Appreciate pireps for Garmin 196 vs 296

Vance Breese

Vance Breese

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Vance Breese
I recently purchased a Garmin 296 portable GPS to replace my Pilot III that failed and I find the color screen harder to read in direct sunlight than the Pilot III. I have adjusted the brightness and contrast and have not found a setting that helps in my open cockpit gyroplane.
I am wondering if a Garmin 196 would be easier to read in direct sunlight because the gray scale is more like my Pilot III.
It needs to mount on the top of my glare shield because there is no room in the panel.
I have not found a way to shield the screen so I can read it.
My Garmin 696 color screen is easy to read in direct sunlight but is too big for the aircraft.
Is a 496 screen easier to read in direct sunlight than the 296?
This is a rotorcraft that shakes so a touch screen is very hard to use ruling out the new touch screen Garmins.
Thank you for your help!
 
I did a double take on the date to make sure this wasn't a decade old necro-post. :)

From what I recall, the monochrome 196 seemed to have a fast screen refresh rate than the 296, which I recall being painfully slow. I don't recall having a problem reading either in the direct sunlight.
 
I agree with Vance Breese. I would like to suggest you should go for at least a 396, and get the aviator light satellite package. On follow up my studies the newer Garmin color screens really are more readable. :idea::yesnod:
 
Sorry, got to be the guy to say it.

Why not just get a iphone/iPad with foreflight? It's WAAAY better bang for your buck
 
I have used all the Garmins... I used to buy and sell a ton of Garmin stuff and tried them all. I have a ipad mini with WingX that I take on trips.
My 2 favorite Garmins are the 196 and 696 and I always liked that little pilot III. What I really like about the 196 and Pilot III is the pointer function. The arrow always points to the airport you are flying to. It is very simple to stay on track. They took that away with the color gps's. My 172 has a 696 in the panel, the Cub has a 196 and the Model 12 has a 496. I like the 196 better than the 496. I just love the little pointer arrow. If you are heading somewhere and decide to go off course and look at something just look at the little arrow and it will point you to the airport. Once you get off the pink line you have to hit direct to and draw a new line with the color units.
Nothing wrong with the 196! Best of all it runs on AA batteries. My Cub does not have any electrical. If the batteries die just pop in 4 AA's, chunk the old ones out the window and go on about your business. I hate recharging crap.
 
James331 said:
Sorry, got to be the guy to say it.

Why not just get a iphone/iPad with foreflight? It's WAAAY better bang for your buck
Click to expand...

I have picked up like new 196's on ebay for $100 many times. Go buy a ipad for $100 with the apps.
I love my ipad mini but also love my simple 196.
 
James331 said:
Sorry, got to be the guy to say it.

Why not just get a iphone/iPad with foreflight? It's WAAAY better bang for your buck
Click to expand...

Thank you for the input Brad and Austin.

That is why I mentioned in my original post that this is a rotorcraft that shakes so a touch screen is very hard to use ruling out the touch screen Garmins.

I have found an ipad to be useless in flight and an iphone even more so. The screens are readable in direct sunlight but I have found I need to ask questions in flight James.

I use paper charts as my primary navigation and the GPS is my backup. The open cockpit can make this a challenge.

When flying in the LA basin or the San Francisco Bay Area the weather may change my plans in flight and a Garmin with buttons is more practical particularly if I am wearing gloves.
 
Thank you pigpen, that is exactly the sort of information I was looking for. I will look for a 196.

Maybe someone on POA has a 196 they would part with?
 
Look on ebay. You will find one. Be sure to ask the seller if the battery compartment has corrosion. I think the going rate is $225-$275 but if you hold out there are deals.
I agree most touch screen stuff sucks. I had a 796 in my plane for a day and it ****ed me off so bad I almost threw it out the window.
The ipad is ok but the glare sucks and trying to touch everything is not easy. I like buttons and arrows.
 
Vance Breese said:
Thank you pigpen, that is exactly the sort of information I was looking for. I will look for a 196.

Maybe someone on POA has a 196 they would part with?
Click to expand...

I've had both the 196 and 296. I think the 196 was easier to read but did sell it and kept the 296.

A friend I think has a 396 which seems to me has the same quality screen as the 296.

No experience with the 496.
 
Had a 296 and upgraded to the 496,have moved onto an IPad with foreflight. The 496 was a great unit ,and provided weather.
 
