Rino Questions

[bnolan]

I just noticed that Garmin posted firmware updates for the Rino's

 

I looked at the Rino 120 when it first came out, but did not get it because it was not capable of accessing repeaters and did not do position reporting over GMRS, just FRS.

 

This new firmware update states that it will now do position reporting over the non repeater GMRS channels. Also, there were 2 firmware updates. One for version 5.0 and newer which mentions the repeaters, and one for older than 5.0 which does not.

 

Can somebody confirm for me that a Rino 120 with firmware 5.0 can access semi-duplex repeaters ? Do I have to get one with firmware 5.0 ? and if so how do I know what rev the firmware is before I open it ?

 

Thanks,

[+TresOkies]

I have two 120's with the pre-5.0 firmware. The 3.6 firmware that my Rinos use was also updated this week. Thanks for the heads up. The details for 3.6 mention that position reporting for GMRS was turned on, as was GMRS for Canada.

 

I installed the firmware and I was able to successfully transmit location on GMRS channel 2. That excites me just a little. I don't know what a repeater is, so I have no way to test that. Sorry.

 

As for what version is on the unit, I suggest talking to a retailer who will cooperate. Call Scott at GPSDiscount.com--I think he would be willing to pop open the box long enough to do a firmware check for you. If you intend to buy from him, I think he'd help you out. I have no affiliation with GPSDiscount.com other than I'm a happy customer.

[coolclay]

I don't have a 120, I have 130, but I still think even with the updates the 120 doesn't have the repeater channels. I see what you mean the pre 5.0 update doesn't mention repeaters, but the post 5.0 update does. I think it may have been a typo on their part. If I where you however, I would email garmin and ask them, you never know. Or you could just get the far superior 130 with repeaters, compass, barometer, altimeter, 24mb memory, and note sending capability.

[+Jeeping Family]

Updating both 120's to 3.6, updated them both earlier this month to 3.5, now I can update them again.

 

Will get back to you in a bit with that information.

[+Jeeping Family]

OK, I have them all updated to 3.6, yes the 120's and the 110 will all now transmit locations on GMRS channels, would have tested the repeater function but I know of no repeaters around here or even how to change the 120's over to transmit for them.

[bnolan]

I just download the new manual for the Rino 120. It confirms that the 120 does indeed have repeater channels and sends position information over GMRS.

 

Another question for you rino owners. How much extra range do you feel the GMRS gives you over the FRS channels ?

[+Jeeping Family]

I know that GMRS does travel further, I have had to go up to those frequencies and lose Location Sending in order to tell people to return to Jeep.

 

Makes me glad we have locations in better channels now.

 

Now, how do you get it to transmit to the repeater?

[+parker2]

I beleave the diffrence between the 2 versions is that one is for canadian models ant the other for US models. This would be the only way for Garmin to seperate the difrences between Industry Canada and the FCC difrences in there regulations.

[+parker2]

Also.... if you are testing the ability to use repeaters on your units..... find someone with a frequency counter or radio scanner and plug in the transmit frequency....

GMRS FREQUENCY CHART

CH - - TX - - - - RX - -

15R 467.5500 462.5500 GMRS Repeater 1

16R 467.5750 462.5750 GMRS Repeater 2

17R 467.6000 462.6000 GMRS Repeater 3

18R 467.6250 462.6250 GMRS Repeater 4

19R 467.6500 462.6500 GMRS Repeater 5

20R 467.6750 462.6750 GMRS Repeater 6

21R 467.7000 462.7000 GMRS Repeater 7

22R 467.7250 462.7250 GMRS Repeater 8

 

When you transmit from your unit it should be on one of the TX freq. from above... if not it will be one of the TX freq. from below or the RX from above.....

CH - - TX - - - - RX - -

15 462.5500 462.5500 GMRS Primary 1

16 462.5750 462.5750 GMRS Primary 2

17 462.6000 462.6000 GMRS Primary 3

18 462.6250 462.6250 GMRS Primary 4

19 462.6500 462.6500 GMRS Primary 5

20 462.6750 462.6750 GMRS Primary 6

21 462.7000 462.7000 GMRS Primary 7

22 462.7250 462.7250 GMRS Primary 8

 

any other questions just post to this topic and i'll try to help

 

parker2

[JustaCrawlin]

I too have a Rino 120 with firmware 3.60. I am glad that the GMRS channels are now opend up to transmit the locations. I don't have another rino to test this though. I am curious if I can use repeaters with this version of firmware. I looked at the manual for the rino 130, but I still don't see where you enable 'Repeater Channel'.

[+leatherman]

I beleave the diffrence between the 2 versions is that one is for canadian models ant the other for US models. This would be the only way for Garmin to seperate the difrences between Industry Canada and the FCC difrences in there regulations.

No. I have the 3.60 version. It is simply the early models of the 120. Not sure what the difference is. I've heard that the 3.xx versions have a bad microphone. I've had GMRS all along. I'm sure the basemap would be a good way of differentiating between the USA and Canada.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I don't know what a repeater is, so I have no way to test that. Sorry.

 

A repeater is a radio that is located on a hill, tower or the roof top of a tall building. When a repeater receives a radio transmission it retransmits that signal extending the range of the radio.

 

For a radio to access a repeater it will transmit on one frequency and receive on another one.

When you key up to transmit your radio shifts to the transmit frequency, when you un key it shifts back to the receives frequency. Being that repeaters are privately owned, the person that owns the repeater has the option to decided who has access to the repeater. If the repeater owner does not want someone to use the repeater that person may ask that it not be used. In some cases a radio may need to also transmit an access tone to open the repeater up.

