Leslie's Power Tank (http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=51&ProdID=371), then I could figure out how to hook it up, with the auto adapter.

Unfortunately, swapping batteries causes the 496 to lose power, split the trip in the route history, etc. Not things I'm too keen on. I swear, I can't get more than about 2 hours out of a full battery charge.
Click to expand...

The connector is pretty common around the hamfest and electronic junk stores. But soldering always works. Just solder a female cigarette lighter adapter to it. Doing so will also make it easy to charge. But if you like here is the same battery with spade connectors on it. http://shopping.microbattery.com/s.nl/it.A/id.5329/.f?sc=2&category=622

I think the bottom line is that until "your" 182 gets a power port this will be the easiest way to extra power to you GPS.

BTW is the 182 you fly a 28VDC version? So even if you get a power point you will still need a DC-DC converter?
 
gprellwitz said:
Fine, but how on earth would I hook it up to the 496? I've bought a couple of backup batteries for it, but the one you link to doesn't look like it'll fit a 496. If it had a standard 12v cigarette output like Leslie's Power Tank (http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?CatID=51&ProdID=371), then I could figure out how to hook it up, with the auto adapter.

I was at the Lowrance booth at the AOPA expo - one of the employees turned me on to this device:

http://www.batteriesamerica.com/new_page_13.htm

it looks like a good deal to me, why not get a Y adaptor and run the GPS and the Handheld ..
Click to expand...
 
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