Garmin 396
 

Anyone heard how the weather part of the new Garmin 396 works? Garmin's website touts it as having traffic (if interfaced to their 330 xponder), terrain picture and avoidance modes, and weather through xm satellite. I think the other is all good, but havng the weather seems the most important to me. How does xm weather compare to the other good services I've read about, I wonder?

Do you mean "how well it works" or "how does it function"? The 396 is the talk of the show here at Oshkosh. GPS, terrain, TFRs and weather, all in one integrated box for $2495. For $300 more you can get a car kit, and use it for music in your car too! Must make the Controlvision folks feel a little green... The weather source is XM.

If you have other questions, I can probably find out this week for you. But I can't tell you how well it works in practice. But there will be a lot of folks who can soon, this thing is going to be very popular....

Kevin

XM Wx
 

Don't know about the 396, but the XM Wx works great on the Controlvisin PDA. I wonder what I did before without it.

Keven
________
Kid depakote

KEVIN,
HAD AN IFR RESERVATION FOR OSH TODAY AT 9 AM CDT AND HAD TO CANCEL. I WHINED AROUND WORK ALL DAY TODAY. TODAY HAD TO BE THE BEST DAY FOR THE SHOW ALL WEEK. PERFECT WEATHER.

THE 396 LOOKS TO BE THE UNIT TO HAVE RIGHT NOW. BUT YOU BETTER BUY IT NOW OR IF YOU WAIT THE MONTH AFTER YOU BUY IT THE NEXT BEST THING WILL ARRIVE. THE ONLY UNKNOWN FOR ME IS THE XM PART. I HAVE HEARD SOME TALK THAT IT CAN BE A LITTLE SENSITIVE TO GET STARTED WITH THE SOFTWARE. I LOVE MY 330 AND THE TRAFFIC OPTION. THE TERRAIN PART WOULD BE NICE BUT IN THE MIDWEST IS NOT REAL NESESCITY.

TOO BAD THE SITE HAS TO BE MODERATED RIGHT DURING OSH. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS KEVIN WITH THE BABYSITTING AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME AT THE SHOW.

The 396 sure does sound impressive.

On the weather, I guess I was wondering how the "XM" type weather stacked up to the other kinds of satellite weather available. Is it as good as, or equivalent to the other stuff I've seen pilots talk about here and elsewhere? That's more or less what I'm wondering...

Kevin (admin) - I'm trying to order one before Sunday ends. But since Garmin doesn't sell the units themselves directly, the only dealers I can find locally that are open on Sunday (a day I normally don't shop) are Best Buy and CompUSA.

If you get a chance to ask someone about their offer that's advertised on their site - "buy one during Oshkosh and get a free car kit" - it'd be nice to know how they do that. If I order one from CompUSA, will Garmin throw in the car kit?

And I noted their website suggested $2695 for the unit and you mentioned 2495. Did they lower the price, or just divorce the car kit from the pkg?

In any event - thanks.

One of the folks I am here with, who has studied this stuff, says it is a good or better than other sources. There are really only two now - XM and WSI. The others (I am told) are falling by the wayside.

The deal I heard is $2495, and for $200 more you get a car kit. You said another was advertising $2695, with a free car kit. Sounds like the same deal more or less to me.

I will try to ask someone in the morning. If you want to email me your cell number, I can get you the answer faster...

I will be at the show from about 7AM to 10:30AM tomorrow, then I am headed back home.

Kevin

Sorry - by the time I got this you're probably gone, but: 801-647-7836.

The price I saw was from the Garmin website (even though they don't sell it directly that's what they listed).

Thanks for the info.

I didn't learn any more from Garmin. They said they don't know what Best Buy and CompUSA are doing...

Sorry,

Kevin

Thanks for trying anyway. Appreciate it. I'll try to see what I can find out this afternoon.

Traded Control for 396
 

I just bought 3 months ago and now sold my Control Vision unit for a Garmin 396.

While in OSH this last week, I went to a Garmin presentation on the unit, I can only say that Garmin has leaped frog all of the competition by a large margin.

The Conrol Vision unit I sold on Ebay along with my 296, and purchased a 396 for $2495 no tax with the Auto Kit included.

Flew with it home today, listening to XM radio and watching the weather on the 396.

All I can say is this is one slick unit.

For those that want another view, take a look at what Consumer Avionics had to say this month about it. Yeah, their view is the same as mine.

Rick

I have a GDL69 hooked up to a Garmin 530. The GDL69 uses XM weather. XM weathr is, in short, fantastic. If it works the same way on the 396, you'll love it. Actually, it will probably work better, at least initially, on the 396 than it does on the 53I0, because many of the features of the GDL69 won't be available until Garmin does their WAAS upgrade, which has now been pushed off until the end of next year.

If I had a chance to do it over again, I would buy the 396 instead of the GDL69. It is less money, has more features, and would give me a second GPS which is also battery operated.

One thing to watch out for, which even the avionics dealers weren't aware of. There is a failry powerful magnet in the base of the "smart receiver" of the 396. You are supposed to put the receiver on your glare shield, so that it can see the XM satellite...not a great place to have a magnet. Many people have reported compass deviations of 5 to 20 degrees because of the magnet. And it is sealed into the unit. Garmin says if you take it out, you void the warranty.

