CSR and Kidson Track in May/June: UHF Radio question

Hi Juergen, I do the same as Wayne, one radio on scan and the other on a channel that the group use. As to the difference between 2 & 5 watt I find the 2 watt is all that you really need.

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Hello Mick,

the tour to Rudall River NP and especially down the Talawana Track to Windy Corner was a hell of a fun.

We went to Desert Queens Bath and camped near to Duck Pool. The next day we gave it a try to travel to Hanging Rock. However we gave up after having a flat and after adding some scratches to the rental car. We went in for some 35 or 40 kilometres. ;-)
But I am sure I will give it a second try, when I am back in the area with more than one car.

After fixing the tyre in Cotton Creek (and catching a second flat, lots of nails and screws on the streets and especially in the workshop) we continued on the Talawana Track. About fifty or sixty kilometres after leaving the CSR, we met two nice Aussies who were travelling the Talawana with a Hino truck with trailer. Imagine that! They had supplies for a geosurvey camp, and their boss had told them that the Talawana track is the shortest way to get to Kiwirrkurra from Newman. We travelled together during the next three days to Kiwirrkurra, changing four tyres on the Hino and repairing/patching two of them. The screws were very tight, and the tyres refused slipping of the rim. We had some really nice exercices in bush mechanics and loads of fun. Camped at Whau Whau Bore (not without a nice excursion to Veever's Meteorite Crater) and at Jupiter Well.

50 kilometres or so before Kiwirrkurra we met Russel and Rose, who were on their way to Alice Springs with their camels. Very nice people.

After one day off in Alice we returned to Sandy Blight Junction and drove the Sandy Blight Junction Road - a beautiful experience, one of the most beautiful of Len's many bomb roads. After that it was down the Great Central Road and back to Perth again.

All in all another great outback experience. I will try to send you some pictures by email during the weekend.

Thank you very much once more for your great help in the preparation of this adventure. We really enjoyed it!

Cheers,

Juergen

Hi Stu & "Bob",

thanks for your advice, regarding HF radio or satphone. We will carry an Iridium satphone with us. I have made very good experience with this equipment during my former outback trips, e.g. in the Simpson Desert and on the Talawana Track to Windy Corner.

Harry and me are volunteer firies, therefore we are very keen on safety. We will carry all necessary recovery gear, as well as advanced first aid equipment, and lots of other equipment, not to forget the garden sprays as additional fire extinguishers for the case of a spinnifex fire under the car.

But thanks for the advice! Many people from Europe don't think about the dangers of outback travelling in Oz and travel without vital safety equipment. I do my best to propagate the idea of safe outback travelling in our German Australia forums. As Harry and I have visited many full-time and volunteer fire and rescue people in Oz, we have been told many, many stories of unprepared outback travellers.

Cheers,

Juergen

The recommended channel as dictated by Halls Creek Shire Council is Ch 40.