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anyone use Garmin 396

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justmeinmsp

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 11, 2003
Posts
154
We are considering the Garmin 396. Anyone have any comments on it, good or bad. Any problems with antenna placement? I have read on other threads where XM needs to face a specific direction. Any input is appreciated.
 
Wondering the same thing... Only I would like to use it in the front end of the Learjet 31A with the gold windshields. I'd like to know if it would work.
 
gpsmap 396

Just took it on my first trip today. I think placement is key with the XM antenna. Once I found the right spot everything updated in a matter of minutes, that being the Nexrad and satellite pix. Metars and TAFs seem to update a little more slowly. Had a metar today of 2053Z and the next one came in at 2253Z. During that time I was losing the XM signal a lot so I think that had something to do with it. Once the signal was steady the metar updated immediately. After one flight with it I highly recommend it. Nice piece of equipment. By the way this was in a King Air.
 
We have been using one for our Westwind II since they came out a few months ago. Amazing how far technology has come. The boss said to get one when he heard about the XM weather feature. We do a lot of coast to coast trips and it is real nice to have access to the weather features hours after looking at a weather computer on the ground.

As far as signal reception, I have only noticed an occasional No XM Signal display for a few seconds here and there. I place the antenna far forward in the windshield and have not noticed any problems even with the windshield heats on.

I also like to take it with me in the car and switch to Automotive mode. Works real well. I do notice though some of the directions it tells you to go are not the fastest routes. I guess it is not smart enough to know about long traffic lights or heavier traffic areas.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone out there. The only thing I wish is that we could get the XM Radio into our headsets. I really enjoy the Comedy Channel 150 when I have it in the car.
 
cptsesso said:
We have been using one for our Westwind II since they came out a few months ago. Amazing how far technology has come. The boss said to get one when he heard about the XM weather feature. We do a lot of coast to coast trips and it is real nice to have access to the weather features hours after looking at a weather computer on the ground.

As far as signal reception, I have only noticed an occasional No XM Signal display for a few seconds here and there. I place the antenna far forward in the windshield and have not noticed any problems even with the windshield heats on.

I also like to take it with me in the car and switch to Automotive mode. Works real well. I do notice though some of the directions it tells you to go are not the fastest routes. I guess it is not smart enough to know about long traffic lights or heavier traffic areas.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone out there. The only thing I wish is that we could get the XM Radio into our headsets. I really enjoy the Comedy Channel 150 when I have it in the car.

We're using XM in the Beechjet displayed on our efb, only problem with reception using the portable antenna was in the New England area while heading northeast to Maine. We are using our externally mounted antenna now and get good reception everywhere including San Jose (mmsd) Mexico.

Looks like we are moving into a Lear 45 in the next 9 months or so and guess we'll probably have to have an external antenna on it to get any reception with that gold plated windshield they have.
 

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