New Garmin Aviation GPS -- WOW!

aloft

aloft

New Member
Just announced! GPSMap 296. Color screen! EFIS-style arc view! Pretty much a portable GNS 530. Hefty price tag, tho: full retail is $1795.

pt-GPSMAP296Large01.jpg
 
I was wondering when they were going to come out with something like that. I figured after the sucess of the 196 with no color, there had to be a better color version of that coming out soon thereafter.

Nice looking unit btw!!
 
In case you missed it in the photo above--check the color shadings--TERRAIN ELEVATION DATA IN MAP VIEW--a Garmin first!!! As a lot of people here know, I'm a serious GPS geek, and man does this unit have me seriously drooling after what, 5 minutes?
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Pretty much a portable GNS 530.

[/ QUOTE ]
Not even close.

One of my students works for Garmin, and he hates the color handheld units. The monochrome units are far better. I'd actually have to agree with him. Not to mention the color ones suck batteries like there's no tomorrow.
 
$800.00 seams to be a lot to pay for a few colors.

Unless there are other reasons for spending that many bucks.

And it don't look as if there are
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Pretty much a portable GNS 530.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not even close.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Except that its color, its a GPS, and its made by Garmin, it is nothing like a 530.
 
I'll take their G1000 with AHRS, please. I really don't like the D.G. "ingrained" in the brown of the screen-wise A.I., however. Their claim that people would see a false horizon if there was another line is weak, IMHO. Keep in mind that I only have about 13 hours of EFIS, so maybe my opinion is worhtless.
 
What I would love to see is a handheld GPS that can download Nexrad weather radar in flight onto the unit from a satelite. To me that would be more useful than a lot of the other crap on GPS units today.

Cheers


John Herreshoff
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Pretty much a portable GNS 530.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not even close.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Except that its color, its a GPS, and its made by Garmin, it is nothing like a 530.

[/ QUOTE ]

A little substantiation of statements like these, please.
 
What's to substantiate? Its the truth. Quit busting my balls aloft. You know full well (or can read) what I mean.
 
Re: Hey Doug

You both have good points. Agree to disagree and move on.

If I didn't have 14g's for a 530 or 10g's or whatever it is for a 430 I think I'd definetely go with the 296. Having used both color and b/w I personally think the color ones are much easier to read. It may drain batteries but you can bet that if I have enough cash to drop 2 grand on a handheld I sure as hell have enough to spend for a few new batteries every now and then.
grin.gif
 
Not that there's a color '96 out, perhaps they'll finally lower the price on the 196.
I thought all electronic gizmos were supposed to come down in price after introduction.
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
$800.00 seams to be a lot to pay for a few colors.

Unless there are other reasons for spending that many bucks.

And it don't look as if there are

[/ QUOTE ]

Terrain (color) + night = weight in gold.
 
Unless you live where I do, in a place where an ant hill would be a significant terrain feature!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top