Hand Held GPS's

[thammer]

Bruce, the Garmin 195 is what I used to get to Wilmington, and is the unit which convinced me that GPS was in my future. But I hated the fact that in order to use the keyboard your hand blocked the view of the screen. Having the keybd on top of the screen seemed really illogical to me. Apparently Garmin also eventually came to the same conclusion, so the next model UP was the 196 which placed the keyboard out of the way (for right handed users.) Lefties must hate it (and most other units out there as well.)

I kinda liked the top keyboard, good for lefties or righties. When I'm flying an R-22 helicopter i like it because I can hold it in my left hand and work the buttons. My right hand is busy with the cyclic. When I'm flying my airplane I usually use the right hand since I hold the yoke with the left. Best of both worlds.

Tye

[jrenwick]

I've used a Garmin GPS III Pilot since 2000 and I love it. The early software versions had some instabilities, but since downloading the latest a couple of years ago it's been rock-solid. Until a few weeks ago, when a funny thing happened: during a stopover in Appleton, WI in my Swift, all the buttons on the front sort of collapsed into the case, and the unit became completely inoperative -- couldn't even power it up. That's the only electronic navigation I have in the Swift, so we followed roads and power lines back to Lake Elmo.

Later I took the thing apart, and for the life of me I could not find any reason for it to have done what it did. I put it all carefully back together and it's been just fine since. I'm still scratching my head about it.

I'll probably buy a 196 some day when the price is lower, but its shape and bulk are going to make it a lot harder to velcro to the top of the panel and other convenient places. I really like the GPS III!

Best Regards,

John

[GAHorn]

Trust me, John,...the 196 comes with a really nifty panel-top mount that will make it a "snap" to install with Velcro to the top of the panel. And the GPS-III size has you spoiled....the 196 isn't as much larger as you might imagine after you begin to enjoy the greatly increased screen details and better graphics of the 196. I've used both and the 196 is really a fine instrument for a gray-scale display.

[rudymantel]

John, Garmin might repair that Pilot GPS for little or no cost. You should call them. I had a problem with a Garmin once and they repaired it free of charge, even though it was well out of warranty. Even returned it with a new database-
Rudy

[jrenwick]

Thanks, guys. As I said, my GPS III is working fine now, but when I think it really needs repairs I'll contact Garmin. I've looked at the 196 in a store, and I admit, it really looks like the cat's pajamas. Just more money than I want to spend right now....

Best Regards,

John