Price is as yet undetermined, I have heard rumors of $125 to $150 each. It holds 4 AA batteries, and the receiver will use the external power first, then switch automatically to the two internal batteries. This should net you (my estimate, not factory) 24 hours in warm weather, about 18 in very cold.

Nice photos Mike! They also help explain what appears in the ProMark 2 User's Guide in the photos (pages 36, 37, and 38)

Where did you find green grass this time of year?

Your Eastern roots are showing, Kelly -- winter's the only time the grass is green in California.

that is San Jose grass.

Greetings from the left coast.

Mike: when will these be available?

Dan Barry

we have about 1000 of them in stock, but it seems that we have not yet set the official price.

I expect to know more later today, I'll be at the factory all day again.

Do you know how the designers addressed the disturbingly small distance between the bare antenna connector shell and the power terminals in the cable-to-receiver connector? On the Magellan external power cables, the power terminals are sort of T-shaped, and one end of the top of each T is very close to the exterior of the antenna connector when these units are adapted to the PM2. I'm wondering if they altered the design to provide additional clearance.

Jim,

The primary reason for the alteration was to provide a port for an external antenna. There were few ways to do this without altering the case molds (time-consuming and expensive).

Regards,
Brian

Hi Brian ,

The photo above shows the T shaped terminals that Jim mentioned on the external power adapter (labeled C = Magellan part #730275). Like Jim, I was wondering since the hole (for the antenna cable, labeled B) is about 2 mm too small, were there any modifications made to the T shaped terminals so as to increase the space between them and the antenna terminal?

Also, I'm curious as to what the exact diameter of the drill bit that should be used to permit the antenna terminal to pass. To me it looks like 5/32"

Do you think that it would be considered proper for a representative of the company that has basically just announced the coming release of an anxiously awaited product to discuss specific design/manufacturing details? Especially considering all of us tight wad/do-it-yourself ers out here. And they have yet to set a price for "the real thing".

J.D.

I do wonder though why 4 AA batteries were picked for the external source rather than 4 D cells, or some other longer lasting supply. I would personally think the supply should be "contained" in a manner that its "unplug from the unit - plug into the charger", without removing individual batteries from the battery cradle every time. That's just one heck of a lot of wear and tear on parts that are rarely made for "daily" use. just my opinion though.

JD is right go with 8000 mah NiMh 4 Cells in a nylon case / holder with a nice Smart fast charger 1-4 amp variable that plugs into the batt Pack. The same cable from charger to pack can be used from pack to PM2.

Same D cell batts can be used in locus after being charged in the above Holder case.

We need more universal battery chargers range 3 to 12 volt variable amp output and able to charge two or more packs at once systems rather than Device specific solutions, there by reducing the amount of chargers and batt packs to lug around.

Back to the drawing board guys. I would fab my own packs that could power a number of survey devices even though your solution may be the most cost effective

Pete :)

Modified By FS3 Pete on 2/2/2002 at 3:50 PM