Where did you mount your 396/496
 

I am thinking of where to mount a 396 in my 7A. I am not ready to revamp my panel to airgizmo dock it so I am looking for temporary mounting applications at this time. I also need ideas for the mounting arm. In short, where did you place it and what did you use to secure it.

Tad Sargent
"Stripes", Palmetto Flight, Team RV
320hours
7A

Hi Tad:

I just got my 496 installed (just finished hard-wiring it into the panel last night). I had room above my radio stack for the unit. Like you, I plan on eventually going with the Airgizmos dock but I didn't want to ground my airplane to pull the panel to cut the hole. I simply made up a little bracket and painted it the color of my instrument panel. I simply removed the little cradle from the yoke mount and screwed it to my new bracket. The bracket angles toward me. I will eventually put in the Airgizmos dock but for now it's working great. I have made three or four flight using the cigarette plug and my mount and I'm happy with it. Angling the unit toward you certainly eliminates any screen readability issues.

The only issue I encountered is running the plugs. I reluctantly put both the GPS and XM antennas on my glareshield. They may get moved if I can ever think of a better location but for now they're easily accessible and I can take the XM antenna out pretty easily if I ever need to use it in another airplane or if I need to take a long road trip and want WX in the car (for whatever reason).

If you're going to hardwire it and don't want to reuse one of your existing wires, you can get a new wire harness from Garmin's website.

You're gonna love that unit! It's awesome.

Unfortunately I don't yet have any good pictures of my install.

Center Low
 

Here is what I did:



I like it right in front and angled up.

Center bottom
 

The GPS is mounted on a simple plate tied into the existing bolt holes on the (slider canopy) roll bar. The adhesive tape that Garmin supplies is more than up to the task of holding the GPS unit to the plate and as you can see, also serves double duty for routine stowage of my headset.

RAM mount
 

Tad,
I used a RAM mount. Buy the 296 one from Aircraft Spruce. (The one with a suction cup.)
Throw away the suction cup, and mount to the left side rail with 2 screws and lock nuts.
Order the power data cable for a 296 also. That is the right one for the 396. (Ask me how I know.)
Had one in my -6 and just put one in the -4 a couple of days ago.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ting+396%2F496

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ting+396%2F496