Road going 296

[markendee]

Has anyone on the forum purchased the auto software for their Garmin 296?

 

If so was it good value?

 

 

[JayKay]

I use my Garmin 296 in the car. I've got a 512MB RAM card onto which I loaded City Navigator Australia 2008 (you only need the 256MB card for this). I also have the Car Power Adapter with Speaker built in. I use a RAM suction mount to hang it all off the front windscreen.

 

It works very well. A nice female voice gives me directions which I often ignore, but she doesn't complain about being ignored, which in my limited experience is unusual for a woman. Therefore I've grown quite fond of my Garmin 296 car navigation system - much to my wife's incredulity.

 

The feature that I particularly like about it is that, when flying, I can pick a specific address in Automotive mode and then switch to Aviation mode and fly directly to that waypoint. Fantastic for flying over your pax's house or farm. I've done this with a number of pax's who could not recognise nor navigate to their own property from the air!

 

If you ever get geographically challenged whilst flying, you can switch it to Automotive mode and zoom in to any street level in Australia to find your way. Saves you having to fly low to read the road signs. (Now that puts a new dimension to 'Fly by Road/Rail'! Note: If you ever do that, make sure you choose 'off road' guidance so it doesn't literally try to navigate you over roads).

 

I'm not sure about the good value bit for use in the car. Specialised car GPS units now include touch screens which probably make it easier to enter address information and because of competition and volume sales they are relatively cheap (including the street mapping software). The other problem with using a Garmin 296 in the car is that it is an expensive piece of kit in full view - thus an easy target for a smash and grab. I've built a little hood for mine which keeps it out of the sun and hides it from outside view.

 

Conversely, many specialised car GPS units don't work well in aeroplanes. If you need a dual purpose GPS then you're better off using an aviation GPS in a car than trying to use a car GPS in an aeroplane.

 

 

[markendee]

Thanks for the informative answer JayKay.

 

I have a 296 and when I asked the seller about the auto software he suggested a $500.00 Navman is better value for the car.

 

It seems a waste to have such a nice bit of gear sitting in the plane doing nothing. If I don't leave it in the plane it is going to be in my car anyway.

 

Your point of theft is a good one but so is the advantage of the automotive software in the air.

 

Thanks again.

 

Mark D