worth upgrading to 321.23 ?

[curts63]

Ok, before I go for the upgrade. I only found one SD card in the packet when I bought the plane. I'm attaching a picture of it. Is this the correct card I'll need?

[rwtucker]

That is your Synthetic Vision unlock Curt. If you have TAWS and charts, you should also have SD cards for that. I suspect, by the way, that these generic looking SD cards are of a special configuration unlike a normal SD card.

[curts63]

I also have the 3 SD cards in the panel displays, one in each lower slot and one in the upper for the Nav Data. Where can I get the SD card that I need for the original system that is needed for the software update? Is this something Diamond would have? Can the SD card be created by the G1000 display?

Curt

[CFIDave]

Curt:
As I mentioned elsewhere, an SD card with a G1000 software update (a loader card) can only be created by an authorized Garmin dealer; they have access to a password-protected Garmin website they can access to download the software update files onto an SD card.

[mdieter]

If so, do you have any recommendations as to who should do it near me? I'm just north of Allentown, PA.

Rochester KROC isn't too far away from you. If you don't mind the distance, I'd recommend Dennis Gray at JetSmart http://www.jetsmartaviation.com. He is good with Garmin G1000, diligent and I already broke him in on my DA40 upgrade . He installed the SW you're considering on mine. Tell him I sent you.

I can confirm everything the other gents have offered. Bring all your unlock cards. The upgrade is easy compared with the post-update configuration. You may need to work with the installer to identify all the optional installed equipment.

[curts63]

OK, thank you all for your input. I found a Garmin dealer 25 miles from home.

[CFIDave]

Curt:
I just got a good PIREP from a friend that had the first Garmin GTX345R (ADS-B In/Out transponder) installed at Lancaster Avionics at KLNS in PA -- in his G1000 C182 with WAAS. He was quite happy with them and thought they really knew what they were doing with the G1000.

As an aside, Cessnas have the same issue as Diamond DA40s in that none of the latest G1000 software will yet support the GTX345R using a WAAS GIA63W as the position source. So even though my friend's Cessna already has WAAS, Lancaster Avionics had to install the $800 more expensive version of the GTX345R with integral WAAS along with a 3rd GPS antenna.

[curts63]

Lancaster Avionics may be a better choice. I think they're affiliated with the Cirrus/Diamond dealer there. I'll give them a call when I'm ready to get it done.

[Rick]

... none of the latest G1000 software will yet support the GTX345R using a WAAS GIA63W as the position source. So even though my friend's Cessna already has WAAS, Lancaster Avionics had to install the $800 more expensive version of the GTX345R with integral WAAS along with a 3rd GPS antenna.

Dave, do you have any inside information from Diamond about this issue - do they intend to eventually provide support for the GTX345R using the GIA63W as a WAAS source, or will we all need the additional WAAS receiver? As much as I'd like get the ADS-B upgrade over with, this seems to be the big stumbling block for those of us who already have WAAS installed.

[CFIDave]

I'm sure that you will be able to install the version of the GTX345R without WAAS in DA40s that already have a WAAS position source (i.e., GIA 63W units), but (as with Cessna 172s/182s) this will require a G1000 software upgrade.

Since Diamond Canada has already committed to making the GTX345R standard in new DA40 XLT aircraft, the wait for updated DA40 G1000 software to facilitate GTX345R installation shouldn't be very long.