TomOfTarsus

Winstonw: Thanks for an informative reply from a guy "up front." I did write American, but I must admit that if I were in their shoes, with safety being the absolute #1 paramount concern, I'd probably ban a lot more stuff than they -or any airline - bans. With such a plethora of electronic devices out there, it's quite a wonder (or a tribute to good standards) there isn't more problems than we experience. But I stll wanna play with my GPS! (we ned a crybaby smilie!) And let's reiterate it for about the dozenth time on this thread: The pilot (captain) bears ultimate reponsibiliity for his arcraft and the souls aboard - and therefore has ultimate authority. Therefore the FA's also bear that responsibility and authority. They must be obeyed. Period. In my case there was never any question of that on my part, nor any overbearing attitude on the FA's part; he was cordial and professional. But they are to be obeyed. Period. Especially over something like this, which simply is no big deal.

At which point, you'll want a GPS with "Jumpmaster" mode! I LOL'd... BUt anyway, can we here expound anything that buttresses our case - like, our devices use frequency "X", whilst in the cocpit the are listening to a different band?

Mine was a USB, not Bluetooth. Direct cable connection,

Webscouter: 1. I agree completely. Never use anything but respect when discussing things with an FA. As I said, if you want to point out that it isn't a transmitter, preface your remark with "You're the boss, I will turn it off if you wish..." an then make your point. That's how I did and it was cordial and there were no problems. They have absolute authority and they must be obeyed, no matter how right or wrong it may seem. 2. The same can be said for any handheld electronic device, including laptops, as the point was made above- many users don't know how to turn off their wireless and it remains on. When it comes right down to it, the airlines need to help their pilots and FA's out with this decision. And of course, the real problem is that a saboteur whould not display the fact that they had some sort of jammer in their pocket transmitting much more powerfully than any GPS, laptop, Gameboy, etc. Take this argument about nuances to it's conclusion and all electronic devices will be banned. 3. I thought the thread above said that they were shielded, at least to Class B limits, which, if I've read right, are more stringent than Class A, and neither of which apply to handheld games, etc. But I'm no shielding expert...

I'll raise this thread again as I just flew American and was asked to turn it off. On the trip out I used it with no issue, but on the return I made the mistake of pointing it out to the flight attendant. I should note this was my laptop version with the USB GPSr stuck to the window, so ot's not like I was trying to hide anything. I wanted to raise the thread as well for the excellent link above that lists which arilines do and don't allow GPS. I flew Southwest two weeks back and the FA was enjoying it with me! As to my incident on American, it was much more reasonable that the one described in the OP. I'd recommend that anytime you take exception to an FA's request, you preface it with something to the effect, "I'm prepared to follow your order, but are you aware that this device dosn't transmit anything? It only receives signals from the same satellites that the avionics up front receive." I tried that approach and this poor fellow said, "Yes, but you're not allowed anything that transmits..." So off it went. He probably knew it was on their banned list, but didn't know why. I didn't know the ban worked airline by airline, another reason to be thankful for the thread. Don't the avionics up front listen to a different signal from the sats than our lowest-common-denminator consumer units? That would make another good reason not to have the ban... Best to all, Tom ETA receiver description...

Stites1: Yeah, I was hoping to do something off the wall like that just to drive my son (who car pools with me) crazy. Gotta get the USB cable first, apparently, unless I can pull it off the an SD card. Redwoods Mtn Biker: It's gotta be simple like that, I wonder how I missed it. Here's a guy that builds his own computers, programs in 3 languages, has done real-time code in hex on a breadboard... done in by a GPS!

I got my Silva while particiapting in the first orienteering meets at the University of Pittsburgh back in '74. Well, shoot! That's only 34 years... But yeah, about the Zumo vs the Nuvi, it's like i was saying, why a zillion different models to accomplish pretty much the same things, with such a confusing mix of features? Still checking out the stuff when I can. I've already fixed it so it'll take my poor directionally-challenged wife home the quick way. But that's it so far. I'd like to add other "favorites," like my office (if she'd ever need to go there for some reason). Would that be a custom POI, as apparently the thread referred to above does with caches? Or is there some way to make one under the "heart" icon? It seem like you could but it really wasn't straightforward...

