Garmin 396 with XM

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vupilot

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Anybody using a Garmin 396 handheld with XM satalite radio and wx? These units are leap forward in technology. I am interested in the wx and radio use. Is the wx just the monthly fee and initial fee and then work flawlessly? Also what other equipment is required to use the 396 for XM radio?

Thanks, looking forward to hearing about how you all like your 396
 
I'm flying with a 396 and used the weather features quite extensively last week: Dallas to Merida, Mexico; Houston, Hobby; Dallas, Portage, Wisconsin; back to Dallas. It was wonderful.

We subscribe to the full monthly service for weather: Nexrad; clouds, lightning, Pireps, Metars, winds, ect. Don't use the XM radio.

Let me know what you'd like to know.

Dave
 
Thanks, sounds like its great.
What is required to use the XM radio capability?
 
Have to pay the monthly fee; I think $12 per month. We didn't think we'd used it enough to be worth it. I normally file IFR and am busy with Center; weather; flight planning etc. Don't really listen to the radio a lot (or CDs) while flying. We do have AM/FM radio and CD player in the plane.

Dave
 
The 396 is on my Christmas wish list. Very nice unit.
 
Dave,

Have you used the road map portion of it yet? We were going to get a GPS for our car/motorcycle trips, but the 396 intrigued us with all the 'extras' that come with it. We would subscribe to the XM radio as well. How sweet it would be to have one GPS that we can use for all three 'vehicles'.

Thanks,

Dee
 
DeeG said:
Dave,

Have you used the road map portion of it yet? We were going to get a GPS for our car/motorcycle trips, but the 396 intrigued us with all the 'extras' that come with it. We would subscribe to the XM radio as well. How sweet it would be to have one GPS that we can use for all three 'vehicles'.

Thanks,

Dee
Click to expand...

Dee:

I haven't loaded the road database. A Free download comes with the unit, but I've just had too many other things going on to do that. Perhaps one weekend.

Dave
 
The free download that comes with the unit is for a jeppeson db update.

You have to send in the UPC and receipt for the free road map pack which is a special offer till December. I sent mine 2 weeks ago .. haven't received it yet.
 
If/When you guys do get it and use it, can you update me? The 396 is on top of the short list of GPS units. Won't be gettng it till spring, so no hurry.

Thanks!!

Dee
 
Dave Siciliano said:
I'm flying with a 396 and used the weather features quite extensively last week: Dallas to Merida, Mexico; Houston, Hobby; Dallas, Portage, Wisconsin; back to Dallas. It was wonderful.

We subscribe to the full monthly service for weather: Nexrad; clouds, lightning, Pireps, Metars, winds, ect. Don't use the XM radio.

Let me know what you'd like to know.

Dave
Click to expand...
Agree with all, except Dave says in another post that the full subscription is $12 (was he talking about XMradio only?). Mine is $49 without music. The car nav is useful, and certainly cheaper than buying an installed system in a new car. It works well, not very detailed for me, I guess because I've been driving this part of the world for 40 years and things don't change all that much. It won't plot forest roads, for instance, and I know just about every other road in the region.

Anyway, my 396 pays for itself everytime I fly. Just finding favorable winds saves me $$$ on each flight.

This month, Aviation Consumer has a letter to the editor from a fellow who quibbles a bit, but I haven't found any shortcomings worth noting. I love mine.
 
Big Bird said:
Agree with all, except Dave says in another post that the full subscription is $12 (was he talking about XMradio only?). Mine is $49 without music. The car nav is useful, and certainly cheaper than buying an installed system in a new car. It works well, not very detailed for me, I guess because I've been driving this part of the world for 40 years and things don't change all that much. It won't plot forest roads, for instance, and I know just about every other road in the region.

Aquote]

Yes, I was talking about the XM radio being $12 per month more. We didn't get it. Like you, we pay the $49 for all the other good stuff.

Dave
Click to expand...
 
Dave Siciliano said:
Yes, I was talking about the XM radio being $12 per month more. We didn't get it. Like you, we pay the $49 for all the other good stuff.
Click to expand...

I think I saw something that said you could add music to a wx subscription for $5/mo, but I could be confusing this with a multi (music) receiver subscription discount.
 
