New Garmin 396

"Jonathan Goodish" wrote:

That equals at least 2 cables running from the GPS for full
functionality.

I have two cables going to my yoke-mounted 296 now--power and remote GPS
antenna. With a little creative routing and some tie-wraps, you can
hardly tell they're there. One more wouldn't be a problem.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

In article ,
"Dan Luke" wrote:
That equals at least 2 cables running from the GPS for full
functionality.

I have two cables going to my yoke-mounted 296 now--power and remote GPS
antenna. With a little creative routing and some tie-wraps, you can
hardly tell they're there. One more wouldn't be a problem.

That's true, but the reply was targeted at the poster who suggested that
there would be less wires with the Garmin than with a PDA-based system.
In fact, the Garmin will require at least 2 wires to do what modern
Bluetooth-based PDA/TabletPCs can do with just one.



JKG

"Jonathan Goodish" wrote

That's true, but the reply was targeted at the poster who suggested that
there would be less wires with the Garmin than with a PDA-based system.
In fact, the Garmin will require at least 2 wires to do what modern
Bluetooth-based PDA/TabletPCs can do with just one.

Your PDA needs a GPS antenna, an XM Wx antenna, power to the weather
receiver, and either a power cable or batteries to the PDA. You also need
to manage the Bluetooth connection, a source of technical issues in flight.

The 396 does not need an externa GPS antenna, does not need separate power
to the weather receiver, and has no Bluetooth connection to manage.

The 396 also crossfeeds data from a Garmin 430/530 for those who own one.


--------------------
Richard Kaplan

www.flyimc.com

In article 1120880570.c77f078bd4ef02a28a9ba12c122515c0@teran ews,
"Richard Kaplan" wrote:
Your PDA needs a GPS antenna, an XM Wx antenna, power to the weather
receiver, and either a power cable or batteries to the PDA. You also need
to manage the Bluetooth connection, a source of technical issues in flight.

I use a BT GPS and BT XM receiver, so the only power I need up front is
to the PDA, if I choose to power it from an external source. I have the
XM receiver on the hat shelf in back, so the power supplied to it is out
of the way. The important point is that BT enables elimination of USB
cables, which is huge. I have never had to "manage" the BT connection
on the PDA--it just works, all the time, every time.



The 396 does not need an externa GPS antenna, does not need separate power
to the weather receiver, and has no Bluetooth connection to manage.

The 396 does need an external antenna if you plan to receive XM weather.



The 396 also crossfeeds data from a Garmin 430/530 for those who own one.

I'm not sure how this would be very useful. If I had a 430/530 and
wanted weather, I'd either consider the 396 or a PDA/TabletPC product as
a primary weather display.



JKG

"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message

to the PDA, if I choose to power it from an external source. I have the
XM receiver on the hat shelf in back, so the power supplied to it is out

That is the point... there are only "less cables" with a PDA setup if you
ignore the presence and power needs and size of the XM receiver. I suppose
your rationale does indeed make sense if you use the PDA weather system only
in one plane (presumably which you own) and if you somehow run a permanent
power cable to the XM receiver (which is certainly doable though awkward).

For the market of renter pilots -- which is quite substantial -- a 396 is
much more convenient logistically than a PDA solution.

I'm not sure how this would be very useful. If I had a 430/530 and
wanted weather, I'd either consider the 396 or a PDA/TabletPC product as

Connecting a 430/530 to a Garmin portable GPS is immensely useful although
under-recognized as an available feature. The 430/530 provides output only
to the portable GPS; flight plans and active waypoints are transferred.
This means for example that the 396 would depict the current and flight
planned route with no extra pilot workload, thus showing the pilot if his
route will pass through weather. The same is true for comparing a planned
route with terrain. The same is true for depicting an instrument approach
on top of terrain. Additionally the portable GPS can be configured for more
information fields than can fit on just a 430/530, i.e. more ways to depict
ETA, bearing, vertical nav info, etc., etc. The Garmin portable GPS units
also have vertical navigation abilities superior to any PDA, which can be
quite helpful in an emergency. And finally in the event of a total
electrical failure the portable GPS already has the current flight planned
route in its memory with no extra work required of the pilot, making the
electrical failure almost a non-event.



--------------------
Richard Kaplan

www.flyimc.com

In article 1120931190.ee355d9085f8aa3f59c909d62c3c862e@teran ews,
"Richard Kaplan" wrote:
That is the point... there are only "less cables" with a PDA setup if you
ignore the presence and power needs and size of the XM receiver. I suppose
your rationale does indeed make sense if you use the PDA weather system only
in one plane (presumably which you own) and if you somehow run a permanent
power cable to the XM receiver (which is certainly doable though awkward).

For the market of renter pilots -- which is quite substantial -- a 396 is
much more convenient logistically than a PDA solution.

For a portable weather system--no question about it. However, if you're
an aircraft owner and never move the weather system, it's a moot point.
There's nothing difficult about mounting the XM receiver remotely and
providing power to it. It becomes more difficult if you plan to use it
as a "portable" weather system.




on top of terrain. Additionally the portable GPS can be configured for more
information fields than can fit on just a 430/530, i.e. more ways to depict
ETA, bearing, vertical nav info, etc., etc. The Garmin portable GPS units
also have vertical navigation abilities superior to any PDA, which can be
quite helpful in an emergency. And finally in the event of a total
electrical failure the portable GPS already has the current flight planned
route in its memory with no extra work required of the pilot, making the
electrical failure almost a non-event.

