Garmin GPS - convert marine to aviation?

killbilly

killbilly

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I was perusing the Garmin website and found this marine GPS...

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=402&locale=en_US

It's quite similar to the 496 Aviation GPS. What little I know about electronics manufacturing tells me that it is likely (but not set in stone - this is an educated guess) that the only difference between this and the 496 is the software load. So I'm wondering if it would be possible to get the 496 software loaded onto it. Obviously, this unit costs considerably less, which is what got me thinking of it.

Does anyone know if this is possible? Or has it been done?
 
It's the software load.

Unless you a very proficient at X-Windows/Unix with some pretty darn tootin' good at hacking some excellent security layers -- at which point Garmin will be interested in hiring you, and have access to another Garmin 496 to get said software, you're probably not going to get the marine unit upgraded to an aviation unit. You can go down but not up.

Try a 296 or 396. I have a used, excellent condition 296 for sale under $1000 as well of a bunch of folks listing theirs on eBay. It'll do everything of the 496 except the weather ($50 per month) and XM radio ($5-40 per month), which if you can afford the subscription, you can afford the 496.
 
I was mainly curious about this because I had the opportunity to pick up a couple of the marine units, brand new, for below the wholesale price - around 400-500 a piece.

Didn't realize they used an embedded unix system with x-windows...figured it was something proprietary. Learn something new every day!
 
Careful on those 'below wholesale' prices. There are lots of stolen 'new' GPS units out there. I'm not claiming any knowledge other than the stolen market exists.
 
I hope you won't be using "upgraded" units for anything other than situational awareness...
 
flynik said:
I also hope that you are using the "standard" units for anything other than situational awareness...
Click to expand...

:yup: Isn't that kind of the purpose of a GPS?

BTW, in an emergency, those units do really well with showing direct to the nearest airport, in or out of the clouds. :panic:
 
SlantG said:
Careful on those 'below wholesale' prices. There are lots of stolen 'new' GPS units out there. I'm not claiming any knowledge other than the stolen market exists.
Click to expand...

I appreciate what you're saying, but I am 100% confident this was not a stolen unit. I was going to be able to make the purchase direct through a wholesaler through a private business relationship.

I'd never use a GPS of questionable authenticity or provenance. Just doesn't strike me as terribly smart.
 
If you have have a question, just call Garmin with the serial number. They've been able to track those for me, although I was calling as a dealer at the time. I'm no longer associated with any dealer, though.
 
I gotta tell ya, if you can afford the XM weather, it is worth it.
Just yesterday, on the way back from Shreveport, there was a wind change at altitude not forecast on DUAT. The change from 8500 to 4500 saved us a good amount of flight time. I could see it changing watching the 396 Winds Aloft screen..
 
Aside from the XM WX, what makes an aviation GPS an aviation GPS is the database. Being something of a computer nerd, I was able to create my own aviation MapSource maps for my Garmin GPSMap 76 using now-unavailable DAFIF data and a program called GPSMapper. It obviously lacks things like frequency listings, runway data and pre-programmed instrument approaches, but it's been useful enough for VFR navigation, airspace avoidance and overall situational awareness. My current employer provided a Garmin 196 for my use and it has spoiled me somewhat.

That said, it looks like XM WX is available for the Garmin 478 you linked to, so getting a unit that cheaply then adding an XM subscription on your own seems like an attractive option. Might I ask where you got the great deal on them? PM me if you prefer.
 
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