GPS 396 audio terrain warnings

Does anyone else have their Garmin 396 connected to the audio in their airplane?

If so, do you get terrain warnings every time you approach an airport to land?

I do, but Garmin doesn't seem to be very interested in helping. I've exchanged
several emails with their tech support. They don't acknowledge that there is
anything wrong.

They say they have "some algorithms" to prevent the audio terrain alert when
approaching an airport to land. They say they might not work correctly for all
airports. My experience is that they don't work for any airport I have visited.

If anyone else is seeing this behavior, please contact Garmin so that they will
know I'm not the only one.

Thanks.

That's never happened to me. I've had the audio connected (listening to
music) and I did have it on during a landing or two. Will try it out
some more.

The prob I've had with the audio is a loud buzz unless I unplug the
power and run on battery.

Of course, my unit has had problems - sent it in twice. Finally got a
new box.

Dave Butler wrote:

Does anyone else have their Garmin 396 connected to the audio in their
airplane?

If so, do you get terrain warnings every time you approach an airport to
land?

I do, but Garmin doesn't seem to be very interested in helping. I've
exchanged several emails with their tech support. They don't acknowledge
that there is anything wrong.

They say they have "some algorithms" to prevent the audio terrain alert
when approaching an airport to land. They say they might not work
correctly for all airports. My experience is that they don't work for
any airport I have visited.

If anyone else is seeing this behavior, please contact Garmin so that
they will know I'm not the only one.

Thanks.

Maule Driver wrote:
That's never happened to me. I've had the audio connected (listening to
music) and I did have it on during a landing or two. Will try it out
some more.

Thanks, MD. I'd appreciate knowing what you find out. You get the "500" callout
at 500 AGL, right? After that, I get a cacaphony of "Terrain, terrain, pull up,
pull up!".


The prob I've had with the audio is a loud buzz unless I unplug the
power and run on battery.

I don't have that symptom. Sparkchasers put a molex connector right underneath
the yoke so I can connect to ship's power and tie into the audio panel. I'm not
trying to listen to music, though.


Of course, my unit has had problems - sent it in twice. Finally got a
new box.

Dave Butler wrote:


Does anyone else have their Garmin 396 connected to the audio in their
airplane?

If so, do you get terrain warnings every time you approach an airport
to land?

I do, but Garmin doesn't seem to be very interested in helping. I've
exchanged several emails with their tech support. They don't
acknowledge that there is anything wrong.

They say they have "some algorithms" to prevent the audio terrain
alert when approaching an airport to land. They say they might not
work correctly for all airports. My experience is that they don't work
for any airport I have visited.

If anyone else is seeing this behavior, please contact Garmin so that
they will know I'm not the only one.

Thanks.


--
Dave Butler, software engineer 919-392-4367

Dave Butler wrote:
Maule Driver wrote:
That's never happened to me. I've had the audio connected (listening to
music) and I did have it on during a landing or two. Will try it out
some more.

Thanks, MD. I'd appreciate knowing what you find out. You get the "500" callout
at 500 AGL, right? After that, I get a cacaphony of "Terrain, terrain, pull up,
pull up!".


The prob I've had with the audio is a loud buzz unless I unplug the
power and run on battery.

I don't have that symptom. Sparkchasers put a molex connector right underneath
the yoke so I can connect to ship's power and tie into the audio panel. I'm not
trying to listen to music, though.


Of course, my unit has had problems - sent it in twice. Finally got a
new box.

Dave Butler wrote:


Does anyone else have their Garmin 396 connected to the audio in their
airplane?

If so, do you get terrain warnings every time you approach an airport
to land?

I do, but Garmin doesn't seem to be very interested in helping. I've
exchanged several emails with their tech support. They don't
acknowledge that there is anything wrong.

They say they have "some algorithms" to prevent the audio terrain
alert when approaching an airport to land. They say they might not
work correctly for all airports. My experience is that they don't work
for any airport I have visited.

If anyone else is seeing this behavior, please contact Garmin so that
they will know I'm not the only one.

Thanks.


--
Dave Butler, software engineer 919-392-4367

Dave Butler wrote:
Maule Driver wrote:
That's never happened to me. I've had the audio connected (listening to
music) and I did have it on during a landing or two. Will try it out
some more.

Thanks, MD. I'd appreciate knowing what you find out. You get the "500" callout
at 500 AGL, right? After that, I get a cacaphony of "Terrain, terrain, pull up,
pull up!".