For the XM weather service you have two levels. Aviator Lite is the cheaper package at $30 per month and gives you Nexrad with 5 minute updates, METARs, TAFs and TFRs. The full Aviator package is $50 per month and adds cloud tops, lightning strikes and winds aloft.

If you want XM radio service, that's considered an additonal receiver, with a rate of $7 per month. You can add up to 5 receivers with your subscruption at the $7 rate.

I don't have the 396, but I've been using the Navair system with XM weather, and as previously stated, the weather info is invaluable.

Jon
 
Well:

Here's the vendors response to my query about the coverage area:

Dear David,

Thank you for contacting XM Satellite Radio.

XM is currently only licensed to provide service to the US (All states except Alaska and Hawaii), its territories and adjacent waters. Outside of these areas XM is very careful to not exceed the signal strength defined by international regulations. At some locations outside the defined service area, however, even if XM is within the transmission limits, the signal level is still strong enough for you to receive service. In general, it is not easy to answer coverage questions for locations outside of the U.S. since XM has not designed the system to work and has not tested outside the U.S. As well all XM customers need to provide a U.S. mailing address to subscribe to our service.

If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to send an additional email or you may contact a Listener Care Representative directly at 1-800-XM RADIO (800-967-2346). For commercial accounts, please contact 1-888-689-2300 or view the Frequently Asked Questions at commercial.xmradio.com.

You can view and manage your account at <http://listenercare.xmradio.com>. Unfortunately, commercial and fleet accounts can not be viewed or managed via our website.

Haven?t signed up for XM Radio Online? Please visit listen.xmradio.com to sign up! The cost is included with your the basic service. Select the link that you are already an existing subscriber and please have your Radio ID (located on channel 0) available. You will need to complete the steps to sign up by creating a username and password. You will then be able to login and enjoy XM Radio Online.

As always, visit our website at www.xmradio.com for all the latest news on XM Satellite Radio.

Our Listener Care Centers hours of operation are as follows:
Monday-Saturday 6 AM - 2 AM ET
Sunday 8 AM - 8 PM ET

Thank you,
Sreerupa Roy
XM's Listener Care Representative
1-800-XM RADIO (800-967-2346)


On November 2, 2005 at 11:09 AM, dsiciliano2@sbcglobal.net wrote:

>First Name: David
>Last Name: Siciliano
>Email Address: dsiciliano2@sbcglobal.net Message Body: I receive
>weather data for the Garmin 396. How can I determine what the coverage area in North America is?
>
>Thank you
 
You should be able to receive XM in Canada anywhere close to the US border, in northern Mexico and the Bahamas.

However, it may not be all that useful even if you can receive it. They don't transmit surface reports or forecasts for foreign airports. The most important use of XM weather as far as I'm concerned is Nexrad radar, and you won't get much at all once you get more than a hundred miles or so outside the US.

Here's a map of Nexrad coverage:
http://www.weather.gov/radar_tab.php
Note the shaded areas represent absent coverage, which may be temporary if a site is down, or permanent. I unfortunately live right next to a permanent coverage gap between the Albuquerque and Flagstaff radars, so the Stormscope is not quite obsolete yet.


Jon
 
Does anyone know if the 396 has an AUX/IN connection (headphone jack)...you know...so I can plug in my MP3 player and listen to my tunes instead of having to pay for XM radio???

Oh oh...and how do you hook it up to your headsets??? through the intercom? or what?

Anyone have any pics of theirs...other than the ad pics. You know...front/back/side to side?
 
mpartovi said:
Does anyone know if the 396 has an AUX/IN connection (headphone jack)...you know...so I can plug in my MP3 player and listen to my tunes instead of having to pay for XM radio???

Oh oh...and how do you hook it up to your headsets??? through the intercom? or what?
Click to expand...

AfaIK the 396 simply has a music output (probably on a 1/8" stereo jack) that you can feed into the music input on an intercom or headset so equipped. Sending some other audio signal would be of no value. If you want to listen to your MP3 player in the cockpit and the intercom in the plane has no music input, you either need a headset with music in (like most Lightspeed models) or something like the Muse:

http://www.ps-engineering.com/muse.shtml
 
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