Swapping a Garmin 396 for a 696

sailvi767 · #1 05-09-2011, 06:37 PM

I am thinking about switching the 396 in the aircraft I purchased for a 696. I have tried to search and read the threads on the 696 but still have some questions. Garmin tells me the 696 has a very good internal antenna and their is no need to go with a external if the unit will have a clear view. Has this been most users experience?
The updates are expensive and confusing. Is there any way to get NOS charts available for free loaded into the unit? Would geo referencing work in that case?
Does anyone opt for the more expensive WX options or is the base 34 dollar monthly package good enough. Seems like a big price increase to pick up winds aloft and freezing levels ect...

Thanks!
George

L.Adamson · #2 05-09-2011, 07:09 PM

The 696's internal antenna always works inside my house, but I use the external antenna on the glareshield under the front slider canopy. It's never lost the signal. The XM Aviator light works for me. It's antenna is about one foot right of the other.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

Ironflight · #3 05-09-2011, 08:27 PM

My experience with the 696 internal antenna is as Garmin and Larry describes - outstanding! It will get a fix inside my house, and I have never used the external antenna for it in the RV-8, or the RV-6 for that matter.

Updates are still pricey, that is a fact. I don't know of any way to get the plates for free, and I know that Garmin had a small army of people Geo-referencing them, so I think that needs special data massaging. At least they will now continue to display, even when expired (they used to disappear when they were 180 days old), so there is still something there. In a pinch, you can always check the valid date for an approach you plan to use on Airnav before the flight (they rarely change).

If they could solve the cost of databases, they'd sell a lot more of them, in my opinion.

Paul

Bob Axsom · #4 05-10-2011, 07:00 AM

I opted for the 695 instead of the 696 because I did not want the WX weather. I mounted it down between the seats on out RV-6A and it comes up fast and works every time with the internal antenna. I have never lost the GPS signal flying within the 48 contiguous states (I mention that only because many years ago flying with the original Garmin GPS 90 I lost it while flying in a race in Canada and I have never flown the 695 up there).

I do not like the artsy graphics on the 695 as well as the business like display on the old GPS 90 or the Apollo MAP 360 driven by the SL-60 but that is just me. The unit is a very reliable navigation reference but at least where I have it mounted without geo referencing the approach plates are useless. I ignore their presence all together even though that was probably the feature that I valued most in purchase decision. I gave up on Jepps after many years of being a customer because the cost so much now that I cannot justify buying them. I subscribe to a very limited set of loose leaf form government plates for the local states and by the bound form books for every trip even though I prefer the Jepps products. This works and is much more cost effective for my applications.

Bob Axsom

L.Adamson · #5 05-10-2011, 07:51 AM

[QUOTEI do not like the artsy graphics on the 695 as well as the business like display on the old GPS 90 or the Apollo MAP 360 driven by the SL-60 but that is just me. [/quote]

It's not just you. I prefer.... get to the point "fonts" for letters & numbers.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

Ron Lee · #6 05-10-2011, 08:49 AM

See if this site offers an approach plate solution

http://www.pdfplates.com/

It may require a different device than a x96.

BillFear · #7 05-10-2011, 03:27 PM

Our 696 gets great GPS reception while in the hangar! No issues at all with the internal antenna.

I was just checking on the cost of the XM weather. Actually if you buy the $55/month aviator package they will waive the activation fee and provide a 10% discount if you pay for the whole year. So in the end it only costs $100 more than the $35/month package.

I think we are going to start out with the $35 package and upgrade if we decide we need the additional features later. I am told you can switch back and forth anytime you want.

Rick_A · #8 05-10-2011, 06:19 PM

I replaced my 496 with a 696 about 18 months ago. I did not install an external antenna and the reception is great. Mine is mounted next to the rollbar, so it has a fairly decent view of the sky.

The 696 is an awesome unit, you'll love it.

etekberg · #9 05-12-2011, 06:47 AM

As others have said, internal antenna works fine.

NOS plates suck on the 696, they are slow and the resolution is terrible. If you want good plates, you have to pony up for the Jepp subscription which is even more expensive. Apparently Jepp uses vectored graphics. I currently have a subscription for the NOS plates on my 696 and don't even use them. Get an Ipad for plates and scanned IFR charts - cheaper and better.

Everything else on the 696 is great!

Ironflight · #10 05-12-2011, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etekberg

NOS plates suck on the 696, they are slow and the resolution is terrible. If you want good plates, you have to pony up for the Jepp subscription which is even more expensive. Apparently Jepp uses vectored graphics. I currently have a subscription for the NOS plates on my 696 and don't even use them.

Interesting comment - I ran the Jepp plates for several months, and now have the NOS plates, and don't recall any difference in the time it takes for them to load. Neither of them pop up instantly, more like a couple of seconds as they are retrieved.