The Digital RVer

Android smart phones have numerous applications designed for the RVer

2012-01-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

Android smart phones, like Apple's iPhones, offer many applications or apps tailored for computer age RVers. Not only do apps locate campgrounds, restaurants and entertainment venues, but they can be used as GPS units, for paying bills, checking emails from home and even chasing away mosquitoes.

Yes, a free app called Sonic Mosquito Repellent is one of several that you can download from Android Market. You need only open it up while walking in the woods of lounging around an evening campfire, and those pesky blood suckers will steer clear of the ultrasonic sounds that cannot be heard by humans.

Another great app is Allstays Camp & RV. For a one-time fee of $4.50, the app allows you to obtain information on all types of campgrounds (including Wal Mart stores that allow overnight parking), state and national parks, rest areas, low clearance obstacles such as bridges and overpasses, stores, restaurants and fuel stations.

One simply goes to Manual Lookup to select the state or Canadian province. A menu appears that allows you choose the information you are seeking. Pushing the KOA line, for example, provides the locations of all KOA campgrounds along with pertenant information. Other selections allow you to call the particular campground, look at its web site, get directions to it, and even read reviews from other campers.

The app virtually eliminates the need to carry those telephone book-size campground directories that clutter RV cockpits and storage areas.
Another worthwhile free app is iRV2 Forum that allows exchanges of information about all types of RVs and other topics.

For hikers and other exercise enthusiasts there are many apps that can be an asset to your lifestyle. Instant Heart Rate measures your heart rate by analyzing color changes on the tip of your finger. You simply place your fingertip on the Android camera lens to get a reading. There are numerous other apps that do the job. Some are free while others come with a nominal fee.

If you left your pedometer back home, just download one to your smart phone. One app, simply called Pedometer, comes free and counts steps, distance, and even the calories burned during a walking or jogging session.

If you're trying to cut down on excess baggage ... of your body, not the RV's ... there is the free Restaurant Nutrition app. It lists chain restaurants and information about their respective menus. You will be shocked to learn just how many calories your favorite foods contain. A Burger King double bacon cheeseburger carries 510 calories, 1,150 grams of sodium and 30 grams of fat. That should be enough to send you to the nearest emergency room to be treated for clogged arteries.

If you decide to stay out of restaurants and go the home cooking route, there is a free app called Basic Food Calorie Lookup. You simply type in the name of the item and all the information you need pops up on the screen. Typing in low fat milk shows that one cup contains 102 calories. Two slices of pizza equals to 601 calories. Well, you get the picture.

Another app called Note Everything is a life saver both on and off the road. You can create RV checklists, shopping lists and record virtually anything. There are apps for obtaining trip information (AAA TripTik), checking gas mileage (Gas Mileage Calculator), locating cheap fuel (GasBuddy), and locating restaurants and attractions (Places). Some apps even double as compasses (3D Compass). Another turns a smart phone into a flashlight (Flashlight).

Oh, and yes, and you can use the Spirit Level Plus app to ensure that your RV is on flat ground before you call it a night.

For more information about Android and its applications visit https://market.android.com/

Email is a great way to stay in touch with friends, family

2012-01-11T17:51:00.000-08:00

RVers can stay in touch on the road with friends and loved ones back home by email. Sending electronic messages was probably the first thing we learned with our new computer.

But there are dangers lurking out there in cyberland. Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Every time you forward an email there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their email addresses and names.

The following are some tips about keeping your emailing habits safe and more enjoyable:

When you forward an email, delete all other addresses that appear in the body of the message.
Whenever you send an email to more than one person, do not use the "TO" or "CC" columns for adding email address. Always use the "BCC" column for listing the email addresses. This is why people you send emails to only see their own email address. If you don't see your BCC option, click on where it says TO and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC. When you send BCC your message will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients" in the TO field.
Remove any "FW" in the subject line. You can rename the subject if you wish, or even fix spelling.
Always hit your Forward button from the actual email your reading. Have you ever received those emails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? By forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to open many emails just to see what you sent.
Have you ever received an email that is a petition? It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email addresses. The completed petition is actually worth money to a professional spammer because of the valid names and email addresses contained therein.
If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter rather than a laundry list of names and email address on a petition.

A Map of Visited States

2012-01-11T06:20:00.001-08:00

Would you like to have your very own map of visited states to put on your blog, facebook profile, or email signature? It’s easy and free by going to http://epgsoft.com/. Just choose ‘Create Map’ and ‘Visited States Map.’ You should now see a listing of all the states. Check off the ones you have visited, then Create Map.

Make sure to select the Map Size and the File Format. Then, when you click Create Map you will see:

If you find that you’ve missed some states, or selected some by mistake, you can click the Back button on your browser to fix it, then click on Create Map once again to see the corrected version. Once the map looks how you want it, you right-click on it and choose Save Picture As (or Save Image As – depending on your browser.) Navigate to the folder where you want to store it and click ok. Now the map is a picture on your computer that you can use like any other picture.

How about the World?

If you travel the world and want to have a map of visited countries, check out http://douweosinga.com/projects/visited. It works similarly to the visited states above except at the very end. Instead of saving an image file, you get html code to put on a blog or website. It also only uses one color. I find for a world map that one color is better anyway.

visited 83 states (36.8%)
Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Eddie the DJ

This tip brought to you by Geeks on Tour

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger or with friends on Facebook. You can subscribe to our free enewsletter, or become a paid member and be able to view all of the videos in the Learning Library.

New program helps keep track of RV trips, expenses

2012-01-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

It's always a good idea to keep a record of RV expenses and other information.

When you return home you will have more than memories and photographs. You will have a record of all those campsites, fuel costs, phone numbers and email address of your new found friends.

Nomads Notes allows the traveler to record all aspects of a trip. Features include a day-by-day journal for chronicling activities, mileage tracking, fuel consumption and fuel cost, campsite details, locations and cost as well as a photo album to record pictures, and a contacts list to record details of the friends you meet along the way.

There is no need to worry about complicated formulas to work out your fuel economy or your expenses. Nomads Notes does it all for you. The program converts miles per gallon to metric. You can even export your journal to your website if you have one.

Even if you want to use some parts of the program and record only your fuel economy, expenses and campsite information, you don't have to use the rest. It is up to you which aspects of the program you use.

The software runs on any windows platform. You can download it direct to your computer. A CD version can be sent to your postal address if you prefer. Technical support is offered by email, and a 100 percent money back guarantee applies.

Nomads Notes is practical, complete travel diary that provides organization without effort. It makes trips easier and provides information in a concise format to share with family and friends.

For more information visit www.nomadsnotes.com

Cell phone technology today is a big asset to the RVer

2012-01-08T15:49:00.001-08:00

Cell phones have come a long way. The telephone part on some has become just a small segment of what the instrument can do.

Most folks who travel in their RV either have an existing cell phone or are interested in finding a carrier that is reasonably priced while providing good coverage. A number of travelers also want the flexibility of also having web access without cumbersome laptop or other types of computers.

Modern day cell phones do everything from chasing away mosquitoes via an ultrasonic sound wave application called Sonic Mosquito to providing free commercial-free news and music without having to subscribe to a satellite radio service.

There are several good RV-related applications such as Android's Allstays Camp & RV that lists virtually all campgrounds in the United States and Canada. For a minimal one-time fee you can find a KOA or a Good Sam park, a national park, public lands parking, dump stations, RV dealers and even bridge clearances.

Technology has advanced the mobile phone industry to the point where the phone is a mere commodity for vendors, while the real money is in service plans that usually require two-year commitments. Companies like Verizon and T-Mobile use the revenues to enable the cycle of technology innovation and marketing to continue.

While the downside of cell phones have focused primarily on the annoyance of public conversations and the small possibility of brain damage due to cellular coverage near the ear, these pale in comparison to the benefits derived from cellular technology. It's hard to imagine life before cell phones, writing down numbers in a paper directory or having to locate public pay phones.

As technology matures, ringtones, cameras, GPS features, music, and multiple other features have been added to the hardware. And the software on phones will progress to include easier web access, advertisements, news downloads, and easier chat and email features.

CB radios are still a popular way of communicating while on the road

2012-01-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

A lot of us use cell phones for communicating while on the road, but the CB radio still has its place in the RVing world.

The CB radio is still a valuable tool.

By listening to channel 19 (the unofficial trucker’s channel) you can get updated information on road conditions, emergencies and speed traps. You can't do that with a cell phone.

There are rural areas in the U.S. where cell phones don't work, but the CB radio can still provide great communications in case of an emergency. Channel 9 is designated as an emergency only channel. Many police and emergency services agencies monitor it 24/7. Thus, you have a pretty good chance that someone will hear you if you call for help.

CBs are also great when traveling with a group. Channel 13 is the unofficial RVers channel even though most RVers stay tuned Channel 19 because it's so popular.

There are many types of CB radios in all price ranges. For about $50 you can get a basic 40 channel unit such as the Cobra 19DXIII 40-Channel Mobile Compact. If you want a radio with bells and whistles for about $145 you can get one like the Cobra 29 LTD BT 29 LTD with Bluetooth Technology. There are also CB units that have weather radios built into them.

The type of vehicle you have will determine what kind of CB antenna you need. If you are planning to install one on a fiberglass roof you will need a no ground plane antenna . For a non-fiberglass RV or towing vehicle there are all types other antennas to choose from.

For more information stop by electronics stores such as Radio Shack, camping service centers or truck stops that generally stock radios, antennas and accessories.

Satellite antennas allow RVers to watch favorite TV shows on the road

2012-01-04T17:03:00.000-08:00

The luxury of viewing favorite television stations via satellite antennas while on the road is something most RVer almost take for granted.

This RV has two types of TV antennas on the roof.

The types of satellite TV antennas available for RVs include the hand crank, automatic, in motion and portable units.

The following are descriptions of what each does:

Hand Crank: This roof-mounted model has a hand crank to receive signals. It is cumbersome because one must find the proper angles and bearings. Once this information is determined, then one has to manually find the signal. Not an easy task, but it is one of the least expensive antennas.

Automatic Digital Satellite Dish: They can be purchased with GPS capability. It automatically searches for the correct satellite while your vehicle is parked. Simply press Power on the wall-mounted control panel to search for the satellite. The system includes an 18-inch dish, lift system, LNBF, GPS and interior control panel.

In Motion: These stationary and in-motion domed satellite systems feature one-button operation with no user input, GPS (in-motion systems only) and DVB (digital video broadcasting) satellite signal acquisition, two receiver capability, and access satellites at 92°, 101°, 110°, and 119°.

