GPS 'Software' update

[Jepp]

I have recently purchased a new Garmin GPS which came with one free Jeppesen database update which was available through the Garmin website, So, I hooked up the GPS to the PC and downloaded the latest updates, no problem.

When I searched the site further I noticed that there were also free Software downloads available and was suprised see that my new 196 has had 2 update versions since I received it !!

I was all ready to download the latest software until I read the warning that, if the download stops or is interupted during the process that it will need to be sent back to Garmin and that normal costs will be charged..............scary

Has anyone had experience of updating the actual software on the Garmin, is it safe to do ? or am I better having the "if it aint broke don't fix it" attitude.

thanks

Jepp

[Kefuddle_UK]

What you are actually doing is overwriting the s/w in the EPROM chip(s). If this code is only half updated then the GPS won't even start for you to be able to redownload. This process is common with upgrading PC motherboard and Graphic card BIOSes. I would imagine the process takes mere seconds and the risk of a problem is minimal...

...your risk though so don't blame me ;)

[Mr Wolfie]

As Kefuddle says, the update rewrites the operating software onto the GPS's reprogrammable chip. You download the file from the garmin website to your PC and then upload it to the GPS. Unless you have a freak powercut in the few seconds that it takes to transfer, it is hard to imagine having a problem. It's not rocket science.:)

I have updated the software on a Garmin GPS III and a GPS195, both without problems.

Basically, the software update is to address any bugs that have come to light and add perhaps a little extra functionality here and there. From memory, the Garmin website actually says what each upgrade does. Have a look and see if the upgrade is worth bothering with or not.

Mr. W

[Fly Stimulator]

Jepp,

If it's any comfort I have now applied four software updates to my 196 since I bought it. It's a very straightforward process and it has always worked flawlessly.

The unit came with version 2.01 of the software and did suffer a total lock-up while in 'Land' mode once. It's now on version 2.06 and I have had no further problems.

The little logbook program you can download to collect flight details from the 196 is quite handy too.

[Hairyplane]

A topical subject!

I have a 430 and a 420 in my Robin. Nice guy from Garmin at AeroFair this year came to my aircraft at the Robin stand fired them up and said 'you've missed 2 updates. We pay £50 apiece to the engineers for this work - it only takes half an hour.'

Grreeat!

I then instruct my maintenance facility (not far from Silverstone...) to contact Garmin, confirm that this is indeed the case and do it for me for free.

Simple? Errrrr.....You'd have though so.

I get a rocking great bill from the engineers, I remind them that Garmin offered to pay - they tell me to 'send the bill to Garmin then'.

Hmmmm.... Why didn't they contact Garmin as I instructed?

Anyway - I contacted Garmin - 'sorry, your people are not an approved Garmin Facility, we don't have an arrangement with them.'

I go back to my engineers, explain that if they had complied with my instructions they would have been told - 'send him to an authorised Agent'. They say - 'don't pay the bill and, by the way - don't bring your aircraft here for maintenance any more....!'

All I can say is - they must be awash with work to turn down an Annual in January and 2 or 3 50- hour checks a year.

Anybody nearby want the work?

I have a slaving problem between the Garmin 430 and the STEC autopilot. I also need somebody to pursue the CAA to gain approval for my EDM700 Fuel FLow - my 'late' maintenance people didn't achieve it in 2 years.

HP

[ratsarrse]

I suppose it is theoretically possible if the connection to Garmin's FTP site isn't a secure one. However, someone would need to write a virus for that specific GPS unit first. I suspect that there aren't too many hackers out there that would be particularly interested in GPS viruses. It might be a great idea for wannabe terrorists though? Someone, somewhere would probably take great delight in causing a bit of havoc. I can imagine what the tabloid take would be.
I'd say it's highly unlikely.

[Kefuddle_UK]

In order for that to happen a hacker would have to get write access to the FTP site and then replace the download with their own malicious version. Not very likely really.

[FlyingForFun]

<pedant mode>

And of course it wouldn't be a virus, because a virus, by definition, must be able to spread itself once it's infected a host. It would be a worm, since it wouldn't be able to be passed on from your GPS to another GPS.

Does this make a difference? Well, yes, because once Garmin notice the problem and fix it, the worm would not be able to infect any further units - the only ones which would need fixing would be those that were infected before the problem was spotted. So it would be very easy to contain.

<end pedant mode>

I've never done the software upgrade, but I'd be surprised if it caused problems... if it did, Garmin would be so busy fixing broken units they wouldn't have time to write new versions of the software! :D

But I have to admit, for the amount that a Garmin unit costs, I'd expect something that provided a little resilliance. A friend of mine was involved in developing the software for some of the Sky TV digital set-top boxes. They would receive updated software via satelite, without the user needing to know anything was going on. They had two sets of programmable ROM chips. Only one was in use, and the new software was downloaded into the set that wasn't being used. Once the update was completed successfully, it would switch to use the new software in the other ROM. I'm sure Garmin could include something similar. Oh well.

FFF
---------------