jamie replied:

Hi Renee,

Depending on your experience a HF radio can be complex if you have never used one before. UHF is handy to communicate with others in range and also for overtaking trucks but not good for much else, although most rural properties are on UHF and you may be able to raise a station owner if you get into trouble. CDMA is good and bad but for the absolute piece of mind you will probably be better off renting a satphone.

Hope that is of help.

Regards,

Jamie

Clarry replied:

If you will be staying on the mainroads, help is always passing by in the tourist season. Lots of people out there. Personal backup is very important though, because it could rain and strand you on any dirt, you might conk out just around dark, or you might come across someone else in difficulty. If you are not inclined to join an HF radio network, then satphone rental would be ideal as Jamie says. Can't see the EPIRB outlay as necessary for your trip.

Member - Nigel replied:

A UHF and EPIRB are essential in my opinion. CDMA is much better than GSM, but still won't work in over 90% of australia's surface.

If you want quick convenient emergency contact then hire an Irridium satphone.

If you want a total communications solution for outback travel then HF is the way to go.

If it's a one off trip then cost will be more of a factor then if you travel regularly.

rugs replied:

I recently bought a well known hf radio and a hf multi-tap antenna Outbacker) with all Vks 737 frequencies. I had it all fitted by a reputable two-way radio installer recommended by the manufacturer. Both tested out as in good working condition (SWR 1.5:1).
When attempting to use it out bush I got ZERO on the thing. No revertive from any site on any channel.
Back in town the radio man said both the radio and antenna were working fine. Probably something to do with the atmosphere he said hopefully.

I would suggest that people think carefully about trusting their lives to the unpredictability of hf radio.

Ps does anyone want to buy an hf radio and antenna going very cheap

Member - Willem replied:

Funny thing all this security stuff. 20 years ago we travelled these roads and tracks without all this modern paraphenalia and got by. Why would you need all these security measures when just commonsense is necessary. Having to own all these mod-cons such as flash HF and UHF radios, EPIRB and Satphones is a con by a growing industry and the people who encourage it. Driving up the Stuart Highway from Adelaide there is an Emergency Solar phone ever so often on the side of the road. Mobile phones are only effective 25km either side of a town. I wonder what Burke and Wills would have made of this. But then again if they had had an HF in those days it would have been to their advantage. When travelling in the outback just make sure that your vehicle is in good working order, you carry sufficient supplies of water, food and fuel and, if you are unsure of the road which you intend to take, call in at your nearest Police Station and ask the question. Happy travels. Cheers, W

rugs replied:

To hz 180

Did your comment have some purpose? Or was it to just to vent your spleen on someone less experienced than yourself. You presumably were a novice at one time, or perhaps you came into the world the repository of all knowledge much as you think you are now!

Fortunately others contacted me with constructive advice.

rugs

rugs replied:

Nigel,

I used every Vks 737 beacon in Australia from Charters Towers (800ks away) to Derby and Perth(3000ks away).
I attempted to ellicit a revertive at many different times of the day over two weeks and five different channels and got zilch. My radio always checked out as ok by a radio installer recommended by the manufacturer.
I never expected phone-like reception having read "Hf for Travellers", and spoke to other hf users, but something would have been good other than Radio Taiwan. I stand by my contention that I would not rely on hf radio for "getting through" in an emergency.

If you had spent several thousand dollars on on a computer or hi-fi system and got nothing out of it, you would be frustrated and not pleased to hear "experts" tell you it's your fault.