Message-ID: <01C1B193.00C7FDA0.RBEvans@eiihq.com>
From: rbevans@eiihq.com (Bob Evans)
Reply-To: "RBEvans@eiihq.com" <RBEvans@eiihq.com>
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
To: "'lancair.list@olsusa.com'" <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: New WeatherAnywhere product
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 17:55:45 -0500
Organization: Evans Industries
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Gentleman

I recently purchased the new WeatherAnywhere system form Control 
Vision(controlvision.com) and have to say that I am very impressed with it. 
The system is comprised of four basic parts: A Compaq iPaq pocket computer, 
a Garmin gps, a Qualcomm satalite phone, and the software and cables/boxes 
to connect them and make them work together. Togrther they create quite a 
remarkable product. First it is gps with a color moving map. It has all and 
more of the newest and best features of the products on the market 
(although it is not approach qualified).  Second and the reason I bought 
one is that it uses the satalite phone to hook up to a isp and down loads 7 
level radar data for the continental U.S. It displays it on the moving map. 
It's better than on board radar it seems to me: No attenuation and you can 
zoom way out to view the the big picture. The drawback is the picture could 
be a few minutes old when you get it. The resolution is about 1 mile. It 
should be fine for wx avoidance, not for penetration. Other drawbacks: Lots 
of cables/boxes/clutter in the cockpit  (I think these can be hidden 
later);  Also the screen is smaller than most mfd's but bigger than most 
moving maps.

The price is  around $3,000. There's a $115 annual fee for regular database 
updates and the phone compay charges $30/month plus $1.40 per minute/ 
update. One can use the phone as a cell phone or a satalite phone when not 
used by the system (if one can afford it) and one can use the ipaq as a pda 
when not flying. all in all it's not a bad deal.

I currently have a Northstar M3 gps conected to to a Arnav mfd5200 in my 
IVP. The two together cost new about $12000. I have much more useful 
information with the new system. I've been bugging Arnav for a year to get 
their promised satalite system going to no avail. Their current wx product 
has very limited coverage and is more expensive than this whole system.

I hope this is useful. I keep you updated. Cheers

Bob Evans N4TQ 
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