I've never tried to get an update from Garmin, Just Jeppesen. As I said in an earlier post, you don't need to own a real 530W to get an update. When I signed up w/Jeppesen I was told I could get a one-time update or the "legal" sub, which is 28 days/cycle. IIRC, the one-time was about $100, the 28-day is about $430. They want a tail # for your acct info - you're on your own there. I wouldn't use a tail # for plane w/an existing Jepp acct. They need to know if the unit is WAAS or not as the cost and the NavData card are different. The card is proprietary but you don't need it. All you need is the USB stick. If you use the 530W sim you need the WAAS update AFAIK.

  The GTN units use SD cards and may do some kind of serial# check. The GNS units are simpler and need a special USB programmer and card.

  I, too, spent many hours trying to figure this out. My method seems to work as long as you have a .BIN file from Jepp.

  Good luck!

 

 

 

I might have said this already in the forum, but just that you know, the GNS trainer lite v3.3 we are using for our GNS V2  is also compatible with the G500/600 Jeppesen database. You may want to try searching the net for more information: "AIRAC 1810 GTN 750/650" or in French: "Mise à jour des cycles Aviation database GNS430W/530W".

  My understanding is that RXP uses the GNS Trainer for its NavData info.  The GNS V2 did not work correctly until I copied my new "worldwide.bin" file to e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Garmin\GNS400W-500W Trainer\Trainer.

  There is a French website that has recent AIRAC cycles that will fix issues like runway numbers and waypoints in fsx & p3d. The problem for me was that I wanted updated procedures for airports, which seem to be part of the airport info and not navdata. There is a program ADE which may be able to edit procedures but I could not create new ones. So, I could find updated waypoints in the stock GNS500 GPS but not new procedures.

  I bought GNS V2 hoping that was updated but discovered it used the Garmin Trainer as a base and had the old 2007 NavData file. I updated to 2009 but it still did not have new procedures or runway numbers. I decided to download the latest 28-day update from Jepp to see where the .bin file was and if it had a familiar header. I had written code to read FAT file systems and recognized the header. Some people said it was an iso-type file but it's not, it's just a disk image of a FAT16 disk.

  Your last sentence has the GTN 750/650 in the English part. The French has the 430W/530W but as you know they use different DB formats. One may be lucky to find a reasonably recent "worldwide.bin" file and someone said they had updated it from their Jepp sub but didn't say how. I wish there was a utility that would convert the public AIRAC to a "worldwide.bin" file and maybe there will be. Meanwhile, I know my method works for the GNS V2 if you have the .bin file from Jepp. Since Garmin stopped making the GNS 400-500 in about 2010 I doubt their format will change.

 

@IFRguy my post above is really 'generic' and not addressed to anyone in particular. It is just additional knowledge which may help anyone looking for different avenues to updating the DB. The 2 important points are: it works with the Jeppesen G500/600 DB (not just the GNS DB), and searching the net can sometimes give valuable information when using correct keywords (hint)

 

On 12/11/2018 at 6:36 PM, IFRguy said:

Rename your old worldwide.bin file(s). It's in the Garmin Trainer folder(s).

Tip: you don't need to:

You can use the environment variables documented in our User's Manuals to redirect the trainer to any file/path.

 

7 minutes ago, IFRguy said:

it used the Garmin Trainer as a base and had the old 2007 NavData file

It is not accurate:

our GNS V2 ships with a version of the GNS trainer (3.3) which includes OCT2009 navdb very close to the Prepar3D/FltSim. In addition, you may want to refer to my first post in this discussion: the GNS V2 trainer is also compatible with the database included in the GTN trainer (up to v6.10 - before they change to 'ADB2' format - AFAIK 2016 DB?). There might be places were you still can find a downloadable installer/files for this particular GTN trainer version as well, then move the files.

 

  Yes I agree about trying different keywords. I really don't know whether the WAAS & non-WAAS Trainers use the same DB file, just that they are different to Jeppesen and even use different (larger) NavData cards. I will only say what I know works.

  Another important keyword is "avtn_db.bin"

. I found a long description of all the files and cards used in the GTN but I doubt I will ever use it. I think the touch screen is hard to use in an airplane that is bouncing around, ForeFlight can drive me crazy.

   I knew about the environment variables but I was too lazy to add them. Maybe I will if/when I update the file.

  I've also read that there is some iPad app that has a newer file in the old format, maybe v6.1x, but I will stop for now. I found a solution that works for me and for others who have the Jepp sub and is easy to update.

  One of the reasons I bought P3DV4 was hoping they had newer NavData, but no, it looks the same. They make a big deal about it being the Pro Sim and is not to be used for entertainment, etc. They could at least offer the NaviGraph option. 

Thank you for the info, I already updated the navdata in fsx, and bought gns 530 standalone hardware with screen and the rxp 530 interfaces with that better than any other .Had I not updated fsx I probably would be a little closer to the navdata that ships with the the rxp530 but then cant use real world flight planning software. Its a never ending circle, need to find a different hobby. Im going to try the Jepp solution and see how that goes, I probably can figure that out. Thanks again.

