Is spot on, and this is one of the main positive attitudes which makes a good D.J. You are paid to provide a service and this is what you should do, even if it means playing stuff that you wouldn't choose to listen to in your own time, so well done for pointing that out .

145W per speaker in a small-ish venue is perfectly loud enough without blasting your audience through the back wall!. Depending on the venues that you intend to work, you may find that this will be all you need, although it is a good idea to buy as loud as you can afford, since P.A systems are like cars - its far better to let them cruise comfortably at a steady level but with plenty of power in reserve for if ever you need it!. If your budget allows then aim for a system with a total power of around 600 - 1000W, would see you through most family occasions.

Using a computer for music is now common place for Mobile D.J's - or at least far more common than it was a few years ago. I am currently in the process of moving my own CD collection over and there are several members here who have been using a laptop or PC for years. Look on our PC & DJ section of the forum for hints and advice about this and Andy (ADS ENTERTAINMENTS) is a good contact for this sort of thing.

I have noticed in other posts from members in Aus / new Zealand that Disco Equipment is very expensive in that part of the World - maybe something to do with the shipping charges as you have mentioned, since it all has to be imported. Certainly the prices do seem to be 1.5 or 2 times more than the same item in the UK . I don't export so I can't really help you with this, although maybe another member in Australia could help here?. One idea which can help those starting out, is hire. You mentioned that you hired your P.A (Powered Speakers) is it possible to hire them or other speakers again?, do you have an outlet locally who hires this sort of thing on a regular basis?. It can often be easier to hire the gear as you get booked, but remember to factor in the hire price into your booking fee!. This way you have use of gear without the expense of splashing out in one go to purchase it all. As you become more popular and the work comes in, you can save up from the profit you earn, and purchase each piece of gear as you go along.

You do seem to have a fair idea of what D.J'ing involves and that is a very good start. This forum is full of hints and tips which are useful to both novices and other professionals, and I am sure that you can learn a lot from being here. Its very difficult to put "XX" years experience into one post and nobody can become a D.J overnight. The best way is to ask questions, so if there are any other questions you have, then feel free to post, and don't worry about the length of the post, the more info you can give, then the more likely you are of getting a detailed reply.

I will do some research to see if I can find a mail order dealer for you in Australia and pass any info on to you.

Is that just for one nights hire?? - Hell, I'm living in the wrong country!, better pack up my stuff, freight it over and settle in a warmer climate!. At those prices you do get a very raw deal with hire.

Maybe not but don't underprice or belittle yourself, if you think that you can do the job and are confident then why undersell?. Okay, we all started by doing freebies for family and friends but don't let it turn into a regular thing, as you gain the experience then make sure that people will pay towards that skill.

You may not be a professional yet, but you do have the right idea, and that can be worth a lot when your just starting out.

Making speakers:- look out for Bass Drivers made by Eminence or Celestion these are some of the most cost effective and excellent quality drivers around . You will find it cheaper to buy in the actual drivers from another country, since the average weight is around 5 - 7kg each, as opposed to 20 - 35kg for a complete cabinet and this will save a small fortune on postage charges!.

You need to keep all Wattage figures accurate:- if you buy a 200W Bass Driver and a 200W Tweeter it Won't give you 400W handling, it will still only handle a total of 200W. To make a speaker you need to look for the following components:-

Bass Driver - go for a 12" or 15" diameter one if possible. Always look for RMS ratings and 8 ohm impedance.

Tweeter Horn - Avoid Piezo types if you can, and go for a "compression" type horn, these are more robust and give a more cleaner, accurate sound than piezo's.

Crossover - a 2 Way crossover is also required to run the Tweeter. This is a small circuit board which seperates the high frequencies from the music input which then go to the tweeter. Some crossovers also have built in protection, which protects the tweeter in the event of an overload. - do not connect the tweeter directly to the input without a crossover!.

You sound like an advert Chris!!!! for Orange