Little tip for the Cheapskates

[StinkBug]

Finally got around to activating the XM Weather on my Garmin 496 today. Well actually I tried to do it 2 days ago, I'll spare you the details, but after 2 hours (not exagerating I checked the phone logs) on the phone over 2 days they finally figured out why the weather wasn't working. The guy put me on a plan that isn't even available for the 496, and would be useless for me if it were. After another 45min I finally got something hooked up.

 

Here's the tip for the guys in the CB club like me. I had heard from various people that the marine weather still provided aviation services, so I signed up for the cheapest Marine weather package, which is $9.95 a month, I figured if it didn't have what I needed I could always change/upgrade. Well once it finally linked up I found that it does in fact show you nexrad radar and METARs for every airport. I haven't had time to go through everything and figure out what else is there, but for less than a third the price of the cheapest aviation package I'm happy so far. Even after adding a music package so I can rock out on the long XC flights I'm still paying $12/month less than the basic aviator plan.

 

Oh, and the activation fee for Marine was only $15 instead of the $75 they charge for Aviation.

[rbridges]

9.95 is one third the cost? Wow I had no idea xm cost so much.

[Alan Fox]

You are now a member of the C.S.O.B. club     (Cheap son of a beech)...

[StinkBug]

http://www.xmwxweather.com/aviation/data-service-pricing.php

 

The cheapest aviation package is $35 a month. It does come with more features, but for now I'm gonna go the cheap route and see if I actually need more. I've also been told that the Master Mariner package (the most expensive Marine $50/month) has everything the $99/month aviation package has. Both of those are above what I'm willing to pay right now though.

[mooniac15u]

None of the marine packages provides TFRs.

[larryb]

I use Master Mariner on my 796. It does provide TFR's and other aviation products. It does not give icing which is included in the $99 aviation package. Basically equivalent to the Aviator package and saves $5/month.

[DAVIDWH]

HMMN:

 

I thought weather was a bit like tires and batteries, ie pay me now or pay me later.

 

I chose to pay now, and now my weather is free

 

in my op. those aviation packages are a little like the proverbial 30 year mortgage.

 

Enough said.

[StinkBug]

I assume you're talking about the ADSB weather?

 

In my case the 496 was installed in the plane when I bought it, so essentially the equipment was free. I could pay for many years of XM weather for what it'd cost to add ADSB weather to my plane. My post was really more directed towards people in my position who may already have the equipment, but not the service, or are currently paying more for the service than they might need to.

[yvesg]

Joker, I see you are also member of the CB club. Welcome.

Canada is screwed again... no package available below $50 a month which amounts to $65 CAD... and this regardless of getting a marine or aviation package.

Yves

[LANCECASPER]

Finally got around to activating the XM Weather on my Garmin 496 today. Well actually I tried to do it 2 days ago, I'll spare you the details, but after 2 hours (not exagerating I checked the phone logs) on the phone over 2 days they finally figured out why the weather wasn't working. The guy put me on a plan that isn't even available for the 496, and would be useless for me if it were. After another 45min I finally got something hooked up.

 

Here's the tip for the guys in the CB club like me. I had heard from various people that the marine weather still provided aviation services, so I signed up for the cheapest Marine weather package, which is $9.95 a month, I figured if it didn't have what I needed I could always change/upgrade. Well once it finally linked up I found that it does in fact show you nexrad radar and METARs for every airport. I haven't had time to go through everything and figure out what else is there, but for less than a third the price of the cheapest aviation package I'm happy so far. Even after adding a music package so I can rock out on the long XC flights I'm still paying $12/month less than the basic aviator plan.

 

Oh, and the activation fee for Marine was only $15 instead of the $75 they charge for Aviation.

 

I activated the Skywatch boating package for $9.95 per month and on my 796 I get Metars, Cloud Tops, City Forecasts, but the Nexrad never shows up - it always says its is waiting for Nexrad. Am I doing something wrong? Are you getting Nexrad on yours?  Thanks

[StinkBug]

The nexrad is the biggest reason I got it, and in the last couple days it's proven to be worth every penny and then some.

