The FCC approval expands the Rino radio’s unique and patented ability to send and receive a user’s GPS position to other Rino users within a five mile range – up from a previous maximum of two miles on the Family Radio Service (FRS) frequency.
“This new capability more than doubles the effective range of the Rino’s position reporting feature,” said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s director of marketing. “We’re pleased to offer this feature for new customers as well as those who already own and use Rinos in their outdoor adventures.”
All new Rino 110, 120, and 130 radios will be shipped with this function, and users who already own Rinos can download a free software upgrade that allows them to capitalize on this newly approved feature.
Furthermore, the Canadian government has approved use of the GMRS spectrum in Canada, and the new software update allows Canadian users to take advantage of this capability as well. The software update can be found at www.garmin.com.
The location-reporting feature combines the unique integration of navigation and communication technologies in the Rino series, enabling users to “beam” their location to other Rino users over the FRS and GMRS radio spectrum. Other users can then see the location of the sender on their display, which shows the distance and direction between the sender and those receiving the broadcast location. Users can also send out a polling request to any Rino radio within range, and the unit will automatically transmit back its location. These features have been lauded for their life-saving potential in search-and-rescue operations and other outdoor emergencies.
The use of GMRS frequencies in the United States requires a license from the FCC. Check with applicable regulatory agencies when using the Rino radio outside the United States and Canada.