Wa phone coverage

Hi Guys,

Planning on doing a trip over to WA next winter, I have not decided on areas as yet, just wondering what others use for a phone whilst out and about. Looking at the Telstra coverage map, not a lot of ground is actually covered by the next G network. It looks to me like a sat phone will be necessary as I don't want to be caught with my pants down! Also a decent UHF will be handy as well. So what do you guys use?

Cheers Mick

Hey Mick

Def Telsta with a patch lead and big ar*e areial on the bull bar drive to the top of the nearest hil and you will normally get out if within about 60km of a town or minesite, which there are a few of on most of the gold feilds. not many places you cant get out

cheers Tom

what flying kiwi said.

telstra is the way to go in the WA outback

You answered your own questions Mick.
If the budget allows, go with a sat phone and UHF and a couple of handhelp UHF's if there's two or more of you.
At least an HF although the sat phone and UHF would be cheaper I believe.
You could think about an Epirb too.
I reckon you can never have too much comms gear in the middle of nowhere.

Robert

Thanks Guys for the input!

I already have a next G phone(telstra, would not go any other way!) so a good car kit will be on the list for that. I suppose the reality is I only want a sat phone for emergency purposes, as I am not a very talkative type, which leaves me with a few options, an epirb of some sort or a sat phone, which does not need to be on a plan or even connected as 000 will still work. Will have to check out the most cost effective route...

Text messages can be sent from my next G phone occasionally so everyone knows I'm still alive!

Cheers Mick

Mick
Check out "Spot Trackers" they have emergency beacon capability, connected to a smart phone you can send a text message from anywhere you have satalite connectivity this also sends GPS co-ords with the text.
cheers
Lee

Mick, not sure if the emergency number from a mobile is 000. might pay to check.

Robert

Hi Lee, thanks for the suggestion, will look into it!!!

Robert, I can assure you that 000 does work from a mobile phone, my retired phone frequently called 000 whilst in my pocket Its just lucky to be still alive!

Cheers Mick

Mobiles in back pockets, now where did I just see that ringing wrong numbers are we

Telstra has a good coverage thru out WA, lots of towers around and depends how far you are away from them.

If ya don't get a signal, find a big knob and stand on it

Not only does 000 work from your mobile, it will work even when you have little or NO signal...trust me i know.
The phone will output its max when 000 or 112 is dialed. So if your in a situation, try the phone even if you have no signal....you;d be surprised.
It will also chew up the battery if no signal is found, the phone will continue to search for service and not rest till its exhausted or locked on to one. In this mode the phone is using max output while its searching. Once locked on, it will lower its output according to the tower signal strength.

As for the internet...xxxx beer cans make for great reflectors to your piddly excuse for an external antenna.



60klm from Leonora this arrangement gave me 1bar, which was just usable out bush.
My mobile is of the blue tick for rural usage,and reverts back to GSM 800/900Mhz when not in a built up area thats commonly on 1700/2100 Mhz. ( model = ZTE/Telstra discovery with antenna port) Check your iphone or what have you is capable of these frequencies, Optus was useless in 90% of the areas we detected round Laverton Leonora to Lienster from those traveling with us.

http://www.zte.com.au/telstra/T7.htm

http://wireless-broadband-speed.com.au/mobile-phone-antennas/antennas-telstra-zte-mobile-phone/telstra-zte-t7.html

The bottom URL also contains yagi antennas to suit both phone and modems.
Next season i will be employing a yagi antenna for both phone and internet usage allowing me further distance out bush without having to resort to HF radio or satphones.

For those who dont know, height is might in an emergency, and a tin can cut into a reflector can make the difference out bush held up behind your phone.

PS, Your decision on what comms you employ is totally up to you.

Some info to help.

Testra NextG standard coverage in WA, a Yaggi will extend this coverage.



Video from Testra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aoLlTbult8s#!

