Sorry Welcome haven't tried either although our son has mentioned a few times that we should register for Skype. I guess we're typical baby Boomers, the last in the neighbourhood to try any new hi - tech "gadget" and also because  we don't know anyone else who has Skype to communicate with.  

I tried skype once but it give me a hell of a rash, took me months to clear it up!!!

I actually do use it and find it very helpful....it's free and easily downloaded and no nasty Bugs.....So far......If any members wish to say Hi to me feel free  jimmy1847....I thought they'd be heaps of us using something like this......Thanks for your reply....Bridgee

Welcome, when you say it's free, are the "calls" free and am I right in saying that you can only communicate with other people who have Skype or can you dial a phone number and talk to people that way?  If so, is it cheaper than a normal phone call?

Anyway what would we talk about ........ how Collingwood won't make the finals in 2009??????    ha ha

dave06 wrote:

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I tried skype once but it give me a hell of a rash, took me months to clear it up!!!

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 Gee Dave, since reading about your rash above I've gone itchy ALL over ..... you know ....that natural reaction ..... like when someone mentions nits,  you suddenly start scratching your scalp!!

just had a quick look at the skype site, now I am no computer wizz and feel free to correct me at any juncture, it looks to be free if you use computer to computer connections with other people who also have skype, if you wish to use computer to an ordinary phone then I think a charge comes into it, it would be great if you had family somewhere else and they were going to be on the net at a given time, then one could nag them long distance oh!!! and does collingwood still play football????

Yep think you're right Dave it is computer to computer, we have friends here in WA and he talks to his son over east on skype, but if Welcome is using skype maybe he can fill us in with the details, as for  Pal Talk ?? never heard of it........think we need to 'get out a  bit more'

one of my mates up in cairns was using skype, dont know how he got on with it, and yep you're right we really need to get out more, I just jump on the putey either at work or when I come inside just to get some peace and quiet not really a computer person but after a while the noise of constant talking gives me a headache just need a breather every once in a while, I think pal talk is much the same??? as skype but I'm not up with all this stuff rather be traveling, Basil will know, far more knowledgeble in this area than I

I used to use Pal-Talk...but you need a mic....I gave up and just stick to forums or Windows MSN Messenger Dave

Well!! thank you gentlemen   I think Dave explained it better than me.....I find it interesting and am grateful that I'm able to chat to other campers around the World......As for the Collingwood  Comment...."Yes you could be right..Bridgee ha ha ha..No Premiership for awhile...Think Ben will make a differance to tigers though......

I am heading off to the Murray River on the 26th dec for a couple of weeks 10km East of Echuca...I have a white Toyota Hi Acs with a magpie flag hoisted from the main sail...So if anybody from Grey nomad wants a free Cup of coffee or Tea or better still A Cold Beer....Your more than welcome...Thanks again for the Skype comments....And Merry Christmas guys and Gals

mate you can chat about anything anytime, there is always someone here to yak to!!

Enjoy your Xmas on the Murray .......... and thanks for taking the Collingwood comments so graciously. Magpie fans seem to get their fair share of ridicule, for some reason they're the side that other's love to beat the most -  especially amongst the Vic clubs. They've got one of the best coaches and some great up and coming young players. Actually Mick Malthouse and Ben Cousins used to be Coach and Captain of our team .......  hey if you can own up to being a Pies fan I can own up to being an Eagles fan !!

Well i had skype on my puter for a long time and hated it voice breaking up all the time and so i stoped useing but my son who works over seas from time to time used it and he told me why it didnt work for me my puter didnt have bigger enough RAM to run it, had plenty of sheep. we now have an apple laptop because the kids have apples and it has I CHAT which ALLOWS US TO VIDIO CHAT, on our last trip to Western Queensland we were in Barcaldine and clicked onto I CHAT and vidio talk to our son in MUNICH GERMANY at no cost only download time

Hi.  I have used skype for a couple of years now, my daughter lived in Holland.  Saved a lot of money for phone calls.
Sometimes it dropped out, not very often, but we just called back and all was good again.
Yahoo messenger is equally as good.  I use  them both.
Happy chatting in Cyber space.
Cheers Barb. 

well it seems this can be a usefull communication tool for those nomads amongst us that have family abroad or even at a distance, if you are interested in this program then it can be downloaded free and safe from here http://www.skype.com/intl/en/download/skype/windows/ remember this is only for microsoft windows do not download this program for any other operating system I would like to thank james for bringing this up and allowing us to chat about it, maybe it will save some nomads a few bob, and hopefully allow longer chats as well I think one would need a set of headphones and a microphone (they come as one lightweight unit nowadays and available very cheaply through any retail store that deals with electronics) but that is a small inconvienience for no cost communication

many thanks again folks for your prompt reply..Remember if you want  achat jimmy1847...bacchus marsh.

