Garmin 296/396 Terrain Data

[[email protected]]

When you buy a Garmin 296 or 396 in this country the unit comes with
TAWS-like terrain for North and South America.

There are two other terrain databases available, which are standard for
units sold in those coverage areas, ATL (Atlantic, Europe, and Africa)
and PAC for Asia and the west Pacific.

These three coverage areas are sold for $295, each, so for someone to
have the world, they would normally have to shell out $885. Yes, you
would have to buy the Americas, too, because once you overwrite it with
ATL or PAC, it is gone unless you have the data file to load it back in.
You don't get the data file when you buy the unit, you just get the
preloaded terrain data.

Well, guess what! Garmin just updated the terrain 2004 data files to
2005 and, for a time (probably a very short time) all three coverage
areas can be downloaded FREE from the Garmin site.

I just downloaded all three and switched between the three with no
problem. I overwrote my included Americas (AMR) with ATL, then
overwrote ATL, with PAC, and finally overwrote PAC with AMR.

Unlike Jeppesen navdata or U.S. manmade obstacle periodic updates, these
terrain files are not keyed to the unit's ID number.

Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
would be good enough for a very, very long time.

[Jon Woellhaf]

Thanks for the tip, Tim!

> wrote in message news:XN3mf.101$z21.82@fed1read04...
> ... Garmin just updated the terrain 2004 data files to 2005 and, for a
> time (probably a very short time) all three coverage areas can be
> downloaded FREE from the Garmin site.

[AaronK]

Thanks for the tip!

What is the process to overwrite the terrain data bases? Can this cause any
problems with other date including user data on the 396? ... Aaron

> wrote in message news:XN3mf.101$z21.82@fed1read04...
> When you buy a Garmin 296 or 396 in this country the unit comes with
> TAWS-like terrain for North and South America.
>
> There are two other terrain databases available, which are standard for
> units sold in those coverage areas, ATL (Atlantic, Europe, and Africa) and
> PAC for Asia and the west Pacific.
>
> These three coverage areas are sold for $295, each, so for someone to have
> the world, they would normally have to shell out $885. Yes, you would
> have to buy the Americas, too, because once you overwrite it with ATL or
> PAC, it is gone unless you have the data file to load it back in. You
> don't get the data file when you buy the unit, you just get the preloaded
> terrain data.
>
> Well, guess what! Garmin just updated the terrain 2004 data files to 2005
> and, for a time (probably a very short time) all three coverage areas can
> be downloaded FREE from the Garmin site.
>
> I just downloaded all three and switched between the three with no
> problem. I overwrote my included Americas (AMR) with ATL, then overwrote
> ATL, with PAC, and finally overwrote PAC with AMR.
>
> Unlike Jeppesen navdata or U.S. manmade obstacle periodic updates, these
> terrain files are not keyed to the unit's ID number.
>
> Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
> would be good enough for a very, very long time.

[[email protected]]

AaronK wrote:
> Thanks for the tip!
>
> What is the process to overwrite the terrain data bases? Can this cause any
> problems with other date including user data on the 396? ... Aaron
>
The terrain database is simply a database. It is independent of your
user waypoints, routes, and other databases.

The only time you have to protect your user data is when you upgrade the
firmware. And, with the 296/396 that is not usually a problem unless
you crash a firmware update.

It always pay to keep your routes and user waypoints duplicated via
MapSource to your desktop or laptop.

[AaronK]

Thanks, So the 3 terrain files can't all be installed on the 396 at the
same time? ... Aaron

> wrote in message news:Cv5mf.109$z21.74@fed1read04...
> AaronK wrote:
>> Thanks for the tip!
>>
>> What is the process to overwrite the terrain data bases? Can this cause
>> any problems with other date including user data on the 396? ... Aaron
>>
> The terrain database is simply a database. It is independent of your user
> waypoints, routes, and other databases.
>
> The only time you have to protect your user data is when you upgrade the
> firmware. And, with the 296/396 that is not usually a problem unless you
> crash a firmware update.
>
> It always pay to keep your routes and user waypoints duplicated via
> MapSource to your desktop or laptop.

