HF Radio

Red Dog · Senior Member

HF Radio

BobnBev · Senior Member

Used to carry a all band HF, with auto ant, tuner. It now stays in the shed.

Ex VK3.... to much dramer with all reg. ect...

Bob n Bev

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

yes we have one and use it all the time we are away, just re-registered with the VKS 737.

Red Dog, do you have one or are you thinking of getting one?

Red Dog · Senior Member

Hi wombat yes I have two an old coden x2 and have just replaced it with a Barrett 250 waiting to have fitted matched to a self tuning aerial, were as the x2 had a trapped aerial and no sel call havent re joined VKS as of yet cheers Red Dog.

B-T · Veteran Member

Yup, Got a Barrett 930, and use it all the time when travelling as a member of VKS737 - great organisation. They would be my first point of contact in any emergency. Also recently got a Inmarsat Pro sat phone thanks to the Fed Govs 85% reblate. It cost just $123.75 and has a prepaid plan where credit lasts for 2 years and no monthly fees. Call cost are $1.00 and $1.20 to fixed line and mobile respectively.

The 85% subsidy is for residents who live out of mobile coverage areas. A 50% subsidy is available for 'travellers'.

Regards John

ps I have a Codan X2 portable set for sale which I have used for 6 years before upgrading. Open he bonnet and hook onto the battery - plug into the antenna and select which VKS737 frequency you want and away you go.

Complete with whip antenna with the main VKS 737 frequencies.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Hi Red Dog, I had a GMH in my ford but took it out when changed over tugs to the Prado. I am waiting for the bull bar to be fitted this Monday then I will set it up again in the Prado with antenna on the bull bar. I wish I had it last Monday during my RACV drama. cry cry

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Since 2000 we have had a Codan NGT with an autotune antenna.

Every couple of years it gets its software updated, plus changes to base stations etc. A couple of years ago we also added a GPS to the system so that we can send our location.

We are members of both VKS737 and HF Radio Club.

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Dougwe wrote:
Hi Red Dog, I had a GMH in my ford but took it out when changed over tugs to the Prado. I am waiting for the bull bar to be fitted this Monday then I will set it up again in the Prado with antenna on the bull bar. I wish I had it last Monday during my RACV drama.

Dougwe

I think you mean GME, which unless a marine radio, is a UHF CB with a normal range of up to 10km. Not sure what good that would have done with you RACV drama anyway. Who would you have tried to call to hurry them up on UHF?

Blaze has outlined the HF radio, they are the ones with the bloody big fat antenna (in the main) on 4WDs. Their operation is through various networks eg VKS737 or HR Radio Club plus a couple of others. Not suitable for vehicle to vehicle communication in a convoy situation or for communication with say Truckies.

See http://www.vks737.on.net/

The VK3 is another higher level again of HF Radio more like what you may know as the Ham Radio system.

CG

HF Radio say through VKS737, to put it very simply, is the landbase version of the marine system you mentioned.

-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Friday 3rd of February 2012 09:36:42 PM

gst · Senior Member

Yeah Ive got one call sign 4789 member VKS737 & HF RADIO CLUB

blaze · Guru

also a member of vks737 but thinking of selling as I also have a sat phone
cheers
blaze

Dougwe · Chief one feather

What is involved with getting a VKS licence please and is that more serious on air than UHF CB when in big cities. I find it's good around South West Gippsland not as much radio traffic.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I think I'm getting confused with VK3. Getting confused is not hard for me, in fact, it is very easy lately.

Cruising Granny · Guru

Can you guys explain the radio system you are chatting about and how it works, and the advantages please.
I'm a marine radio operator with a certificate and used to do it for emergency services, but I still don't understand it all.

blaze · Guru

Hf radio is primary for long distance (say 500 to 2000 km and further), the frquencies are also used by flying doc ect, essestial bit of kit for remote travel. Not useful at all for short range stuff. I use my for logging into one of 11 vks737 bases at sked times to give a postion report.
cheers
blaze

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I'm not sure Chrissy, I am asking the same thing as you but in different words (I think).
I hope your not caught up in any Floods Chrissy.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

you can find some info here Doug

http://www.vks737.on.net/

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Thanks all, clear now, If I had my UHF in Prado I might have been able to ask for assistance from a near by fellow UHF operator Ron and Shirley. That might have reduced my 3 hour wait. I was getting confused with VK3 (Ham Radio) I realised that after I posted my question. I remember from many moons back now.

Thanks for the link wombat.

I might check into VK3 Ham Radio I think, it's probably all base station stuff anyway but that's fine.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Thanks blaze, easy to understand your explanation.

jonathan · Guru

I happily enjoy HF communication also .. Primarily with the HF Radio Club, but also as a VK2 operator.

Its a good hobby and stops me talking to myself as much ..

Jon

Cruising Granny · Guru

Thanks for the explanation. We used VHF for marine skeds, and I think emergency services use them for operations.
The little UHF will do me. I'm not a radio nut, even though I have tickets to use the things.
All that training I did has helped me with audible transmission. There are times I wish I could teach CB users how to use the microphone to transmit. It's all crackle and mutter.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Cruising Granny wrote:
Thanks for the explanation. We used VHF for marine skeds, and I think emergency services use them for operations.
The little UHF will do me. I'm not a radio nut, even though I have tickets to use the things.
All that training I did has helped me with audible transmission. There are times I wish I could teach CB users how to use the microphone to transmit. It's all crackle and mutter.

10..4 good buddy smile smile

I copy you loud and clear smile smile

ntvrx · Member

Hi Doug, Just a "Heads up" for you regarding your HF Antenna...anything wider than 30mm on the bull bar is deemed obstucted vision & illegal in Victoria (I think other states too). Victoria Police use to mount "Broomstick" aerials (30mm) on bullbars to replace the wider auto tune because it was & still is illegal. I mounted my auto tune Codan Antenna on a steel plate attched behind/to spare wheel mount. Hope this helps. Robert smile

Dougwe · Chief one feather

ntvrx wrote:
Hi Doug, Just a "Heads up" for you regarding your HF Antenna...anything wider than 30mm on the bull bar is deemed obstucted vision & illegal in Victoria (I think other states too). Victoria Police use to mount "Broomstick" aerials (30mm) on bullbars to replace the wider auto tune because it was & still is illegal. I mounted my auto tune Codan Antenna on a steel plate attched behind/to spare wheel mount. Hope this helps. Robert

Thanks Robert, I wasn't aware of that but do now, gee this forum is helpful.

I am not sure if I'm actually going to go down the HF road at this stage. Still thinking of checking into ham radio and EPIRBS though. I know they are very different things. I already have UHF and Mobile Phone with Telstra and the blue tick so I think I'm reasonably covered anyway.