Advice Needed - Communication Options in remote areas

sptorourke · 4th November 2018, 04:43 PM

Hello wise forum

I need some help selecting the best communication option for my disco 4.

I'll be driving from Perth to Melbourne over the Christmas break and will be hugging the coast line for most of it. There will be plenty of beach driving and camping in pretty remote areas.

I want to avoid getting an in car UHF as I don't want to fix anything into my car and I question how much I'll actually use it (to justify the cost). Therefore I default to a good handheld (5W with good antenna or a seperate attachable antenna). Being handheld it's a lot more versatile for hikes, spotting etc. And I believe I can still get good range from a handheld by using a detachable antenna or standing on the car. My primary aim is to cover myself in the event of an emergency.

My other trips will be to far less remote areas in Tasmania and the East coast of Australia so the need for long range communication isn't there.

What would you folks do?

**rover-56** · 4th November 2018, 07:17 PM

Sorry, a 5w UHF anything will be useless for remote area emergency communications.
Sat Phone or HF radio. UHF might reach 10km, 20-50 if a repeater is nearby.
Terry

**scarry** · 4th November 2018, 07:22 PM

I use a telstra mobile phone that has an external antenna port,and have an antenna mounted on the roof rails.

The range is amazing.

The only better option is a Sat phone.

Although there is something new out i haven't found out about.

I think its a device that creates a hotspot in the vehicle that utilises an external antenna,telstra product i believe.

**Konradical** · 4th November 2018, 07:31 PM

Can't beat a sat phone.

You can buy them cheaply, under a thousand or just hire one for the time you are away.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 5th November 2018, 07:11 AM

Order your rental or hiring equipment here | 1300 851 591 | Rent a Sat Phone

**trout1105** · 5th November 2018, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by rover-56

Sorry, a 5w UHF anything will be useless for remote area emergency communications.
Sat Phone or HF radio. UHF might reach 10km, 20-50 if a repeater is nearby.
Terry

Agreed.
A handheld is fantastic for short range communications But it is not much of an option in an emergency.
HF radio is good but nowhere near as useful as a sat phone.

**AK83** · 5th November 2018, 07:53 AM

I wouldn't call 'Perth - Melb and hugging the coastline' pretty remote areas!
I doubt you'd go a few hours without seeing other travellers.

It's not like you're going into the Gibson or Great Victoria deserts.

Sat phone for such a trip would be a waste of money.
Like scarry said, external mobile antenna would be good.
As for UHF, I'd say a Uniden UH850s and a nice large 6-8db whip antenna mounted to the roof will get you good enough comms for a few klms.

**oldsalt** · 7th November 2018, 08:34 PM

Have a look at a "Thuraya SatSleeve" for your phone... around $800... when you're out of normal phone coverage you slip your phone into it and voila it's a sat-phone...

cheers

**Zeros** · 7th November 2018, 08:55 PM

I hesitate to say you don't need a radio or satphone to cross the nullarbor, only because no one can provide that definitive advice. It's up to you. But most crossing the Nullarbor would only have a mobile.

If you want to take something to cover you for all emergencies - hire a sat phone. Don't buy a handheld radio unless you will really use it afterwards at other times.

Having said that, I've crossed the nullarbor 6 times without any communication device other than a mobile. Unless you're travelling significant distance off the nullarbor you will never be very far from other travellers.

Enjoy the drive!

**AK83** · 8th November 2018, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by sptorourke

..... Therefore I default to a good handheld (5W with good antenna or a seperate attachable antenna). Being handheld it's a lot more versatile for hikes, spotting etc. And I believe I can still get good range from a handheld by using a detachable antenna or standing on the car. My primary aim is to cover myself in the event of an emergency.

....

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 ...

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