[month-index] [thread-index] [prev] [next] [thread-prev] [thread-next]

Jefro wrote

>Garmin GPSCOM: no one answered about this one

I looked at this product when I was looking for a handheld GPS a year
ago, read through the user manual, and didnt go for it when I found
the date it came out: 1996.

There is also a Japanese product which does the same job, but I dont
recall the name of the firm. I think the firm is one of those
mentioned in this thread re handheld radios.

I dont think many people buy these combined products; dont know why.

>other items that came up:
>- nicads need a lot of babying

Both NICD and NIMH can have a "memory effect", i.e. if you
*repeatedly* (you have to do it a lot more than once) partially
discharge them and then recharge them, they lose some of their
capacity. You then have to do a full discharge. I have had no problems
with mine in 2 years, except that the original ICOM NICD battery pack
failed after I accidentally shorted the terminals (there is an
internal fuse but something else went too).

However the main issue with rechargeables, on any emergency product,
is that they self-discharge pretty quickly. Look at how quickly your
laptop one goes flat (1 month?) and thats a very expensive lithium
ion one. A NICD or NIMH battery on a handheld is likely to go flat
over a few months. I have two battery packs with mine: one NIMH one,
and one which can take 10 AA cells (a cheap ICOM accessory) and which
Ive packed with lithium primary cells which were quite expensive but
have a shelf life of around 10 years (to 50%).

Lithiums arent supposedly approved for aviation use, apparently due
to the way they burn if you set fire to them. But then neither are
NIMH (here in the UK) even though you can freely buy ICOM-lookalike
NIMH battery packs (made by an American company).

>- headset adapter is vital
>- dedicated antenna outside the aircraft increases utility by a large
>factor

Not essential for emergency use but without it the range will be only
about 5-10 miles, and that assumes the handheld antenna is at window
height. Ive tested this myself.

>- dont use it from the ground without a radio license

>- dont ask for integration help from Jim (hi Jim!)

That sums it up :)


Peter.
--
Return address is invalid to help stop junk mail.
E-mail replies to zX80@digiYserve.com but remove the X and the Y.
Please do NOT copy usenet posts to email - it is NOT necessary.

View index by [date] [author] [subject]
Previous Message:: Re: Handheld transceivers recommendation?
Next Message:: Re: Handheld transceivers recommendation?
Previous message in thread:: Re: Handheld transceivers recommendation?
Next message in thread:: Re: Handheld transceivers recommendation?