Garmin Rino 130 5-Mile 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio Review

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(More customer reviews)The Garmin 130 arrived at my house about 36 hours before the deer hunting opener here in Wisconsin.I ordered a DVD getting started tutorial from another web site which got me started with the basics although the 130 is a feature-packed device that will be sure to keep the most gadget inclinced occupied for quite a while, but the basic features are fairly intuitive and easy to use with two basic buttons:the "click-stick" and the page/cancel button.I don't think the DVD tutorial was worth the money, but it's hard to say how much harder it would have been to get started without seeing it being operated by someone on the video.

A member of my party had a Garmin 120 last fall and I was anxious to unlock the power of the position tracking capabilities during the hunting season (for both him and myself).It proved very valuable while making drives with the compatible Garmin 120 as we were able to see each other's position in nearly real-time.It's not quite real time because the position of your buddies only updates when they release the talk button on their radio, so when we were trying to be quiet, we just got used to frequently keying the mic without transmitting any message.

I've read some complaints about the Garmin 130's radio capabilities, but I have to say it was one of my unexpected surprises with this unit.I had always borrowed a Motorola 2-way radio to use in previous seasons, so I not only stopped mooching off my buddies radios this year, but had best transmitting and receiving radio out of the group of 5 radios (and it was better than the Rino 120, too).On more than 1 occaision I had to translate for two buddies that couldn't hear each other, but I could hear both of them and they could hear me, so I translated for them (maybe I was right in the middle of them, but I think my radio was consistently a better performer under the same conditions and ranges throughout the season).

The 120 doesn't have as much memory and based on the comparison of the 130 and 120 in our camps this year, the satellite signal reception (affects accuracy of your position) and the radio signal strength were both better on the 130.

Other than my rifle, there's no other gear I will rely on more during a hunting season.

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Product Description:
The the most feature-rich device in the Rino family, Garmin's Rino 130 combination 2-way FRS/GMRS radio and GPS receiver comes fully loaded with an electronic compass, a barometric sensor, a weather receiver for 7 NOAA weather channels, and 24 MB of internal memory for downloading and storing MapSource detail--including data from products like U.S. Topo 24K, U.S. Topo, Recreational Lakes, BlueChart, and MetroGuide (MapSource products sold separately).
The Rino 130 is also outfitted with a marine-point database and a basemap of North and South America. The database includes nautical navaids for North and South America. The Americas Highway basemap includes the United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America, and covers an area from W180 to W30 Longitude and S60 to N75 Latitude. Also included is a high-level worldwide map with political boundaries and major cities. Among many other included elements are oceans, rivers, and lakes (greater than 30 square miles), principal cities and many smaller cities and towns, major interstates and principal highways, and political boundaries (state and international borders).
Integration has its advantages: the Rino 130 sends and receives GPS locations using FRS channels and shows them on the map. The GPS device is a 12-channel, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver. WAAS, which stands for Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), is the global-positioning-system of choice for mariners. The handheld's built-in electronic compass give a heading while you're standing still, and its barometric altimeter provides accurate elevation and pressure readings to help you identify and analyze weather conditions.
The Rino 130 also provides two-way radio communication with a transmission range of up to two miles using FRS channels and up to five miles with GMRS (be aware that use of GMRS requires an FCC license). The integration of two-way radio and GPS lets you transmit your position with a simple button press, so others can easily navigate to your position. The Rino 130 also has a polling feature so you can manually request GPS location information from other Rino units.
You get 14 FRS channels, 8 GMRS channels, and 8 GMRS repeater channels, as well as 38 sub-audible squelch codes per transmission channel for semi-private radio communications.
The unit's ergonomic design grants single-handed operation, with its Call, Page mode, and Press-To-Talk (PTT) buttons mounted on the side, Power/Backlighting button on top, Volume and Zoom buttons on front, and a Thumb Stick positioned in the center. The thumb stick allows channel selection and volume adjustment in FRS/GMRS mode, as well as quick map panning, enter, and selection functions in GPS mode.
Other features include a backlit display (160 x 160 pixels), external voice activation (VOX), waterproof construction to IPX-7 standards (immersible in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes), storage for up to 500 waypoints with graphic identification and 20 reversible routes, 10,000 trackpoints and up to 20 saved tracks to retrace your path or a companion's path via the location-reporting feature, trip computer with speed tracking, sunrise/sunset read out, trip time, and trip distance, and multiple grid formats including MGRS and Loran TD. The Rino 130 even sends and receives short text notes for quiet communication.
The Rino 130 has a battery life of 14 hours (typical use) on 3 AA alkaline batteries (not included).
What's in the Box
Rino 130 receiver, a PC-interface cable, a wrist strap, a belt clip, a user's manual, and a quick-reference guide.

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Garmin Bash Guard Review

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(More customer reviews)I put this bash guard through its paces in a Colorado elk hunt.It does its job for the most part,but has a couple of drawbacks.First, it does not protect the screen (perhaps the most sensitive portion of the device.Also, it is very difficult to get on and off of the device with the frequent battery changes.

