Kahuna
Moderatoring
Recently made some panel changes to get the 796 on it. I primarily went for this unit due to its feature set and ADSB weather integration with the GDL 39 which I also wanted to move to off XM.
The bare wire install with the docking station is a nice installation for the RV-8. I do not like things running around my cockpit like ipads and things. I preferr clean and usable.
I mounted the unit with screen tilt up and inward toward me more direct field of view. This is useful and makes touch screen activity easy.
I found this my first touch screen in the cockpit to be actually very nice. The speed at which you can move, select, pinch, expand, scoll etc on the unit is faster than I can mentally keep up. ADSB weather comes available at ~2k'agl.
I thought the GPS signal quality running around the hanger and house with it was going to be fine and not need an external antenna. I was wrong. In the weather at night I have twice lost gps signal while airborne. I have the remote antenna for the 796 on order. Ill add that to my low profile antenna farm on me glare shield.
I remote mounted the GDL 39 and remote mounted the external ADSB antenna to the belly of the plane. Again I dont like things running around the cockpit. Boxes in view, antennas sticking up etc. It fit nicely between the right gear tower and the baggage wall. A 90deg SMA connector on the RG400 kept a low profile install. Neat, clean, and out of the way.
I have tried both hard wire and bluetooth on the GDL 39. I found bluetooth less reliable with the GDL unit mounted a couple of metal plates away from the 796. So I recommend hard wire for remote installs between the GDL 39 and the 796.
I have had 2 issues so far with the 796.
1. Audio noise as discussed in this thread.
2. 'Inside class B airspace warnings' when Im not. I have found that it says im 'inside' when Im within 1k' above or below. I can find no settings for this. SUA alarms are either on or off. The 'airspace ahead' alarms seem pretty accurate. But for me living under a Class B coming under, in and above it, this alarm has made me act when I need not. Alarm comes on "inside class B xxx' and I act and then get frustrated. The moving map data on the altitudes of the B are fine. I think its a bug. Could be operator error. Trying to navigate the Garmin forums has been less than useful. Im running the current software.
Also, in the moving map depiction of class B, with the high res screen it would be nice if the B veils had altitude indications. So I know what they are and if Im headed towards the need to do something.
I have not been able to get any waypoint data 'in' items to work yet. Im trying to get flight plan or waypoint data from other units to send it to the 796 but the fix for this eludes me now. Im still poking away at it.
All in all I very much like the unit. It would be nice if it were tablet size. It is a big and bulky beast. But it is feature rich, provides for panel integration with weather, and has a handsome screen thats easy to use.
End of report.
The bare wire install with the docking station is a nice installation for the RV-8. I do not like things running around my cockpit like ipads and things. I preferr clean and usable.
I mounted the unit with screen tilt up and inward toward me more direct field of view. This is useful and makes touch screen activity easy.
I found this my first touch screen in the cockpit to be actually very nice. The speed at which you can move, select, pinch, expand, scoll etc on the unit is faster than I can mentally keep up. ADSB weather comes available at ~2k'agl.
I thought the GPS signal quality running around the hanger and house with it was going to be fine and not need an external antenna. I was wrong. In the weather at night I have twice lost gps signal while airborne. I have the remote antenna for the 796 on order. Ill add that to my low profile antenna farm on me glare shield.
I remote mounted the GDL 39 and remote mounted the external ADSB antenna to the belly of the plane. Again I dont like things running around the cockpit. Boxes in view, antennas sticking up etc. It fit nicely between the right gear tower and the baggage wall. A 90deg SMA connector on the RG400 kept a low profile install. Neat, clean, and out of the way.
I have tried both hard wire and bluetooth on the GDL 39. I found bluetooth less reliable with the GDL unit mounted a couple of metal plates away from the 796. So I recommend hard wire for remote installs between the GDL 39 and the 796.
I have had 2 issues so far with the 796.
1. Audio noise as discussed in this thread.
2. 'Inside class B airspace warnings' when Im not. I have found that it says im 'inside' when Im within 1k' above or below. I can find no settings for this. SUA alarms are either on or off. The 'airspace ahead' alarms seem pretty accurate. But for me living under a Class B coming under, in and above it, this alarm has made me act when I need not. Alarm comes on "inside class B xxx' and I act and then get frustrated. The moving map data on the altitudes of the B are fine. I think its a bug. Could be operator error. Trying to navigate the Garmin forums has been less than useful. Im running the current software.
Also, in the moving map depiction of class B, with the high res screen it would be nice if the B veils had altitude indications. So I know what they are and if Im headed towards the need to do something.
I have not been able to get any waypoint data 'in' items to work yet. Im trying to get flight plan or waypoint data from other units to send it to the 796 but the fix for this eludes me now. Im still poking away at it.
All in all I very much like the unit. It would be nice if it were tablet size. It is a big and bulky beast. But it is feature rich, provides for panel integration with weather, and has a handsome screen thats easy to use.
End of report.
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