Communication on the Nullarbor

ChrisE · Member

Communication on the Nullarbor

Possum3 · Guru

Telstra Blue Tick - Reception most of the way - very high trafficked road so no problems for emergency contacts - A good UHF radio a very handy option.

Mike Harding · Guru

Check out the mobile coverage maps I recently posted to "General"

Telstra retail = some but patchy

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Which carrier?
Check their coverage map.
Telstra - www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
Cheers,
Peter

ChrisE · Member

Thanks, sounds like things have improved since I last did it.

ChrisE · Member

Thanks all - learn't another new thing today - there are coverage maps!

Mike Harding · Guru

ChrisE:

You really should have a UHF CB (or better still HF) for that sort of travel, ideally a professionally installed unit but at least a cheap handheld from Jaycar with spare batteries.

Then, if you get into grief, you can call on channel 40 for help and I'm sure someone will stop - but do remember UHF CB will generally only work out to a distance of 2km or 3km but its major advantage is that, maybe, 75% of remote area travellers have one.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

I have a different view.
Standing on the side of the road next to your vehicle will be just as effective.
A 5W UHF radio with properly placed antennae can have a range of 30km or more out there. If you call on a UHF, no one actually knows where you are.
And if you can afford a HF tranciever, a sat phone will be cheaper and easier to use and you can chat with friends easily.
I would recommend that ALL travellers have a registered PLB for serious emergencies. $300 is cheap insurance with no extra costs for 7 years.
Cheers,
Peter

Rob Driver · Guru

I would assume that almost all vehicles travelling as we do these days will have an odometer incorporated into their dashboard display.

With a little diligence one might just note the odometer reading at each town ( the towns arent big out there ) or roadside mileage posts are generally accurate enough for breakdown purposes.
When filling with fuel most of us make use of a trip meter that is reset so position of your location is not that difficult.
A call on the UHF or any radio or even the phone would be enhanced by having this accurate information available.
To activate an emergency beacon may attract quite a fee if the emergency is not life threatening. Use them only in a real emergency.

Cell phones will be limited with their use in most parts so for road travel a UHF will be an advantage. If going off road into remote areas a Sat Phone would be a must.
If venturing off road onto tracks then note each track you select and note down the distance from the last intersection in the track and the compass direction of travel.
If you have a dash cam that may help you with your memory of the tracks you have taken but I would rely more on my odometer, pencil and paper and a gps positioning and mapping system. Noting the tracks and turns does help with anyone needing to find you easily that just relying on your gps location. Tracks can be quite confusing.

Just on a tangent on the use of EPIRBS, there was a case just recently in Nth Qld of a boatie who activated one when he got low on fuel while out on the water.
Emergency services attended and he was fined for using the EPIRB and for not having an operating marine radio. Big money from memory IIRC around 10 k.

Mike Harding · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
I have a different view.

I expected that you would.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Rob Driver wrote:
Just on a tangent on the use of EPIRBS, there was a case just recently in Nth Qld of a boatie who activated one when he got low on fuel while out on the water.
Emergency services attended and he was fined for using the EPIRB and for not having an operating marine radio. Big money from memory IIRC around 10 k.

I missed that. Do you have a link please?

There was also the motorhome that got bogged on the edge of the Simpson recently. Emergency services dropped a sat phone, food, water and nappies and sweets for 2 kids, then flew them out by chopper. No charge.

Cheers,

Peter

Rob Driver · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Rob Driver wrote:
Just on a tangent on the use of EPIRBS, there was a case just recently in Nth Qld of a boatie who activated one when he got low on fuel while out on the water.
Emergency services attended and he was fined for using the EPIRB and for not having an operating marine radio. Big money from memory IIRC around 10 k.
I missed that. Do you have a link please?
There was also the motorhome that got bogged on the edge of the Simpson recently. Emergency services dropped a sat phone, food, water and nappies and sweets for 2 kids, then flew them out by chopper. No charge.
Cheers,
Peter

I missed that. Do you have a link please?

My sincere apology for not having absolute proof of what I stated on here.

