I have to congratulate all nomads, no matter what they drive, for using their radios, their mirrors and their senses.
I'm escorting a wide load, only 4.3 metres, but wide none the less. We started at Broken Hill last Sunday, negotiating several road blocks and detours with a wide load.
We travelled on to Pt. Augusta, then Nullarbor Roadhouse, Norseman, now Mt. Magnet, before progressing on to Newman to deliver on Friday to near Marble Bar.
It is really encouraging to hear the nomads calling us up, or responding to my calls advising of the approach of this big load from the front or behind. In fact I've been quite excited to speak to them when they call up on UHF 40.
Keep up the good work fellow nomads! It's certainly in your best interests to keep up with what is around you wherever you may be.
I'm very proud to be a nomad and a member of the transport industry.
Let's do it together.
BarbandDaz said
06:52 AM Jun 28, 2012
Hi Chris,
I wish those travelling the Gibb River Road would use their radios
We have just completed a 6 day crossing and we think we actually talked to 4 other travellers on the road. We would constantly use the radio to speak to those that we could see approaching and we would not get a response from them.
I was disappointing to suddenly have a vehicle next to you, coming through your dust, when they could not see what was approaching
We tried but no-one seemed to 'have their ears on'
Barb and Darryl
Zoomtopz said
12:10 PM Jun 28, 2012
Onya Chris
Barb & Darryl . I think th problem is - we run on different channels .
Hwy ch Pac hwy , syd bris .
Hwy ch elsewhere 40
cmca 20 .
I see on th back of So many vans Fred n Betty uhf ch 98(you get th drift)
If I want to talk to Bob for extended time - hey Bob go down 2 or
Bob go to th other channel or Bob go to th little one - am cb , some blokes
still have them in their trucks . When I had 'old Inter' , we travelled on
hwy channel , but would go to cmca 20 to talk to other mh's , then back
to hwy . EVEN if you are Totally inexperienced ( We All had to start
somewhere) . If I don't know an area , I just listen in , or gees there's
been a few changes around here , can anyone tell me how to get to....
Or like th rest of us what's happening ? anything behind you?
Richo
brickies said
03:01 PM Jun 28, 2012
Should the radio be set on scan not a channels ?
beiffe said
04:55 PM Jun 28, 2012
Mine stays on ch 40 and I always contact a truck behind me to advise I know he is there and I also ask if he has any other trucks behind so I know if he is on his own or in a group.
I always advise that it is his decision when to pass and I will assist by either giving all the room I have and if needed to slow down if there is no others behind.
I think in 4 years I have only spoken to two other travelers on the uhf.
I am on the road relaxing but don't want to restrict their ability to earn a living so I will let them past as soon as I can.
Cars have the ability to get a round so I just keep my speed but will not pull off the road to let them past when they make a bad decision as it then endangers me and anyone else in the area. Every tried pulling nearly 6 tonne back from a sideways swing. Not pretty and does give the undies a nasty streak. Was forced off the road one day and had the trailer down the side of a slope and the bus sideways trying to stay up on the road.
Regards Brian
Oma said
05:59 PM Jun 28, 2012
Hi Barb & Darryl. Hope all is going well for you up the Gibb. Our plans next year so when we both back in "sunny" Qld shall have to have another cuppa or two- safe trip. Hi Cruisin granny- from a Crystal Brook attendee!
deb-gary said
09:21 PM Jun 28, 2012
i hope the "'sunny queensland'" was tongue in cheek.
Dougwe said
10:29 PM Jun 28, 2012
I have "Doug 18-40" on the back of my Avan but scan about 6 different channels and "Freeze Frame" (So to speak) if I want or need to chat. I find that works for me anyway.
The only time my CB is off is when in the city areas, I just hate the idiots around those areas with a pation. I try to be very professional when on a CB or 2 way radio and I like to use a little CB Lingo as well, nothing over the top though.
So when travelling I have my ears on good buddy.
