Discussion:
PDA/Netbook recommendation
(too old to reply)
AnthonyL
2010-05-11 12:06:43 UTC
Permalink
Looking for combined:

GPS
Web access
Phone

One possibility is a Netbook with a suitable mobile but wondering what
other options are out there that are easy to carry around whilst
flying around airfield to airfield. Mainly UK.

Many thanks
--
AnthonyL
Peter
2010-05-14 19:53:56 UTC
Permalink
What apps do you want to run on it?

Any fancy phone will do the 3 things, but not necessarily run any
useful apps.
Post by AnthonyL
GPS
Web access
Phone
One possibility is a Netbook with a suitable mobile but wondering what
other options are out there that are easy to carry around whilst
flying around airfield to airfield. Mainly UK.
Many thanks
AnthonyL
2010-05-17 11:03:24 UTC
Permalink
I'm asking on behalf of a friend who has his own small plane and flies
around the uk and occasionally abroad. I was hoping for some feedback
of what configuration works well in this situation, however it seems a
netbook would offer more flexibility for combined home/flying use.

Perhaps I should ask "What do you use and find most useful?"

Thanks

AL

On Fri, 14 May 2010 20:53:56 +0100, Peter
Post by Peter
What apps do you want to run on it?
Any fancy phone will do the 3 things, but not necessarily run any
useful apps.
Post by AnthonyL
GPS
Web access
Phone
One possibility is a Netbook with a suitable mobile but wondering what
other options are out there that are easy to carry around whilst
flying around airfield to airfield. Mainly UK.
Many thanks
brian whatcott
2010-05-17 11:47:07 UTC
Permalink
I am using a Garmin PNA called an iQue (out of production now) loaded
with APIC moving map etc for situational awareness, and a Garmin 90 (way
out of production) for distance to go, Course, track, ground speed with
a GPS remote antenna amp (20dB).

This is a very useful combination for cross country travel to unfamiliar
airports. Larger screen PNAs are now coming available and being taken up
by the soaring community.

Brian W
Post by AnthonyL
I'm asking on behalf of a friend who has his own small plane and flies
around the uk and occasionally abroad. I was hoping for some feedback
of what configuration works well in this situation, however it seems a
netbook would offer more flexibility for combined home/flying use.
Perhaps I should ask "What do you use and find most useful?"
Thanks
AL
On Fri, 14 May 2010 20:53:56 +0100, Peter
Post by Peter
What apps do you want to run on it?
Any fancy phone will do the 3 things, but not necessarily run any
useful apps.
Post by AnthonyL
GPS
Web access
Phone
One possibility is a Netbook with a suitable mobile but wondering what
other options are out there that are easy to carry around whilst
flying around airfield to airfield. Mainly UK.
Many thanks
Daniel
2010-05-17 14:51:42 UTC
Permalink
Personally I use a Asus Eeepc T91 with a remote bluetooth GPS receiver
and my own navigation software.

It can be transformed into a tablet PC.

The size is just the right one but the screen has too many reflections
and not bright enough to be really usable on a sunny day.

Another advantage, no hard disk but an SSD so theoretically more
reliable at high altitude.

The CPU is ok for in flight moving map computing. The battery last for 3
to 4 hours with my navigation software that takes around 50% of the CPU
when flying.

Regards
Daniel
Post by brian whatcott
I am using a Garmin PNA called an iQue (out of production now) loaded
with APIC moving map etc for situational awareness, and a Garmin 90 (way
out of production) for distance to go, Course, track, ground speed with
a GPS remote antenna amp (20dB).
This is a very useful combination for cross country travel to unfamiliar
airports. Larger screen PNAs are now coming available and being taken up
by the soaring community.
Brian W
Post by AnthonyL
I'm asking on behalf of a friend who has his own small plane and flies
around the uk and occasionally abroad. I was hoping for some feedback
of what configuration works well in this situation, however it seems a
netbook would offer more flexibility for combined home/flying use.
Perhaps I should ask "What do you use and find most useful?"
Thanks
AL
On Fri, 14 May 2010 20:53:56 +0100, Peter
Post by Peter
What apps do you want to run on it?
Any fancy phone will do the 3 things, but not necessarily run any
useful apps.
Post by AnthonyL
GPS
Web access
Phone
One possibility is a Netbook with a suitable mobile but wondering what
other options are out there that are easy to carry around whilst
flying around airfield to airfield. Mainly UK.
Many thanks
Peter
2010-05-18 08:11:24 UTC
Permalink
A tablet computer is the most comprehensive solution for VFR moving
map, but none of the cheap ones are sunlight readable.

