[NLRS] Palm Pilot model & availability

[Donn Baker]

Hi Bill,
Almost any model of "Palm Pilot" will work.  This includes several with
other names, most noteably, "Handspring."  The key, at least for "BD" and
"GridLoc" is that the device run "Palm OS."  The current vwersion is 4.1
(?), but 3.x works also.

Personally, I run a Palm IIIxe and GridLoc for bearing/distances.  The
IIIxe has 8MB of RAM memory... but I don't need/use that much. (At least
for this application) you don't need more than 2MB.

There are Palm III, IIIc (color screen), IIIx, and IIxe plus IV, V and a
couple of others available.  Prices should be somewhere between $40 and
$100.  Again, personally, I would stayn away from a private party: stick
with a company, preferably a re-furber.  Don't know model names, etc., of
the other (like Handspring).

The Palm III-series all use two AAA cells.  The IV, V, and VII models (and
the new series) use internal rechargable batteries.  I prefer the AAA
cells.  I woukld stay away from the IIIc... yes, its color (so what...
bearing and distance don't care) and it eats batteries !  My IIIxe runs
about 7-9 weeks on a set of AAA cells.  I use it A LOT, not just for 10GHz.
 (I tend to run my life with it.)

When picking an application, you really need to be sure that it does the
distances correctly.  Having the correct bearings is nice, too. :-)  Both
BD, by W1GHZ and GridLoc by KK6MK do it correctly.  After that, its a
matter of what you want for Man-machine interface.  I prefer GridLoc.  It
allows stored files of locations, data entry in any of several formats,
really good error handling, and a readable output.  When I looked at BD
(admittedly some time ago) it did none of these things, at least to my idea
of acceptable.  Error handling was especially poor.  And you WILL make
errors inputing data !!

Gary, WB0ljc, was looking for a Palm a few weeks ago.  He may be able to
provide more info.

Questions, etc., feel free to ask!

73 Donn
WA2VOI/0

At 17:08 03-10-03 -0500, Bill  K0AWU wrote:
>Hi All
>
>  Several of you are using Palm Pilots for bearing/distance program as you 
>operate 10Ghz portable.. Might be more handy then trying to pre-print 
>bearings and such before portable ops ...
>
>
>  What model of Palm Pilot is needed and any source other than e-bay for 
>used unit? Never used one of these ...
>
>
>Bill K0AWU  EN37ed
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