None of this is relevant for renter pilots. If I'm considering a 396
primarily for weather, why wouldn't I use a small TabletPC, which has a
superior display and orientation compared with the 396, and WxWorx on
Wings software, which provides a superior weather display? Throw a
small Bluetooth GPS on the glare shield and you can see where you are in
relation to the weather. Entering a flight plan into a Tablet or PDA
isn't a big deal, and I probably wouldn't hesitate to use the Tablet or
PDA for primary enroute navigation if I had a panel mount that wasn't
doing anything other than navigation anyway.

As for vertical navigation abilities, I'm not exactly sure what you're
referring to that would make a Garmin handheld "superior." I would
think that all of the data relevant for VNAV would be provided by the
GPS, so if I'm using a PDA or TabletPC slaved to a Garmin GPS, I'm not
sure how that would be much different for VNAV guidance than using a
Garmin portable--unless you're referring to specific software features
in the Garmin.

I'm not saying there aren't advantages to the Garmin portables, but if I
had an IFR panel mount, I'm not sure that I'd run out and drop $2500 on
a Garmin portable just so that it can sync my flight plan. If I was a
renter pilot, the 396 would be an ideal system due to its easy
portability. If I was an owner serious about certified weather uplink
and features not available on the 430/530, I think I'd investigate
selling the 430/530 and buying another certified system that can better
serve my needs.

That all being said, if I was considering the purchase of a portable
GPS/weather system today, irrespective of what's in my panel, I would
have to seriously consider the 396--I might even run out and buy it.
However, I resisted buying the 296 and its predecessors due to the lousy
screens and poor "landscape" screen orientation. I still have my GPSMAP
195, and it is still a fantastic GPS after all these years, but it has
no obstacles, terrain, or weather capability, so it has been relegated
to storage.



JKG

"Jonathan Goodish" wrote

For a portable weather system--no question about it. However, if you're
an aircraft owner and never move the weather system, it's a moot point.

Less significant, yes. Moot, no. It is still a piece of equipment which
needs either a quasi-permanent power connection to ship's power or else
regular recharging or replacing of batteries.

None of this is relevant for renter pilots. If I'm considering a 396
primarily for weather, why wouldn't I use a small TabletPC, which has a
superior display and orientation compared with the 396, and WxWorx on
Wings software, which provides a superior weather display? Throw a
small Bluetooth GPS on the glare shield and you can see where you are in

It is relevant to renter pilots in particular because it is by far the
easiest way to put both GPS navigation and weather in a rental airplane.
Sure you can set up an XM receiver, Bluetooth GPS, and PDA whenever you rent
a plane, but that is a lot more work then plugging in a 396

relation to the weather. Entering a flight plan into a Tablet or PDA
isn't a big deal

Yes it is if you are talking about an IFR situation when you need to enter
flight plan or navaid info into panel-mount IFR equipment and then duplicate
it in a portable GPS and then reprogram both when you receive changes in
routings or approach clearances enroute. For VFR flight this is not a huge
issue; for IFR flight the convenience from the crossfed data is HUGE.

and I probably wouldn't hesitate to use the Tablet or
PDA for primary enroute navigation if I had a panel mount that wasn't
doing anything other than navigation anyway.

That is fine for VFR but not IFR.


sure how that would be much different for VNAV guidance than using a
Garmin portable--unless you're referring to specific software features
in the Garmin.

Yes, I am referring to the "Vertical Speed to Target" feature of the Garmin
portables (and some Lowrance units as well). This is a highly desirable
feature for executing a deadstick landing when VFR or especially IFR or at
night.


I'm not saying there aren't advantages to the Garmin portables, but if I
had an IFR panel mount, I'm not sure that I'd run out and drop $2500 on
a Garmin portable just so that it can sync my flight plan.

If you had a Garmin 430 or 530 in your panel, it would be downright silly
not to add a Garmin portable GPS given the advantages it offers.. it could
be any portable model since the 195. Once it is a given that you add a
Garmin portable, then it does not make much sense to have a Garmin portable
GPS for backup nav and a separate portable weather system. The realistic
options at that point are either a Garmin 396 or else an older Garmin
portable GPS plus panel-mount weather.


renter pilot, the 396 would be an ideal system due to its easy
portability. If I was an owner serious about certified weather uplink
and features not available on the 430/530, I think I'd investigate
selling the 430/530 and buying another certified system that can better
serve my needs.

There is no such thing as certified weather uplink -- it is easier panel or
portable.

Weather on the 430/530 themselves are marginal.

The apparent best IFR panel weather datalink options at this point are
either a Garmin 430/530 coupled to panel-mount EX500 multi-function display
for weather (an expensive option) or else a Garmin 430 coupled to a 396
portable for weather and terrain.

no obstacles, terrain, or weather capability, so it has been relegated
to storage.

That is one of the key points... the terrain feature of the 296 is
stupendous and ought to be considered the Product of the Year -- in many
ways its terrain implementation is superior to that on much more expensive
panel solutions such as an MX20 or an EX500.

--------------------
Richard Kaplan

www.flyimc.com