Outback Communication

Mobile phones are great in capital cities, but out in the outback. It can be a different story when it comes to communication. Yes, they still work, but sometimes not as effective. So having alternatives can be very advantageous. In this article from Outback Queensland Tourism, there are a range of tips from the experts which will give you a better idea of how to get ready for your outback adventure.

Travelling in isolated locations doesn’t necessarily mean you’re isolated. There are several options for communication in Outback Queensland, and it’s important to stay in touch in remote areas.

Mobile Coverage

Longreach, Mount Isa, Charleville, and Birdsville have coverage from Telstra and Optus networks. Outside of these towns, only the Telstra Next G network is available, usually within a 20km radius of towns. There is limited mobile phone coverage in the far South West corner of the region, west of Quilpie to Bedourie. Public phones are available in all towns, and satellite phones are recommended for extended travel in this area.

Satellite Phones

Sat phones connect to orbiting satellites rather than cell towers on the ground. It gives access to communication in areas where there is no mobile coverage. There is a range of options available with varying degrees of performance versus cost. Be sure to research the best option for your needs and your travel plans.

UHF

It is an abbreviation for Ultra High Frequency Citizen Band Radio. UHF CB Radio is freely available to all Australians and does not require a license or registration to use. Ensuring you can communicate from your vehicle to other vehicles is essential for safety reasons. An example is to warn oncoming vehicles when visibility is impaired. It can aid in navigation (convoy procedures), and call to nearby travellers for help. Handheld or in-car UHFs are available. Although radios have a limited range of around 5km to 20km and good reception is heavily dependent on terrain. Hilly or densely vegetated areas can reduce transmission considerably. Using this type of radio on a high hill or tower can also increase its range.

A list of properties and their UHF channels is in the rear of the Atlas of QLD and NT Pastoral Stations. Written by Terrence Alick Mapping (http://alickmaps.com.au/).

UHF Radio Channel Allocation

Channels 1 to 8
Repeater Channels Press the DUPLEX button on your radio to use any available repeaters.

Channel 5 & 35
Emergency use only – Monitored by volunteers, by law no general conversations are to take place on this channel.

Channels 22 & 23
Data transmissions only (Excluding Packet)

Channels 31 to 38
Repeater inputs – These channels are received by a repeater and re-transmitted on channels 1 to 8. It helps increase communication distance.

The Australian Government has legislated that channels 5 & 35 on the UHF CB Band are reserved for emergency use only.

Original Article and images by Outback Queensland

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