Using a 396 for City (ground) Nav

Ironflight · #1 11-16-2006, 11:04 AM

I purchased my Garmin 396 used a few months ago, in like-new condition and with a few extras - an extra remote antenna, nice case, etc. It did not, however, come with a computer interface cable or PC software - but that hasn't hampered any of my aviation use.

I have been thinking about doing the city navigation thing, and uploading detailed maps, but am a little confused over what exactly I need - and what size memory module might be appropriate. For instance, what software package do I need from Garmin, and how much memory does it take to hold detailed maps for the whole US? Or half the US? Or do you have to load cities individually anyway? I had an in-dash nav system in a Lexus for a couple years, and it had city maps for the whole country - but I think they were on a DVD in the trunk, which could be a large number of Gigs...

I'm a novice on this, so any help from anyone using it would be appreciated!

Paul

Brantel · #2 11-16-2006, 11:19 AM

Paul,

You need the USB-PC cable,
City Select North America Software
a data card

I have a 126 mb card and I can get 90% of the Southeastern US on it. It depends on how much info is available for a particular area.

If you want to put most of the US on there, get the 512mb card.

You select areas in the software and create a "map" to download into the units data card. You can select as much as will fit on your card.

lucaberta · #3 11-16-2006, 02:42 PM

Paul,

Brian is absolutely right, you need an additional flash card in order to have room where to load the additional maps. The flash card goes in the small slot on the bottom, covered by the rubber flap.

One correction on the required software, which is City Navigator v8. I personally have the european version, but you might want to get the US one...

http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/citynav.jsp

City Select is an older software, which would work OK on the 396, but City Navigator has a much newer database and more details in a lot of areas.

When you load the DVD with the road database, you will need to unlock it against the serial number of your GPS. Garmin has a strict anti-piracy policy, but it's fairly straightforward to go thru the process while online.

And as Brian said, you can load as much data as you want on a card, the Garmin software will tell you how full the card is. You will then upload the roads database via the USB cable, quite a fast process.

I am very happy with the roads database on my 296, and lately I have been using the 296 more for driving than flying.

You have full address data, so you can enter an address and the autorouting will take you there. There are also POI (point of interest) already loaded in the database, quite useful.

Let me know if you need any more info.

Ciao, Luca

Ironflight · #4 11-16-2006, 03:46 PM

Thanks guys - sounds pretty straightforward.

Paul

Ironflight · #5 11-18-2006, 10:33 PM

Guys - does the USB cable plug into the same port as the XM antenna? Caue that looks pretty much like a standard minature USB port - I've already got a couple of those cables for various cameras and MP3 players....

Paul

Wes Hays · #6 11-19-2006, 03:00 PM

Paul,
The USB cable is plugged into the same port as the XM Antenna.

I have a 128 MB card in my 396 and I can get all of Texas in the dB with the exception of the area from Amarillo to the North.

It has not been a problem to load the maps in before you leave for the areas you are going to be driving. We did it when we went to Alaska, and then again to Norfolk. It is just amazing how handy it is when you are in an unfamilar area. I now consider the 396 my American Express Card. I won't leave home without it. By land or by air.

Wes Hays
Winters, Tx
N844WB 700+
-6A with 180/Hartzell CS

lucaberta · #7 11-20-2006, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironflight

Guys - does the USB cable plug into the same port as the XM antenna? Caue that looks pretty much like a standard minature USB port - I've already got a couple of those cables for various cameras and MP3 players....

correct Paul, as Wes has already said.

I believe Garmin pulled a little hattrick there, since they needed both a serial port and a +5V line to the smart antenna. I presume that they routed the second serial port which was available on the Garmin 296 to a USB-to-serial converter chip, and are using the standard +5V line from the USB connector.

Basically, all the smarts for XM receiving and decoding are in the smart antenna, and very little is done outside of the smart antenna, hence the "smart" name...

I desumed the above from the fact that both the 396 and 496 only have one serial port, and this is one small hurdle that is delaying my decision to change my 296 into a 496.

Still, I am a bit surprised you did not know about the mini USB port... did you never update the Jeppesen database, or you used the sloooow serial port to do it?

Ciao, Luca

Ironflight · #8 11-20-2006, 06:20 AM

Thanks for the help guys - I got it hooked up last night and after a little hand-to-hand combat with the drivers in XP, got it talking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucaberta

Still, I am a bit surprised you did not know about the mini USB port... did you never update the Jeppesen database, or you used the sloooow serial port to do it?

Ciao, Luca

I've only had the unit for a couple months Luca, and haven't updated the software or database yet - and quite frankly, probably won't (on a regular basis). Since I have an IFR-certified 430 in the plane, and I pay for that subscription, I really don't care if the 396 is that up to date, as long as the XM Weather (it's main purpose) works...

Paul