MADOG

I travelled this track a long time ago when touring with a tent and given the trials of time I am unable to remember it in enough detail to be confident I would get the Top Ender through without grief. I do remember though that it was an incredibly enjoyable experience and would like to do it again. We will be travelling alone - the tow tug is a "tricked up" 200 series Landcruiser with amongst other things a HF radio. I understand that it is a bit wet out there at the moment so hoping it will dry up enough by the time we expect to be there which is mid July so lots of road report checks to be done while we are travelling. If it is dry enough and the advice is that the terrain isn't too radical we will certainly come home that way. We are travelling primarily up the NSW & QLD coast to Innisfail (working) from home in NE Vic and then down the Kennedy Hwy/Dev Road to Boulia, on to Birdsville where we will then head east towards Windorah some 117k's before turning south towards Cordillo Downs en route to Innamincka, Moomba, Cameron Corner, Tibooburra, Broken Hill.

Recently had issues with the Webasto heater - lots of smoke, but no heat. Changed fuel, flushed & cleaned system. Didn't consider checking air intake pipe but stumbled over a 6" solid blockage - monster wasp nest. Should have known because a couple of years ago I was filling the TE water tanks and an almighty explosionare salting in a seriously fractured (beyond repair) water tank - water was dribbling in, never fill under pressure but a wasp nest in the overflow was the problem and it is amazing the subsequent pressure buildup. All my overflows and air intakes are now protected with shade cloth held on with cable ties. If you have wasps around your way this remedy may save a heap of grief.

Hi Team, A bit to late for your Christmas stocking but it is getting closer - have a look at the attached picture of the new Codan lightweight aerial.

G'day Team, The solution is very close. I had an update from my "in the know" contact last Friday. The new Codan self tuning aerial is about to go into production and is expected to be available by Christmas (this Christmas - 2009) - it has been a long wait. The new aerial is a 2 piece unit - all the tuneing gadgetry is tucked in behind the bull bar or where ever you choose to put it and the actual aerial is around the same size and weight as a larger end UHF aerial so no problems mounting it on your bullbar. It will interface with existing units. Pricing is expected to be the same as that for the standed self tumer. Victor 7570 hopes to be back on the airwaves soon.

Hi Bruce and Sue, We have been running the VMS AVNC for the last 12 months and prior to that many years with laptops mounted in the Landcruiser running Ozi Explorer - we are OziExplorer devotees so this answer may be a bit slanted. The VMS Touring 500 must be very new as this is the first I have heard of it however Google as usual provides much info. This unit looks good however for me it seems to be very limited in what maps can be utilised - seems you are in the hands of VMS on this one with their proprietry topo maps apparently the only maps that can be used (from what I have read). An OziExplorer empowered device like VMS AVNC, Hema Navigator (also made by VMS) or even a laptop with a GPS attached gives an unlimited range of maps, even those you may wish to scan and calibrate yourself; however this degree of compexity might not be what you want. Motor vehicle GPS navigation systems are really tearing along at an enormous pace however for those who wish to do any sort of serious offroad or even "outback" touring, none of these new gizmos without OziExplorer or any other digital mapping system (there are other digital mapping systems, however in my experience OziExplorer is by far the most widely used and supported) installed are pretty much hopeless once you get away from footpaths and street lights. Go to http://www.smartersafety.com.au/oziexplorer.html for some info on OziExplorer that will assist or perhaps confuse. Good luck!

Wow, Webby - the Cape can be interesting in May on a relatively normal year, this year it should be quite exciting in May. Take lotsa pics.

G'day Tony, Can I suggest you "hang loose" for a couple of months like Kimbo and I are as I understand there is a very effective answer in the wind in the form of some unique technology that will suit us 200 owners who choose to not fit a spare wheel carrier. Cannot say more than that at the moment other than "trust me" - gee that's a worry! Roger

Hooley Dooley ... what have I done? :helpsmilie: Helping out with OziExplorer gives us a big buzz; sad I know, but then we are all different. Any issues anyone, don't hesitate to make contact. Questions often stretch my brain as well and at my time in life that is good!

