Garmin Rino 530

I think this product is awesome. All aspects of it work great. GPS can be increased in heavy cover areas by enabling WAAS. Two way radio works good to about 10 miles, about 5 or 6 if many obstacles.

Others say this isn't a good product, but I think that's because they don't understand a two way radio's operation. Two way radios work on line of sight. That's just the way it is. If you're in a ravine and the other person is on the otherside of a big hill/mountain whatever then you won't be talking. Only low frequency long range radios can conquer obstacles with ease. A high frequency two way radio must have at lease limited line of sight to work.

If you understand the limitations of a two way radio then this product is awesome. I love being able to have a two way radio/gps/ weather radio all in one. The weather radio you can darn near use in a cave, as it is transmitted at a very low frequency.

I got this unit as a xmas gift from a very generous friend. Although this is well appreciated, Garmin has let me down with this handheld unit.

All reviewers in the magazine gives it the best of the year award. From my experience, I don't know why. It's an expensive GPS, has color screen, weather radio, memory for 58mb of maps, WAAS antenna, waterproof and rechargeable. These are fine and great, but for the price it's not true.

The quality of the electronics is negligible, slow to react. Can only store maps for one region ... not all of Los Angeles county fits. It cannot be used with a fast moving vehicle. The map does not redraw fast enough. The software does crash on a regular cycle. These are reoccurring problems the Rino has. Compatiblity is out for any Mac uses.

Overall it's an over hyped product, which other GPS receivers can compete with this well marketed product.
Also the instructions are next to laughable. I don't know who writes their stuff.

This product is very misleading. The GPS works like any other GPS. The two radio and peer to peer positioning works worse than a radio shack two way radio. If anything is in the view between the two radios it doesn't work.

The peer to peer works off radio waves not GPS and only works if nothing is in the way. Typically you have a one mile range at best, not 3 to 14 miles like advertised.

The best place for these units is on flat wide open ground with nothing in the way of site. Mountains, trees, buildings all get in the way of the radio and peer to peer functions since it works off of radio waves not GPS.