There are plenty of videos of the Ipad on the net which show its shiny
screen to be like a mirror - if there is a lot of light about.

To get a tablet which is sunlight readable you have to pay about £2000
for something like this
http://www.sumotech.com/english/hardware/st312_overview.php

The extra cost of the special LCD polarising layers is about £200 but
sadly the marketing has been differentiated so that only pricey
vertical-market hardware comes with the option.

On my website www.peter2000.co.uk I have a couple of tablet PC
writeups. In 2004 I played around with the IX104 and while it did
everything needed, it was too big and heavy. Then I went to the LS800
and still fly with that - after heavily modding it with a SSD and a
fan araldited on the back (how ridiculous!). When I fly IFR/airways,
it still sits there running but never gets looked at; it runs the VFR
charts for emergency use. I also use it to talk to a Thuraya satellite
phone to get tafs and metars on long flights.

Today, you can buy various Chinese GPSs which run the real printed VFR
charts, but very few have any non-UK coverage and those that do are
expensive due to the licensing cost of the Jepp VFR/GPS maps.

After messing around with this stuff I eventually concluded that the
best way is a dedicated tablet computer in the cockpit, and a nice but
otherwise very ordinary lightweight laptop for everything on the
ground.

If there was a convertible laptop/tablet with a sunlight readable LCD
that would be perfect, but there isn't and - apart from some oddball
£4000+ military products - there never has been.

However, the OP seems to be only asking about surface use, in which
case any decent laptop will do. I would avoid the £200 netbook
products; I have an ASUS E901 whose keyboard is basically crap. The
best laptops to buy are the corporate-grade ones priced from £1000 to
£2000 but you can get them "refurbished" (which often means the box
was never opened but it is the last year's model) for much less; these
are real quality products (Thinkpads etc).
Post by Daniel
Personally I use a Asus Eeepc T91 with a remote bluetooth GPS receiver
and my own navigation software.
It can be transformed into a tablet PC.
The size is just the right one but the screen has too many reflections
and not bright enough to be really usable on a sunny day.
Another advantage, no hard disk but an SSD so theoretically more
reliable at high altitude.
The CPU is ok for in flight moving map computing. The battery last for 3
to 4 hours with my navigation software that takes around 50% of the CPU
when flying.
Regards
Daniel
Post by brian whatcott
I am using a Garmin PNA called an iQue (out of production now) loaded
with APIC moving map etc for situational awareness, and a Garmin 90 (way
out of production) for distance to go, Course, track, ground speed with
a GPS remote antenna amp (20dB).
This is a very useful combination for cross country travel to unfamiliar
airports. Larger screen PNAs are now coming available and being taken up
by the soaring community.
Brian W
Post by AnthonyL
I'm asking on behalf of a friend who has his own small plane and flies
around the uk and occasionally abroad. I was hoping for some feedback
of what configuration works well in this situation, however it seems a
netbook would offer more flexibility for combined home/flying use.
Perhaps I should ask "What do you use and find most useful?"
Thanks
AL
On Fri, 14 May 2010 20:53:56 +0100, Peter
Post by Peter
What apps do you want to run on it?
Any fancy phone will do the 3 things, but not necessarily run any
useful apps.
Post by AnthonyL
GPS
Web access
Phone
One possibility is a Netbook with a suitable mobile but wondering what
other options are out there that are easy to carry around whilst
flying around airfield to airfield. Mainly UK.
Many thanks
AnthonyL
2010-05-18 11:11:12 UTC
Permalink
Thanks Peter & others

I must say it's been a long while since I've paid over a £1000 for a
'corporate' laptop.

Anyone using a 12v to 240v invertor for flexibility of charging
in-flight?

