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Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 01, 2005 at 11:06

duncs

We are finally back in the Hill after seven weeks on the east coast. It is good to be back but I was just starting to enjoy the hills in Victoria when the time ran out.

Most of the trip ws spent doiong the family and friends thing. We had a week on the Gold Coast staying 9 floors above Broadbeach. We then went to Ballina for a couple of weeks over Christmas. New Year was at a mates on the mid north coast before a couple of weeks in Sydney. Then a week at Kiama before returning home via Canberra, Jindabyne and the Vic high country.

A couple of interesting thiongs came out of the trip even though I did very little with the front diff working.

1 The dual battery system worked great. For the week on the Gold Coast the car spent huge amounts of time doing nothing, We probably only drove for about 2 hous in the week. The fridge (Engle 40) ran without a hickup for the entire week. We then drove to Ballina where once again the car got parked and did virtually nothing again. About half way through our time there I got to wondering how the battery was and checked it with a multi-metre, 9.5v and the fridge was still running. I put a charger on it overnight and it came up fine. After 2 weeks in Sydney again with very little running around we went to Kiama and the car did nothing for a week. Half way throught that week I again checked the battery and it was again down to less than 10v so the charger got plugged in again. I was pretty pleased that the battery powered the fridge for so long with so little input.

2 Whilst on the mid north coast I went out for an afternoon fun with my mate and a friend of his. I did not drive just a passenger. Both cars were 3.0l Nissans and the going was pretty steep. My mates car seemed to do it all so much easier than the other. Both cars are very similar and pretty much standard, coments over the UHF suggested the other guy was working harder than we were. THe big difference was the driver, confident careful wheel placement and good throttle control made mine a very comfortable afternoon. THe other passenger got bounced around a fair bit. The other car would also have done more track damage. Something to bare in mind with coments about tyre pressures, trailers, load etc.

3 The last thing was the performance of the GME 3200 UHF. Whilst coming through the Vic high country we got a bit stuck on a steep climb. I had not been concentrating and started up the hill going too slow in too high a gear (2nd low) when I went down it just spun the wheels, the heavy rain did not help. Getting out is a story in itself but we did. While we were stopped teh kids got on the UHF to see if there was anyone around to give us a hand. The answer we got cmae fro the Delegate Fire Tower. Checking against the scale on the map it is about 50km from where we were as the crow flies. Now they probably have some micky mouse gear up there but I only have a standard set with a stumpy gutter mount antennae. It is pleasing to know it works so well, and that there is someone listening.

We had a great trip and I will definately go back to the high country. I feel the need for a boys week or two bouncing over the high plains.

Thatsall for now, back to work on Sunday b...er.
Duncs

AnswerID: 96078 Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 01, 2005 at 16:03

Member - Roachie (SA) replied:

G'day Duncs,

Glad you had a good hol mate, but I don't envy you having to spend time with all the yobs on the Gold Coast etc.....

I'm surprised your fridge was still working with the battery down to 9.5v; I would have expected the fridge to cut-out at around 10.5v......Not doubting you, but are you sure your multimeter is accurate?

As for the UHF, do you remember what channel you were on? Odds-on it was a repeater channel.......you'd be surprised how far they can travel. When I lived in Canberra I bought my 1st UHF from the local Trash n Treasure market; a Pearce Simpson from memory. I took it home and wired it into the maverick I had at that time and fired it up seeking a radio check. I lived in Wanniassa with good views of the Brindabellas and I got a response from 2 vehicles using repeaters. One was at bloody Cootamundra (about 150 klicks as the crow flies) and the other was a Yerrangabilly Caves down on the Snowy Mountains Hwy. I was rapt.

Now, stop dreaming of bein' on holidays and get yaself back to bloody work!!!!
LOLOL
Are you in Broken Hill? If so, do you know a bloke called Wayne Orr...an old school mate of mine?
Cya mate

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There's only one thing more painful than learning from experience and that is NOT learning from experience!

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FollowupID: 354853 Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 01, 2005 at 16:43

duncs posted:

Roachie,

The multi-metre reads accurate on a fully charged battery and on other devices with known out put like phone and camera chargers so I guess it was reading OK.

The UHF was on Chnl 40 which is why I was suprised. I know about repeaters but I believe they are on chnls 1 - 8 only.

Finally, yeah I am in Broken Hill, only been here a couple of years and can't say I know Wayne Orr but I will ask when I get back to work. Uhh there it is again what a painful thought.

Duncs

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