Update requested please -- UHF on Fraser Island?

Thanks Greg -- one of our travellers is not a well person (MND), hence the interest in repeaters if some difficulty arises. If it comes to an emergency I guess the local Channel 5 repeater will be operating. In any case, we will have mobile phones, a satphone and a PLB -- so we have plenty of communications redundancy.

Otherwise, we will use Channel 10 or whatever is suggested all vehicles use on the one-vehicle-wide sand tracks at Fraser (apparently we are supposed to call it K'gari nowadays). Visibility is not always clear through the forest or bush or over the ridges and it is good to know whether another vehicle is approaching and whether to wait in a layby for a vehicle or a bus to pass by, especially if it is coming downhill etc.The beach is easy if all drive to the conditions and within the rules but sadly there are too many accidents there.

Cheers!
John

John,

I'm not sure if there is a channel 5 or another repeater on, or near Frasier Island, but if you have someone who may need medical help, I don't think you should rely on channel 5 being monitored or available as a repeater.

UHF channel 5 exists as an emergency channel on paper, plus a few specific sites. While UHF is good for vehicle to vehicle comms and some repeater locations in the outback, it's monitoring and range is not reliable enough for emergencies.

Most of Frasier Island has mobile coverage on the beaches, not sure about the internal tracks. But if you need urgent, critical comms then you should have an EPIRB and hire a sat phone. IMHO

Boobook,

" we will have mobile phones, a satphone and a PLB -- so we have plenty of communications redundancy."

Hmmm ..... a senior's moment. We all have them LOL

Regards

Hmm Gramps, so true. I seem to be having 'Communications' problems.

Yeah Boobook a real seniors moment. The OP was asking about FRASER Island, not Frazier.

Agreed. Contact with Rangers and all concerned will happen and the relevant websites are informative,
eghttps://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/fraser/about.html
and a bunch of information comes with the required QNPS Vehicle Permit.
Good to know that things have changed re one-way tracks -- many tracks were two-way with frequent laybys when we were last at Fraser -- but that was 10 years ago.

John

Agree completely with Mikee5. PLB (or EPIRB) is last in line when all else fails -- UHF, mobile phone, satphone -- and this seems very unlikely on Fraser Island. Two way communication and self-help always is preferred. We carry the PLB in the vehicle at all times and before any trip also maintain updated details of travel itineraries and mobile, satphone and ICE numbers, etc, with our ACMA registration through their website to facilitate contact and location if ever required. The PLB provides a bit of security -- I hope never to use it but will do so if necessary.

That would have been for the Parkies at Ungowa Station - now demanned. Not sure about the repeater though.
There is a Ch 22 VHF repeater on Sandy Cape for the Northern Bay waters.
I wouldn't bother with UHF for anything but intra convoy comms - each group tries to find a quiet channel these days rather than monitor anything.
112 on the mobile phone will get an emergency response on most of the island these days.

Thank you! As a longtime user, I should have remembered to look at the ACMA site ....