Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Neubob on June 21, 2006, 02:02:52 AM

Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Neubob on June 21, 2006, 02:02:52 AM
Which company's product would you choose for your GPS needs and why??
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Debonair on June 21, 2006, 03:09:46 AM
garmin, 'cause thats whats built into the plane
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: BUG_EAF322 on June 21, 2006, 04:16:22 AM
Quote
garmin, 'cause thats whats built into the plane


Thats very handy when u drive of a high bridge or into some canyon.
The dukes of hazard should use it.

or..

(http://img143.exs.cx/img143/6774/bigspoiler3kx.gif)
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: mipoikel on June 21, 2006, 04:37:41 AM
At least in Finland, TomTom wins tests in several magazines.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Nilsen on June 21, 2006, 06:26:21 AM
Quote
Originally posted by mipoikel
At least in Finland, TomTom wins tests in several magazines.


same here, but the garmin nuvi or whatever its called has also won
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Skuzzy on June 21, 2006, 07:43:50 AM
Garmin, and they have my business for life.  Origianlly we have a Street Pilot III.  Worked well.  About 2 months after the warranty expired, the memory stick interface died.
We contacted Garmin about repairing it, as it was out of warranty.  Sent the unit in.  Got back a brand spanking new Garmin StreetPilot 2370.  No charge.

A letter included with the new unit basically had an apology for the failure of the old unit and it should not have happened.

A company standing behind thier product like that has my business as long as they are around.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Hangtime on June 21, 2006, 07:53:13 AM
Garmin.

There is no substitute for dependability. The 'water resistant' hand held marine unit I have turned out to be 'klutz resistant' and 'sailor proof' as well. Saved my ass. More than once.

High Praise from me.. from my friends.. jury's still out. ;)
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: BUG_EAF322 on June 21, 2006, 09:57:38 AM
Skuzzy the Tom Tom is a dutch product need i say more?
:aok
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Skuzzy on June 21, 2006, 09:59:17 AM
Yeah, I guess you do, as I do not understand what you are inferring.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: BUG_EAF322 on June 21, 2006, 10:03:38 AM
Dutch means relialable and very uber.
The mine fell alot and its still working fine for example.

Turn off the serious knob Skuzz
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Heater on June 21, 2006, 10:05:29 AM
Garmin....Have a 276C and 296C love both of them...never had a problem with them
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Sandman on June 21, 2006, 10:13:52 AM
I have a Garmin eTrex Legend. I got it because it was small, fits in a pack or on the bike.

After 2+ years, it's been quite dependable.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dynamt on June 24, 2006, 12:48:09 AM
Got a Garmin 396 and love it. Got me around some weather just the other day while in the air. It was kind of cool telling Boston Center that my on board radar was showing some weather and I needed to deviate. This was in a C-172.

 Last month (in the car) it talked me into and out of downtown Boston to see a Yanks/Sox game. The auto kit with a built in speaker, several mounts and road map software were sent to me free.

 I have not tried it in the boat yet, but blue charts can be loaded.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Mr Big on June 24, 2006, 01:02:10 AM
I use a laptop with MS Mappoint and a GPS reciever.

Nothing is better for mapping a trip/route with MANY stops. Just have not seen or used anything that comes close.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Sandman on June 24, 2006, 01:16:06 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Mr Big
I use a laptop with MS Mappoint and a GPS reciever.

Nothing is better for mapping a trip/route with MANY stops. Just have not seen or used anything that comes close.


Yeah, but it lacks portability. ;)
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Pooh21 on June 24, 2006, 01:17:29 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Mr Big
I use a laptop with MS Mappoint and a GPS reciever.

Nothing is better for mapping a trip/route with MANY stops. Just have not seen or used anything that comes close.
How many is  MANY? I have at least 100 stops a day. How often do they update the maps? Can you load a navpoint in, then pull it up a few hours later and it will guide you from that spot? I am talking about one of those little ones. No way am I taking my laptop along on my route.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Mr Big on June 24, 2006, 01:18:05 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Sandman
Yeah, but it lacks portability. ;)


I don't know.

I took my rig from coast to coast and back again.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Chairboy on June 24, 2006, 01:18:13 AM
I don't have any experience w/ Tom Tom, but I have experience with Garmin.  I'm very happy with my little Garmin III+, it's good.  

Of course, for every Garmin 396, there's a Garmin 430 (still no WAAS).
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Sandman on June 24, 2006, 01:18:51 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Mr Big
I don't know.

