Garmin Montana 650 Instruction Manual

BASIC OPERATION OF THE GARMIN 650 GPS
Errol Chopping, February, 2016
General
In February 2016 we had a Garmin GTN 650 (GPS) installed into VH-BAC.
This document explains how to use two of its basic features:
1. How to use the Com radio
2. How to use the DirectTo feature
For more comprehensive details, YouTube videos, the user manual, a simulator for your
PC etc, please refer to
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/in-the-air/avionics-safety/gps-nav-comm/gtn-
650/prod67884.html
There is a simulator app for this GPS available for the Apple iPad. I recommend it. You
can get good ‘veranda time’ with the app and learn to use the GPS that way. Many of the
images in this document have been taken from the simulator app.

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Basic Operation of the Garmin GTN 650 GPS
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Start Here.
If the GPS is already on, it will come alive when you switch on the avionics switch. If not,
once you have turned on the avionics switch then turn the GPS on with the button on its
top left.
When the GPS displays a ‘Continue’ button, touch it. Eventually you will see the home
screen, like this:
You can return to this screen anytime but touching the Home button on the GPS.
How to use the Com radio
Transmitting
The main audio panel, a separate component above the GPS,controls the MIC. If the
rotary dial on its right-hand side is pointing at C1, then the GPS Com radio is being used
to transmit. The GPS com radio is Com1. When you press the Press-To-Talk button on
the aircraft control wheel, you are transmitting using the selected MIC.
The frequency
On the top right of the screen on the GPS are the communications radio frequencies.
There are two frequencies, the one on the very top is currently being used, the one
below it is the standby.

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Flipping = Top
To flip the frequencies, touch the top one. To flip again, touch the top one, again. Only
touching the top frequency causes a flip.
Editing = Bottom
To change the frequency value you must edit the bottom one. You can only edit the
bottom one. Touch the bottom frequency to edit it.
Type in the frequency you want using the numerical keypad (do not use a decimal point).
Use BKSP if you make a mistake.
If you want that frequency, when you have it typed, click Enter. If you don’t want it click
Back.
When you press Enter, the new typed frequency becomes the standby frequency. To use
this newly typedfrequency, use flip.
Remember, only the top frequency is used, the lower one is standby. You can only flip
them by touching the top frequency. You can only edit the bottom frequency, by touching
it.

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Basic Operation of the Garmin GTN 650 GPS
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How to use that DirectTo feature
Many pilots choose to use the DirectTo function of the GPS. Doing this is a
straightforward operation.
CASA is concerned that using the DirectTo feature of a GPS can cause problems because
going directly to a place without any other considerations might take you unknowingly
through controlled airspace or restricted areas. We assume that if you are going directly
to a place you will not blindly stumble into airspace you should not enter.
Going directly to a place
To go directly to a place, push the DirectTo button, which is in the middle of the right
hand side of the GPS.
You then see the screen below and you must choose what kind of place you want to go
to.
If you choose the first (top-most) you are choosing to go to a Waypoint (like an NDB or
an IFR waypoint). If you choose the middle location (FPL) you are choosing to go to a
place on your flight plan (this document does not cover flight plans). If you choose the
bottom location (NRST APT), you are choosing to go to a nearby airport.
You must pick one of these, or Cancel. In this document we have chosen the top-most
location:‘Waypoint’. When you choose a location, you will see a keypad and you can type
the code in.

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Basic Operation of the Garmin GTN 650 GPS
Errol Chopping
Type the code for the location you want to go directly to. In the screenshot above we are
typing KAT for the Katoomba NDB. Note that only 5 letters appear for you to type from.
If you want to access a different set of 5 letters, touch the alphabet along the bottom.
If you make a typing mistake, touch BKSP.
When the waypoint appears in the FastFind window, touch it.
To activate the DirectTo function press the DirectTo Activate button, at the bottom right.
If you change you mind and don’t want to go DirectTo, click Cancel.
How to remove a DirectTo location
To remove a location that you are going directly to, push the DirectTo button on the GPS
(just like you did when entering DirectTo).
To remove the direct-to location, click Remove.
Override a DirectTo
If you decide to go DirectTo one location when another is already entered, the most
recent one entered is used.
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