Thank you for the pireps Ron and Brian.
I checked Andy and updates are still available for the 196 from Garmin.
I am headed in the direction of the 196.
That was good advice about the corroded battery area pigpen, there is one on EBay now with that problem. I intend to power the GPS with the aircraft but I like the idea of having a backup electrical source for the GPS and I often program flights on the ground with the power off.
Thank you all for your help.
 
i have a champ with no elect sys finding a good 196 is hard as it the only gps that is currently able to be updated and supported. non color screens have a longer battery life like 2x color also grey screens work much better in sunlight
 
hotprops said:
i have a champ with no elect sys finding a good 196 is hard as it the only gps that is currently able to be updated and supported. non color screens have a longer battery life like 2x color also grey screens work much better in sunlight
Click to expand...

You can still buy nav & obstacles data for the 296 and the others.

Garmin shows additional software is available for my 296 such as FlightBook Ver. 2.5.1 dated Nov 16, 2015

They won't repair the 296, 396 or 496.
 
hotprops said:
i have a champ with no elect sys finding a good 196 is hard as it the only gps that is currently able to be updated and supported. non color screens have a longer battery life like 2x color also grey screens work much better in sunlight
Click to expand...

Thank you hotprops. That is exactly the information I am after. I am on the hunt for a 196.
 
My recollection about the 196 is that it's a pain in the neck to update ... IIRC you need to connect to a PC with an RS232 port.

I have a couple of 196s in a file drawer in my hangar. I'll look at them to see if the battery compartments are clean.
 
I would love to help you clean out your file drawer and contribute to your flying funds Jeff.

I suspect the 196 would be just fine for my needs.

My Pilot III worked well for my needs although the out of date data was annoying and the internal battery had long ago died so it didn't keep information and took a while to find itself.

She just went dark one day and no amount of probing will bring her to life.

I would be happy to purchase a Pilot III too.
 
Pilawt said:
My recollection about the 196 is that it's a pain in the neck to update ... IIRC you need to connect to a PC with an RS232 port.

I have a couple of 196s in a file drawer in my hangar. I'll look at them to see if the battery compartments are clean.
Click to expand...

They are easy to update now since Garmin updated their system. Just buy the usb update plug.
 
Here they are. They haven't been used since I got my first iPad four years ago. Batteries were left out of them almost all the time because I ran them on ship's power, so the battery compartments are clean. I bought one of them in the early 2000s, and inherited my dad's when he passed on.

They both power up with batteries, but I haven't taken the time to let them search for satellites. When they've been shut off for so long, it takes a while for them to re-orient themselves.

I have the two 196 units, two cigarette lighter adapters, two remote antennae, one carrying case, one yokemount, one AC power adapter, one manual.

PM if interested.
 
Thank you for your help, kindness and generosity Jeff.
Thank all of you for your help.
 
When I got my C150 it came with a 196. I really didn't use it till I left my Ipad in Iceland on Vacation. I've never had a problem with lighting unless I have it turned down all the way accidently. Of course the wings block out most of the sun I get. I have never had an issue with mine. I like the fact you can switch it to car mode and use it in your car if you really wanted to.
 
bullwinkle said:
Can you even get current map updates for a 196??
Click to expand...

Absolutely. You can even still buy a brand new 196 from some resellers. It was only discontinued sometime last year. It was probably their longest-selling aviation portable. With the monochrome LCD screen, the brighter the sunlight, the easier it was to read.
 
My Garmin 196 just arrived due to the generosity and kindness of a POA member.
I am very pleased with the screen readability in direct sunlight.
There is no comparison to the 296 which is impossible to read under even overcast skies.
It is also substantially smaller and thinner than the 296 with a slightly larger screen.
I feel it will be much easier to mount on my glare shield and think I can leave my vertical card compass where it is. I am off to the airport to find out.
Thank you all for your help.
 
Another feature of the 196, is in the car mode,, and plugged into ship power with a cig adaptor.. I gives voltage, so you can monitor your electrical system in the plane...:yes:
 
The Garmin 196 is installed and hooked up to panel power.
I flew with her yesterday and was very pleased with how readable the screen was in direct sunlight.
I found the 196 very easy to use and she has most of the features that I found alluring in the 696.
I will miss the terrain and safe taxi features of the 696.
The 196 seems like a reasonable compromise given the limited panel space.
Thank you all for your help.
I learn so much on POA.
 
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