Updates & Downloads

GPSMAP 396 software version 5.70

as of June 4, 2014

Download (3.41 MB)

View installation instructions and system requirements

Notes:

This update will also upgrade the software in your GXM30 antenna to version 2.30.
This update will also upgrade the software in your GXM40 antenna to version 2.30.
XM Audio Favorites may be deleted when applying this update.

Change History

Changes made from version 5.60 to 5.70:

Correct missing METAR issue

Changes made from version 5.50 to 5.60:

Additional support for new 010-10517-02 battery pack

Changes made from version 5.40 to 5.50:

Support new 010-10517-02 battery pack

Changes made from version 5.30 to 5.40:

Improved TFR display

Changes made from version 5.20 to 5.30:

Improve data validation process for incoming XM/Sirius 'County Warning' data
Improve XM/Sirius SIGMET data processing

Changes made from version 5.10 to 5.20:

Update to display NAV database greater in size than 2MB (issue identified in cycle 1102)

Changes made from version 5.00 to 5.10:

Improved GPS satellite acquisition processing
Updated magnetic variation table with IGRF 2010 model

Changes made from version 4.90 to 5.00:

Added support for large NAND datacards

Changes made from version 4.80 to 4.90:

Support expanded terrain data coverage
Standardized Icing Forecast terminology
Improved XM TFR data validity process
Improved XM subscription activation processing
Improved power-up processing

Changes made from version 4.70 to 4.80:

Display facility name and city data on Go To page
Improve Active Route page functionality.

Changes made from version 4.60 to 4.70:

Improved airport runway length display
Improved METAR visibility data display
Improved XM weather data map display algorithm
Added support for GXM 40 antenna
Added support for Icing, Turbulence Forecast, and PIREPS data.
Improved battery gauge accuracy

Changes made from version 4.50 to 4.60:

Improved XM data validation for XM subscribers with weather data only.

Changes made from version 4.40 to 4.50:

Improved terrain alerting over oceanic areas
Improved compatibility with 512MB data card
Improved unit behavior when a blank data card is inserted
Improved route leg transition when traveling at high speed
Added display of vertical visibility when reviewing a METAR
Improved display of battery charge level

Changes made from version 4.30 to 4.40:

Corrected address search operation with MPC maps.
Corrected user waypoint delete operation on the 'Go To'

Changes made from version 4.20 to 4.30:

Improved GPS satellite acquisition under certain conditions.
Improved operation of flight log when a heliport is near the departure or destination airport and the aircraft type is not set to Helicopter.
Improved ability to highlight certain areas of Class B airspace when a Mode C veil overlaps.
Improved remote frequency list sent to the SL-30/SL-40.
Added support for City Navigator update DVD.

Changes made from version 4.10 to 4.20:

Improved map processing to allow highlighting TMA and Class B airspace together.
Corrected external voltage alarm persistent behavior between power cycles.
Corrected state and country information for city searches.
Corrected problem deleting a user waypoint on the 'Go To' page.

Changes made from version 4.00 to 4.10:

Improvements to TAF & METAR reports for visibility and remarks.

Changes made from version 3.90 to 4.00:

Improved NMEA output.
Added support for Canadian weather data.
Daylight saving changes for United States.
Added Mexican time zones.

Changes made from version 3.80 to 3.90:

Corrected 'persist' setting for external voltage alarm.
Improved ability to move user waypoints while editing a route.
Improved display of very large TFRs when the map is zoomed in very far.

Changes made from version 3.70 to 3.80:

Corrected issue with scaling of speed indicator on panel page.
Improved TFR highlighting when multiple TFRs of the same size with different activation times are in the same location.
Added indication of amended and corrected TAF bulletins.
Improved operation when moving user waypoints with the map cursor.
Corrected issue with changing usage mode from the Setup tab of the main menu.

