HFoZ

Hi Bill

let me say I have nothing to do with them, I'm only a member.

It was started as a way for VKS-737 members to chat on the HF anytime of the day and not interfer with the skeds.

I am a member of VKS-737, Radtel and one HFoz.

HFoz is not for everyone I was invited to be a member because of my Radtel membership.

So maybe I'm saying thing I shouldn't . LOL

Cheers

Richard

G'day all, satphones are great but you can be over the next hill from someone, you don't know to call, where radio will contact the whole area. We have both, plus we hire satphones, regards, dingo

Hi Paul

I'm a Radtel member thats why I got the invite, also Terry Clinch from

Terlin Outbacker
Antenna & Communications

is the WA side of thing and he,s the man I go to for all my stuff.

I probably don't need it but what the heck

Richard

Peter Hi. I only have a 950 Barrett and can not use this

I would like to but as I don't have any frends or family to look out for me (LOL) i could get my boss to track it

Cheers

Richard

Richard,
I browsed through the Barrett site and found their GPS brochure: http://www.barrettcommunications.com.au/brochuresfix/977-2000-brochure-A-10-hi.pdf On p2, it mentions a GPS option for Barrett 950. Might be worth looking into.

I travel by myself and wondered who could monitor my trip progress especially in remote areas. On my last trip, I asked an ex-army mate as he was the most reliable, knew the outback and was competent in an emergency. Your boss or workmates may be just as suitable.

I phoned my mate weekly and logged daily with VKS737. I was well prepared and took no unnecessary risks but who raises the alarm if things go drastically wrong e.g. a rollover or accident that damages the HF radio. VKS is great and staffed by excellent people but will they raise an alert if they haven’t heard from you? I don’t know. GPS monitoring seemed useful because it was a daily log of your exact location. An EPIRB is probably the best backup emergency solution.

Peter

Peter

I have had a look into the Barrett GPS system and have talked to Terry about it. It only talks to it's self e.g. Barrett to Barrett.

we carry all the gear you mention above, the EPIRB is only good for them to come and fined the bodies . but we have two one mounted in the Troopy and a small personal one for when we take a walk.

I have looked in to the Spot system it looks interesting. we have been traveling the well used tracks, and get to see people every day or two, we fell safe enough.

Cheers

Richard

Mark Hi,

I have too much money and are a member of all three.. LOL

VKS-737, Radtel and now HF-oZ, I'm not a big chatter but this year on the AB we meet up with Tommy (Victor-****) and then in Coober Pedy during the evening sked he was in Norseman and wanted to have a chat about the AB, I thought then it would be good to drop down a channel (UHF stile) and have a chat.

We have only had the HF since 2004 and are only now getting the handle of how to talk on it and the conference to use it without fear of stuffing up. when you only get away once a year it takes time..

I now have a small tapped Antenna that sits no higher than the top bar of the roof rack and it stays on all the time, I only put the auto turn on for big trips

Cheers

Richard

Hi

It appears that there may be some mis-conceptions when it comes to some of comparing these 2/3 networks

I've been using HF now for some 25 years and have gone through just about everything and every network you can name, but you must compare apples with apples when comparing

Firstly Radtel is dedicated to radphone calls and has bases that have dedicated frequencies to this usage, it also has many different freqs at each of the base sites thus avoiding overlapping phone calls between bases - God knows when telstra had their system you sometimes had 2-3 calls all over the top of each other - try that and see how you go.

VKS HFTel uses all the same bases and each base uses all the sames frequencies - there is also so many restrictions on when you can make calls and when you can't e.g., they can't be made during skeds - some 3-4 hour per day which just so happen to be during peak propagation time.

It appears that there is no restrictions on HFOZ so far - and as for the cost of the NGT GPS someone mentioned I contacted Lake Macquarie Comms which gave it to me for free, so maybe it pays to ask around a bit

I reckon the GPS and SMS logging feature is the best thing since sliced bread it allows my family to keep track of me and not someone you might or might not remember to do so

But i suppose my biggest thought is at least it looks like someone is finally doing something or trying to advance HF - pretty interesting i reckon - how many years have VKS been telling their members just that and strange how just when HFOZ comes online they get those long awaited/promised frequencies mmmm interesting ????????????????

All that aside compare the call charges!!

For my money you can't have a network where people can talk free for ages on a network where people are paying to use a service - major conflict i reckon

Anyway make sure you check it out fully before you make decissions

Cheers Allan