Hand held transceiver or hand held gps?

ausrere

ausrere

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Lisa
Which would you chose if you are a student pilot and told you had $400.00 to spend on either handheld gps or a handheld transceiver? (not top of the line of either obviously, but we are talking about poor students here :D )

You already have nice headsets and all the other more "common" accessories that go with this expensive hobby. You are specifically told the money can't be used for plane rental hours (which I would be inclined to do) because it's in gift certificate form.
 
I've flown entire flights without ever needing to be on a radio, but I use GPS on nearly every flight. I'll be replacing my non-aviation handheld gps before I buy a transceiver.
 
Does the plane you fly have dual coms? Not likely that both would fail at the same time, I would choose the handheld GPS. I have the privilage of owning both. I have never used my transceiver for emergency use in my 7 years of flying. On the other hand, I use my GPS during every flight. The GPS is a wonderful tool for situational awareness as well as navigation. Instead of zig zaging across the sky you will fly in a straight line. This saves a little time and time equals money. For the money the Airmap 500 is hard to beat. It will extend the runway center line out 5 miles and has all the airport freqs stored in it's database as well as many other great features.

I'll go into a little more detail. I actually got a little lost while I was a student (kinda like a little pregnant :D ). I had to call ATC and ask for vectors to the airport. So, the radio was used to help me locate the airport. The GPS would have pointed the way and I would have never needed to call ATC. It's a guy thing I guess, but my wife was proud of me that I actually ASKED for directions. Of course it would have been nice if the VOR wasn't some 16 miles off of the field.
 
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I'm guessing you'll eventually buy both, right? I went with the transciever, GPS will follow later this year. It's great to have, but I think a sound and thorough skill set in pilotage, dead reckoning and VOR use should be present before going to the "magic box". Besides, if that's the total budget, you've got quite a choice of (yes, top end) transceivers, and not the greatest selection of GPS. Of course (and obviously) opinions will vary....
 
Which is more likely to save your butt in an emergency? I vote GPS. You can have a total electrical failure yet still have complete navigation information including the nearest airport feature. Plus the entire US database in case you forget your charts.

A handheld transceiver is nice in theory, but practically difficult to use airborne without an external antenna. I enjoy having mine to listen to what's going on at the airport while I'm cleaning up the plane, but have only needed it airborne once. That was during an alternator failure at night over NYC. I turned everything off to save battery power for landing and used the handheld to talk to ATC. Had so much battery capacity at the end of that flight that it turned out the handheld wasn't necessary. Once, maybe, in the 18 years I've had it.

Others point out the value of a handheld for practice in hearing ATC communications. Might I suggest an alternative. No need for a transmitter; you can pick up a cheap scanner and receive all the aviation frequencies for about 1/4 the price.

Jon
 
ausrere said:
Which would you chose if you are a student pilot and told you had $400.00 to spend on either handheld gps or a handheld transceiver? (not top of the line of either obviously, but we are talking about poor students here :D )

You already have nice headsets and all the other more "common" accessories that go with this expensive hobby. You are specifically told the money can't be used for plane rental hours (which I would be inclined to do) because it's in gift certificate form.
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I don't get people to answer me much if I use my GPS as NavCom... gotta havem' both. Get more gift certificates !
 
For a student pilot flying VFR loss of com is no big deal. But lost Nav can be more of a problem. I vote GPS.
 
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say get the handheld Com.

Depending on where you are in your training, the handheld can be a great training tool for learning radio procedures. You can't really listen to Approach control (unless you live next to the ground antenna), but it will be very useful for listening at your home airport and a local towered/untowered airport (whichever your home isn't).

I worry that having a GPS on student flights will prevent the student from REALLY learning to navigate without it. I think that a student should be able to make a flight with pilotage/dead reckoning alone, and to use VOR's and/or ADF (if you have one). If you can fly XC with just those, then you can fly with a GPS. I'm not so sure that the other way around is true. What do you do if the GPS fails? Batteries run out?

Besides, they have to have something to give you when you get your license!
 
I know I'm not choosing from the above options but in my opinion I think you should hold off on either purchase until you get your pilots licence. Most instructors do not like students using portable units (gps, etc) because it takes away from the core training they are trying to provide. Also technology is always changing. In another year you might find there is a better/cheaper unit that might take your eye. I just don't think you will use it enough during your student pilot days. Also I feel if you can get into $500-600 range you can get a much nicer used unit like the 196 or the 295 that will provide much more information for you.

