Garmin 196?

[JetMouse]

There has been a bit of chatter recently regarding GPSs and as it's xmas time i am tempted to upgrade and the 196 seems to get the best vote on this forum.

But before I spend any hard earned, could those of you who have used it please give me a steer on the following:

1) Does the yoke mounting bracket fit quite comfortably to most yokes (currently flying 152/150 - the 150 has the transmit button in the middle of the yoke so does the yoke mount hold the unit flush to the yoke or would there be enough of a gap to operate the transmit button?)

2) Previous yoke mounts have caused some amount of vibration making the unit difficult to read - anyone had any problems with this?

3) Does the 196 give a current distance on screen (when in moving map mode) from either the nearest town or your next waypoint - if it doesn't is there some way you can manipulate the unit to do so (for positioning reports)?

4) Have the software updates sorted out the number of landings problem?

Thanks
JM

[Fly Stimulator]

I don't use the yoke mount (or a yoke for that matter) so can't help with 1 & 2, but -

3) You can display data fields next to a half-screen version of the moving map. You can choose which subset of the available fields to display, so you can have things like distance and time to next waypoint. There is another page which can display even more data fields at once, but no map. To find the distance to an arbitrary point on the map you use the rocker control to move the cursor there. The distance from your current position is then displayed.

4) Not sure. Mine is on 3.40 and it still records multiple landings but I see that 3.60 is available now so I must try that.

[VFR800]

I use the yoke mount in both a 172 and PA-28 and it doesn't vibrate at all and is pretty secure, so I can't see you having a problem. Not sure about the transmit button in middle of your 150 yoke though!

All round it's an excellent bit of kit, but I do have the multiple landings issue, isn't this down to the pressure setting tat the 196 uses?

Laters :cool:

[bar shaker]

JetMouse

I haven't used the yoke mount either, so no comments there, other than to back up VFR800 and say that it looks substantial and has rubber vibration damping blocks at the hinges.

3.40 to 3.60 says: "Added processing to detect the movement or deletion of any aviation database waypoint and update all routes and goto history with the new data".

Mind you, "yet another go at the numbers of landings problem" may be in the update, but just not described ;)

The landings thing isn't an issue really as you don't really need to be told how many times you landed any way. When you get it, make sure you load the latest software on as some of the revisions have improved what was already a superb bit of kit.

[dmjw01]

The number of landings issue has been improved greatly in a recent software update. I strongly recommend visiting the Garmin website and downloading the latest version - it's a free download and can be flashed onto your 196 using the serial cable in about 5 minutes.

[eharding]

I've found that the 196 yoke mount works fine in
older (seventies?) vintage Warriors, but the more chunky yokes
in 2-3 year old models present more of a challenge to getting
the unit to fit at a decent angle. On the other hand, the internal
antenna is fine on the newer planes, but you certainly need
to wire up the remote antenna to get a reliable signal on
the older machines. No idea why.

[JetMouse]

I also heard that older models had some glitch where if you didn't pass over a waypoint you would be re-routed back to that waypoint before you could continue to your next one.

Does this still happen?

[Fly Stimulator]

JetMouse,

I've never heard of or experienced this.

Assuming you mean older models of 196 (rather than earlier types of GPS) then the term is slightly misleading. If any such fault did once exist then it is highly likely that it would have been a software problem. All you need to do is keep an eye on the Garmin web site and download the latest software revisions. These are free. Your unit will effectively then be the latest model.

This refers to the unit's operating software. You need to go through a similar but separate process to keep the map database up-to-date too. That is data which you have to pay for, though you do get a voucher for one free update when you buy it.

The cable to connect to a PC comes with the 196.

[Fly Stimulator]

An update on the multiple landing issue - the 3.60 software release hasn't fixed it.

[S-Works]

I am very curious abou the multiple landing problems. I have had my unit right from the time they came out and am now on V3.6 of the software and have never seen the multiple landings problem. I have used it in everything from my Cessna (which the yoke mount fitted fine allthough I have it on the top of the dash now powered from the "mains") to the Senneca twin. I have however experianced the problem that if you do not pass directly over a waypoint it would not move to the next waypoint in the list and would direct you back. That seems to be cured now in the latest released of the software.

I update my database everymonth on and annual subscription arrangement that gives you 13 for the price of 12.

You do need to use the external antenna on anything that is not a bubble canopy. Even the warrior I had problems with signal reception on the built in one. With the external antenna I have never had a signal problem.

Looking through the logs I have covered 470 hours and 32 thousand nautical miles on my unit in the time I have had it without any problems. I would describe it is extremely good value for money!

[Fly Stimulator]

Interesting. I had wondered if it was simply getting confused because the CT lands so slowly that, with a headwind, the groundspeed could be below its cut-off point, but I've had the same thing happen in the SR20 as well which lands at a respectable speed.

I always use the external antenna and never have any signal problems.

Still, it's an extremely trivial matter and of course is completely irrelevant to the business of actually flying with the GPS.

[dmjw01]

It is very odd that everyone's experiences are different with this landing thing. For me, the problem used to be awful (up to 5 or 6 landings recorded), but now I'm on version 3.4 it usually only records 1 landing - very occasionally it'll record 2.

I haven't updated to 3.6 yet (what happened to 3.5?) because it sounds like it's more than just a minor bug-fix. What's the new version like - reasonably stable?

[Rod1]

There is a 196 on Ebay with 2 days to go.

The last one sold for 500 (it was two months old and had been used 4 times.) I am very pleased with it.

Rod1