CASTalk.com

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Ray

Ray wrote:
GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Michael R. Kesti wrote:
"Everett M. Greene" wrote:


David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:

Ray wrote:

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these
type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives"
to the accuracy of the GPS info.


This seems an apples to oranges comparison as I imagine the data used in
personal GPS receivers is less accurate, less often updated, and no where
near as trustable as that used in the GPS receivers used in aviation.


Is all this a apples-oranges comparison?

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports and various
beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted shoals?

"Everett M. Greene" wrote:


David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:

Ray wrote:

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives"
to the accuracy of the GPS info.


This seems an apples to oranges comparison as I imagine the data used in
personal GPS receivers is less accurate, less often updated, and no where
near as trustable as that used in the GPS receivers used in aviation.

"Richard Owlett" <rowlett@atlascomm.net> schreef in bericht
news:11qrbnurgr83u82@corp.supernews.com...
Michael R. Kesti wrote:
"Everett M. Greene" wrote:

David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:

Ray wrote:

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives"
to the accuracy of the GPS info.

This seems an apples to oranges comparison as I imagine the data used in
personal GPS receivers is less accurate, less often updated, and no where
near as trustable as that used in the GPS receivers used in aviation.

Is all this a apples-oranges comparison?

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports and various
beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted shoals?

I'm afraid you misunderstood Michael.

As I read him, he stated that aviation GPS units
base on much more reliable data than "personal" GPS's
(though I'm not sure what this latter amounts to).

So "apples" = personal GPS units' data,
"oranges" = aviation GPS units' data.

Confirming your idea that pilots want and
generally get quite correct info from their GPS units.

As for uncharted shoals and their aviation equivalents:
what about danger, restricted, and forbidden areas?
In certain countries these are in almost permanent change,
requiring an alert database manager and frequent updates.

For myself, I should much welcome the advent of a
community driven database of pilot's navigation info,
a bit like DAFIF but more up to date,
that could be used by public domain GPS software.
And am much willing to contribute to any such initiative
within the limits of my poor abilities.

Best rgds & season's wishes,
KA (student pilot)

Michael R. Kesti wrote:
"Everett M. Greene" wrote:


David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:

Ray wrote:

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives"
to the accuracy of the GPS info.


This seems an apples to oranges comparison as I imagine the data used in
personal GPS receivers is less accurate, less often updated, and no where
near as trustable as that used in the GPS receivers used in aviation.


Is all this a apples-oranges comparison?

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports and
various beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted shoals?

David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:
Ray wrote:
GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives"
to the accuracy of the GPS info.

In article <11qrbnurgr83u82@corp.supernews.com>, rowlett@atlascomm.net
says...
Michael R. Kesti wrote:
"Everett M. Greene" wrote:


David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:

Ray wrote:

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on
these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a
PC
application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives"
to the accuracy of the GPS info.


This seems an apples to oranges comparison as I imagine the data used
in
personal GPS receivers is less accurate, less often updated, and no
where
near as trustable as that used in the GPS receivers used in aviation.


Is all this a apples-oranges comparison?

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports and
various beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted shoals?

A pilot is not using a consumer-oriented GPS. He is using an aviation
GPS, with a Jeppesen database of beacons, approaches, and airports, that
is maintained via a monthly subscription.

"Gene S. Berkowitz" <first.last@comcast.net> schreef in bericht
news:MPG.1e178d2230f15b2e9896f4@newsgroups.comcast.net...
A pilot is not using a consumer-oriented GPS. He is using an aviation
GPS, with a Jeppesen database of beacons, approaches, and airports, that
is maintained via a monthly subscription.

Is he (and/or she)? Each one? Really?
Sure and guaranteed? How can you know?

On my side I HAVE seen pilots fly with "consumer-oriented"
GPS-units, though not as a primary means of navigation, luckily.

And don't come and tell me about "certified" units:

unless I'm much mistaken not any single GPS unit has been certified
by any single European civil aviation authority.

Michael R. Kesti wrote:
"Everett M. Greene" wrote:
David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:

.... snip ...

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any -
they each want to protect their turf. More seriously, I
was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran
smack into Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it
simply wasn't shown on the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts,
would be my conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much
better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives" to
the accuracy of the GPS info.

This seems an apples to oranges comparison as I imagine the
data used in personal GPS receivers is less accurate, less
often updated, and no where near as trustable as that used in
the GPS receivers used in aviation.

Is all this a apples-oranges comparison?

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports
and various beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted
shoals?

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports and
various beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted shoals?

In article <11qrbnurgr83u82@corp.supernews.com>, rowlett@atlascomm.net
says...
Michael R. Kesti wrote:
"Everett M. Greene" wrote:


David R Brooks <davebXXX@iinet.net.au> writes:

Ray wrote:

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Don't know about standards, but I wouldn't expect any - they each want
to protect their turf.
More seriously, I was browsing a boating magazine in my doctor's rooms
recently, & hit an article in which a yachtsman nearly ran smack into
Diego Ramirez Is. (near Cape Horn), because it simply wasn't shown on
the electronic chart he was using.
Don't trust your life to one of those electronic charts, would be my
conclusion. (I doubt the land maps are much better).

Tell that to aircraft pilots who do "trust their lives"
to the accuracy of the GPS info.


This seems an apples to oranges comparison as I imagine the data used in
personal GPS receivers is less accurate, less often updated, and no where
near as trustable as that used in the GPS receivers used in aviation.


Is all this a apples-oranges comparison?

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports and
various beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted shoals?

A pilot is not using a consumer-oriented GPS. He is using an aviation
GPS, with a Jeppesen database of beacons, approaches, and airports, that
is maintained via a monthly subscription.

"Richard Owlett" <rowlett@atlascomm.net> wrote in message
news:11qrbnurgr83u82@corp.supernews.com...

Would not a pilot be interested in exact location of airports and
various beacons? would there be any equivalent of uncharted shoals?


I was flying my Twin Cessna 310 out of Pheonix at night going east.
North east of Tuscon, while Flight Following, VOR, and GPS had me in a
valley, I was sure I saw rocks in the sky ahead. Cross check of
altimeter and GPS also showed us higher than local terain, but we could
definitely see mountian peeks on each side of us, towering maybe
thousands of feet higher than we were. It just didn't look like we were
going to clear the next ridge ahead. No stars to the horizon there, as
there were many other places around us, only blackness. So dispite
assurances of all instruments and data, we advised Flight Following we
were going to error on the side of caution, and climbed. They
understood. Did we avoid anything? We'll never know. We lived through
it, though. That was enough.

Ultimately the aircraft pilot or ships captain is responsible for the
craft's and passenger's saftey. Pilots often die when they get fixated
on one source of information, and ignore any data to the contrary.
Nature often corrects their impression on how it "has to be" by instead
being "what it actually is".

I think what has been confused in this conversation is 1) the position
data from the GPS, which should be remembered is just data, one point of
reference in a suite of navigation instruments, and 2) the information
in the data base. Any functional GPS gives pretty good position data
within the limitations of spec'd accuracy. The map is another issue
entirely. Generally people don't put up new mountains to run into, but
they sure do build new TV towers, etc. A pilot should have a current
sectional, and be checking it for highest projections from the ground,
that's makered specifically by area. The idea that your GPS database map
is a substitute for a recent sectional is pretty dangerous thinking.

GPS navigators such as TomTom, NavMan, Garmin, Magellan etc. become
increasingly popular.

Is there a common standard for the digital map data to be used on these
type
of small embedded devices in which optimal route calculation can be
calculated?

Is it possible to access this data through some API, to use it in a PC
application?

Ray