Garmin 296/396 Terrain Data

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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....

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.

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