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Best handheld GPS/value??

RickWoodall

RickWoodall

Well Known Member
With the new gps offerings and the lower prices on some...just wanted to know if going garmin was the best/easiest choice. My plane is a year or two from completion, and I am looking for a basic handheld that i can use in rentals, and have as a back up years from now. No need for xm etc at this point, just basic easy to use and easy to read. I have started doing all the research and between lowrance, geopilot, garmin etc there are a pile of decent looking units for $500 to $1200. Just wanted to know if any one had purchased one recently and is exceptionally happy, or wished they had gone with another model. Lots of bells and whistles...just dont think most are really needed. Based on the gps in the rentals...they are all over the top. Is the colour really worth it? The benefits of the 396 over 296 worth it or even the 196? I know it all depends on mission etc, but for basic non ifr is there anything better than a 296? Thanks for any comments.
 
GPS's are no longer a newfangled device, and more aggressive (lower) pricing reflects this. For $500 or so, you can get a lot of bang for the buck, unless you're looking for a big display screen or in-cockpit weather.

Personally, I'd stick with one of the "Big 2" in aviation - Lowrance or Garmin, simply because there is a better chance of those two companies being around to support the product. Also, when you decide to replace or upgrade the unit in later years, you'll have familiarity with one of the major brands' user interface.

I subscribe to Aviation Consumer, and in a recent review, they liked the Lowrance 600C at the low end of the price spectrum, the Lowrance Airmap 2000C at the midrange, and the Garmins at the high end, because of the XM weather feature.

My money is on Lowrance introducing XM aviation weather at SnF or Oshkosh next year. I hope it is in a small platform. I prefer Lowrance products, want to upgrade to XM weather, and don't need a big honkin' device cluttering up the cockpit.
 
lowrance 200c

Thanks. The garmins are super popular and pretty slick, but right now i can get the lowrance 2000c with the free terrain updates for $600 and change. That is a pretty sweet little unit for that kind of price. Just didnt know if there is anyone who thinks that is a goofy choice and why for that kind of price point. Again, i have no need for super high end, but i dont want a pos that wont be here in a year.
 
garmin 196

would buy it again in an instant. however you can only get obstacles for it. no terrain.. i still love it.
 
I used an Anywhere Map PDA based GPS for several years while I was flying Pipeline Patrol. It is an easy to use touch screen PDA based system and easy to transfer from plane to plane. For me, one of the most important features was the reasonably priced 28 day database updates. The new ones include street navigation for $ 695 and you can upgrade to XM wx later if you want.

Jim
RV4
 
600 and change ??

Where did you see the Lowrance 2000c for "600 and change" ?? Looks like it's $695 everyplace I've looked. Probably going to order one tomorrow.....

BTW, I use a Lowrance Airmap 500 now. It has two shortcomings:

1. Flying into the sun, the monochrome screen is just too dark. Very hard to see.

2. The font is just a bit too small for these (approaching ) 50 year old eyes..

John
 
2000c

i believe it was pilotstore that i saw it for a little over $600 but that included the $99 memory card with terrain, and i believe that also had the mounts for car and plane. Just seems like a heck of a nice unit for the money. Sport's is about $20 cheaper but no terrain package. Just asking opinions, but that looks like the best package so far.
 
Not Sporty's..

Sporty's doesn't have it at all. I got mail from them saying it's "temprorarily unavailable". Not sure when they will get it back......
 
A Garmin Pilot 3 is my choice - got one on ebay the other day for $200. If not I would go for a 196. The B&W screens are much better in bright sunlight. I also have a PDA/Bluetooth GPS system, can't see it with sungalsses on & have had some software issues. So, if you don't need a 496 then my vote would be for B&W. I've never used a Lowrance so can't compare.

