Garmin MX 20 - What can I do with it?

[Martin H]

Hello All,

 

   I am looking at a plane with a fairly dated panel.   I plan to remove many of the older King electronics and put in a 530W. 

 

   It has a very tired LOOKING (not sure of capability yet) MX 20.   Is it worth upgrading?   Swapping for the 200?   Can I get a trade in for it?.... Any suggetions?

 

   I'd like the capability of the large screen for charts and such, and a back up that is not TEENY.

 

   Thanks,

 

   Martin

[MB65E]

Martin- I think the mx20 can overlay victor airways. Flew a Bravo that had it for a bit and it was nice IFR in unfamilier places. Some people have text weather on them, you could run XM services on them. If you have the space you could leave it and tie it to the 530W. We had it in a helicopter that already came with it and Only used it for Xm radio services. I'd leave it untill it quits working.

[jlunseth]

The MX20 is basically just a display.  It needs a source or sources, such as a 430/530, or a TIS receiver, or XMWX, etc., in order to display course, traffic, weather.  The MX20 is not serviced by Garmin any longer, so there is a market for used one's that work. because if someone has one that crapped out, it is a very expensive upgrade path to a 200.  At that, the 200 does not provide any significantly greater display capability than the MX20, the 200 also must have a source, or sources.  There is a datacard for the MX20, so the unit can independently display a background map such as a VFR sectional, IFR low, etc., but it needs to at least have a GPS course put in, in order to know what part of the country to display. The background charts need to be updated by subscription with Jeppesen.  The MX20 and the 200 can display SafeTaxi charts if the prior owner paid to have that enabled, it is not cheap.  And you would need to buy a subscription to update those charts.  Also, the various types of displays available need to have been purchased/enabled on the unit.  All the MX20's can display course data, and I believe that is true for WX, but radar was an upcharge, I believe traffic was also, you have to have the "radar" version of an MX20 in other words.

 

I have an MX20 and I like it.  Mine displays course information on the background map, and also displays NEXRAD, winds aloft, and other weather through the FIS page.  It will display textual weather if you want, but the color map display is much more useful to me.  I pull up textual METARs and the like on my 430AW for particular airports I am interested in. 

 

I would just leave it.  Since it is in the plane, it must be hooked to one or more sources.  Should be a GPS source, may be a SatWX receiver connected to it.

 

The 530 or better yet the 750 can do the same job(s).

[rbridges]

unless you find a smoking deal on a 430/530, you may want to consider one of the GTN series gps.  

[gjkirsch]

I have the MX20 tied to a 480.  Data updates are readily available.  My MX20 shows airways, approach plates and traffic.  It scales nicely.  Have not had any issues with it

[DAVIDWH]

Martin,

 

Suspect no $$ available on trades, but if you decide to sell I would highly recommend e-bay.

 

For some unknown reason, I am getting high prices and fast sales on my out dated, surplused and replaced avionics.

 

Just a thought.

[Awful_Charlie]

I have the same installation as gjkirsch - it works well, and I have an Avidyne TAS605 putting the display to both units.  Unfortunately, due to EASA mandating 8.33 radios over here, it will have to come out at the end of the year and be replaced with something else - more Avidyne or Garmin I suspect

[Alan Fox]

_{If the MX 20 has no lines in the screen it is worth keeping , The Charts can be enabled with just a card , The GMX 200 Charts are enabled with a dongle in the tray , If the MX 20 has two connectors in the back it is an IO box and can display traffic and Radar and is HIGHLY desireable.....} 

[M016576]

430/530+MX20 <= gtn750

If you want to go the 530 route but already have the mx20, I'd go the 430 route instead. It's cheaper and you'll get the same capability (you'll probably a only look at the mx20 for nav. The 430/530 will only be for data entry.

If you have the money, get a 750 and remove the mx20. Same or better capability, plus you'll save panel space