Communication between vans

Billv, that depends on how far apart you want to communicate. If you were 10-20 Kms and no further you would look to UHF radios with higher gain antennas on each vehicle. Dependent on where you were, you could find that repeaters could extend that range considerably. There is a list on this site of such repeaters. (under On The Road above)

For normal travelling a digital mobile is not good for distant parts of Australia and you would be better off with CDMA mobiles, which have a good coverage around all but the smallest settlements on more utilized routes. You do say 'on the bitumen' so I guess that should still stand. CDMA is a lot better supported by Telstra than the normal digital as the range is a lot better for that technology.

UHF.

UHF radios would be the go. One with sel call would be brilliant so us people who live on a major tourist route don't have to listen in.

Sorry, a bit of an axe to grind here, some people babble on all day on them which makes it really annoying if you have them all over your farm and need them turned on all the time as a normal part of business. Some people go on about what they had for dinner last night, where will we eat tonight? ohhhh looook, isn't the coast line beautiful.......................

I'm sure none of those type of people are on EO, here we only have considerate users of radios.

NickR

Thanks, JohnR, we are on CDMA. We didn't want to put those huge aerials on the bullbar is we coud avoid it. And thanks also to NickR. As ex-farmers we know the problem with on-air chatterers, but the problem is not always with travellers but too often with foul-mouthed yobbos.

Its pretty well been said but if all you want to do is talk to the car behind on the blacktop, a couple of 0.5w handhelds should work fine. We lend these out to club visitors and as long as they are in the middle of the convoy, they get all the reception they need & as these things are only good for 3km max, no farmers are hurt in the production of dribble.

If you only want to talk to each other on UHF, and you find your chosen channel if busy coz the local farmers are using it in that area, decide on another and switch.

Bill

The cheapest and most cost effective way to set up a car-based comms system is to get a couple of cheap 27 meg radios (maybe $100 or less plus antenna). They will suit you needs if only car-car close together. Otherwise you can get some cheap hand held uhf units, low power, as has already been mentioned. All these people talking about UHF car radios are talking probably $500 minimum each for a full setup. You did say cheapest, but is is not always the best.

I rekon the best solution is to build yourself a couple of spark transmitters, pumpout 2000 watts and learn morse....no one bothers you then....but you do tend to pick up some distress calls..."RMS Titanic to RMS Carpathia"
Cheers.. John Smith... just getting the ice

Go the hand helds, less chance of annoying others!
I enjoy the entertainment of listening to abusive truckers talking to "Fred and Nora" on channel 40 up the highway! Bit friuty but good for a laugh. I use a handheld on the bike with a throat mike and ear bud....I find a clear 5kms range mostly!

Gidday,All you need for total secrecy and to get away from all the idiots is 2 jam tins and a long piece of string.
Problem fixed
Seeya Locallaw

Just a thought.

Nokia are starting to market mobile phoes with a PTT (Push to talk) function that is like using handheld UHF. It is supposed to be a direct phone to phone communication that is not a regular phone call and is free. I think it is line of sight just like radios and does not involve towers and stuff.

Does anyone know the details on these? What freqs they use, what range they cover?

Might be an alternative and would keep the farmers happy if it is not using UHF CB freqs.

Cheers
Muddy

Hello Billv,

My choice, if in your position, would be to purchase an Electrophone(GME) TX3200 UHF (cheap, but good value), and fibreglass aerial fitted on a GME folding Gutter mount. The TX3200 is 5 watt output, same as the more expensive sets, but doesn't have all the (often unnecesary) bells & whistles.

This set-up would be easily installed, and keeps the aerial up high, and sends plenty of signal back to your fellow traveller. It doesn't take much of a caravan to block much of the signal to the rear, especially over 5-10 kms.

Prefer fibreglass aerial whips to stainless steel, as the s'steel break off when subjected to constant corrugations.
The cheap 0.5 & 1 watt handhelds might be a poor choice, as they can give inadequate performance when conditions are not ideal. Clarity is often not good, and need a quiet environment to be heard distinctly.

Think everyone assumes you will be travelling in convoy with your friends, if travelling apart then you would both need HF, or Satphones

Enoy the trip,

hooroo...

Thanks Bob Y and others for your comments. No, our friends will not be in convoy with us, just meeting for smoko usually and then in the evening when we camp overnight. On an average day (if there is any such thing when away) we'll probably be anything from 10/30 kms apart but most of the travelling will be in flat or flattish country. We don't anticipate that we will need to be in constant contact, far from it, but from the experience of others, it could be a convenience and a lot cheaper than using a CDMA mobile other than in Telstra's "my hour."