AL


On Tue, 18 May 2010 09:11:24 +0100, Peter
Post by Peter
A tablet computer is the most comprehensive solution for VFR moving
map, but none of the cheap ones are sunlight readable.
There are plenty of videos of the Ipad on the net which show its shiny
screen to be like a mirror - if there is a lot of light about.
To get a tablet which is sunlight readable you have to pay about £2000
for something like this
http://www.sumotech.com/english/hardware/st312_overview.php
The extra cost of the special LCD polarising layers is about £200 but
sadly the marketing has been differentiated so that only pricey
vertical-market hardware comes with the option.
On my website www.peter2000.co.uk I have a couple of tablet PC
writeups. In 2004 I played around with the IX104 and while it did
everything needed, it was too big and heavy. Then I went to the LS800
and still fly with that - after heavily modding it with a SSD and a
fan araldited on the back (how ridiculous!). When I fly IFR/airways,
it still sits there running but never gets looked at; it runs the VFR
charts for emergency use. I also use it to talk to a Thuraya satellite
phone to get tafs and metars on long flights.
Today, you can buy various Chinese GPSs which run the real printed VFR
charts, but very few have any non-UK coverage and those that do are
expensive due to the licensing cost of the Jepp VFR/GPS maps.
After messing around with this stuff I eventually concluded that the
best way is a dedicated tablet computer in the cockpit, and a nice but
otherwise very ordinary lightweight laptop for everything on the
ground.
If there was a convertible laptop/tablet with a sunlight readable LCD
that would be perfect, but there isn't and - apart from some oddball
£4000+ military products - there never has been.
However, the OP seems to be only asking about surface use, in which
case any decent laptop will do. I would avoid the £200 netbook
products; I have an ASUS E901 whose keyboard is basically crap. The
best laptops to buy are the corporate-grade ones priced from £1000 to
£2000 but you can get them "refurbished" (which often means the box
was never opened but it is the last year's model) for much less; these
are real quality products (Thinkpads etc).
Post by Daniel
Personally I use a Asus Eeepc T91 with a remote bluetooth GPS receiver
and my own navigation software.
It can be transformed into a tablet PC.
The size is just the right one but the screen has too many reflections
and not bright enough to be really usable on a sunny day.
Another advantage, no hard disk but an SSD so theoretically more
reliable at high altitude.
The CPU is ok for in flight moving map computing. The battery last for 3
to 4 hours with my navigation software that takes around 50% of the CPU
when flying.
Regards
Daniel
Post by brian whatcott
I am using a Garmin PNA called an iQue (out of production now) loaded
with APIC moving map etc for situational awareness, and a Garmin 90 (way
out of production) for distance to go, Course, track, ground speed with
a GPS remote antenna amp (20dB).
This is a very useful combination for cross country travel to unfamiliar
airports. Larger screen PNAs are now coming available and being taken up
by the soaring community.
Brian W
Post by AnthonyL
I'm asking on behalf of a friend who has his own small plane and flies
around the uk and occasionally abroad. I was hoping for some feedback
of what configuration works well in this situation, however it seems a
netbook would offer more flexibility for combined home/flying use.
Perhaps I should ask "What do you use and find most useful?"
Thanks
AL
On Fri, 14 May 2010 20:53:56 +0100, Peter
Post by Peter
What apps do you want to run on it?
Any fancy phone will do the 3 things, but not necessarily run any
useful apps.
Post by AnthonyL
GPS
Web access
Phone
One possibility is a Netbook with a suitable mobile but wondering what
other options are out there that are easy to carry around whilst
flying around airfield to airfield. Mainly UK.
Many thanks
Peter
2010-05-18 20:01:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by AnthonyL
I must say it's been a long while since I've paid over a £1000 for a
'corporate' laptop.
THE WAY to buy a laptop is to buy a corporate one but "refurbished".
Then you get top quality kit without paying silly prices. Do a google
on "refurbished laptops" and buy around the £600-700 mark.
Post by AnthonyL
Anyone using a 12v to 240v invertor for flexibility of charging
in-flight?
Actually I built myself a multi-output power supply, which takes the
24/28V aircraft power and outputs various voltages. It was done with
off the shelf DC-DC converter modules, with a BIG filter on the input
to avoid RF interference being conducted back into the aircraft.

I would not use a car-type inverter; too bulky and probably generating
a lot of interference. Some car-type gizmos I have played with did
really cause massive interference on VHF comms.

If you can't build something, buy a proper vehicle power unit for that
laptop.
AnthonyL
2010-05-19 11:27:29 UTC
Permalink
On Tue, 18 May 2010 21:01:21 +0100, Peter
Post by Peter
Post by AnthonyL
Anyone using a 12v to 240v invertor for flexibility of charging
in-flight?
Actually I built myself a multi-output power supply, which takes the
24/28V aircraft power and outputs various voltages. It was done with
off the shelf DC-DC converter modules, with a BIG filter on the input
to avoid RF interference being conducted back into the aircraft.
I would not use a car-type inverter; too bulky and probably generating
a lot of interference. Some car-type gizmos I have played with did
really cause massive interference on VHF comms.
Thanks for the guidance on that.

AL

brian whatcott
2010-05-18 23:25:35 UTC
Permalink
/snip/
Anyone using a 12v to 240v invertor for flexibility of charging
in-flight?
AL
Certainly not the most elegant approach: I rigged the cigarette lighter
outlet fused at 5Amp with a two way splitter plugged to both of my GPS
feeds. It would be pleasant to drive a removable pitch and roll servo
assist at the yoke for low key cross-country flight...Brian W
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