Has anyone else noticed that the new v4.0 software for the Garmin 196
adds "support for Obstacle database"? Does anyone know what this means?
Sounds like a potentially valuable upgrade to part of my existing IFR
flight bag. Hmmm...

max wrote:

> Has anyone else noticed that the new v4.0 software for the Garmin 196
> adds "support for Obstacle database"? Does anyone know what this means?
> Sounds like a potentially valuable upgrade to part of my existing IFR
> flight bag. Hmmm...

Sounds like babble-speak. The unit was introduced with support for an
obstacle database.

wrote:

> max wrote:
>
> > Has anyone else noticed that the new v4.0 software for the Garmin 196
> > adds "support for Obstacle database"? Does anyone know what this means?
> > Sounds like a potentially valuable upgrade to part of my existing IFR
> > flight bag. Hmmm...
>
> Sounds like babble-speak. The unit was introduced with support for an
> obstacle database.

Oops, disregard. I was thinking of the 296. It would be interesting to see
how they would implement terrain depiction on a greyscale display.

I believe it is just obstacles like towers,etc as depicted on a sectional
not actual terrain.

> wrote in message ...
>
>
> wrote:
>
>> max wrote:
>>
>> > Has anyone else noticed that the new v4.0 software for the Garmin 196
>> > adds "support for Obstacle database"? Does anyone know what this means?
>> > Sounds like a potentially valuable upgrade to part of my existing IFR
>> > flight bag. Hmmm...
>>
>> Sounds like babble-speak. The unit was introduced with support for an
>> obstacle database.
>
> Oops, disregard. I was thinking of the 296. It would be interesting to
> see
> how they would implement terrain depiction on a greyscale display.
>
>

Garmin charges $35 additional for it. I am uploading it to my 196 right now
after the 4.00 firmware. They now list Jepp Aviation for $35 and a separate
$35 for obstacles. I thought it would come with the regular Jepp update.
That makes it twice the price to keep it current.

Ron

"max" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Has anyone else noticed that the new v4.0 software for the Garmin 196
> adds "support for Obstacle database"? Does anyone know what this means?
> Sounds like a potentially valuable upgrade to part of my existing IFR
> flight bag. Hmmm...
>

Ron wrote:

> Garmin charges $35 additional for it. I am uploading it to my 196 right now
> after the 4.00 firmware. They now list Jepp Aviation for $35 and a separate
> $35 for obstacles. I thought it would come with the regular Jepp update.
> That makes it twice the price to keep it current.
>
> Ron

Jeppesen doesn't provide obstacle data. The digitial obstacle database is
maintained by NACO.

wrote:
>
> Ron wrote:
>
>
>>Garmin charges $35 additional for it. I am uploading it to my 196 right now
>>after the 4.00 firmware. They now list Jepp Aviation for $35 and a separate
>>$35 for obstacles. I thought it would come with the regular Jepp update.
>>That makes it twice the price to keep it current.
>>
>>Ron
>
>
> Jeppesen doesn't provide obstacle data. The digitial obstacle database is
> maintained by NACO.

I downloaded and installed the 4.00 firmware and the $35 obstacle database. I
don't know what to look for, but I didn't see any different behavior when I flew
with it. OTOH, I didn't spend a lot of effort looking. Does someone know what
specifically I should be looking for?

Dave

Dave Butler wrote:
> I downloaded and installed the 4.00 firmware and the $35 obstacle
database. I
> don't know what to look for, but I didn't see any different behavior
when I flew
> with it. OTOH, I didn't spend a lot of effort looking. Does someone
know what
> specifically I should be looking for?
>
> Dave

I just installed 4.00 & the obstacle database as well. I now see very
small new triangular icons all over the place on the map page. Dragging
the pointer over one reveals an obstacle name and height (now at my
desk I forget if it was AGL or not). Maybe on an approach for awareness
it could be handy, but I felt like the screen was suddenly way too
cluttered with obstacles. Of course I was looking over the city of San
Francisco.

max wrote:

> I just installed 4.00 & the obstacle database as well. I now see very
> small new triangular icons all over the place on the map page. Dragging
> the pointer over one reveals an obstacle name and height (now at my
> desk I forget if it was AGL or not). Maybe on an approach for awareness
> it could be handy, but I felt like the screen was suddenly way too
> cluttered with obstacles. Of course I was looking over the city of San
> Francisco.

Interesting. I didn't see anything like that. Do you have to be at a low
altitude to see the obstacles? By the time I was low enough for any obstacles to
be a factor, I probably wasn't looking at the GPS. Well, I'll experiment some
more. Thanks for the info, max.

Dave

So it's really obstacles, not terrain?

Dave Butler wrote:
> Interesting. I didn't see anything like that. Do you have to be at a
low
> altitude to see the obstacles?

Actually I was in simulator mode- whaetever altitude that mode defaults
to. I don't recall the zoom level- 5 miles maybe.

Dave Butler wrote:
> Oh yeah, in simulator mode it would from time to time pop up
"Obstacle
> warning!". I'm not sure what radius or direction the obstacle had to
be to
> trigger the warning.

I just figured out that you can control this (to some extent) by
hitting the menu button while on the map page. From there you can get
to "Set Up Obstacles" which lets you set a "Caution Elevation" and
"Look Ahead Time". They default to 1000ft and 120 seconds respectively,
but can be set as low as 500ft and 60 seconds which result in less
frequent warnings.

Also I noticed that Obstacle Warnings would pop up even if the map was
zoomed beyond the level require to actually display the obstacles. In
which case you have to manually zoom in until the obstacle becomes
visible- kind of stupid.

I've concluded that the 'auto' setting you mentioned is fine, but
dulling the sensetivity to obstacle alerts is the way to go. You'll
basically get an alert if there's a real problem, otherwise you'll just
never have to be bothered with obstacles on the screen.

-max