PCMCIA GPS

prkaye · #1 05-09-2007, 07:46 AM

I've ordered a new "Tablet PC"... Fujitsu Lifebook P1610. This is a small tablet with an 8.9" screen, and is the one used by some companies retrofitting and reselling it as an "Electronic Flight Bag".

Question - apparently there are PCMCIA (PC Card) GPS recievers available for laptops. These don't seem to be marketed for air applications, but I'm wondering if they would work properly in flight. Not for anything serious like IFR approaches, but for VFR navigation with some kind of moving map software. (I'm not thinking specifically for the RV, but for the spam-cans I rent in the mean time). Is there anything special I have to look for in a GPS receiver for my tablet PC so that it will work in flight (below 10,000') ?

rickmellor · #2 05-09-2007, 09:10 AM

Where is your PCMCIA slot located? The card form-factor receivers usually have integral antennas and these need to have a clear line of sight to the sky. So, depending on where your slot is and where you mount the tablet you might have problems.

An easy away around this is to use one of the Bluetooth GPS receivers . You can mount that bad body anywhere you want (closer is better) so that it gets a clear view of the sky.

-Rick

prkaye · #3 05-09-2007, 09:41 AM

Thanks Rick, I guess another option is a USB reciever with a few feet of USB cord...
So there's nothing about being in-flight that affects the functionality of a GPS receiver, except to ensure the antenna has a view of the sky?

Jamie Aust · #4 05-09-2007, 04:38 PM

I would also look at bluetooth. If you have usb on the pc, just get a usb bluetooth adaptor and a bluetooth Gps. I use my PDA with bluetooth Gps, it works great !!!

rickmellor · #5 05-09-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prkaye

Thanks Rick, I guess another option is a USB reciever with a few feet of USB cord...
So there's nothing about being in-flight that affects the functionality of a GPS receiver, except to ensure the antenna has a view of the sky?

GPS provides lattitude, longitude and elevation. It's gotta support going up for elevation to mean anything.

GPS sats are in geosync orbits so that's something like 22,500 miles up or so. Us moving around from 0-15k feet or so is nothing, relatively speaking.

I've never heard of a GPS that was scared of heights but I'm sure someone has hacked together such a contrivance.

-Rick

tommylewis · #6 05-09-2007, 08:03 PM

Phil, I have been using a tablet PC in our spam can airplanes for the last two years and have been very pleased with an USB GPS, the Holux GM 210 GPS receiver. It has worked well. I know others that have had lots of issues getting blue tooth gps receivers to work reliably, so I never made that transition.

Now that we have our RV7a flying, and GRT is still not shipping the XM weather receiver, I have been considering using a tablet in the rv, BUT cannot figure out where to mount it??? Where are you planning on putting the tablet?

Tom Lewis
N967BT RV7a

lucaberta · #7 05-10-2007, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickmellor

GPS sats are in geosync orbits so that's something like 22,500 miles up or so.

your statements would contradict the very reason by which the GPS satellites operate. If GPS birds would be geosync, they would be stationary relative to us, and the smarts that are used by our receivers down here would be of no use...

Those who are curious might like reading this Wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System

and in particular the "Space segment" section, where it says that the satellites are orbiting 12,600 miles up or so:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_...#Space_segment

Ciao, Luca

rickmellor · #8 05-10-2007, 01:16 AM

Guess I need to lay off the ganja a bit.

dav1111 · #9 05-10-2007, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommylewis

Now that we have our RV7a flying, and GRT is still not shipping the XM weather receiver, I have been considering using a tablet in the rv, BUT cannot figure out where to mount it??? Where are you planning on putting the tablet?

Tom Lewis
N967BT RV7a

Have you called GRT recently? I have had my GRT supplied weather module installed and operating since December 06!!!

It works really great. On Tuesday I made a short hop for gas in VFR conditions and the weather module was painting a lot of weather in the area. When I returned the Tower advised of heavy rainshowers 1 mile east of the airport (KLBB). As I was below the bases which appeared to be about 2000 AGL I advised the Tower that radar was painting some really heavy stuff out of that system. From what I have been told the Tower does not have as good a weather radar system as my GRT XM weather module.

By the way I have my weather module wired so it will display on all three of my GRT screens (Duel Horizon and Sport). Life is good.

prkaye · #10 05-10-2007, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Where are you planning on putting the tablet?

On my lap. This is a very small fujitsu tablet (8.9" screen). The companies that resell it as an electronic flight bag add a knee-board strap to it. I'll probably glue some velcro strips to the back so it will stick to a flat knee-board with velcro glued to it as well.

Since I'm using rental planes for now, and the tablet will also be my personal laptop, I can't mount it in the aircraft.