IFRguy

You can change some settings using environment variables. From the RXP manual: GNSADBFILE="C:\Users\MyName\Documents\gns_db.bin" GNSODBFILE="C:\Users\MyName\Documents\terrain.odb" You can't make the NavData file work just by renaming it to "worldwide.bin". There are two versions of the database. If it has a "_db2.bin" ending it won't work, no matter what you name it. GTN Trainer files past about 6.2 won't work as they use the _db2 format. Here's a handy link discussing the GTN and use of SD cards and how they are locked to a specific box & user: https://www.diamondaviators.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5584 The GNS uses proprietary cards that need a special USB programmer. I've described how I extracted the avtn_db.bin file earlier in this thread. This method doesn't seem to work for euro versions of JDM. Some people claim that it is a kind of .iso file but I haven't been able to make that work. As I've explained elsewhere, the .bin file you can download using JDM is only a temp file for JDM and can be anything Jepp wants it to be.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

For people w/o real planes or GPSes, I can say that Jepp doesn't ask for a GPS serial #, they want a tail # and whether the unit is WAAS. I believe the one-time Navdata purchase is about $100. You don't need any hardware beyond a USB stick. I suppose the easy solution is to use the GTN sim, but I wanted the 530W because that is what I have and use for IFR flying. The WAAS unit gets you the ability to do precision (LPV) approaches and the real 530W provides glidepath guidance in NP RNAV approaches as well. I live in a mountainous area and that plus the terrain info helps a lot.

I recently purchased the RXP 530W sim and was hoping for a newer database- no such luck. I have a Jeppesen sub but didn't know how to get that info into the Garmin GNS Trainer and thence into the RXP sim. But, I figured it out! Herewith a method for updating the database, PROVIDED you can get a copy of the Jeppesen NavData update file. It's possible you need the Waas version; that's all I have. Using Jepp's JDM, choose to download the file, i.e. don't do a "Transfer to Device". It will place a file into e.g. c:\ProgramData\Jeppesen\jdm\.jsum\download\dXXXX.bin. The cycle # (current=1813) will be in the name. Some people think this file is mysterious: it's not. It's a disk image in the old DOS FAT16 format. All you need is a program to transfer the .bin file to a USB drive and you can read its contents directly, at least on a Windows PC. I used Win32DiskImager, which you can find on SourceForge. Now get a USB drive with contents you don't care about (it will be erased). Run Win32DiskImager, then browse to find the file listed in 1). Make sure the output drive is the USB you plan to erase. Press the "Write". button. Look at the contents of the drive you just imaged. It has a file named avtn_db.bin. That's your new "worldwide.bin" file. Rename your old worldwide.bin file(s). It's in the Garmin Trainer folder(s). You may have more than one Trainer install: I did. Copy avtn_db.bin to wherever you find a Trainer install w/a worldwide.bin file and change the name to worldwide.bin. You're done! I had hoped I could get a Navigraph sub and convert it to a new worldwide.bin file. No such luck. Ditto using some of the public nav files that update other parts of fsx and p3d sims, but the RXP sim needs the Garmin Trainer with its proprietary file format. I own a plane w/a GNS530W but my home base airport RNAV TPs are newer than 2009 and so I couldn't "fly" it to practice during the winter months. The only thing I've noticed that's missing is the glideslope "guidance" I get shooting a non-precision approach. That's a handy feature but I can live w/o it. Anyway, I hope some people find this useful. I wish I could just share the updated file but I can't, so please don't ask me. There should be nothing in the above that's much of a secret. I wish Garmin would just publish a newer worldwide.bin but I'm sure they are busy selling GTNs and don't care. For the folks that have Jepp subs, this will get you current. Caveat: The above assumes you have enough PC knowledge to find files and use disk imagers. I cannot be responsible if you shoot yourself in the virtual foot. Cheers, IFRGuy