Satellite phone

Mr newts · Newbie

Satellite phone

yobarr · Guru

Mr newts wrote:
Hi all we are heading over the nullarbor shortly and been advised to get a Sat phone for safety reasons,question is . Is it really necessary and what phone is the best one to get . We just want to be certain that getting a Sat phone isn't just another needless expense.

Whaaaat! Theres coverage all along the highway,and traffic 24 hours a day.Needless expense for sure.Cheers

Possum3 · Guru

It depends on what road you are travelling to cross Nullarbor, on the main road Highway 1 there is so much traffic both day and night there is no chance of not being able to contact emergency services when in mobile network black spots. If you have a Blue Tick phone with Telstra you will not experience many black spots. www.finder.com.au/blue-tick-telstra-phones

Wanda · Guru

Is this serious?
Ian

Possum3 · Guru

Wanda wrote:
Is this serious?
Ian

Why would you even think this is not serious? There are many new and inexperienced travellers out there.

Wanda · Guru

Really this is the 21st century. Who ever "gave" that advise must live under a rock.
Sorry thats the way I see it.
Ian

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Only if you're doing the rack along the railway line will you need a sat phone BUT the ordinary tourist won't be doing that! And you'd need more than a sat phone!

Tell your "source" - NO SAT PHONE is needed FOR THE EYRE HIGHWAY! BUT YOU WILL NEED A TELSTRA PHONE!
If you are with Optus, Woolworths, Aldi, etc - you won't have coverage! Look up their coverage maps for details.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Seems that there is lots of bad advice around, including here.
www.telstra.com.au/regional-services/regional-coverage
There is NOT Telstra coverage all across the Nullarbor via the Eyre Highway (according to Telstra).
But there is generally plenty of traffic during the tourist season, so a sat 'phone is not generally warranted. If you want some extra emergency insurance for life threatening emergencies, get a Personal Locator Beacon.
Cheers,
Peter

ps... there IS cover all the way along the Trans Continental Rail Line track (which it is forbidden to drive on much of the way).

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Thursday 7th of March 2019 10:06:24 AM

Bobdown · Guru

Coverage is mainly around Roadhouses, Nullarbor Homestead, Eucla/Border village, Mundarbilla, Caiguna, Co cklebiddy and a good tower just east of Balladonia and then Norseman.

Signal comes and goes 50 odd k's each side of these, we have stayed at 25 k peg SA side and had to climb gravel pile to get 2 bars and had full bars at 10 k peg closer to the border.

Like everyone has said, heaps of traffic so maybe portable UHF radio for some peace of mind but Sat phone unnecessary expense.

Have a great trip.

Cheers Bob

-- Edited by Bobdown on Thursday 7th of March 2019 10:46:52 AM

Hewy54 · Senior Member

Wanda wrote:
Is this serious?
Ian

A newcomer to the forum has asked a question to get clarification on something.

Why did you even need to put this question?

Wanda · Guru

Because it is my opinion, if you read my comment, it was about the person who gave the advise. I stand by what I have said, THE person who gave the advise is an idiot
Ian

yobarr · Guru

Wanda wrote:
Because it is my opinion, if you read my comment, it was about the person who gave the advise. I stand by what I have said, THE person who gave the advise is an idiot
Ian

X2.And it is ADVICE,not advise.Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Thursday 7th of March 2019 12:33:43 PM

Wanda · Guru

Thanks, English was never my strong point, or tact!(edited)
Ian

-- Edited by Wanda on Thursday 7th of March 2019 12:51:24 PM

yobarr · Guru

Wanda wrote:
Thanks, English was never my strong point, or tact!(edited)
Ian

-- Edited by Wanda on Thursday 7th of March 2019 12:51:24 PM

No problem Ian....lots of people have trouble speaking properly English. (sic) Cheers

Yuglamron · Guru

I bought a Satellite Iridium phone back in 2014 just before the Govt 75% subsidy finished. For peace of mind invaluable. However I have never had to use it and every now and then I update the firmware as recommended.

I don't do offroad or really get too far from main routes so if it hadn't been for the subsidy I would never have bothered.

I really don't think the average traveller using the main Highways would really need one.

As others have recommended a personal Locator beacon is probably a better buy but most of the highways are well travelled and Telstra coverage is the best geographically.

This is a link to the Australian Govt Beacon advice site.

http://beacons.amsa.gov.au/about/beacon-types.asp

-- Edited by Yuglamron on Thursday 7th of March 2019 02:34:04 PM

denmonkey · Senior Member

I've not been there and have no idea on phone coverage but based on what has been suggested above by both those doing research and those who have done it, normal coverage is spotty and can't be guaranteed.
Based on that, I guess it's your call if that means you need one or not.
Even if there is plenty of traffic, I'd prefer to be able to get in touch with emergency services if it was required, rather than waiting for some stranger to drive 50kms and make the call for me.
Sounds like P&M nailed it 'not generally warranted' but I guess that depends on whose advice you're taking . evileye

If I had to choose though, Bob sounds like he has actually done the route, so I'd be leaning towards his input.

good luck though biggrin

Possum3 · Guru

Nullarbor Facts www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/the-nullarbor-plain.html

Bobdown · Guru

I've been across and back 14 times, first time in 1975 in a HK Holden on the gravel, no mobiles then. They used to wave spears at you in those days, only trying to sell them to you...... lol

Still rate it as one of the best drives in Oz, never boring, stop and take your time , look at the cliffs, camp at the Head of the Bight (White Wells), or Bunda Cliffs. Look at the stars, so black at night out there, constant lines of road trains, caravans and cars. Enjoy it.

Cheers Bob

Stretch60 · Senior Member

Having just returned from east coast trip 3 weeks ago I will add to what a fellow resident of Fridgetown (Bob) said. The coverage is much better than a couple of Kay's either side of the roadhouse. I believe there are a few repeaters as we rarely had a black spot.

Stretch

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Bobdown wrote:
I've been across and back 14 times, first time in 1975 in a HK Holden on the gravel, no mobiles then. They used to wave spears at you in those days, only trying to sell them to you...... lol

Still rate it as one of the best drives in Oz, never boring, stop and take your time , look at the cliffs, camp at the Head of the Bight (White Wells), or Bunda Cliffs. Look at the stars, so black at night out there, constant lines of road trains, caravans and cars. Enjoy it.

Cheers Bob

Good advice Bob " take your time, etc". There is all sorts of things to see out there - one of the Telstra techs from WA was into lichens. He had plenty to interest him after work. There are birds (not prolific, though) for the bird watchers, whales & a few places where you can catch a feed of fish.

Bob, there might have been a chance that if you saw any PMG/Telecom cars on the dirt, gravel(?), rock, corrugations, pot holes of various sizes, etc I may have been in one. We had Ford Falcon & Chrysler Valiant station wagons then. The HF radios that were fitted to the cars then were rather dodgy - in later years our comms improved.