RFDS changes and your HF Radio.

It's all getting rather complicated. I am aware that RFDS is moving to SatPhones for their internal use and it is beginning to seem that eventually all their communications will be SatPhone. I'm glad that I got a SatPhone for my primary emergency comms.
The HF can stay for ABC and as a backup via VKS737.

The HF had its potential shortcomings anyway....... If you lost your antenna (rollover) or lost your vehicle electrics (it can happen!) or if away from the vehicle then no HF!

(And yes, I am aware of connecting a long-line antenna in lieu of the vehicle whip.)

Interesting. This leaves those with older equipment that doesn't have selcall capability out in the cold in an emergency. Unless thay can find someone to answer a voice call or can wait until the next sked.

Regards

Pete

It's just a sign of the changing times.
Once it was all HF, in recent years it's a mixture of HF/Satphone.
Going forward I suppose the HF will fizzle out in favour of the more technological advanced Satphone.
Outback Bob

I understood, the one advantage the HF radio has/had over the Satellite phone is that in a dire emergency instead of calling any of your listed numbers (possibly back home or the nearest town’s police station or the like) when you call for assistance on the HF, those nearby that hear your radio call, may be able to assist earlier because of their close proximity. It always made me think the HF radio was something I may add to the Iridium Satellite phone and the Spot Tracker for future trips, especially considering we are going further and further bush in a Jeep.

Has this advantage disappeared now with the change to what appears to be a phone call to RFDS over the HF radio?

PS the Jeep so far has had a major fire on the Strzelecki track, holed the sump at Mt Mulgrave FNQ, Blown up the yellow top starter battery out back of Laverton WA and blown a turbo hose near Israelite bay WA. We sorted all these without outside help, only used the Sat phone on the Strez track to contact the Insurance co. to get permission to continue the trip in a badly damaged vehicle (spent two days on the side of the road re wiring it to be able to drive it albeit with no brakes) Shannon’s said OK and we did a further 18,000klms before getting home to Perth. (repaired the brakes at Birdsville).

Steve and Carol