I took my rig from coast to coast and back again.


Hehe... carry it while you're walking a few miles. ;)
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Mr Big on June 24, 2006, 01:20:45 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Pooh21
How many is  MANY? I have at least 100 stops a day. How often do they update the maps? Can you load a navpoint in, then pull it up a few hours later and it will guide you from that spot?


Very updated.

You can upload an Excel file with hundreds of addresses, and the program will map it all out for you in about 10 seconds.

The freaking thing will even tell you if a road is closed or under construction.

Then again, it costs about 500 bucks for the program, minus the laptop.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Mr Big on June 24, 2006, 01:24:53 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Sandman
Hehe... carry it while you're walking a few miles. ;)


 I can't....... my office was broken into a few weeks ago, lost it plus 2 other laptops :)

Funny though, the laptop I owned had a 17" screen and weighed about 20 pounds. The battery life was about an hour. I think it was the Sharp RD-10 or something.

Anyway, I don't have a need for the thing at the moment.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Sandman on June 24, 2006, 01:26:14 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Mr Big
I can't....... my office was broken into a few weeks ago, lost it plus 2 other laptops :)


That sucks.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Mr Big on June 24, 2006, 01:33:28 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Sandman
That sucks.


Yeah. The bastages burrowed through a wall from a suite that was under construction.

The cops said that was the latest thing.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Skuzzy on June 24, 2006, 09:07:41 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Mr Big
I use a laptop with MS Mappoint and a GPS reciever.

Nothing is better for mapping a trip/route with MANY stops. Just have not seen or used anything that comes close.
We can do the same thing with the StreetPilot.  We can do it on the computer, upload it, or do it while on the road with the built-in interface.

For a long trip, we plot if on the computer, find the gas stations, rest stops, restaurants, hotels, tire dealers (flats happen), and car dealerships.  We know how far the car can go on a tank of gas, so we just navpoints for the gas stations (usually two or more in the same area).

Upload it, then off we go.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Chairboy on June 24, 2006, 09:54:59 AM
In my car computer, I run iGuidance.  If you've got a laptop or whatnot, I recommend it, the quasi 3-d view is very handy.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Pongo on June 24, 2006, 11:29:42 AM
I have a magellen explorist 500.
It works well but I cant compare it to other brands
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Estel on June 24, 2006, 11:37:21 AM
12-channels Garmin. Not because of the Brand-name. It's really good and reliable system.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: LePaul on June 24, 2006, 12:03:33 PM
Garmin, hands down

Skuzzy, heard a lot of stories like yours from customers.  I used to work for a software company that made electronic navigation software for boats/cruisers/military, etc (http://www.thecapn.com)

We had a great relationship with Garmin, they were very good to work with so we could make sure our product worked with theirs.  For example, so that we were able to upload a boat's route into the GPS, make sure we were reading all the data it could send out, etc.  These guys have tons of models out, so to be able to get such solid support as a developer made it easy to suggest Garmin products to customers.

Lots of expensive GPS makers out there, these guys do it right.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Maverick on June 24, 2006, 01:08:09 PM
Go with the Garmin. I bought their very first handheld moving map model and flew with it for many years. It never let me down and I gave it to the guy that bought my plane several years later and he uses it still.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dmf on June 24, 2006, 01:24:16 PM
You guys ever hear of a map? Oh yea thats right I forgot your guys. :D
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Bronk on June 24, 2006, 01:46:17 PM
Quote
Originally posted by dmf
You guys ever hear of a map? Oh yea thats right I forgot your guys. :D



Just like a woman, don't want the men to have a new electronic gadget.

Next you would want them all to stop and ask for directions.

Sheeesh.

:D


Bronk
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: MajWoody on June 24, 2006, 02:48:19 PM
I have a Garmin etrex vista. It is really simple to operate & you can DL topo maps, rivers & lakes, & metro maps from cd rom onto it.

 Garmin Rulz
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Neubob on June 24, 2006, 02:59:11 PM
Thanks for all the responses guys, you've been helpful.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dmf on June 24, 2006, 04:30:04 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Bronk
Just like a woman, don't want the men to have a new electronic gadget.

Next you would want them all to stop and ask for directions.

Sheeesh.

:D


Bronk


And whats wrong with stoping and asking directions?
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Chairboy on June 24, 2006, 08:31:37 PM
I guess you never leave the safe embrace of town.  Also, I guess you restrict your driving to the pleasant hours of 9-5.

