Garmin rino 650

[NoBrakes!]

I'm looking for a new GPS unit for this season. Cabelas has the Garmin Rino 650 on for 399$ right now (130$ off). Has anyone had success switching a canadian 2 watt to a US 5 watt with the online update? Any user reviews? Even at 2 watts are they worth it?

 

[DonKiddic]

You cannot change a 2 watt rino to 5 watt. What you buy is what you're stuck with. You can buy on eBay from an American seller and get the 5 watt radio shipped to Canada. But beware, if you have to get warranty work done Garmin Canada will send a 2 watt radio in return.

 

[imdoo'n]

There was talk about canada upgrading to the 5 watt system in 2014. Have not heard anything since, Reason i did not get a new rhino. I'm thinking it would be a software upgrade but could get no info on it. Contact garmin and ask.
As to getting the cdn version, get it they work well.

 

[C of Red]

I have the 2 watt radio and some in my group have the 5. Both work great. Maybe my settings are incorrect but the 5 watt guys couldnt "see" me on there screen with the ping unless they turned theirs down to 2 watt. I need to look into this further as I am still new to the unit myself (only a few rides).

However, 2 watt is all you require. I've confirmed with my father who has 30 yrs experience working with Motorola RF. These radios work on "line of sight" distance. There are always moutains and trees in the way to keep the signal from going any huge distance regardless of radio wattage. You will never see the advertised range due to the terrain unless you are on the tallest peak and the person you are speaking with is on the second tallest. Just my $0.02

 

[Barry Barton]

BOUGHT THE 650 garmin from the states and it works real well worth the money on of the units had a screen problem sent it back to the states and all warenty work was done and they payed the shipping but have them it's great to have for securaty

 

[BLUE PLATE]

Love my Rino 650, our whole sled crew has them. Very handy and useful.

 

[Triggr29]

You can switch in the unit from 1/2 watt,2 watt ,or 5 watt

 

[Chump]

Super happy with my 650 to! Only a 2 watt but works great. I also picked up the alberta and bc backroads map pack. Amazes me some of the trails that our mapped on it. Totally worth the ridiculous price...

 

[ferniesnow]

I'm looking for a new GPS unit for this season. Cabelas has the Garmin Rino 650 on for 399$ right now (130$ off). Has anyone had success switching a canadian 2 watt to a US 5 watt with the online update? Any user reviews? Even at 2 watts are they worth it?

I bought mine this summer from Cabela's and at that price, it was cheaper by far than any of the American site.

 

[BRP QSC]

I am going to purchase one this week and hopefully my crew get one as well but its all about the safety for me. stuck in too many white out conditions way back and missed the turn on the way back. always get out but an uneasy feeling and if my group had one when you cant find someone cause there stuck in a drainage that they shouldn't have ventured down. its important

 

[ferniesnow]

I am going to purchase one this week and hopefully my crew get one as well but its all about the safety for me. stuck in too many white out conditions way back and missed the turn on the way back. always get out but an uneasy feeling and if my group had one when you cant find someone cause there stuck in a drainage that they shouldn't have ventured down. its important

Would your buds doo that???

 

[Stir]

Say could you tell me the site for the back roads map that you used? I also downloaded the caribou boundries which also has the trails to the areas.

 

[BRP QSC]

HA Would they do that? One for sure. then its a easy for the rest..... its a no brainer we hope

 

[giddyup]

when cabelas has them on sale its a tough price to beat, if anyone knows of any deals im looking for another 650 us version i thought i heard someone say that cabelas had a sale coming up but i have not seen anything anyone see any sales

 

[maxbed]

got my garmin 650 out of the states and put the topo map on it, very solid unit. has a lot of features that come in handy if you learn to use them.

 

[dezmitchell]

Deffinatly an essential part of your saftey equipment noaday. We ride heavy trees and you can loose some one SO fast and only be 200 yards away we have used ours lots when some one has had a good stuck and cant get out on there own. It was money well spent I would talk to your group and convince everyone to buy them its a bit of a hard pill to swallow at first but in the hole grand scheme of things you will be glad to have it. Whats 400$ when your stuck alone and not sure your group can find you? Your visa will come out pretty quick to have one right then and there.

My experence is with the 5W i cant say anything about the 2W but id imagine its all good i can talk to someone while in the boulder cabin and there on sugar bowl so range is awesome.

I also reccomend a good topo map

 

[crazy_cappa]

Everyone i ride with has a us version 5w. I don't know if it is worth the hassel. As someone mentioned earlier they seem to have a harder time pinging each other and sometimes the mic seems to have more distortion and feedback on 5w. If we turn it down to 2w it seems to be way clearer and locate each other way easier. I've seen it on quite a few of ours yet some work good on 5w. Maybe I just got a lemon but if you can get a better deal on a 2w canadian version I wouldn't think twice or worry bout the 5w.

 

[gibsons]

Lat year there was a fella who had one but his buddies didn't, and he got himself in a mess up from the bolder cabin. We used our radios to find him for his friends and they were still up there when we got back to the Days Inn, and we could communicate with them.
crazy_cappa, I have 3 650's all 5w and an old 530 2w. one of my 650's seems to be hit and miss for others being able to here me so I'm going to try switching to 2w and see if that makes a difference. Thanks.

 

[Puba]

Everyone i ride with has a us version 5w. I don't know if it is worth the hassel. As someone mentioned earlier they seem to have a harder time pinging each other and sometimes the mic seems to have more distortion and feedback on 5w. If we turn it down to 2w it seems to be way clearer and locate each other way easier. I've seen it on quite a few of ours yet some work good on 5w. Maybe I just got a lemon but if you can get a better deal on a 2w canadian version I wouldn't think twice or worry bout the 5w.

Turn your repeater on. I had the same issue when POL'ing, hit and miss. With the repeater turned on, for what ever reason, don't have that problem anymore.

 

[gibsons]

So I wonder what repeater does? I just switch the problem 650 over from 5w - 2w and already a huge difference. Dale were you having issues with locating or communicating?

Turn your repeater on. I had the same issue when POL'ing, hit and miss. With the repeater turned on, for what ever reason, don't have that problem anymore.