Ice and UHF communication along Cape York Peninsula?

Submitted: Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 at 20:09

ThreadID: 119155 Views:3837 Replies:4 FollowUps:3

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Cape York

This is the true 4WD journey to the tip of Cape York following the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) and its many challenging river crossings.

Cape York

Section: Treks

This is the true 4WD journey to the tip of Cape York following the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) and its many challenging river crossings.

Vesko P

Hi guys,
I’m planning a drive to Cape York beginning of July (fingers crossed). I would like to know a couple of things:

1. Is ice available along the PDR, say a bag of ice a day? (I know, I know - I’m still a 20th century man, cannot find the money for a dual battery setup and a nice 12 v. fridge).

2. Is there a particular channel the travellers use around the Cape York Peninsula to listen to each other (I remember it was channel 10 in the Simpson Desert)?
Thanks.

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Reply By: Member - TonyV - Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 at 20:57

Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 at 20:57

Vesko,

1. No
2. 40

Ice may be available at Laura, Coen, Weipa, Bamaga, Lockart, the Roadhouses generally have no ice. So unless they can make ice.ice none available.

TonyV

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Follow Up By: Grumblebum and the Dragon - Friday, Jun 12, 2015 at 11:49

Friday, Jun 12, 2015 at 11:49

You MAY get ice at Brampton station - but don't bank on it. Basically the Cape is a remote area with fairly big gaps between any services.

John

FollowupID: 841962

Follow Up By: Member - TonyV - Friday, Jun 12, 2015 at 12:50

Friday, Jun 12, 2015 at 12:50

Grumblebum and the Dragon

Brampton = Bramwell Station :)

Most of the "made" ice is small tubes, no one transports ice past Laura.
Transporting ice would be costly and the corrugations for a truck would collapse the tubes ending up a with a block in a bag ..

I did see an ice maker, but can't remember where that was, I suspect it was one of the camp ground on the tip, Punsands or Loyalty.. Could have been Bramwell...

TonyV

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Reply By: wholehog- Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 at 21:06

Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 at 21:06

Mate..you dont need a dual battery setup for your trip. Chuck out your standard battery and fit a N70Z size and just drive it every day. The 12 volt fridge will be fine with that. Buy a decent 1 though about 40-50 litre size only.

AnswerID: 555833

Reply By: Motherhen - Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 at 23:24

Thursday, Jun 11, 2015 at 23:24

We ran our first Engel (30 litre) from cigarette lighter socket on the car battery whilst driving. It kept food cold overnight turned off. Second hand Engels of the old sort come up for sale second hand and they may looked a bit battered they are practically indestructible.

Motherhen

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Reply By: Vesko P - Friday, Jun 12, 2015 at 20:44

Friday, Jun 12, 2015 at 20:44

Thank you guys. It looks like I must buy a fridge after all and run it as Motherhen did (on the cigarette lighter socket while driving. I'll think about the duel battery setup after I return.

Thanks heaps.

AnswerID: 555880

Follow Up By: Alloy c/t - Saturday, Jun 13, 2015 at 17:25

Saturday, Jun 13, 2015 at 17:25

If you go that route [buying a 2nd hand engle etc] also at the very least upgrade the wiring , costs stuff all to run some decent size twin core from your standard battery [fused at + battery end ] to an anderson plug and switch the fridge plug to same , = less voltage drop and wasted energy in the form of heat in the piss standard poor piggy plug wiring , even the smallest 15lt engle set on high will FREEZE a 6pack of 500ml water bottles to use as reusable ice blocks in a larger esky in an hour-1/2 of driving …….. I nowadays use my 15lt to make ice for the Esky on a weekly basis on my 125km dirt road shopping trip ….

FollowupID: 842004