I have just bought a 7000 unseen and untested. Having seen the feedback about it being unusable and with no GoTo function I feel I may have been sold a pup.

Tell me it is a good system> I currently use a Garmin> :shock:

It is a good system.

It shows you where you are on CAA charts. Thats all you really need if you have a brain in your head.

Anything else is a bonus. Bigger menu buttons and a Direct To database would admittedly be nice.

If you only use it to see where you are on the CAA chart you are wasting some good software. Memory Map for PC - even on a pocket/WindowsMobile PC works fine of "follow route" and position. I've used it for 4 years on an HTC Advantage (5" screen) - even in France Belgium and Germany with self scanned charts.

BUT - and it's a very big BUT - the CE version sold to work on th 7000 is absolute rubbish - unless you just want to "see where you are".

The on screen "buttons" send the chart flying off in all directions if you try to "open" any of the menus - and the text! - well you'd need a magnifying glass to see it and god help you if you try to use any of them in flight.

Unless Memory Map pull their finger out very soon sort out the software this ones going back to Flightstore. SHAME on Memory Map for cocking up an excellent system.

Flyer, have you kept or returned the S7000? I've just bought one, and am thoroughly disappointed with it, the software is pathetic. The tiny keyboard and windows that slide around suggest that no-one from memory-map has even thought about using this with fingers in a cockpit. No ability to navigate to and search for airfields is a joke.
I'd consider this to be a safety risk in an aircraft as you'd be concentrating so hard on the screen you can't focus on flying.

Also, the battery life is un-acceptable (well under 1 hour), many of the aircraft I fly don't have power sockets, so this would be flat long before the flight is complete.
The car-navigation facility is poor, I've used TomTom for years and this is no-where near as good/user-friendly/useful.
The built-in TV/Radio functionality on mine doesn't work at all with the built-in aerial, I've not tried the external one yet.

I have requested a refund from flightstore already.

AlanD
I have not returned it yet although I have lodged letters with the MDs of both FlightStore and Memory Map expressing my opinion that this device is not fit for purpose with a view to returning it if they can't sort out the software.

Yes, the so called "European Version" on this device is absolute rubbish (details as in my other postings) and I comment as someone who has used Memory Map CAA software (Versions OS4 and 5) for years. If Memory Map can get it working as well as the earlier versions I'd be more than happy with it - but I'm not sure they can . They seem to be going backwards here by adapting it to Windows CE to get it to work on a cheaper base unit.

I've had several email promises both direct from Memory Map, and indirectly from Flightstore, of software updates to correct the defects which a number of forum submissions have mentioned. Hope this helps your decision but you may not want to hold your breath!

I have returned the unit and recieved a refund, and have now purchased an Airbox Clarity GPS - so far, so good.

Here is the response to a mail I sent to flightstore, and a response from Mike @ Memory-map

(Response by flightstore)
(My original mail)
(Mike's response)

Alan,

Sorry to hear that you are not happy with the Adventurer Pilot 7000.
Here is my response which hopefully clears everything up,

I would describe this item as 'not fit for purpose', especially considering the cost. - We have many satisfied users so I would not consider the product “not fit for purpose”, may not be to everyone’s likely which I can understand.

First off, in-car navigation:
I've used TomTom products for years, and expected similar functionality from this, but it's very limited.
The start-up screen asking if you're in a caravan is really annoying, and you can't set a preference to say you're in a car. The position-fix is sloooooow. Sometimes it finds satellites shortly after start-up, but other times it's taken over 10 minutes. – There is a choice to tell the unit that you are in a car, this is the first complaint I have received regarding the road navigation.

The battery life is appalling - no-where near the 1.5-2 hours specified. It had given up and shut down in less than 1 hour after a full charge today. – Of all the units we tested one and a half hours was the minimum, The battery life is not fantastic but one a and a half hours is the worst we experienced, this is why I always recommend people have a 12 volt supply in their aircraft.

The built-in TV receiver doesn't work - NO TV or radio channels found with the built-in aerial. I've not opened the external aerial. Even my phone sitting next to it can find a decent number of radio stations. – All the units we tested picked up TV, not as good as a TV with an antenna on the top of your house, and you claim this without using the supplied external antenna

Then onto the main functionality.... Aviation GPS.
I've not yet taken this into the cockpit, and have no intention to. There is no yoke or knee mount provided, and the supplied car sucker mount wouldn't stick to the curved window in the Cessna's I fly, besides it would block out too much external view that it would be dangerous on the screen. – We have never claimed there was a yoke or knee mount, we claim there is a sucker mount, the size of the unit is readily available so blocking out too much external view?

In aviation mode it errors on start-up regularly about the GPS, but then starts ok other times. Position-fix is slooow like in car mode. – If the unit had a good view of the sky the GPS fix should have been quickly achieved.
The user interface is very limited. The 'find' function doesn't find anything, and the tiny on-screen keyboard is so small that I can't use it sitting still at home, never mind in the cockpit. – Agreed the keyboard is small but this is on the list for fixing in the next version of the software
The method to add waypoints is clunky, and editing or deleting them is even more so. – I’m not sure if anyone has shown you the simple quick method to do this.
The (x) buttons to close windows are far too small, and difficult to use with finger presses, especially as they are located at the top right of the screen, next to the plastic screen surround. Agreed and this is on the list for fixing in the next version of the software.
There is no ability to divert to another airfield, and besides, you can't search for one. – This has never been a feature we claimed

The supplied PC software refuses to talk to the GPS device, and says 'Failed to connect', so routes planned there aren't transferred to the GPS unit. – Did you talk to our Technical Support department ?
The search in the software doesn't find any results. – Same answer as above.
There are few instructions, and having read through the ones within the software it is very general, and doesn't seem to cover much. – Improved instructions are being put together.

Removing the power cable in any mode causes it to shutdown in 20 seconds if you don't press a button. When it comes on again it then has to start again and re-find the GPS signal. Power cables into cigarette sockets *do* get intermittently moved while driving & flying, this is really annoying. – Understood and will be forwarded to both the hardware and software people

For a unit costing as much as this I expected far more. I get the impression than this product has been rushed to the market, and is really still in the development stage. A product with a 7 inch screen for £600 will not give you everything you want, there are other units available for more than twice this price that may not do all you require.
I wish to return it for a full refund, and will instead purchase a better product at later date. – When we receive your product back in original re-sellable condition no doubt you will receive a full refund from Flightstore, we will then cancel your Memory-Map registration as you will no longer require the charts or software for which you have been refunded.


I will certainly get our technical Support people to have a good look when we receive your unit and test all the features to see if the unit faulty.

Best regards,

Mike

Mike Evans
Sales
EVO Distribution Limited
Memory-Map Europe

I have just purchased the S7000 - £600, from Flightstore. Tried it aloft - battery ran out (not a problem I can rig up a 12V supply), screen not exactly daylight readable (perhaps I should hope for duller days). Not the easiest device to use, somewhat disappointing since I had a 7" tablet pc from China £150 and had MMNavCE running quite happily, better than my 3.8" pda except I could see map on the pda in the sun. I moved to the official MM device because I thought it would be better.

Amended By Wilfsoft

With further use it looks better, using a power supply instead of batteries makes screen brighter and easier to read. Investigation of the software reveals that there is a GOTO button on screen - far right button on the screen which shows the +/- and the lock button, reveals my programmed "waypoints", selecting one with my finger activates the GOTO function and I see bearing and distance along with speed and time to.

This is one reason why there should be a decent manual...

John. (Friday 12th)

I use S7000.

i thinks its cool.

senuke x | p90x