Hi all,

Just a small querie if I may?

I have been travelling the highways and byways for some time now, and have attempted to speak to a Van going the other way who has a UHF aerial attached to the veh.  Also have come up behind a Van or been overtaken by a Van that has UHF 18 and the name of the people on the back of the van, and sent them a hello on the radio. 

No one talks.  I have had only one person come back to me and he was so shocked he could hardly speak.  Said it was the 1st time anyone had contacted him and he was pleasantly surprised.

Has anyone else experienced this problem or is it that people do not switch on their radio out on the open road or do not scan.  Or perhaps they leave their radio on channel 40.   Maybe no one wants to say G'Day.

Thought I would ask anyways.

Take care and stay well

yep thats a strange one, I dont use mine unless I'm heading north, too many drongoes in the citys with foul mouths but I have noticed a lot of people just leave them switched off, just a brag thing I think, bull bar, spot lights, yep gotta have the aerial and the uhf mounted on the dash

Hmmm..thought everyone used them, we have just installed ours -  well the radio bit is in and the aerial was going to go on the bull bar being fitted today, BUT they sent the wrong bull bar (won't let the air bags open or something like that) so we have canned the idea of a bull bar so now wondering where the aerial will go, but getting back to using it, so far we have been listening to the workmen doing roadworks on the highway near us, yep been pretty exciting stuff !!! But we will be using ours for sure, we used it on the weekend on a trip to visit our son, the fact that the aerial was resting on the back seat of the car meant the reception wasn't too good !

I don't have one anymore. Used to have one and used to listen to the drivel that ensued from the speaker. I did have only one occasion that I actually needed it and it got me help in about 10 minutes. I carry a couple of small handhelds to save us yelling from one end of the beach to the other....

I always use mine especially when I'm preparing to overtake another van ( if he has his turned on) I find that in most cases you need to repeat your call up message a couple of times just to wake em up. I also use hand units for my beach fishing and as a back up if I leave the vehicle to check out up front on foot, makes the wife feel safer, only good for a couple of k's on flat country.

Thank you for the replies.

Strange thing tho, on other forums they tend to think that UHF radios can be a survival tool at times and is an essential item for travelling in the case of an emergency. 

I also thought it may be a good idea so went ahead with the expense, not to be a showoff or the like but was of the opinion it may come in handy.

Yes I agree that in and around towns or cities it is a right royal pain in the butt, and I do switch it off, and the language of some truck drivers leaves a lot to be desired, however taking all things into consideration I thought it was a worthwhile investment.

Surely if you were a solo nomad it would be a handy tool?? 

Oh well.  Live and learn.

I have handhelds only and I use them on highways that are frequented by large trucks. An example of this was on the Development Road north of Charters Towers and apart from being appreciated by most truckies, it ensured my safety as I could get out of their way early or they at least knew I would get out of their way as soon as I could.

Great invention and a marriage & van saver when reversing into tight van sites and you can't find the other half trying to keep herself in the mirrors.

As for the drivel on them, especially Channel 40, unfortunately it just goes with the territory.

Handy accessory, but didn't spend a fortune on them.

Bridgee,
I just installed my UHF...I dont have a bullbar......so the aerial is on what is called a Z bracket.mounted on the guard between the guard and bonnet.......using a 4.5db antanna


Dave

-- Edited by Smokeydk on Tuesday 17th of March 2009 08:25:41 AM

Gotta agree with you Bilko, we have our radio turned on from the time we leave home until the time we get to where we are going. It amazes me how many people have a radio and display the call channel 18 or 20 but when you try to call them "nothing". However the truckies do respond. Dont use channel 40 when you are in the big cities eg Sydney, Newcastle Brisbane etc go to channel 29 to call them.

When on the road I set the radio to scan channels 18,20,29 and 40.

-- Edited by ABM51 on Tuesday 17th of March 2009 08:55:00 AM

bridgee the brackets are readily available through uhf outlets and are not all that dear, you could knock one up in the shed if you have five minutes and a drill, it just slips under the side of your bonnett (no not your best hat you silly girl) the vehicles bonnett and screws on to the top of the side firewall, normally on the passenger side about a quarter way down our radio is always on except around citys, mine is always scanning so if anyones in strife and like me forgot the call channell then I may be able to hear them and help, I dont tell them that I'm about to pass, much rather sneak up behind and lull them into a state of unwariness and then pounce, thereby frightening the bejabbers out of all and sundry HAH!!! HAH!! HAH!! simple pleasures in life bring such joy

Thanks for the tips re the UHF aerial, the bracket looks quite good Smokeydk, looks very similiar to the bracket Brian made for the camp kettle we used over the camp fire, I got sick of the lid falling off all the time, ending up in the hot coals so Brian made a bracket for it so the lid is always attached to the kettle. 

