Portsmouth Naval Gliding Centre

This section give you information about the use of PDA units, which can be used as a GPS with full moving maps, airspaces and other data relating to gliding. It also covers two different software packages which you can use on your PDA along with various data files.

There are a number of different GPS Soaring programs for PDA devices, the two main hand held devices used in gliding are the Ipaq, running windows CE also known as the Pocket PC (PPC) and the Palm Pilot, which runs it's own Palm Operating System. These operating systems are not compatible, so you need to ensure you select the correct software for your hand held device.

As well as commercial packages such as WinPilot, there are a number of free software packages available for these devises as well. I have used two of these myself, and would have no hesitation in recommending these software packages for use during your cross country flight.

You should consider carefully the placement of the PDA unit within the cockpit, so that it does not obscure any of the other instruments or access in or out of your glider.

Please let me know if you are aware of other FREE soaring software packages which you would recommend and I'll mention them on this web site. siggi_ingason@hotmail.com

PLEASE NOTE - I, nor the PNGC take any responsibility for the use of these files or software packages during your flight. Happy flying and don't get lost.

For the Palm handheld I would recommend the software called SoaringPilot which can be found at the following URL :-

http://www.soaringpilot.com/

For the Ipaq device I would recommend GPS_LOG which can be found at :-

http://www.soaringpilotsoftware.com/

The following download area has been created to allow the sharing of files which can be used on the GPS_LOG software. If there is sufficient interest, I will create other download areas which will contain files to support the Palm version as well.

PNGC GPS_LOG file Download Area

GPS_LOG was developed with a sailplane pilot in mind, but can be used in any situation that GPS position data are available for logging. It is a combination of a navigational aid with a moving map, needed altitude and speed to fly computations, and a data logger. You can find all the details about GPS_LOG on:-

http://www.soaringpilotsoftware.com

There is also a news/discussion group on Yahoo which is dedicated to the GPS_LOG program. You need to register to access the news group, but it's well worth doing if you are using GPS_LOG. The news/discussion group can be found at the following link:-

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps_log

The Following files can be downloaded onto your PDA when using the GPS_LOG software.

Map Files	Size	Creator	Created (mm/dd/yy)
http://ai-uk.net/gliding/GPS_LOG/UK_GPSLOG_2007.zip Above link is to the UK Map file including airspace, AGL data and Waypoints for 2007	3.5Mb	laurie gregoire	05/08/2007
ALPI.zip Alpi (Nord Italia, Slovenia, Austria, Svizzera)	3633Kb	flyhighandfast	01/30/2004
Deutschland19-01-2004.gpm Binary Map Germany mit actual airspace	3944Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/25/2004
Deutschland.zip Map of Germany. Including GLOBE elevation data . The color coding on the maps is standard ICAO, that makes it easier to read the map during flights and crosscheck with the PocketPC - USE ON OWN RISK	4193Kb	Stefan Kamm	05/22/2004
Map_Germany.zip Complete Map Germany	2351Kb	cvleff	01/10/2004
fr-top.zip France topographique, Benelux, 9 maps, gpm files, fit to de-top and swiss-top, version experimentale de Michael Joachim	4607Kb	lastirmike	03/08/2004
AirDE-DAFIF03_2004.zip Airspace of Germany Version DAFIFT0304, ohne TMZ und Segelflugsektoren!!! USE ON OWN RISK	127Kb	flyhighandfast	03/20/2004
AirDE-TMZ+SGL0304.zip Airspace of Germany Version DAFIFT0304, MIT TMZ und Segelflugsektoren - USE ON OWN RISK	135Kb	flyhighandfast	03/20/2004
AlpsNorthEast.zip Alps North East Map Design Kit	520Kb	walterkronester	01/13/2004
Alpenraum.zip Alps region. Including GLOBE elevation data . The color coding on the maps is standard ICAO, that makes it easier to read the map during flights and crosscheck with the PocketPC - USE ON OWN RISK	3936Kb	Stefan Kamm	05/22/2004
AlpsNorthEastreadme.txt Alps NorthEast Map Design Kit Readme	3Kb	walterkronester	01/13/2004
FPL_DEMETRIC.zip Hello to all, the files inside are the Airfields from WELT2000 corrected for metric altitude information	69Kb	eku60	02/04/2004
FrankfurtSUA.zip Bitmap showing a problem with SUA maps. Please see message titled "SUA maps problems"	21Kb	soaringpilot11	02/08/2004
Frenchalps.zip Another alp file	487Kb	marco2often	01/12/2004
GB_SUA.zip SUA Airspace for Great Brittain. Two variants and component maps are included. Assumes that AGL data file is used as TOP and BASE offsets in FIX_IT were set to zero	520Kb	soaringpilot11	02/16/2004
comctl32.zip Files potentially required by the Fix-it program to run. Use only if Fix-it reports problems. Installation instructions are in the readme.txt file in the zip	291Kb	soaringpilot11	03/16/2004
de-top.zip Deutschland topographisch, three maps, will fit to France and Swiss, gpm test-version von Michael Joachim	1978Kb	astirmike	03/08/2004
engl.zip England topographic map file made from .dem data, fits to france, test version from Michael Joachim	210Kb	astirmike	03/12/2004
UK_bga_SUA.gpm Map of England with SUA September 2004, test, version from Philipp Schartau	2,703Kb	Philipp Schartau	10/09/2004
UK_waypoints.dta England Waypoints, test, version from Philipp Schartau	63Kb	Philipp Schartau	10/09/2004
swiss-top.zip Schweiz topographisch, gpm-file, fits to de-top, Michael Joachim, Test version	497Kb	astirmike	03/08/2004

Polar Files	Size	Creator	Created (mm/dd/yy)
AstirCS.plr Astir CS polar	2Kb	alfred_bergrath	02/29/2004
Bergfalke.plr bergfalkeII-55	2Kb	szd551	02/29/2004
L-Spatz55.plr L-Spatz55	2Kb	szd551	02/29/2004
Libelle17m.plr Libelle17m polar	2Kb	alfred_bergrath	02/29/2004
SZD55.plr SZD55 polar	2Kb	alfred_bergrath	02/29/2004
Twin-Astir.plr Polar for Twin Astir	2Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/25/2004
Ventus C.plr Polar File Ventus C	2Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/10/2004
kestrel17.plr Polar file Kestrel 17m	2Kb	langowski	01/14/2004
libelle.plr Polar File Libelle	2Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/10/2004

Alarm Sound Airspace Files	Size	Creator	Created (mm/dd/yy)
entering-sector-gpslg!at.wav Entering sector, acoustic signal with spoken words	108Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/31/2004
entering-sector-gpslg!at.wav Entering sector, acoustic signal with spoken words	108Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/31/2004
einflug- in-sektor-gpslg!at.wav Einflug in einen Sektor, Akustische Meldung mit gesprochenen Worten	110Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/31/2004
leaving-sector-gpslg!to.wav leaving sector, acoustic signal with spoken words	59Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/31/2004
verlassen-sektor-gpslg!to.wav Verlassen Sektor, akustisches Signal mit gesprochenen Worten	67Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/31/2004
warning-airspace-gpslg!lt.wav warning airspace, acoustic signal with spoken words	180Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/31/2004
achtung-luftraum-gpslg!lt.wav Warnung bei Einflug in Luftraum mit gesprochenen Worten	180Kb	alfred_bergrath	01/31/2004