Thread: Rino GPS

None . Unless there is a handy repeater.
My biggest gripe with the rino is that garmin pitch it as almost being a lifesaver, due to being able to see your mates position. What they don't mention, is that function will only work if A; you physically poll your mate B ; you have radio reception between the handsets

Should also mention that the repeater function will only work if you know which chanel to use

Originally Posted by Pengy

None . Unless there is a handy repeater.
My biggest gripe with the rino is that garmin pitch it as almost being a lifesaver, due to being able to see your mates position. What they don't mention, is that function will only work if A; you physically poll your mate B ; you have radio reception between the handsets

Should also mention that the repeater function will only work if you know which chanel to use

And there is a repeater close enough.
I have a Garmin Alpha 100 which autopolls other any alpha100 it has been paired with along with the Gps collars. Seems to work OK, we cant talk but I have small UHF radios for that if necessary.

VHF works better than UHF but is still "line of sight" and you really need to be "licenced" to use it but most people never bother and you also need to know which channels to use

I have had two occasions when uhf worked better than the vhf of same power. Seems to depend somewhat on the type of landscape.

I used a club one in the kawekas four of us were able to keep radio contact while out during the day. Navigating worked. One night were able to talk one of us in when he got navigationally challenged. I now have my own. The screen isn't pretty like a cellphone but it's very robust radio works and battery is very good if you don't leave it on all the time. It's quite heavy I guess.

One thing often overlooked with radios is the receiver sensitivity. Good communications depend on both transmission and reception.

What channel should one leave their Rino on when out sitting at the bivy? Ie is ch 10 or 11 commonly used more then others?

I use channel 9

The radios have to worked well for me but at 5W they obviously they have limitations which the users need to understand.

Cheers
Pete