HF Radio - Which one and why

**weeds** · 5th May 2009, 01:38 PM

i will probably add a HF radio to my kit for my next outback trip, i will buy from Dave in brisbane as i have heard planty of good reports

my last trip i had a uhf and sat phone (borrowed from an aulro member), made two phone calls with no problems, weather conditions.....cannot remember

epirb.....didn't carry one

**Bytemrk** · 5th May 2009, 04:25 PM

Wow..

Looks like i really started something...

I am still leaning towards HF.. mainly because as I said Primary purpose is emergency.. but I can see plenty of secondary use for an HF over a satphone.

For this trip I may well borrow a Sat phone as well. (Unfortunately I don't qualify for the subsidy)

I've still got my old Epirb .... but from my understanding no one is listening to the old frequency now.. so not going to rely on that...

Mrs Ho Har... Good point about parts - I hadn't really given that a lot of thought - again seems obvious once someone points it out!

Diane, thanks for mentioning Jeff - stupid but I had forgotten about him, I'll call him and have a chat.

I'll let you all know which way I end up going... really appreciate all the assistance though..

Mark

**HowardSmall** · 5th May 2009, 04:37 PM

Hi Bytemrk

Well you went from no replies to...

I think it is great to have these discussions and really hope that it adds useful info for those trying to decide where to spend those hard earned dollars. Of course Kevin could give us some more and then we could really lash out!

Whatever you decide, good luck on your trip and lets hope you don't need any of the kit we have discussed in this forum.

Howard

(PS VK4BS - 80 metres may get us a contact Sleepy but ... H We'll try it sometime anyway

)

**Sleepy** · 5th May 2009, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Bytemrk

I've still got my old Epirb .... but from my understanding no one is listening to the old frequency now.. so not going to rely on that...

Yes pilots still use 121.5Mhz as an emergency call frequency.

Most of the larger aircraft have two (or more) radios - it is still standard practice for crews to listen to 121-5 when a particular radio is not in use.

The satellite no longer listens to 121.5Mhz so your chances of being heard are dependent on an aircraft being in your vicinity and also listening to 121.5Mhz.

There are lots of international flights criss crossing the outback so the old ones will be heard - eventually. (Could take a few hours

)

406Mhz Beacons are the go - maximum 90mins before the satellite passes overhead again. They are only a couple of hundred bucks and good insurance IMHO. Spend a bit more and they uplink your position and identity. (Then Aussar will call you on your Satphone - if it is registered

)

**Bytemrk** · 5th May 2009, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by HowardSmall

Hi Bytemrk

Well you went from no replies to...

I think it is great to have these discussions and really hope that it adds useful info for those trying to decide where to spend those hard earned dollars. Of course Kevin could give us some more and then we could really lash out!

Whatever you decide, good luck on your trip and lets hope you don't need any of the kit we have discussed in this forum.

Howard

(PS VK4BS - 80 metres may get us a contact Sleepy but ... H We'll try it sometime anyway

)

Thanks Howard,,

You are spot on.. for a day or so I thought.. oh well.. no answers!... then all hell broke loose

Thanks for your input...I'll let you know how I go.

Cheers, Mark

**Bytemrk** · 5th May 2009, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Sleepy

Yes pilots still use 121.5Mhz as an emergency call frequency.

Most of the larger aircraft have two (or more) radios - it is still standard practice for crews to listen to 121-5 when a particular radio is not in use.

The satellite no longer listens to 121.5Mhz so your chances of being heard are dependent on an aircraft being in your vicinity and also listening to 121.5Mhz.

There are lots of international flights criss crossing the outback so the old ones will be heard - eventually. (Could take a few hours

)

406Mhz Beacons are the go - maximum 90mins before the satellite passes overhead again. They are only a couple of hundred bucks and good insurance IMHO. Spend a bit more and they uplink your position and identity. (Then Aussar will call you on your Satphone - if it is registered

)

Thanks for that Sleepy, obviously not totally useless then. - It's still in my glove box - has lived there for a few years - I just checked and the battery says it's still OK. So I might as well at least take it.

Ideally yes I will replace it with 406Mhz model one of these days... but at the moment the budget will only stretch to HF or Sat or Epirb.. not both or all...

It's good to know the old one is not total junk yet.. even if it's only got a slimmer chance of attracting attention. Obviously in the ideal world it will live in my glove box and never ever be needed ..

Cheers, Mark

**Sleepy** · 5th May 2009, 07:12 PM

What ever you do when you do chuck it, destroy/disable it. We have had numerous false alarms from tips in the last month or so.

**Bytemrk** · 5th May 2009, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Sleepy

What ever you do when you do chuck it, destroy/disable it. We have had numerous false alarms from tips in the last month or so.

Will do!

**Davo** · 6th May 2009, 11:31 AM

Not to prolong things here but the reason I went for HF is because I could actually afford it, and after it's all set up then you only have the yearly licence to pay for. Once in a while I'll listen to a sked and maybe call in for a radio check.

These days, the ultimate is to have one of everything, but that's just beyond the reach of many people who don't have the money. If I didn't have the radio, then I'd have my only other alternative - nothing!

So what I've got is still better than that.

**justinc** · 6th May 2009, 06:32 PM

I agree Davo,

When making a decision about remote area communications etc I chose an HF radio. One of many reasons was the fact that in a place hundreds of KM's from anywhere, I can listen to and communicate with others at Sked times and selcall out of sked times. I also have the ability (Barret 2050) to have GPS positioning and obviously contact with RFDS and Telcall etc etc. We travel alone, with 2 children, and I am much happier having some kind of contact with the outside world.
Just the other day, I was in the Huon valley talking with Alice Springs base during a sked, I had just checked and cleaned the set earthing and wanted a signal check. Very impressive bit of kit the HF, but it IS still dependent on atmospherics .

JC

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