Changes made from version 3.60 to 3.70:

Corrected issue that could cause 'WorldMap' series maps from being displayed.
Increased the number of characters allowed to display map zoom status.
Corrected text translations.
Clear trip data to correct issue with previously stored data.

Changes made from version 3.50 to 3.60:

Corrected display of communication frequency displayed on Airport and Nearest pages for airports that have multiple Unicom or Multicom frequencies.
Corrected issue that could cause the odometer field value to become inaccurate.
Corrected occasional unit shutdown during powerup.
Improved Aviation In communication format by preventing duplicate waypoints from being added to the route when the remote unit is navigating a procedure turn.
Improved address search when using postal codes.

Changes made from version 3.40 to 3.50:

Corrected issue that could cause flights to be recorded while driving on land when the unit is in aviation mode.
Improved alerting for airspace with upper or lower bounds specified as AGL.

Changes made from version 3.30 to 3.40:

Corrected selection of duplicate aviation identifiers.

Changes made from version 3.20 to 3.30:

Improved display of TFR times between 12:00 PM and 12:59 PM.
Improved airport tower frequency display processing for airports with more than one tower frequency available.

Changes made from version 3.10 to 3.20:

Improved reception of weather data.
Improved terrain alerting when navigating a route using the Aviation In serial data protocol.
Added density altitude to METAR text.

Changes made from version 3.00 to 3.10:

Improved display of timestamp for winds and pressure data.
Improved aviation route transfers to and from Mapsource.
Improved display of lake depth contours in Marine mode.
Improved TracBack when using the entire track.
Improved GPS reception.

Changes made from version 2.80 to 3.00:

Added Iceland time zone
Added support for latest Garmin map technology
Added separate options on map setup page for private airports and heliports
Added option for county warning weather alarms to persist
Added ability to quickly select entire track for use with TracBack
Added ability to use altimeter setting from nearest METAR reporting station with E6B calculator
Modified XM Audio page to retain previous category selection when unit is powered off
Modified Aviation In serial data format to work with avionics that do not output linefeed characters
Modified AIRMETs and SIGMETs to appear when zoomed out to at or above the selected range instead of below
Improved calculation of ETE on active route page
Improved appearance of Class D and Alert Area airspace types
Improved appearance of map in aviation mode when terrain shading is turned off
Improved voice guidance for road routes
Improved appearance of automotive mode maps
Improved display of private airports
Improved frequency display on Airport review page for airports that have only one comm frequency
Improved selection of airports that are displayed on the Nearest Wx page
Improved Compass page in Automotive mode
Improved Sonar page
Improved Find menu
Improved map selection when changing usage modes
Corrected number of decimal places shown for Altimeter field when using map page 'Map With Overlay' page layout
Corrected issue that could prevent some message log filter settings from being saved
Corrected issue that could cause unit to shut down when using the Highway page
Corrected issue with waypoint timestamp updates when transferring from Mapsource
Corrected display of 'L' symbol in Turn data field
Corrected display of 'Route Truncated' and similar messages when using USB
Corrected problem with receiving weather data when the unit is left on for long periods of time
Corrected problem with receiving weather data when Battery Saver mode is used
Corrected display of surface wind indicators when the map is in Track Up orientation
Corrected display of radar coverage data
Corrected rare unit lockup when operating with poor XM reception
Corrected problems with Aviation In serial data format
Corrected incorrect display of 'No Subscription' for XM service level
Corrected display of cardinal direction on map page when measuring distance
Corrected duplicate waypoint creation with GPWPL NMEA sentence input
Corrected hilight movement problem on proximity waypoint page
Corrected invalid display of Next Turn data field
Corrected lockup that could occur after updating terrain or obstacle databases
Updated text translations

Changes made from version 2.70 to 2.80:

Improved behavior of audible terrain alerts when operating near airports.
Improved functionality of TIS serial input data format.
Corrected issue that could cause some towered airports to appear on the map with a magenta symbol.
Corrected issue that could cause data fields to flash when using Aviation In serial data format.

