We're blasting along a track in the desert in a convoy of two cars. We're looking around for a good site to launch the KAP rig. The problem is, at 80kph the dust cloud hangs a mile from each car. The chase car is going to have a miserable and blind-dangerous drive if it's trying to stay within a half-mile of the lead.
Ling and Mom are in a truck. Dad and I are a half mile in the bush running the KAP rig. Matt is 500ft away driving the camera. None of us can hear each other talking, so we can't take any pictures worth a damn.
Smells like we need radios. Three of them, in fact. Portable ones.
The thing is, the little standard walkie talkies you buy from Walmart aren't going to cut it at all -- especially in the cars. We need something with some juice.
The thing is, I'm not sure what's the best answer.
The Australian Solutions
The basic choices in Australia are CB, UHF CB, HF, EPIRB, and Satellite Phone.
EPIRBS are the emergency distress beacons. I think I read recently that the emergency authorities in Australia no longer to respond to these. Too many false calls.
Satellite phones are only good for emergencies or long distance calls. No use for truck convoys or foot exploration.
I finally found a good discussion of the different standard choices for outback radios...
The best-recommended gear is a UHF CB. Sounds decent. Worst case, the simplex range in "highly vegetated or built-up areas" is 10km. Absolutely nowhere we will be travelling would be considered either "high vegetated" or "built up." If we get twice the worst case, 20km, that's certainly good enough for our needs (convoy and foot patrol).
Finding this clear and concise discussion chopped out a long-winded ramble by me. I think it is a clear choice to get three UHF CBs.
The Fun Part -- Acquisition
I can get pretty excited feeling like some sort of hardcase Phillip K Dick or William Gibson character jetting into Tokyo's Akihabara district with nothing but a backpack, coming exclusively to buy specialty communications gear for his international crew.
So when I am in Tokyo on Friday, looking to buy some CBs for our family vacation in Alice Springs, what do I buy?
I'm not sure what my selection criteria should be. At first guess I'd say:
So what are typical UHF CBs sold out there?
ICOM sounds like a good candidate... What about their offerings?
Variations seem to include:
1) power... 4/1W(selectable), 5W.
2) frequency width 12.5khz or 25khz (sounds like america restricts to 12.5khz)
3) different frequency bands... Looks like the Australian repeaters are 477+ while some of these ICOM units are only 430-470MHz. hmmm. Wonder what is the best range to get?
*4) {I suppose the VHF models are useless?}
How about checking out some of these models for starters and commenting on what seems good/bad about them...