XM "Skywatch Radar" Vs?

[dell30rb]

Does anyone have experience with or know of a site that has screenshots etc... of the cheaper XM skywatch subscription radar picture? Its $10 a month vs $30 and the activation fee is $15 vs $50.


I just want to get a decent, reliable radar picture while in flight. above 2,500 feet you can't really trust 3G.

I have a portable marine GPS. A 436 or something like that, looks exactly like the aviation 496 unit and I bet its got the same internals.. think I could somehow flash the aviation software on it, or get a garmin tech to do this?

Anyway i can pick up an xm antenna for the marine GPS for about $140. For something i'll probably only need twice a month, its kinda hard justifying $30 a month plus a $50 activation fee.

 

[silver-eagle]

My experience with XM weather was via the $50 variety. The radar info was great for strategic planning but not tactical. There was enough of a delay in the updates that you could end up in trouble. Scott D has some information about XM weather he's posted here. You might look at some of the older posts.
XM Weather also gave you METARs which I found very useful.
As a package, XM weather was fine. The lite wasn't enough and the regular was almost too much for VFR.
And activation fees are BS. Double dipping BS.