UHF/VHF/CB Its an alphabet soup, where do I start. WARNING NEWBIE

[phtest]

I know I need to sort my communication for remote outback aussie touring. Coming from the UK thou I don't have any experience at all.

I know what it all mean but have no idea whee to start, what to ge,t how much to spend, which is the good stuff and bad stuff so on
(i don't know what I don't know situation)

Any help would be apricatied

Paul

[rkinsey]

G'day Paul,

Start with the simple things first and work your way up from there.

An 80 ch UHF radio and antenna from either Oricom or GME would be your first starting point. This will give you about 10km range (line of sight) to others that also have a UHF radio and are either scanning all channels or are on the same channel that you are on.

When traveling with a group this is easy communications with everyone else you are traveling with.

Traveling in the outback or remote areas you can get a satellite phone. Either purchase on (prices have come down considerably in recent years) or you can hire them for the duration of your trip. For instance if you are doing the Simpson Desert, MT Dare and the Birdsville Pub hire out Sat phones for one way trips.

If you are going to be traveling alone then an EPIRB is a must. Buy or rent these as well.

I did a quick search on Google and got several hits for hiring Sat phones and EPIRBS here is one of them - http://www.epirbhire.com.au/

Then there is always the "Old School" traveling practice of notifying local police stations in the areas where you will be travelling and giving them your travel plans. You can check in with them when in the outback and let them know were you are going and when you plan to be back or when you plan to reach your destination and if you don't check in within a certain period of time they send out a search party.

Cheers,

Rob

[threedogs]

X 2 a 5 watt 80 channel UHF for convoy communications, even a smaller handheld may come in handy
plus an Epirb is a no brainer, or a satellite Phone if funds allow buy or rent both.

[NP99]

Plus the Epirb can be dual registered against your boat and 4wd.

[phtest]

Thanks I have used the notifying police in the past..I pulled up to one in the pilbara and the guy had gone finishing for a few days. Obviously a low crime area lol

[happygu]

Paul,

In the GU, I have found the UHF units with handset containing the controls & speaker to work the best, as you can hide the body up behind the dash, or passenger kickpanel ......

I had an older style unit, and it was always difficult to find a spot for it, so I ended up making custom brackets to mount beside the transmission tunnel console .... Now I just mount the handset in a convenient place, and hide the body away. I prefer no holes in the dash itself, so have made all holes into plastic inserts which can be replaced if I ever sell the car

[phtest]

""I prefer no holes in the dash itself, so have made all holes into plastic inserts"" @happygu

Thank God I thought it was just me who thought this.

You see so many car with stuff everywhere it looks like an explosion in an electrical component shop.

Glad its not just me
Paul