Updating 430 & MX20 myself

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Z06_Mir

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The yearly subscription plan I had at the FBO expired in October so I'm looking to figure out the best way to update it for my needs.

I fly IFR quite a bit, so having the 430 up to date is paramount. The MX20 not so much, mountains don't move and it's definitely not a primary source of info. A yearly subscription at this FBO is probably not what I want to do unless they can transfer it to a different FBO when I head to the midwest for an extended stay around May/June (Phoenix heat sucksssss).
I'm fairly cheap, but who isn't? A yearly subscription for both is $712 this year... and I'd be afraid I'd be waiting 3-4 months of it when I leave for awhile. If I can update it more cheaply myself I'll certainly go for it.
I'm fairly tech savvy. I've got a Macbook pro and a card reader that will accept your standard SD card as well as compact flash.

Anyone have input on this? Am I crazy for wanting to update my cards myself?
 
I don't quite understand...is the 430 in a rental airplane that you use?
 
A little confused also. If this is your plane then the subscription should be in your name already??
All you need is a subscription from Jepp and a skybound card reader and you can update wherever you have access to internet. If your 430 is a waas unit it has terrain that can be updated in the number two card. This takes another reader from Garmin and a subscription just for terrain.:dunno:
 
murphey said:
I don't quite understand...is the 430 in a rental airplane that you use?
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No it's my airplane. I bought a subscription from the flight school. I hangar there and they'd just go out to my airplane every 28 days and update it for me. It was like magic!
ronnieh said:
A little confused also. If this is your plane then the subscription should be in your name already??
All you need is a subscription from Jepp and a skybound card reader and you can update wherever you have access to internet. If your 430 is a waas unit it has terrain that can be updated in the number two card. This takes another reader from Garmin and a subscription just for terrain.:dunno:
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No WAAS here, terrain is coming from the MX20.
 
Simple, buy your own subscription, get the skybound and do it yourself. Takes 10 minutes, tops.
 
ronnieh said:
Simple, buy your own subscription, get the skybound and do it yourself. Takes 10 minutes, tops.
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However, it doesn't work with the Mac unless you're running (bootcamp, parallels, vmware) with windows inside. Bet the price of your own subscription will be a bit cheaper than going thru the FBO, too.
 
murphey said:
However, it doesn't work with the Mac unless you're running (bootcamp, parallels, vmware) with windows inside. Bet the price of your own subscription will be a bit cheaper than going thru the FBO, too.
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Jeppesen recently released JDM for Mac. Works pretty well!
 
murphey said:
I don't quite understand...is the 430 in a rental airplane that you use?
Click to expand...

ronnieh said:
A little confused also. If this is your plane then the subscription should be in your name already??
Click to expand...

There are quite a few avionics shops/FBO's that will sell you a subscription which includes update service - On Update Thursday they'll go out and install the new cards in your plane for you.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
There are quite a few avionics shops/FBO's that will sell you a subscription which includes update service - On Update Thursday they'll go out and install the new cards in your plane for you.
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Surely, but it's hard to imagine an informed customer with access to a computer needing the service for most cards. In our club, a designated member has the responsibility to do the updates. For my plane, I do it myself.

If the FBO does it, you're paying for it somehow. Unless someone else flies the plane who doesn't have access to the card and might need the new cycle on Update Thursday or soon thereafter, I just don't see the advantage.
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
Jeppesen recently released JDM for Mac. Works pretty well!
Click to expand...

really!?,?! They finally reversed many years of anti-Mac? Gee. Wonder if Mark VT decided to buy a Mac and realized he couldn't run his own company's software?

[snarky mode off]
 
$315/yr is what I pay Jepp for NavData coverage for East and Central USA.

I do the updates one of three ways...
1) I bring the card home (if I remember) and program it at home with the Skybound USB reader.

2) I update it at the airplane with a laptop and 4G hotspot from the phone

3) If I think I won't have net access at the airplane, I'll download the update to the laptop, then update it at the airplane without needing a net connection.
 
murphey said:
really!?,?! They finally reversed many years of anti-Mac? Gee. Wonder if Mark VT decided to buy a Mac and realized he couldn't run his own company's software?

[snarky mode off]
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Yep, JSUM Mac is actually out there, I think it's been quite a few months now. I downloaded it and then found out it doesn't do the 480 updates and they have no plans to make it do them.
 
azure said:
Surely, but it's hard to imagine an informed customer with access to a computer needing the service for most cards. In our club, a designated member has the responsibility to do the updates. For my plane, I do it myself.
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Needing? No, but as the OP said...

Z06_Mir said:
I hangar there and they'd just go out to my airplane every 28 days and update it for me. It was like magic!
Click to expand...

I can imagine *wanting* that, if the price isn't too far above what Jepp charges for direct updates. Especially if one was coming from a club/rental situation where someone else handled it and all they had to do was go fly...
 
Is there a similar way to update the apollo GX-60 yourself?
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I got an account on Jepp's website and it looks like by doing it myself even with purchasing the card adapter I'll be saving $60. I won't complain about that.
 
