Garmin AERA 560

[kallend]

I just put one in N3910N to replace a GPSMAP396, and I love it.  The controls are highly intuitive, for the most part, especially if you have a NUVI or previous Garmin.  The antenna/receiver is extremely sensitive and even picks up satellites indoors, which none of the 5 previous GPSs I have owned would ever do.

But it has a feature called "SET OBS AND HOLD" that is poorly explained in the manual (to the point of not being explained at all) and I can't figure out what it's for (Assistance in flying a hold, maybe).  Any ideas?

 

JK

[67M20F]

I would love to hear what you think of it after a few flights, I have heard both they are better in turb and worse?

I am looking for a good handheld but up here, you cant get xm weather and traffic would be so limited that it wouldn't be usefull.

[carusoam]

Quote: kallend

But it has a feature called "SET OBS AND HOLD" that is poorly explained in the manual (to the point of not being explained at all) and I can't figure out what it's for (Assistance in flying a hold, maybe).  Any ideas?

 

JK

[kallend]

Quote: 67M20F

I would love to hear what you think of it after a few flights, I have heard both they are better in turb and worse?

I am looking for a good handheld but up here, you cant get xm weather and traffic would be so limited that it wouldn't be usefull.

[Amelia]

I'd be interested in user experience comparing the Aera and AnywhereMap's new Quadra. Of course, if you believe AWM's propaganda, looks as if the far-less-expensive Quadra blows the Aera out of the water.

Specifically, I'd like to know how sunlight-readable is each one? The Aera has had some poor reviews on that score, and I know my old AWM on an HP handheld has problems with bright sunlight readability, though I do like the many features it offers at a fairly low price.

[kallend]

OK, more data:  some will remember when the Garmin 396/496 came out there was a lot
of discussion on the Mooney email list about alternator whine when listening to the XM radio
if the GPS was running off the plane's electrical system.  Accepted wisdom was
ground loops and Crutchfield isolating filters were recommended.  I didn't
believe this cause as I had the whine but my GPS external power  and my  intercom  share a common ground so there should be no loop, but I put a filter in anyway to see what it would do; while it attenuated the whine, it also attenuated the audio
and messed up the audio quality.  I figured the inductance of the isolation
transformer just filtered the whine anyway.

Forward 5 years; I replaced my 396 with an Aera560.  I figured I'd try it
without the filter.  Aera output goes to the intercom stereo input.  No
extraneous noise at all when running on the Aera internal battery. Some high
pitched alternator whine (not much, not annoying) but also a loud hum at maybe
500Hz or so (estimated by ear) when the Aera is running on plane power.  Hum frequency is
independent of engine speed.  Hum still there when engine is stopped.  Hum still
there when the audio ground is disconnected.  Hum still there when all radios,
strobe, beacon, lights, pitot heat, and engine are OFF.  Hum still there when
alternator field breaker is pulled.   Hum still there when XM antenna
disconnected.  Tried the Crutchfield filter, which attenuated everything and
still messed up the audio quality.

BUT the hum goes away when + power lead from plane disconnected (leaving ground
connected).

So it seems the hum is coming in on the + power supply lead, but what can be
causing it, and why doesn't it affect the other radios, and any suggestion on how to remove it?

[Piloto]

Did you try the unit in your car? The hum could be caused by the internal switching regulator in the unit when voltage exceeds that of the internal battery. If it does not sound in your car but in your plane try this: Connect a 1amp/50piv diode in series between the unit and the +bus. Make sure the diode band side is on the unit side. On the diode band side (cathode) connect a the + lead of a 300uF/50v capacitor. Connect the -lead of the capacitor to ground. You can get the parts at Radio Shack. This will filter any ripple on the bus line.

José

 

[kallend]

Quote: Piloto

Did you try the unit in your car? The hum could be caused by the internal switching regulator in the unit when voltage exceeds that of the internal battery. If it does not sound in your car but in your plane try this: Connect a 1amp/50piv diode in series between the unit and the +bus. Make sure the diode band side is on the unit side. On the diode band side (cathode) connect a the + lead of a 300uF/50v capacitor. Connect the -lead of the capacitor to ground. You can get the parts at Radio Shack. This will filter any ripple on the bus line.

José

 

[kallend]

 

One more datapoint.  The AERA came with a coupon for a year of free database updates.  I went to update today, and received the message from the Garmin web site "Coupon already redeemed"!

WTF!

I bought the unit new at the end of Feb and the coupon, good for 60 days from date of purchase, hasn't been out of the box until today.

 

[kallend]

Quote: kallend

 

One more datapoint.  The AERA came with a coupon for a year of free database updates.  I went to update today, and received the message from the Garmin web site "Coupon already redeemed"!

WTF!

I bought the unit new at the end of Feb and the coupon, good for 60 days from date of purchase, hasn't been out of the box until today.