BarbandDaz said
12:34 AM Jun 29, 2012
We scan ALL channels and talk on whatever channel comes through. Most of the traveller [up to the Gibb] used channel 40. We did try channel 18 for the camper trailers and also channel 20 for the CMCA people - but no-one wanted to chat
Had a good couple of chats today on our way to Broome though
We have Daz and Barb CH 18/40 on the back of the van and CH 18/40 on the front also.
Smokeydk said
01:43 AM Jun 29, 2012
Hey look who popped up.....another CB....attendee...Hi Oma.....
We stay on Ch40......truckies are very helpful
neilnruth said
02:14 AM Jun 29, 2012
Sorry CG - we don't have a CB but my hubby is always very careful and mindful of the trucks around us and other drivers. Safe travels.
justcruisin01 said
04:03 AM Jun 29, 2012
Just set the truck channel as priority & then scan all 40 channels, that way you will hear any one that is using the radio. When you have a small group, 2-3 or four travelling together they often use an odd channel for their own use & forget about the rest of the travellers, so use the scan to find who is out there.
JC.
Plodnalong said
06:39 AM Jun 29, 2012
Got a UHF radio in my Nissan when I bought it a couple of months ago and have turned it on a few times but heard nothing or just crackling (like when I rang the swine flu hotline a few years ago - useless it was!) Is there a channel that I should listen to for general truck stuff and another for grey nomads? And what is this'scan' thing? Do they all have that? I would love to chat with some of you out there when rolling along. Do I need to learn a new lingo though, good buddy?
Andy
Zoomtopz said
02:01 PM Jun 29, 2012
Andy that 'crackling' is probably th 'squelch' . Usually next to channel
knob , turn it until there is constant 'crackling' , then turn it other way
until it stops , you may have crackling when you are near high voltage lines,
it is just a matter of 'fine tuning' th 'squelch' knob .
I don't 'scan' , there's enough 'b/s' on one ch , let alone listening to it on a
heap of others .
ps dunno y , system would Not let me edit my 1st post - Pac hwy is ch 29,
yes 29 , not 40 , apparently 40 is too close to a Marine Rescue channel ,
so you could imagine a couple of thous truck using pac hwy daily Would
interfere with hf or vhf freq & some marine uhf as th hwy runs closer to
th coastline . I ALSO note the local 'emergency' channels as I'm driving,
you never know when you may need one of them . Usually , when I am
heading to a fire in another district , our "Firecom" will tell us - the
Fireground channel & UHF ch . Please if you come across "a situation" , &
some emergency vehicles are using "our channel" , be flexible & let them
have 'your ch' , you will be out of range soon .
Richo.
_wombat_ said
04:37 PM Jun 29, 2012
Plodnalong wrote:
Got a UHF radio in my Nissan when I bought it a couple of months ago and have turned it on a few times but heard nothing or just crackling (like when I rang the swine flu hotline a few years ago - useless it was!) Is there a channel that I should listen to for general truck stuff and another for grey nomads? And what is this'scan' thing? Do they all have that? I would love to chat with some of you out there when rolling along. Do I need to learn a new lingo though, good buddy?
Andy
Andy, what is the make and model number of the UHF unit in your Nissan?
Looks like you have the radio and no instruction manual, or perhaps you could google the make etc and download a manual, that would help you a lot.
Hope you get it working ok.
Plodnalong said
03:09 AM Jun 30, 2012
Thanks Zoomtopz and Wombat for those hints and I will follow them up, especially ch 29 and actually finding out how the unit works by downloading a manual!
Talk to you both soon. Over and out.
Gerty Dancer said
03:21 AM Jun 30, 2012
We just keep ours on 40, and on 29 for the Pacific Hwy (remembered to change channels when it was so quiet on 40!). Most of the time we are just listening, you hear the truckies talk about a problem and giving the location to each other so we are aware of it too. We acknowledge wide-load pilots, say "ok, we are getting off the road" or whatever (not proper CB lingo I know), and the same with road-trains who call at specific points on development roads to announce their presence. We also acknowledge trucks behind us, and have always been treated well in reponse. When I hit an emu on the Stuart Highway its family milled about on the road, and we were able to warn others in the area... eventually meeting several other caravanners for morning tea.