If you want the piece of mind like I did when I was going through training buy a yellow etrex for about $60 on ebay and program in all the airports within 400 miles from your home airport. If you ever get lost you can use the unit to find yourself on the map again or use it as a dme as your approaching the airports (try to estimate it first then check with the gps). If later on you want a better gps you will be able to sell the etrex without much of a loss and move to something bigger and better.
 
Our ICom A23 sport (regular batteries rather than rechargeable) cost 239 when we bought it a couple of years ago. A bit of money left over to buy batteries as needed. If you buy it right, you can get the pigtail headset adaptor for free. Heck, you could probably throw in a portable PTT button as well for your $400.

For that money, you have Nav and Com. There has been much debate on range for Nav operations, and it ain't the easiest thing to use in the cockpit. But, it works.

If you rent an older plane with older avionics, as does my wife, it can be a real lifesaver. She was doing her tower solos when something that has yet to be fully diagnosed crapped out in the radios. She could hear them but they could not hear her. She was already cleared to land, got down and fired up the A23. No way was she not getting her required solos in so she went right back up with the portable and finished it up.

Also, if you rent, you can get ATIS and even clearance at a tower controlled facility without incurring hobbes time.

I would take the nav com myself. Wait on a GPS until you can afford a really nice handheld like the new Garmin unit with terrain feature.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Jim G
 
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I'm with Chris in that you should save the money for now and pay attention to the training. Now, because of the way you worded your question -- that you've been told you have $400 to spend -- there is the possibility that someone is offering to buy an aviation-related gift, in which case saving the money isn't an issue.

In this case, I would be tempted to buy a DRE-6000 ANR headset to use in training now and for the generous benefactor to use when a passenger later on. If you already have two great headsets AND you can't save the money, I would go one of two routes. I would either opt for a quality used aviation GPS rather than a downmarket new one, or I would put the money toward a PDA, with the plan to buy components for a PDA-based GPS/weather system (such as AnywhereMap) that could be upgraded as funds allowed.

The transceiver would be low on my list at this point of your aviation career.
 
If you really want a transceiver you might want to look at this one. You will also want a headset adapter if you get a transceiver so that it's actually usable in the plane.
 
Lisa, as you can see you've got a lot of very good replies. As mentioned before, I'd go with the GPS but in no way should you actually use it while in training unless of course it is an emergency. Your instructor will, and should, frown upon even seeing a GPS with you as you are in training. Mine stayed tucked away in my flight bag after my mishap but I always knew it was in there! It made me feel more confident because I knew that I wouldn't get lost. I felt more relaxed, if that's even possible as a student pilot :D. Whatever you decide, as one reply mentioned, more than likely you will end up with both before it's all said and done. When you get a transceiver, I would recommend getting one that uses disposable alkaline batteries. The rechargeable batteries tend to bleed down after a period of time and will not be ready when you need it.

For now, concentrate on that training. By-the-way, how far along are you?
 
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Iceman said:
If you really want a transceiver you might want to look at this one. You will also want a headset adapter if you get a transceiver so that it's actually usable in the plane.
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That has been, for some time, the going best price for the A23 with alkaline battery pack. That's what we got ours for, and we had a coupon of some sort for a free headset adapter, which really DOES help using the thing in the cockpit.

Now, the debate if you go transceiver then becomes, among other things, alkaline vs rechargeable batteries. I use my handheld seldom, so I prefer the alkalines, which seem to have a pretty good shelf life, and for which I can readily carry or obtain spares if necessary. I know that others hold various opinions on this subject, though.

For an assessment of how well the A23 works in actual conditions, see the thread in hangar talk entitled "making it work". Ed Guthrie and Eamon did an analysis of the A23 in field conditions, and Ed quotes his notes from the experiment. It is enlightening.

Jim G
 
waldo said:
Lisa, as you can see you've got a lot of very good replies.
Click to expand...

Yes I have, and I appreciate one and all!

For now, concentrate on that training. By-the-way, how far along are you?
Click to expand...

I intend to. Technically, I have all my requirements, but I want to do another long solo cross country then do some additional polishing flights before scheduling the check ride. I've had to stop and restart the training since my last solo cross country with a long period of down time in between. Hopefully I'll be ready within a month if weather and my work schedule cooperate.

I'm leaning towards the gps even though the aircraft I rent now most all have panel mount gps installed (although not all have moving maps). I expect to rent at various other FBO's after I get my PPL, and there is no guarantee that their aircraft will of course.