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Product Description:
The Garmin® Smash Guard keeps your navigation unit protected from wear and tear. The unit works with the Garmin® Rino® series models 110, 120, and 130 and includes 2 protective covers, 1 lanyard and belt clip.

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Garmin Rino 120 GPS with 2-Way Radio Review

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(More customer reviews)Garmin Rino 120 is the new GPS/Walkie-Talkie that my group picked up for out last kayaking outing. I already own Garmin Legend but I figured that I can sell it and for extra money have a reliable communication and navigation tool in one.
Well using it all weekend proved that it was worth the money. It has the standard features of the radio and GPS unit so you already know what to expect out of the box but there are some extra functions that are unique for Rino. I love the trip odometer feature which allows me to time my progress, adjust speed and control break point. With the buddy to buddy reference positioning system I can do sweeps on the river and keep my group spread out without fear of loosing anyone. Also it's easier to manage food and camp if you know how far people are away from you and what's their ETA is. Obviously I wasn't able to hit every possible feature but from what I got to use it I already establish the possible pros and cons of the unit.
Pros:
-GPS with WAAS build in. Very accurate.
-Unit is small and waterproof (ok no diving).
-Build in very loud alarm clock
-Build in games will kill some boredom (kills battery)
-When talking to your buddy your unit automatically sends your position out so he knows where you are (you can shut it off).
-Strong clip
-Easy to access even in the kayak
-Walkie-talkie has nice scrambler and coding device.
Cons:
-When using GPS (waas on) and Walkie-Talkie batteries drain fast
-Window needs screen protector because it scratches too easily
-Unit doesn't feel that solid as big priced Motorola radios (goes for all Garmin units)
-Like with all GPS units (or at least the one I worked with) you need open (partially open or steady position) sky for clear accurate signal
-Radios even if functional will only have 2 mile radius. Enough for camping and woods but not enough for any other land movement tactics cooperation SAR.
-Screen size was reduced. It still looks ok but I got used to bigger screen from my previous unit so I'm still adjusting.
-Cool white backlight that was a trademark on most of the Garmin units was substituted by green glow one. Is it a problem? No, but I think I was able to see a bit clearer with the white light.
At the end it's a nice tool to have. GPS, radio, alarm clock and games all packed into one nifty unit.

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Product Description:
Garmin Rino 120 GPS / FRS / GMRS has a voice scrambler and vibration mode for top-secret calls! The Rino 120 state-of-the-art GPS navigation and 2-way communications combined, with enough memory to download detailed mapping for driving, hiking, hunting, fishing... or just about anything else you can dream up. It's waterproof, can send communications up to 2 miles using FRS channels, 5 miles using GMRS channels, and can "beam" your exact location to another Rino user using "position reporting." And because the Rino 120 had standard FRS / GMRS capabilities, you can talk to friends or family who own conventional FRS / GMRS radios. There's also a voice scrambler and a vibration mode for silent calls. Check it out: WAAS-enabled GPS receiver; 22 communication channels: 1-14 FRS, 15-22 GMRS; 38 sub-audible squelch codes per transmission channel for privacy; Transmission distance of up to 2 miles using FRS, up to 5 miles with GMRS (using GMRS frequency in the U.S. requires a FCC license); External voice activation (VOX); Ergonomic design for one-handed operation, with call, press-to-talk (PTT) and page mode buttons on the side, power / backlighting button on top, and volume and zoom buttons in front; Unique 5-way cursor for channel selection and volume adjustment in FRS / GMRS mode, and quick map planning, entering and selecting functions in GPS mode; Voice scrambler and vibration mode for silent calls; Built in basemap consisting of American road and highway detail, along

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Garmin Rino 110 5-Mile 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Waterproof Two-Way Radio and GPS Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)For those who love to hike, camp, hunt or enjoy outdoor activities, this little device may soon become a standard. It has remarkable communications range, with the option of choosing from the Family Band (range: 2 miles or so) or the wider-ranging (but more battery-consuming) General Mobile Radio Service (5 miles or so). These frequences aren't used nearly as much as other bands and are more likely to be free from unnecessary cross-talk and interference, which makes for clearer communication. But what makes this stand out from standard outdoor devices is the GPS satellite link, which allows you to pinpoint your position accurately, and even has a feature that keeps tabs on your trail, making backtracking a breeze. You can also send your current position to another person (as long as they are using one of these, of course), which is handy if someone gets separated, hurt, or needs assistance. In addition, they are waterproof up to one meter (so dropping one into a stream--as I did--won't kill it), and it's pretty durable--one of my friends dropped his nearly twenty feet onto rock, and it still works! All of these features help account for the somewhat high price, and since they are sold singly, count on having to buy two or more. But they are more than worth the cost, especially for those who take their outdoor activities seriously. Highly recommended.