... And now I try to register the Nuvi online and it's saying "Connect the unit to your computer" and they don't supply a USB cable! Good move, there, Garmin! Been having fun, though. I took a walk with my son last night and he was really interested. What a nifty gadget!

Well, I'm playing already! For some reason, the Nuvi and Streets & Trips got here (unexpectedly) well ahead of the new laptop. Now that I have the driver for the laptop GPSr installed on my (outgoing) laptop, I'm really wondering if there are any other programs or scripts out there that can use it. Anybody have any experience with Micro$oft Streets & Trips? The install wants to hook you up with M$ Live search, etc, which I let it do just to see what it could do. First attempt at routing my drive home took me a route I'd never take! Oh, well... Also, I couldn't find any configuration settings sch as enabling WAAS, etc. Maybe ol' Bill doesn't think you need it?

Thanks!

Don't worry I have no intention of doing that! BTW (a real tangent), a watch can be used for a compass as well. And you only have to worry about (1) being able to see the sun, and (2) whether it's Daylight Savings Time or not. No magnetic deviation!

Connection screwup caused double post, this can be deleted...

Yeah, it figures! But hey, it's better that what I now have (a 37 yr old Silva orienteering compass)! Howabout that puck that comes with Streets & Trips? Anybody know who makes it? Can I do anything with it besides use it with Streets & Trips? My hunch is yes, as I have written some code in my time. But I'm new to these circles and wonder what's out there. Thanks, Tom Pet Peeve: 31 models of Nuvi? Glory! It's like cell phones and computer printers - how may oddball variations do you need? It wearies one just trying to keep up, and they all do basically the same thing!

That's it! I haven't posted for a while, been very busy, and can't afford my hoped-for Rinos right now anyway... But I'm getting a new laptop, and amongst the things in the "standard order" is a GPS, identified as a Garmin Nuvi 200. I'll also be getting Micro$oft Streets & Trips 2008. It'll be Windows XP, and now I have a few anticipatory questions: 1. Anybody know anything about this setup? Can I put the sensor in the window of an airplane and show my position/speed/altitude on some display? I've seen it done, but don't know what the acompanying software was. 2. My autistic son would probably enjoy watching where we were going on trips, real-time, in Google Earth (he works it well at home). That, of course, would require a mobile internet card, but we may indeed be going that direction. If so, is there a way to send coordinates from the Nuvi to GE real time? Or should I just stick with Streets and Trips? 3. Is there any other software, maps, etc that I should be considering, either for work or fun? The boss doesn't really care what personal stuff we do or load on the laptop, as long as we can get our work done. Granted a laptop isn't exactly the tool of choice for caching, so I'm not thinking along those lines...yet. Thanks all! ETA: Forgot to ask about what Garmin software might come with it - such as a page to show you satellite view, WAAS enablemnt and all tha stuff - probably included even f not explicitly listed, right? ETA(again): I've hit the motherload! Wen to Dell' site & punched in part nos. from the order. Apparently, I get an actual hold it in your hand and put it on you dash Nuvi 200 GPS AND Streets & Trips with it's own USB GPS sensor. A two-fer! I wonder who makes that one? Any further info, insight, or recommendations?

(with intervening post by Trailgators) Well, that's my point. Without some external source of information, there's no way a barometric altimeter can compensate for changes in barometric pressure that isn't due to a change in altitude. It's merely a pressure sensor. So I guess the whole idea is to start well, then have the GPS-derived altitude update the barometer as needed. Now on the Rino, they could use data from the weather radio, could they not? Maybe not the alert channel, but aren't there local weather station dat brodacasts (encoded, not voice) that give the current barometric pressure (corrected to sea level, etc). I know next to nothing about that, just taking a shot. And yes, I'd like to be able to see both GPS and barometric altitde figures, as well as the choice, if I ever get a unit.

