Garmin 296

[S-Works]

Finally got my Garmin 296. What an incredible tool! It does everything the 196 did but in full colour with rechargable battery and USB connection. It features 3D terrain mapping and avoidance with voice commands and visual inputs.

Programming it is the same as the 196 with the standard updatable Jepp database. It comes with the same kit for fixing as the 196 such as yoke and dash mounts. It fits in the same cradle as the 196 and shares the same arial but the power cable is different. Battery life is 16 hours.

All of the screens are usable definable and there is a new function on the map screen that has a compass overlay in the same as the GNS 530 and Sandel type units.

All in all very impressive.

I have a 196 for sale now if anyone is interested!!!!

[FNG]

I might be interested. I have sent you a PM

[S-Works]

Just got the car lead for it as well, which has a speaker built in and gives you voice instructions in automotive mode.

Flew it for the first time today and found the display impressivly easy to read in all light conditions. Much clearer than even the 196.

[IMC1]

Bose-X. I also have a 196 and considering a 296. Do you know if I can use the memory card and my European City select on a 296 if I bought one? Tkx IMC

[S-Works]

Yes you can. It took a little time to work it out but basically you can register 2 different units on your one city select. I added a second key to my mapsource and then copied all the maps back onto the card (128mb) the card now works in both my 196 and 296 units without any further changes and can even be hot swapped between the two (not that I see a reason for it!).

[IMC1]

Bose-x, Did you get a good deal? and if so where. Also is it as good as the screen shots suggest? Tkx again

[S-Works]

got it from Harry Mendelsohn who I itend to get most of my gear from, not only are they usually well priced but there customer service is truly outstanding.

The screen display is truly amazing, the clarityis incredible and the use of colour makes evrying stand out. It is a TFT display with 64,000 colours so they can go to town on the clarity.

There is nothing out there that comes close.

[Fly Stimulator]

There is nothing out there that comes close.
I don't know, the glass cockpit in an SR22 offers more bright lights and baubles than Oxford Street at Christmas! I suppose the 296 enjoys a slight price advantage though.

These days the actual business of flying the aeroplane is in danger of becoming a nothing more than a tiresome intrusion into the time available for playing with all the lovely buttons in the cockpit. ;)

I'm joking of course. Ish.

Having said that, I'm about to make the 196 to 296 upgrade myself.

[Pilot16]

Can any 296 owner kindly take same screen shots with a digicam (or any other cam) for us.....so that us online fokes can see whether the screen is really as good as we are told!

Thanks ;)

[The Nr Fairy]

P16:

Dunno if you trust them, but go to http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap296/# and click on the image of the 296 - you should get a popup with several screens to choose from.

[Pilot16]

thanks,

i know that page, been there...
and i dont trust them, thats why i asked here!

[The Nr Fairy]

Being sad enough to have entered BOTH competitions in recent issues of Pilot and Flyer, I'll post piccies when I've won a unit - I wish !

[Mark 1]

Having just got my 296 and taken it for a 65 knot amble down to Normandy and back, I give it a big thumbs up.

The screen is readable in strong daylight, even looking over the passengers shoulder from the back of a Cub. At full brightness the battery life is about 7 hours.

Unfortunately they made a bad batch of car power leads, and my one fell apart very quickly. But the nice folk at HM assure me that a free replacement will be sent out as soon as the new batch arrive.

The USB interface can fill up a 128MB data card in about 4 minutes, which will give street level mapping for all the UK plus a fair chunk of NW France. The automotive function is pretty good, a 'goto' on a town or address will give turn by turn instructions, and recalculate the 'best' route if you diverge from the initial one. You do need the £30 external speaker if you want the voice instructions though.

BTW 'non-Garmin' compatable data cards are around now at about two thirds the cost of the over-priced Garmin variety.

[bronlund]

Does any of you guys know anything about Garmin´s model 276C ?, It looks the same as the 296 and also has a color display, just a lot cheaper.

[long final]

I noticed there is a 296 on ebay, offers at £375 (no reserve) at present.

I have never bought anything like that on ebay, I would appreciate any opinions or experiences re. successes or pitfalls etc.

Thanks, sorry to go off topic a tad.

LF