[+greengolftee87]

How can i find out if there is a repeater near me. I wouldent be worth the money if there arent any nearby.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I don't know what a repeater is, so I have no way to test that. Sorry.

 

A repeater is a radio that is located on a hill, tower or the roof top of a tall building. When a repeater receives a radio transmission it retransmits that signal extending the range of the radio.

 

For a radio to access a repeater it will transmit on one frequency and receive on another one.

When you key up to transmit your radio shifts to the transmit frequency, when you un key it shifts back to the receives frequency. Being that repeaters are privately owned, the person that owns the repeater has the option to decided who has access to the repeater. If the repeater owner does not want someone to use the repeater that person may ask that it not be used. In some cases a radio may need to also transmit an access tone to open the repeater up.

There should be a Data base of all GMRS repeaters on the FCC web site.

 

FCC home

Being a governmant web site, it is not easy to navigate. You could also call your local FCC feild office

 

I did a google search and this is one of the links it brings up under GMRS reapeaters

 

GMRS Repeaters

Edited February 4, 2005 by JohnnyVegas

[+parker2]

I beleave the diffrence between the 2 versions is that one is for canadian models ant the other for US models.  This would be the only way for Garmin to seperate the difrences between Industry Canada and the FCC difrences in there regulations.

No. I have the 3.60 version. It is simply the early models of the 120. Not sure what the difference is. I've heard that the 3.xx versions have a bad microphone. I've had GMRS all along. I'm sure the basemap would be a good way of differentiating between the USA and Canada.

If you look at garmin's site for the Rino 120 unit, you will see that they ship with Marine Point Database (Americas) and Americas Highway Basemap. These also ship with other units sold in North America. The Canadian Gov. (Industry Canada - Spectrum Management) has also allowed the use of the GMRS freq. to transmit data (ie locaton info.) where the FCC does not allow this on repeter freq. that they added as well and IC did not. This was updated in the last release of firmware from Garmin.

[+TresOkies]

I don't know what a repeater is, so I have no way to test that. Sorry.

 

A repeater is a radio that is located on a hill, tower or the roof top of a tall building. When a repeater receives a radio transmission it retransmits that signal extending the range of the radio.

Please forgive me for going slightly OT here. I re-read this thread today and this evening a friend stops by with a question that crosses this one. I'm well versed in gadgets and such, but radios and antennas are beyond my experience. I know that a lot of amateur radio folks also patrol these forums, so I'm hoping that I'd get someone with knowledge to reply.

 

My friend runs a feedlot outside of town. In town, we get decent cellphone reception but at the feedlot it isn't worth a darn. I mentioned to him that GPSRs use a reradiating antenna and there might be a cellphone equivalent. It turns out there is and it's called a "cellphone repeater". We googled around for some of these devices and they range in price from about $450 to several thousand dollars. They are usually intended for office buildings, factories, and warehouses. I'm wondering how well one would work on his feedlot. He's got several hundred acres he needs to cover with this thing. He's got a 125 foot antenna tower that he uses for his business band radios and the nearest cell tower is about 10 miles away as the crow flies. He needs coverage for CDMA and GSM.

 

The questions I have are

1. Approximately how many watts or dbi gain would I need to cover about a half a mile from his antenna tower?

2. Is there a homebrew or amateur radio solution that lends itself to this kind of application?

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

-E

[+JohnnyVegas]

I don't know what a repeater is, so I have no way to test that. Sorry.

 

A repeater is a radio that is located on a hill, tower or the roof top of a tall building. When a repeater receives a radio transmission it retransmits that signal extending the range of the radio.

Please forgive me for going slightly OT here. I re-read this thread today and this evening a friend stops by with a question that crosses this one. I'm well versed in gadgets and such, but radios and antennas are beyond my experience. I know that a lot of amateur radio folks also patrol these forums, so I'm hoping that I'd get someone with knowledge to reply.

 

My friend runs a feedlot outside of town. In town, we get decent cellphone reception but at the feedlot it isn't worth a darn. I mentioned to him that GPSRs use a reradiating antenna and there might be a cellphone equivalent. It turns out there is and it's called a "cellphone repeater". We googled around for some of these devices and they range in price from about $450 to several thousand dollars. They are usually intended for office buildings, factories, and warehouses. I'm wondering how well one would work on his feedlot. He's got several hundred acres he needs to cover with this thing. He's got a 125 foot antenna tower that he uses for his business band radios and the nearest cell tower is about 10 miles away as the crow flies. He needs coverage for CDMA and GSM.

 

The questions I have are

1. Approximately how many watts or dbi gain would I need to cover about a half a mile from his antenna tower?

2. Is there a homebrew or amateur radio solution that lends itself to this kind of application?

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

-E

Putting up a cellphone repeater is a very complicated and very expensive, Not to mention, the cell phone Co. in you area is going to have a real problem if you try to put your own cell phone site up. You might ba able to convince them to put ine up for you, if you pay all the cost. This would be very expesive to do though.

 

It would be a lot easier to put up your own GMRS repeater and get some GMRS radios.

Edited February 5, 2005 by JohnnyVegas

[+TresOkies]

Putting up a cellphone repeater is a very complicated and very expensive, Not to mention, the cell phone Co. in you area is going to have a real problem if you try to put your own cell phone site up. You might ba able to convince them to put ine up for you, if you pay all the cost. This would be very expesive to do though.

 

It would be a lot easier to put up your own GMRS repeater and get some GMRS radios.

If the cellphone companies have such a problem with these things, why are they allowed to exist?

 

As for GMRS, they don't need that. They have business band radios for communicating with each other, but they get a lot of cell calls during the day. You'd be surprised--farmers use cell phones almost as much as teenage girls.