The prob I've had with the audio is a loud buzz unless I unplug the
power and run on battery.

I don't have that symptom. Sparkchasers put a molex connector right underneath
the yoke so I can connect to ship's power and tie into the audio panel. I'm not
trying to listen to music, though.


Of course, my unit has had problems - sent it in twice. Finally got a
new box.

Dave Butler wrote:


Does anyone else have their Garmin 396 connected to the audio in their
airplane?

If so, do you get terrain warnings every time you approach an airport
to land?

I do, but Garmin doesn't seem to be very interested in helping. I've
exchanged several emails with their tech support. They don't
acknowledge that there is anything wrong.

They say they have "some algorithms" to prevent the audio terrain
alert when approaching an airport to land. They say they might not
work correctly for all airports. My experience is that they don't work
for any airport I have visited.

If anyone else is seeing this behavior, please contact Garmin so that
they will know I'm not the only one.

Thanks.


--
Dave Butler, software engineer 919-392-4367

Dave Butler wrote:
Maule Driver wrote:
That's never happened to me. I've had the audio connected (listening to
music) and I did have it on during a landing or two. Will try it out
some more.

Thanks, MD. I'd appreciate knowing what you find out. You get the "500" callout
at 500 AGL, right? After that, I get a cacaphony of "Terrain, terrain, pull up,
pull up!".


The prob I've had with the audio is a loud buzz unless I unplug the
power and run on battery.

I don't have that symptom. Sparkchasers put a molex connector right underneath
the yoke so I can connect to ship's power and tie into the audio panel. I'm not
trying to listen to music, though.


Of course, my unit has had problems - sent it in twice. Finally got a
new box.

Dave Butler wrote:


Does anyone else have their Garmin 396 connected to the audio in their
airplane?

If so, do you get terrain warnings every time you approach an airport
to land?

I do, but Garmin doesn't seem to be very interested in helping. I've
exchanged several emails with their tech support. They don't
acknowledge that there is anything wrong.

They say they have "some algorithms" to prevent the audio terrain
alert when approaching an airport to land. They say they might not
work correctly for all airports. My experience is that they don't work
for any airport I have visited.

If anyone else is seeing this behavior, please contact Garmin so that
they will know I'm not the only one.

Thanks.


--
Dave Butler, software engineer 919-392-4367

The terrain warnings after the 500 foot alert "pull up, pull up!" are a
distraction. To be turning the volume down or putting the terrain
volume in mute is not what the pilot needs to be doing the last 500
feet of the landing. Howerver, this is truly a great GPS/weather
system. I hope that Garmin will delete these alerts below 500 feet
agl when landing at the destination airport with a software upgrade. I
had to send my 396 in due to intermitten XM radio audio distortion.
Garmin fixed the unit with a quick turn around. The problem with the
audio buzz does not exist on my 396. Audio is very clear. Buzz sound
may be an electrical ground problem or due to an alternator that has a
bad diode.

Larry Jones

The prob I've had with the audio is a loud buzz unless I unplug the
power and run on battery.

Folks on Cessna Plots forum have had good luck with this:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-xGL4Bin...35&i=127SNI135
and also a similar device available from RatShack

Google groups munched the url. Try:
http://tinyurl.com/8dn9o

mikem wrote:
The prob I've had with the audio is a loud buzz unless I unplug the
power and run on battery.

Folks on Cessna Plots forum have had good luck with this:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-xGL4Bin...35&i=127SNI135
and also a similar device available from RatShack

Radio Shacks is cheaper but requires adapters:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family
Ground Loop Isolator $16.99 Model: 270-054

You'll need 2 (depends what you're adapting to) - RCA Female to Mini
Stereo Male adapters Catalog #: 274-883 $5.99 ea.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family

Cheaper here ($2.38 each):
http://www.valcoelectronics.com/Merc..._Code =18-008

ES-034 The ES-034 isolates multiple components to prevent ground loops.
It may be used as a trouble-shooting installation tool, to break grounds
without removing grounding parts. The ES-034 is designed to interface
with line-level outputs and is equipped with two male and female RCA
jacks, for interconnection with cable adapters/components. $14.00
http://www.buyreliant.com/caudio/noise.htm
http://www.valcoelectronics.com/Merc...t_Code =ES034

So you'll need one of these (Stereo mini to dual RCA male $3.58):
http://www.valcoelectronics.com/Merc...ct_Code =Y3AA