In Motion Low Profile: Built for "real world" mobility, the LP-1000 antenna mounts on motor homes, trailers, campers, and larger SUVs and vans. Using reflector antenna technology, it receives DIRECTV and DISH Network in most U.S. locations.

Portable: Designed to be used almost anywhere, the legs can be adjusted for uneven surfaces. Set up tripod, level with included bubble level, and use ground anchors if needed. Put antenna on the mount pipe, then use the compass, also included, and quickly find the satellite.

Visit www.winegard.com, www.kingcontrolscom or www.kvh.com/landmobile/ for further information.

RVers have options when it comes to Internet access

2012-01-01T17:20:00.000-08:00

Internet access is of growing importance. Most RVers want or need to be online to keep in touch with family and friends, for bill paying, and to gather information about road conditions or places to visit.

Most laptop computers are WiFi capable.

Technological advances in recent years provide more choices for internet access. The following are some of those options:

Dial-Up, DSL, Cable: The basic approach to RV internet access is a dial-up modem at a campground. Another option is to use internet access at local libraries or other public places. Some campgrounds offer phone or cable connections at individual sites. This is a good access via broadband or DSL for persons staying at an RV park for a long period. For the visitor on the move, however, this is usually not a viable means for internet access on the road.

WiFi Access: Wi-Fi is a big improvement. More parks are installing WiFi networks. The RVer connects to the park's wireless "hotspot", much like the hotspots at airports, truck stops, coffee shops, convenience stores and restaurants. WiFi data speeds are faster than dial-up. The speed and range will vary depending on the specific WiFi network and configuration at a given park. Some RV parks offer WiFi free and others charge a fee. Most laptop computers come equipped with built-in 802.11 capability suitable for RV internet access via WiFi.

Wireless (Cellular ): RVers seek 24/7 internet access connections at all locations, including while boondocking in remote locations or while driving. Cell phone and/or wireless providers include companies such as Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile. In its simplest form, you can use a data-capable cell phones such as an iPhone, Blackberry or Droid, to retrieve email and for web browsing. The array of features for smart phones and other portable devices grows daily. The cell phone may also be used as a modem for RV internet access. In this arrangement, the computer is connected to the cell phone via a USB cable, infrared or Bluetooth, and the cell phone then connects through the wireless provider to the internet.

Keep your laptop secure

2011-12-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

Laptop computers are some of the best friends an RVer can have. We have more or less instant communication with friends via e-mail; access to our bank accounts and bill paying services; and a host of information about whatever we might need in our lives as travelers.
But laptops, and other computes, are certainly an attraction to thieves. Here are some tips to help keep your computing experience happy and safe.

Keep Your Data Safe: If you keep sensitive information on your laptop, make sure if your computer falls into the wrong hands, at least the information is secure. If you have Windows XP Professional, you already have a way of encrypting your data to make it impossible to read without the encryption code. Or get data encryption software and use it–you can “Google” for more information on this kind of software. When using public WIFI networks, many experts recommend you don’t transmit any sensitive data (including credit numbers or bank account information) but if you must, BE SURE the little “lock” symbol shows on your web browser, and that the URL (address) of the web site begins with https (for “secured”).

Put a Strong Password on Your Laptop: Don’t use your name, your kid’s name, dog’s name, etc., as a password. Repeated numbers or letters are a sure-enough “breakable” password. Some folks use a phrase they can remember, like “My dog has fleas,” and string it together without spaces: Mydoghasfleas is the resulting password. Using symbols (%@&!) in your password makes it much tougher to break. And of course, the longer the better. Afraid you’ll forget it? Then write it down on paper–just keep the paper safe.

Backup Your System: Lost or stolen, your data’s no good if you don’t have it. Use a data backup system–the Windows XP operating system has one. Back up frequently, and back up to something OTHER than your computer. Data files might be backed up to a small “thumb drive,” or the whole hard drive to a back up system–find them at Costco or Sam’s Club inexpensively. And keep that backup drive safe too. A lost thumb drive with unencrypted information could be an identity thief’s dream.

Guard Your Laptop: Don’t leave your laptop in the toad car or the RV in plain sight. Hide it in the trunk, stick it in a closet. If you travel on a plane with your laptop, don’t put it in the overhead storage compartment, keep it with you at your seat–right in front of you.

Part Time Mobile Internet Connections

2011-11-30T04:50:00.001-08:00

As fulltime RVers, we have no problem signing a 2 year contract for Internet service from Verizon, but we know many people who only travel part time. What are their options for mobile Internet service? A couple years ago, your only option was to rely on Wi-Fi which is very UNreliable! Now there are several options for short term cellular Internet connections. The technology world moves fast, and nothing moves faster than cellular Internet plans, so take the information below as talking points only. Check with your provider, and/or your contract for the details that apply to you.

Verizon is the focus of much of the information in this article since it is what we use personally, and it is the most popular service among RVers. There are links at the bottom for information on other providers.

1. Putting your Contract on Vacation: Even if you do sign a 2 year contract with Verizon, for example, you can put your service (and payments) on vacation for up to 6 months. Be aware that vacation time will be added to the end of your contract. That means, if your contract period starts on 1/1/11 and goes thru 1/1/13, and you put it on vacation for 6 months, your contract now goes thru 7/1/13. Be sure to check with your service provider (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T etc.) for details based on your particular contract.

2. Bring your Own Device: People sign up for a two year contract because that is the way to get the device (Mi-Fi, or cellular modem) for a steeply discounted price. If you already have an appropriate modem or hotspot device, you can get service on a month to month basis. So, bring your own device and sign up for monthly service and you can turn the service off at any time. Standard monthly service plans offer 5GB for $50.

3. Prepaid Mobile Broadband: These plans can be pretty pricey, but it may be the best option to get your teenagers for your month-long summer vacation. For example, Verizon charges $50 for 1 GB – expires in 1 month or $80 for 5GB – expires in 1 month. There are no overages because, once you hit your limit the service is turned off.

4. Cellular Resellers: You can get service without a contract from Virgin Mobile (resells Sprint network) and Millenicom (resells Verizon network.) Also see the paragraph below on the 3GStore – you will find several options there, including monthly plans that resell Verizon, and DataJack which appears to use the t-mobile network.

4. Pay-As-You-Go: TruConnect is a service using the Sprint network. You buy the device from them then pay $5/mo plus 3.9 cents per megabyte. This would only be good if you are a very sporadic user with low data needs. According to my calculations 5GB at 3.9 cents per MB = $169.68.

5. Smart Phone Internet: This is my favorite. First of all, you may find that you don’t even need to take your computer on short trips because you can do your email and browse the web straight from your phone. If you do take your computer, many smart phones today have a ‘Hotspot’ feature that costs extra from the service provider, but that feature can be turned on/off at will and you only pay for the time you have it on. When it’s on you have your own Wi-Fi hotspot powered by the phone’s data plan and up to 5 devices can connect to it. You can also use third party tethering software called PDANet. This allows you to tether your phone to the computer with a cable and use the phone’s data plan to power Internet browsing on our computer at no extra service charge. The PDANet software costs about $20 – one time fee. See this Geeks on Tour Video: Connecting to the Internet with Droid.

6. 3GStore: 3GStore has a reputation for being very knowledgeable and helpful in giving guidance thru the morass of mobile internet devices, service providers, data plans, and signal boosters. They are resellers for cellular services and they sell all the devices to make it work. We’ve had such good experience with them that we are an affiliate for 3GStore.com. They have several plans for short-term cellular Internet solutions.

Here are some links to more information

This tip brought to you by Geeks on Tour

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger or with friends on Facebook. You can subscribe to our free enewsletters, or become a paid member and be able to view all of the videos in the Learning Library.

Review: Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 7710: Multi-Stop Trips

2011-10-29T12:11:00.001-07:00

We have been evaluating the Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 7710. Our favorite feature of the device is all the ways it can inform you about sights and services that are coming up just ahead in your route. We wrote about this in our previous article ‘What’s Up Ahead.’ Today, my topic is Multi-Stop Trips.

With most standalone GPS devices, you get directions to a single place. The trip starts from where you are. You are asking, ‘How do I get from here to that single place.’ The RVND is one of the devices that allow you to plan and save trips with multiple stops. When you reach one stop the device notes that you have arrived at your first destination. When you turn it on the next time, it is ready to pick up where you left off and guide you to the next stop. Here is a video that shows exactly how to create a multi-stop trip with the Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 7710.

Trouble watching this video? Try the Youtube version.

Laptop desks make RVing easier.

2011-10-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

One of the problems encountered in the RV lifestyle is "sizing down." If you're used to spending time in a big "stix and brix" home, the much downsized area of the RV can be a bit disconcerting. Where do you put your laptop--other than on your lap--when you have some serious computing to do? Enter the laptop desk.

There are a couple of approaches to the subject. One simply puts a more solid platform under your computer, and sets the whole works down in your lap. Many give you a wide enough surface that if you like to use a mouse in conjunction with your laptop, you have room to roll the mouse around; certainly all of them help you to keep you from getting "laptop burn," particularly when your processor is working hard--say working with digital photos. Here's an example of one such desk, that retails for less than $30, marketed by LapWorks (www.laptopdesk.net). This particular beast also has a folding hinge trick that allows you to set your laptop on a table, and the device then gives a bit of an angle to the laptop, making for easier typing. The problem some find with this kind of laptop desk is that when you need to move, you've got to up and set aside the desk and the laptop. Not always convenient, but it is one approach.

A somewhat similar approach, but one that gets the laptop off your lap entirely is to use a "bed table." These handy little stands take a flat platform and add legs, usually folding ones. They're great for breakfast in bed, and by sticking your laptop on one of these, you again have space for a mouse, and get the laptop heat away. Still, the issue of what do do when you need to move and don't want to disrupt your work in progress comes up. This particular bird is sold by Sam's Club. You might want to shop around a bit, as this one with it's handy drink and silverware holders could create issues with free mouse movement.

We've finally hit on what works well for us. Coupling the flat and stable platform with "full to the floor legs," we find that a product called "Table Mate" solves the problems quite nicely. Made with lightweight plastic, the Table Mate is adjustable in height and in platform angle. There aren't any side braces, so we can slide our legs in and out from under the rig without fear of banging up knees or legs. The whole rig slides right up over our laps, bringing the computer right into reach and at precisely the right height--and adjustable so we can use it with more than one chair, even the sofa.

