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Can a 296 still be updated?

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
I know the Garmin 296 is a discontinued product, but mine works just fine, it's just that I don't like flying around with what may be outdated data. And I don't feel like buying some new $3,000 gizmo when all I need is updated data.

I updated the software (firmware) fine, but I'll be darned if I can find where it's possible to update the navdata/maps. I know I used to throw a bunch of money at Jeppesen, but they don't seem to have any easy-to-find section on their website either.
 
Garmin now forces you to connect your portable GPS to your computer first before they'll even let you check to see if they still offer a database update for it. If you hand-carry your GPS to one of the many avionics booths at Oshkosh, or the Jeppesen tent, they can update it there.

EDIT: I spoke a little too soon, Garmin *does* have a webpage where you can manually pick a portable aviation GPS to see if database updates are available, but they've got it well-hidden/buried on their website. Seems they're trying to discourage this and want you to do the online check.

https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/portables/add.jsp

You still must create an online account, to check the list for updates. And it looks like you must enter your Unit ID code before you can select an update.

And yes, the 296 is on the list for database updates. I was surprised to see that my 12 year old GPSMAP 92 is still on the list.
 
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Yep, finally found it. It's unbelievable how hard it is to find it. Took me about 30-40 minutes of various searching.

So $50 for a new database update that expires next week.

That ought to last me for a couple of years! :D
 
How about the GPS 90?

Mine still works fine but I think I found that it was no longer supported- tell me I'm wrong and I will update it.

Bob Axsom
 
Bob Axsom said:
How about the GPS 90?

Mine still works fine but I think I found that it was no longer supported- tell me I'm wrong and I will update it.
Click to expand...

It's still on Garmin's webpage dropdown list!

gpsev.jpg
 
Where did you find it?

Bob (Collins), you said it took you a lot of searching. Is Neal@F14's link in this thread what ended up working for you, or if not, where did you end up finding it? The 9A I'm looking at has a 296, and as in your original post, the owner was able to update the firmware, but not the maps. It would be great for both of us if this works.
 
The secret is it has to be done through the web app you have to download. Most of us 296 guys already had a web app for upgrading the firmware (it will do it automatically) but that will not work for finding the charts. If you go to flygarmin, there's an intro video there that tells you how to download and use the app.

If you try to go to the 296 page -- or, really, any of the other one million pages on the site, you'll end up at the 296 page with the red words "discontinued product."

It's really a bad navigation structure, which -- when you think about it -- is kind of ironic. :D
 
Ha!

Yes, ironic indeed! :D

Thanks for the description of what you did - I've passed it along to the seller, and we'll see if he has success. I'm pretty sure he was using the earlier-installed updating app.
 
You have to create an account here.

Then you download the "Garmin Communicator" plug-in. Install it and then you go through that to upload the databases.

Previously, you used the Garmin Webupdater to update the firmware. That'll still work, but you can't upload databases through that.
 
Success

Just heard back from the seller - the 296 is now completely updated, thanks to the help here.

On behalf of all the wrong frequencies I will now NOT tune in, thank you :D
 
Didn't work...

This is an old tread, but I thought I schould share my recent experience: I wanted to update the European (Atlantic) database in my 296.

The FW was updated pretty easily to the 6.1 version via the Garmin Webupdater.
To update the maps on the 296, I had to use the link in this tread.

I found the 296, bought the update, went to the update-page and it all went fine until the last part: "download and install"

The download went fine (I think) but an error msg came up when the new database where installed into the 296.

I tried both Explorer, Chrome and Firefox but they all came back with the same result.

There was a link to a suggestion in case something went wrong: to find the download manually, enter a given code and install it manually.

I'm not so good with computers, so I'm afraid I just will make the 296 crash if I try anything fancy...

As for now, the 296 is up and running again, with new FW but still with the old database.
All my stored info is still info is still intact: user waypoints, routes, aircraft data etc etc, so I guess this is the best I can do for now...

Have anyone else successfully updated their 296 with the Atlantic database lately?
 
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It's possible

Alf

I've just had my 296 Atlantic database updated. Transair did it at Aeroexpo for me last week. They do a 1 off update which is fine for my VFR flying.

Cheers

Peter
 
FWIW the 295 is still supported also, had a new data base installed several months ago.
These old units are remarkably well designed, reliable and great for VFR flight. Mine is hard wired into the electric system and has an output to the auto pilot. That and all it's old previously flown routes and favorites makes it an item of naustalgia.
I won't be getting lost while learning how to operate the new GPS imbedded in GRT's Sport EfFIS. :)
 
196 too

You can still upgrade the Garmin 196 for $49.....AND add obstacles for another $49. Garmin really supports their products:)
 
Thanks for the reply guys.

I've now also tried the alternate way to update the database as described on the Garmin webpage, but no luck: still "an unexpected error" msg.

But the 296 is still up'n running with new FW and the old database, so I'll use it as it is for now.
 
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ao.frog said:
Thanks for the reply guys.

I've now also tried the alternate way to update the database as described on the Garmin webpage, but no luck: still "an unexpected error" msg.

But the 296 is still up'n running with new FW and the old database, so I'll use it as it is for now.
Click to expand...

Alf,

I had a problem getting the 295 upgraded, all due to incompatibility of Garmin's system and mine. It absolutely would not work with my relatively new MAC. I went to a neighbor's home and tried it with his relatively old PC (I think Windows 7 or 8) and it worked.

dd
 
David: good idea, however I used my stationary pc for the update attempt, and it's running Vista. As far as I know, Vista was the version prior to Windows 7, correct?

I've used the very same pc to update the 296 several times before, so I guess the problem is somewhere in either the update itself or the new version of the Garmin Updater... who knows....

Oh well, guess the next step will be to buy the NEXT version of the database. I think that'll come out by the end of this month....
 
296 updates

Couldn't get this to work on a W10 PC - as soon as I switched to an old XP, both firmware and maps on my 296 updated first try!
 
nmarshal said:
Couldn't get this to work on a W10 PC - as soon as I switched to an old XP, both firmware and maps on my 296 updated first try!
Click to expand...

Yep! Computers are getting to be like IRS forms. If they "improve" them many more times, they will be totally unusable.
 
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