Name: Matt Jachyra
Location: Brooklyn, NY USA
Date: 2002-11-11
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Great two gadgets in one...
Comment: Garmin Rino 120 is the new GPS/Walkie-Talkie that my group picked up for out last kayaking outing. I already own Garmin Legend but I figured that I can sell it and for extra money have a reliable communication and navigation tool in one.
Well using it all weekend proved that it was worth the money. It has the standard features of the radio and GPS unit so you already know what to expect out of the box but there are some extra functions that are unique for Rino. I love the trip odometer feature which allows me to time my progress, adjust speed and control break point. With the buddy to buddy reference positioning system I can do sweeps on the river and keep my group spread out without fear of loosing anyone. Also it's easier to manage food and camp if you know how far people are away from you and what's their ETA is. Obviously I wasn't able to hit every possible feature but from what I got to use it I already establish the possible pros and cons of the unit.Pros:
-GPS with WAAS build in. Very accurate.
-Unit is small and waterproof (ok no diving).
-Build in very loud alarm clock
-Build in games will kill some boredom (kills battery)
-When talking to your buddy your unit automatically sends your position out so he knows where you are (you can shut it off).
-Strong clip
-Easy to access even in the kayak
-Walkie-talkie has nice scrambler and coding device.
Cons:
-When using GPS (waas on) and Walkie-Talkie batteries drain fast
-Window needs screen protector because it scratches too easily
-Unit doesn't feel that solid as big priced Motorola radios (goes for all Garmin units)
-Like with all GPS units (or at least the one I worked with) you need open (partially open or steady position) sky for clear accurate signal
-Radios even if functional will only have 2 mile radius. Enough for camping and woods but not enough for any other land movement tactics cooperation SAR.
-Screen size was reduced. It still looks ok but I got used to bigger screen from my previous unit so I'm still adjusting.
-Cool white backlight that was a trademark on most of the Garmin units was substituted by green glow one. Is it a problem? No, but I think I was able to see a bit clearer with the white light.
At the end it's a nice tool to have. GPS, radio, alarm clock and games all packed into one nifty unit.
Name: DarkDan
Location: Norman, OK United States
Date: 2003-01-14
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Easy to use, but that isn't the best part!
Comment: I bought a set of these for my wife and me to go Geocaching with. They do an excellent job of showing you the distance, ETA and even an approximate location on a basemap already provided in the unit (which actually saved me, when I misread a set of directions). However the best part of this unit is the ability to send and receive the location of your friends and family. It works perfectly and behind the scenes, whenever you transmit or push the call button. I love this device and it's already become a "must have" piece of equipment for any trip.
UPDATE: OK, I don't normally return to edit my reviews, but this product deserves it. I just pulled my Rino 120 out of the WASHING MACHINE. Yes, I might not be too bright, but the people who built this thing are. The waterproof device still works perfectly and there is no external damage to the unit either!
Name:
Location:
Date: 2003-05-16
Customer Rating: -
Summary: great!
Comment: I have just purchased my second unit and have a few things to share with the first time buyer.This unit comes with a serial cable that is used for programming the unit and sending GPS data to the computer. after getting a new unit, check for updated firmware at garmin.com. the newest firmware helped the start time of my unit (the time it took to find a satellite) and improved its reception capability. after I updated the firmware I got a solid sat. lock from my living room couch.
some of the older units are effected by a poor audio quality due most likely to a faulty microphone in the unit. read the footnote at [website] and it says Rino 120 - Serial Numbers 38905977 through 38941463 are recalled. I have two units in this range. they are usable but you have to speak at just the right level. I will be returning them and getting updated ones when they become available in my area.
The FRS radio works well with my other motorola radios, and from my limited testing the sub channels (0-38) appear to all use the same tones as motorola. the FRS radio has the ability to 'scan' for conversation. something that is very useful if you were using it in conjunction with search and rescue (trying to find someone that you knew had an FRS radio)
some people have commented that when you are driving down the road the unit shows you as being off the road. the reason for this is that the basemap is VECTOR based (straight line between points) and there is a limited number of points stored in memory. If it bothers you to have your point shown off the road, there is a feature that you can use 'snap to road' or something like that. The actual position reported by this is VERY accurate. I have gotten the unit to 9ft of accuracy which is helpful for such things as geocaching.
There is limited third party software to generate your own map. do a search for 'garmin custom map' at google.com
this device is a great integration of GPS and FRS. the... pricetag seems steep until you realize that the exact same GPS WITHOUT a radio (and the vibrator that is in the model) is about that price. The features over the 110 are well worth it. it has a basemap of North/south america, 8 meg of memory for downloading map data, and a vibrator that will vibrate when you receive a call after 45 seconds.
Name:
Location: Connecticut
Date: 2003-09-02
Customer Rating: -
Summary: An excellent unit for the price!
Comment: For me the rino 120 is an upgrade from the etrex. I have no problems like a lot of you are mentioning. Mic works great, it works great with my Motorolas and I can send my position to another rino user using the GMRS range. Someone mentioned It's a real hassle to register with the FCC for the GMRS use. Go to FCC.com fill out two short forms and pay $$ fee which is good for 5 years and they send you your license and call sign. The 120 works better in dense leaf coverage beacause of it's external antenna. I have no bad comments about the 120, well, maybe the battery life could be better? Anyway, it's a great product. p.s.- I own 2!
Name: Chris Tichy
Location: Plymouth, MN United States
Date: 2003-10-28
Customer Rating: -
Summary: Amazing Power in a Small Package
Comment: When I ordered this product, I read many reviews and tried to get a good background of the Rino 120 to see if the product was worth purchasing. I have had 2 other GPS units, and still have an older GPS III from Garmin and really like the capabilities of that unit. The changes that have happened since purchasing the GPS III are truly amazing. The 120 is packed with so much stuff that I find out new things about it frequently. The greatest benefits (in my opinion) are having a gps and radio incorperated into one unit (less to carry). The Position Reporting is also a HUGE new deal. One can see all sorts of potential uses for Position Reporting - from military operations , to seach and rescue, to rounding up the kids on a camping trip. Other features include the moving map, an alarm clock, calender, and other little trinkets
After the initial position fix, satellite aquisition is much quicker than the old GPS III. Between SA being switched off and the new WAAS system, I have achieved accuracy (based on what the unit says, of course) of 7 feet.
Light and compact, battery usage is not as bad as I had figured, still on first set and my existing headset (motorola frs radios) works fine with this unit.
The only downsides to this unit are you have to watch Garmin's software update page for changes, I have owned the unit a month or two and have already done two updates, mind you the updates are free and the 120 comes with the data cable, while I think the 110 does not. The other thing I noticed is that the factory loaded basemap is somewhat crude - roads have been "straightened out" to make the map simplier - not really a surprise though from what I have seen with gps's and maping software.
Overall I think that the 120 is a fantastic new tool, with great new features. While pricey for a frs radio, it is fairly cheap for a maping GPS and (in my opinion again) a great price for a unit with both a radio and gps.
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