We found we could order a two-pack of these from Walmart for $50, drop shipped to a nearby store. We jumped on it, and immediately found it was the answer to our laptop issue. In the end, however, the second Table Mate wound up being a printer stand, and set for the correct height, we could roll our plastic file cabinet right underneath the stand, saving even more floor space. Right now Walmart says they're out of stock on these; check out an alternative seller at www.table-mate.com.

Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 7710: What’s up Ahead?

2011-10-14T12:28:00.001-07:00

7” GPS device designed specifically for the RVer and camper
Website: Rand McNally
Cost: $399.99

by Chris Guld, www.geeksontour.tv

We received our evaluation unit of the RVND 7710 in early September and used it to navigate from the New Jersey Shore to Ohio, and then south to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There is a lot to this device and our review will be in a series of articles. The first things I want to tell you about are the special features that none of our other devices can give us.

Next Exit Information

I know several people who swear by their ‘Next Exit’ book which gives all the amenities to be found at every Exit on America’s Interstate Highways. Although that sounds like a great tool to have, we refuse to have any more books in our RV. The Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 7710 now offers a similar set of information available at your fingertips as you drive down the road. Here’s how it works. During navigation, there is an icon on the screen that represents the Exit amenities – actually it’s a square of 4 icons: Food, Fuel, Lodging, and All. Touch that with your finger, or the provided stylus, and you’ll see a list of the upcoming exits.

Just touch the Exit info button and a list of upcoming Exits appears with the number of Gas, Food, and Lodging amenities

Now you touch the Exit you want to see and you’ll get the detail of those amenities. If there are more than will fit on one screen, you will see up and down arrows to the right so you can scroll thru the rest of the possibilities. You can always touch the Back icon in the upper right to return to your navigation screen.

If you decide to go to any of these places, you can touch the one you want, then touch ‘Add as Via’ and the RVND will route you there.

It’s Not Perfect

We used this feature when we needed to find a grocery store traveling through South Carolina. Using the Exit details feature, we found an IGA at exit 27. I touched the IGA listing and then the ‘’Add as Via’ button, and it dutifully told us - in it’s rich, loud voice – to turn off when we got to the appropriate exit. Then it told us to turn left and go a couple blocks. So far, so good. But then it told us that we would find our destination on the left and told us to turn. We still couldn’t see the IGA but could tell that there was some kind of shopping center set back off the street if we took the specified left turn. No IGA in this shopping center. What do we do now? We navigated thru the shopping center parking lot to the other side where we could take a right on the road back to the highway and, what should appear in front of us but an IGA! So, the GPS directions were real close, but not quite right. We actually find this happens a lot with all of our GPS devices – it gets the ‘on the left’ or ‘on the right’ backwards at the final destination. Usually, it’s no big deal. By the time we’re ‘at your destination’ we can see it and don’t mind that the GPS says ‘on the left’ when we can see it ‘on the right.’ But, in this case, the direction was given before we could see the sign. We almost missed it altogether.

Alerts for Upcoming Items

I like to take pictures of the ‘Welcome’ sign whenever we cross a state line. I throw a bit of a fit when I see a State sign go by and I don’t have my camera ready. So, one of my very favorite features of the Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 7710 is that it alerts you when you are about to cross a State line or a Time Zone. It does this with spoken words as well as a special screen that displays.

It also has a warning when you are near an ‘Offbeat Tourist Attraction,’ or ‘Historical Marker.’ These are custom POIs (Points of Interest) and can be managed in the Preferences screen. First it announces that you are near an Offbeat Tourist Attraction. If you’re interested, you touch the notice and get more detail. Then, if you want to go there, you can touch the option to “Route to Here.”

If you don’t want the warnings for State Lines and Offbeat Tourist Attractions, you can turn those off, or change the warning distance if I like. You find them in the Custom POIs and it’s there you can set the warning options.

There is a lot to learn about this unit. Stay tuned next week for another article on using the Rand McNally TripMaker® RVND™ 7710.

This tip brought to you by Geeks on Tour

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger. You can subscribe to our free enewsletter, or become a paid member and be able to view all of the videos in the Learning Library.

Droid: From Email to GPS Navigation

2011-08-05T04:22:00.001-07:00

by Chris Guld of www.GeeksOnTour.com You know we love our Droids! This 'touch an address' feature, we just gotta show you. This is a very short video showing you how to simply touch an address and let Droid take you there!

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger. Members can view all of the videos in the Learning Library.

Dashboard Entertainment Center with Droid and Jupiter Jack

2011-08-01T16:43:00.001-07:00

by Chris Guld of Geeks on Tour: I’ll bet your dashboard radio has pretty good speakers? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could hear your laptop’s navigation program speak thru those speakers instead of the computer’s speakers?

How about your smart phone? If you’re like us, you’ve found all sorts of podcasts, radio shows and other apps and websites that have sound. We like to listen to our favorite RVing podcasts on our Droid phones while we’re on the road. If we depended on the speakers on our phones, we wouldn’t be able to hear over the road noise.

There’s just two simple things you need to do to get the sound to come out of the dashboard radio’s speakers:

Turn the Jupiter Jack on – you should see a red light - and plug it into the audio out jack – the same place you would plug in headphones.
Notice the frequency setting that is set on the Jupiter Jack (ours can be set to either 99.3 or 101.3. Just tune your radio to the same frequency and you should be hearing the music, or podcast, or whatever is on the phone. If one of the frequencies has a broadcast station on it, try the other.

How much does this little doohickey cost? Just $10 – maybe less in the discount bins at Best Buy. Jim picked ours up at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $3!

Caveat: I read some reviews that say it doesn’t work with all phones as advertised. All I can tell you is that it works great with our Motorola Droids and it opens up a whole new avenue for radio entertainment as we drive. We’ve cancelled our satellite radio.

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger. Members can view all of the videos in the Learning Library.

Park rangers give techno tips to save your life

2011-07-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

Rangers at Utah's Zion National Park say that technology has proven a godsend for some visitors who've gotten into trouble. No, we're not talking GPS systems, but rather, the simple use of cellular telephones. Here's an example:

A Virginia man tried descending a steep in darkness the man stepped off the trail to urinate. He lost his balance and fell onto the switchback below, breaking his leg. Unable to stand, he crawled and reached as high as possible for cell signal to send two brief text messages to his friends who called rangers for help.

This season alone, Zion's rangers have dealt with several hiking and canyoneering incidents with the aid of text messaging. These include canyoneering parties have gotten ropes stuck, were unable to find rappel anchors, and who were under-prepared for the route and conditions. Why is text messaging some helpful? Voice contact from the canyon floors is often impossible due to the nature of the terrain and noise of flowing water. Though cell service is quite limited to non-existent in the park's terrain of deep, narrow canyons, texting has worked when calls couldn't. Text messaging has helped rangers respond quicker, and often spare themselves unnecessary danger.

Get your Verizon Droid or iPhone before July 7?

2011-07-05T06:15:00.001-07:00

It’s been rumored for quite a while that Verizon’s unlimited data plan for smart phones will be going away. I still can’t find anything official on Verizon’s site, their Data Packages page still states that Smartphone’s data plans are Unlimited, but this discussion on RV.net’s forum is pretty convincing that the unlimited plan will be no more as of 7/7/2011. It will be replaced with a 2GB limit for the same $30. If you’ve been considering this purchase, you should visit the store before the 7th.

Is Unlimited Data Important?

Your data plan is a separate line item from your phone’s voice plan. Your voice plan gives you minutes of talk time, your data plan gives you Internet usage measured in GigaBytes. If you just want your email, and some basic web browsing, and you only use your phone’s data plan for your phone, then 2GB may be sufficient. But, if you want to watch videos on your smartphone, or if you want to use your phone’s data plan to tether to your computer, then you’re going to go over that limit.

How do you know you’re going over? You can check your data usage at any time on your Verizon account. There is also a setting to have Verizon email you when you’ve used over 50%. The unlimited data plan means you don’t have to worry about it! And, heaven knows, we could use one less thing to worry about!

Do you want a Smartphone?

If you’re anything like me, you do! There is some learning involved but, the more you learn, the more you like! Rather than listing all its virtues, let me tell you a story.

One of the first things we learned how to do was to tether the phone to the computer so it could provide the Internet connection for the computer to browse the Web. It took a while for me to fully appreciate that my Droid *IS* a computer!

My Droid Traveling Story

We were driving north on I-95 in Georgia and it was about time to start looking for a campground for the night. I see a likely candidate on our Streets and Trips program, but I want to look at the website. OK, I need to find the cable so I can tether the Droid to my laptop computer and get on the Internet.

DOH! No I don’t! I can just search the web directly on the phone. The Droid *is* a computer with its own web browser.

Ok, so the website looks nice. Now I need to find pencil and paper so I can write down the phone number so I can call and see if they have space for us tonight.

DOH! no I don’t! I can just touch the phone number on the Droid’s screen and it will dial the number. The Droid is a phone after all.

Ok, they say they’re ready for us. Now I need to write down the address so I can feed it into the Garmin GPS …

DOH! No I don’t! Just touch the address on the Droid’s screen and it will start to navigate. The Droid is a GPS after all and it has its own Google map and navigation program.

That’s just one example. For every Droid, or iPhone owner you know, you can hear many similar stories of discovery. The more you use your smartphone, the more you’ll discover. And, the more data you’ll need!

Like I said, get your Verizon Droid or iPhone before July 7. And enjoy!

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger. Members can view all of the videos in the Learning Library.

Change your Time Zone

2011-06-20T05:18:00.001-07:00

Most computers do not have GPS built in, so, although they physically travel with us, their clock is still set to the previous time zone. It’s very easy to change!

I haven’t worn a watch in years. I really like using my cell phone to tell me the time because it automatically adjusts to new time zones. Since it is connected to a local cell tower, it knows the correct time – coming from that cell tower.
I also depend on my computer’s clock. I’m almost always sitting at my computer. Any time I want to know what time of day it is, I simply glance at the lower right corner. So, I want it to be correct.

Windows Time and Date Settings

Just click right on the time in the very lower right corner of your screen and choose ‘Change Date and Time Settings.’ Then click on ‘Change Time Zone.’

Once you’ve chosen the correct time zone and clicked OK, your clock will be correct.

Why not Just Change the Time Yourself?

Many people choose the ‘Change date and time …’ and just set the clock themselves. I think they just don’t realize how much easier it is to set the time zone and let the computer set the time. You can even use the Internet Time feature (see the 3d tab on the date and time dialog box) which will synchronize your computer’s clock with an Internet clock that is guaranteed to be accurate. However, it will only be accurate for you if your time zone is set correctly.
Some other reasons why setting your time zone is better than setting the time yourself:

You may get it wrong. For example, You may have traveled into Arizona and not know their unique rules with daylight savings.
When daylight savings comes or goes in your current time zone, the computer may not change correctly since it doesn’t know your correct time zone.

by Chris Guld of Geeks on Tour.
Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger. Members can view all of the videos in the Learning Library.
See our Vista/Windows 7 tutorial videos to see how to create multiple clocks for different time zones.

