New (March 1, 2016) Garmin aera 660 Portable GPS

[g3xpert]

Originally Posted by jliltd

Can the Aera 660 obtain GPS position from the GDL-39 (or vice a versa the GDL obtain GPS position from the Aera 660) via either hardwire or Bluetooth interface?

Thanks.

Jim

Hello Jim,

The Aera 660 is the WAAS GPS navigator, and it provides GPS data over either hardwire or Bluetooth to the GDL 39.

Neither the GDL 39, GDL 39 3D, or GDL 39R need to have GPS reception when connected to a Garmin portable or G3X system since they will receive GPS data from these navigators.



Thanks,
Steve

[Jermechanic]

I activated my 496 XM weather today. I would like to purchase a new 660 but no XM weather available for it! That means no weather on board for those of us flying in Canada. There was talk of XM?!? 796 is Too big in my RV6. Anyone know if Garmin is working in it?

[jliltd]

Yes they are working on a Aera 660 SXM weather receiver to be released soon. There was a thread with some "unclassified" screen shots of the XM weather interface on Beech Talk a couple of months ago. This is great news for crop dusters, pipeliners (or other very low altitude operators) and our fantastic neighbors both in the Great White North and South of the Rio Bravo.

Jim

[jliltd]

Thanks, Steve. Very clear answer. And now it seems sensible. I will plug the external antenna into to 660. On the subject the 660 has to have the best reception of any other device I have used with respect to the internal antenna. I can flush mount it at the bottom of the panel in a high wing Cessna and it picks up enough satellites to establish 3D navigation inside a metal hangar with the door closed. I actually feel sheepish adding the external antenna.

Jim

Originally Posted by g3xpert

Hello Jim,

The Aera 660 is the WAAS GPS navigator, and it provides GPS data over either hardwire or Bluetooth to the GDL 39.

Neither the GDL 39, GDL 39 3D, or GDL 39R need to have GPS reception when connected to a Garmin portable or G3X system since they will receive GPS data from these navigators.

Thanks,
Steve

[Jermechanic]

Originally Posted by jliltd

Yes they are working on a Aera 660 SXM weather receiver to be released soon. There was a thread with some "unclassified" screen shots of the XM weather interface on Beech Talk a couple of months ago. This is great news for crop dusters, pipeliners (or other very low altitude operators) and our fantastic neighbors both in the Great White North and South of the Rio Bravo.

Jim

Great news ! Thanks for the heads up Jim

[jliltd]

Jeremy, et al....

Here is an Aera 660 screen shot in the wild showing the SXM weather interface. The weather receiver is an all new separate box with it's own subscription. The Aera 660 will not be backwards compatible with the legacy GXM 30/40/42 weather antennas as used on the GPSMAPs or Aera 796s.



Jim

[rv6ejguy]

Any way to enter custom waypoints by Lat and Long on the 660?

[g3xpert]

Originally Posted by rv6ejguy

Any way to enter custom waypoints by Lat and Long on the 660?

Hello Ross,

Please see page 62 of the Rev. B Aera 660 Pilot Guide. There are several ways to create a user waypoint and you may edit the lat/lon on that waypoint to anything you like.

Thanks,
Steve

[rv6ejguy]

Thanks. I'll get some time to play with it tonight at home.

I've noticed that even though I charge the battery for over 6 hours (twice now with only minutes of use between charges), it never shows more than about 80% charge when I switch the unit on. Is this normal or is the battery marginal?

[g3xpert]

Originally Posted by rv6ejguy

Thanks. I'll get some time to play with it tonight at home.

I've noticed that even though I charge the battery for over 6 hours (twice now with only minutes of use between charges), it never shows more than about 80% charge when I switch the unit on. Is this normal or is the battery marginal?

Hello Ross,

Nothing to be concerned about.

Page 3 of the Rev. B manual explains that a new battery will not show full charge until discharged and charged back up.

The battery pack includes a battery fuel gauge IC that needs to "learn" the capacity of this battery and will adjust for the meaning of "full charge" as the battery pack ages.

Thanks,
Steve