Pete
 
I have the lowrance C2000 and its great. For the price you can't go wrong. You do need to put it on the 12V power because it "eat's" batteries like like an RV pilot eating breakfast at the local fly-in. Once you get used to it the layout makes sense and you can move from one screen to another without much problem. You do get the road maps with it but it "is NOT' a turn by turn system. Even when you set it up for "auto mode" it give you a straight line to your destination. But once again let me say for the money you can't go wrong and I love the color.
Shine'r (Sunny, Warm, Clear sky, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
 
Shine'r said:
I have the lowrance C2000 and its great. For the price you can't go wrong. You do need to put it on the 12V power because it "eat's" batteries like like an RV pilot eating breakfast at the local fly-in. Once you get used to it the layout makes sense and you can move from one screen to another without much problem. You do get the road maps with it but it "is NOT' a turn by turn system. Even when you set it up for "auto mode" it give you a straight line to your destination. But once again let me say for the money you can't go wrong and I love the color.
Shine'r (Sunny, Warm, Clear sky, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Click to expand...

Ditto - Also, the screen is readable in every condition I've been in from batcave dark to SPF 50 bright, and I really like the profile view with terrain and airspace ahead. It makes it easier to manuver through, around, or under airspace. Hope they keep updating the airport taxi diagrams.
 
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Garmin GPS 296 in my RV-9A.

I bought the GPS 296 and gave my old 196 to my son when he was a student pilot. He still uses it.

I like the 296 since it has the color contour elevation terrain maps and the obstacle database. I have a 128 MB memory card and it is useful when I am in my car with street maps.

The Jeppesen data base is updated only when I am going on a long cross-country flight. It costs $35 per download for 28 days.

I use it in my airplane to drive my old NavAid wing leveler and my Dynon D-10A. The second serial data output also drives my Garmin AT SL-30 serial port with the frequencies from the Jeppesen data base when I bring up an airport with COMM frequencies listed. The 296 has TWO RS-232 outputs, where the others only have ONE.

The Garmin 396 and 496 of course have the weather, but both of them can be coupled to the serial data out from the Garmin GTX-330 to display air traffic in some areas. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=201
 
Get one that fits in an AirGizmo

Whichever GPS you purchase, make sure there is a matching AirGizmo for it.

I have a 496 in my -9 along with an AirGizmo which allows me to remove it from the panel and use the GPS in the car at my destination or take it home and program my route before the flight.

Since I'm VFR only there are a few features I really like about the 496 such as weather, vertical navigation, and all the published approaches (VFR, ILS, etc.).

The vertical navigation is very cool because when coupled with the HSI display in my Dynon D100 EFIS it will tell you when to start letting down from cruise altitude at what looks to be a 500 Ft/min decent.
 
jsherblon said:
Ditto - Also, the screen is readable in every condition I've been in from batcave dark to SPF 50 bright, and I really like the profile view with terrain and airspace ahead. It makes it easier to manuver through, around, or under airspace. Hope they keep updating the airport taxi diagrams.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised that the 2000C is that bright and readable. I just got a 600C at Oshkosh (actually a friend picked it up for me) and I'm very disappointed in the brightness of the display. I have the brightness and contrast up all the way and still can't see it most the time.

Part of the problem is the background is usually a dark green (Texas gulf coast). I've seen the background change to a lighter green and its much better. I have to assume the background color is trying to mimic the ground, if I were in the desert would it be sand color? I wish I could pick the background color.

Other than the display, the 600C is very well thought out and very impressive.

Karl
 
600c

For most everything... I have a 396 in the dash.. but you cannot beat the Lowrance 600c for the price...
Best
Brian
 
N941WR said:
Since I'm VFR only there are a few features I really like about the 496 such as weather, vertical navigation, and all the published approaches (VFR, ILS, etc.)...
Click to expand...
I must be missing something here. My 496 shows runway extended centerlines and it also shows approach fixes, like most any aviation GPS, but I have never seen an approach displayed.

How do you get it to show an ILS approach?
 
Not a good deal

RickWoodall said:
i believe it was pilotstore that i saw it for a little over $600 but that included the $99 memory card with terrain, and i believe that also had the mounts for car and plane. Just seems like a heck of a nice unit for the money. Sport's is about $20 cheaper but no terrain package. Just asking opinions, but that looks like the best package so far.
Click to expand...

$799.00 at Pilotstore on 10-3
 
I just scanned quick again, and the best i found was $684, i think that was shipping included, and that includes the terrain with memory at pilotmall.com
But...sportys just put the 496 on sale too..
Too many choices..
 
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