Any good pilot uses all the tools available to stay safe and on track.  Plus, we paid for the GPS satellites, why not get some use out of them?
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dmf on June 25, 2006, 06:26:10 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Chairboy
I guess you never leave the safe embrace of town.  Also, I guess you restrict your driving to the pleasant hours of 9-5.

Any good pilot uses all the tools available to stay safe and on track.  Plus, we paid for the GPS satellites, why not get some use out of them?


No I don't leave town, I stay here wheres theres more than one road.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Hawklore on June 25, 2006, 08:56:51 AM
Sounds like I'm going to be looking into garmin..

Glad I stopped by here, I was about to post a question on GPS's ...

:lol
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Meatwad on June 25, 2006, 09:15:49 AM
Men dont need a map, we always know where everything is.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Sandman on June 25, 2006, 11:29:58 AM
Friend of mine just got an eTrex Legend CX. Very nice. Quite a few upgrades from my older Legend. I think I need one. :)
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Chairboy on June 25, 2006, 11:32:09 AM
BTW, my recommendation of Garmin is not any slur against TomTom.  I have no experience with TomTom, it might be the superior product, I just don't know.  I suspect many of the other messages here are the same.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dmf on June 25, 2006, 11:36:26 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Meatwad
Men dont need a map, we always know where everything is.
:lol :lol
I'd make a comment about that but I'm too busy right now
:lol :lol
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: rpm on June 25, 2006, 11:50:12 AM
LOL dmf! :rofl :rofl :rofl

I'm actually looking at a TomTom for my sister's birthday. Right now calling me for directions everytime she's on a shopping trip is her gps. TomTom appears to be simple to operate and that's the primary need for her or it will go out the window at 80mph.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Chairboy on June 25, 2006, 12:01:38 PM
Yeah, but will the TomTom give her a precision WAAS approach into an airport with modified minimums during a SIGMET?  

tee hee

Go try out the TomTom and try the equivalent Garmin.  The TomTom might be the right tool, or the Garmin might be.  We all seem to have had positive experiences with Garmin, but we haven't heard anyone say "tomtom is teh suck!!!!!!!  it drove me into a river!!111!1!1" yet either.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dmf on June 25, 2006, 02:17:14 PM
Oh yea right like she'll ever go shoping at the airport.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: eskimo2 on June 25, 2006, 05:28:41 PM
I'm happy with Doug Doug.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Sparks on June 25, 2006, 08:56:39 PM
I have TomTom Navigator 5 on my PDA with their bluetooth receiver for driving navigation and a Garmin Etrex Legend for walking.  

The TomTom on my PDA is fantastic - great 3D display, easy to follow, as accurate as you can expect with the rate of modern road construction and easily portable (I have now got CA, AZ, NV, WA, ID, OR, the UK, Germany, France and all the Benelux on a 1 gig SD card).

However TomTom support SUCKS !!!!! .  Maps are not easily available, it takes an act of god to get a reply from them and they charge you for sneezing.

The Garmin was tremendous value, does just what it needs to and is very user freindly.

For support I would go Garmin.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Golfer on June 26, 2006, 02:21:37 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Chairboy
Yeah, but will the TomTom give her a precision WAAS approach into an airport with modified minimums during a SIGMET?  


I think that's the first time I've ever heard the phrase "during a sigmet"

Excerpt from an "I learned about flying from that" story...

there I was...penetrating the sigmet.  I rolled the airplane left, then right to dodge the points listed on the fearsome convective sigmet...god help you if you fly into one of those!  Just then...I flew from the edge of the sigmet into the airmet...first sierra, zulu and then suddenly without warning tango hit us.

The mighty kitfox kept on steady with its freewilling lack of electrical system giving me the confidence i need that because I installed the snowmobile/lawnmower engine two strokes are better than four because with less strokes there is less room for error.  I did not fear losing the uninstalled electrical system because it would never fail in the O-F-F mode.

I reached for my handheld GPS which listed MOAs, R, P, class B, C and D airspace.  I had to avoid the B-for-Brick wall airspace because if during the sigmet I penetrated the invisible forcefield of a veil my mighty Rans sans substance Mk IV would be smashed to bits.

