GRMS vehicle mounted and handheld with location finding like Garmin Rino units?

[Etoimos]

I'm looking for a GMRS setup that would allow me to have a vehicle mounted unit for more power/range and a handheld unit my kid could take with him to go explore around our campsites. I'd also like it if there as a location/find feature like the Garmin Rino radios have. That way if something happened to the kid, I could easily-er go find him.

Is there something like that out there?

 

[M Rose]

I'm looking for a GMRS setup that would allow me to have a vehicle mounted unit for more power/range and a handheld unit my kid could take with him to go explore around our campsites. I'd also like it if there as a location/find feature like the Garmin Rino radios have. That way if something happened to the kid, I could easily-er go find him.

Is there something like that out there?

Yes, there is a new radio just like what you’re asking for… the Garmin Tread

Garmin Tread®

Portable GPS navigator with 5.5" display and built-in Group Ride Radio for powersports vehicles

www.crutchfield.com

 

[LostInThought]

Yes, there is a new radio just like what you’re asking for… the Garmin Tread

Garmin Tread®

Portable GPS navigator with 5.5" display and built-in Group Ride Radio for powersports vehicles

www.crutchfield.com

Nice! But perhaps, take note that the Tread is a MURS radio, not GMRS.

 

[Etoimos]

Yes, there is a new radio just like what you’re asking for… the Garmin Tread

Garmin Tread®

Portable GPS navigator with 5.5" display and built-in Group Ride Radio for powersports vehicles

www.crutchfield.com

The Tread does look interesting, but as BCNP mentioned, it is not GMRS. It also appears to use the buddy location feature, both people have to be using a Tread device which would not work for my kid (who is 11) going exploring since this device appears to be vehicle mounted only and not hand holdable.

 

[M Rose]

The Tread does look interesting, but as BCNP mentioned, it is not GMRS. It also appears to use the buddy location feature, both people have to be using a Tread device which would not work for my kid (who is 11) going exploring since this device appears to be vehicle mounted only and not hand holdable.

The Tread does indeed operate on the MURS frequencies which are the same License requirements (inside the US) as CB and FMRS. The Tread will talk to the Garmin Rhino radios and from what I’ve seen in the reviews the buddy ride feature is a carryover from the Rhino, and is backwards compatible with the Rhino.

 

[Crusader]

Maybe you can give your kid an FRS radio with one of those pet GPS tags glued to it or have your kid wear it like dog tags. Most FRS radios overlap with GMRS on 2 channels.

 

[M Rose]

Maybe you can give your kid an FRS radio with one of those pet GPS tags glued to it or have your kid wear it like dog tags. Most FRS radios overlap with GMRS on 2 channels.

FRS and GMRS overlap on all frequencies… differences between the two is the power output of the two services and FRS doesn’t allow to Ed to access repeaters.

FRS/GMRS combined channel chart - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

One last thing, Data transmissions aren’t allowed on GMRS/FRS only MURS without a license

 

[Etoimos]

The Tread does indeed operate on the MURS frequencies which are the same License requirements (inside the US) as CB and FMRS. The Tread will talk to the Garmin Rhino radios and from what I’ve seen in the reviews the buddy ride feature is a carryover from the Rhino, and is backwards compatible with the Rhino.

It does not seem like the Tread will really fit my needs, but I wonder how the Tread communicates with the Rino radios since they are on different frequencies.

 

[Etoimos]

Maybe you can give your kid an FRS radio with one of those pet GPS tags glued to it or have your kid wear it like dog tags. Most FRS radios overlap with GMRS on 2 channels.

The pet tracker had crossed my mind, but they all require a monthly or annual service plan. I'd really rather just have one device (the radio) that would allow communication and tracking/finding and just pay the one time to buy it.

 

[Etoimos]

Maybe my best option is just going to be a pair of Rino radios (an older model perhaps to lower costs) and a vehicle mounted GMRS radio as a base unit. That way I could use the base unit for vehicle to vehicle comms and have it connected to an external speaker while in camp. If I needed to talk to the kid, I could just use the base station to his Rino (or visa versa). If something were to ever happen when I need to go find him, I could then pull out the other Rino and use it's tracking/location feature.