From memory it was from a report on a VMR rescue site, it may have even been on, oh hell dare I say it, Facebook. Do a search.

There was also the motorhome that got bogged on the edge of the Simpson recently. Emergency services dropped a sat phone, food, water and nappies and sweets for 2 kids, then flew them out by chopper. No charge.

Oh yes, I remember that *rescue*

From memory wasnt that the family that ignored Police advice NOT TO TRAVEL at that time.

Although a necessary action from the rescue agency, travellers who ignore local direction from authorities should be penalised. In the end someone pays for these services.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Rob Driver wrote:
From memory wasnt that the family that ignored Police advice NOT TO TRAVEL at that time.

That is internet gossip. There is no evidence that they ignored any police advise.

They were actually west of the last dune when they got bogged.

And I searched for the other story and found nothing to substantiate it, that is why I asked.

Cheers,

Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Saturday 27th of November 2021 10:40:30 AM

Rob Driver · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Rob Driver wrote:
From memory wasnt that the family that ignored Police advice NOT TO TRAVEL at that time.

That is internet gossip. There is no evidence that they ignored any police advise.
They were actually west of the last dune when they got bogged.
And I searched for the other story and found nothing to substantiate it, that is why I asked.
Cheers,
Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Saturday 27th of November 2021 10:40:30 AM

What I suggest Peter, as you appear to consider that my comments on this forum are based on untruths, then when you see my name you just scroll on by.

If you dont read my comments then you may sleep better at night, remember the Police Sign observation that I posted in another topic.

So lets get this correct, what you say is absolutely correct at every statement, but what other may state could be just them telling lies and considered internet gossip. Oh wait, in your opinion.

Mike Harding · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Rob Driver wrote:
From memory wasnt that the family that ignored Police advice NOT TO TRAVEL at that time.
That is internet gossip. There is no evidence that they ignored any police advise.

Yet on this thread Peter:

Thread

You wrote that they did ignore police advice not to travel.

Which is it? Did they or didn't they?

Tony Bev · Guru

ChrisE wrote:
Can anyone tell me if reception on mobile phones is OK on the Nullarbor please?

Telstra was still very patchy in March 2020, I have no idea about other carriers

Wickicamps shows which camps, or caravan parks, have phone coverage

Some of the servo's, still have public phone boxes

Rob Driver · Guru

Peter asked,

I missed that. Do you have a link please?

OK , now since doing some research on my original statement I phoned an acquaintance who at times does some writing and reporting for various media pages.

She remembered the report and was pleased to advise me since its original publication it was edited to remove the quoting of the fine for deploying an EPIRB when not considered an emergency.

From here on you may have to read between the lines as to why the operator was fined. May I just say it was because of his attitude and his believed entitlement for them to supply fuel. He was indignant that the only offer was a tow as the agency does not supply or handle fuel.

The reason it was edited so as to not discourage the activation of an EPIRB in a true emergency for the fear of creating a situation where the person activating it thinks he may get a hefty fine.

In addition to him only being low on fuel he did not have any other approved method of communication.

When his EPIRB was activated it generated the immediate deployment of a search aircraft which in this case was an aeroplane.

The plane located the boat and the GPS position was then transmitted to the rescue vessel and with that was a report that the rescue did not appear to be urgent although the crew in the plane had little to no idea if there was a MEDICAL emergency on board.

From there on *yady yah yah* the boat was towed back in and the operator was fined accordingly.

Most would realise the cost of this *rescue*

The rescue agency has now revised a statement to include the importance of the correct method of the use of an EPIRB for future reports on the media.

I can print the statement but I consider it unnecessary in this topic.

-- Edited by Rob Driver on Saturday 27th of November 2021 12:58:02 PM

-- Edited by Rob Driver on Saturday 27th of November 2021 01:03:49 PM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Rob Driver wrote:
From memory wasnt that the family that ignored Police advice NOT TO TRAVEL at that time.
That is internet gossip. There is no evidence that they ignored any police advise.
Yet on this thread Peter:
Thread
You wrote that they did ignore police advice not to travel.
Which is it? Did they or didn't they?

What I actually said was this....