Changes made from version 2.60 to 2.70:

Added legend for invalid METAR symbol.
Added support for displaying radar coverage areas on main menu Weather Page.
Added display of timestamps for additional data types on main menu Weather Page.
Corrected issues that could prevent TIS data from being received.
Corrected issues with address search.
Corrected issue with incorrect battery timer display.
Corrected issue that could cause HSI to occasionally display invalid course deviation when used with the Aviation In serial data format.

Changes made from version 2.50 to 2.60:

Added display of estimated time to VNAV profile on VNAV setup page.
Added new serial port format for Aviation In / NMEA & VHF Out.
Added 'Medium' volume option for terrain and TIS audio alerts.
Added 'NO TIS DATA' indicator to Map page when TIS is enabled but no service is available.
Added ETE field to map on main menu Weather tab when panning with map pointer in aviation mode.
Added display of terrain and obstacle database cycle numbers.
Added output of NMEA APB sentence.
Changed main menu Weather tab to remember winds aloft and echo tops altitude selections when leaving the main menu.
Corrected issue that could cause XM audio volume to be changed when a terrain or TIS alert occurs.
Corrected issue with restoring defaults on Interface setup page.
Corrected issue that could cause 'lock to road' setting in Automotive mode to be reset.

Changes made from version 2.40 to 2.50:

Added display of weather broadcast frequency when reviewing METAR report text.
Improved display of flag symbols for invalid METAR reports.
Improved display of certain types of TFRs.
Improved Main Menu 'Weather' tab to preserve the aviation declutter setting
Changed audible terrain and obstacle alerts so they come through the external speaker output as well as the headphone jack.
Corrected issue that could prevent last letter of channel name on XM audio page from being displayed.
Corrected unit shutdown when using Battery Saver mode.

Changes made from version 2.30 to 2.40:

Added a 'Loud' option for Terrain and TIS audio settings on the Sound Setup tab of the Main Menu in order to allow in-flight audio warning messages to be played at a higher volume.
Added a configurable data field to display the current UTC time.
Added City tab to aviation mode Nearest pages.
Added ability to tune SL30/40 frequencies on more pages (Airport, VOR, Approach, FSS, and ARTCC).
Improved functionality of Aviation In serial data format.
Improved terrain alerts when landing at private airports marked with user waypoints.
Corrected issue that allowed inadvertent enabling of 'Lock To Road' in Aviation and Marine modes.
Corrected issue that would cause Route page fuel and speed planning values to be reset unnecessarily.
Corrected issue that could prevent serial port format from being saved.

Changes made from version 2.20 to 2.30:

Corrected problem that could result in display of incorrect route METARs when using Aviation In data from a Garmin panel-mount GPS
Corrected problem that could prevent anchor drag and other marine alarms from functioning properly

Installation Instructions

Download the appropriate self-extracting archive file for your GPSMAP396 onto your hard drive.
Connect your GPSMAP396 to a free USB or serial port on your PC with the correct PC interface cable.
Turn on your GPSMAP396. If you are using USB, ensure it shows USB as connected when the cable is plugged in. If you are using serial, ensure the Serial Data Format is set to 'Garmin Data Transfer' for the port you are using. You can find this setting on the 'Interface' tab of the 'Setup' section of the Main Menu.
Open the self-extracting archive file and follow the instructions provided by the update application. During the upload, the GPSMAP396's display will indicate 'Software Loading....' The upload process should take 1-10 minutes to complete, depending on interface used for update. When the upload is completed, the GPSMAP396 will reset itself and turn on normally.

System requirements

IBM-compatible PC running Windows 2000 or later operating system and an available USB or Com 1, 2, 3, or 4 port.
PC Interface Cable for your GPS unit. The PC Interface Cable may be purchased through your local Garmin distributor or ordered direct from our Online Store.