3G vs 4G: The Tortoise and the Hare

2011-05-29T09:37:00.001-07:00

We recently purchased a 4G mobile hotspot from Verizon. It’s a tiny thing with magical powers. With just one press of a button, it turns the immediate area around it into a Wi-Fi hotspot. You can plug it into a power source, or it will run on batteries for about 4 hours.

A similar device, called the Mi-Fi, has been around for a couple of years, but those are 3G only. The 4G Mi-Fi is coming soon.

What does 4G Mean?

Without getting unnecessarily technical, we are talking about the technology that Cellular communications companies use to deliver wireless Internet connectivity. The ‘G’ stands for ‘Generation’ so 3G is third generation technology and 4G is fourth generation technology. 4G is better. It’s faster and it goes farther. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it exists only in limited areas. Below is Verizon’s coverage map, 4G is represented by the dark splotches, the red is 3G coverage, and the white is no coverage at all.

How Fast is 4G?

We live in our motorhome and happened to be staying in a friend’s driveway in Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville. It is a solid 4G area – and it was exciting to use our 4G connection. Click a link – you’re there. Watch a video all the way thru – no hesitations. What a joy! For those of you who like numbers, I ran a speed test using testmy.net and here’s the result:

Read that as 9 1/2 Megabits/per second. A really good 3G speed would be 500Kbps – that’s 500 Kilobits/second, or 1/2 Megabit/per second. We were browsing the Internet at 20 times normal speed! We never wanted to leave. This was not only 4G, but it was extra fast 4G.

The 3G signal available from our same location was horrible. It was extra bad 3G. Here’s a screen shot of that speed test:

That’s just over 1/4 Mbps! Our spot in Franklin, Tennessee is the poster child for why you want a new 4G device. With it, using the Internet was a joy. Without it was torture.

Data Limits

In the Tortoise and the Hare, the blazing fast bunny runs out of energy. With our blazing fast 4G Internet connection, we quickly ran out of our data allotment. Our mobile hotspot device was on a $49/mo plan for 5 Gigabytes of data transfer. After one week and 4 Gigabytes of usage, we changed our plan to the $80/mo for 10 Gigabytes of data. Today, May 28, we’re at 9.88 Gigabytes. We’re in Ohio now, outside of any 4G area and we’re using our 3G Droid cellphones, tethered to our computers for Internet access. Verizon’s penalty for going over our allotment really isn’t too bad – $10/Gigabyte of overage. If we were still in the good 4G area that had lousy 3G, we would probably pay the overage.

To Buy 4G or Not to Buy 4G

If you’re going to buy a cellular wireless Internet device now anyway, why not get 4G as long as it also does 3G? Notice the lights in my picture above of our mobile hotspot – there’s a 4G indicator light as well as a 3G indicator. If it can’t find any 4G signal, it will connect with a 3G. If you have a 3G only device – you’ll be very disappointed in Franklin, Tennessee!

If you aren’t already planning on buying such a device, then it’s a harder decision. Is it worth upgrading when 4G is still so rare? Pay close attention to the coverage map for your provider before deciding. Geeks like us just gotta have it!

Your Mileage May Vary!

Don’t take any speed test, or anyone else’s (even ours!) experience as gospel. Speeds vary from minute to minute, mile to mile, and computer to computer. This story is useful just to let you know how drastic the speed difference *can* be between 3G and 4G.

by Chris Guld, Geeks on Tour

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger. Members can view all of the videos in the Learning Library.

My On the Road Data Diet

2011-05-09T09:14:00.001-07:00

How I Exceed My 5 Gigabyte Limit with Verizon

This is not a good thing! The point is to stay within your contract limits. When you go over, there are extra charges.

Our contract allows 5 Gigabytes of data usage per month. Check the image at right and you’ll see that we’ve used over 4 Gigabytes and we’re only on day 8 of 31! Looks like I’ll have to go on a data diet for the rest of the month.

What’s a Gigabyte?

Data usage is simply Internet use as opposed to voice. Voice plan usage from your cellular provider is measured in minutes, Internet/Data usage is measured in Megabytes/Gigabytes. Data usage is also referred to as Downloading, Uploading, or Bandwidth. Think of it like a stream of water going thru a hose, email and other text is just a trickle, video is a firehose. You’re measured by how much data is going thru the connection - what you’re looking at, not the time you’re online.

Each Gigabyte is roughly 1,000 Megabytes. We teach people that 5 Gigabytes is usually plenty for a month of one person doing normal browsing, email reading and maybe some Youtube watching. But, if you share that connection with multiple computers, or you watch a lot of video, then 5 Gigabytes won’t be nearly enough.

Just to give you an idea, a large, high resolution picture that you view on the web may consume about 1 Megabyte. You’d have to view 1,000 of those pictures to hit one Gigabyte of usage. Over the period of one month, you might view 1,000 pictures on the web. Watching a typical, standard quality, 3-4 minute Youtube video will use roughly 10 Megabytes. So you could watch 100 of those for 1 Gigabyte of data usage. See this article from the folks at evdoinfo.com for a chart: What does 5GB (Gigabytes) Get Me? Here’s another article for more detailed info on data usage for videos. The only thing we tell people they cannot do is to watch full length movies. Watching one Netflix movie online can use up to 2 Gigabytes of your allotment right there.

How Did We Go Over Our Limit?

We had not watched any online movies, so how did we rack up so much data usage so fast? First of all, for the whole winter season, we were in one RV park where we contracted with Bell South for a DSL line. DSL is nice and fast and has no limits. So, we got spoiled. We didn’t have to pay attention to data usage all winter. Now that we’re back on the road, we need to be paying attention. Both Jim and I are sharing our mobile hotspot Internet connection from Verizon.

Once I got a notice from Verizon, I did some checking. One culprit is my Windows Updates. I had automatically received Windows 7 Service Pack 1. I checked Microsoft’s site and learned that it was over 1 Gigabyte in size! We are also preparing to deliver a seminar remotely using Skype and screen-sharing. Our practice session probably cost us us a 1/4 Gigabyte. A couple days ago, I purchased the latest Microsoft Streets and Trips program and downloaded it. That was 1.3 Gigabytes! Pretty stupid on my part since I already had the trial version installed on my computer. We now have a 4G mobile hotspot from Verizon and we were so excited to be in a 4G area around Nashville … I may have watched a couple episodes of Glee on Hulu because it worked so well … hey, I call that research!

What Can You Do to Limit Your Data Usage?

We need to go on a data diet! Here are the things that we are going to do:

Always check for good Wi-Fi and use it when possible.
Stay aware of our current data usage by checking our account stats online at verizonwireless.com/myverizon and logging into our account. If you don’t know how to do that for your provider, give them a call and ask.
Turn off automatic Windows Updates (Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Update) note: if you do this, make sure to do your updates manually whenever you’re in a good Wi-Fi area. Getting updates *is* very important.
Turn off Carbonite online backup. I love Carbonite, but it *does* use bandwidth to backup all new files I create to the backup website. Since we’ll be on the road for quite some time, I’ll probably turn off the service completely and just use our ClickFree for backup.
Turn off DropBox. DropBox is a great utility that synchronizes a folder of data across multiple computers. It does this by uploading them to a website and then downloading them to the other computers, so it uses double bandwidth (data transfer usage) going up and down! If I remember, I’ll turn it back on when I’m connected to a good Wi-Fi signal.
Stay away from Netflix and Hulu
Limit our Video Skype calls.

How Much Does it Cost When you go Over Your Allotment?

Verizon used to charge 25 cents per Megabyte of overage. That adds up quick! If you went over by a Gigabyte, that would cost $250! The fees today are much more reasonable – each Gigabyte of excess will be charged at $10/Gigabyte. Check with your provider and your contract to see what your overage charges are. If you’ve had your contract for a long time, you may even have an unlimited usage contract. If that’s the case … don’t lose it! Any change in your contract may get you started with a whole new contract – with new limitations. The unlimited usage contracts are highly desirable.

Can I Increase My Limits?

This depends on your provider and the plans they offer. Verizon does currently offer a 10Gigabyte contract for $80/month. We might just have to do that.

Kind of like those real diets … so often I give up and go buy some clothes in a larger size!

by Chris Guld, Geeks on Tour

Calculating Fuel Costs with Streets and Trips

2011-05-06T14:12:00.001-07:00

By Chris and Jim Guld
Geeks on Tour
We have plans this summer to travel 10,758 miles. That will cost us approximately $4,707 in gas cost if gas prices are $3.50/gal. If the price goes up to $4, make that total $5,288.

First Plan your Route

How do I figure this? By using the Route Options feature of my Streets and Trips program. Our summer travels are dictated first by the Rallies where we will be presenting our computer seminars. I add them all as Stops on our route using Streets and Trips Route planner. Then I add a few of our ‘must-visit’ places in between. The software plots the course based on these stops.

Then Set your Options

Whenever directions are given, they include a summary:

Of course, it needs a fuel price in order to calculate this. You enter that in the Route Options, under the Route menu. This is also where you enter your average miles per gallon for city (7mpg for us) and highway (8mpg) driving. So, it’s a simple matter to get the calculation for several different fuel prices.

Try Changing your Route

Let’s say we decide this is just too expensive, how much would we save by not going out west this summer? All I need to do is to delete the route stops out west and get directions again. This only takes a few clicks and I now have a new summary:

Other Calculators

If you don’t have Streets and Trips, or you just want a quick estimate without planning your exact route, there are plenty of calculators on the web.

www.travelmath.com/fuel-cost/: You just enter distance, your mpg, and your fuel grade (including diesel) and this calculates the cost both in gallons and dollars and in litres and Euros.
www.gasbuddy.com/Trip_Calculator.aspx: For this one, you enter your basic route, your mpg, and your tank size. It not only calculates the total, but gives you actual gas stations along your route with the best prices!
www.roadtripamerica.com/fuel-cost-calculator.php: This is the simplest calculator I’ve seen. You just enter the distance, mpg, and average fuel price. It calculates your totals and your average cost per mile.

For more instruction on Streets and Trips Route Options, watch this sample video from Geeks on Tour:

This tip by Chris Guld of Geeks on Tour

Geeks on Tour is a membership website with hundreds of Tutorial Videos on computer topics of interest to travelers, such as managing digital photos with Picasa, Route-Planning with Streets and Trips, and sharing your travels with a website using Blogger.

