Best handheld GPS/value??

[Shine'r]

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.)

[jsherblon]

Originally Posted by Shine'r

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.)

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.

[n2prise]

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

[N941WR]

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.

[RV8N]

Originally Posted by jsherblon

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.

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

[brianwallis]

For most everything... I have a 396 in the dash.. but you cannot beat the Lowrance 600c for the price...
Best
Brian

[n5lp]

Originally Posted by N941WR

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.)...

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?

[dbgrosch]

Originally Posted by RickWoodall

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.

$799.00 at Pilotstore on 10-3

[RickWoodall]

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..