The way to go. I would have thought you would save more than that. I thought CONUS was less than $400 per year. The skybound adaptor was $50 but may be more now. No experience with the MX20, however the Avidyne EX500 was a little over $200 per year. Anyway they do indeed have JSUM for MAC, over a year now.
 
ronnieh said:
The way to go. I would have thought you would save more than that. I thought CONUS was less than $400 per year. The skybound adaptor was $50 but may be more now. No experience with the MX20, however the Avidyne EX500 was a little over $200 per year. Anyway they do indeed have JSUM for MAC, over a year now.
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The adapter thing was $60. CONUS was a $390 and the MX20 was $190. Will the adapter thing work for the MX20? It has a compact flash type card.
 
I am not sure about the MX20. Is that the Apollo unit that Garmin took over? The Jepp people can tell you but, I doubt it will work. Looks like you are saving almost $200/year. Not counting the one time $60.
 
Mir, I don't update my MX 20 database except about every 48 months. Saves lots. Remember, it's "VFR only".
 
bbchien said:
Mir, I don't update my MX 20 database except about every 48 months. Saves lots. Remember, it's "VFR only".
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Thanks. Saves me close to $200 then. Frankly I don't use it except for terrain, and mountains don't move.
 
If you have an extra card, the easiest way to update it is update the spare card and swap them when you go flying. This way you leave a card in the airplane, and if you forget the updated card, you at least have a card, even an outdated one in the plane. :D
Non-WAAS cards shouldn't be too expensive, I paid $100 for a WAAS card a few months ago. ;)
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
Jeppesen recently released JDM for Mac. Works pretty well!
Click to expand...

Unfortunatley the idiots at JEPP didn't put support in for the MX20. I don't understand it, the Salem units (MX20, GMX200, GNS480, CX80) are TRIVIALLY easy to update (all you do is check the volume ID and write a standard windows filesystem file) unlike the other Garmin GPS cards which use a proprietary memory card and interface.

Of course, if enough people keep berating them about it, maybe they'll fix it.

I still have to maintain Parallel on my mac to update these cards.
 
Alright I have in my 'cart' the following. Someone please tell me this is right!


Garmin GNS 400 / 500 Series - NON-WAAS Navdata USA 48 STATES - 10018226


Skybound G2 USB Adapter - 10024997
 
I think you could just do western US if you only fly local. It's a little cheaper. That's what I had until I was flying to MI and all of a sudden I had no more waypoints!
 
Sam D said:
I think you could just do western US if you only fly local. It's a little cheaper. That's what I had until I was flying to MI and all of a sudden I had no more waypoints!
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I plan on making a couple trips to Michigan this summer so it made sense to go for the whole US, I think it was only a like $70 more.
 
Sam D said:
I think you could just do western US if you only fly local. It's a little cheaper. That's what I had until I was flying to MI and all of a sudden I had no more waypoints!
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For the NAVDATA there's no "west" vs "east" coverage.
You can select that for chart view (plates).
 
Z06_Mir said:
Alright I have in my 'cart' the following. Someone please tell me this is right!


Garmin GNS 400 / 500 Series - NON-WAAS Navdata USA 48 STATES - 10018226


Skybound G2 USB Adapter - 10024997
Click to expand...
I would bit the bullet and buy another datacard ($ss saved from updating the MX 20). You do the updates at home, bring the card with you when you go to the airport, and swap.
 
bbchien said:
I would bit the bullet and buy another datacard ($ss saved from updating the MX 20). You do the updates at home, bring the card with you when you go to the airport, and swap.
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Eh. I didn't. If I see the need I will, but for now I'm guessing I'll just end up taking my laptop to the airport with me.
 
Z06_Mir said:
Eh. I didn't. If I see the need I will, but for now I'm guessing I'll just end up taking my laptop to the airport with me.
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I tried that for a while, and I have an office at the airport.

Well....you'll see. Also saves the trip when a download comes down corrupted....or it you will be away mid-trip during a renewal cycle.
 
I can't vouch for the stupid 430, but an MX20 doesn't need to program direct to the card. I quite frequently download the data to my lap top while I'm at home with a decent internet connection and program the cards offline when I get to the plane.
 
Henning said:
Antennas appear though...
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Absolutely. But I don't rely on the mx20. I have a set of eyes and the ability to read enroute charts and sections that are current :lol:
 
Updated it a couple days ago with no issues. Just in time for me to cancel the California trip and take the airlines. :(
 
Z06_Mir said:
Garmin GNS 400 / 500 Series - NON-WAAS Navdata USA 48 STATES - 10018226
Click to expand...

Do you *need* all of the lower 48 states? If you're only going to use a smaller region or two you might save by reducing your database coverage.
 
greghughes said:
Do you *need* all of the lower 48 states? If you're only going to use a smaller region or two you might save by reducing your database coverage.
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Unfortunately I do. The database ends at either South Dakota (meaning no Minnesota) or Minnesota (nothing west of there, no Michigan) and I've got a known trip or two planned to Michigan already.
 
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