While airmet tango threw its best stuff at me, I fought back with the WAAS which waas not installed on my GPS and also waas not granted approval.  Fear not for the E-LSA exemption allows me to use a non-approved signal that waas not approved for approval.  Tango is really kicking up, Sierra and zulu are starting to take their toll.  Fortunately it's only experimental ice I'm picking up so I put on my robe and test pilot wizard hat to begin experimenting.

I find that expiremental ice behaves very similar to approved ice...which i waas not granted approval to be approved to operate in.

Then...without warning or advisement from any equipment in my aerial lawnchair...another convective sigmet struck, ripped the wings spars free of their experimental joints by shearing the experimental bolts and I am left experimenting with death.

Part two next week...
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Golfer on June 26, 2006, 03:01:45 AM
After a short googling...I found an actual CVR transcript of an ultralight pilot in the exact situation listed above.

link (http://www.furballunderground.com/Guest/Golfer/CVRultralight.mp3)
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Elfie on June 26, 2006, 03:00:07 PM
Quote
Originally posted by dmf
And whats wrong with stoping and asking directions?


Real men dont need directions. :D
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dmf on June 26, 2006, 06:17:51 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Elfie
Real men dont need directions. :D


Oh is that why you guys drive around with that " god I hope she doesn't notice I'm clueless" look on your faces while you pass the same spot 3 times?
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Elfie on June 26, 2006, 08:50:18 PM
Quote
Originally posted by dmf
Oh is that why you guys drive around with that " god I hope she doesn't notice I'm clueless" look on your faces while you pass the same spot 3 times?


 :D
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Chairboy on June 28, 2006, 05:35:30 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Golfer
I think that's the first time I've ever heard the phrase "during a sigmet"

Excerpt from an "I learned about flying from that" story...
Are you getting enough oxygen?  :D

Planes flying during sigmets is bad enough, an ultralight would be eaten for lunch before it even got off the ground.  There's a sign at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base: "There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime".

Unless...  unless, of course, you were trying to take a jab at me because I went to look at an ultralight this weekend?
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Golfer on June 28, 2006, 06:45:29 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Chairboy
Unless...  unless, of course, you were trying to take a jab at me because I went to look at an ultralight this weekend?


Who...me????:D
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: dmf on June 28, 2006, 06:58:35 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Elfie
 :D


Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Neubob on June 28, 2006, 10:41:04 PM
Well guys, here's the result of this thread....


About two weeks ago, I went ahead and purchased some shares of GRMN... 400 to be exact, at around 90 dollars a pop.

As of today, it's up to 102.30.

Since this is real money and not a game, I decided not to post this in the other thread.

With the price up more than 5% today alone, I've put in the sell order and am waiting for the inevitable drop. Mind you, I am doing this against my better judgment. As a big fan of Warren Buffet, I planned to be in this for the long haul, but with growth this quick, I just couldn't stand it. A 25% return on the year is okay, a 5% return in one day is not natural, and thus, as everything balances out, I figured better bail now and re-invest later. The quarterly report is still about 5-6 weeks away, and I'm hoping to catch that wave too, when it comes.

As the concept of conservative investment goes, you invest in the company, not the stock. Having said that, I honestly believe that this company can probably double my money in 1.5-2 years. Nevertheless, I cannot just sit by and watch this huge wave pass me by. I'm taking the addict's way out.

Furthermore, another company that I put some funds into, a penny stock belonging to a very promising midwestern company specialising in the production of Choicedek material, just lost 10 percent today. The plan is to parlay the Garmin gains into the penny stock, and hope that it recovers the losses.

Tomorrow morning, it'll be plainly obvious if I should cry or rejoice. My fingers are crossed.

In the meantime, I want to thank you guys for reaffirming my beliefs in this company.
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Debonair on June 28, 2006, 11:53:57 PM
i posted something positive about garmin in this thread.
u owe me $88.89 (almost enough for 42 minutes in the C-172SP)
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Neubob on June 29, 2006, 12:00:54 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Debonair
i posted something positive about garmin in this thread.
u owe me $88.89 (almost enough for 42 minutes in the C-172SP)


We'll discuss this dept after the opening tomorrow, okay???
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Debonair on June 29, 2006, 12:09:05 AM
by that time the $ will have been spent driving the Garmin equiped bird around the sky
Title: Garmin or TomTom??
Post by: Golfer on July 01, 2006, 12:50:23 AM
Found an ollllllllld picture tucked away in picturehangar.


Garmin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/621_1107300996_pilotiiiandmooney.jpg)