Thursday, Feb 02, 2006 at 11:39
Hi
Laura
Think I get your drift on those things.
Car kits tend to leave the phone mounted below the level of the
dash so the phones aerial has a harder time to find a signal.
So they increase the need for an external aerial as does tinted windows.
Most of the time mines in a cheap aftermarket holder such
that it sits above the dash.
Your local dick smith type store will sell you low cost aerials
that stick onto the windscreen.
These are not as good as the reccomended CD1795 but do work.
Check connection on your car-kit, may need an adaptor lead,
Another very cheap option from E-Bay which can outperform either
is a small magnetic base mount aerial that operates on both
CDMA and GSM bands. It has 5db gain and works
well because
you just stick it on your roof which keeps it up high, and
you can take it off when in the city.
Big W often sells a copy of the Max-air unit for $89.
Works as fast, but not as
well built internally.
Great for less than extreme use.
Agree with sentiments that a backup is a good idea.
An air transfer hose, is near unbeatable accessory
and can be made very cheaply <$30.
You attach one end to a tyre, and use its air
to pump up your flat. Hence they both end up with
1/2 the air. Many use air from there spare tyre
but this gained a bad reputation as some would
pump their spare up dangerously high to make it work faster.
This simple device can pump up a tyre faster than
the compressors, and can reseat a bead. Like us
you will probably find that its so useful you
hardly ever use the compressor and just pump up
the tyre you used up at next petrol station.
On the hand winch, high lifts jacks etc, I also
think that while they can be effective they are
generally to much drama and effort.
Recovery is a big subject and best approach would depend
on the type of conditions your likely to meet.
A winch is great as are lockers to make you car more capable
but leaving out high cost items you can make your car a lot
more recoverable with the right ropes, shovels,simple sand
mats and having a good "air" setup such that its easy
to let down and re-inflate your tyres, for extra traction.
Beyond this, set of low cost chains is dramatically most
cost effective in getting out of bad situations.
Robin Miller
AnswerID:
152488
Follow Up By: Max - Sydney - Thursday, Feb 02, 2006 at 17:16
Thursday, Feb 02, 2006 at 17:16
Somebody once said that people who have a hand winch keep themselves out of trouble, because they are just too much like hard work. Certainly we've carried one for 9 years and have always managed to extricate ourselves without using tyhe winch in anger. (It did get some shrubs out of our daughter's garden one time!)
Laura - I can't emphasise too much the huge value in doing a weekend 4WD training course with a reputable mob. We did one before going to
Cape York and were just so much more confident ever after. You know what you can do in sand, or on a rutted track or a huge slope or water crossings when you have actually done it under guidance. And that means both drivers. Its probably the most important investement and better to buy the stuff after trying a hand winch on a huge slope etc.
FollowupID:
406294