Garmin Rino 530HCX

[270WSMGB]

I'm looking to buy a Rino and wondering about the 5 watts of transmission and the 2 watts transmition in Canada. Does this mean they are different GPS units or is there a setting? How do you transmit on GMRS? Is it just a different channel than the FRS channels?

Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

[tuchodi]

If you get the 530 from most places in canada or if you get them mailed from the US they will only be the 2 watt system. You can go down to the US and bring the 5 watt ones back yourself. We purchased the 5 watt units in Abbotsford from Hub Sports who brings in the 5 watt US models. On these 5 watt units you can choose either to transmit in 5, 2 or 1/2 watt.

[Barracuda]

if they say that they are Canadian compliant then they are not 5 watts no matter what the vender tells you.
If i recall all the frs channels are .5 watts and the GMRS are 2 watts.

If Hub told you different and it has the Canadian cert on it then i would call there bluff.

[Jagermeister]

if they say that they are Canadian compliant then they are not 5 watts no matter what the vender tells you.
If i recall all the frs channels are .5 watts and the GMRS are 2 watts.

If Hub told you different and it has the Canadian cert on it then i would call there bluff.
times 2 to the last statement!

[Glenny]

My hunnten partner bought one of the Rinos. I think you need to go to the Garmin web site and update it online. Hope this is of some help. G

[tuchodi]

My hunnten partner bought one of the Rinos. I think you need to go to the Garmin web site and update it online. Hope this is of some help. G

If you buy a Rino that is Canadian compliant then it is 2 watt and you can not go to the Garmin web site and update it to a 5 Watt unit.

As for Hub They import to a US address the US model and they are definatly 5 Watts. They also sell the 2 watt units if you want.

[Glenny]

If its one of the older ones check to see if it has a USB connector. If not it will have one of the serial port connectors and you may have to hunt around a bit for an adapter. Other than that they are a great product. Lots of cool functions like "Find other rino friends" G

[zedex]

Ok. Im not a big fan of the Rinos. They are putting a substandard gmrs radio in a gps. If i were you i would buy a stand alone gps,and also buy a gmrs radio. That way you get a half decent radio and a good gps. Nothing wrong with the gps on the rino though.
Also. If you want to find your friend who has a rino. All you have to do is get his coordinants via radio communication,type them into your gps and hit "go to".
The good thing about stand alone devices is if you ever have a problem with say the gps . You dont also lose your radio when you have to send it away to get repaired.

[tuchodi]

[quote=zedex;353455]Ok. Im not a big fan of the Rinos. They are putting a substandard gmrs radio in a gps. If i were you i would buy a stand alone gps,and also buy a gmrs radio.

It sounds like you have owned one of the 530 Rino's and were not happy. We now have 5 in our hunting group and I must say their gmrs radio is every bit as good as any radio's we have had and we have over the last 10 years kept updating with the best we could find. That being said you are right in saying if one of the componets has a problem then you dont have either one but I believe Garmin make some of the best products out there.

[The Hermit]

I read somewhere that the CRTC changed the regs last year and Canadians can now transmit on GRMS... therefore all new units should operate on the 5 watt system.

[gameslayer]

Ok. Im not a big fan of the Rinos. They are putting a substandard gmrs radio in a gps. If i were you i would buy a stand alone gps,and also buy a gmrs radio. That way you get a half decent radio and a good gps. Nothing wrong with the gps on the rino though.
Also. If you want to find your friend who has a rino. All you have to do is get his coordinants via radio communication,type them into your gps and hit "go to".
The good thing about stand alone devices is if you ever have a problem with say the gps . You dont also lose your radio when you have to send it away to get repaired.

We have 3 in our group and love them, great radio quality & distance instead of typing in cordinates automatically updates you to one anothe, you could just ping your friend with out talking and work in perfect unisen when doing a push altering the course as you go. One of the best features is the text messages you can send each other good way to pass the time when you are waiting for it to get light out .

[270WSMGB]

Thanks for all your help guys. It is very useful. I have the Garmin Summit now and it is an excellent product.

[betteroffishing]

if everyone you hunt with isnt also buying one i wouldnt bother, the frequency doesnt match up to other brands/units. the gps is a great tool though.

[Barracuda]

where did you hear this? Gmrs and frs are set channels with corrosponding standerdized frequencies.

http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/smt-gst.nsf/vwapj/srsp501e.pdf/$FILE/srsp501e.pdf

[tuchodi]

if everyone you hunt with isnt also buying one i wouldnt bother, the frequency doesnt match up to other brands/units. the gps is a great tool though.

There are 10 of us that hunt together and only 5 have the Rino 530 the others have Cobra's, Motorola's etc and all have no problem with sending or recieving on any channel we choose. As Barracuda said all gmrs and frs channels are set channels and have standardized frequencies.

[Statler]

I have the rhino and a couple of sony radios, for loaners, never had a problem with comms. Like the idea of the gps and radio in one. Cuts down on the amount of gear a guy carries around.

[betteroffishing]

wouldnt work with my brothers handheld is all i know, assumed it was common incompatability is all.