Updating Garmin 430W data cards - Jeppesen

[AlexPeterson]

Just curious - my experience for almost 9 years has been that updating the 430's and now the 430w's navdata card has been a continuous pain in the somewhere. I initially had the old PCMCIA Skybound or whatever the thing was called. 3 years ago I got the newer Skybound USB programmer.

In any case, it seems like it has always been cantankerous to get it to work smoothly. Start the program, get the update downloaded, cross fingers, put the USB plug in, hope it detects. Half the time Windows XP wants to install the drivers for it (of course, they've already been installed and have previously worked). Somewhere along the line I learned it will only work in ONE of the computer's USB ports. However, I have always been able to beat it into submission, and get it updated.

Not today. Maybe the data card is bad, maybe not. I did download the file about 3 or 4 days ago, with the idea that I would bring the laptop to the hangar and do it there (as I've successfully done before). I've not waited several days in the past, maybe that is a problem.

The error it gives is stating that it failed verification. This error doesn't explicitly show on the control panel, but can be found by looking at the log. The help file indicates that this might be a download count problem, and to call them for reset. Subscription good through October.

In looking through the log, it is clear that I've had this error before, and was always able to pound through it somehow. The list of errors in that log are, to me, indicative of crummy software.

What are other's experiences?

[Ironflight]

Hate to say it (because I am not fond of the whole Jeppeson Monopoly on IFR databases...), but I have not actually had a problem updating the 430 database with the USB Skybound in the past four years Alex. Time consuming - yes - but no errors. I pretty much go "hands off" on the computer when I get the thing going, afraid that if I bring anything else up, I might interrupt the process. I have always gone straight to the card - never tried saving it and doing the card later. I have three cards that I use in rotation.

Now my problem is that I have a 430 in the -8, and just got a 430W for the -3. That means TWO different databases. I'll have to do the math on the break-even point to do the upgrade for the Val I guess.....I'd rather spend that money on the -3 right now!

Paul

[John Clark]

Like Paul, I have never had any issues with the download, but I agree on the monopoly issue. I have an additional problem with the update program being exclusively Windows based. As a "Mac guy," I have a Windows netbook that I use almost exclusively for Jeppesen downloads.

John Clark ATP, CFI
FAA FAAST Team Member
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA

[pierre smith]

...but can you plug the existing card into a USB port? It doesn't seem to match when I looked at it.

What is needed, specifically, to update my card/s?

Thanks,

[Pat Hatch]

Originally Posted by AlexPeterson

What are other's experiences?

Alex,

Having had many of the same problems over the years, the one thing I can suggest is that you go ahead and re-load the drivers for the particular USB port that you're working with. I have found that when you download the drivers, they only seem to work for the one USB port (this may be an XP issue). In the past, when I've had a problem, I just re-load the drivers and then make a note of the USB port for the next time. If the port is preempting for drivers, it probably needs them.

Hope this makes sense.

[dmaib]

Originally Posted by pierre smith

...but can you plug the existing card into a USB port? It doesn't seem to match when I looked at it.

What is needed, specifically, to update my card/s?

Thanks,

Pierre,
You need to buy a Skybound card reader from Jeppesen. It has a USB connector and your 430 card plugs into the Skybound. Jepp will charge you a pretty penny for the Skybound. Around $70 IIRC.

I have had no problems downloading updates. I have just ignored the message saying I need to download the driver. It always seems to work. The Garmin pricing irritates me. I also have to buy updates for my Chelton's from Jepp. The Chelton nav data and obstruction data is around half the cost of the Garmin nav data with NO obstacle updates. Got to pay extra for those from Garmin.

[scard]

We haven't had any problems. I have done the update every cycle for the last 3+ years. I do keep a pretty clean windows virtual machine for just such purposes. With known USB driver funk, I'm pretty sure I could 'make' it to fail if I wanted to .

[Pat Hatch]

Originally Posted by pierre smith

What is needed, specifically, to update my card/s?

Thanks,

Pierre,

First you need to determine which card(s) you have. Probably PCMIA (older) or Compact Flash (CF) and Secure Digital (SD) (newer). Memory size can also be an issue. You will need a card reader, available from Jeppesen unless one came with your avionics. I would call Jeppesen Services, tel. 800-621-5377. Tech Support is 800-732-2800. You will need to open an account if you haven't already. They can also discuss card reader options with you, but its probably going to be the Skybound USB reader, I think for around $60 last I checked. You will also need to download their software called JSUM (Jeppesen Services Update Manager). Get the JSUM Quick Start PDF guide and read it.

After you have all the above, they will talk you through the process of downloading the database onto your computer and then the process of writing the database from your computer to your data card through the USB card reader. [Just to clarify, first Jepp downloads the database to your account, then you initiate the action of writing the data to your card.] After you've done it once, it becomes fairly routine.

Hope this helps.

[AlexPeterson]

Originally Posted by Pat Hatch

Alex,

Having had many of the same problems over the years, the one thing I can suggest is that you go ahead and re-load the drivers for the particular USB port that you're working with. I have found that when you download the drivers, they only seem to work for the one USB port (this may be an XP issue). In the past, when I've had a problem, I just re-load the drivers and then make a note of the USB port for the next time. If the port is preempting for drivers, it probably needs them.

Hope this makes sense.

Pat, thanks. I don't believe that is the issue (today...). It detects the reader and card (different message if the card is not in the reader, so it sees the card also). I think it has to do with the several day time delay from downloading to trying to burn card today. I'll talk with them tomorrow.

I've had a couple funny glitches with the 430 over the last year, might be faulty card.

[Pat Hatch]

Alex,

If there is an expiration time on the write, that would be a good thing to know--I've never run up against it before, but would make sense to deter piracy. Hope you'll let us know!