On database updates for GNS 530W 430W.

After reading many, many posts and doing a lot of internet searches, it appears to me that relying on GTN trainer databases means we will likely never see the ability to have up-to-date databases for the RXP GNS 530/430, or for that matter other (excellent) Reality XP products.  It is in Garmin's interests to ensure that trainer databases are never current as they may be transferable to real-world devices, and they have a VERY profitable business model in database update subscriptions for those devices.

This is disappointing for private pilots such as myself who are not flying frequently and actually benefit from simulating trips in advance, including GPS planning and usage in the cockpit, particularly for RNAV approaches.  While simulator-only pilots may not particularly care about out-of-date nav information, it is material to me.  

In this sense, RXP products seem to me to be the "ultimate" Garmin training device as they allow application not just on a desktop or tablet but in a simulated flight.  Given that fact, it would be ideal if there could be an agreement with Garmin to modify the database content for RXP products to ensure they are not transferable to real products, but still updateable using a simulation-only AIRAC service like Navigraph.  

Is there any prospect of solving this problem?  I know that real-world pilots are only a small subset of the simulation community, but at this point I am losing interest in having a high-fidelity GPS addon if the database cannot be updated.  Time soon to uninstall and be done with it. 

Regretfully.

18 hours ago, Pilatus57 said:

This is disappointing for private pilots such as myself who are not flying frequently and actually benefit from simulating trips in advance, including GPS planning and usage in the cockpit, particularly for RNAV approaches.  While simulator-only pilots may not particularly care about out-of-date nav information, it is material to me.  

I am confused. If you are a current licensed pilot flying with current equipment and databases you should have access to the material you appear to be complaining about.

25 minutes ago, fppilot said:

I am confused. If you are a current licensed pilot

Maybe because a licensed pilot is not necessarily an aircraft/equipment owner and may not have access to the Garmin updates?

Just a thought.

Jesse

47 minutes ago, JesC said:

Maybe because a licensed pilot is not necessarily an aircraft/equipment owner and may not have access to the Garmin updates?

Just a thought.

Jesse

exactly! I am trying to find out if there is a new DB available somewhere but there are so many threads it would take hours to read it all. I wish this would be compatible with navigraph, I cant even practice some of the approaches at my local airport because the data is so old. A shame, this is a really good product.

John.

3 minutes ago, 757FO said:

I cant even practice some of the approaches at my local airport because the data is so old. A shame, this is a really good product.

Which airport?  I'll check and see what approaches are in my GNS database.

On 1/3/2019 at 6:29 PM, Pilatus57 said:

On database updates for GNS 530W 430W.

[move the discussion to the appropriate forum.]

  I have had numerous questions sent to me regarding problems people have reading the JDM .bin file. I need to emphasize that I only know what works using JDM on Windows and to make clear that the .bin file that is downloaded is only a temp file for JDM and could be changed at any time. I wouldn't think they would bother changing it since the GNS line has been obsolete since about 2011, but you never know.

  If my instructions don't work, you need to look at the .bin file header with a hex editor, such as hexplorer (note: the default font is unreadable and you must change it under View/Options).

Do you see the words GARMIN10 and FAT16? If you see that then Win32DiskImager should work. If not, do you see an ASCII sequence (ABCD, etc) and "Copyright 2019 Jeppesen, etc"? That may be a usable Garmin .bin file, though it may not be.

  Like many others I bought P3D and the RXP 530W sim thinking we would have updated nav files or could at least read the updated NaviGraph files. I totally understand the frustration of people that need the updated files because many waypoints and approaches, e.g. LPV, have been added in the last 10 years. I found I could update a lot of things using the newer AIRAC files available for FSX & P3D but not the 530W, which I fly with and want to practice with for loggable simulator approaches. I found a method that works for me and wanted to share that with people. I believe I tried to explain that I only know one situation, which is using Windows and a WAAS USB NavData device. I would think that if you use the Windows version of JDM it should work. I have seen no one write that they have had success, I have only heard from people with problems. Before you spend any money on my solution please make sure you have a similar setup using Windows JDM and WAAS files. That's all I know that works.

Good luck!

  I'm pretty sure nav_db2.bin is the newer Garmin DB format and will not work with the GNS series.

  The problem many have is that the GNS worldwide.bin file is 10 years old and lacks both waypoints and newer IFR procedures.

  I'm not sure where you got the instructions mentioned. The GNS devices mainly need the "worldwide.bin" file.

Just now, IFRguy said:

  I'm pretty sure nav_db2.bin is the newer Garmin DB format and will not work with the GNS series.

  The problem many have is that the GNS worldwide.bin file is 10 years old and lacks both waypoints and newer IFR procedures.

  I'm not sure where you got the instructions mentioned. The GNS devices mainly need the "worldwide.bin" file.

Ah... the instructions are from the first page of this thread, written by Jean-Luc.