Advice Needed - Communication Options in remote areas

Get yourself a brand name handheld UHF transceiver. The route you describe will be in use by heavy transport vehicles and they all carry a UHF. Other 4 wheelers will carry a UHF. I have had Unidens and I also have an ICOM. They are both good however I feel the ICOM is a more solid build quality. They are used by many organisations on other licensed frequencies, same units just different programming.

Along the Nullabor your likely to get mobile coverage, easy enough to check on coverage maps of the various network providers. Judging by this info
Telstra - Our Coverage

In an emergency on your route you’ll be fine on you mobile.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by slug_burner

Get yourself a brand name handheld UHF transceiver. The route you describe will be in use by heavy transport vehicles and they all carry a UHF. Other 4 wheelers will carry a UHF. I have had Unidens and I also have an ICOM. They are both good however I feel the ICOM is a more solid build quality. They are used by many organisations on other licensed frequencies, same units just different programming.

Along the Nullabor your likely to get mobile coverage, easy enough to check on coverage maps of the various network providers. Judging by this info
Telstra - Our Coverage

In an emergency on your route you’ll be fine on you mobile.

---

Yes that’s what I’d do if not venturing too far off the highway. If you were planning to drive north of the Nullarbor any great distance I’d consider hiring a sat phone.

Keep in mind half that Telstra coverage is ‘external antenna’ so if you want constant mobile service it would be good to get a mobile phone antenna on your vehicle. Also, it’s likely only Telstra would have that coverage.

Grab a UHF handheld if you want to listen to transport chatter and if you’d use it elsewhere afterwards as you say. But youd need a second external antenna to get decent range.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AK83

This is why I reckon the handheld idea sounds like a good one.
Factor in the hiking/spotting additional use scenario.
Never done Cape Arid, but I'd reckon there's probably going to be other travellers out there too.
If those travellers are keen 4WDers too, they'd all have their comms ... why a UHF could be helpful in some way.

I've only done two tracks off the highway to the coast proper, no idea which(pre GPS days back then). I can't say they were remote in any way(maybe 1/2 hr to 1 hr tops off the highway) near Caiguna/border.

Would love to find the time someday to visit Cape Arid too ...

---

You could just buy a gutter-mount aerial to plug the UHF into. I use one with my UHF and it works fine.
gutter mount UHF aerial - Google Search

A previous poster mentioned an in-vehicle mobile signal booster. That is the Cel-Fi. They only work on one network e.g. the Telstra version only works on Telstra. They can be moved between a vehicle and a house, if that is useful because the reception around the house is weak.
Cel-Fi GO, Mobile Phone Booster for Car, Mobile Repeater for Car
About $1000.

Hope that helps.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

You could just buy a gutter-mount aerial to plug the UHF into. I use one with my UHF and it works fine.
gutter mount UHF aerial - Google Search

A previous poster mentioned an in-vehicle mobile signal booster. That is the Cel-Fi. They only work on one network e.g. the Telstra version only works on Telstra. They can be moved between a vehicle and a house, if that is useful because the reception around the house is weak.
Cel-Fi GO, Mobile Phone Booster for Car, Mobile Repeater for Car
About $1000.

Hope that helps.

---

Is there an off the shelf gutter mount for a D4.....probably one for the bonnet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weeds

Is there an off the shelf gutter mount for a D4.....probably one for the bonnet.

---

Good question. I don't know.

Personally, I prefer a vehicle mounted uhf, but if you're set on a handheld, and worried about range etc in emergency situations, get a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) as well. We've had one for ages. Send it away every few years to get the battery changed, and it lives in the glove box of whichever car we're going bush in at the time.
Just make sure you get one that is set for the Australian SAR network, not one of the US or European ones.