Mark

wsi vs xm
 

I fly WSI on a Garmin 530 in a P337, it's great. I also fly xm in a BE-58 on an MX-20, and in a C-340 on a 530. WSI's picture is a little better, and I think the response time is slightly better, but I'll buy a 396 anyway! The addition of music is very cool!

HOW DO YOU GET AROUND THE MAGNET PROBLEM??
IS THERE A REMOTE ANTENNA YOU CAN GET?

Larry:

The antenna that comes with the 396 IS a remote antenna. It is a USB device which gets its power and sends its data through a USB cable to the 396. Garmin has extension cables, but because it is a USB device, there are some limitations on cable length. Garmin's solution is to "move it as far away from your compass as you can". Not too swift for the leading aviation GPS company in the world.

Mark

magnet problem?
 

I'm not aware of a magnet problem.....?

Since it is an antennae, it needs a clear view of the sky, so if it is designed to go on the glare shield, it can't go too far away from the compass.

I would think you could get an exterior antennae for it, which your shop would have to install, but maybe they don't have them available yet. Since most compasses are near the glare shield, it seems weird that they would design something like this. But engineers have screwed up before, and will again...

Kevin

396
 

I have a 396 since OSH and have now flowen with it for 6-8 hours, I put the receiver up on the glare shield off to the side, so far I have not seen any issues with the compass.
I asked tonight a friend who also got one at the same time, he flys an Archer, he has 10-12 hours with it and has had the same experience.

As far as I am concerned, this is one of the best devices by an Avionics company, that I have ever seen.

Look at the special issue of Consumer Avionics for their write up.

Rick

compass
 

I run a Garmin 196 in my 337, and it has a built in GPS. I haven't referrfed to a whiskey compass since I don't know when, but I'm pretty sure it's still up there but it doesn't seem to interfere with my GPS........!

exterior garmin antenna
 

Exterior/remote garmin GPS antennas are readuly available. It's my understanding that hte new 396 has a single antenna to support the GPS and XM functions.

Ron:

The remote antenna on the 396 isn't just a GPS/XM antenna. It is the XM reciever as well. According to the Garmin reps at OSH, there is no external unit available.

Mark

396
 

The GPS antenae is the same as was on the 296, it is the small one that swings up on the box.
The XM weather and radio antenae is a combined one, this is new for the 396, it is the one that sits up on the glare shield.
I cannot say enough positive comments about the unit.
The only thing I miss from the Control Vision unit is that it does not have Approach plates.
My guess is that the 496 next year will have those???

Rick

I'm still waiting on my 396. Apparently they were swamped with orders and some of the smaller dealers don't have them yet. Anyway, I'm looking forward to it.

It sounds like it has a GPS antenna, and then also the "magnet" antenna unit as well? is that right? I was planning on using the second GPS antenna I already had on the plane, but then it seems I'll still have to plug that magnet thing somewhere on the glareshield?

Paul -

The USB attached XM antenna is solely for the XM Radio and Weather. It does not receive any GPS position data. You will still need either the suction cup mounted GPS antenna included w/ the 296/396, the built-in GPS antenna, or an external fuselage mounted Garmin antenna. I have used the 296 for over a year with absolutely no problem using only the built in GPS antenna...never even took the external out of the packaging.

My new 396 has been here a week - it is absolutely fabulous... any further praise would simply be repeating everyone else's claims here....It's simply THAT good!

The only drawback so far is the cables are a little cumbersome, and I learned with a little dissapointment that the XM antenna is configured with a unique radio id - which means that you cannot have one for your plane, one for your boat, and one for your car - all using the same XM subscription... Instead - you need to drag your XM antenna between vehicles to take advantage of the weather and XM Radio subscription that is authorized solely for that radio (antenna) ID....

But still a small price to pay for a great product!!!!
LOVE IT!

I received my new 396. Excellent device. Only complaint is that silly XM antenna. I told them that they needed to develop an external one - post haste. It work OK, though, but I haven't been able to see whether or not it will have any magnetic effect or not since I haven't mounted it in the plane yet.

I noted that JA Air makes an excellent panel mount bracket for the 396 - a mere $99 and needs a panel opening of 6.25" x 4.25" and you're off and running. Looks real nice, but I only have 4" of height available so I'll work out something different.

It's quite a box and seems as good as everyone says it is. I've purchased the power/data interface cable so I can interface it to my 430 and have flight plans entered into the 430 go directly into the 396.

does the interface cable require avionics shop installation?

Have you seen these mounts:

RAM B-121-GA7 $52.28 has a suction cup option

RAM B-166-GA7 $41.37

http://www.ram-mount.com/products/aviationmounts.htm

or

http://www.versatrue.com/control/sta...e=APP_AIRPLANE

$102.97

or

http://www.aeromedix.com/?_siteid=ae...u&sku=lobmtsuc

No, I hadn:t seen those. The Lobstermount seemed especially unique. In my case I have some panel space so I figure I might as well put the 396 in there; it will be right below the 430.

I:m sure anyone with the schematics could wire up the connection between the 430/530 and 396. They give you the diagrams for the cable they sell for the 396, and it could be that the other end (430 in my case) probably is available, too. Since the avionics guy lives right next door to me, I'll probably just let him do it, though.