Told Brian, Dave said you can knock one up in the shed, all you need is five minutes and a drill, no other materials just five minutes and a drill..too easy!!  If that fails we are going to the caravan and camping show this Friday so hopefully pick up a few things then.  Only three weeks and we're off.........scary!

hmmmm!!! she makes me wonder at times, no other materials indeed!!!!!

Bridgee
just a reminder.....make sure when you mount the Z bracket.....the aerial base.goes over the guard...a mate..didnt do that...and wondered why the bonnet couldnt close

as davo said...they are cheap....starting from $3 upwards...


Dave

Tis interesting to read what everyone has said.

Good to know that Alan has the same problem when calling those that have their names and call channel on the back of their Van.

Actually travelled from Mt Victoria to Narrandera yesterday and called quite a few vans (to be sociable) and nothing.   It appears that the friendly wave is still in vogue

Interestingly tho its a funny thing how friendly people are when they pass by in the opposite direction towing a van, however if you are in a park they walk around with their noses stuck up in the air.  If you say G'Day, ow are yer goin? they get all confused

Back to the subject at hand, the only call I did get yesterday was from a truckie that overtook and passed me and he told me he would swap me his rig for mine anyday.  I think he was trying to say he wished he could be on the road with a Van.  We had a brief chat and that was that.   One to the truckies and Nil to the Nomads or other caravaners out there.  Bit sad really.

Would be nice just to say G'Day, where are you going or where have you been and have a nice day etc etc.

Have a great day everyone.  Heading for the gramians.

When we have the radio in the car and just driving around without pulling a van and a truckie pulls over allowing us to over take we always grab the radio and say "thanks mate" usually get a surprised reply "yeah no worries" they are not expecting us to talk to them as we are not pulling a van, just a car overtaking them! but they have made the effort to pull over doesn't hurt to be a little courteous

Good onya Bilko once again I have to agree with you. Yes we also wave to all caravan,motorhomes and campervans but rarely get a return wave.

We also try to comunicate with vaners when at parks in fact one day one of them replied you are a motorhome person we are not supposed to talk to you my reply was guess what we are all in the same boat as to say that is we are all "Rvers", whith that we talked every day and afternoon and had some very good "happy hours".

So yes we wave and try to communicate with fellow Rvers.

So when you see us in a park or a camp come on over and have a chat.

-- Edited by ABM51 on Wednesday 18th of March 2009 11:33:00 AM

sgntbilko wrote:

---

Tis interesting to read what everyone has said.

Good to know that Alan has the same problem when calling those that have their names and call channel on the back of their Van.

Actually travelled from Mt Victoria to Narrandera yesterday and called quite a few vans (to be sociable) and nothing.   It appears that the friendly wave is still in vogue

Interestingly tho its a funny thing how friendly people are when they pass by in the opposite direction towing a van, however if you are in a park they walk around with their noses stuck up in the air.  If you say G'Day, ow are yer goin? they get all confused

Back to the subject at hand, the only call I did get yesterday was from a truckie that overtook and passed me and he told me he would swap me his rig for mine anyday.  I think he was trying to say he wished he could be on the road with a Van.  We had a brief chat and that was that.   One to the truckies and Nil to the Nomads or other caravaners out there.  Bit sad really.

Would be nice just to say G'Day, where are you going or where have you been and have a nice day etc etc.

Have a great day everyone.  Heading for the gramians.

---

Yes Bilko the WAVE seems to be the in vougue thing to do.... I also get the same nuances that you get from fellow travellers, you probably deter conversation because people who ride bikes are usually gang bangers and social mis fits because everyone is judged by the shape of the box into which they fit. This is a perceptual thing. I saw some interesting experiments done with a youngish women dressed smartly casual in jeans and sent into a shopping mall. All the blokes with their wives answered her questions about what time it was etc very politely, then put her in fish nets (OH BLOODY HELL YEAH) and some tarty makeup and no one wanted to talk to her.....

 I had some interesting experiences over the weekend at Merimbula, the van park does not allow dogs but on enquiry they let Gracie in because she is a "service dog". However the reaction from others in the park will mean that we will not bother going there again. From jealousy ( why can't I bring my dog) to outright horror (what if the dog bites a child that its parents allow to wander around unsupervised).. Humans are a weird lot....

I have one fitted (aerial is on the cross-bar of the roof rack) with interchangeable 6dB and 9dB sections (ones for hilly and the other for flat country). I have a feeling that the reason people don't reply is that, like me, they have their radio set on CH18 and then hit SCAN (as you should). If you give a brief message, their radio may not have scanned back to CH18 in time. What I do is hit the PTT switch wait 2 or 3 seconds and then speak slowly, give your callsign and a reasonably lengthy call. If you just hit the switch and say giddaymatehowareya, they may not hear it. Since I've started doing this I get a lot more replies