Internet Connections

Hi Phil
I have one in my bushtracker for when I stay at a property we have up on the Atherton Tablelands and also for when visiting rellies and friends and they allow me to hook into there phone line for dial up internet. Not sure about the caravan park side of things as we try to avoid them and the few that we have been to have not offered that type of service. Definately not a gimmick for me.
Cheers
Peter

Phil,

Probably less relevant now, given the pace with which Wireless Internet is moving. I have heard some rumours that the big parks will be offering wireless in the near future - they give you a password and you are charged by the day/hour.

It it's easy to do then it's not a bad thing because a landline is always a better connection in the van bacause of the way the aluminium cover of the van shield the signal

Pete

Hello Phil,
Bushtracker has only done that a very few times, by request, but it is very rare...

Now where the thinking originated for most, is in the very high grade yacht marinas where you had a power hookup point, and a phone hook up point.... I personally lived with those systems for twenty years.. That is in the magazines and advertising, but not really practical or available in Australia. Sort of like the Motorhome black water sewer dump spots, it never quite took hold and there were only three ever done, and now none exist...

As a Bush Scientist that studies the trends in up and coming technology, I do not think the phone hook-up for caravans will ever catch on in Australia.... Not because it is not simple and practical, but because it is expensive and the trend is vastly in favour of wireless technology. Internet hook-up via wireless with an ADSL server and a couple of antennas around town is vastly more efficient, faster I.T. and far more cost effective… Any money spent towards I.T. access in even rural and remote areas will probably be channelled toward wireless Broadband- ADSL type of hook-ups…. Even normal phone cable is being debated as totally obsolete for private homes…. In favour of Mobile….

I would say that in the next short jump, we will see the trend continue clearly in favour of wireless internet hook-up on a larger scale for the rural environment… Each little community where you could get a phone point, instead will have a small server, ADSL, and Satellite hook-up…. The future is still probably township ADSL or Cheaper Mobile phone IT hook-up… But in any case it will be wireless and Satellite… Even back of Woop-Woop...

I am recently returned from my first trip and just noticed this thread. I had a UHF antenna and car kit cradle fitted on the wall at the table by Sound In Motion along with other audio/visual gear. My idea was to communicate via e-mail through a laptop. This is achieved via a USB cable. The cradle holds a CDMA 'Nokia 6225'. One can buy from Telstra "data packs" for CDMA. I chose $49/ month which has a set download time of 20 hours after which one pays per extra bloc used.. I cannot comment on the wisdom of this choice as the account isn't in yet. CDMA coverage maps are available from Telstra. I opened an e-mail account with 'Yahoo' which is ok. The down side is one pays for the down loading of their advertising before messages are available. The speed of transmission is good. Occasionally no connection was available. I still am not sure why because the phone worked out of the cradle on those occasions.! The only major problem encounted was before I departed. That was setting up the lap top so as it would "speak to" the phone. I cannot praise the fellow at 'Nokia Care' in Brisbane who persevered until the 'Compac' lap top was programmed successfully. Should you be interested in this method talk to the people at Sound In Motion and Nokia Care, very helpful people. I was interested in the land line connection but research indicated points were scarce. cheers.