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Product Description:
Garmin Rino 110 GPS / FRS / GMRS. The Rino 110 is a GPS-enabled handheld that integrates radio functionality to provide 2-way communications. It's waterproof, can send communications up to 2 miles using FRS channels, 5 miles using GMRS channels, and can "beam" your exact location to another Rino user using "position reporting." And because the Rino 110 had standard FRS / GMRS capabilities, you can talk to friends or family who own conventional FRS / GMRS radios. Get the specs: WAAS-enabled GPS receiver; 22 communication channels: 1-14 FRS, 15-22 GMRS; 38 sub-audible squelch codes per transmission channel for privacy; Transmission distance of up to 2 miles using FRS, up to 5 miles with GMRS (using GMRS frequency in the U.S. requires a FCC license); External voice activation (VOX); Ergonomic design for one-handed operation, with call, press-to-talk (PTT) and page mode buttons on the side, power / backlighting button on top, and volume and zoom buttons in front; Unique 5-way cursor for channel selection and volume adjustment in FRS / GMRS mode, and quick map planning, entering and selecting functions in GPS mode; Built-in worldwide city point database, with 1 MB of internal memory for downloading additional points-of-interest data from a MapSource "Points of Interest" CD Also includes wrist strap, belt clip, user's guide and quick reference guide. Order Today! Garmin Rino 110 GPS / FRS / GMRS

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Garmin Rino 530HCx 2-Way Radio with GPS/FRS/GMRS Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased the 530HCx about two weeks ago to use while deer hunting in East Tennessee.Everyone in our group has GPS and two-way radio to find our way around and communicate when we are in unfamilar territory.I have been searching for a device that will take care of both needs, without having to handle two seperate pieces of equipment, and the 530HCx has worked flawlessly so far.

The satellite positioning seems to be right on and positioning after start-up was quick.I used the unit to mark several deer trails, rub lines, and possible stand placements and I was able to return to those areas very easily.I used the averaging feature to fine tune the locations and was able to get within 5-7 feet of everything I marked.

Everyone in the group said that radio transmission was crystal clear, they could hear my transmissions better than anyone elses.Don't get me wrong the Garmin in definetly a GPS first and radio second but I was very pleased with its two-way capabilities.It performed as well, if not better, than the midlands and motorolas in the group.

I also invested in TOPO US 2008 to install on the unit.I wasn't that impressed with the TOPO map but area detail is alot better than the basemap.We make several trips to Fort Campbell every year and all roads, creeks, and even fire

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Product Description:
Hit the trail in confidence with the Garmin Rino 530HCx, which combines a two-way FRS/GMRS radio with a high-sensitivity GPS navigator. The waterproof unit offers 22 channels and 5 watts of transmit power, so you can contact friends or rescue crews from up to 14 miles away (line of sight) over GMRS channels or up to 2 miles over FRS channels. The high-sensitivity GPS receiver, meanwhile, locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover. The advantage is clear: whether you're traipsing through thick woods or strolling near tall buildings and trees, you can count on the Rino 530HCx to help you find your way when you need it the most. The combined radio and navigator functions make the device a must-have for mountain climbing, alpine camping, back-country skiing, and a host of other outdoor activities.


The 530HCx navigator/2-way radio is compact and lightweight, with a 10.3-ounce housing that won't slow you down on the trail. Like the rest of the Rino series, the Rino 530HCx offers a unique Position Reporting feature, which lets you send your exact location to other Rino users in your group so that everyone can see your position on the map page. No more worrying about the lagging hikers in your group each time you reach a fork in the trail. Plus, because the 530HCx is a standard FRS/GMRS radio, you can use it to communicate with other conventional FRS/GMRS radios in the area.
The 530HCx is also equipped with a built-in electronic compass that provides bearing information even when you're standing still, along with a barometric altimeter that tracks changes in pressure to pinpoint your precise altitude. You can even use the altimeter to plot barometric pressure over time, which can help you keep an eye on changing weather conditions. And thanks to the NOAA weather radio, you'll know well in advance when a storm is advancing.


Receive detailed mapping information on the navigator's 1.3-by-1.7-inch, 256-color TFT display. Perhaps the most important feature, however, is the crystal-clear 256-color TFT display, which clearly shows attributes from the built-in basemap, including lakes, rivers, cities, interstates, national and state highways, railroads, and coastlines--in short, a host of helpful details for your outdoor adventures. Users can also expand the mapping possibilities via the microSD card slot, which accepts cards preloaded with MapSource data for your land and sea excursions. Just insert a MapSource card with detailed street maps and the Rino 530HCx will provide step-by-step or turn-by-turn directions to your destination.
Other details include a USB interface, 500 waypoints and 50 routes, a hunt/fish calendar, hands-free voice activation (requires separately sold headset), a voice scrambler, and external temperature recording. The Rino 530HCx, which includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that runs for up to 14 hours per charge, measures 2.3 by 5.1 by 1.8 inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a one-year warranty.
What's in the Box
Rino 530HCx radio, Americas Recreational basemap, wrist strap, belt clip, USB cable, lithium-ion battery pack and charger, MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager, AC adapter, quick-start guide, user's manual.

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