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Garmin Aera 660 MapMX Curved Path Support

g3xpert

Well Known Member
Advertiser
Hello,

For decades, Garmin portable GPS units have been capable of listening to the Aviation RS-232 serial output from a Garmin navigator and display the series of waypoints which make up the flight plan or loaded procedure with a series of straight lines between the waypoints.

With the advent of the WAAS GNS/GTN navigators, a new, more powerful serial format called MapMX became available, but the portables couldn't listen to it - until now.

Beginning with Aera 660 V3.20, available now, the Aera 660 can display curved paths for enroute, terminal, approach, and missed approach procedures and holding patterns very similar to what is shown on the GNS/GTN display.

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ILS33 at KLWC
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To enable this support, just set the GNS/GTN serial port format to MapMX, and similarly set one of the two serial ports on the Aera 660 to MapMX. The device information shown on the Aera 660 page will confirm that the link is working.

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With the Aviation format, customers would often install a switch in the panel to allow them to disable the GNS/GTN link to allow use of the flight planning internal to the portable GPS, but with this MapMX implementation, there is now a FPL Source button on the Aera 660 flight plan page that lets you quickly switch between internal and external (MapMX) flight planning.

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In many installations, there will be no wiring changes to take advantage of this new feature. Simply switch a GTN link from Aviation to MapMX serial format, and select MapMX on the corresponding serial port on an Aera 660 using V3.20. It immediately works with no wiring changes.

Just a reminder that the Garmin GDU 450/460/470 series of high performance infrared touch screen displays can also listen to MapMX and display similar information to what is shown on the GNS/GTN display without a G3X system. The street price for the GDU 470 shown here is $2,995.

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Thanks,
Steve
 
Last edited:
I've been on the fence about buying a new portable GPS. This feature is a big improvement.

Just to confirm... The 660 will accurately display data from the GNS480, which does produce data in MAPMX format? I currently use MAPMX for display on the EFIS, just want to be sure the 480 is a data source that will be recognized by the 660.

Thanks.
 
I've been on the fence about buying a new portable GPS. This feature is a big improvement.

Just to confirm... The 660 will accurately display data from the GNS480, which does produce data in MAPMX format? I currently use MAPMX for display on the EFIS, just want to be sure the 480 is a data source that will be recognized by the 660.

Thanks.

Hello CJ,

Yes, the GNS 480 MapMX works with the Aera 660.

Thanks,
Steve
 
It would be nice if we could select more than one port from the GTN to output the MapMx format.
 
It would be nice if we could select more than one port from the GTN to output the MapMx format.

Hi Walt,

Agree, but it works fine to let the Aera 660 and another device listen to the MapMX or MapMX Format 2 output from a GTN.

Part of the flight testing was done in our RV-7A with the GTN 750 providing MapMX Format 2 to both the GDU 460 PFD and the Aera 660.

Thanks,
Steve
 
Hi Walt,

Agree, but it works fine to let the Aera 660 and another device listen to the MapMX or MapMX Format 2 output from a GTN.

Part of the flight testing was done in our RV-7A with the GTN 750 providing MapMX Format 2 to both the GDU 460 PFD and the Aera 660.

Thanks,
Steve

How about 3 on a single 232 line, PFD, G5, 660? (I currently have 660 on a dedicated 232 from the GTN using avaition format).
 
How about 3 on a single 232 line, PFD, G5, 660? (I currently have 660 on a dedicated 232 from the GTN using avaition format).

Hello Walt,

Give it a try and let us know how it works. It probably will.

Thanks,
Steve
 
Hello Walt,

Give it a try and let us know how it works. It probably will.

Thanks,
Steve

I got a better idea, update the GTN software to allow multiple MapMx outputs so I don't have to crawl under the panel to change the wiring :D
 
When I upgraded to 3.2 I noted that the MapMX option does not support Frequency support for SL40/30. I'd hate to lose this option but would like the curves. Any chance of adding in the frequency support for MapMX on the Tx side of 660? This is for Garmin folks to answer, obviously.
 
When I upgraded to 3.2 I noted that the MapMX option does not support Frequency support for SL40/30. I'd hate to lose this option but would like the curves. Any chance of adding in the frequency support for MapMX on the Tx side of 660? This is for Garmin folks to answer, obviously.

Sorry, the two formats use different baud rates and can't be mixed on the same serial port.

Thanks,
Steve
 
Baud Rates

Right - should have thought of that little issue. At least I can try it and go back to the other format if I miss the frequency standby too much.

Thanks
 
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