PDA and software

[Ksmirk]

Ok guys it looks like I need some help here, when it comes to electronic stuff and software I'm out of my comfort zone! I either go crazy and get WAY to much or play cheap thinking it will be enough then have to get something else.

PDA, what have you guys been using? I'm not looking to store tons of phone numbers and run Windows I just want t good PDA to run a ballistics program that I can take out with me.

Ballistics Software, you guys know what works the best please help a guy out here! I normally just use my Mil-Dot master but I'd like to find something to help out and something I could doublecheck myself with also.

Thanks a mess guys! Later,

Kirk

 

[Ridge Runner]

I run exbal on a palm zire 31, It has 16 megs of memory and has plenty of memory to run the program, comes with the software to load on your computer to upload exbal.
Do a search for perry systems and you'll find exbal, I think any palm unit running 8 megs or more will run exbal ok, but not positive on that.
RR

 

[jmden]

You can email the maker of Exbal (and order it here) and ask what he reccomends: Perry-Systems - Ballistic Calculator Software

But I'll tell you he reccomends a pocket-pc based system over the palm, to put it mildly. If all you want to do is run Exbal, find the cheapest machine that'll do so on ebay, make sure you get the necessary accessories and then have fun the learning curve! Good luck.

 

[Ronin]

Another vote for Perry Systems Exbal and Palm (T3) never had a problem but I do make sure the hand held is kept in an inside pocket so the battery doesn't get exposed to cold.

 

[Ksmirk]

Thanks fella's! I have a couple of Palms on e-bay I'm a watchin right now, I was looking at the Exbal software and it looks to be similar to the software I had before but mine would show the impact points using a mil-dot but would also show the bullet drop and wind correction but that was years ago and the ex wife found I had her palm in my shooting bag so ya know she wanted it back ($&@#(&%#$#) oh well. I guess I'll order the software after we get this Christmas holiday over with I have not looked but I'll dig around on here and find out where I can order the software.

Again fella's thanks much for the help now to just figure out the other goodies I need to pick up to make this trasition to being able to use tools tather than just what you have on hand, the tactical shooting we were doing was limited to just what you had and the only thing we could use was a mil-dot master nothing that had batteries! now what am I going to be able to blame a miss on. Later,

Kirk

 

[AJ Peacock]

I use exbal on a palm m130, they are cheap, but when the battery dies, you have to re-install everything (volatile memory). So I upgraded to a Palm Tungsten, battery life is better, calculation is blazing fast and it has non-volatile memory.
The cheaper Black and white monitor is easier to see in the sun than my new color tungsten though.

HTH,

AJ

 

[linksmechanic]

Honestly I would go w/ a pocket pc such as a dell axim. Exbal has had some problems w/ the palm and a dell axim I upgraded to has been flawless.

 

[Southpaw]

Contact Exbal

When I ordered Exbal I was going toget the Palm version because I already owned 2 Palm PDAs. When I talked to the owner (Gerald I think?), He "STRONGLY" advised against the Palm version. Advice I took.

Send them an e-mail from the link above (with Ph#), he called me in short order and explained every thing regarding the difference between the Pocket PC and the Palm versions.

In the long run you'll be glad you did.

Southpaw

 

[splattermatic]

wow !
so many choices ??????

which one ? an x3 , 5 or ?????

i am new also, so someone PLEASE gimme the scoop on what make and model, what installed software needs to be in it, and what i need to install, as well as from where and how, i want this for only running ballistic programs.

i wanted to get a palm cell phone, so i could get everything all in one, but used pda's appear to be real cheap compared to an all in one phone/pda.....

thanks all...

 

[lucasgreff]

ANother question on PDA ballistic software. I just Purchased a Palm VIIX for $20. I would like to use a very basic ballistics program. I don't need a fancy program. Just one I can input the basics and get a shooting solution. I looked at EXBAL and Nightforce. But putting $70 worth of software on a $20 PDA seems foolish.

Are there any freeware or reasonably priced programs anyone know about?
Please include a link if you have one.
thanks
Lucas

 

[300rum]

Hi Ksmirk,

I used Exball on Palm T/X with expandable SD Card Memory, and lots of contact phone numbers.
This unit is a fancy one, $499.00, with Email, and Wireless WI-FI conection Bluetuth, and IR Conection., Documents to Go (EXCELL, wORD, POWERPOINT)

For Hunting to run Exbal, just go on cheap one over Ebay, don't expand your mony on expensive PDA.

Chris

 

[Ksmirk]

Hey guys man the opinions of everyone is great! bet you thought you'd never hear that. I was looking at the site and it appears that as long as you have a palm with an OS of 3.5 or newer all should work out fine, reason I'm looking at the cheapos is the fact I have a tendancy to well break things or leave them so granted I'd be a bit ticked if I left my Palm out in the middle of some range a $20 Palm is not going to hurt my feelings as bad as a $200 - $400 dollar whis bang device. Again fella's thanks a bunch! Later,

Kirk

 

[Hired Gun]

The Perry guy tried to talk me into the pocket pc version too. No way I'm taking that kind of money out in the rain. I bought the Palm version and put it on the $99 Palm from Staples. Got the waterproof clear cover for it. It works great and the battery only needs charged once a month.

 

[300rum]

The Perry guy tried to talk me into the pocket pc version too. No way I'm taking that kind of money out in the rain. I bought the Palm version and put it on the $99 Palm from Staples. Got the waterproof clear cover for it. It works great and the battery only needs charged once a month.

Thats TRUE.
Just get OS instead WINDOWS, and your battery will last forever.
My palm is OS 5.3 and works just fine with Exbal. I never got problems running Exbal on OS platform. And the batery last for really really long time.

Chris