GPS

Electronic compasses are accurate to within only 15%. Keep the magnetic compass, it's more accurate, faster, easier and it doesn't require batteries.

Just a thought...I have a Garmin RINO 120 that I typically use for Search and Rescue but also keep handy in my TJ. The beauty of the 120 is that it has a FRS/GMRS radio built in. And...it can send your position to another jeeper on demand. Just the ticket for desert crossings. Whatever you get remember that it is only a backup to your hardcore map and compass knowledge. Don't get caught in the boonies with dead GPS batteries!!!! BJ

Yea... take extra batteries! :-) JimG

On 09 Jan 2004 05:58 PM, JimG posted the following:

When I took flight lessons to get my private pilot certificate, my brother loaned me his fancy aviation handheld GPS to carry on cross country flights just in case I got lost (like he did as a student pilot). Before one of my solo XC flights, my instructor was briefing me including reviewing lost procedures. He asked what I would do if I got lost, and I reached into my bag and pulled out the handy GPS unit. Then he asks what I will do when the batteries died, and I pulled out the extra batteries. 8^) I never needed to use that sucker but I was glad to have it there.

---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:

Del, on the second leg of my final x-country flight a dozen years ago, I was supposed to land at Barstow airport out in the southern California desert. I naturally wasn't exactly sure of where I was at all times but I managed to get to what I thought was Barstow and I landed at the nearly deserted and mostly inactive airport. I walked into the office and the long-haired desert rat sitting behind the desk saw me, saw my pilot's log book marking me as a student pilot, and gave me a big 'Howdy, welcome to Yermo Airport!" I about fell through the floor thinking I had mis-navigated and he had me going about how Barstow was 'up yonder that-away about 22 miles, how'd you miss it? kind of stuff. I finally caught on and figured he pulls that on ever student pilot... his only entertainment at that god-forsaken airport. :)

Jerry

Forget the VOR's , GPS is fool proof !

Bill remembers the last one :-)

Dave Milne, Scotland

Just tell the FI that if both sets of batteries die, you'll stop flying visual flight rules and fly IFR--I Follow Railroads.

On 10 Jan 2004 01:08 PM, L0nD0t.$t0we11 posted the following:

The joke was that on that particular XC flight, I followed I-5 pretty much the whole way.

Ground instructor: What is the VOR system? Me: A stupid, obsolete method of navigation.

Direct quotes.

---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:

Got the Etrex vista for chrismas. been great so far and has all the bells and whistles. 24mb of memory for uploading the topo maps. Only thing I would add is the color screen and the external antena hook up. The garmin has a unit called the 60cs coming out this month that addresses both of those.

Dan Ferrell

I've been using a Magellan Meridian Gold for over a year now. I have the 64 MB card and it can hold topos for about half of the USA at once. I have recently attached it to my laptop running Microsoft 'streets and trips', and driven about 3000 miles in the car, it's pretty cool that way, but not going to happen in the Jeepster or bike which have 12v power cords and mounts. The Magellan Topo software has maps of the entire USA, including Alaska and Hawaii, (as well as the complete streets version without 'waypoint' junk like hotels restaurants,and gas stations), but shows Canada and Mexico as a gray zone. I have found minor errors on the highway maps, but it's close enough. I haven't tried their new street navigation software that will do 'turn by turn' navigation, but will be ordering it soon. It has many screens, including a traditional compass rose, and 2 nav screens with a compass bar and other data. It shows my speed more accurately than my speedometer, and I have used it to check that on many antique cars for friends. I like having the altitude displayed, too. Top quality batteries last 8-10 hours, cheap chink 99cent store batts, about

Thanks to all of you for your input. I ordered a factory refurbished Magellan Meridian Platinum yesterday for $189 from Harmony Computers. It comes with a compass and an altimeter. It probably has more features than I need but the price was right. Thanks Hal

Cool. just remember that devices fail, but a compass won't let you down (unless you store it stuck to a speaker magnet). A magnetic compass can't be trusted while inside or near a metal vehicle, and electrical devices make them weird out.

Even better, get the cigarette lighter adaptor.

Is that like the guy that painted WELCOME TO CHICAGO on the roof of his barn in Nevada.

Heh, exactly. :)