ScoobySnacks Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 I spotted this a while ago, and it looks pretty good. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/in-the- ... 48289.html Does anyone use one? How are they to use? Would they be useful for a paramotor pilot? I've seen a site that sells them together with the Garmin action cam (the virb), which can be controlled from the watch. Has anyone used one of those? Are they any good? http://www.gps.co.uk/garmin-garmin-virb ... oCyInw_wcB It's a fair chunk of money so I'd want to know that it would work well together before I bought it. I'm hoping to do some aerial video work eventually, and already have a gopro 3+ black but I think the functionality of being able to control it from my wrist would be useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartasutherland Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I have a Fenix 2 which I sometimes use when Im having a quick flight. I usually use a Garmin 62S. The watch is good as it measures GPS or barometric altimeter, vertical speed and anything else you need, but only 4 fields display at a time. The D2 looks over complicated for PPG, with airport codes etc (who flys into an airport?) Anyway, I use my Fenix for kayaking, cycling and occasionally PPG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helimed01 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I spotted this a while ago, and it looks pretty good.https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/in-the- ... 48289.html Does anyone use one? How are they to use? Would they be useful for a paramotor pilot? I've seen a site that sells them together with the Garmin action cam (the virb), which can be controlled from the watch. Has anyone used one of those? Are they any good? http://www.gps.co.uk/garmin-garmin-virb ... oCyInw_wcB It's a fair chunk of money so I'd want to know that it would work well together before I bought it. I'm hoping to do some aerial video work eventually, and already have a gopro 3+ black but I think the functionality of being able to control it from my wrist would be useful. I love gadgets. However this looks a bit small and more suited for inside a cab flying and between airfields. Recently I've soldered a small GPS unit onto a Kobo e-reader after downloading XC-soar onto the kobo which has worldwide mapping and airspace database. Wasn't sure if it would be any good but the kobo was about £35 and the GPS £12, The XCsoar is free so not much to lose. I used it for the first time in France last week. I did a 78 mile flight from North of Bruay (WW1) airbase down to Vimy where the front line was static for 3 years and took some phots of the preserved cratered no mans land and the Canadian monument. Then headed North to Bryas (Brias another WW1 airbase.) Then on to St Omer which was the transit base for all WW1 RFC pilots coming into France. Also a holding and repair centre for damaged flying machines. Every WW1 pilot would have landed here many times. As did I which was a privilege. The kobo worked really well warning me of Lille airspace grnd to FL45 when I was South and also 1500 to ??? for half of the flight. The programme is very comprehensive and you can set up lots of preferences. Among other things I have wind direction, wind speed, vario, AGL and ASL. What did come as a complete surprise was When I circled in thermals it gave me a diagram of the thermal in the bottom left corner so I could centre in it. Wow. I've yet to read the instructions and find out what else the XCsoar has to offer. It used 40% batt in 3.5 hours. A cheap gadget which will now be part of my flight deck. Whitters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 That looks fantastic Whitters for the price, have you got more details of the actual model of reader and gps, plus where you got them from? Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinoxyfen Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 And how you 'just soldered' the two together. Easy for you but for us technologically challenged, it's a mystery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helimed01 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 You are probably better getting a ready made set up from getkobomini@hotmail.com for about £90. The kobo mini is a smaller unit than mine, cheaper and probably better. If you fancy doing it yourself you can get kobo or kobo mini from WHSmith who were selling them for £25 ish but are out of stock at present. Other places charge more. Info on how to do it. http://bhgcinfo.wikidot.com Also google will link you to some forums that describe what to do. The GPS I used was a PA6H from global top technologies http://www.gtop-tech.com/en/search/index.html?q=PA6H I bought 2 luckily as I melted the first one. I then looked at good old UTube for soldering advice before attempting the second. Also you need to search for the wiring layout for the GPS which I can email someone if they want. Other GPS chips will work. Some have the wiring already onto the GPS chip avoiding this bit of soldering which was the most fiddley bit. XC soar for Kobo is here http://www.xcsoar.org/download/ You need topo maps and airspace. I'm yet to download all the extra waypoints. XC soar for Android or Windows 5 units like the old iPAQ with GPS is available which is another option. Other GPS vario units like Flytec will also run it. I feel aggrieved to paying Memory Map ££££ for current maps and am happy to use the less pretty looking map on my Kobo. Google XC soar for kobo or windows 5 etc and you will get lots of info Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatPux Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Here is my attempt at the Kobo Mini Hack. ImageUploadedByPMC Forum1411636591.965926.jpg[/attachment] 3. Melt small slots in the covers to let the wires out and hot glue the module on the front cover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spigot Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Think you need to try again Patrick And make me one Sent from my iPhone using PMC Forum mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotwinfiles3326 Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Do kobos have Bluetooth? If so u could use a Bluetooth GPS I suppose.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatPux Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 No, fraid not. Read here for connectivity http://max.kellermann.name/projects/xcsoar/kobo.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotwinfiles3326 Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Thanks I'll have a look at the usb lead.. The gps is solar powered and has battery and not in use so nothing ventured.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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