 

Here's a pic from day before yesterday

 

It's proven to be a very valuable in-flight planning tool for getting the big picture of what's going on along our route and if we should deviate north or south. Without it I don't think I would have gone up today, and we would have been stuck in New Orleans instead of getting to the Florida Keys.

[aviatoreb]

Finally got around to activating the XM Weather on my Garmin 496 today. Well actually I tried to do it 2 days ago, I'll spare you the details, but after 2 hours (not exagerating I checked the phone logs) on the phone over 2 days they finally figured out why the weather wasn't working. The guy put me on a plan that isn't even available for the 496, and would be useless for me if it were. After another 45min I finally got something hooked up.

 

Here's the tip for the guys in the CB club like me. I had heard from various people that the marine weather still provided aviation services, so I signed up for the cheapest Marine weather package, which is $9.95 a month, I figured if it didn't have what I needed I could always change/upgrade. Well once it finally linked up I found that it does in fact show you nexrad radar and METARs for every airport. I haven't had time to go through everything and figure out what else is there, but for less than a third the price of the cheapest aviation package I'm happy so far. Even after adding a music package so I can rock out on the long XC flights I'm still paying $12/month less than the basic aviator plan.

 

Oh, and the activation fee for Marine was only $15 instead of the $75 they charge for Aviation.

 

Huh!  No kidding.  I might just do that.  I have ADSB weather but kept my XM because I like the graphics better and the alternate source.  I like ADSB for the weather.  But I downgrded to the cheapest aviation weather.  Maybe I will get the cheap marine as my nice graphics to the adsb on my ipad.

 

I am curious - two things I like very much on my xm I use also besides the radar are, textual metar's on the fly, and also TFRs.  Conflicting reports here if tfrs appear on the marine cheapest version.  If anyone knows if these two services will appear on the cheapest versions I would appreciate to know.

[LANCECASPER]

The nexrad is the biggest reason I got it, and in the last couple days it's proven to be worth every penny and then some.

 

Here's a pic from day before yesterday

 

It's proven to be a very valuable in-flight planning tool for getting the big picture of what's going on along our route and if we should deviate north or south. Without it I don't think I would have gone up today, and we would have been stuck in New Orleans instead of getting to the Florida Keys.

 

It's the only reason I got it. I wonder if it only shows up on the 496. It doesn't show in the 796. Under weather s the page called "Nexrad" on your 496? Thanks

[StinkBug]

I'll double check tomorrow but I'm pretty sure it is. 

 

I do get the text METARS, but not TFRs. I'm always on flight following or IFR though so even if a TFR pops up during a flight usually someone will steer me clear.

[StinkBug]

Just wanted to update this. The other day I took a friend flying and started scrolling around the screen on my 496 to show him how it worked. To my surprise I now saw colored outlines depicting Airmets and Sigmets as well as little lightning bolts. When I went to the weather page I had a whole list of weather options that were never there before. Guess someone flipped a switch and turned a bunch of stuff on on the cheapest of packages.

[Hector]

Just wanted to update this. The other day I took a friend flying and started scrolling around the screen on my 496 to show him how it worked. To my surprise I now saw colored outlines depicting Airmets and Sigmets as well as little lightning bolts. When I went to the weather page I had a whole list of weather options that were never there before. Guess someone flipped a switch and turned a bunch of stuff on on the cheapest of packages.

If you go to the XM weather website and look at their pricing plans the marine $9.99 plan does NOT include nexrad radar. You have to switch to the $29.99 marine plan to get radar. I wonder if they made a mistake and you are getting more than you should. I have a stratus 2 but if I was able to get all of that in my panel mounted 496 for $9.99 I would probably go for it just for backup. Any body else using the $9.99 marine plan in a 496?

