TV

It goes against the grain to say this ...BUT.... TV is a great communication medium and if your trip is to last for 3 months the wife and kids would appeciate sometimes just "veging" out for a day or so and filling up the gray matter with some "tripe" ready to absorb the natural beauty the next week or so.

Don't have to have it all the time but for a break it would enhance your standing with the family to be able to treat them to some "entertainment".
Personally I like to listen to the radio especially the ABC in the morning so I can at least keep up with the news.Smaller box and easily tuned to whatever station.

Take the TV it'l keep the youngsters off your back during the evening.
As long as its a 12v self tuning job then your on a winner. Most times a simple antanea will do.

I've just got back from a trip up north. TV is great to get the kids out of your hair for a while. We also brought a cheap DVD player with us. I reckon its an essential item...tuning isnt a problem...

cheers
mike

I wouldn't take it, but you know yur kids best. Are they the type of kids who will relish finding more interesting things to do. A recent article in 4wd monthly covered this subject of long term travel with kids and there were some great ideas in it. Seems to me it could be a special time sans TV. Also depends on the age of the kids. Teenagers can be a different story.

We did a three month trip in 2003 and wondered about some entertainment for the kids.In the end we left the tv behind and you know what,they didnt miss it one bit.We got the kids to make up scrap books,each night adding clippings and post cards to this.They also traced on a map where we'd driven each day.Aged 5 and 3 at the time.For in car fun they had colouring in books,toys and you carnt forget "Eye Spy and animal spotting.Overall they had a ball.

most towns of even 1/2 decent size revieve tv by sat dish and broadcast it around depending on topography ariels etc maybe 5-10k some transmit on vhf and others on uhf and some places transmit some stations on uhf and others on vhf so your tv must get both (mine doesnt) places I have watched tv - Daly river, daly waters,derby,laverton,hermansburg etc etc places like yulara, katherine and darwin I could only get one/no tv because it was vhf

If you do go the TV, then try for one that runs off 12V- it saves the hassles of running inverters. If this is out of the question, go for a pure sine wave inverter as modified will play with the reception, and when reception is marginal already, you dont need things working against you.
A standard set of rabbit ears (cheap aerial) should be adequate, but try and make sure the TV is self- tuning or it will be a regular occurance you sitting infront of the TV for 15 minutes looking at static whilst you try and tune it.
Checking the manual or doing a web search of the TV model would be the easiest way to find if it can auto-tune. Also, make sure you do know how to get the auto tune started- being 2000km from home realising you do actually need the remote isnt fun.

If you need one .... I have a 12v/240v autotune TV. Picture is good, but not perfect.
Although I have never had it on a fixed antenna.
You may have it for $30.00.

Question is can anyone survive without it. The box would have to be the most addictive consumer product avlb. Harder habit to kick than most.

other essentials - take the kids bikes (depending on age).

All the best
JC

Hi,
We are leaving on a Trip in early Feb and worked out that I was going to take the laptop for emails etc and then decided I would use it with the GPS (moving map display) and the thought might as well use it for TV as well.
Bought a USB Leadtek TV Tuner, and while sitting here at home on the net I have Letterman playing in the corner, so I guess it will all come down to the TV reception.
One other thing can also be used to play DVDs.
So instead of having a TV kicking around taking up precious space, the Laptop covers 4 uses in one and can just be put back in its bag when not in use.

Cheers