G'day Robbo's, Phone me on 0437 771 580 to make a time when you can have your PC fired up and I can have mine also fired up and I would be pleased to help you out. Perhaps the .map file doesn't know where to find the image. Regards, Roger

G' Team, Chris and I had a ball at Kenilworth (our first KOG gathering), and look forward to many more of these sensational get-togethers. It was really good to put a face to those whom we had met on the KOG site. Thanks Bob & Di for a great week. Even Misty the wonder dog had a great time playing with young Cooper. Now at Mirani, just west of Mackay and it isn't raining. Us Victorians are not used to rain! Regards,

We had been scrubbing out a tyre on the TopEnder and I was unable to find anyone who could assist in solving the problem. All the "wizards" I had spoken to were not into caravans particularly those with independent suspensions and all their recomendations drew blanks. I finally stepped past the traditional local people and found a truck alignment business in a nearby town and suddenly stumbled on a completely different attitude. These people are into tippers and dog trailers, semi's, B-Doubles and the like and they do heaps of them. They had the TopEnder and the LandCruiser for about two hours and laser aligned all four wheels on the van and gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling that I finally had found someone who knew what they were doing and carried out the task in a very professional manner. Attached is a copy of the invoice and the before and after computer report. This outfit has locations in pretty much every major centre in Australia inclusive of every major town from Townsville down on the east coast. So far so good, I think I finally found a live one! Hope this is of assistance to others. Roger BigWheelsAlignment_2008_06_12.PDF

Hmmmm....yes, the question. Now what was the question? Temporary dementia once again linked to that "send" button! The question was - where does one obtain one? Some interesting options already showing up. Roger PS: Kenilworth is sensational this morning! Chris and I had a great evening with Bob & Di last night around the fire.

Last week while camping in a van park near Newcastle (Anna Bay) we spotted these great little gizmos in each of the toilet cubicles. The managers disdn't know where they came from (before their time) but did say they have had numerous requests about source info from other vanners. Gizmo sticks to wall in cubicle and is quite small - in my opinion very suitable for this necessarry task at times. Check the pic - maybe you can answer the question.

Should read it all before hitting that button.... Yes, OziExplorer is on the agenda for Mitta Mitta for anyone who is interested! Roger

G'dayTeam, Happy to help out with OziExplorer at Kennilworth - we get a buzz doing that stuff. Hema Navigator is a portable unit out of the same stable as the VMS unit that we recently installed in the 200 (radio out and the VMS gizmo in). Some useful links follow below that explain them in detail... Hema Navigator - http://www.hemanavigator.com.au/hema_navigator_overview.html VMS In Car PC Forum at GPSOZ - http://gpsoz.freeforums.org VMS In Car PC = http://www.vmscarpc.com.au/index.html The VMS In Car PC pops straight in to the dash replacing the existing radio and uses much of the host vehicles wiring. Consists of MP3 Music, AM-FM, DVD Player that can support back seat screens for the kidz, BlueTooth mobile phone connection including your contacts list, Route 66 Navigator and Imbedded OziExplorer which is a bit differnet to both the PC and CE versions but works really well once you get the gist of it. Hema Navigator is a smaller portable unit with Route 66 Navigator and Imbedded OziExplorer. Both utilise SD card or USB for your Ozi Map, Name Search & Data Files and require the PC version of OziExplorer to manipiulate, upload and download. Best is NO MOVING PARTS, they are not windows based so in my opinion much more resisten to our outback corragations and no laptops and all the wires hanging around in the vehicle. Good gadgets if you are seeking something to use with Camps4 waypoint files while on the run and no mess and stress! Hope this helps. Regards, Roger PS: Kimbo & Ned gave us the "Super Tour" of Stockton Beach today - sensational!

