![Qld farmer and truck driver Jessica Edwards says the XRS-660 Handheld UHF CB Radio is a game changer for rural safety. Picture supplied Qld farmer and truck driver Jessica Edwards says the XRS-660 Handheld UHF CB Radio is a game changer for rural safety. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/215078332/2bdfdb59-278a-454b-ac98-9fb6dac99caa.jpeg/r0_0_1280_720_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
For beef farmer and truck driver Jessica Edwards, connectivity is a common issue.
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Farming near Bloomsbury in tropical Queensland, as well as hitting the road behind the wheel, Jessica, 33, has seen a fair portion of the country.
"Over the years I've worked all over Australia, I've worked on cattle stations and I've carted cattle by road trains," she said.
No or low reception has been a common issue over the years.
"Out in the paddocks here, I don't have reception, it's only in the house and in a few other little spots," she said.
This background made Jessica an ideal person to test out a pre-release of GME's new XRS-660 handheld UHF CB radio, - a piece of tech that will help Australians stay in touch, even in mobile phone black spot areas.
GME's XRS-660 is the first of its kind, with built-in GPS functionality ensuring true location awareness without relying on a smartphone to provide location data, making it ideal for who work in regional and remote areas, or 4WDers and people holidaying in remote areas.
The device offers features including:
- The first handheld UHF CB radio to feature a colour TFT LCD screen, providing ideal handheld radio display for all environmental conditions - even in full sunlight.
- Bluetooth audio connectivity allows the XRS-660 to wirelessly connect to an extensive range of third-party audio accessories, providing users with new and improved ways to stay connected.
- Rugged IP67 Ingress Protection and a MIL-STD810G rating makes the XRS-660 a tough and hardy UHF CB radio.
The technology comes from Australia, with GME Australian-owned and the XRS-660 handheld UHF CB radio Australian-made.
Jessica said safety was one of the most important features of the XRS-660.
"We've had a few close calls with cyclones up here recently," she said.
"I have two of the new UHFs and I gave one to my neighbour who is 2.5 kilometres away. It was reassuring to know we could talk to each other, even if the power went out. With the UHF having a GPS built in, we can also get a true location of where we are.
"Having been a first responder in some pretty awful situations, having that location ability can be a life saver."
GME safety expert Tony Crooke said with mobile phone reception still an issues in many remote areas, it was important Australians packed the right tech to keep themselves safe and connected while in regional areas.
"For Aussies travelling or working in remote and regional areas, staying in touch is vital to ensuring they get home safe," he said.
"Building on the market-leading innovation of GME's popular range of XRS Connect UHF CB radios, Australians can now have total peace of mind knowing they can communicate with their fellow travellers or workers all while their live location is visible, without mobile phone service. GME has been committed to manufacturing high quality products to keep Aussies safe for over 60 years. The Australian made XRS-660 Handheld UHF CB Radio is the most advanced radio we've designed to date, proving our dedication to ensuring those in regional and remote areas stay connected."