From: "Jon Carlson" <jon@carlsonhome.com>
To: <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: RE: Little Lancairs - An Encouragement, Strikefinder, IFR
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 22:31:16 -0700
Message-ID: <EGEKJCEHGGMPNGLKDEOKGEJJCNAA.jon@carlsonhome.com>
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>>>
...  I would like to
hear from anyone flying with any version of uplinked or downlinked weather
maps/text in the cockpit.
<<<

Greetings Hollis,

I'm stretching your request a little... I don't fly with this, but have had
it pointed out and briefly demo'd on the ground by an acquaintance recently.
Please keep in mind that I'm really just pointing it out.

Here's a relatively inexpensive way to get some wx info into the cockpit:

http://www.cheapbastardsoftware.com/

Basically it's a Palm Pilot app that'll display NexRad images it retrieves
via a wireless link. It's all free (except the Palm Pilot and wireless
service subscription). It'll also retrieve METAR/TAF data.

I was told wireless reception/coverage would be somewhat dependent on
location, but that at higher altitudes it gets better. It apparently uses a
2-way pager network not cellular for whatever that's worth.

Anyway, personally I certainly wouldn't use it in lieu of a Strikefinder or
somesuch, but it seemed to work OK when demo'd briefly to me (on the ground
in an urban location, I should emphasize). At minimum it might be helpful on
the ground at FBOs that don't have weather computers (apparently such as IDP
:-). IMHO, it may or may not be better than nothing, depending upon how
reliable and how timely the data is.

You now know as much as I do - please don't grill me for detail, you'll
expose a very limited amount of actual knowledge ;-).

-Jon C.

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