Thread: Crossing the Simpson? New requirements from DEWNR

35mm orange electrical conduit with a home-made fluoro flag at the top held to the bull bar by by a couple of decent sized hose clamps. Total cost about $20. Held up (with a bit of a bend) at speeds up to 80kph. (We tried it out on the way into Birdsville after we had crossed when it wouldn't have mattered if it broke- it didn't). We secured it to our awning with a couple ocky straps when we weren't using it.
The flag did once give us early warning approaching a crest that someone was coming the other way- about 3 seconds ahead of seeing the top of his roof rack. The fact that the flag waves backwards and forwards actually enhances it eye-catching effect. But I think judicious use of radio is a better idea. If you start hearing transmissions- especially in the space between the dunes- then someone is getting pretty close either coming up behind you (no problem) or approaching from the front. Being able to tell them where you are and hopefully have them tell you where they are will give you about 2-3 dunes' warning. Provided, of course, that they know where they are. "In the desert" (as one comic said in response to our request) isn't helpful...

Coop
Desert Flag.jpg

Originally Posted by C00P

But I think judicious use of radio is a better idea. If you start hearing transmissions- especially in the space between the dunes- then someone is getting pretty close either coming up behind you (no problem) or approaching from the front. Being able to tell them where you are and hopefully have them tell you where they are will give you about 2-3 dunes' warning. Provided, of course, that they know where they are. "In the desert" (as one comic said in response to our request) isn't helpful...

Coop

Buggered if I could know how anybody could let an approaching vehicle know you which dune you are about to climb........they weren't Um reed last time I was out there

Originally Posted by weeds

Buggered if I could know how anybody could let an approaching vehicle know you which dune you are about to climb........they weren't Um reed last time I was out there

Most people are running some sort of GPS mapping like OziExplorer nowdays, so the exchange of appropriate lat or long reading (ie just the longitude if you're heading east-west) over the radio gives you a pretty good idea of how close you are for 2 approaching vehicles on the same track.
I know there are values for the actual distance between co-ordinates, but not really that important to know them as with a couple of radio calls you can pretty soon work out how fast you are converging and when you're likely to meet up.

Steve

Originally Posted by VladTepes

Any truth to the rumour they have to be emblazoned with "Est 1788..."

Dbl post

Originally Posted by VladTepes

Any truth to the rumour they have to be emblazoned with "Est 1788..."

Only the ALDI ones

Originally Posted by steveG

Most people are running some sort of GPS mapping like OziExplorer nowdays, so the exchange of appropriate lat or long reading (ie just the longitude if you're heading east-west) over the radio gives you a pretty good idea of how close you are for 2 approaching vehicles on the same track.
I know there are values for the actual distance between co-ordinates, but not really that important to know them as with a couple of radio calls you can pretty soon work out how fast you are converging and when you're likely to meet up.

Steve

Umm on the French line with cast a thousands...ok say approx 40 trucks within radio distance and if everybody was on ch 10 I doubt anybody would be giving out co-ord......I didn't hear anybody over the three days I was on he desert

What I notice was every group picked their own ch and chatted amounst themselves and can only recall the odd solo/maybe group try to call ahead on ch10., which generally fell on deaf ears or a joke about trying to work out which dune they are cresting.......I had my radio on scan....which upset one guy who have me a gob full though my window, that aside I couldn't work out where anybody was

Anyway that was my experience......I crossed the rig rd but went through peak hour in the QAA

Had to by one the other day to enter a mine site $112 from Covs 2.5m high with light on top, spring and snap on fitting between flag pole and spring I mounted it in the car park with an adjustable spanner.

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using AULRO mobile app

Sounds like we were lucky and didn't get the same traffic as you did Weeds. Travelled east-west on the QAA and hardly met anyone else.

Steve