gps,the best one for sleddin'

[trailblazer]

what's the best,most reliable gps for sledding.will they work in heavy storms or deep cloudy conditions.How about downloading to a mapping site to see sat image etc.Probably the second most important piece of equiptment beside avy gear?Do you ride with one?

 

[ferniesnow]

what's the best,most reliable gps for sledding.will they work in heavy storms or deep cloudy conditions.How about downloading to a mapping site to see sat image etc.Probably the second most important piece of equiptment beside avy gear?Do you ride with one?

I use Garmin Rhino's. Never let me down as long as I remember which bottons to push!! Downloadable to MapSource and Google Earth. Tracking is great for areas that one has never been into before; should always be able to find the trail/way out.

The nice feature is adding the topo maps to the database for the areas that you ride. But it is like a beacon; you need to practise and find out how it works because in a panic it can be very frustrating. Good luck....

 

[crazy_wheeler]

Nice thing about the Rhino 520 or 530 is that they also have a built in radio so you can keep in touch with your riding group without the need of having something else to stuff in a pocket.

 

[Taz56]

Nice thing about the Rhino 520 or 530 is that they also have a built in radio so you can keep in touch with your riding group without the need of having something else to stuff in a pocket.

I was just about to buy a GPS yesterday and I stopped thinking I better ask here first.... Good post.......

 

[Raz]

Nice thing about the Rhino 520 or 530 is that they also have a built in radio so you can keep in touch with your riding group without the need of having something else to stuff in a pocket.

The best feature on the rhino that all GPS units should have is that you can see where all your buddies are(as long as they have a rhino) on your screen. If something should happen to them and they are not responding to your radio calls... you can locate them using your GPS! Wish my Garmin Map60Cs had this feature. Like the buttons on mine more than joystick on the rhino though..

 

[Taz56]

Just looked it up

Garmin's Rino line just upped the ante today with the launch of two more Rino radio/GPS units. Garmin says that they have "up to a 12-mile communication range, large color display, mini-USB interface, and built-in auto-routing basemap. The Garmin RINO 530 has the same features as the Garmin RINO 520, plus a seven-channel weather receiver, electronic compass and barometric altimeter." Ouch a twelve mile range? Time to chuck those junky FRS radios hanging around the closet, you know the ones that boast about the 2 mile range? Hold on before you do that, read on.


Recall that the RINO line has the ability to communicate over the FRS or the GMRS frequencies that most "Family" radios use, while also showing you the mapping characteristics of a handheld GPS. The patented feature that the Rino line also incorporates is the location reporting feature that allows other Rino users to know where you are through a signal that goes over the FRS/GMRS frequencies. Pretty good feature when you want to know where everyone in your party is.

Garmin claims that the navigation on the Rino 520 and Rino 530 are similar to the eTrex Vista C units, in that they come with installed base maps of the US, allows for user downloadable detailed maps, it performs auto routing, off route calculation, turn by turn directions with audible alerts, and has the ability to accept these downloads though a USB connection. While the unit comes with 56 MB of internal memory, it does not come with expandable memory in the form of any standard platform like SD cards. The form factor reamins similar, BIG. Not exactly a pocketable item, but hey, you know that already, right?

A rundown of the features from the Garmin website is below. So, if you want to chuck those $30 FRS radios, and can pick up a pair of these baby's for around $450 (Rino 520) $500 (Rino 530) (street) each, you'll be the envy of everyone on the block. Available in September.


Other specific features of the Rino 520:

* GPS accuracy: 10 feet or less when WAAS-enabled
* High resolution, 176 x 220 color TFT display with backlighting (display size: 2.2”)
* Battery power: Lithium-ion battery pack, 8.4V
* GMRS TX power: 5 watts (2 watts Canadian models)
* FRS TX power: 0.5 watts
* Battery life: 16 hours
* Calendar: Shows best hunting and fishing times, plus clock, stopwatch and alarm functions
* Trip computer with speed tracking, sunrise/sunset read out, trip timer and trip distance
* Waterproof: IPX-7 standards (submersible in one meter of water for up to 30 mins.)
* Storage of up to 500 waypoints, with graphic identification, and 20 reversible routes
* User adjustable squelch
* Exterior temperature reporting
* Robust track log: 10,000 trackpoints and up to 20 saved tracks to retrace user’s path or companion’s path via location-reporting feature
* Lightweight design: 10.4 oz (with batteries).

Additional specific features of the Rino 530:

* 7 channel NOAA weather receiver with weather alert detection
* Electronic Compass
* Barometric Altimeter

 

[Taz56]

Looking around calgary unless you by it used the Rino 530 is discontinued....

The Rino 530HCx is out and it is 490.00 at GPS Central in Calgary...... More than I was looking to pay right after X-Mass so I will look around, but I really liek this.

 

[Taz56]

Refurbished for 285.00 here...

Garmin Rino 530HCx Portable Navigator 010-00564-01 - Buy Garmin GPS Equipment | PCNation.com

 

[crazy_wheeler]

Check e-bay, I found mine there for $250 back in early June when I bought it.

 

[Barton]

Refurbished for 285.00 here...

Garmin Rino 530HCx Portable Navigator 010-00564-01 - Buy Garmin GPS Equipment | PCNation.com

PC Nation won't ship to Canada. I've been looking at these for a while. US pricing on the 5 watt model is around 499.00usd. You can get the Canadian 2 watt for around 460.00cdn at gpscentral in Calgary.Walmart in the states has them on the web site for 389.00 but I went looking in Montana before Christmas and couldn't find one that stocked it. Will keep looking to see if I can find one cheaper. Or find a US adress I can ship to and have someone forward it up to me.

 

[trailblazer]

thanks for the info,very helpful.Seems like the rino is the one to get,they've come a long way in a short time.

 

[giddyup]

i have a rino 520 and 530 was using the 60cxand 120 rino before, the 60 series is very easy to use, i liked that i could hard wire it to the sled battery so it was on alsways, the 500 series runs on rechargable battery pack that are not designed to be charged in the cradle, will see how it goes, we use them to communicate alot in the mountians and the gps works great, screen is much better on the 500 in color that the older rinos, i got mine in the states because i wanted the 5watt radio, good luck

giddyup