communication in west mcdonnell ranges

You will have a vehicle pass you every 15 minutes or so during daylight hours on that road.
UHF will be handy just to talk to other vehicles, a 3W or 5W hand held one will be fine if that is all you are going to use it for.

I carry a sat phone, but on those roads there is a lot of traffic that time of the year, so UHF should be fine.....
BW.

Hi Carolyn,

If you are with Tekstra, and climb to the summit of Mt Sonder west of Ormiston Gorge, you can send text messages. I know because we did it last winter! It is a bit of a hike but if you are desperate!! And the views are superb!

Cheers Heather

Thanks, Looks like we'll go ahead with the UHF - will always be handy even for local country trips, and we'll also invest in a PLB - cover us for all the bushwalking we want to do, and leave the sat phone for now.

At this stage we only get to do about 1 or two outback holidays a year, but in a couple of years plan to do the big lap so sat phone might be more useful then

Do that trip regularly. No mobile coverage to speak of after about 30 kms west of Alice Springs (unless you go through Hermannsburg where you will get coverage about 20kms either side) until you reach 20 odd Kms from Yulara. No mobile coverage at Watarrka (Kings Canyon). Having said that this is tourist season so pllenty of vehicles travelling both ways so you will not be lonely. UHF will allow you to talk to fellow travellers.

Gday,
As others have said you really dont need it. But in saying that, if your the sort of person to head off following a track it doesnt take long to be off the standard track and past walking distance for help.......It happens!.
The golden rule is let someone (reliable!!!!) know where your going and how long youll be until you need help.
Years ago the cops used to have a form you could fill out saying where your going and when you expect to be back.........its really not needed for what your doing, but its an option.

Cheers

Is this what you need?

http://www.indigotelecom.com.au/regional-communications

While I haven't used it the reports that I've had are very positive and apparently leave the likes of Iridium, etc, in the dust. Mining companies along with our armed forces are using this.