Where to get a new (406Mhz) EPIRB?

"Suggest a Sat phone is of more use than an EPIRB.
An EPIRB is only for absolute life or death situations when nothing else will do."

Quite true Graham H, (and your post gives valuable info) but nonetheless Lukas is coming from another country and planning a trip round Oz - he MAY...I repeat MAY...NOT be fully aware in a "first hand" way of the remoteness/distances etc. that Aus. throws up. It even catches US out from time to time.

Better to be safe than sorry.

And that why I explained the differences in the two.
He may not be aware of the cost of hitting the button on the Epirb if hes run out of spare tyres.
Will be a lot more than the cost of the tyres thats for sure. Whereas a $10 call on the Satfone will get him what he wants. And I agree we get caught out but I think what I said is very relevant and good advice.
Better something than nothing but its a "LAST RESORT" option when the phone is more versatile

g'day Graham, g'day Himble,

first of all thanks for your input.

regarding Sat Phone: we intend to bring one along in addition to an EPIRB.

we been travelling down under for 5 weeks last year and had a sat Phone with us working on the Globalstar satellites. we were quite disappointed with the availability of a usable connection! several times we had to wait for about half an hour or so to get a connection at all! so we have in mind to bring a Sat Phone working on Iridium in the hope to get better connectivity!

here my question to Graham: the mentioned Motorola 9505 with a Telstra SIM Card is it using Iridium or Globalstar?

and no worries folks: i am fully aware that the use of an EPIRB is the last resort only in case of a life threatening situation!....will sure not use an EPIRB to get help in case of a flat tyre!

but what you try to say is that once one has a Sat Phone a EPIRB is not needed in addition?

cheers - lukas

Lukas,

The Telstra satellite network is Iridium, so if you were to bring an Iridium satphone, it should work no worries.

Well you can carry one I have one cos I kept it when I sold my boat so it didnt cost me anything. The 9505 Is an Iridium phone. Look on the Forum about Globalstar. Its S**t to put it mildly. Hopefully you will never get in a situation to need an EPIRB but u never know. If you travel in the winter when everyone mostly does there should be someone not too far away hopefully. A UHF or an HF radio is also worth having. UHF for short distance, HF for long and for Flying Doctor. All up to personal preference really

g'day Kim,

well, thanks for your advice....

may be i have to add in advance that i am not a full green horn once we talk about travelling in remote areas: have been in the Taklamakan Desert in China and have crossed the Sahara desert on me way from Europe to Dakar in Senegal.

but none the less i am happy about any input that may be of help.

we plan to arrive in May 2008 in Perth and take the Canning from there, visit the Rudall river NP, the Mitchell falls in the Kimberleys. then go up north to the Cobourg Peninsula, traverse the simpson desert and go see the Cape York. ..... this is just a very rough itinerary.

cheers - lukas

Lukas

Thats a good time to visit. From Wiluna it'll take around 18 days to travel the Canning to get to the Aboriginal community known as Billiluna. Don't just drive past. Spend a couple of days getting to know the people.

The Canning is well travelled at that time of the year. So unless you have a medical problem, or wish to divert from the route, a UHF unit and rented Sat phone is all you need.

Finally, if you want to visit an Australian cattle station in the Southern area of the Canning, let me know and I'll see what I can arrange.

The rest of the trip you describe is very easy. If you want further information, e-mail me at kimmc@satlink.com.au

Regards

Kim

Lukas

Will you be doing the trip alone or in the company of other vehicles? What will you be driving?

Regards
Dick

g'day Dick,

we have friends who will join us on the CSR. the rest of our trip i.e. the other 10 months we will be mostly on our own.
we have an equipped HZJ78.

cheers - lukas

g'day howie,

same thought crossed my mind. just knowing us this trip will most probably not be our last visit to Australia! It's too beautiful a place! and hey, you still got space down under!

but thanks for the hint anyway! - lukas

i am required to carry a PLB for a trip next july 2008, so i hope the prices will have dropped by then.
i would wait till nearer the time and we will point you in the right direction in perth.

PS do you know any of the swiss crowd in perth?

g'day howie,

what the heck is a PLB? same as an EPIRB just a different name for it?
and Swiss crowd in Perth? don't know of any!

cheers - lukas

PLB = personal locator beacon
same as epirb but usually smaller.
the unit will fit into my flying suit so if i survive a crash the PLB is on my person, not 200 yards away in the debris.
at present, 406 units can be hired at $5 a day or $400 to buy.
that will change.
good friend of mine is from Einsiedeln, but we don't hold that against him.
sometimes you only have to wave a toblerone around and suddenly there's people wearing lederhosen doing swiss wrestling and blowing alp horns everywhere! LOL

well howie,

i reckon then i should stuff any spare space with Swiss chocolate in the container that brings our car to Perth ;-))

cheers - lukas