[SkyKing]

Well, there is a 'downside' to all this fancy "push-the-button" whiz-bang, "Gee, look at that!" equipment, and that's the proprietary interests of the manufacturer. And until you absorb all the technical doo-dads and understand the individual manufacturers electronic 'architecture' and how it interfaces with other stuff... a good deal could easily become a scary dream!

I just got off the phone with the nice lady at Argus, and for others contemplating buying and installing an earlier version of an Argus 5000 or 7000 monochrome unit, or the later 'enhanced' units in either monochrome green or color, here's the scoop:

Model numbers tell a lot. For example, the Argus 5000 I bought is a "5000-10-00". But if you were to buy a later Argus 7000, you might see this: "7000-20-15". What's it mean?

Of course, the 5000 or 7000 numbers denote whether it's the smaller panel mount in a regular three inch instrument hole, or the larger 4 and 3/4 inch tall clamp mount as in the 7000 model.
The middle numbers indicate the series of the units. For example, if you're looking at a model "5000-10-00" unit, the "10" means "old style standard monochrome" and the "00" means USA database. If, on the other hand, you're looking at a "7000-20-15", the "20" denotes 'Flight Planning Plus" software and the "15" denotes USA database. If the middle number were to be a "25", it would mean the unit is a later "enhanced" unit, and "30" would denote color. All of the color units are "enhanced".
Now, why is knowing all this important? I'm GLAD you asked!

In my case, I stumbled onto a an Argus 5000 for just under $400 bucks. Sounds good, right? Well, the database was last updated in 1993. Guess what? You cannot download a new database into the unit either through the front panel jack or from the internet. You have to purchase a new database 'card' and physically install it in the unit. The cost? $200 bucks for a one time update; $300 for two updates; and, $500 for 6 updates (the latter almost enough to cover a full year for $83.33 per update.) The updates are required if you're using it in an approved IFR setting..... and they come out every 56-days!!! WOW. And just guess what happens if you don't upgrade the database in an "IFR Approved" installation? The manual says, "...the minimum range in all modes will be limited to 2 nautical miles." Hhmmmm. What "IF" you're just going to use it for VFR as an aid to situational awareness? Seems to me if the Loran is supplying distance and track information that the display would indicate whatever the Loran is sensing. More research...

This applies to 5000 and 7000 models that have the "10" and "20" in their part numbers. But if you have the later 'enhanced' versions with "25" and "30" as the middle numbers, then the updates are half-the-price, because you can download the data through the internet and not have to replace a database card. Are we having 'fun' yet? WAIT! It gets better...

If you'd like to "upgrade" the older 5000 or 7000 monchrome units to the newer whiz-bang "enhanced" versions, dig deeper. The upgrade is $995 and involves changing out the CPU, which has to be done at the Eventide factory in New Jersey. And afterwards, YOU TOO can download from the internet at half-price!

If you're tired of looking at "green" you can GIVE Eventide your older dash-10 model 5000 monochrome unit and they'll send you a brand spanking new 5000CE COLOR unit with all the whidgets and a 2-year warranty for $3,500! Eventide calls it a "trade-in". Hhmmmm.

Manuals for the Dash-10 older 5000 and 7000 models are $20 bucks and the installation manual is $30 bucks. If the internal lithium battery has been drained of all its 'life', the unit will stop working, giving you a "Clock 5" failure indication... Eventide gets $59.95 for their battery and it must be soldered in by an FAA approved avionics shop. I wonder if Eventide's lithium battery has some 'proprietary' interests enduring to Eventide, like the Cessna cowl-flap motors? Oh... my, my.

Does anybody know what the NEDA number is on the battery for the Eentide-Argus 5000 and 7000? I'll bet it can be had from a regular electronic source, just like the Lithium battery in the Apollo units (which is a Keeper II Lithium Battery, Part # LTC-7P, with nominal ratings of 3.5 vdc @ 750 mAh. It has 4-prongs to solder into the board). Hey, maybe it's the same one for Eventide!
See what kind of absolutely earth shattering information you can get here on the SOAP board! Yep, I'm devoted to getting the most bang for the buck... and I'm sorry, but the 'middle man' has been screwing us for far too long!

Well, what else? If you're planning to use the Argus 5000/7000 with a King KLN-88 Loran, the manuals says this as a "Reminder: Approval for use of the Argus 5000 or Argus 7000 for IFR with an approved LORAN C, requires that it be connected to the aircraft's gyroscopic directional heading system for orientation and that the database be replaced every fifty six (56) days."

There may be other things here that I haven't been made 'aware' of yet, so this may be an unfolding story. Hope the info helps others to make intelligent decisions.

SkyKing