I wish we had gotten Ben for the Pies Bridgee...I am so glad the Tigers have him and I wish him well.....I was born in Carlton (Melbourne) so I can switch anytime I want..But of course one can't........Go West Coast!!!

Dave was that you who called me on skype?

no mate not guilty, I havent got skype placed on

We use My Netphone for all our calls from home, for $9.95 per month we get;
100 free untimed calls to any landline in Australia excluding 1900 numbers.
Cheap mobile rates.
We called son in Thailand on his mobile,18 cents for 20 minutes

You get a little box that plugs into your modem, attach your phone and bingo you are off and running. We have been using for the last couple of years trouble free.

Only reason we have a landline is for the internet.

-- Edited by Gary and Kerry at 09:02, 2008-12-20

Modern Technology Amazing stuff.....A Tad scary too.....Thanks for that info Gary and Kerry..............Oh" That view is fabulous.....Almost as good as my wife in the mornings...ha ha

I will add a bit here of what I know, and hopefully learn more about this topic.
What I believe is being asked/explored is VOIP (voice over internet proticol), and this is available from most ISP's (not sure about telstra - of course)

I got VOIP for my setup, but as it is satelite, it did not work well enough to use regularly, and in the end I disconnected it. The cost was next to nothing to use, but I had to buy the "box"

Also in Yahoo chat, there is an ability to use this without a "box", just requires a headphone/mic, but the reciever needs to be on your Yahoo list, and be on line when use use it.

I need to sort this, as I refuse to have a landline, and when on the road, a landline will be of no use, and mobiles are expensive to use, so it limits the chat time.

Sooo, from what I have read, I need to check "my netphone, Skype, Paltalk" and check if it will operate through the wireless network - anyone doing this?

I know people at work who travel OS a lot and they use Skype on their laptops to call home.

Bob the way I see it is that if you have internet, whether it be wireless or connected then it will work, as I keep on saying I do not use this but I have researched it a LITTLE bit, the only FREE one that I would use would be skype, now of course that is the free one, the netphone that gary is using sounds pretty good at $10.00 per month and I guess because you are paying for it then it should be more reliable I sent an email off to my mate in cairns who is always trying out different things and far more knowledgeble than I and he said pretty much what I thought, skype is the way to go, it can "drop out" but you just ring them back and you are away if you have skype and someone else has skype then as far as I can see it's a goer just exchange name/numbers and away you go for no cost, it is recommended to have enough ram to cope with the two way traffic a minimum of 2 gig should start you right, it is easily put in by yourself and cheap to buy off the net, find out what sort you have and buy it and whack her in,

Thanks Sir Dave,
I beleive you hit the problem with Skype, the reciever needs to have it as well. My setup allowed me to call any landline, via the internet - is that what you have Gary? I did not have to be online, just have the BB available, to recieve a call. Also I could use the internet AND take a call, at the same time.
If I am correct, I see Telstra being the block. To use the internet, we must use their network, and these "boxes" rely on the network to accept them

With Mynet phone the computer doesn't need to be turned on to make and receive calls, just needs the modem on, this is for the home computer with the box attached, when travelling computer needs to be on
 The number you are calling does not need to be mynet connected.
They also have a free version available but you do need to use a headset and  will need to have coverage. For a 10 minute call you will use 2Mbyte of download, this is what we will be using when we go away next year

sounds good Gary!!

Hi

I use Engin for calls. This is $14.95 per month and I get unlimited local and STD calls from it and my computer does not need to be on, just the modem.

you can also get a world plan where you get free calls to 8 countries, and 20 cents untimed to another 13 countries.

Not Bad.

Bob

Hi all, I have been using skype for a long time now. Without a webcam or mike, I instant message with distant family who are on line at the same time. You can set it up to be notified when they are on line. I also use a webcam to chat in real time. Great to see the new grand daughter, or long time freinds in far away countries. hasnt cost me anything yet except the downloads, but they seem to be minor.

its a great way to keep in touch and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone. Just set the settings to only allow the people you want to contact you. I had some interesting offers when I first started, but soon sorted that out.

by the way, Merry Christmas to all and safe travelling.

hey Jeanette that sounds like a far better way than the headphone and mike setup, how do you transmit your voice, do you have an external or internal mike somewhere