The Garmin GPSMAP 296 builds on the tradition of Garmin aviation handhelds like the GPSMAP 196 and GPSMAP 295. New features like terrain cautions and alerts, sectional chart-like topographic data, a built-in obstacle database of the U.S., and a transparent navigation arc view for course, speed, and distance information lead the list of advances. The GPSMAP 296 also features USB data transfer, faster processing speed, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack. Press a button, and you have your choice of the unit's automotive or marine modes.

An automatic logbook also calculates your flight time and automatically records departure and arrival locations. When used with Garmin's free logbook software—FlightBook—this feature makes light work of maintaining your logbook. Your flight information will be stored in the unit and can be downloaded to this exclusive Flightbook software at any time.

Garmin delivers terrain awareness in an intuitive Terrain mode on the GPSMAP 296. The unit combines GPS position, GPS altitude and topographical mapping to give pilots a vivid depiction of potential terrain hazards.

Pilots gain terrain awareness in a number of ways:

Terrain and obstacle information
By using visual cues and tone alerts, pilots can be aware of potentially dangerous terrain or obstacle conflicts along the current flight path. The unit also offers a configurable look-ahead warning function which gives the pilot additional time to make critical decisions.
Configurable buffer zones
The pilot can set the minimum limits to receive terrain cautions. The unit then presents potential hazards in yellow (to indicate ground proximity of 500-1000 feet) and red (to indicate ground proximity of 100 feet or less).
Obstacles database
Users can view the elevation or relative altitude of any obstacle (towers, buildings, etc.) within the unit’s built-in database. (This feature is only available with the Americas version.)
Pop-up alerts
Terrain proximity cautions and alerts pop up as digital thumbnail images in the lower left-hand corner of any page whenever a potential hazard conflict looms ahead.
The GPSMAP 296 is designed to move seamlessly between an aircraft, vehicle, or boat:
Automotive Mode
Provides automatic route generation, turn-by-turn guidance, and voice prompts, plus a built-in worldwide database of borders and major cities. The optional Auto Kit includes two mounts, a cigarette-lighter adapter with speaker output, a 128-MB data card, and a MapSource® City Select® CD-ROM for detailed mapping and address lookup capabilities.

Marine Mode
Features a worldwide marine database and U.S. tide data. When coupled with the optional Marine Kit (64-MB data card and MapSource BlueChart® CD-ROM), the unit displays such information as depth contours, inter-tidal zones, spot soundings, wrecks, navaids, port plans, restricted areas, cable areas, anchorages, and much more.

Features:

WAAS-capable GPS receiver for enhanced lateral/vertical guidance
Crisp, high-resolution display (480 x 320 pixel count), 256-color TFT display (3.8 inches diagonally)
3.8"-diagonal display; 480 x 320 pixels
5.7" W x 3.2" H x 1.9" D unit dimensions
200-MHz processor for fast redraw and routing
Up to 15 hours battery life (typical use backlight conditions); 8 hours full backlight brightness
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack
GA 26C remote antenna
Automotive and marine modes for easy navigation in a vehicle or boat
Detailed basemap includes highways, major roads, borders, rivers, lakes, and tide stations
Accepts data from Garmin’s MapSource products (City Select for driving, BlueChart for saltwater, and Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots® for freshwater)
15/11 (text/voice) languages
Waterproof to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (submersible in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes)
Weighs just 12 ounces
50 reversible routes (300 waypoints each), 15 saved tracks (700 trackpoints each), TracBack® technology, 3000 waypoints with graphical icon identification
Adjustable quad-helix receiving antenna with remote antenna capability
Voice prompt guidance when the 12-volt / speaker cable is connected
Separate serial and USB interfaces; 2 RS-232 serial ports

Specifications

Moving Map Features

Basemap: Built-in routable basemap (North and South America) contains state and country boundaries, lakes, river, streams, airports, cities, towns, coastlines, state and interstate highways, local thoroughfares and secondary roads within metro areas, federal interstate highway exit information for services such as food, lodging and truck, RV, and automtovie service stations
Database: Built-in Jeppesen® database with terrain and obstacle databases**. Includes worldwide airports and VOR’s, plus Americas, or Atlantic International, or Pacific Intrenational NDB’s, intersections, special-use and controlled airspace, runway data, plus airport, FSS, and ARTCC frequencies
Approach waypoints: Jeppesen® data also includes final approach sequence waypoints for all published approaches
Uploadable maps: Accepts optional Garmin data cards for detailed maps

Navigation Features

Waypoints:

Total: 3,000 with 10 characters (name and symbol)
Nearest: Continuously update; Airport, VOR, NDB, INT, user, ARTCC, FSS, airspace, Wx
Routes: 50 reversible routes with up to 300 points each, plus TracBack® modes, Automatic turn-by-turn along-road routes with voice navigation
Tracks: 10K point automatic track log; 15 saved tracks; 700 points per saved track; lets you retrace your path in both directions
Trip computer: Trop odometer, stopped time, moving average, moving time, total average, total time, maximum speed, odometer
Alarms: Airspace, arrival, off-course, proximity waypoint, clock
Tables: Built-in celestial tables for best times to fish and hunt, sun and moon rise, set, and location
Map datums: More than 100 plus user datum
Position format: Lat/Lon, UTM/UPS, Maidenhead, MGRS, Loran TDs and other grids, including user grid

GPS Performance

Receiver: WAAS enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver continuously tracks and uses up to 12 satellites to compute and update your position

Acquisition times:

Warm: Approx. 15 seconds
Cold: Approx. 45 seconds
AutoLocateâ„¢: Approx. 2 minutes
Update rate: 1/second, continuous

GPS accuracy:

Position: < 15 meters, 95% typical**
Velocity: 0.05 meter/sec steady state

DGPS (WAAS) accuracy:

Position: < 3 meters, 95% typical**
Velocity: 0.05 meter/sec steady state
Dynamics: 6 g’s
Interfaces: RS232 port with NMEA 0183, RTCM 104 DGPS data format and proprietary Garmin USB interface.
Antenna: Removable quad-helix
Differential: WAAS, marine beacon

Power

Source: Rechargeable lithium battery
Battery life: 5 – 15 hours of use (depending on backlight settings)

Physical

Size: 3.2� H x 5.7� W x 1.9� D (8.12 x 14.47 x 4.82 cm)
Weight: 13.3 ounces (377 g) with battery
Display: 3.8� diagonal (9.65 cm) 320 x 480 pixels, 256 – color sunlight readable TFT with adjustable backlighting
Case: Fully gasketed, high impact plastic alloy, waterproof to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards**
Temperature range: 5°F to 158°F (-15°C to 70°C)
User data storage: Indefinite

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

* Obstacle data availability only for U.S.A
** Subject to accuracy degradation to 100 m 2DRMS under the United States Department of Defense-imposed Selective Availability (SA) program.