Gps Hardware

[Guest steve woods]

I'm currently using a 3 year old google nexus with vfr easy software. This worked well up until the last upgrades.

 

it now can only find a gps fix less than half the time and never when changing heading.

 

I'd like to change up to one of the aussie based ones. and upgrade the tablet

 

What is a good working combo for hardware and software..and are the remote aerials good?

 

any help is appreciated..

 

I flight plan the Nynja at 90 kts.

 

thanks

 

steve

 

 

[coljones]

VFR by OzRunways seems pretty good although the developer needs to be encouraged to complete the project with a whole stack of extra features. I am sure apple has bribed ozrunways to not fully feature VFR. I also use GPS Test by Chartcross to directly check the GPS performance of my tablet, Android 9. I have tried VFR on a SamSung 5s but, for me, the screen seems a tad small for navigation. I was bidding on a Nexus 7 on EBAy the other day but it went off while I was asleep. it seems that 32GB with WiFi and 4g is the minimum for navs. any views.

 

 

[cscotthendry]

Steve:

 

We have an iPad mini with OzRunways. Flight planning with it is a breeze and it connects to the weather via NAIPS so that you get the winds etc. Also, if you want to, it can file your flight plan for you with Air Services, although I've never tried that. If you buy an iPad for this, get one with at least 32GBytes of memory. Also I would reccommend the mini rather than the full sized iPad.

 

The Nynja will fly at 90 knots, but I always used to do my flight planning at 85 knots to allow for slower speed during the climb or slowing a bit for turbulence.

 

I'm not sure what features ColJones says are missing from OzRunways. It has about three times as many features as I ever use, but then I don't fly GA so there may be stuff that GA pilots need that Rec pilots don't use.

 

 

[nickduncs84]

Steve:We have an iPad mini with OzRunways. Flight planning with it is a breeze and it connects to the weather via NAIPS so that you get the winds etc. Also, if you want to, it can file your flight plan for you with Air Services, although I've never tried that. If you buy an iPad for this, get one with at least 32GBytes of memory. Also I would reccommend the mini rather than the full sized iPad.

 

The Nynja will fly at 90 knots, but I always used to do my flight planning at 85 knots to allow for slower speed during the climb or slowing a bit for turbulence.

 

I'm not sure what features ColJones says are missing from OzRunways. It has about three times as many features as I ever use, but then I don't fly GA so there may be stuff that GA pilots need that Rec pilots don't use.

I think he's referring to differences between the android and iOS versions...

But yes, get the iPad because oz runways on iOS is far better than rwy on android.

 

As for Apple bribing ozrunways, the reality is that it's far too small for them to care about and the reason why the iOS version will always be superior is that ozrunways isn't a big enough company to justify the expense of developing for both.

 

There are plenty of people who refuse to use apple products for one reason or another but if you're after the best solution, iPad is the only option

 

 

[Neil_S]

I'm currently using a 3 year old google nexus with vfr easy software. This worked well up until the last upgrades.it now can only find a gps fix less than half the time and never when changing heading.

 

I'd like to change up to one of the aussie based ones. and upgrade the tablet

 

What is a good working combo for hardware and software..and are the remote aerials good?

 

any help is appreciated..

 

I flight plan the Nynja at 90 kts.

 

thanks

 

steve

Hi Steve,

 

I use AVPLAN with a 16GB iPad mini - works well for me. Also has more features than I would ever use....

 

FYI I have used it for a couple of years and still have 4GB free, so unless you are going to use it for lots more apps 16GB should be OK (I have Kindle reader and a few eBooks on it too).

 

HTH

 

Cheers,

 

Neil

 

 

[kaz3g]

And Bluetooth it to a decent GPS receiver for even better geolocation data.

 

I started with a Garmin Glonass but changed to. Dual XGPS 160 which has been very good.

 

I had excellent coverage all the way to Alice Springs and beyond which really gave me confidence as I compared the screen with the chart and the ground.

 

Travelling across that absolutely featureless stretch north of Lake Torrens from Leigh Creek to Coober Pedy it was really reassuring to see the dingo fence come up exactly as expected because it was the only easy to see feature (Ediaca ruin is hard to see) over about 50 miles of sand dunes.

 

Kaz

 

 

[rgmwa]

I think he's referring to differences between the android and iOS versions...But yes, get the iPad because oz runways on iOS is far better than rwy on android.

I spoke to one of the Ozrunways guys at a seminar a couple of weeks ago, and was told that some problems with their third party supplier of the mapping engine software had put development of the Android version on the backburner for some months now, but they were expecting to get things sorted out in the near future and continue further development. I was waiting for RWY, but will probably end up going go for the iPad version rather than waiting for RWY to catch up.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[nickduncs84]

I spoke to one of the Ozrunways guys at a seminar a couple of weeks ago, and was told that some problems with their third party supplier of the mapping engine software had put development of the Android version on the backburner for some months now, but they were expecting to get things sorted out in the near future and continue further development. I was waiting for RWY, but will probably end up going go for the iPad version rather than waiting for RWY to catch up.rgmwa

Yes there is a lot of catching up to do, but RWY is still great as a backup. Maps, gps and taf/metar it does well. I had to use it going into Parafield once when my iPad died and it worked flawlessly. The real benefit of the iOS version even over avplan is the weather briefing screen on long flights. Turns an hour job into a 10 minute one. The other iOS specific features are nice but not necessarily game changers

 

 

[rgmwa]

Interesting. I do have the trial version of RWY on an Android tablet and was waiting for it to be upgraded until the OzRunways guy recommended going with the iOS version because it had a lot more features. Maybe I'll wait a bit longer and see what happens with RWY. I don't really want to buy another tablet and system.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[Birdseye]

And Bluetooth it to a decent GPS receiver for even better geolocation data.I started with a Garmin Glonass but changed to. Dual XGPS 160 which has been very good. <SNIP>

 

Kaz

In addition to light aircraft use, I have used the iPad Mini/Ozrunways on a number of RPT flights, internal GPS has been spot on (cell data turned off prior to departure) and unaffected by the aluminium/composite tubes we fly around in.

 

 

[Guest steve woods]

Thanks all for your advice.

 

I will try a new nexus with avplan and a remote Bluetooth gps receiver.

 

If this fails I will buy my first apple product.

 

Thanks again

 

Steve

 

 

[Downunder]

I'm using RWY and it is fairly basic but it is my backup.

 

On a samsung tab S 10.5 16gb. Should have gone the 32gb but managing so far with a bit of juggling with the sd card.