My iPaq And How It Relates To RVs by Doug Reeves vansairforce@hotmail.com 
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I own and use a Compaq iPaq pocket PC.  The primary reason I got it is to use Control Vision's Anywhere Map GPS software (pic at right).  Steve Dari wrote a GREAT review that you can read sometime.  There's no need for me to recreate the wheel on his article.

What I've done here is capture a few screens so you can get an idea of some of the OTHER things you can use a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) for, in order to help justify its $499 cost.  For those of you not aware of what these things are for Microsoft has a nice web page which might help.

The Typical Uses:

• Calendar and phone numbers.  
  I usually enter the information on my computer and when I 'sync' the iPaq with my computer all the changes come down.  The 'syncing' software comes with the unit and exchanges info with most office suites (like Microsoft Office).
  
• Microsoft Reader:
  A piece of software that comes with it allowing you to read books that you download.  I bought an extra 128MB memory card and have download several of the public domain classics from www.barnesandnoble.com.  Again, all free.
  
  The books I currently have in it (takes up about 20MB)...
   
  
  Currently I'm reading The Red Badge of Courage.  Here's a screen shot.
   
• It comes with pocket editions of Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Money.
  Excel     Word

The HOLY COW! Uses:

• www.avantgo.com is a web site that lets you setup 'channels' that automatically download to your PDA each time you sync it with your computer.   It's FREE.  Think of it as you having the ability to build a customized 'magazine' that automatically gets delivered to your PDA whenever you sync.  Here are some of the 'channels' that get automatically download to my PDA.

   
  The main AvantGo page showing some my selected 'channels'
  
   
  CNN Headline News
  
   
  Space News from www.space.com 
  
   
  Yahoo News, my stocks, my local weather, and ALL THE MOVIES showing around me.  Updated at each 'sync'.
  
   
  Cupitt Mobil Aviation WX (Metar/TAF/etc)
  
  
  You can set up 'customized' channels that automatically go to any web page you desire and download a current version down at the frequency you desire.  My obvious choices are...
  
   
  The RV Hospitality Overnight List (I set it up to download an updated copy each Thursday)
  
   
  The RV White Pages (I set it up to download an updated copy each Wednesday)
  
   
  The RV Yeller Pages (I set it up to download an updated copy once a month)
  
  
  All the satellites coming over my house each evening in case I want to step outside after sunset and watch the the Hubble telescope, the ISS, or maybe a Soviet rocket booster pass over our house.

  Not pictured:  

  • Van's Parts List (http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/parts.txt).  Lays down a fresh copy once a week.

Summing up, that's GPS software, about 700 calendar entries, about 200 personal phone numbers, over 1,000 RV White Pages entries, over 450 RV Yeller Page entries, the current news, all the movie listings around me and a whole lot more.  Because my laptop is on 24/7 I usually sync my iPaq a couple of times a day.  It takes about 60 seconds to sync and gives me nice reading material before bedtime or when I'm at McDonald's waiting for our daughter to come out of the playground room.  I bought a leather holder/clip for my belt from www.directcase.com because I am a complete geek.  I won't even go into the wireless network card and collapsible keyboard (pictured at right) that I use in meetings around the office.  That would be too much.

If you ever see me at a fly-in and need the phone number for RV-6 builder Noel Drew in Durban, South Africa or want to know the price of Van's part number FL-901A-L (left flap inbd nose skin), I'm your man. 

Just look for the geek with the little black thing on his belt.

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Doug Reeves
Van's Air Force - World Wide Wing
www.vansaircraft.net & www.vansairforce.net
vansairforce@hotmail.com 

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