G'day Ian & Robyn, We have KDSS and it seems to deliver an extra degree of stability on the blacktop however I expect it will be most useful due to the extended wheel travel in an offroad situation. Haven't had the opportunity to give it a serious workout yet. No issues with KDSS towing the TopEnder. I chose to again upgrade springs and shockers as I have now done now on 5 previous LandCruisers to better handle the weight and gained 40mm lift at the same time. Once again no issues between springs, shockers and KDSS. The extra lift required adjustment on the standard hitch - I took it down to 2nd hole from bottom and now have it on the bottom however expect to bring it back up to the 2nd hole from the bottom when I get a chance as it seems to me to be better there. Standard hitch is fine - before upgrading the suspension and after. You mentioned "Pulling Power"; the 200 TTD is one helluva "necksnapper" - I have to keep reminding myself to back off even with the 3.5T behind. Hope this helps. Regards,

Thanks team, those suggestions have all been logged as waypoints on OziExplorer and if we don't get to any of them this trip, we will certainly check them out on subsequent trips. Don't let this be the end of the thread though, keep 'em coming please to permit us southerners to build up our knowledge base. Should any of you from up there /\ be heading down our way, make sure you ask us for some tips - will be really pleased to share our favourites.

Hi KOG'ers who have a knowledge of northern NSW and/or QLD between Bundaberg and Rockhampton. We are seeking suggestions for good spots to prop (with Misty the wonder dog) ideally along the coast before and after the upcoming Kenilworth Gathering. Misty does generate issues for us even though there isn't much of her but rules are rules and she isn't permitted in National Parks and we have yet to teach her to obey the command "hide". :biggrin: Kimbo introduced us to Carmilla Beach near Sarina (brilliant spot thanks Kimbo :thumbsup: ) last year and we would head for there if we were intending to travel that far north, but not this year. We are also open to suggestions for inland locations between say Tamworth and Emerald should the coast not provide opportunities. We are vigourous users of Camps 4; some of those locations are sensational however many are not that flash - would be good to have a string of recommended camp sites from fellow KOG'ers. Many thanks in anticipation of some help with this one.

Thanks Webby, That will be a very useful document for many I am sure. Makes a terrific checklist for anyone (particularly a newbie) interested in running an a gathering. In my opinion, a very well thought through document. Having recently been involved in organising a gathering (my first) and with all the questions I was asking this document more than gives the necessary direction. Roger

G'dy A&A, Christine and I use Telstra Turbo - it is quite a small USB fitting, about 80mm long and if you wish you can purchase an outside aerial to plug into it. We found that because we choose to free camp outside of towns the aerial gives the extra grunt needed to pull a signal in. We are working while on the road and are plugged in daily and find the result excellent. More often than not we achieve better speeds than we do at home and that is less than 40k's from Melb GPO but that is another (unhappy) Telsta story! Have a look at http://www.maxon.com.au/ They do the Telstra Turbo gizmo and have a whole range of aerials. Regards Roger

Should we have brakes working on all four van wheels or just the front two as it appears to be on our TE? Would appreciate clarification from someone who knows about these things. Thanks Roger

G'day Team, We have been using Thetford blue all along and found it to make a questionable task almost acceptable. However we recently bought a litre of green (haven't used it yet) to try in an attempt to explore better opportunities - sounds like that wasn't a really smart decision. Would be good though to have a product that did the job, was acceptable to the nostrils and dosn't screw around with all those good little organisms in the different systems where we are likely to deposit what we no longer need. We did try another brand once (all we could get in a country town - cannot remember the name) and that was a shocker! SWMBO (she who must be obeyed) made me dispose of the balance of the contents in the garbage bin. I now ensure I am carrying plenty of spare pink & blue in particular with us these days. We have also learnt that it isn't nice to lay the van up for a coupla weeks without emptying out and re-loading the cassette before doing so. Roger

Well Team! I have done something quite remarkable this evening. I actually pulled out the Thetford instructions and even read them. How does that story go? When all else fails read the instructions. Christine is quite shocked and so am I 'cause the little booklet says under the heading EMPTYING "The waste level indicator does not begin to change from green to red until the tank is 3/4 full" Bl**dy amazing! Now I know how it works! Should have read them a coupla nights ago. Nice talking to you all. Roger

Kimbo, Thanks for the entertaining reply :biggrin: , I am not that keen in feeling around in there also. Perhaps someone wiser than us will have the answer and if not, well will just have to use some common sense but it is a shame the gizmo doesn't work. Roger

Our guage doesn't register anything at any level. I understand others don't register until 3/4 full. I would appreciate feedback as to what other experiences have been/are. Perhaps there is a secret place where I need to clean or lubricate - appreciate any advice. Thanks Roger