Icom HF......................

I'm interested in this subject.
I find it hard to get info on Qmac.
What are your thoughts (to a novice - me) about Codan vs Qmac if I only want 'basic' functions such as vks737 and RFDS. Whats the difference in price ? And the technology (I presume you are saying the qmac is much more basic) ??The Qmac looks like it would be easier to fit in the truck ???
Thanks,
Brad.

Brad I just had a quote on the Qmac at about $3500 plus about $250 to fit it to vehicle.
I know of a guy who buoght a NGT from a Melb dealer for $3600 and fitted it himself.
I was quoted about $4200 fitted and trained and VKS membership.

The other concern I had was servicability, Codan and Barrett are serviced everywhere, to me this is of major consideration.

Are Qmac and Icom service as extensive as the other two.

Again on the cost base issue I would pay the extra and buy the Codan for the few extra dollars, I think you get a much better unit.

And as pointed out both are Aussie made.

One other point is is HF what you need, what about a Sat Phone as a cheaper and easier to use option.

Thanks John for that info.
I already have a satphone, so thats why I'm in no rush with an HF. At some stage I would like a 'cheap and simple' HF, more as a means to chat than as lifesaving comms.
I was hoping the qmac would fit the cheap and simple, but it doesn't look like it. I'll probabaly slowly browse the 2nd hand options.
cya
Brad.

" 'cheap and simple' HF" hahahahaha now my favourite oxymoron surpassing "Military Intelligence"

I am interested too, as outback travel is on the cards some time in the future and this type of discussion is excellent, thanx guys. Had perchance to listen to a Barrett at the Outback Challenge, self tuning stainless whip antenna, but the base had a few stress cracks starting to form and the owner was going to take it back for replacement (the antenna), but I like the idea of a the stainless whip rather than the big bulky black fibreglass things I have seen elsewhere.

I have thought satphone, but its the listening that I like the idea of too, school of the air, was a delight to listen to as well as news, weather, others etc. Sat phone doesnt have these things. Carry on as I listen at the side guys.

Regards

I'm thinking in terms of an HF with 5 - 10 freq (all 5 vks737 freq, maybe a couple of RFDS) hooked up to a tapped aerial. Maybe around $1000. To me that's "cheap and simple"...of course whether I can find it is another matter.
Don't know anything about military intelligence, maybe ask George Dubya...
Regards,
Brad.

Brad have a look here on the EO Trader section, Go to Radios and GPS. There is a couple of second hand HF'S one with a tap antenna for $500-.

Bonz I stand to corrected on this but the Codan comes with both Stainless and Fibreglass whips.
The primary is the glass whip and the stainless is the back up / secondary.

My understanding is that the stainless is not quite as good as the glass.

Don't know how much of a difference, maybe very little and it seems that the Stainless is more robust to being hit, hence why they are probably used by more people.

But maybe the Barrett only comes with the stainless, maybe a Barrett owner can confirm this for us.

Foss, have you had any experience with any of the other Codan models? I have an HF on the wish list, but my mate recently bought the 8528 I think it was, and he said it's a little on the complex side, so it put me off.

My understanding is the 8 series Codans are about the same level of technology as the current Barretts in terms of user friendly, as I said in earlier post Barrett are about 8 to 10 years behind Codan.
The NGT is designed to be as user friendly as possible.

You will have to check it out for yourself.

Hi Bob
Your point regarding 50 V 100 watts is a very good point, when you need it you want everything going your way.

The situation with the Barrett V Codan is that the guys who own / run Barrett used to work for Codan, they left to set up their own operation and since they started from scratch they were behind the 8 ball in regards to the R & D that lead to the Codan NGT.

My understanding is an issue of patent's that now won't allow them to lift to the NGT type model.

This leads to the issue that they can only produce what is unprotected in the market and so the Barrett is said to be equivilent to the latter 8 series Codans produced 8 to 10 years ago, hence 8 to 10 years behind the NGT system for design and user ability.

Don't get me wrong I am not bagging the Barrett they are a fine radio and Australian made, my view is Approx $3000 Barrett or $3600 for the Codan, little difference in price in my view, I would go with the Codan latest technology, better resale, more user friendly, seem to be used by more commercial operators as stated in my earlier post, better remote service because of so many operators.

Codan have been in the HF radio and other communications business for a lot longer than Barrett and have been producing HF for Aircraft, Marine, Defence, Civilian use for a lot longer.

I have a Sat phone and for the reasons others have mentioned besides the saftey issue I will be fitting a Codan in the very near future.

"As for Qmac's 50 watt, would prefer 100 watts if someones life was at stake and one needs all the power you can get, to cut through the static."

Bob. I wouldn't be too concerned about the Qmac's 50 watt power output as half the power doesn't mean half the distance. In fact it will usually transmit over 80% of the distance that the full size sets will, so with the great coverage that the VKS 737 network provide, you would rarely be out of range. Their small size & simple opperation make them ideal for the casual HF user. I also had the chance to play with an old 30 watt Codan 'lunch box' radio with a wire antenae & it transmitted from Victoria to Alice, so bigger isn't neccesarily better. Cheers Craig..........