Finally, a GPS navigation screen RV drivers can see at a glance

2011-04-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

Your first GPS navigation system was a true technological miracle, wasn't it? Only problem is, the danged screen is too small to read at a glance from the driver's seat of a motor home or pickup. Trying to read it in the reflected glare of streaming sunlight is impossible and finding the right buttons to change the on-screen information is just asking for an accident if you're behind the wheel.

The Garmin Street Pilot 7200 isn't a new product but it's one you should meet. The screen is seven inches wide and the touch screen user interface is large, clearly marked and easy to navigate. It has a built-in speaker that's used for the voice-prompted directions and playback of MP3s/Audible media and XM radio. It's only a single speaker, but if you want better sound, you can use the line-out (standard 3.5mm stereo jack) or the built-in FM Modulator to play the audio through your car's FM radio. In addition, the 7200 has an SD card slot, so you can play MP3 files directly from an inserted SD card.

Here's a quick demo of the Garmin Street Pilot 7200:

Free smart phone app handles all your road trip calculations

2011-04-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

If you're one of those RVers who likes to keep a record of every penny you spend on vehicle maintenance, gas, oil, plus mileage, miles-per-gallon and every other aspect of your travels here's a smart phone application you should try. It's called Road Trip Lite and it's free from a company called Darrensoft. The company claims it's "the fastest and easiest way to keep track of your car’s fuel economy and maintenance expenses on your iPhone or iPod touch. (Also available for Android phones)" and that claim is echoed by reviewers from CNet, ZDNet and Mashable.

This is just one of the many screens of information you get from Road Trip. For more, visit the website: darrensoft.ca/roadtrip/ and click on "Screenshots".

New digital camera system promises to eliminate electronic interference

2011-04-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

If you own a travel trailer or 5th wheel and have secretly yearned for the kind of clear reception Class A and C owners get from their rear-mounted cameras your wish may be answered. ASA Electronics has just unveiled a new digital observation camera system with no wiring involved. Mount the camera where you want it, plug the monitor into the power point or cigarette lighter inside your truck and you're in business!

Here's the full story and demonstration from Dave Dufour with RVNewsNet.

Tethering your Smart Phone for Internet Access

2011-04-09T08:29:00.001-07:00

As RV travelers, you need to learn lots of different ways to connect to the Internet. There's Wi-Fi, Satellite, and Cellular as the three categories of mobile Internet access. But, within each of these categories there are *LOTS* of choices.

Cellular Internet Service
Cellular has become the most popular method of connecting, and it is getting better with every new cell tower installation or upgrade. Verizon is the most popular service among RVers because they generally have the best coverage as you travel. You can buy USB cellular modems to plug into your computer or router, you can buy a Mi-Fi which is a small, standalone device that creates a personal Wi-Fi hotspot. Then, your computers, iPods, iPads, printers, etc. can connect to it.

Geeks on Tour Tether their Droid
We (Jim and Chris of Geeks on Tour) plan to get the new 4G Mi-Fi real soon now ... but for now, we're using our Droid smart phone to tether to our computers for Internet service. The video below was recorded last summer on the road and we demonstrate how we tether the Droid. For more information, see our website page on Wireless Internet.

This is one of our 'Gabbing with the Geeks' video blogs. It's from summer 2010.

Find the nearest rest stop with AllStays Droid and iPhone app

2011-04-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Where is the closest rest stop? Where is the next one in your direction? Or one with wifi or an RV dump? This interstate rest stops app includes information on more than two thousand Interstate Welcome centers, turn outs, service plazas, scenic vistas and rest areas. A detail view lists all rest stop amenities iincluding restrooms, picnic tables, vending machines, pet-friendly, RV dump, handicap accessible, security and even wi-fi.

Heading northbound and don't want

to see southbound rest stops that you can't use? Looking specifically for an RV Dump or WiFi? You can filter Rest Areas and Turnouts by the direction you are heading and select amenities.

The Rest Stops Plus data is stored on your phone, so you don't need a strong Internet or G3 connection to use it. It integrates with Google Maps to display points of interest on a map.

This app is ad-free so there is a one time charge of 99-cents on Android Market, $1.99 from iTunes. Updates are free.

Dish Network announces pay-as-you go satellite service

2011-03-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

DISH Network RV Products Manager, Marcel Guajardo, shares the great news RVers have been waiting for:

"During the last year, I traveled to several rallies and trade shows across the country speaking to RVers about their satellite TV experiences. It was obvious that RVers love their TVs, but many travel only a few months a year and don’t want a year-long commitment. So we launched our new “Pay-as-you-go” program that lets you simply pay for TV service for only the months you travel.

RVers can sign up for a no-contract plan in which you only pay a monthly bill for the months that you travel. This presents huge savings for RVers since you don’t have to pay a monthly bill all year long. You can start and stop monthly service as many times as you want at no charge. The program offers HD programming and the convenience of having a dedicated receiver in your RV. There’s no better offer for those who want to enjoy television while they travel!

Key features of our Pay-as-you-go program:

* No contract required
* No additional monthly service fees
* No charges to start or stop monthly service
* HD programming
* Compact HD receiver
* View your off-air channels through your HD receiver

Have a Ku-band mobile satellite antenna? Want HD in-motion? Only DISH Network offers HD programming with any Ku-band mobile satellite antenna!"

To learn more, visit www.dish.com/rv or stop into Camping World.

The ultimate road app for carefree travelers

2011-03-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

If you're like most RV vagabonds you will begin a day's travel when you're good and ready, stop and poke around in interesting towns and attractions along the way and you'll decide later where to spend the night. There is nothing more confining than a rigid travel schedule.

For the past couple of years smartphone app developers have come up with some pretty nifty programs to help you find your way around specific locations such as state and national parks. Now, here's one for the road.

AllStays Camp & RV is reputedly the most comprehensive app yet developed for road warriors and is quickly becoming the favorite among RVers and tent haulers. Available for iPhone, iPad and Android, this powerful program uses gps and Google mapping technology to locate every point of interest with coordinates, address, directions and phone numbers plus website links and information about amenities. Information is updated constantly.

With the AllStays Camp & RV app you can find:

*16,825 RV parks and campgrounds including KOA, Private, State Parks, National Parks, BLM, National Forest, Army Corps of Engineers, even primitive hike-in and boat-in spots. Expanded details are available for most.

*Walmarts: Parking and No Parking noted with frequent on-site reports.

*Other overnight parking options including, but not limited to, casinos.

*2,800 Truck Stops with amenities, noting whether RVs are welcome, and what else is nearby.

*Sam's Club and Costco.

*Outdoor Supply Stores such as Camping World, REI, Cabelas, Gander Mountain, Dicks, Bass Pro Shops, etc.

*1,760 RV dealers, service departments and repair shops.

*2,455 Rest Areas, Welcome centers, turn outs, service plazas, and scenic vistas broken down by heading. Only heading northbound? You can filter Rest Areas and Turnouts by the direction you are heading. Filter by RV dumps or wifi. A detail view lists amenities like restrooms, picnic tables, vending machines, pet-areas, RV dump, handicap accessibility, security and even wi-fi availability.

Available at iTunes and on Android Market for $4.99 this may well be the ultimate travel app for RVers and campers. Reviews from users are impressive. For more information including technical support bulletins visit the AllStays website.

Apple launches iPad 2

2011-03-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

The long awaited update to Apple's iPad launched today. Steve Jobs says it’s all new from the bottom up. Well, let's see . . .

Possibly the most important change is the two new processors, the main CPU a Samsung A5 dual core processor that will run nine times faster than the original iPad, and a new graphics processor that’s twice as fast.

It is also 33% thinner, even thinner than the iPhone 4, and at 1.3 lbs. slightly lighter. It will be available in the US on March 11 if you care to stand in line early to get one, and will be available on both Verizon and AT&T. Oh, and it comes in white, also.

The new model will, unlike it's predecessor, have front and rear cameras and will include the Mac app Photo Booth that allows you to take pictures of yourself and whoever is hugging you at the time.

The new HDMI compatibility means you can plug it into your TV and will work with all apps. It’ll cost you an extra $39 for the HDMI cable converter.

The battery life will remain in the 10 hour range and prices will stay the same, $499 for the basic 16GB Wi-fi version, $829 for the 3G model with 64GB.

Apple is also introducing a couple of cool new iPad 2 cases, which unfortunately won't fit the original iPad. They have magnets that attach automatically to the screen and the iPad2 will automatically wake when the case is opened. Cost is $39 for the plastic version and $69 for leather.

2011 KOA Directory features Microsoft Tag

2011-03-02T07:42:00.000-08:00

Campers flipping through the new print edition of the 2011 Kampgrounds of America Directory will notice something different: Microsoft Tags that connect directory content with online extras such as photographs, videos, and internet specials.

“Adding nearly 500 Microsoft Tags to our new directory gives campers a way to directly access more information about our campgrounds than we would ever be able to print,” says Mike Gast, vice president of communications for Kampgrounds of America (KOA). “Our directory includes more Microsoft Tags than any other publication.”

The 2011 KOA Directory includes complete descriptions of all 474 KOA locations in North America, as well as detailed driving directions and locator maps. Each campground listing has a Tag that, when scanned with a smartphone, takes campers to a mobile site where they can view additional content specific to that location, such as photographs, videos, and up-to-date “Hot Deals.” More than 1 million copies of the directory are now being distributed at campgrounds and mailed to campers.

“We chose the Microsoft Tag technology because we are quickly able to change a Tag’s destination on the internet, if need be,” Gast says. “Tags allow us to keep the experience fresh for our campers. This is just the beginning of the blending of our printed directory and our online content.”

Fishing and boating guide for iPhone and Droid

2011-02-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), in conjunction with ReserveAmerica, the people who handle all your campground reservations online, has introduced Take Me Fishing, a free smart phone application that is a virtual fishing and boating tour guide.

   • Search by state or Zip code for hot spots, facilities and
     bodies of water.
   • Learn more about particular fish species, including
     helpful tips on catching methods, baits and lures.

A second free download brings you the Boat Ramp App that shows you where to find 35,000 boat launching and docking facilities.

Both apps are available now for iPhone at iTunes and in Android Market. You'll find detailed info at takemefishing.org.

iPhone App Guides California State Park Visitors

2011-02-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

The California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) has announced the release of its new iPhone application “CalParks.” The free app allows users to take trail guide information with them while they explore state parks and beaches across California. To develop and launch the app, CSPF partnered with EveryTrail, the leading online and mobile travel technology company.