LINK - Homemade 3G/ NextG Yagis for all bands

Pete

what a wealth of knowledge....im gonna dump my optus piece of crap that stops working 5 k out of town........not that i get any calls......no-one has my number.......

Hi Narrawa,

Thanks for the informative post, just wondering if a Bundy can will do a better job cause there will be no beer in my camp! I'm thinking if you space that can at just the right distance from the antenna even better service might be had, about 14cm is one wavelength on the 2100mHz band.

Pete, thanks for the link on the home made yagis, will look into that too.

General, optus is no good even in Victoria, so I could just imagine the non service one would get in WA! I have always been a Telstra man, always the best service you're going to get, which at times leaves a lot to be desired

Cheers Mick

Your probably right Mick, but id say the can acted more like a ground plane more than a reflector.....on that pole the antenna would not work at all till there was metal round it. If i placed it lower to the roof of the van where effectively the roof was seen as a ground plane, it worked, however height is might and the can, be it reflector based or ground plane gave an edge when placed higher with can attached.
I was going to strip a few cans and place them at the bottom of the antenna for a ground plane, but the lure of gold took precedence.
In a few weeks i will be placing my order for a yagi, if i had a shed with my tools id be building my own as i did back in my radio days.Yagi's and quads for these bands are small and easily fitted to a van for the purpose of better reception.

UHF radio, get yourself the old Phillips FM 900 series or similar for the added benefit of greater Tx/Rx ability or an afterburner for the stock jobs. UHFs have a good coverage out here when you consider the amount of folk who have them onboard, everyone from mines, prospectors, farmers, and general travelers. Not many of them have HF, however like i said before...your comms is your business.

Your bundy can may be a disappointing substitute tho, i hear they are made in china. Buy Australian made and you cant go wrong.....yeah right !!<---who said that!!!???

Telstra is number one for coverage i'll give them that, they are also good at charging for a service when it fails and offering no compensation to its customers. An independent body needs to be employed to keep utility companies and banks honest. A body thats true to its form and cannot be bought.!!

Narrawa wrote:Your probably right Mick, but id say the can acted more like a ground plane more than a reflector.....on that pole the antenna would not work at all till there was metal round it. If i placed it lower to the roof of the van where effectively the roof was seen as a ground plane, it worked, however height is might and the can, be it reflector based or ground plane gave an edge when placed higher with can attached.
I was going to strip a few cans and place them at the bottom of the antenna for a ground plane, but the lure of gold took precedence.
In a few weeks i will be placing my order for a yagi, if i had a shed with my tools id be building my own as i did back in my radio days.Yagi's and quads for these bands are small and easily fitted to a van for the purpose of better reception.

UHF radio, get yourself the old Phillips FM 900 series or similar for the added benefit of greater Tx/Rx ability or an afterburner for the stock jobs. UHFs have a good coverage out here when you consider the amount of folk who have them onboard, everyone from mines, prospectors, farmers, and general travelers. Not many of them have HF, however like i said before...your comms is your business.

Your bundy can may be a disappointing substitute tho, i hear they are made in china. Buy Australian made and you cant go wrong.....yeah right !!<---who said that!!!???

Telstra is number one for coverage i'll give them that, they are also good at charging for a service when it fails and offering no compensation to its customers. An independent body needs to be employed to keep utility companies and banks honest. A body thats true to its form and cannot be bought.!!

Hi Narrawa
You are a funny barsted.
cheers
Lee

Yeah a bit of wishful thinking there i know.

Hey they did it with the ANZ bank not long ago...all they have to do is follow it through to the rest of the thieves. Banks, Phone companies, energy mobs, water, council, all the way down the line to the feken ice-cream man.!!

Hi Narrawa
Regulation, savior of the little man.
Bring it on stop the barsteds ripping the ar*e outa ya grundies the pricks. oops did that break a rule????
cheers Lee

Bundy made in China ay

Hey Lee! your first name wouldn't be BRUCE by any chance ??
Seein as you live in China , i meant NQ now