Garmin’s Rino 130 is a 12-channel, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver unlike no other. An electronic compass displays your heading accurately, even while you’re standing still, and the barometric sensor provides automatic pressure trend recording.
Those are nifty features, but what makes the Rino series so special is its built-in radio. That’s right: radio.
The Rino 130 provides two-way radio communication with a transmission range of up to two miles using FRS channels. What’s more, the FCC has granted Garmin a waiver, allowing the Rino series to send position data on GMRS channels - for which it has a range of up to five miles.
The clever integration of two-way radio and GPS features allows users to transmit their position with a simple button press. In this way, others can navigate to your position. The unit works great as both a walkie-talkie and a GPS receiver. It has a handy trip computer, including information on speed tracking, sunrise/sunset read out, trip time, and trip distance.
You can also send short text messages for quiet communication. Users can store up to 500 waypoints, 10,000 trackpoints, and up to 20 saved tracks to retrace a path (or a companion’s path via location-reporting).
The case is waterproof to IPX-7 standards (able to be immersed in one meter of water for 30 minutes). It weighs only 1.725 lbs. The Rino 130 has a detailed basemap of North and South America, providing cities, highways, railways, rivers and lakes, and borders. The unit has a lot of internal memory, so it can store map data from a many Garmin MapSource® CD products.
It comes with a PC-interface cable, wrist strap, belt clip, user’s manual and quick reference guide. Available accessories include an 8MB memory cartridge, data transfer cable, automotive mounting bracket, and a neoprene carrying case. At just under $400, this unit may appear expensive.
However, be sure to review internet sites to find the lowest price; you may find discount deals on refurbished units.
The Pros
- Electronic compass - This built-in feature is very handy. It works, even when you’re not moving.
- Weather radio - The built-in 7 channel NOAA weather radio allows users to hear weather reports.
- Display - The 160 x 160 backlit display is clear and easy to read in almost all lighting conditions.
- Memory - There are 24 MB of memory in this unit, which is a great improvement over the previous Rino models. This extra memory allows upload of extra MetroSource maps to compliment the basemap.
- Battery life - This unit works for 14 hours (under normal operating conditions) and uses 3 AA alkaline batteries.
The Cons
- Size - The buttons on this unit (as well as on the earlier 110 and 120 models) are quite small, which may cause some difficulty for users with large fingers or anyone wearing gloves.
- Sophistication - This unit is not as easy to learn to operate as some GPS receivers. Some user reviews complain that there is just too much information to remember (however, a handy user’s manual is readily available).
Using the Garmin Rino 130: Some Basic Facts
Though some users report that the bells and whistles are hard to learn, they are well worth the effort. The two-way radio feature is an amazing benefit, when two or more teams must split up while exploring or working.The Garmin Rino 130 position reporting is activated by using either the "call" or "talk" keys. When a call is received by another Rino, the New Contact page is automatically displayed showing the ID, direction, and distance of the sender. In addition, the sender's position is displayed on the receiving unit's map page. These locations are updated every second, allowing you to transmit your location to others every 10 seconds.
The unit also has a polling feature, allowing you to manually request GPS location information from other Rino units.
It is easy to imagine how valuable these features are to a team working in remote and dangerous locations. The various technologies combined into the Rino 130 could literally be life-saving - or at least provide a certain piece of mind to the outdoor adventurer.
About the Author
Janette is a hobbyist writer who enjoys using her GPS devices and educating people about GPS reviews, cheap GPS receivers, and everything GPS!