For 6 years now I've travelled with a fitted CB and 2 x handheld radios ..

Fitted one is quite practical for general travelling communication useage, and I've found the hand-helds most beneficial when occasionally backing up a caravan in a tight area,

and also if you wish to stay in contact with others when bush walking .. or simply when moving away from your parked vehicle to walk up a small hill etc and still remain in contact

with people staying at the vehicle .. for me it's a safety factor ..

Very much your own choice .. would recommend one for the vehicle if travelling a lot however.

Got ya ears on good buddy?

I have. A UHF fitted to your tug is a must when travelling around the playground IMO.

I was involved in CB Radio many many moons ago and wouldn't be without my UHF now. A must to communicate with truck drivers etc and also hear any traffic problems etc.

I chose a GME fitted radio to the tug and very happy with it.

When you are travelling especially if towing a UHF radio is an important bit of safety equipment and you shouldn't leave home without one, I also carry a portable hand held for the same reasons as Jonathan but make sure you change from the truckies or Caravan channel if you are going to use the hand held with the wife for putting the van on site otherwise you may attract some interesting comments.

G'day Mike

I will join the others above with agreement that 'a 2-way radio along the outback highways is more important that your mobile phone'

May I expand...

Yes your phone is valuable for long-distance communication with family & friends when you have coverage and in many parts of the outback, from Cairns to Darwin to Perth, you can travel for hours with no phone coverage whatsoever

The 2-way radio is there so that you can

a) chat to other travellers that you can see on the road with you,
b) so that others who can see you can talk to you, and
c) so that you can hear / receive safety messages being broadcast by someone else on the road

Looking at the above-

a) It is very common to find small 'convoys' from 2 caravans upwards travelling together, and they chat as they travel. It means that you are not so close that you can see the damn numberplate ... you are 1-minute [2kms] apart, so you each have your journey and you can each 'spot' things for the other to enjoy too.  It also helps with cuppa breaks etc etc

b) It is also very common that someone else on the road may want to ask you a question, maybe about rest areas or something like that, or alert you to a flat tyre at the rear of the caravan, something that you cannot see from the driving position

c) wide loads come with pilot vehicles, and via the radio, you can hear the chatter for 5 to 10km before you meet the wide load ~ rather than coming around a bend in the road and be faced with the "oh S!!t where can I get off the road in this instant".  I have actually seen a caravan forced to exit the road into a gully as the driver stupidly had ignored the pilot vehicle and found the wide load went from white fog-ine to the other fog-line ... even though the other 8 or 10 parked vehicles had followed the radio advice and moved off the road and stopped

To my mind, as someone who is on the road travelling for most of each year ~ if you are intending to travel much of inland Oz, and you do not have, and do not use the 2-way radio daily, you are a bluddy idiot and you are a danger to me and fellow travellers. Sorry if that upsets you, but I have seen too many incidents

I also have had to stand in the middle of the Stuart Hwy 200km south of Alice Springs directing traffic via the 2-way radio, with radio-blind caravanners driving right through an unsafe situation with an 80+ yr old man in a broken down vehicle stationary on the road. Truckies and busses got the messages, but bluddy caravanners were doing 's' bends around the crew trying to get this bloke & his vehicle to safety off the road putting everyone else into danger via their own ignorance and stupidity

Phil

-- Edited by Ozzie_Traveller on Thursday 11th of June 2015 09:06:22 AM

-- Edited by Ozzie_Traveller on Thursday 11th of June 2015 09:08:51 AM

Last year were traveling along the Barrier Hwy between Cobar & Wilcannia sitting on our usual speed of 90+kph. A rig came up behind us & a little voice said ''I'm coming through when it's safe to do so''. We said ''No worries enjoy your travels''. He overtook & slowly disappeared into the distance. Not long after we passed him as he was parked on the edge of the road having a pee. A bit later we hear '' I'm coming through when it's safe to do so''. We answered ''Go for it''. He again overtook & disappeared into the distance. We then overtook him while he was parked on the side of the road having another pee. THIS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN 100K'S! LOL. A UHF radio is a vital piece of kit when traveling in Outback regions particularly if you have prostrate problems. IMO.

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Thursday 11th of June 2015 11:18:17 AM

Dougwe wrote:

---

Got ya ears on good buddy?

I have. A UHF fitted to your tug is a must when travelling around the playground IMO.

I was involved in CB Radio many many moons ago and wouldn't be without my UHF now. A must to communicate with truck drivers etc and also hear any traffic problems etc.

I chose a GME fitted radio to the tug and very happy with it.

---

 An old pirate?

When we travelled we had 2 radios fitted, 1 in overhead console tuned to the truckies channel for me to use and the 2nd radio on the floor tunnel sweeping the caravan/4x4/emergency channels for Sue to use and monitor. We also had 2 hand held units for outside use.

 

-- Edited by Ontos45 on Thursday 11th of June 2015 11:21:12 AM

Hi all

I Appreciate everyone's valuable input.

I now consider it to be a "must have " item - who would care to recommend a mid range model and would I go to an auto elec to have fitted or could I buy from someone like JAYCAR ? and would they fit perhaps.

Not being electronically or communications minded I need some less than gentle pushing in the right B direction ! so I don't get my whiskers or pocket singed too badly !

Mike

GME is about mid range and a good radio. Not sure if Jaycar actually have UHF though, never looked. Most Auto places have them.

They are reasonably easy to fit but if you are not sure go to a Auto Elec. Even some auto shops fit them so check with where you get one from. Make sure you get a good quality antenna as well.

There are kits around but mostly separate.

The people where you buy from can advice the best one for your needs RT.

Someone like Autobarn are good to deal with.

PM if you want mate.

I bought my got mine from a mob in Bairnsdale , recently broke the campers gearbox coming out of Broome, had to drive to Perth in 4th gear . I spoke, to the road trains 56 mtrs long continually and other travellers and had no issues at all , god bless uhf radio, so.

-- Edited by exa41 on Thursday 11th of June 2015 09:06:36 PM