Who has bought a new Garmin 396?

Jonathan Goodish wrote:
The weather pixelation is due to the weather data being pixelated, not
due to the display. Close-in zooms on any product that I've seen have
had pixelated weather. I believe software like WxWorx smooths the
edges, but the displayed data is still the same. This is a limitation
of the NEXRAD data, so you get the same information from any NEXRAD
radar site for base reflectivity--and composite reflectivity is worse.

I think the Wx data is transmitted at low resolution to save bandwidth
and reception time, hence the gross pixilation and poor resolution in
close in zoom mode.
Does the wx data have a timestamp so you can determine how old it is?

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

I was appalled at how pixilated the weather appeared on the 396. Small
thunderstorm cells appeared to cover entire counties (or bigger), simply
because they were depicted with big squares instead of being able to take
advantage of a higher resolution screen.

You're exaggerating. The resolution is 2km, and it's due to the NEXRAD's
limits, not Garmins.

http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/aam-400A/A...0TEXT/0405.pdf

Anyway, in actual operational use it's plenty fine enough.

Now perhaps that's an XM thing, and not a Garmin thing -- but either way
I'm not spending thousands on such a crude depiction of the weather.

I'd hardly call something "crude" that accurately depicts a shower so small
you can see all the way through it when you look out the window. Until
you've flown with WxWorx, you just don't know what a superb tool it is.

Within a year or two, someone will offer a much more usable tool, hopefully
on a bigger screen, probably for much less $$ -- and then I'll be glad to
add portable weather to the cockpit.

Much more usable? In what way?

Bigger screen? That would be nice if I don't have to strap the damned thing
to my leg. It's got to fit on the yoke without blocking the HI or I don't
want it.

Go ahead and wait if you want to, but here in Thunderstorm Alley I ain't
flying without it a day longer than necessary. I can't wait for mine to get
here so I can get rid of my notebook pc setup.

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

Dan Luke wrote:

Go ahead and wait if you want to, but here in Thunderstorm Alley I ain't
flying without it a day longer than necessary. I can't wait for mine to get
here so I can get rid of my notebook pc setup.

I'm with you, Dan. JA Air says I'm number 91 on their order list, I ordered July
11, and they say they will ship this week. So far no charges on my credit card,
so they haven't shipped yet.

You're exaggerating. The resolution is 2km, and it's due to the NEXRAD's
limits, not Garmins.

Well, that's even more disappointing, since it's a flaw that can't be
fixed by moving the service to a better platform than the 396.

Now perhaps that's an XM thing, and not a Garmin thing -- but either way
I'm not spending thousands on such a crude depiction of the weather.

I'd hardly call something "crude" that accurately depicts a shower so small
you can see all the way through it when you look out the window. Until
you've flown with WxWorx, you just don't know what a superb tool it is.

That would be very cool, indeed!

Bigger screen? That would be nice if I don't have to strap the damned thing
to my leg. It's got to fit on the yoke without blocking the HI or I don't
want it.

Both the AvMap and the Airmap 2000c are yoke-mounted. Either platform
would allow a better depiction than the little 396.

Go ahead and wait if you want to, but here in Thunderstorm Alley I ain't
flying without it a day longer than necessary. I can't wait for mine to get
here so I can get rid of my notebook pc setup.

I truly felt that way before OSH. Playing with the unit convinced me
to wait.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Color moving map, terrain/obstacle data, and now (near) realtime
weather. Only thing left to add is realtime traffic info.

"Bob Fry" wrote:

Color moving map, terrain/obstacle data, and now (near) realtime
weather. Only thing left to add is realtime traffic info.

From Garmin's site:

"[The 396] continues to reduce pilot workload by displaying Traffic
Information Service (TIS) data when interfaced to the GTX 330, and can
channel frequencies with the touch of a button when interfaced to the
SL30 nav/comm radio."

Yeah man, that's there too! Just need to upgrade that funky Narco.

Dan Luke wrote:
"Bob Fry" wrote:
Color moving map, terrain/obstacle data, and now (near) realtime
weather. Only thing left to add is realtime traffic info.
From Garmin's site:
"[The 396] continues to reduce pilot workload by displaying Traffic
Information Service (TIS) data when interfaced to the GTX 330, and can
channel frequencies with the touch of a button when interfaced to the
SL30 nav/comm radio."

"Maule Driver" wrote:

Just need to upgrade that funky Narco.

I highly recommend Garmin's 327 xponder--I have one and love it.

However, the TIS data model, the 330, has become an iffy deal because the FAA
forgot to include TIS service in its upgrade spec's for some radar sites.
Since it wasn't in the spec's, Raytheon didn't price it and is not including
it. As a result, TIS won't work in my neighboring airspace of Pensacola,
among other places. If this hadn't happened, I would definitely upgrade to a
330, because I frequently fly that airspace and it is a buzzing hive of
military and civilian traffic.

The Garmin rep. at OSH said that the avionics manuf'rs have been screaming
about this oversight to the FAA, but it doesn't sound like their complaints
are getting anywhere.

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM