GPSr in flight

[Bruce-YVR]

Hi... always wanted to try this... and I did today... flew from SD to Las Vegas and turned on the 60Cx in mid-flight... but couldnt pick up any satellite signals... I was hoping to find out the altitude and crusing speed of the plane

 

Bruce

[+pdxmarathonman]

Hi... always wanted to try this... and I did today... flew from SD to Las Vegas and turned on the 60Cx in mid-flight... but couldnt pick up any satellite signals... I was hoping to find out the altitude and crusing speed of the plane

 

Bruce

Private plane?

If this was a commercial flight - get a window seat next time. I have gotten great signals on my old GPS V. I haven't flown since getting my 60CSx

[+MaliBooBoo]

I've tried a 60CSx between PG and YVR, and there were no problems acquiring satellites. My max speed was 903km/h

[+classicxj]

When I used to fly around on C-130s as a Crew Chief I would bring my GPSr around with me everywhere. My Garming Legend C would always pick up a signal if I was close enough to a window. I think I still have a waypoint thats 20,000 something feet over Iraq.

[Neo_Geo]

I use an EXTERNAL ANTENNA with a WINDOW SUCTION MOUNT. I get great reception in the aisle seat!

[+pdxmarathonman]

I use an EXTERNAL ANTENNA with a WINDOW SUCTION MOUNT. I get great reception in the aisle seat!

That middle seat is lookin' worse all the time (hey, what's this cord doing in my lap?)

I used that antenna on my old GPS V, unfortunately the connector isn't the same on my new unit.

[+Zork V]

Something a bit different, I used my old E Trex on the Eurostar train from London to Paris.

Got a window seat and clocked in 303Km's per Hour.

[peter]

I use an EXTERNAL ANTENNA with a WINDOW SUCTION MOUNT. I get great reception in the aisle seat!

 

Usually I just rely on the internal antenna in my eMap which works fine near a window, but on a recent flight I could only get a middle seat. I had the external antenna along but was at first a little reluctant to ask the person in the window seat for permission to place it by the window. He seemed friendly enough so I decided to ask and it turned out he was a private pilot and very familiar with GPS. He had no problem with having the antenna on the window and stringing the cable past the seat tray mounts to keep it out of the way. Excellent reception that way and I saw a new personal high for a sustained maximum speed. When just starting our descent into Mpls. we had a great tailwind and got up to a ground speed of 703 mph.

[chuckr30]

I even used my Geko 201 on a plane. It worked fine if it was near the window, if not, it lost sat lock.

[+barkbox]

I've used my Magellan Meridian Gold on flights (only on the window seats) and have always gotten a signal. I'll connect it to my laptop which has Microsoft Streets & Trips. It's a conversation starter with whoever you're sitting next to. They always want to know what you are flying over.

[segler999]

I have used my 60Cx on flights.

 

3 things about this.

 

1. Make sure the airline allows it. Some do, some don't. Ya gotta ask.

 

2. You have to have a window seat, and the gpsr has to be right next to the window, like on your knee, even a gpsr with the sensitive SirF receiver, like my 60Cx. The aluminum tube of the fuselage very effectively blocks gps signals, so you have to be near the window.

 

3. Don't rely on the barometric pressure sensor in the S models for altitude. The effective altitude inside an airplane cruising at 35,000' is something like 8000'. So, for altitude, try to get enough satellite locks through the window to get a 3D triangulated altitude.

 

4. If you have a choice, try to get a window that faces south. More satellites over the equator than over the poles.

[Neo_Geo]

1. Make sure the airline allows it. Some do, some don't. Ya gotta ask.

True - some allow it - others don't. The information is usually available on the airline's Web site (search for "personal electronic devices" or "portable electronic devices". CLICK HERE to see a list of most major airlines which approve or disapprove of GPS use in flight.

 

 

2. You have to have a window seat, and the gpsr has to be right next to the window, like on your knee, even a gpsr with the sensitive SirF receiver, like my 60Cx. The aluminum tube of the fuselage very effectively blocks gps signals, so you have to be near the window.

Discussed above

 

 

3. Don't rely on the barometric pressure sensor in the S models for altitude. The effective altitude inside an airplane cruising at 35,000' is something like 8000'. So, for altitude, try to get enough satellite locks through the window to get a 3D triangulated altitude.

This is true. Models with barometric altimeters give false altitude information because of the airplane's pressurized cabin.

 

 

4. If you have a choice, try to get a window that faces south. More satellites over the equator than over the poles.

Gotta disagree with you there. If GPS satellites were in geostationary orbit, then this would be true. The system was designed to distribute satellites somewhat equally over the entire globe so that you can get a lock anywhere on the planet.

[f5fstop]

Post removed

Edited January 23, 2007 by f5fstop

[+ILBandit]

My 60 csx still is showing a maximum speed of 515 MPH. I took it along on a trip to Mexico this last summer.

It picked up a pretty decent signal while sitting next to the window, but if I moved over 1 seat towards the middle, I couldn't get anything.

As I was boarding, I spoke briefly with the Captain, & asked if it would be OK to switch it on during the flight. He was familiar with the 60csx,he had one himself, and said it would be no problem, but also said that several of his fellow co-workers, (other pilots) had a different feelings about them.

I would always ask someone on the flight permission before pulling it out, and turning on. Somebody may get pretty freaked out if they See you holding a GPS up to the window while in flight.

It's pretty neat being able to track yourself over a map, or over the ocean while flying.

As others mentioned, because of the cabin pressure, while we were at approx. 30,000 ft, my GPS was showing 5000 - 7000ft.

[SandyGarrity]

I've used my GPS on Trains, plains and ships it is great fun - don't plains fly in straight lines.

 

The ship i was on got out of harbour headed 180 degree true and 20 knots for 5 hours then went into harbour. Easy navigation or what!

[Neo_Geo]

don't plains fly in straight lines.

Most planes fly along airways from point-to-point which results in a bit of a zig-zag route. Here is a typical flight from Cincinnati, OH to Washington, DC (Dulles).