Its part of travelling, listening to the radio, wouldnt be without it.
_wombat_ said
03:15 PM Jun 30, 2012
A UHF radio is a must have unit to have on board
BohemianGypsy said
06:14 PM Jun 30, 2012
_wombat_ wrote:
A UHF radio is a must have unit to have on board
Any particular brand to recommend Wombie? I did not think of a radio but have always wanted one to talk the lingo on hehehe 10-4 Rubber Duckie
Michelle
_wombat_ said
06:29 PM Jun 30, 2012
BohemianGypsy wrote:
_wombat_ wrote:
A UHF radio is a must have unit to have on board
Any particular brand to recommend Wombie? I did not think of a radio but have always wanted one to talk the lingo on hehehe 10-4 Rubber Duckie
Michelle
I have a Uniden unit, they are great, have a look at this one, don't buy the 40 channel one's they are old products
Thanks Wombat. I have saved that one to my watch list on ebay. When my super comes in I will purchase it. I like it because it is a nice simple unit. It looks quite easy to use which for hubby is a must he absolutely hates technology lol
Michelle
_wombat_ said
12:28 AM Jul 1, 2012
BohemianGypsy wrote:
_wombat_ wrote:
I have a Uniden unit, they are great, have a look at this one, don't buy the 40 channel one's they are old products
Thanks Wombat. I have saved that one to my watch list on ebay. When my super comes in I will purchase it. I like it because it is a nice simple unit. It looks quite easy to use which for hubby is a must he absolutely hates technology lol
Michelle
That is a good price also, all he needs is select a channel and press the talk button, in the first instance just listen to everybody else, you can get some great info by just listening.
I have to congratulate all nomads, no matter what they drive, for using their radios, their mirrors and their senses.
I'm escorting a wide load, only 4.3 metres, but wide none the less. We started at Broken Hill last Sunday, negotiating several road blocks and detours with a wide load.
We travelled on to Pt. Augusta, then Nullarbor Roadhouse, Norseman, now Mt. Magnet, before progressing on to Newman to deliver on Friday to near Marble Bar.
It is really encouraging to hear the nomads calling us up, or responding to my calls advising of the approach of this big load from the front or behind. In fact I've been quite excited to speak to them when they call up on UHF 40.
Keep up the good work fellow nomads! It's certainly in your best interests to keep up with what is around you wherever you may be.
I'm very proud to be a nomad and a member of the transport industry.
Let's do it together.
Hi Chris,
I wish those travelling the Gibb River Road would use their radios
We have just completed a 6 day crossing and we think we actually talked to 4 other travellers on the road. We would constantly use the radio to speak to those that we could see approaching and we would not get a response from them.
I was disappointing to suddenly have a vehicle next to you, coming through your dust, when they could not see what was approaching
We tried but no-one seemed to 'have their ears on'
Barb and Darryl
Onya Chris
Barb & Darryl . I think th problem is - we run on different channels .
Hwy ch Pac hwy , syd bris .
Hwy ch elsewhere 40
cmca 20 .
I see on th back of So many vans Fred n Betty uhf ch 98(you get th drift)
If I want to talk to Bob for extended time - hey Bob go down 2 or
Bob go to th other channel or Bob go to th little one - am cb , some blokes
still have them in their trucks . When I had 'old Inter' , we travelled on
hwy channel , but would go to cmca 20 to talk to other mh's , then back
to hwy . EVEN if you are Totally inexperienced ( We All had to start
somewhere) . If I don't know an area , I just listen in , or gees there's
been a few changes around here , can anyone tell me how to get to....
Or like th rest of us what's happening ? anything behind you?
Richo
I always advise that it is his decision when to pass and I will assist by either giving all the room I have and if needed to slow down if there is no others behind.
I think in 4 years I have only spoken to two other travelers on the uhf.
I am on the road relaxing but don't want to restrict their ability to earn a living so I will let them past as soon as I can.
