Garmin 296/496 question: US or Atlantic database?

[acuba 290]

Please help me to understand. Lets say, i want to buy a 296 or 496 and use it in Europe and USA. I am going to buy for example Atlantic database version to fly in Europe and once i wanna fly in USA, so how i can upgrade to have both Atlantic and America Database? Is it possible to have both database or even 3 of them (US, Atlantic and Pacific) in same device? How it is possible to upgrade in that case? And for which reason i need Garmin Datacard?

[acuba 290]

nobody ever used this devices in both USA and Europe?

[Pianorak]

Not sure you can run more than one database, but have a look here (http://shop.garmin.com/aviation/databases/).
HTH

[502]

You cannot have both databases at the same time in the device, but you can quickly reload US or Atlantic database file as many times as needed. This is what I do.
Datacard won't help here - I don't think you can put aviation database on a datacard.

[Fitter2]

Let's be clear. There are 3 databases in the 196/296 (Geographic, terrain and airfield/airspace) and 4 in the 496 (the same as 296 plus an obstacle database).

The geographical (towns, roads, rivers etc) is 'hard wired', not updatable and the detail is higher in the area of purchase, so a US bought unit will have much less UK/Europe detail than one bought in UK.

The terrain database is worldwide and doesn't need updating.

The airspace/obstacle databases are updated monthly, and there are three areas: Americas, 'Atlantic' (Europe+Africa and some of the middle East) and 'Pacific' (Asia/Australasia/ Pacific Islands). One of these only can be loaded at one time, any can be purchased from the link on pianorak's post above. Assuming you keep a record of the unlock code when you download an update, you can keep as many as you like on a notebook PC and swap between them. Swapping database in flight over the Atlantic might be interesting.............

[Fitter2]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that you need the datacard if you want to store Streetmap or marine databases to use the unit on the road or water. Personally I use dedicated GPS units for different uses, the x96 series are optimised for flying, not driving (I don't sail so can't comment on use on a boat)..

[IO540]

My recollection from speaking to Garmin UK is that the expansion memory socket on the 496 has no relevance to aviation data. It is purely for road maps and stuff like that.

I found Garmin UK helpful on the phone. They don't know a great deal technical but they do know the basics.

Beware - the 496 sold in Europe does not (reportedly) contain the XM modem which the US version has. This is a bit naughty...

I have a 496 but bought it purely for its TAWS function, plus to get a backup GPS, and never really use it for navigation.

[acuba 290]

502

please explane, how to do it exactly? How to change those maps and how much does it cost each time?

[sternone]

Beware - the 496 sold in Europe does not (reportedly) contain the XM modem which the US version has. This is a bit naughty...

Can you update it using a mac/linux ? or is it winblows only ?

[acuba 290]

as i understand in case of 496 even with Atlantic database without WX Modem, there is preloaded US Citimaps for car-navigation? Or it is only for US version?