GPS Radios

richracer1 · Oct 1, 2012

Who uses them and what brand & model do you have.

I have a Garmin Rino 655T coming and am contemplating picking up a Garmin Rino 120 as a secondary for someone else in the group to use while out in the back-country. The ability of these to show where other Rino radios are could be advantageous if the group gets split up - assuming the two with the radios aren't together.

Rixster · Oct 1, 2012

Everyone in my group uses them. Garmin rinos. most of use have the 130 nut there are a few high rollers with 530s. They are the stuff. They have many great features. You can poll your friends location (if they are in radio range) and find them easily. How many times does a group take off and your slow putting on your goggles and then realize you have NO idea what way they went. Quick push of a button and you can see them on you map. The radio has good range (the 520 and 530 have GREAT range). I would recommenced the 130. They have enough memory to load a ton of topo maps. I have the entire state of utah loaded in topos in mine. If you really need a color screen and have $400 to drop on one then the 530 is the top of the line.

richracer1 · Oct 1, 2012

Rixster said:
Everyone in my group uses them. Garmin rinos. most of use have the 130 nut there are a few high rollers with 530s. They are the stuff. They have many great features. You can poll your friends location (if they are in radio range) and find them easily. How many times does a group take off and your slow putting on your goggles and then realize you have NO idea what way they went. Quick push of a button and you can see them on you map. The radio has good range (the 520 and 530 have GREAT range). I would recommenced the 130. They have enough memory to load a ton of topo maps. I have the entire state of utah loaded in topos in mine. If you really need a color screen and have $400 to drop on one then the 530 is the top of the line.

They now have the 610, 650, and 655T.

The 655T is, for the time being, the top-of-the-line GPS radio from Garmin. The 130 has been discontinued.

347strokin · Oct 1, 2012

I've got the 655T being shipped to me as well. Can't get that sucker in Canada! Good thing I've got a bud with a US postal box. Should be a great unit.

pylon · Oct 1, 2012

only buy the US ones. radios in canada are 2 or 3 watt while the US ones can be up to 5 watt. crazy range ! we can talk well over 5 miles away from peak to peak in the mountains

347strokin · Oct 2, 2012

pylon said:
only buy the US ones. radios in canada are 2 or 3 watt while the US ones can be up to 5 watt. crazy range ! we can talk well over 5 miles away from peak to peak in the mountains

I know, that's crazy. Kind of a P-off, but there must be a reason for it?

roughrider99 · Oct 2, 2012

Yep garmin, rhinos are the way to go, pricey but I never leave without my rhino and snow pulse bag.

pylon · Oct 2, 2012

347strokin said:
I know, that's crazy. Kind of a P-off, but there must be a reason for it?

there is a law limiting them . pretty dumb yeah . id like to know if you could connect them to the ham towers and get licenced ?

Matte Murder · Oct 4, 2012

Love my 650s. We use speaker mics, just cheap Motorola ones, clipped to our vests. Like $20 on Amazon, make sure the plug is the correct one for the Rino. Nice to not have to pull out the radio everytime somebody talks or you want to talk. I use the radio 10 times more than the GPS.

800poodragon · Oct 4, 2012

pylon said:
only buy the US ones. radios in canada are 2 or 3 watt while the US ones can be up to 5 watt. crazy range ! we can talk well over 5 miles away from peak to peak in the mountains

we learned that the antennas are linear...they work best when you hold the antenna straight up. Best distance we have with our 530's doing this is just over 17 miles. This is still "line of sight" as I was at my house in the country and my friend was in town. I live up high on a bench and can barely see town.

sledjunky3 · Oct 4, 2012

My 655T is in the mail. my old rhino was great for locating buddies and for finding your way back in the fog!! i have had it out in one hand and driving with the other to find my way back after the clouds rolled in! definatly a great tool in the backcountry... too bad they could not integrate the spot into them so its a 3 in 1 tool!

poorider · Oct 14, 2012

My buddies I hunt with and myself all bought canadian rino 650's this season, they are awesome, but I would much rather have the u.s. model 655. The 655 is not available in Canada yet, and as mentioned the 650 and 610 Canadian versions only have a 2 watt transmitter. The 655t is basically the same as the 650 but it also has a hi def camera built in as well as a U.S. topo map.
We used these things extensively the lastcouple of weeks hunting, and they are worth their weight in gold. One awesome feature is that you can send text messages to other radios that are in range, so you don't have to make any noise talking. They also have a vibrate feature.
We all bought the "backroads mapbooks" british columbia map cards for $150. They are ok. The map that comes built into the rino sucks donkey balls.
I had a couple of beefs with them though, for one they do not make a 12v charger for the lithium ion battery pack, only a 110v charger, which is basically useless if you're out of town for a few days.
Also it would be nice if there was an icon telling you if there's a text message waiting to be read. The way they are you have to actually scroll through your contacts to see if any texts have been sent

minet · Oct 14, 2012

i have had the 530 i bet for 4 years now, ,, never met another rino owner to use the polling function

just sayn .. i wouldnt do it again since no other buddies have them

BROX · Oct 14, 2012

I have a 530 and have reallyed enjoyed having it and it has worked well. Holds a charge forever. For a loaner, get one with a color screen. I have a friend with either a 110 or 120 and the maps/display are much, much harder to see than the color screen and battery life is also an issue. I also recommend a high enough model to have the rechargeable battery. The lower models that use dispoal batteries just don't seem to last.

Scott · Oct 14, 2012

The Garmin 100 series are going to be totally discontinued and not supported, according to the guy I talked to tonight at Wholesale Sports.

Gone is that silly little joystick and welcome are the touch screens....

snowmoherb · Oct 15, 2012

Matte Murder said:
Love my 650s. We use speaker mics, just cheap Motorola ones, clipped to our vests. Like $20 on Amazon, make sure the plug is the correct one for the Rino. Nice to not have to pull out the radio everytime somebody talks or you want to talk. I use the radio 10 times more than the GPS.

Is this the one you were talking about Matte?

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-53724-Remote-Speaker-Mic/dp/B00000JD34/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350310773&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+speaker+mic

Scott · Oct 15, 2012

I've got one of these:
They work pretty well when the sled isn't revved up TOO high.

http://www.amazon.com/Sportsman-Thr...1350312788&sr=1-1&keywords=firefox+throat+mic

benny7cfan · Oct 15, 2012

Just got my local Cabela's ad and they have the Garmin Rino 655T for $449.99 on sale between 10/18-10/28. This seems like a good price.

Scott · Oct 15, 2012

What are they selling the 650 for?

RickPDX · Oct 16, 2012

At Cabelas the 655T is $429.00, $10.00 less than the 650! I just bought one, $429.00 and free shipping. I think if you sign up for their card you get $20.00 off and free shipping!

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