$200 Color 12" 480,000 pixel (600x800) moving map with independent GPS
All airports, roads, streets, railroads, lakes, rivers...
Point at one, and the software will name it
Automatic IFR (I Follow Roads) navigation with spoken directions
Shortest roads, Fastest roads, ...
User drawn VFR (Fly Direct) flight planning
Draw a strait line with the "Crayon" and get true distance
Selectable intermediate stops using city name or zoom selection
Type city name and state, pick the little airplane icon
Icon driven instead of typing arcane commands
Everything by little bitty picture selection
Zoom from 500 miles (mag #4) scale down to 0.01 miles (mag #18)
Entire US down to your yard
Set up to change all road default speeds to airplane cruise
You set to nautical/statute miles and appropriate speeds
Better GPS technology then available FAA Certified
Cheap KMart/WallMart more reliable & available
Upgrade ($100 more) to include topographic every 50' ground height
3D on the map, with 2D "cross section" altitude planner
keith.peshak@gtwn.net
1st, you will need a lap top computer. We assume you have that. If not, then you get to purchase this extra (you need it because you ought to be getting decent graphical weather off the internet anyway):
Suggest the used computer store for ~ $300 for at least a 486DX 66 MHz with a CD ROM drive, optional sound card (it talks to you), min 8 MB RAM but better with 16 MB, 30 MB hard disk space available, Super VGA, 256 color monitor, Windows 95 or NT 4.0.
If you just must buy newest & best, suggest try www.TigerDirect.com 800-888-4437, maybe something like C138-1515, $999, 200 MHz Pentium, 24 MB Ram, 2.0 GB HD, 12" color 1024x768x256, CD Rom. Suggest the optional modem for weather over the internet.
2nd, you will need the DeLorme CD. This gonna cost ~ $35
DeLorme Street Atlas USA version 5.0. DO NOT get anything earlier.
This one works with GPS. Earlier Does Not or minus features.
Follow these instructions:
Start, Run, d:\setup, follow the instructions on the screen
Start, Programs, DeLorme, Street Atlas USA 5.0
Options, Points of Interest to all NOT checked both sides
Options, Points of Interest Display References to 16, 17, 18
Options, Map Features to all checked EXCEPT zip code
Options, select Map Toolbar
Routing Toolbar
Status Bar
Sound (if you want it through the headset)
Use Points of Interest Filter (to declutter)
Map Grid (for lat lon lines)
Map Center Crosshairs (to see map center)
Route, Units, select Nautical (leave alone for Miles)
Route, Speeds, change all to knots or mph of aircraft.
Route, Urban speeds, change all to knots or mph of aircraft.
Route, select Automatic Calculation
Show Route on Map
Show State Borders
GPS, Initialize, select GPS device (try Magellan if not listed)
Com port
GPS, select Automatic Pan (for moving map)
Prompt to Save Log File (save every flight)
GPS Voice navigation (if you want it to talk)
3rd, you will need a GPS receiver. You really want something that is better than the best FAA IFR Certified Approach GPS there is. So, you are going to need to buy a handheld, if you don't already have one. This gonna cost ~ $100 for the best technology there is on sale - shop around.
Buy nothing that does not have 12 channels
Buy nothing that does not have all in view (all in the sky)
Buy nothing that does not have NMEA 0183 2.0 or higher (data outout)
You could have WAAS right now - it is called free Coast Guard dGPS
Nice to have RTCM SC-104 if you want to add Coast Guard dGPS
You will need the StarLink (Austin Texas) receiver for that
Or the one we will build, if you can wait till next Oshkosh
4th, you need a data cable for 3rd to talk to 1st.
Try the GPS manufacturer for best results. This gonna cost ~ $30
5th, buy the EAA tape and follow all of the directions and cautions.
Wednesday July 29th, tent 9, 10:00-11:15 AM from www.eaa.org ~ $8
Keith Peshak pretends he is Gorden Baxter/$200 GPS moving map
The rest of the $200 budget goes for taxes, postage, car gas for the auto.
6th, you might need a power supply to power the laptop from the airplane
Some computers require 15 Vdc, and cigar socket is not enough voltage
We will bring a schematic and parts list to next Oshkosh
Some airplanes are 28 Vdc, and cigar socket will damage computer
We will bring a schematic and parts list to next Oshkosh
Try the B&C Specialty Products SD8 alternator mounted on the vacuum pump drive. If you need the vacuum pump, there is an adapter kit to run both. Do not forget to use the voltage regulator and a small battery. Run that to a cigar socket under the dash. Do not forget a circuit breaker. DO NOT use B&C Specialty Product stuff on a certificated aircraft - FAA political thing - until Jane Garvey straightens out her legal department, because FAA will go after Bill Bainbridge and fine him $2000 for each certificated aircraft for your using a better than certified equipment quality and reliability alternator.
7th, no promises about the future, but, maybe, in the coming year:
Internet weather satellite interface to overlay on the map.
Internet weather radar interface to overlay on the map.
ADSB or TailLight traffic interface to overlay on the map.
Courtesy doug_gibbs@avionics.bfg.com, Dir Adv Technologies
We might need a data link, and it might look like (you might want):
AirCell, David Zeigler, 303-499-5624, internet from the airplane.
WARNING-DANGER
Don't let the FAA catch you with this in your certificated aircraft. If they do, remind them that flying right seat in an aircraft is a boring thing for the non-pilot guy in the right seat, and this is for him to play "Frogger", and is not in any way used for any flight decision information by the pilot in command, or connected to the aircraft other than through the cigar socket (and put the whole thing in a flight bag to get it out of sight, and immediately get it and you out of there).
Back to Keith's home page. Last updated on 03/15/99