Garmin 296 - loss of signal
 

On my last couple of flights my trusty Garmin 296 (which sits on the dashboard under windscreen) has experienced loss of satellite signals over several minutes.

Coincidence or is this advance warning of failure?

It's quite a shock to be without the magneta line.:ooh:

flyme.

I've run a 296 for the last five years and never had any problem. You could phone or e-mail your local Aviation Authority (I see that you are in the Netherlands) and ask them if there has been, co-incident with your problem, any temporary degrading of the Sat/Nav system.

When that happens here in Britain, we generally get an advance warning. It is a good idea to carry a handheld backup just in case you have a failure of your prime instrument.

Has happened to me also on the 296. When the signal was lost, West Coast of Ireland, my I pad with external GPS, with Sky Demon, was unaffected.

There have been two other instances this year, West Coast Scotland, and Carlisle area.

I keep the 296 as a back up, but you are correct, it has been losing signal.

If the software version is 5.80 or earlier then you may wish to update it - V. 5.90 is supposed to have "Improved GPS satellite acquisition processing".

However, beware that this may clear your user memory.

See here: Garmin: GPSMAP 296 Updates & Downloads

Thanks Jez. I will update mine, been a while...

I had the same problem with my 296 last year. I suspected a faulty aerial connection, but upgrading to the latest software via Garmin.com completely fixed the problem. Hope it works for you....

All the software updates ever solved on my 296 was to destroy the battery charging circuit. I`ve never used a more useless pile of junk ever. Sent back to Garmin three times and destroyed six batteries.Still didnt solve the problem. Glad I shot of it. Rant over.

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you very much for the tips. I have updated from version 0504 to 0610 (without loss of user waypoints). Hopefully that will be the fix. Have to wait until next flight.

Sorry to hear of negative experience.

Personally very pleased with the unit. I normally use it with EGNOS switched off (accuracy more than sufficent). Input a route prior to take-off, then leave it alone in nav page (rose, bearing and CDI) to auto roll down the waypoints as each is passed. Terrain pop-up surprised me one day - was a mast 300ft below my cloud depressed cruise altitude.

Also a great training aid for the more advanced Garmins.

flyme.

Software update to 610 confirmed as having resolved the problem.

Happy bunny. :)

Flyme