XM question for Garmin 396/496 owers

In article JJKsk.314227$yE1.47214@attbi_s21,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

So, you quickly develop the habit of stopping zooming when the screen goes
blank. Of course, if you're zoomed in -- and you're next weather reporting
station is, say, fifty miles ahead -- you may have to go through this
ridiculous exercise half a dozen (or more) times. That doesn't sound like
much, but if you're in marginal VFR, or flying toward deteriorating
weather, waiting 20 seconds (or more) to access the weather ahead is
unacceptable. Especially if you want to know, say, the results from the
closest five AWOS's ahead.

Quit whining and learn how to use the thing! You have had it three years
now and still haven't learned the following:

1) Press the NRST button
2) Bump the rocker switch on tab to the right (WX)
3) Scroll down the list of closest airports and select any with the
flag indicating there is a METAR.

"John Smith" wrote in message
...
In article JJKsk.314227$yE1.47214@attbi_s21,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

So, you quickly develop the habit of stopping zooming when the screen
goes
blank. Of course, if you're zoomed in -- and you're next weather
reporting
station is, say, fifty miles ahead -- you may have to go through this
ridiculous exercise half a dozen (or more) times. That doesn't sound
like
much, but if you're in marginal VFR, or flying toward deteriorating
weather, waiting 20 seconds (or more) to access the weather ahead is
unacceptable. Especially if you want to know, say, the results from the
closest five AWOS's ahead.

Quit whining and learn how to use the thing!

Hah! Never happen. He has to keep carping about the 496 - his insatiable
ego requires that it be inferior to the ones he bought first.

Quit whining and learn how to use the thing! You have had it three years
now and still haven't learned the following:

1) Press the NRST button
2) Bump the rocker switch on tab to the right (WX)
3) Scroll down the list of closest airports and select any with the
flag indicating there is a METAR.

That's a great feature to use when you're in familiar territory. On a long
cross-country flight, however, it's pretty much useless, since "nearest"
might (and probably will) bring up an airport that's no where near your
course line. Hell, it might even be behind you, which doesn't do you a
tinker's damn worth of good when you're flying toward deteriorating
conditions.

Face it -- it's a stupid box, with a stupidly slow processor. The 496
COULD be awesome, but Garmin hasn't done a thing to improve it in several
years -- nor will they, until some other manufacturer forces their hand.

Mark my words -- as soon as AvMap (or ANYONE) comes out with a GPS with
integrated weather, the new Garmin 596 (or whatever they call it) will
address every one of the issues we're discussing.

Until then, why spend the money on R&D? As a stockholder, Garmin's approach
makes perfect sense. As a user, it sucks.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
Ercoupe N94856
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in
news:OQ4tk.260588$TT4.229677@attbi_s22:

Quit whining and learn how to use the thing! You have had it three
years now and still haven't learned the following:

1) Press the NRST button
2) Bump the rocker switch on tab to the right (WX)
3) Scroll down the list of closest airports and select any with the
flag indicating there is a METAR.

That's a great feature to use when you're in familiar territory. On a
long cross-country flight, however, it's pretty much useless, since
"nearest" might (and probably will) bring up an airport that's no
where near your course line. Hell, it might even be behind you, which
doesn't do you a tinker's damn worth of good when you're flying toward
deteriorating conditions.

Face it -- it's a stupid box, with a stupidly slow processor. The
496 COULD be awesome, but Garmin hasn't done a thing to improve it in
several years -- nor will they, until some other manufacturer forces
their hand.

Mark my words -- as soon as AvMap (or ANYONE) comes out with a GPS
with integrated weather, the new Garmin 596 (or whatever they call it)
will address every one of the issues we're discussing.

Until then, why spend the money on R&D? As a stockholder, Garmin's
approach makes perfect sense. As a user, it sucks.


You're an idiot.

Bertie

In article OQ4tk.260588$TT4.229677@attbi_s22,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

That's a great feature to use when you're in familiar territory. On a long
cross-country flight, however, it's pretty much useless, since "nearest"
might (and probably will) bring up an airport that's no where near your
course line. Hell, it might even be behind you, which doesn't do you a
tinker's damn worth of good when you're flying toward deteriorating
conditions.

Have you even looked at the NRST page? The very first tab gives you
airport, heading and range from your present position. Take your pick.

Look at your sectional (you do carry and use a current sectional don't
you?), look at the 496 NAV page with weather overlay, look at the NRST
page and select your airports and METARs. No scrolling is necessary.
Zooming out gives you the big weather picture along your route of
flight.

Why do you insist on making it so difficult?

Mark my words -- as soon as AvMap (or ANYONE) comes out with a GPS with
integrated weather, the new Garmin 596 (or whatever they call it) will
address every one of the issues we're discussing.

And tell us again how many years "the others" have been promising that
XM WX was imminent?