[StinkBug]

There are a lot of things not listed on the marine plans that a lot of people are getting. I get what they call "Radar Coverage", but the 496 calls it NEXRAD. This is listed on the web site and It's just a lower resolution radar image. Originally all I got with the $9.99 plan was nexrad (low res) and metars. Now I have airmets, sigmets, winds aloft, lightning, storm cells and a couple other things I can't remember. I haven't changed anything with my plan, they just started showing up.

[DonMuncy]

There are a lot of things not listed on the marine plans that a lot of people are getting. I get what they call "Radar Coverage", but the 496 calls it NEXRAD. This is listed on the web site and It's just a lower resolution radar image. Originally all I got with the $9.99 plan was nexrad (low res) and metars. Now I have airmets, sigmets, winds aloft, lightning, storm cells and a couple other things I can't remember. I haven't changed anything with my plan, they just started showing up.

Tell us how you get this onto your 496(?). Will it also load onto a 696.

[LANCECASPER]

I think you got lucky,

I signed up for a year on the 9.99 plan but Nexrad absolutely doesn't show up on my 796, even though there's a Nexrad page - it continuously says "Loading", but never loads. Metars and wind direction show up though. 

Edited October 26, 2015 by LANCECASPER

[StinkBug]

Lance you need to call them and see what's up. The $9.99 plan specifically lists "Radar coverage" and "Radar Summary". It's not exactly the same as the hi-res Nexrad, as the radar displays big pixel like blocks instead of a detailed image, but it's plenty good enough for deciding where you wanna fly from a ways out. 

[StinkBug]

Tell us how you get this onto your 496(?). Will it also load onto a 696.

I called and asked for the cheapest marine plan they had, and the cheapest music plan as well. I pay like $19/month total. I didn't used to get all this other stuff, and I didn't do anything to get it. All of a sudden the weather menu was just much longer and there was more on my screen. I know nothing about the 696, so I can't speak there but I'd think it would work the same. The plans don't differentiate based on equipment so what you get on one should be available on the others.

[DonMuncy]

I called and asked for the cheapest marine plan they had, and the cheapest music plan as well. I pay like $19/month total. I didn't used to get all this other stuff, and I didn't do anything to get it. All of a sudden the weather menu was just much longer and there was more on my screen. I know nothing about the 696, so I can't speak there but I'd think it would work the same. The plans don't differentiate based on equipment so what you get on one should be available on the others.

Stinkbug,

When you called them and asked them for the plan, I assume they have to do some sort of a down load deal to get the info to your GPS. Did you have to give them the serial number of the unit you wanted to "send" the data to. I assume they didn't question you about what kind of a unit it was. They just send the data to that number. Is that how it works.

 

[StinkBug]

No, they don't actually send anything. You do have to give them the serial number of the unit so that they can activate it, but that's it.

[Hector]

Stinkbug,

When you called them and asked them for the plan, I assume they have to do some sort of a down load deal to get the info to your GPS. Did you have to give them the serial number of the unit you wanted to "send" the data to. I assume they didn't question you about what kind of a unit it was. They just send the data to that number. Is that how it works.

 

Don, yes I'm pretty sure that's how it works. When I first signed up for XM they asked for the serial number of the XM antenna for my 496. Within a few minutes I started getting weather data. I cancelled XM as soon as I purchased my stratus receiver. Everything is still in the airplane, however, including the XM antenna so all it would take to turn it back on is a phone call. I did like having weather on the 496 but it was hard to justify the cost as a backup. For $9.99, however, I would consider it if in fact you get radar coverage.

[DonMuncy]

 

Don, yes I'm pretty sure that's how it works. When I first signed up for XM they asked for the serial number of the XM antenna for my 496. Within a few minutes I started getting weather data. I cancelled XM as soon as I purchased my stratus receiver. Everything is still in the airplane, however, including the XM antenna so all it would take to turn it back on is a phone call. I did like having weather on the 496 but it was hard to justify the cost as a backup. For $9.99, however, I would consider it if in fact you get radar coverage.

I think my question is, do they not seem to know or care that they are hooking a marine plan to an aviation receiver.