My current instructor has shown me how to work the panel gps, and we've used it in local flights to become familiar with it just in case I were to get lost and need it. BUT, he's made me promise NOT to use it unless absolutely necessary. I agree I should use pilotage and dead reckoning during my training. It is nice to know it's there just in case though.

The transceiver crossed my mind even though I do have a scanner I could use to get ATIS or listen to traffic for radio familiarization etc. I fly out of class C, so I get a lot of practice on the radio. I also use a radio in my job, so mike fright isn't a problem, but I still get stumped from time to time on what I'm supposed to say to ATC, or what the heck they are trying to tell me. Practice should take care of that right? I wondered if a transceiver might have better reception than the scanner so I could listen more though. I could probably fix the scanner reception with a better antenna for much cheaper than a transceiver however.

I have two pair of Lightspeed QFRXCc Headsets, and two pair of cheap Sigtronic headsets for passengers (eventually!) so I'm headset poor (gifts and such inherited over the years). I have an electronic E6B (although my instructor MAKES me use the wizwheel - yuck) so that would be the only other electronic gadget I'd be tempted to get.

I do have a Pocket PC (Toshiba e755). I have a (inexpensive) GPS card for it already, and I use it in my work to navigate around the state via car, but to tell you the truth, I wouldn't trust the thing in the air. It resets itself to factory settings too often for me to trust it to last long with any of the aviation navigation software solutions. When I originally purchased it, I thought I'd use it's other functions more (phone book, date book etc). But I don't. So I just can't see upgrading it just to get decent gps nav capabilities that I could get via a dedicated gps, which I would use quite often. I understand even the Airmap 500 can load street based data, so I could use it for work as well.

So.. as I said, I'm leaning towards the gps. But I'm not in any hurry. The gift certificates aren't burning a hole in my pocket, but I do get asked almost daily from the gift giver WHEN I intend to use them. So I figured I'd start thinking seriously about WHAT to use them on so I have a response next time. ;)

Thanks all for your input. It really helps.
 
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Lisa,

For a student pilot working VFR, I'd go with the GPS. With some of the GPS units, you can use a "streets" database, too.

Instrument rated, given the choice, I'd probably take the handheld com with an outside antenna. You could get vectors from ATC in the event of a com failure, and there are even some PARs still existing in Texas.

YMMV, but I think I'd go with a GPS at this point.
 
Given that you're at the END of your training, I'd switch and recommend the GPS.
 
Used GPS on eBay. No question about it. Once you get your ticket and start renting then consider a radio.
 
If you are in no immediate rush, save the gift certificate until you're done. Combine that with the certs you'll get from your license party (and savings) and go buy a nice GPS. And maybe that plane wrapped around it. :)
During your primary training, and even afterwards, work on good dead reckoning, pilotage, and VOR tracking skills. Once you start playing with the GPS, those skills will deteriorate unless they are practiced.
Everyone should have a GPS, just don't rely on them exclusively. Keep your toolbox clean and your skills sharp.
 
I carry both...but if the choice is one or the other it's GPS hands down.
 
They both have their value, but I'd vote for the handle transceiver for two reasons...

The first was when I had a complete electrical failure at night over the middle of Oklahoma. While it is true that I had a handheld GPS and it did help, I could have technically navigated using my charts and flashlights. That being said, when I got to where I was going, the only way I found the runway was by turning on the pilot controlled lighting with the transceiver. Even using GPS I would have flown right by the airport, such was the emptiness out there.

BTW, no, the transceiver was useless for calling Center, but it did allow me to turn the lights on, which was very useful in that situation. Of course, had I been more than a wet-behind-the-ears private pilot back then, I might have remembered that 121.5 works everywhere, and even if Center doesn't get it, someone will and they can relay. I was on flight following and never did give them a call to let them know what was up, which shows just how useful flight following is for SAR. This is another reason why almost all my cross country flights are now done IFR, someone will come looking for me if I just drop off the face of the Earth. :)

The second was during a training flight with a student. His fourth, and an adventure it was... We had a partial electrial failure in a nearly new 172SP, then when we went to reset the master switch, the whole thing failed. Flying back into Addison without a radio is just a bad idea in general, and while it is true that we could have gone anywhere (CAVU), it was nice to be able to call up approach using the handheld and get a clearance back home.

BTW, approach control didn't actually pick up on our transmissions, but another pilot on freq did, and he relayed for us. Then we were handed off to tower who could pick us up since we were just 6 miles away. Not an emergency, and in this case I didn't have the GPS with me, but heck, who needs it in that case. :)

Also, the transceiver is about $230, the GPS (Garmin 295) was 5 times that price.
 
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