[[email protected]]

AaronK wrote:

> Thanks, So the 3 terrain files can't all be installed on the 396 at the
> same time? ... Aaron

One at a time on the 296. Perhaps the 396 is different, although I
doubt it.

>
>
>

[me]

Thank Tim.. You Da Man ..
> wrote in message news:XN3mf.101$z21.82@fed1read04...
> When you buy a Garmin 296 or 396 in this country the unit comes with
> TAWS-like terrain for North and South America.
>
> There are two other terrain databases available, which are standard for
> units sold in those coverage areas, ATL (Atlantic, Europe, and Africa) and
> PAC for Asia and the west Pacific.
>
> These three coverage areas are sold for $295, each, so for someone to have
> the world, they would normally have to shell out $885. Yes, you would
> have to buy the Americas, too, because once you overwrite it with ATL or
> PAC, it is gone unless you have the data file to load it back in. You
> don't get the data file when you buy the unit, you just get the preloaded
> terrain data.
>
> Well, guess what! Garmin just updated the terrain 2004 data files to 2005
> and, for a time (probably a very short time) all three coverage areas can
> be downloaded FREE from the Garmin site.
>
> I just downloaded all three and switched between the three with no
> problem. I overwrote my included Americas (AMR) with ATL, then overwrote
> ATL, with PAC, and finally overwrote PAC with AMR.
>
> Unlike Jeppesen navdata or U.S. manmade obstacle periodic updates, these
> terrain files are not keyed to the unit's ID number.
>
> Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
> would be good enough for a very, very long time.

[Scott Moore]

wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:

>
> Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
> would be good enough for a very, very long time.

And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....

[Gus]

> > Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
> > would be good enough for a very, very long time.
>
> And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>

Which is in the obstacle database, not the terrain database.

[Ron Lee]

Scott Moore > wrote:

wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:
>
>>
>> Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
>> would be good enough for a very, very long time.
>
>And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>

Who flies that low?

Ron Lee

[[email protected]]

Scott Moore wrote:
> wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:
>
>
>>Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
>>would be good enough for a very, very long time.
>
>
> And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>
That's what the 56-day obstacle file is for. Different beast than the
terrain database. Outside the U.S. you better fly IFR or have a current
topo aero chart.

[Scott Moore]

Ron Lee wrote On 12/09/05 13:15,:
> Scott Moore > wrote:
>
>
wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:
>>
>>
>>>Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
>>>would be good enough for a very, very long time.
>>
>>And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>>
>
>
> Who flies that low?
>
> Ron Lee

Who flies that high ?

[Scott Moore]

wrote On 12/09/05 13:16,:
> Scott Moore wrote:
>
wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
>>>would be good enough for a very, very long time.
>>
>>
>>And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>>
>
> That's what the 56-day obstacle file is for. Different beast than the
> terrain database. Outside the U.S. you better fly IFR or have a current
> topo aero chart.

And the "I clipped off relivant information and didn't bother to read back"
award goes to....

[Jose]

>>And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
> Who flies that low?

I do. All the time. I like to fly at 500 feet, but the towers are
getting a bit too numerous for this around here.

Jose
--
You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose whom to love.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[john smith]

In article >,
(Ron Lee) wrote:

> Scott Moore > wrote:
>
> wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:
> >
> >>
> >> Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
> >> would be good enough for a very, very long time.
> >
> >And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....

> Who flies that low?

2000 feet is 4x higher than I normally fly in the Champ.

[Ted]

"john smith" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (Ron Lee) wrote:
>
>> Scott Moore > wrote:
>>
>> wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain
>> >> files
>> >> would be good enough for a very, very long time.
>> >
>> >And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>

This brings up an interesting idea of putting an electronic beacon on new
structures for the first year or so until all terrain data bases get
updated.

[Everett M. Greene]

john smith > writes:
> (Ron Lee) wrote:
> > Scott Moore > wrote:
> > wrote On 12/08/05 16:00,:
> > >>
> > >> Because terrain changes very slowly, I suspect these three terrain files
> > >> would be good enough for a very, very long time.
> > >
> > >And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>
> > Who flies that low?
>
> 2000 feet is 4x higher than I normally fly in the Champ.