The CalParks app offers visitors a detailed, media-rich, interactive, and location-aware experience, complete with Guides to over 45 parks. It is light-weight and always up-to-date with the latest park information. Users can download the app in the App Store today or find it on iTunes.

Cell phone customer service "satisfaction"

2010-12-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, the annual 'report card' on cell phone service customer satisfaction rolled out on the Internet. At the time we were preening ourselves, remarking on how smart we were to have left AT & T land a long time ago and made the jump to Verizon. Not only have we been pleased with our coverage and costs, but it just seemed like any interaction we had with the customer service folks always left us with that warm-and-fuzzy feeling, akin to having swallowed a miniature hot water bottle.

Having just got off the phone with Verizon "customer service," may I retract my statement with a heavy dose of the gag reflex.

Between the two of us, we generally can get by with sharing the least amount of minutes that Verizon sells. Occasionally, when things get out of hand in work or family, we have "up" the minutes to the next level. Then, when the heavy use month is over, it's always a simple matter to pick up the phone and request the company "roll us back" to the lower-minute, lower-cost plan. We've done it many times over the years we've been with Verizon. Apparently Verizon has decided folks can have too much of a good thing.

Since our bill date changes out on the 10th of the month, and here we are at the 15th, I suppose it was just too much to expect the Verizon folks to go back and wave their magic billing wand, restoring us to our lower-minute plan effective the 10th. No, my sweet telephone rep tells me, "Not possible." Instead, we get a dose of the reality that things won't change until today, and we'll wind up paying the premium of minutes we'll never use up to day, "pro-rated." So like the "old days," when you couldn't get help at the lower echelon, I asked to speak with a supervisor. Silly me.

Sure, I can speak to a supervisor, and what phone number would I like them to call me back on in the next 24 to 48 hours, sir? Eh? Gone are the days when supervisors are easily reached. If I don't mind sitting on the higher cost plan for another couple of days, maybe we can talk about it when the supervisor gets around to calling me back. Maybe they think a couple of days in the penalty box will take the edge off my grumpiness. Think again. It's just a couple more days for me to really wonder why the heavens I ever signed up for another two years service with these guys.

So much for customer service.

Anti-text n talk while driving software has drawbacks

2010-07-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Since many state and local governments are outlawing e-texting and cell phone talking while driving, companies are lining up to try and cash in on the legislation. Be it for employers to cut back on hired-driver texting, or by parents trying to keep the kids in line, the basic idea boils down to making the device recognize when it's in motion, then cutting off the ability for use.

Drive Safely Corporation's idea is to use a phone's GPS ability to "see" when the phone is moving at more than 15 miles per hour. To make legitimate use by a passenger, the phone will flash up a series of letters and numbers--the "legit" user then simply keys back in the series of characters. The designer's thinking is that a driver won't be able to concentrate on driving, and keying in the code to access the road.

We can already hear many parents clearing their throats. Tell us, what teen-aged, 'got the world by the tail' driver isn't going to try and prove he can beat that system and still keep the family fliver out of the ditch? Is there a "more harm that good" issue in this one? Other ideas from the safety engineers include an embargo on incoming or perhaps outgoing text messages until the vehicle comes to a stop.

The drawbacks? All of the new safety technologies come with a price, usually an up-front software download cost, and then a monthly subscription fee. And since the software can't determine whether the phone is in an RV, car, or truck--where texting would indeed be dangerous, versus whether the phone is on say, a bus or commuter train, there's always the "override" to allow for use in the latter. Somebody who really wants to text while driving has got the "out" with the override.

This leads to but one question: Can common sense trump out over technology?

photo commentary by mmajunkie92 on photobucket

New iPhone interactive photo guide app to Yosemite

2010-01-20T16:54:00.000-08:00

On Monday “iFotoGuide”, the only interactive location photography guide available on the iPhone and iPod Touch, released their second installment, the “iFotoGuide: Yosemite Valley” available at the Apple App Store.

This comprehensive digital guide to photographing one of America’s most popular national parks was created by photographers for professional and amateur photographers and claims to provide users with all the tools necessary for a successful and productive photo trip.

Filled with dynamic, interactive content and breathtaking images, “iFotoGuide: Yosemite Valley” replaces out of date hard copy guidebooks. Upon arrival in the park they can use the guide to find locations to photograph, the best time to be there, and what gear they’ll need.

An interactive park map allows users to zoom, pan, and select photography locations by name. Images in the photo gallery are interactive, with one touch providing detailed instructions for getting to and photographing each location.

Internet in Your Pocket - or Glovebox

2009-11-21T04:35:00.000-08:00

I've used a decent variety of mobile broadband adapters over the years, as I've tried to stay connected on the road. Some combinations work better than others. And nearly all fail at times - mostly dependent on where I was at the time. I recently used the Verizon Wireless MiFi, and had a pretty good experience.

The MiFi is a small device - about the size of a smartphone. It's role in the world is to connect to the Verizon Wireless network and allow any device to connect to the Internet through its WiFi connection. So, basically, it's a hotspot that you can carry with you.

This is not a new idea, of course. I've tried and written about these kinds of systems over the last 5 years or so. What sets the MiFi apart is mainly its size, which also makes it convenient. The other thing that sets it apart is that it's linked to a Verizon account, just like a cell phone.

Using the MiFi was dead simple. I turned it on and gave it a minute or so to find a signal. When it's lights turned the proper colors, indicating an active connection, I let my laptop discover local networks. It found the MiFi, and let me connect just as with any other WiFi connection.

The connection quality was decent, but not great. My opinion and experience with Verizon Wireless is that in most locations it's possible to get some kind of connection. In my little town, Verizon piggybacks over a local carrier's towers, and does not offer 3G speeds. That means that the connection works, but is excruciatingly slow. Still, I'll take slow over no. And as we left the area, and traveled the Interstate, the signal got significantly better.

Size is a big deal for this device - actually it's a 'small' deal because I was able to slip the MiFi into a pocket and stil use it. Very convenient.

The MiFI is available from Verizon Wireless, Sprint, AT&T, and probably a few other carriers. The price is right at (usually) about $100, but you'll need to sign up for a 2 year contract at about $70/month to get that pricing. This is what irks me about all the carriers. I'd prefer to buy the device at retail - about $200 - and pay monthly for service as I need it. But even if I do that, all the carriers want exorbitant fees for part time use, or a 2 year contract anyhow. Argghhh. (end of rant)

It supports up to 5 connections, so you can connect all the family laptops (depending on the size of your family). Obviously, all connections share the same bandwidth, so streaming video and music, not to mention downloads will affect everyone using the connection.

I like a lot of things about the MiFi - most significantly its size and simplicity.

RV users of Starband satellite Internet in miff

2009-10-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Keeping a solid Internet connection will RVing can be a challenge, particularly for those who boondock in the less populated areas of the country. We know, we've been Quartzsite denizens for years, and getting onto the web can be a major challenge in this land of nebulous connectivity.

A few years ago we made the jump and signed up for satellite Internet service. In Quartzsite, your choices are most decidedly few: Dial up, or trusting in the local wifi purveyor, who makes many claims, but sad to say, the coverage is spotty at best. It wasn't the easy road to travel, but we eventually had a satellite connection. Faster than dial up, Starband seemed like the answer to our Internet problem. We upgraded our system a couple of years ago, meaning new equipment, but with the new system came the opportunity to set up a "home network," which allows both of us to work on the web at the same time.

A couple of months ago Starband announced it was moving its customers from one satellite to another. We complied, and after a day's worth of grumbling and sweating, we finally got connected up on the new bird. We thought the tough part was over: Silly us.

Our dealer said most customers were singing the Hosannas of faster downloads. Within 24 hours we were on the phone trying to get an explanation of why it took five minutes or longer to simply download the Yahoo home page--when it would download. Trying to reach technical support was a major laugher--can you say hanging around on hold while your cell phone time ticks away like the sand in the hourglass?

We finally got the dealer on the horn. His explanation was that since so many Starband customers were being switched to the new satellite, it was tying up system bandwidth. After we suggested we were considering going to a broadband card through Verizon, he pleaded that we'd stick it out through another week, and to sweeten the deal, he'd see to it we got paid for a month's worth of satellite service.

We write this post from the Quartzsite library. We can't even log in to update posts using the satellite system; e-mail downloads like a slug in wet cement. We know of other RVers with Starband service--one of them sold us on it to start with. But don't ask us how things are going for them--we simply can't reach them.

Entertainment on the RV road

2009-08-20T13:08:00.001-07:00

Many campgrounds have cable TV, but particularly for those RVers depending on off-air TV signals, the advent of digital television with its shorter broadcast distance, means you may not be able to get as many (or any at all) channels in the same locations you had great reception in last year. Here are a few options.

On one of my last excursions I had spotty Internet connectivity. The problems were brought on by a combination of satellite Internet through DirectWay and enthusiastic Internet users who overloaded the bandwidth provided by DirectWay. Keep in mind that the services I'm recommending here depend on having good connectivity and generous limits on data transfer volumes. I have not measured the requirements of each of these, but they are all in the 'more than e-mail' load category, and lower than what it takes to download streams of MP3 files.

That said, if your campground provides decent WiFi to your site, you should be able to take advantage of at least some of these services. If you have your own wireless broadband connection via one of the cellular services, with a 5gb/month limit, you are likely to be able to get decent performance, but need to check your usage as you go. Overusing the allotted capacity can be expensive.

TV
The easiest and least taxing on your bandwidth is simply finding the local television station's Internet channel. These are usually pretty good for keeping up with local news and weather. You'll also find coverage of wider interest, but for national and international news, CNN, Fox News, or other news sources work well.

If your television interests are more focused on entertainment, HULU is a great source. HULU streams movie trailers, TV episodes, and lots of other content. You're likely to find the full series of your favorite shows there. But as a word of caution, this kind of streaming video is one of those that eats into your available bandwidth and your download allotment. The quality of your viewing depends on how good your Internet connection is at the time you're watching.

Movies
You may have brought a few DVDs with you, that you got from Netflix before you left the driveway. Depending on your Netflix account level, you can watch a certain number of hours of Netflix movies through your online connection. While you have over 100,000 DVD movies available through the traditional Netflix delivery service, there are "only" about 12,000 available for online viewing.

There are lots of other services offering television and movie viewing online. Some of them are legitimate, and some of them just want you to install their viewer on your computer, which can be a security risk depending on the company. If you've found any providers that offer good selections and service, without any burdensome requirements, post them here for us.

