Garmin GpsMap 396 - Flight Test #4

Ummm... sorry for throwing a wrench into this..

We use an IPAQ (with built in GPS) and connect to the local
(wherever) Nav Canada weather radar site.

Gives us real time colour weather radar picture..

Not superimposed on the GPS screen, but does the job..

Dave



On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 08:57:59 -0500, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote:


"Jonathan Goodish" wrote in message
...
In article . net,
Mike Spera wrote:
You can add XM Radio for $6.99/mo. + a one time $14.99 activation fee. I
already hook in my iPod to my intercom so I am not interested in the
radio portion.


BTW, when I called XM to activate the audio content, I was told that
there was no activation fee because the 396 uses the same radio ID for
both datalink and audio--in other words, you aren't activating another
radio, you're simply starting the audio subscription to a radio that's
already activated.



JKG


FWIW, I have to different XM radios in cars and it has been trivial to get
them to waive activation fees.

Jay, after the tornado, you should have one of these in your convertable.

Right!

(Although, it wouldn't have helped. After all, I was looking at very
similar radar at the airport, and it didn't show it...)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

FPS396 Precip Colors

Do the precip colors displayed on the GPS396 correspond to FSS Level 1-6?

Don't think so. It appears that the Nexrad has about 12 colors in the range.
How do you know how heavy the precip within a given color band is?

Flown in several of them (Weather Channel in the FBO) and I know that
yellow is beginning to be moderate on the heavier side. Orange and up
are a bit too much for the Cherokee. I've briefly been in very heavy
rain with full throttle, carb heat, and descending about 150 feet/min.
I'm not interested in going there again. The only reason I did it was
that immediately when it began, I heard a radio call about 3 miles away
from a fellow who broke out of it into clear skies. This was in about
1996. Not sure what color it would translate to but I am not anxious to
repeat the experience.
What decision making criteria do you use to determine if you will fly
within a given color band?
Will the plane fly? Can I see for at least a mile or two? Is the ceiling
at or above 3000ft? Dark Green, probably. Yellow/orange, probably not.

Compact areas of orange/red can mean Tstorms. I don't go within 25-30
miles of those.