Rino Gps

[+gideoncooley]

Anyone used a rino series for caching? Garmin site doesn't list it as "geocaching ready" but i downloaded the manual and there is a short section in there on it. Wondering if it is similar to my vista C.....

[+The Jester]

I've used one for the past year and a half. It works fine for caching (even has the geocache/found geocache icons). I won't say it a great caching unit, the battery life is pretty short (especially if you keep the radio on). It's real strength is when used in multiples, each unit can track the position of the other units. I use the 110, so I can comment on the mapping capabilities of the 120/130/520/530 models.

[+KC0GRN]

I own the 130 model, and have found it to be a good unit for my purposes.

 

Any GPS should allow you to find caches, just depends on the features you would like. I find the radio combo handy, anywhere I go I can monitor for other cachers using channel 2 in the park (like that happens often). Another useful thing on the 130 is the addition of a weather radio, with severe weather alerts, can come in REALLY handy if you're on a long hike. The 130 has 24 mbs of memory. Map speaking, you should be able to store a state or two worth of terrain or road maps (unless you're in alaska or texas maybe). I heard about the new color ones, but don't plan to upgrade, as I like the versatility of AA batteries instead of a recharge pack.

 

I haven't noticed much of a problem with it sucking up batteries, I used an etrex before I got it, and noticed the battery life seems to be about the same (granted I don't transmit on the radio much, transmitting uses more power). Of course it uses 3 batteries instead of two. If you're looking to do power saving, leave the WAAS off and if you're still not happy, try using the gps in power save mode.

[+gideoncooley]

actually they all can use regualar batteries as well. Garmin lists an alkaline batt pack as well.

[+clegg78]

I am planning to get into some geocaching stuff next spring, I am selling off some of my older GPS hardware and have a Rino 530 on order already. From what I have seen from some of the current gen Garmin hardware, it seems they all do pretty good for caching especially the mapping devices.

 

hehe color me a garmin fan boi this will be my 7th garmin GPS

[+newts]

I had a Rino 130 and a 110. Unfortunately I lost the 130 on a trip (dropped it on a plane or at the Chicago airport... I couldn't have it locate itself).

 

Anyway, these are decent GPSr in addition to the radio features. I especially miss the digital compass feature of the 130. When you go below a set speed and signal jitter causes you to lose a good bearing on the display the 130 would switch to use a digital compass for bearing. Real nice for locating a cache. Of course now I have to use a manual compass again. Poor me.

 

I have had only one problem and that is a very weak back on the 110. I never had this problem on the 130 which I used the most but on the 110 the belt-clip pin broke the plastic back when my daughter had it on her belt. Garmin replaced the back no questions asked but a few weeks later I had the same problem and this time it was just clipped to geocaching satchel. I think the 110 is just a weaker mechanical design that they might have fixed on the other models. Anyway, I currently epoxyed it back in so that I can use it on the bike clip and that works fine. I bought a neoprene RINO case to use portable and no longer use the belt clip.

 

The other problem I am having is my waypoint memory is full and I can't figure out how to delete them. I would like to delete *all* my waypoints but I can only seem to delete one at a time manually. GSAK can't delete waypoints and the manual doesn't seem to be any help.

 

Anyone else know how to do this?

 

jv

 

http://volcano.newts.org/index.php?/categories/6-GeoCaching

[+Cymbaline]

The other problem I am having is my waypoint memory is full and I can't figure out how to delete them. I would like to delete *all* my waypoints but I can only seem to delete one at a time manually. GSAK can't delete waypoints and the manual doesn't seem to be any help.

Since you have a Rino, I'll assume you know to "click in"/"enter" on the clickstick after each function.

 

- Hold the click stick down, "Find 'n Go", "Waypoints", "Nearest"

- Toggle left to menu, select.

- "Delete All"

 

Voila, you're done.

 

As to the original post:

 

The Rino 110 and 130 both work great for caching. I still have my 110 but don't use it much anymore. The 130 puts me where I need to be pretty much most of the time - YMMV. Battery consumption can be a pain given that it uses 3 batteries, but I just switched to rechargable Powerex 2500 mAh batteries. I just recharged yesterday after running the unit almost *18* hours, which is a new record for me. I selectively turn the radio on and off, which also helps.

 

The NOAA broadcasts have come in handy a few times. Digital compass works pretty well, and the unit itself is pretty tough. I had to send mine in after the radio microphone malfunctioned, Garmin sent me a new unit.

 

Lastly, I just like the way it feels in my hand. The extra battery actually makes it "fit just right." No other GPS I've held has that quality. I wrap mine in the Bash Guard, which gives it just the right heft. (Drawback: You have to remove it to put it in Garmin's cradle, which I use on my bike).

[+newts]

Excellent. Worked great!

 

I use a Gilson case now with a clip and a velcro. Seems nice but I haven't taken it into the field yet.

[+powaybob]

I bought a pair of 120s for my wife and I to use for geocaching. After a couple of trips we put them away and went back to my Magellan Meridian platinum.

 

The Garmin user interface is clumsy and non-intuitive for us. I could be influenced by my Magellan experience, but she had not used any other and found it perlexing.

 

Since then I bought the Magellan Explorist 600, and while it is easy to use, I like the slightly larger screen of the Meridian.

 

I really wish ICOM or some other maker of amateur radios would come out with a GPS 2M radio like the Rino.

[+Team Rubicons]

I just picked up my 530 a few weeks ago. All I can say is WOW!!!

 

It is very responsive and the compass is fast and acurate! Last night I was in out in the backyard showing it to a few of my Jeeping friends. All but one of the satellites were WAAS enabled which is pretty nice for fine tuning. Monday we hiked Stanley's Revenge Cache At the Air Force Academy. at zero long, zero lat I was literally on top of the cache.

 

There is a dedicated Geocache function which gives you the Long/Lat ft coords on top of the compass. As you approach the cache the numbers drop according to the distance from the cache and the compass gives you a dead on direction to the site. So when your in the trees, you can take a reading prior to going out of satellite coverage and get a very accurate heading and distance to the cache. In fact my 5 year old daughter found her first cache on her own by using only the geocaching function.

 

Then you add in the radio, weather and geo broadcasting functions. This is one hell of a device for the backcountry!