Garmin Rhino questions?

[happygilmore]

I have been thinking about buying one of these for the gps/gmrs combo but while surfing the websites I found that they say in canada the watts for the radio are restricted to 2watts! instead of the 5watts south of the border. My questions are -
1. does the unit automatically reduce the watts when the gps tells it it's in canada? or
2. Are the units sold in canada 2w and if you buy a unit out of the states it will be 5w? or
3. does it work like all other gmrs radios where you have certain channels that are 2 watt and others are 5 watt?

disclaimer: I do not advocate using the channels with more than 2watts, it is illegal to use in canada without a licence and violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law ...:eek:

[Steeleco]

Answers:
1 NO the units don't know where they are when you turn them on.
2 Yes I'd be shopping stateside!
3 Yes At least that's my understanding.

When I first got my GMRS radios, they were a gift that were bought in the states. Found out after that they had more range. I don't think you'll ever have a problem in the field. And thats one place you may need the range.

[MooseNuts]

I did some research similar to you and I found the same information. My understanding is that they are "set" at the factory depending on the country that they are to be sold in. Ie, if it is intended for sale in Canada it will be set to transmit at 2W and 5W for the USA. I think that it is Industry Canada that regulates the tranmit power.

I guess in theory, if one was purchsed in the USA and used in Canada it would be able tranmit a greater distance.

[The Hermit]

Bought it in the states a number of years ago.

I believe (90% sure) that Canada has now approved the 5W units for use up here and you can buy them here. Check with a good retailer.

[tuchodi]

I have just contacted Garmin before Christmas as we are going to buy a couple more for our camp and if any unit is shipped from the USA to Canada it will be a 2 watt unit. The only way you can get a 5 watt unit is to go to the states and pick it up yourself or have someone buy it down there and bring it back. Unless the law has "just" changed and all the dealers in canada an the states just want to get rid of the 2 watt units before they become obsolete no one I have talked to knows anything about the change in wattage in Canada to 5 watts but that could still be possible and a little more digging might find the ansewre. WE may have to contact the Government to get it and then who knows if they will tell you the truth.

[RMG]

Just checked Industry Canada's web site, GMRS radios are still limited to 2 watts here. We have to be careful using some to the Americian bought radios here, some of their channels are not allowed in Canada, and are not allowed to be used in the United States close to the Canadian Border either.

[pupper]

At ****** they sell the U.S. version that has the 5 watt channels as well as the family radio channels. I bought mine their. good people, good warranty. and when me and my other rino friends go out, we never use the 5 watt channels as that is illeagal :)

[mud-dog27]

no clue bout the whole 2watts always thought standard was 4watts but from personal use i can tell you the radios are well worth the money go with the 120 if you wanna stay on the cheaper end as its got more than enough memory and the size is great...the 110 is usless might aswell buy a yellow Etrex and the 130 is discontinued....if you move up to 520 and 530 the only thing i dont like about them is the length of them however they do have color and some added extras and you can buy battery packs which come in nice

and dont forget to remove your batteries after hunting season as i didnt and managed to royaly screw my unit when the bateries exploded but oh well i figure ill just order a 2pack of the 120s this time around sell the second unit to a buddy

[yama49]

i own a rino 530, i ordered it from the us. it has the 5 watt channels in there. very nice unit.

[happygilmore]

Now I'm torn, just checked out the new colorado series from garmin, nice higher definition display and 3d maping...but I'm to cheap for the 600$ price tag.

[tuchodi]

yama49: If you don't mind me asking where did you purchase the 530 and how do you know that it is 5 watts as Garmin told me there is no differance except they keep track of the serial numbers which has the little 5 watt diode inside. The reason I asked as a friend of mine bought one out of the US and they stated it was 5 watts but he had an electronics tech open it up and he showd him that it was only the 2 watt diode not 5 watt.

[Remington]

Just bought a 530 recently here, It runs on 5w and i was told that the 5w has been approved in Canada.

[yama49]

tuchodi. we bought twelve of them as a group for snomobiling our dealership ordered them in from the us. we were told they were a 5 watts, but after what u say i will have it checked out . i just know it has better range than the rino 120 i own.

[tuchodi]

Thanks yama49. If you take it to someone who has a scope he can measure the wattage so let me know when you find out ,send me an e-mail or post on this site.

[boyd050]

I gotta tell ya, I ordered 2 rhino 120's from the US, went and picked them up so they are the 5 watt, and personally, I've had nothing but trouble with them the range was poor, the radio aspect of them was far less than say a cheap motorola. At one point mine cooked, I sent it to quebec, they fixed it and it cost me a hundred fifty, still doesn't cut the mustard, makes a good gps, but the radio... :roll: I lost it once and went looking for it and found it again, I hate losing things, but now I wished I had left it there!!! anyways personally, I don't even use it anymore........ but maybe you'll have better luck!!!

[tuchodi]

I am sorry to here yours didnt work that well but all I can say is we have 2 in camp and they work better than anything we have used so far and we also have some of the newer Cobra's and Motorola's and the 530 Rino's range is better using the 5 watt channels. I know the 120 was one of the first ones out by Garmin and maybe they did have some problems not sure as we have never had any of these we justed like the combining 2 units into one.

[zaconb]

Gentleman I have two 120’s a 520 and 530 and I’m ordering the new updated 530! I’ve had them since they were first introduced and love them. I’ll repeat what has already been stated buy them in the U.S. Do not purchase one and have it shipped from the U.S., buy it there. Canada might be up to date with the GRMS laws but it seems the U.S. always is a little further ahead of us with their civilian communication laws so you can gain some extra range.

[roughcountry]

I bought a pair of 530's out of the states and they work pretty good . And they are 5 watts. Some one told me that there is a place in POCO that brings them up from the states that are 5 watts.

[tuchodi]

You can buy the 5 watt ones at Hub Sports in Abbotsford. I just purchased two for our group.