Communications

Well put ! Fundament is the cornerstone of safe outback travel :-o)

Fundament

n.

1.
1. The buttocks.
2. The anus.
2. The natural features of a land surface unaltered by humans.
3. A foundation, as of a building.
4. An underlying theoretical basis or principle: “All neighbor states … must revise … their policy fundaments” (C.L. Sulzberger).

[Middle English foundement, from Old French fondement, from Latin fundamentum, from fundare, to lay the foundation, from fundus, bottom.]

I am with you on that one David. I take absolute delight in the fact that I am unable to be contacted, and even more delight that my "out of office" message states that I will have "absolutely no mobile or internet access and am totally uncontactable for the time I am away"

Granted I do give certain special people the details on how to get a hold of me via the radio if there is some kind of dire emergency, but apart from that, not hearing the phone ringing is a godsend.

I also take extreme delight in listening to any voicemail messages that I may have when we do get some mobile signal, and I smile greatly after listening to each one as I press the delete button :)

Another way is to take the satphone and tell everyone you'd like them to give you a call every couple of days and just drop in something along the line "oh and don't forget that it cost about $4 for every 30 seconds" or something along those line. Believe you me you don't get to many distracting calls:-))

That didnt work for me. Back in 1999 I think it was, work said I couldnt go unless I was contactable. They hired me a sat phone and rang every 2 or 3 days to ask questions etc. It didnt seem to worry them. Such is life I guess.

Thats why the radio is great as I think the prospect of them calling to leave a message to be trasmitted scares them off :)

For sure, for sure... communications for safety and emergency reasons only. A while back, me and Mrs Bushwhacker were checking out a property we were hoping to buy, waaaaay out in the middle of no-where. Driving around said property, checking it out, low range, steep rutted hill climb, enjoyment plus!.... mobile in pocket starts ringing. Result, no sale for the real estate guy!
Whacker

I'm with you equinox, I have to carry a mobile as part of my work so one of the pre camp checks is looking at the mobile - no signal, this spot will do!

At one of our favourite spots on the Murray there is no signal in camp, but if I want to get in touch a short walk to the top of the ridge gives coverage.

Pete