696 is installed in panel

[USCANAM]

Here's some shots of the 696 installed in the panel. Sure does use up a lot of room !!

We haven't flown with it yet, but have some dining room table time playing with it. As mentioned before, since it's on my wife's side of the plane, I've even let her see how it works. So far she's impressed.
I've noticed a lot of things about the unit, but one thing has impressed me. t Of the other 3 GPS units (the Blue Mountain, the 530, and the now displaced 296) would not do, and that is pick up enough signals to operate in the hangar, but the 696, albeit on the weak side will, even operating with the built in antenna.
I haven't installed the XM antenna yet, but that will only take a few minutes.

By USCANAM

By USCANAM
My thanks to Paul Dye for his flight reports.
Jack

[AndyRV7]

**** you have a lot of gear in you panel. The 696 looks great.

[USCANAM]

Thanks Andy
I had to remove the Strike Finder to make room for the 696.
It will be going on the left side of the panel where the back up altimeter is, and the altimeter will go where the backup airspeed is.
The airspeed will be for sale, as is the Gizmo that the 296 sat in.
The Strike Finder is very long, so a little bit of re-construction has to be performed !!
This just goes to prove that when you think the plane was finished, it wasn't!!
Jack
N99552
74 hours

[USCANAM]

Bob
You can't mount the panel flush because the off-on button is at the top right hand side. As it is now, I have to use my ball point pen (in the retracted mode) to push the button because it's difficult to fit my fingers through the switches.
However, this is not a problem for two reasons,
1. My other radios stick out the same amount, and
2. If you're powering the radio as I am, through the power cable plugged into my 12volt power supply (cigar lighter outlet), it turns on and shuts off by itself with the master switch.
The unit is approx 1.5" deep, with the front bezel being .5".
The unit really has a lot of features, probably more than I'll remember how to use.
I was warned about having to learn two completely different systems , the Blue Mountain and the 530. Now I have to learn and remember 3, although having used the 530 and the 296 in the past, there are a lot of similarities, but there is still a lot to learn.
I'm looking forward to the weather feature. Don't know why anyone would want the music when flying. That engine is all the music I want to hear!!
Getting back to flush mounting the unit, I guess you could by perhaps cutting a small slot in the panel so you can get your finger in to turn the unit on and off.
Hope this is of some help
Jack

[AHNC]

An important point concerning the 696 has not, to my knowledge, been answered. What did you decide on for a vacuum cleaner?

[USCANAM]

Originally Posted by AHNC

An important point concerning the 696 has not, to my knowledge, been answered. What did you decide on for a vacuum cleaner?

Went to Lowes the other day like a good husband should do, and we checked out every model. Gave them a little floor push and pull test, and as I said in a previous post, she seemed to like the ones with a ball. Decided to come home and scan the web more for some floor tests, and then she found a magazine article claiming that some Hoover is the best, although it does have a bag.
What can I say?? The 696 is ready to fly, and the other sucker is on hold!!

By USCANAM
Stay tuned
Jack

[TSwezey]

Looks good.