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Why?
It may seem a bit of a contradiction to be taking hi-tech electronic
equipment to places where there is next to no technology at all, but the
simple fact is that a few well chosen additions to your packing list can
help you get the most from your expedition.
With digital cameras rapidly becoming the standard tool for
photographers at all levels, you are almost bound to be taking at least
one high tech piece of equipment with you.
Add a GPS and a phone or satellite phone as two essential survival
tools in case of an emergency, and your list of electronic gadgetry
grows.
Storage
Whatever you decide to take, remember that electronics don't like
heat, dust, humidity and vibration - commodities which you'll have
plenty of on the average London to Cape Town run.
This means carefully packing away you electronics when not in use -
the cases you need should be dust and preferably water proof, and must
be well padded.
Pelican boxes are expensive, but offer excellent protection,
especially when combined with silicon crystals which will keep the
contents safe from humidity.
If you need something cheaper look for a robust case with a well
padded lining. Avoid zips as these will allow more dust to enter than
fold-over flaps. The simplest solution for a laptop is a large padded
envelope - as long as the flap can fold over you will have a well padded
and dust proof enclosure for a fraction of the price of a manufactured
case.
Contingency Planning
It goers without saying that electronics can fail - if and when this
happens you should be prepared to cope without your electronic aid - if
it's your GPS then make sure you have paper maps and a compass to get
you by. Important route information and contact details should be
printed out in case your laptop or phone are stolen, lost, or break.
assess each piece of equipment in turn, and ask yourself what would
happen if it failed at the worst possible moment, and more importantly
what you would do to get by without it.
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GPS
Probably the most obvious contender for any overlanders kit list. At it's
most basic a Geosatellite Positioning System (GPS) will tell you where you
are. The irony is of course, you know exactly where you are because you are
already there, so this is meaningless information unless you can combine it
with a map, preferably an electronic one. Paper maps, and particularly the
Michelin African series sheets, can be notoriously inaccurate, with the
Michelin maps showing an error of as much as 40km in North and Central
Africa.Fortunately most modern GPSs have electronic maps available for
most areas of the world, while PC based GPS systems using software such as
Fugawi offer high
detail maps of even remote areas. Apart from allowing you to locate yourself
on the map, GPSs can also allow you to follow routes, or navigate to points
which would otherwise be difficult to find. Chris Scott's
Sahara Overland
contains many of the Saharan routes, for example, and a quick search of the
internet will reveal a wealth of GPS-related sites offering routes, points
of interest, and more.
Technology is advancing at a fantastic pace, and your options now range
from Laptop-based systems through to Palm OS and Pocket PC systems down to
dedicated units form names like Garmin and
Satellite Phone
Once an expensive luxury that were beyond the budget of all but the most
affluent overlanders, satellite phones are now far more affordable. There a
number of satellite providers, but are two main contenders are:
Iridium
The Iridium Satellite System is the only provider of global, mobile
satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the Earth
(including oceans, airways and Polar regions). Through a constellation of 66
low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellites operated by Boeing, Iridium delivers
essential communications services to and from remote areas where terrestrial
communications are not available.
Thuraya
This handheld satellite telephone made by Hughes provides voice, fax,
internet access, short messaging and remote location determination services
(GPS) in
99 countries spanning a large region of Northern, Central and Western
Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. All of
this is provided by a single geosynchronous satellite, but when satellite
coverage is not necessary, the handset can also access the GSM cellular
network.
Prices are dropping rapidly; for an idea of what is available, and how
much it costs, visit
Outfitter
Satellite Phones
GSM Phone
It's expensive to use a GSM phone abroad, both for making and receiving
calls, but text messages are an easy and cheap way of staying in touch. Most
countries now have a GSM compatible network at least in major cities, but
roaming agreements are not always in place. At present it cannot be used in
the following African countries:
If you already own a phone it's certainly worth taking along.
Laptop
With many expeditions now setting up dedicated web sites to keep others
informed of their progress, a Laptop is less extravagant that it may seem.
Most cyber cafés along the way allow you to plug in to upload pages and
photos. Other uses include:
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Using PC-based
GPS packages.
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Uploading and
view my photos from your digital camera.
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Backup digital
photos to CD (assuming you have a CD Burner).
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Loading digital
music onto your MP3 player.
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If you have a DVD
player you can amaze the locals with impromptu film viewings.
Security is an issue as this is a very attractive item for would-be
thieves, and insurance for longer trips is almost impossible to find. A car
safe is essential, and it must be large enough to take the laptop in a well
padded bag which is also dust proof. Remember to carry a European style
two-pin adapter.
Digital Camera
Africa is still one place where your digital cameras may be the first he
locals have ever seen - there is a real benefit in being able to show locals
the photographs you have taken, and it is also a good way of coaxing the
reluctant into letting you take their photo. You will ideally ensure that
you can charge your batteries using 12 volts, and if you're planning on
wilderness hiking then you'll probably want to take along spare batteries,
as well as extra memory storage.
Short Wave or Digital Radio
It's useful to be able to get news from home - it can help in route
planning if areas you are heading towards are potentially unstable. Be sure
to know what the broadcasting and Frequency schedules are - the
BBC World Service is a travellers favourite.
The World Service is also available on
WorldSpace via satellite. These are
small portable or in-car radios. Annual subscription is required (£76 at
present), but you benefit from better coverage, easier tuning, and a far
better signal.
In-Car Music
Some people want to travel to get away from technology, but unless
you're a purist you'll bow to the wisdom of experienced travellers who say
that music on the road is extremely important. A journey of more than a few
months means that you will very quickly get tired of your CD or tape
collection. Look at either connecting up a Hard Disk MP3 player, or
investing in something like the Pioneer DEH P7400MP car Radio/CD player
which will also play MP3s that have been burnt on to CDs.
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