VHF radio hire

Great minds think alike.......

Agree on that...

Footloose on the forum

HF and Satphone Hire

Satphones are not as reliable as what you may think. I was at Mt Augustus last year and there was some geologists there and each night when they would return from their day in the field they would walk around the resort trying to get a signal with much frustration at times.

In my view a HF radio is the best option if you send a call out on one of those someone will hear you, not so with a Satphone. And besides it won't cost the earth.

The Globalstar satellites started failing a year ago and it will be many months before replacement satellites are in orbit.

The Iridium network is totally unrelated and no users have reported problems here.

You can even use Telstra SIM cards in an Iridium Phone, so you don't have to pay any monthly payments if you only want it for occasional satellite calls.

I haven't confirmed this but I was told that when you dial 000 on your mobile in a remote area your mobile defaults to a satelite.

Next time I go past a Telstra shop I'll go in and find out if this is true.

If you dial 000 or 112 and your phone cannot access the network that you are subscribed to, it will connect via ANY network it can access.

BUT if you have a GSM/3G phone, it will NOT connect via a NextG tower - it's techically impossible.

If your mobile phone cannot access a tower, IT WILL NOT GIVE YOU 000 ACCESS VIA A SATELLITE - it's technically impossible.

It's dangerous for people to think that their mobile phone will provide emergency communications anywhere in the world.

The ONLY phones which will give you communications when out of range of a land-based tower, are those that specifically have the satellite frequencies - which are totally different to the frequencies used for GSM-900, 3G-2100 or NextG-850 networks.

Thanks for that Mike R I didn't think it could work because of the frequencies and I did tell the persons who told me that. But they were pretty sure of themselveves, so I couldn't be bothered arguing with them further about it "they knew everything".

I'll continue to rely on my trusty HF and EPIRB.

Hi Prattie We're going 2June..camping at Coongie Lakes for some days ...longer if we like it. Then onto Lyndhurst to resupply, then to Arkaroola Wildlife Sanctuary..up to L Eyre...maybe take a flight over L Eyre or from wherever they leave from..thenhome along the Silver Hway to Bris. Dont know anyone in Vic who hires out radios

When people post a question with so little information about what they're trying to achieve, it's hard to give helpful answers (especially when the poster is too rude to reply to the people who answer his question)

Mike

Thats a bit harsh - how do you know he/she isnt out of touch of his/her puter or maybe sick or maybe he/she only checks the messages occassionally.

To say he/she is '...too rude to reply ...." is drawing a long bow without knowing all the circumstances

I am going to Sydney on Monday and camping in Livingstone State Forest this weekend and will not have time to get onto the website until next Friday. I hope you dont think I am being 'too rude' if I dont respond to any answer you might post to this message

Sorry Mike ..Im only an occasional user of the internet &check about once a week. I now know it,s HF and not UHF .Im staying on the beaten track but still supp I will need some form of contact with the world. I think I will hire a Hf with RFDS numbers on it. cheers