GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #35 | Page 37

RV FEATURE Think you'll be able to watch TV from your van's standard aerial in the outback? Think again. If you live in one of our capital cities and you spend your holidays at the popular nearby tourist destinations, you would be used to having access to excellent communications. Television, mobile phone and wi-fi are a part of daily life. So it may come as a surprise to know that once you start heading into regional and remote Australia, the availability of these services diminishes greatly to a point where there is nothing available. No mobile phone networks. No wi-fi. And the real kicker: no television. TECH WITHDRAWALS The thought of escaping all this technology may be a refreshing change but try to go without these basic services for an extended period of time, such as on a round-Australia trip, and the novelty of that peace can wear off within a few weeks. Trust me: I know what I’m talking about. My wife and I have been living in our caravan for over 18 months and we have literally travelled from one end of the country to the other. I can tell you, if you’re intending to travel outback Australia and expect to have access to these basic services, you’re going to be very disappointed. Free wi-fi is available at many remote caravan parks, but it’s so slow and limited in range that it is useless for anything more complex than email. Mobile phone coverage, even with the biggest providers, doesn’t extend too far outside any township. As for television, let’s just say that the little aerials on top of our caravans often struggle to pick up a signal. This is why having a satellite television receiver in your RV is such a great idea. / 37