Garmin Enters FRS/GMRS Arena
By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 2/11/2002
Olathe, Kan.— GPS supplier Garmin Ltd. is entering the FRS/GMRS market with two new GPS-enabled products to ship in the second quarter.
Dubbed the new RINO series (Radios Integrated with Navigation for the Out-doors), the products include the RINO 110, a 22-channel GMRS that allows users to transmit their geographic positions to each other. The RINO display shows the distance and bearing from one's position to the other's position. The unit offers 22 channels for both FRS and GMRS reception, 38 subcodes and VOX and it incorporates a 12-channel GPS receiver. It allows waypoint storage and TracBack technology, multiple position formats including MGRS and Loran TD, and it has a built-in trip computer. It comes in a bright yellow, lightweight, waterproof casing at a suggested retail price of $211.25.
The step up RINO 120 adds a base map of North and South America and has 8MB of internal memory for PC map downloads. Other features include voice scrambler and vibrate at $311.25.
In addition, Garmin is partnering with Timex to offer the Timex Ironman Speed & Distance Watch that comes with a GPS receiver without display. Users wear the GPS receiver on their arm or belt. The unit captures data and beams it to the watch to tell the user how fast and far he is travelling. It does not offer position data but that may be added in the future, said Garmin. The watch is expected to ship in April at an estimated price of $225.