Cars have the ability to get a round so I just keep my speed but will not pull off the road to let them past when they make a bad decision as it then endangers me and anyone else in the area. Every tried pulling nearly 6 tonne back from a sideways swing. Not pretty and does give the undies a nasty streak. Was forced off the road one day and had the trailer down the side of a slope and the bus sideways trying to stay up on the road.
Regards
Brian
Hi Barb & Darryl. Hope all is going well for you up the Gibb. Our plans next year so when we both back in "sunny" Qld shall have to have another cuppa or two- safe trip. Hi Cruisin granny- from a Crystal Brook attendee!
I have "Doug 18-40" on the back of my Avan but scan about 6 different channels and "Freeze Frame" (So to speak) if I want or need to chat. I find that works for me anyway.
The only time my CB is off is when in the city areas, I just hate the idiots around those areas with a pation. I try to be very professional when on a CB or 2 way radio and I like to use a little CB Lingo as well, nothing over the top though.
So when travelling I have my ears on good buddy.
We scan ALL channels and talk on whatever channel comes through. Most of the traveller [up to the Gibb] used channel 40. We did try channel 18 for the camper trailers and also channel 20 for the CMCA people - but no-one wanted to chat
Had a good couple of chats today on our way to Broome though
We have Daz and Barb CH 18/40 on the back of the van and CH 18/40 on the front also.
We stay on Ch40......truckies are very helpful
Just set the truck channel as priority & then scan all 40 channels, that way you will hear any one that is using the radio. When you have a small group, 2-3 or four travelling together they often use an odd channel for their own use & forget about the rest of the travellers, so use the scan to find who is out there.
JC.
Andy
Andy that 'crackling' is probably th 'squelch' . Usually next to channel
knob , turn it until there is constant 'crackling' , then turn it other way
until it stops , you may have crackling when you are near high voltage lines,
it is just a matter of 'fine tuning' th 'squelch' knob .
I don't 'scan' , there's enough 'b/s' on one ch , let alone listening to it on a
heap of others .
ps dunno y , system would Not let me edit my 1st post - Pac hwy is ch 29,
yes 29 , not 40 , apparently 40 is too close to a Marine Rescue channel ,
so you could imagine a couple of thous truck using pac hwy daily Would
interfere with hf or vhf freq & some marine uhf as th hwy runs closer to
th coastline . I ALSO note the local 'emergency' channels as I'm driving,
you never know when you may need one of them . Usually , when I am
heading to a fire in another district , our "Firecom" will tell us - the
Fireground channel & UHF ch . Please if you come across "a situation" , &
some emergency vehicles are using "our channel" , be flexible & let them
have 'your ch' , you will be out of range soon .
Richo.
Andy, what is the make and model number of the UHF unit in your Nissan?
Looks like you have the radio and no instruction manual, or perhaps you could google the make etc and download a manual, that would help you a lot.
Hope you get it working ok.
Talk to you both soon. Over and out.
We acknowledge wide-load pilots, say "ok, we are getting off the road" or whatever (not proper CB lingo I know), and the same with road-trains who call at specific points on development roads to announce their presence. We also acknowledge trucks behind us, and have always been treated well in reponse.
When I hit an emu on the Stuart Highway its family milled about on the road, and we were able to warn others in the area... eventually meeting several other caravanners for morning tea.
Its part of travelling, listening to the radio, wouldnt be without it.
A UHF radio is a must have unit to have on board
Any particular brand to recommend Wombie? I did not think of a radio but have always wanted one to talk the lingo on hehehe 10-4 Rubber Duckie
Michelle
I have a Uniden unit, they are great, have a look at this one, don't buy the 40 channel one's they are old products
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/UNIDEN-UH7760NB-UHF-CB-RADIO-LCD-SPEAKER-MICROPHONE-/330755243584?pt=AU_Electronics_Radio_Equipment&hash=item4d028c7e40#ht_2521wt_1192
Thanks Wombat. I have saved that one to my watch list on ebay. When my super comes in I will purchase it. I like it because it is a nice simple unit. It looks quite easy to use which for hubby is a must he absolutely hates technology lol
Michelle
That is a good price also, all he needs is select a channel and press the talk button, in the first instance just listen to everybody else, you can get some great info by just listening.