You fly that high? I thought anything over 50 ft. AGL
was being extravagant with fuel.

[Ekim]

Ok, I give up. Would someone post the URL where I can download the
terrain update for *free*. (I can only find the Garmin page where you
have to pay the $295.) Is Garmin really giving it away for free? Or did
you find an unsupported back door?

Thanks in advance!
Ekim V.


wrote:
> Well, guess what! Garmin just updated the terrain 2004 data files to
> 2005 and, for a time (probably a very short time) all three coverage
> areas can be downloaded FREE from the Garmin site.

[[email protected]]

Ekim wrote:
> Ok, I give up. Would someone post the URL where I can download the
> terrain update for *free*. (I can only find the Garmin page where you
> have to pay the $295.) Is Garmin really giving it away for free? Or did
> you find an unsupported back door?
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Ekim V.
>

Nothing tricky. Go to aviation database tab, then select your unit (296
or 396) then select "terrain" and it will say:

"Single Update: Regularly $295, but for cycle 05T1, the database is FREE!"

Nothing tricky or back-doorish about that. ;-)

[jmk]

Ted wrote:
> >> >And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>
> This brings up an interesting idea of putting an electronic beacon on new
> structures for the first year or so until all terrain data bases get
> updated.

That's basically an idea we submitted to the FAA many years ago, back
before ADS-B was called ADS-B. In addition to the usual
"squirt/listen" in each aircraft, add a simple squirter to each tower
above a certain AGL height (same as the "flashing red light" rules).
Nothing special required to the aircraft installation - the antennas
and other such obstacles simply look like aircraft to avoid.

Total cost (we were talking about low power VHS) of the transmitter in
todays dollars would be around $15 per tower (less any FAA
administration fees and liability insurance). Even that is probably a
high figure - more for the weatherized case than anything else. Since
the obstacles presumably never moves, no GPS required - just a fixed
string msg.

[Oh yeah, the then administrator nixed the idea. Said in-cockpit
weather and aircraft imagery was too complicated for pilots to
understand, and that the only thing he would EVER approve was the
uplink of text weather and charts.]

[Roger]

On 13 Dec 2005 06:41:03 -0800, "jmk" > wrote:

>
>Ted wrote:
>> >> >And then, they build that nice new 2,000 ft radio tower....
>>
>> This brings up an interesting idea of putting an electronic beacon on new
>> structures for the first year or so until all terrain data bases get
>> updated.
>
>That's basically an idea we submitted to the FAA many years ago, back
>before ADS-B was called ADS-B. In addition to the usual
>"squirt/listen" in each aircraft, add a simple squirter to each tower
>above a certain AGL height (same as the "flashing red light" rules).
>Nothing special required to the aircraft installation - the antennas
>and other such obstacles simply look like aircraft to avoid.
>
>Total cost (we were talking about low power VHS) of the transmitter in
>todays dollars would be around $15 per tower (less any FAA
>administration fees and liability insurance). Even that is probably a
>high figure - more for the weatherized case than anything else. Since
>the obstacles presumably never moves, no GPS required - just a fixed
>string msg.

And about $1000 to get someone who is "certified" to take it up there
and install it.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

>
>[Oh yeah, the then administrator nixed the idea. Said in-cockpit
>weather and aircraft imagery was too complicated for pilots to
>understand, and that the only thing he would EVER approve was the
>uplink of text weather and charts.]

[jmk]

<<And about $1000 to get someone who is "certified" to take it up there

and install it.>>

Fortunately, that wasn't part of MY job description! <G> Although
you will appreciate that one time a "friend" talked me into helping him
take down a couple of hundred feet high ham-band Yagi in a fairly stiff
wind. We were fairly securely attached, and it was *probably* safer
than it felt, but that thing swaying back and forth with us on top,
trying to unbolt the antenna (we were taking the array, not the mast),
was a feeling I will never forget. [And hopefully, never experience
again. <G>]

jmk