Off-Road 4×4

“A convoy is only as strong as its weakest communication link.”

Dave organises monthly off-road driving days for a club of 18 members across the Peak District and North Wales. The group ranges from seasoned green laners to relative newcomers still learning how their vehicles perform on demanding terrain. Getting 18 vehicles from a meeting point to a remote destination — across multiple trails, road sections, and waypoints — had always relied on a patchwork of CB radio, WhatsApp voice notes, and hand signals. It was messy, inconsistent, and meant that drivers at the back of the convoy regularly had no idea what was happening at the front.

On technically demanding sections, the problem became more serious. If a vehicle at the front became stuck or a trail proved impassable, the rest of the convoy would keep moving until someone physically stopped them. Recovery situations — winching, traction boards, spotting — required people to get out of their vehicles to communicate, which on a narrow moorland track with limited turning space created its own hazards.

Dave trialled DigamE on a day run last autumn with eight units shared across the convoy. A lead driver, sweep driver, and six others were all connected on the same MESH channel. Within the first hour, the difference was obvious. The lead driver called a halt before a boggy section while he walked it on foot. The sweep confirmed the last vehicle had cleared a steep descent before the group moved on. A driver three vehicles back flagged a loose tyre strap before it became a problem on the road section.

What struck Dave most was how much more relaxed the day felt. Decisions could be made and communicated instantly, rather than travelling slowly down the line through hand signals and guesswork.

“Off-roading is supposed to be an adventure, not a logistics headache. DigamE took the stress out of running the convoy and put the fun back in. We can make decisions together, react quickly, and actually enjoy the driving rather than spending half the day worrying about the vehicle behind us.”

The club has since invested in a full set of units and now runs DigamE as standard on every organised day out. Dave has also used them on multi-day trips, where the ability to switch between channels has allowed the group to split into smaller teams and explore independently while staying in contact.