Music
Of course, there's always AM and FM radio, and for many of us, there's satellite radio as well. One other option is the plethora of Internet radio available. One of the most interesting is Pandora. Pandora lets you find exactly the song or artist you want to listen to, then builds a listening series based on your preferences. It's a free service, and in terms of bandwidth requirements, is significantly less a hog than any of the video services.

Equipment
It may seem obvious, but it's worth mentioning that all these services are available through your computer (not your television). I dusted off an old laptop computer and mounted it under my television set, then connected the VGA port on the laptop to the VGA adapter on my flat panel TV. I use a wireless keyboard and mouse to control the TV/computer combination from the sitting area. If your TV doesn't have the proper connection, you can simply watch the videos on your laptop screen - maybe not as large as you'd like, but probably much better resolution.

I also ran a wire from the laptop to the 'aux' input on my camper's sound system. This makes for a nice distribution of the sound through much better speakers than those installed in either my laptop or my TV.

Above all, be sure to watch out for bandwidth and download limitations. You'll know immediately if you are overstretching the bandwidth available because you'll get pauses and hesitation in your video. It's not so easy to know about download volumes, so find out from your Internet provider where to check, and do so often.

Follow Scott Koegler on Twitter.

Connecting - or Not

2009-08-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

This is not one of my usual product eval/reviews. Rather, I thought I'd describe my trials during our current camping trip with regard to being able to be connected to the internet.

For better or for worse, when I travel / camp, I'm never away from my work. Of course the good part of that is that I can travel pretty much whenever and wherever I like. The converse is that I'm pretty much always working - at least for some part of the day. But I'm fortunate in that I love what I do, and as long as I have a decent internet connection, I'm able to accomplish most of what I need to get done. And that's where this post begins... getting and staying connected in less than optimum conditions.

I've stayed in plenty of great campgrounds that offer well managed and speedy WiFi service - often for free. And I've stayed in places that don't offer WiFi, which is why I carry both AT&T and Sprint wireless broadband cards with me. During all my travels last year, I was able to connect using one of the setups.

This week's trip is a 10 day stay at a beautiful, well managed campground New River Junction in SW VA. Our site is directly on the New River, and we've taken advantage of tubing and canoing the river during our stay. The campground advertises free WiFi, and even has a directional antenna with a decent booster attached. I was expecting good things and easy connectivity during the week.

After setting up and getting comfortable, I decided to check my email. I was able to connect to the camp's network using the access code provided at the office, and my email began to appear - slowly. No problem; I'm connected and getting what I needed for the time being.

The next day, connectivity was a different story. I was able to connect to the network, but could not get to any web sites. The camp office doesn't open till 11:00 am, but unconcerned, I switched on my camper's own router using my AT&T card. After waiting a few minutes, I was able to connect to the network, but it seemed that AT&T service was unavailable in this large, remote valley. On to the next option...

I inserted my iPass card (Sprint service) and fired up a connection. Happily, I was able to get a slow, but usable connection, even though the connection reported itself as Roaming. I guessed that I should conclude my business and terminate the roaming connection ASAP, which I did.

I should say here that I was probably able to get the Sprint connection, only because I have a decent cellular booster that uses a trucker's antenna mounted atop the camper. Still, it was not a happy situation.

When the campground office opened, I asked about the connection, and found that the local cable company doesn't support this area, DSL service has just recently been announced here, but is not installed yet, and the current connection is a satellite connection through DirectWay. I've used satellite connections before, and they have been passable, but using one as a campground's main connection is fraught with issues, and one of them was showing itself.

Satellite providers have pretty restrictive 'fair use' policies that limit how much bandwidth can be consumed at any given time, and for how many megabytes of download. In a campground, it's likely that any number of campers might decide to
a) download some music
b) listen to internet radio
c) play a Netflix video
d) watch a Hulu tv episode
e) browse Youtube videos
f) have a video chat over Skype
g) ... well you get the idea

It seems this happens regularly here and has been a source of consistent outages, as DirectWay simply shuts off the service when it determines its bandwidth limits have been exceeded. In fact, it shuts down the service for 24 hours. The campground owner explained that he's contacted DirectWay about this, but they won't budge in restoring service ahead of time. His only recourse is to pay for more bandwidth, but I expect there is no capacity that is likely to be 'enough' for this situation.

So what was my solution? I waited for the campground to clear out on Monday when service was restored, and even then I decided that a trip to Barnes & Noble for coffee and free (fast) WiFi was the thing to do. I was able to get the majority of my work done in a couple of hours, then return to the campground and spend most of the rest of the day sitting in my chair - in the river.

After all, there's got to be at least some time for non-tech camping, right?

Are You On the Centerline?

2009-08-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

Most RVs are wider than the typical passenger vehicle - or at least that's how it seems when you're pulling a rig, or driving a motor home. I'm always checking my passenger side mirror and center line to make sure I'm not hanging over the line, particularly when I'm in heavy traffic, or on a narrow road. But a couple weeks ago I discovered a little gem that, after installing it, seemed like one of those 'duh' moments.

The device is called LaneSeeker and is a nice solution to the problem of trying to stay within the lines on the road. In itself, LaneSeeker is a LED light mounted on a plastic strip that attaches via suction cups to your windshields. The LED runs on AA battery pack. Installation is simple, and consists of mounting the plastic strip on the inside of your windshield so that the LED lines up between your eyes and the center line.

What does this accomplish? Simple... it provides a point of reference for you and your position on the road. The first step in installation is to park your vehicle about 12 to 18 inches from a center line. The instructions recommend finding a parking lot or other non-busy location, and stopping your vehicle at an appropriate distance from the line. In other words, at about the distance you would normally want to drive in relation to the center line. Once you've parked, position the plastic strip and LED on the windshield, sit in your normal position, and adjust the LED from side to side on the strip, till it lines up with the center line.

It really is a simple approach. Once positioned, you can judge your position on the road by lining up the LED with the center line, and you know that you're about 12 to 18 inches from the center line.

I used the LaneSeeker on a recent trip, and it worked nicely. I found that I wasn't constantly checking the right side mirror for the position of the edge of the road. I was more constantly looking at the LED, and keeping it on track. During the day, I turned on the LED to make it a stand out a bit more from the bright sun. At night, I turned it on to make the reference point more visible.

I wondered if simply putting a strip of tape on the windshield, in place of the LED might serve the same purpose, and in some ways it does the job just as well. However, the tape only works well in daylight since I wasn't able to see the tape well at night. Also, the battery pack provides a simple power source for the LED, but I'm certain the first time I forget to turn it off, the batteries will be dead next time I try to turn it on. I think that an option to plug the LaneSeeker into a cigarette lighter socket would make for more reliable use.

At any rate, for $30 or less the LaneSeeker is a nice addition that reduces my driving stress, and keeps me from wandering into my neighbors' paths.

Kill the Noise in Your Head

2009-07-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

I've been using the Klipsch S4 in-ear phones for the last few weeks. These phones are billed as noise reduction units. You may already know that there are two main types of noise reduction phones - passive and active. The Klipsch units are of the passive variety.

Passive means that there are no special electronics reversing the signal of the ambient sounds, and feeding the results back into the sound stream, thereby cancelling the background noise. If you've used these, you know they are amazing, but they also produce some side effects, the main one being the feeling of some kind of pressure on your ear drums. The Klipsch design simply blocks your ears as do normal earplugs, and inserts the sound from the speakers directly into your ears.

Do they work? Absolutely. In fact, they block not only the ambient background noise, but they also block pretty much everything else in the area. This makes them great for those times you want to zone out the rest of the world, and concentrate on what you want to listen to.

I attempted to use the S4 while driving, but quickly remembered that first - it's not a good idea to tune out all road noise while you're driving, and second - it's illegal in most states to do so. That gave me a good excuse to change seats with my alternate driver; my wife, so I could continue my testing.

As it turns out, my testing went well, and I was able to listen to my podcasts and music without distratcions. In fact, I couldn't even hear my wife, as she sat next to me when she asked a question. Depending on your state of mind, and your relationship, this may not be a good thing.

I also had occasion to use the S4 on an airplane trip, and the unit did a great job filtering out engine noise. One side benefit of blocking background noise is that you don't need to turn up the volume to ear-damaging levels, in order to hear what you want to hear.

I recommend them for those times you want solitude. Just be sure you follow the rules of the road, and the rules of civility when you use them.

RVing Sport Geocaching, Nets California Parks Guidelines

2009-05-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

Geocaching--that high-tech form of "hide and seek," has been an immense hit among many RVers. It's a natural--out of doors sport that nearly anyone can do, combined with computers and other high tech gadgets like GPS units.

But California State Parks folks want to make sure there's not too much of a good thing. Last week the agency released guidelines for geocaching on State Park lands. Here are the latest, "please do and don'ts."

· Caches may be allowed where they do not affect natural, cultural and historical resources, visitor safety or other park users.

· Caches are typically not allowed or encouraged in the following State Park System units:

-State Cultural Reserve
-State Natural Reserve
-State Historic Park and State Historic Monument
-State Wilderness

· Virtual caches are encouraged and must adhere to the applicable requirements used for physical caches.

· Caches may not be buried, nor may vegetation, rocks or other features be marked or damaged in the process of placing, accessing or maintaining the cache.

· Physical caches are not permitted inside or upon any State Park facility or structure.

· Caches may not be permanently attached (glued, bolted, or screwed) to any historic structure, monument, archaeological, natural or geologic feature.

· Caches are not allowed within 300 feet of streams, marshes or sensitive water features.

· Caches may not be placed more than three feet from a designated trail.

Explaining the backdrop of the new guidelines, the state said, “We understand the popularity of this sport and the demand for it to continue,” said Tony Perez, Deputy Director for Operations for California State Parks. “Our concern is that many have secretly hidden such caches in places where repeated searches, successful and unsuccessful, have caused damage to facilities or natural areas. We are asking that visitors follow our guidelines and respect these fragile environments to insure they survive for the benefit of future generations.”

photo: Mat Honan on flickr.com

California Drivin'? Don't Text, Tommy!

2009-01-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

In what should be a real, "Duh!" situation, California has joined five other US states that prohibit drivers from driving and texting at the same time. Electronic billboards on the Interstate 5 corridor remind drivers to keep their texting for break times.

In a story appearing in the San Franciso Chronicle, "Texting while driving is so obviously unsafe that it's hard to imagine that anyone would attempt it," said Sen. Joe Simitian, the Palo Alto Democrat who was the author of the cell phone and text-messaging bills. "But everyday observation as well as statistical information from around the state and nation suggest otherwise."