For my part, I'm wondering how in the world the barometric altimeter could correct itself for barometric pressure changes during the day. Something would have to tell it, "hey, a front just went through, the pressure at elevation x is now 29.91" Hg..." Way back in the olden days, (actually, I think they still do this), as a pilot approcahed an airport, he was given the local barometric pressure, which he then dialed in to his altimeter. I don't see how Garmin's barometric altimeter could compensate without an external source of information. Just curious, I don't even have a unit yet, but I keep reading discussions such as thsi so I'll have better idea when the time has come...

As a non-owner myself, I can (1) welcome you to the boards, and (2) shed a little light, which I'm sure will be corrected and enhanced by others with more knowledge/time. It's neat stuff. The gov't has a gang of satellites orbiting the earth (not geo-stationary orbits, either!). they send out signals on a bunch o fdifferent bands. The military and licenced contractors can get very high accuracy signals, but us peons can still receive signals that allow us to find a location to an accuracy of 30 ft or so, depending. The GPS recievers everyone "talks" about here are simply that: radio recievers. With one notable exception (the Garmin Rino models), they don't transmit anything. The receiver then, courtesy of the fancy electronics and programming inside, can show you where you are on a map, how fast you are going, how far to your destination, average speed, all that nifty stuff. I just had my first experience using one, a Garmin unit rented with a car from Avis. I drove from Pittsburgh to Baltimore, and it didn't miss a single turn. Easy to use. Fascinating. Knew which way the ramps were arranged, even knew that my hotel was on a divided road that required me to get off the ramp and make a U-turn. When you think of all the roads in the US alone, that's a freakish amount of data. Drawback is that they generally don't work indoors very well, you have to be able to see the sky. Another drawback is that the more info you want, the more you have to buy - topographical maps, street maps, etc, which all get updated periodically, but the costs aren't a real killer, I guess. Most all units come with a "base map", you just have to know what that is and how much more you want. Now the gang here mostly likes the hand-held versions that can be used with topographic maps for both on and off road use. A lot of the folks here are geocachers, which I think would be a fun activity if I ever had the time (and a GPS unit!) The latest versions can give you shaded 3-D terrain views, and some even display aireal images (not current, but fairly recent, say 1-3 years old). Even the last generation (say, a Garmin 60 CSx) has barometric sensors that can help with altitude and elevation changes, and electronic compasses for use with paper maps or just because you like to use a compass. I mentioned the Rino because I might eventaully get a pair of these. I have a directionally challenged wife and an autistic son. Should you get separated, the Rino allows anyone in your party to find another member just by "pinging" them. It also has 2 way radio with a several mile's range (again, depending on terrain) and an NOAA emergency radio receiver. Of course, the lost party has to be in radio range to be located by the finder's unit. But all this may be "overlapped" by GPS enabled cell phones. Except that way out in the weeds, you'd need the radio becase the cell phone wouldn't work. There are also USB units that you can plug into a laptop (i.e., no display), but even the hand helds and dash-mounts generally have either USB or memory card capabilities- sometimes both - for downloading maps, points of interest (POI's) and other data. It's a lot to digest, and a whole new language of acronyms and terms. Dive in and enjoy! Tom

Got sent into the field, first time I could reconnect. Still wavering, eso with a pair of Rinos for sale. Is it still available?

Is this the second pair you're offering? A thread that was immediately below this one had two you were selling as sold.

Does the micro SD card have an adapter to fit it to standard SD card slots?

When you finish your purchase can you let us know where you got them that cheap? I plan to buy more in the future and would love to pick them up @ $300/unit. I got them in the subforum below this one GPS Garage Sale (I was going to buy a pair from BuyDig.com for $347 but just hours before I clicked pay the above thread was posted.) Blast! And I've been watching that forum, too! How'd I miss that?!? You win!

So it's a...hmmm, handheld computer of sorts, needs an internet connection? Is it a cell phone as well? I've never been caching before, but can understand the possible advantages of going paperless, we're trying that in the office as well. (Yeah, right. Engineers... paperless... ain't gonna happen!) Or do you just download these files to your home computer and thence to the Palm? If I'm not ever going to geocache, what would I use the Palm for? I guess a PDA is a PDA...

Thinking about it... don't know much about Palms, researching, don't give up hope...

Much thanks, all. That settles my mind...

It's up there, in Post #7. Any idea what he means? Thanks, Tom