Reporting to police is not a requirement of travel but I understand they did and Birdsville police advised them not to travel. Doing so was an error.

Further research suggests that there is no justification for that understanding, unless you have some?

Cheers,

Peter

Mike Harding · Guru

So you understood it and posted it as a fact but were actually talking rubbish.

A bit like you understood registering PLBs in the same thread.

Give us a break Peter.

It is *OK* to be wrong just have the fortitude to acknowledge it.

Rob Driver · Guru

Peter said;

and Birdsville police advised them not to travel. Doing so was an error.

Lets not spoil your tale, it was also against Police direction.

So Peter was my comment false or was it fact that they ignored the advice of police ??

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

I believed they were advised not to travel by police. I now believe that was incorrect and I was wrong to believe that.
It therefore follows that I believe that is wrong for others to believe that they were advised not to travel by police.
Enough?
Cheers,
Peter

Rob Driver · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
I believed they were advised not to travel by police. I now believe that was incorrect and I was wrong to believe that.
It therefore follows that I believe that is wrong for others to believe that they were advised not to travel by police.
Enough?
Cheers,
Peter

So to continue on the line that you normally take, can you supply a valid link that actually states that what you quoted from, hopefully a considered reliable source, was in fact wrong.

Enough? Yes enough, we are sick of it, you arent always right, at times your contributions are good but belittling others by suggesting that their contribution is not fact, does not make you the big man.

SoloMC · Senior Member

Dont you just love the rumours on the internet?
VMR have no authority to issue fines but they do ask for a 'DONATION' when they do a rescue.
Any fines issued would be by cops for not having a vhf radio when being 2nm offshore.
(I sold a boat in nt and the new owner removed the radio because he didnt like the endless chatter. He was busted by ntpol for not having a radio as required). I couldn't stop laughing at him
.
Just fyi, you will never be fined for activating an EPIRBs or plb if YOU feel its warranted. Only you can determine that.
You can be fined for improperly disposing of an EPIRB , ie dumping it inthe rubbish..
.
I recall someone asking the bogged sa travellers if they ignored police directions.
My understanding is that they asked for advice but ignored it. They weren't directed to NOT go. The roads werent closed when they left town.
.
Ok, back to the rumours

Possum3 · Guru

Car radio communication 1919
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Brodie Allen · Guru

Since I put the CelFi booster in and a $25 magnetic whip antenna on
the roof, there's pretty much continuous coverage across the whole way.

There are a few dead spots, but absolutely nothing like it once was.

And the bonus is much faster speeds everywhere.

Try these people:
WINSIG

By the way, their TV antenna is excellent also. At least 25% better than
the clover leaf thing.
I have the clover thingo for someone needy if you pm me.

Brodie Allen · Guru

Forgot to mention - anything but the main Telstra plans are compromised
and "other" carriers - ie Vodophone can be a real worry - booster or not.

Sarco Harris · Senior Member

Perhaps a review of "additional Information" is required

youtu.be/Jbb8ADODZXY

ChrisE · Member

Not sure what I started here but thanks everyone. Yes, the crux of the matter is that I have a phone and internet provider other than Telstra. "Mate" has stood me in good stead all over WA and is soooo much cheaper than Telstra, but the main reason I like them is that they answer their phone to any enquiry in a prompt, cheery manner and in an accent I can understand.

Anyway before I departed for Tasmania( where I've been since Dec 19th) I decided to by a little portable Telstra Wifi device which cost me $69 to buy outright as well as $40 a month - pay as you go. I will use it for 3 months and then shut down the plan until I need it again. Part of my family live in a place in Tasmania that is very internet-compromised and I'm afraid I have become so used to having it I would get withdrawal symptoms to be without it for too long - sad but true!

roker · Veteran Member

Hi Have H.F RADIO ,Member two radio groups,just log in regular on trips No problems.cheers roker.

+ UFH radio fitted as well ,channel 40 truckie/caravan channel mostly.always have a chat.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Boost is part of Telstra and has full Telstra service, but much cheaper. We use it as a wifi hot spot for all of our internet.
Cheers,
Peter