What GPS/CB/UHF do members use?

Want to ask what the members are using...

I have lots of topo paper maps and never venture offroad without the corresponding map. I have been making enquiries into purchasing a dedicated GPS system, at the same time purchasing a UHF/CB ( For safety more than anything ). I am often fishing/driving in remote areas without mobile phone reception and while an EPIRB might be better for personal use I would like some added peice of mind when travelling in my car.

GPS :

I currently own a Garmin handhelp Map 76s ( S = Altimeter ) and will install shonkymaps when I get the data transfer cable. I would like to continue to use this somehow in my Forester but understand I will need a better aerial, not sure I should bother though after reading about the modern systems. I also have a 6110 Nokia Navigator that handles the about town stuff quite well and has helped in some rural areas ( Any mods you can add? ).

https://www.hemanavigator.com.au/

The Hema Navigator sounds like what I really need ( At a price mind you ) but I am sure most people run Oziexplorer via pc or a mobile GPS device...


UHF/CB :

As mentioned above want one for safety and convoying, I had a look at some of the GME range but was impressed with the Icom 440 mainly due to no need for external speaker located in the handset and the 3 year warranty ( Not the price tag mind you ). Also love the fact it is usually installed under the passenger seat and out of prying eyes or hands, while I am sure there may be better units for my bangobuck meter I was told that 5watts is not enough/too much and will effect my overall security with this unit, care to explain to a electronics n00b?

https://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1597

What do you run?

Paffoh- in regards to your uhf radio the one that you mention is accually a good radio. As far as power output goes it's 5watts max for am and uhf under australian law. The other important thing that you have to look at is your arieal, as this is were most people go wrong. Areials come in 3db, 4.5db, 6bd, 6.5db and 9db. Some orther 3db and 6db in one pack.
They all do the same job, except their range of coverage. A 3db will give you a radius of around 4.5km it is ideal for mountain terrain, a 4.5db will give you around 4.5 to 6km in range also being ideal for mountain terrain.
A 6 db will give you around 9km but will limit your coverage in around you.
A 9db will give you around 14km in coverage in a straight line. The best way to understand it is by thinking of a round circle that is 4.5km in diameter and increasing it into an egg shape as you increase the db gain of the earial. The other thing that you can get to increase your power out put is a linier. By the way it's illegal to use one in most sates in australia inculding nsw if you get caught. There not cheap at all an expect to pay above $600 dollars for a good one. This will give you out put power from 5 watt to 200watt. If you deside to buy one just look for a radio shop that sells amatuer radios and they will point you in the right direction.


GO BUY GO SELL GO NOW

WWW.GOSELL.COM.AU

Hi All,
I've fitted a GME TX 3440 with all the controls in the hand piece to the left hand side of the steering column and mounted the unit under the passenger seat and am happy with this setup so far.

Cheers

Grant

This is the setup I used to use:


Did away with the AM unit as I found that there was so much background interference nowdays that it was useless.

This is the setup I then went to:


I replaced the Uniden with a GME TX4400 and have never looked back.

Some of the icom UHF units are very good also. Price is a little high, but they are good.

Well, I've been lucky enough to be able to use and evaluate/test a variety of brands across our bushfire fleet as well as personally over the last 10 years. In order of preference, based on ability to reject interference, ruggedness (fewer failures), and clarity of voice transmission/reception, I'd be inclined to go:

Icom
GME
Uniden

There are a few other brands around that have had good reports, but personally I haven't used many others.

I've also found that a ground independent antenna is the way to go on my Forester ('03 model). I've got a GME one which I can interchange whips from 2db (a Mobile One stubby one), a 3.5 db GME and a 6.5db GME (both fibreglass), depending on where I'm travelling.

Cheers
Tony

this is my set up. a uniden uh088, and oziexplorer on the lappy with a 10.4" touch screen on the dash.

Here's my set up.... for navigation i purchase topo maps online to cover my area of activity which load into my gps equipped pda. I print hardcopies too. The pda gives me my current position on a snapshot of the main map and a hard copy of the map is always handy to give the big picture. I actually use the pda and paper maps together and I now scale the pda display to the hard copy map for quick 'n' easy orientation.











onebob

old enough to know better - young enough to do it again

onebob said:

Click to expand...

hello!
is that mounted on the nut/bolt closer to the back or front?
this is what i was planning to do, but the bracket i got would only fit on the bolt nearer to the front, but it seemed to pertrude more than i'd like

so my question again (rereading it, i got confused!) where is the bracket mounted? and if its mounted on the bolt closer to the back, where did you buy it?!

thanks!

Anthony

hi Anthony,

No I did not use an existing bolt. I purchased a self tapping nut with captive washer at AUTO BARN and drilled a hole in the gutter adjacent to the engine bay fire wall. Here there a number of panels that meet and overlap providing a very rigid mounting point for the antenna bracket. You'll need to bend the bracket to match the profile of the mudguard gutter so you can close the bonnet.

.... onebob

'old enough to now better - young enough to do it again'

I've got a Uniden 500SX in my 2001 Forester. Mounted normally in the DIN slit. She works a treat.
Also I run oziexplorer on my laptop with a USB GPS receiver. I'll be building a an embedded computer into the glove box eventually and mounting a 7" touch screen off to the side of the dash for mapping.
Hoping to get ozi explorer running good on Linux so I can ditch Windows for my carputer.

I use a handheld GPS in a suction cup cradle on the Foz; does dual duty with bushwalking. Paper maps are my pref for navigating and the GPS just gets turned on for backtracking in case of geographical embarassment. Dig mapping and route planning look interesting but I can't justify the cost above the current system.

For emergencies there's a 2 w hand-held UHF radio, and for deep sh*t a PLB with GPS inbuilt.

i just installed my uhf radio a couple of days ago (with a big diy writeup) its a uniden UH400sx wiht a 4.5db SS antenna, looks nice, but i wish i bought the DIN sleeve thingo to go with it, i mite be able to machine sumthing up at work if i find a bit chunk of plastic or sumthin

Installed my GME TX3440 this weekend along with an aux fuse/distribution block for future additions. No more having to remember to charge the handheld the night before a trip.

The uniden is a fair unit but I think the GME is superior. Locally made as well.