Can you put a Pacific map on a US Garmin 196
 

Does anyone know, or has anyone successfully done this - can I put the Pacific Garmin software / maps on a US origin Garmin GPSMAP 196 ?

Cheers

Hi I had a Garmin 196 a few years back, which had a pacific database, I believe you just go to the Garmin website and download the database that you want to buy after paying for it that is, hope this helps.:ok:

I got a good explanation this morning of the issues in doing this. Whilst you can put a new DB on the GPS unit, you can't change the base maps. So you can get the Jepps waypoints up but no maps.

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Can you put a data card in a Garmin 196?

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The 296, 495, 496 have a hole in their bum where you can insert a Garmin datacard.

Does the 196 have the same thing?

If so, I suspect that you can update the maps.

Try asking the question "Can you put the pacific database maps on a 496 purchased in the US, and you will likely be told, "No, you can't"!

But you can! How do I know? Cause I have done it - twice now.

Dr :8

interesting !!!!!

and you get the base maps etc as well as the Jepps DB ?? I can get a 296 in the States quite cheap, just want to make sure I can get AUS base maps as well as the Jepps database - the 196 does have a card input, the 296 does as well I think. Where do you get a card from ??

Apparently I posted details of how to do this back in June 2008, but a search of my posts does not seem to go back earlier than December 2008. Perhaps a helpful Moderator can find the post in question.

Its not hard to do. I used a 128 Mb card, which I think can be purchased from Garmin dealers. You need to load the maps covering the Pacific region onto the card from a World Map CD, and then tell the GPS unit to access the maps from the card.

Send me a PM and I will give you more details.

Dr :8

With Forkie's help and advice, (He knows more about Garmin than Garmin!)I've added a Pacific Basemap to a 396 and a 296. It works great. You can get the data cards on eBay cheaper than Garmin. The Pacific airspace Jepp database and terrain database are different. You can download them from the Garmin website... at a price.

I have a funny feeling that you won't be using those devices for much longer.