What would you do?

[mitch92]

OK in short i have enough money for one thing i would like, but not both. I want both a UHF radio and also spotlights. I can get a set of 170 Lightforce spotties for $300, 240's for prolly $350-ish. also had a look today and saw some roo-lite spoties for approximately same price. Iron man 220's for $150. Now i can either get a set of spotties or a UHF. So the question is, what would you do?

I tend to do a small bit of off-road, but do mostly highway driving, and go to hervey bay fairly commonly of late. Normally drive down during the day. I dunno which i want more.

[Angla]

Sounds like you want the radio less but need the spotties less. Get what you want and not what you don't want.

Go the UHF

Cheers
Chris

[spearking]

I'd go the spotties ... a decision purely based on saftey.... doesn't sound like your travelling to remote so a mobile phone will do.... a good set of spotties is a big help on those odd occassions that a dark stretch of road is travelled on at night.

just my 2 cents
cheers

[finga]

Yep, spotties for me too.
You can get a handheld UHF for around the $50 when they're on special at Dick Smith. They're not real powerful BUT they work well if in convoy.

[mitch92]

Have a handheld one (well dad's but i nick it when needed) and frankly i find it a pain in the arse. A real UHF (read in-car) would be heaps better for what i do.

Just not sure what i do want more, every now and again wish i had the spotties, same with the UHF, though probably more so with UHF.

[Kewy]

Have to agree with spearking.. Safety first and spotties for sure. If a big roo is lurking 20m to the side of the road I want to see him first!

[TOPAZ]

Hi there,

Go the driving lights.

My mate and I use a pair of those very cheap hand held UHF's - I think I paid only about $30 for a PAIR on one of those Internet Discount places. They work fine from car to car up to about 2 Km on the highway. They even have a scan facility and duplex channels for use thru' repeaters. If you are not doing many off road trips with a 4wd club or similar, they are fine.


Richard.

p.s. I just noticed that you have access to a hand held UHF and find them a pain in the a***.
Why???

R.

[mitch92]

Topaz

2 reasons. First of all is that when highway driving dont have particularly long range to hear road reports etc. and second is that where i go 4wding is sand dunes and sand tracks and i seem to lose a fair bit of range (obviously). Both of these annoy me quite a bit.

[manchild]

Sorry to be a pain ,but doesnt sound like you need either of them.
George

[rockfisho]

I'd probably put myself in the same position as you. I'm going to get a uhf before the spotties, even though i use a hand held one, i think theyre a real pain. When i go 4wding, i often hit the mountains and hills or the beach. Since i have an 80 series DX, it has the bench seat across the front and no storage compartments in the front, absolutly none!!. the handheld literally flys around the cabin on the rough tracks. Thats my justificatino for one. But it is up to you really.

What would you gain by having an inboard uhf? is it hte convenience? or the range? in my case its a bit of both.

hope this helps you come to a decision.

Owen

[mitch92]

Manchild. as far as need is concerned, spotties probably wouldn't be bad considering ive had 4 close calls with roo's in the last 3 days. A real UHF is not so much a "need" as something that will just make it easier when on rips with mates etc.

Rockfisho, mate i have a single cab chassis rodeo, bench seat, rope and ratchets everywhere, not much/no storage left for one except on my lap, big pain. Range definitely i want an increase in, came with convenience.

Still not totally sure what to get first, but will end up with both soon enough

[THE JACKEL]

I'm with the majority. Go the spotties first, I put a set of 170's on the cross-bar of my tray and they work a treat Especially when doing long distances at night.

[BenDover]

If your headlights arent a sealed unit. Just swap out the bulbs on your high beam. And get a propper uhf. I just got back from fraser and my unit could hit the house we were staying at (happy valley to eurong) channel 10 no repeater. But... The arial is just as important as the unit. So extra $$$ there

[Flex]

Sounds like you know you should get the spotties, but your trying to justify getting the UHF

Why not buy one, save up then buy the other? Or look at a second hand UHF, they are cheap as chips.


If you night drive lots- spotties for sure
If you dont- UHF.

[gr hilly]

i would rather see where im going than talk to someone i cant see brighten up your life.
hilly