EXBAL vs Field Firing Solutions

[Alan Griffith]

I'm on the verge of buying my first PDA and ballistics program. Read much about how great EXBAL is. It's a contender. Over on snipershide.net, many extol the virtues of Field Firing Solution. I've read both their web sites. Both sound quite cabable of giving me what I want/need.

It seems the FFS has a couple of advantages, those being I can create my own turret and BC tables based upon my actual scope/s click adjustments and a bullets true performance in my rifle.

It seems a disadvantage is the FFS is non-Palm capatible. Having never owned a PDA, I'm not so sure that will be a limiting factor for me, except my wife knows I want a PDA for my birthday next month and she knows her brother is a techie and has numerous Palms he does not use; thus she might get one from him (cheap or free). I have a month+ to find out. Based upon what I get, my decision may be made for me.

Another thing, I searched my local electronic shops for Windows based PDA's; nada, nicht, none, no-where-to-be-found. It's all Palm unless I want to buy a pricey Treo cell phone and the monthly internet to go with it. "Ain't happnin"!

Opinions?

 

[royinidaho]

Go here for a great read on info on Exbal. It looks user friendly to me.

I think it runs on either a Palm or Pocket PC Personal Data Assistant (PDA)

Search the internet for 'pocket pc' or IPaq......

The biggest difference between a palm and a pocket pc is that the Palm based unit can be bought in only black and white display (Which can easily be seen in shooting light and not seen well without back lite at night. While the pocket PC will be color and can't easily be seen in day light and is too **** bright at night.

Results and ease of use are what you want. I'd go with the palm device.

 

[gyesko]

I bougth a palm for EXBAL use on ebay for $27.00 that included shipping.

 

[overbore]

As I type this, my older Palm is synched to my XP based desk top. It is loaded with both Horus and Pejsa and right at the bottom is a small screen whose upper right corner is brightness contol-three settings cover 99% of scenarios. It has a Pellican "Can't Destroy" carrying case; 100% waterproof. Bot it on E-Bay el cheapo.. Overbore /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[royinidaho]

Just for S&Gs I downloaded the FFS program and installed it. 30 day trial. No workie /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Another + for exbal is its 1/2 the price of the FFS.

 

[Desert Fox]

Tell your wife to get you a PDA then get the Exbal program and don't look back. Me and my wife were sharing the use of her PDA and we almost started world war III. I finally got her a Treo and took ownership of her HP Ipaq. She was happy and so am I.

 

[Alan Griffith]

Roy,

[ QUOTE ]
Go here for a great read on info on Exbal. It looks user friendly to me.


[/ QUOTE ]

Where? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[royinidaho]

Well that was dumb /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Its nowonder I can't hit anything. I never know if I cranking the bolt to load or unload /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Read Shawn's stuff here: Link

 

[milanuk]

[ QUOTE ]

The biggest difference between a palm and a pocket pc is that the Palm based unit can be bought in only black and white display (Which can easily be seen in shooting light and not seen well without back lite at night. While the pocket PC will be color and can't easily be seen in day light and is too **** bright at night.


[/ QUOTE ]

Roy,

The Palm PDAs have had color screens available for several years now...

I'm currently using a Palm Tungsten E (color screen) w/ Exbal... pretty accurate, given the right inputs. Not sure if another program might be better or more efficient, as I haven't messed with any others for a while. I know there are those who sing the praises of ATRAG, as well as FFS, and there is a free/shareware bal program floating around the 'Net that seems fairly functional as well.

Monte

 

[royinidaho]

Duh, I knew that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

But I think the B/W would be easier to see during shooting hours.

I'm messing around with a thing called Sure Shot at the moment. Seems quite reasonable in all areas, so far. Haven't used it in the field yet. Just got a first shot at a decent drop chart out to 1200 yds yesterday.

Now I can start honing in on things a bit more.

 

[Alan Griffith]

I think what may make the difference is what PDA my wife gets me. I've been researching alot the the HP iPAQs using the MS windows OS. Even the EXBAL site curretly say they prefer the PDA's which run MS windows for an OS.

If push comes to shove I'll find a used/inexpensive iPAQ to only run a ballistic program; which ever one I get.

 

[milanuk]

Roy,

Yes they are, and thats the beauty of it... if all you want the PDA for is a bal prog (I keep other stuff on it, though I don't use it *that* much) you can frequently find good condition used B&W ones on eBay fairly cheaply... or hit up a friend or co-worker who upgrades regularly for a deal on their old one.

Got a link to that 'Sure Shot' software?

Monte

 

[royinidaho]

hold the cursor over the input fields and complete all 3 bc fields.

I used G1, whatever that means......LINK

 

[steelhead]

What would the minimum amount of memory needed to run the Exbal program?

Thanks,

Devin