Statistical information? Two different surveys revealed some scary ones. An insurance company poll revealed that some 19% respondents confessed to texting while driving; another poll showed over three-fourths of their respondents had sometime texted while driving. How can you text and drive? Use your knees to maintain the steering wheel, and hope nothing happens while your face is pointed at the display.

The results are carnage on a grand scale. Five teenage girls were killed in 2007 when the driver of their car smashed into a truck while texting. And need we mention the California metro train accident that took 25 lives whilst the train's engineer was keying text messages?

The California law's teeth aren't large: Senator Simitian figures first-time offenders will be out around $100. Other states where you can get a ticket for texting include Washington, Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota and New Jersey.

photo: tommy and georgie on flickr.com

New California law limits GPS placement on windshield

2009-01-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

Watch where you mount your GSP unit in California. It's now illegal to drive in the state with a GPS on most places on the windshield. Realistically, to stay within the law, users have to somehow affix the devices to the dash or use a bean-bag type holder. According to a state law that went into effect Jan. 1, a GPS device can be mounted on the windshield, but only in two places:

Within a "seven-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield" on the passenger side or within a "five-inch square in the lower corner" on the driver's side. The first position works if a passenger is the navigator. The second position reportedly works well for the driver.

The law reads: “No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied in or upon the vehicle which obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view through the windshield or side windows.” So we also assumed you should remove that fuzzy pair of oversized dice you have hanging from your rear view mirror.

If you happen to get pulled over by a copy and cited for having your GSP in the wrong place (not likely) you will be given a ticket that says you need to change the GPS to a legal position. Once done, you can pay $10 and have the ticket removed from your record.

Using iPass - Pretty Much Wherever You Might Be

2008-11-03T13:26:00.000-08:00

Last week we pulled our camper to Columbia, SC. The drive itself was uneventful, with the weather crisping up as Autumn began to slide down the East Coast. We parked at the Mount Pleasant KOA, in the same spot we used last year, and met my parents who were making their annual pilgrimage from Ohio to Central Florida in their 42' Travel Supreme. And we also got to visit with our Niece, who lives in Charleston, so it's a great spot for a reunion.

Like most/all KOAs, Mount Pleasant offers free wifi service. Last year the service was marginal, but usable. This year, it had more problems than last, and while my wife's laptop could connect about 1/2 the time, I couldn't connect at all. That's when I fired up my own wifi router/wireless broadband, and my new iPass card. I let my wife connect to our router, and decided to try out the iPass on my laptop. Here's what I found...

iPass is a mix and match combination of service and hardware. The intent of iPass is to make it possible to get an internet connection wherever you might be, via either a wifi or wireless broadband connection. The heart of the service is the software that you install on your laptop that manages the subscription(s) you've signed up for.

I launched the iPassConnect software, and it immediately scanned my available connectivity options. It found the two wifi networks in the area: my personal wifi router, and the KOA's wifi service. It also identified the iPass PCMCIA card connected to the laptop. Each of the two wifi networks displayed connectivity strength, with (as expected) the campground network showing only 1 bar, while my own router showed 4 bars.

I selected the mobile data connection rather than either of the wifi networks, and the system dutifully initialized the card, and made the connection. I was able to get online in just a few seconds, and the internet speed test showed a download speed of just over 1 mb/sec, which was about twice what my wife was able to achieve when connected to the campground wifi. It was, however, equivalent to the speed delivered through our own router, which was what I expected, since both my router's broadband connection, and the iPass service were using Sprint.

The point of this experience is that I was able to pick and choose the connection I wanted based on what was available at the time and place. iPass also supports wired Ethernet, tethered cell phone connections, and even dialup, when absolutely necessary. The service is available internationally, which makes it great for business travelers.

The Windows (only) laptop plan I'm using includes both wifi and 3G wireless for $59.95/month. The company is offering a free 3G card with signup (at least at the time of this writing).

One added convenience, is the Handheld Hotspot Finder, which is a web site that lets you find the closest wifi hotspot. I was able to use it on my Windows 6 based Blackjack II, but you should be able to use any cell phone that has a browser and internet plan. In my area, it located 2 McDonald's, and displayed a map of the locations. The wifi subscription includes T-Mobile Hotspots, Borders, Starbucks, Hilton Hotels, FedEx Kinkos, and others. The iPass web site claims "100,000 premium locations around the world."

The iPass is now part of my permanent collection for travel I'm not certain I'll give up my router and USB connection, because it lets me connect my wife's computer, my Chumby, and my Archos MP3 device via wifi. But when I'm just carrying my laptop, the iPass is my first choice.

Connecting on the Road

2008-10-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

Last Summer, my wife, two dogs, and I spent 6 weeks traveling just over 6,000 miles across the US. It was a great trip, and we saw a lot of the country. While on the road, I blogged about it at bMighty.com, and tracked the trip destinations at Brightkite.com.

Because I'm not independently wealthy, I had to work while on the trip, and in addition to posting my blog entries, I needed to stay connected in order to publish my various newsletters. So, getting online in places like South Dacota, and central Wyoming were a challenge. I resorted to wireless broadband and wifi in the camper, but sometimes had to actually take the laptop into a cafe or campground office to make the connection.

This week I'll be pulling the camper to Charleston, SC, where I doubt I'll have any problem at all connecting. That's partially due to the fact that the campground has free wifi, but also due to the combination of connectivity products I now travel with.
Here's the list:

AT&T U727 wireless broadbandUSB device
iPass PCMCIA card/subscription (Sprint and wifi)
Blackjack II with modem tether service (also AT&T)
Wilson cellular booster in the van
Wilson cellular booster in the camper
zBoost YX230 cellular booster
NexAira wireless 3g broadband router

The nice thing is that when I'm able to connect to wifi at the campground, both my wife's and my own laptops are independent of pretty much the entire list above. But when campground wifi either isn't available, or simply sucks, I start powering up all the boosters, in search of a signal.
What's new to my list above is the iPass card, and it may be the most important, and flexible addition. I plan to put this service to the test over the next two weeks, as I'll be in the camper at both ends of the Carolinas. But here are the short details:

For $60/month (the same rate as my AT&T data tethering service) I get both unlimited Wifi and wireless broadband service all across North America. Now, I haven't checked, but if that truly does include Canada, it's even more of a bargain.

The service comes with a free PCMCIA card, though I would prefer a USB adapter (I just don't like all those little pins).

And the list of wifi connection locations is pretty impressive. Just McDonalds and Starbucks makes it likely you can find wifi in nearly any inhabited location.

More specifics when I'm done testing, but this makes me happy.
Scott

M-Rock Camera Belt and Bags

2008-07-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

I've been using the M-Rock camera bag and belt combination to carry my selection of cameras on this trip. In particular, I'm using this combination while climbing around the Grand Canyon. While I normally opt to carry my equipment in my hand, or around my neck, where I can easily get to it, I've decided that the proximity to imminent disaster (falling 3,000+ feet over the edge), dictates that my hands be used for grabbing things that can steady me.

The combination of bags I'm using hold my SLR, video camera, and miscellaneous items that I might want along the route. I'm not using the shoulder straps that come with the belt, because the weight of the equipment doesn't justify them. But having my equipment securely strapped around me, and protected by adequate padding, has saved both me and my cameras from being scuffed up a couple times already.

The Digital RV
Learn everything “digital” as it relates to an RVer: Connecting to the internet, enjoying a stereo system that weighs ounces, managing digital photos and more.

HiDef Video - Keep Them Informed

2008-07-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

I have a collection of 3 video cams on this excursion. Interestingly, I like all of them, but each for different reasons. Such is life, right? As for a recommendation, I can only say that each has its own best use. I've already covered the VADO here . The other two are the JVC Everio GZ-MG330RUS and DXG 569V. Two very different cameras... actually three, when you count the VADO.

The DXG is advertised as a high definition video camera. Technically speaking, it is just that. It has the 9:16 aspect ration, and records in high-def at 1280 x 720 at 30fps. I like that because it displays nicely on wide screen displays. It also has a very nice 3 inch LCD for recording and for viewing. Making the video recording even better, is the tiny LED light in the front. This helps (if only marginally) when recording in dim, but not dark, conditions.

The camera is easy to use, and also can record still images. I haven't used the still image capabilities much, because I have plenty of still digicams for that purpose, and the image quality is much better from them.

The 569V has a zoom feature, but as you might expect for its price (as low as $129 online), it is only a 2x digital zoom... nearly worthless in my opinion. That said, I think the video image produced by the camera is very good. Color rendition and clarity is worthy of the most important home videos. In fact I used it to record a series of video interviews at a conference. The video quality turned out nicely.

But that brings me to the greatest weakness of the unit. The microphone is located on top of the camera, facing up... not forward. That means you get great recordings of the person holding the camera, but nearly useless sound from the subject. A bad design, for sure.

The camera takes SD memory cards, and I was able to use 8GB cards in it, so there is plenty of record time.

The other nice touch is the software bundle that includes editing and uploading. During out current travels, I've used this to upload videos to Youtube and Flickr. My friends back home are ecstatic about being able to follow our trip through video and still images. You can see them for yourself here.

The Digital RV
Learn everything “digital” as it relates to an RVer: Connecting to the internet, enjoying a stereo system that weighs ounces, managing digital photos and more.

Carrying All That Gear

2008-06-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

I carry a lot of gadgets when I'm traveling, and it's always a pain trying to keep track of everything. That's true in general, but it's particularly true when I'm frequently in and out of the car, or even just walking through town or a campground. But I've found a couple of solutions that make life a little easier.

More importantly, the clothing from Scottevest let me carry a variety of items without looking like a geek... or worse, looking like a tourist. I have both the TEC Shirt and the Essential Jacket. The Essential Jacket converts from a jacket to a vest by unzipping the sleeves. But both, in fact all of the Scottevest products, incorporate the same kind of 'hidden pocket' function that I love.

The TEC Shirt is made of microfiber, and is predictably comfortable, not to mention warm. It looks like any comparable, stylish shirt, but has several pockets, accessible from both outside and inside the shirt. Here's the web site where you can get a better look, but here's a video I made of the shirt in action.

Charge it! All!

2008-06-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

Our TT has what I would call a 'normal' number of AC outlets. Unfortunately, what's normal for most, is insufficient for a family with what many might consider to be an exorbitant number of things to plug in. Even with a bunch of outlet strips, the wall-warts take up a lot of room. Fortunately I found the Callpod Chargepod.

With the Chargepod I use a single AC outlet connected to the circular 'pod'. From there, I connect as many as 6 devices, each to its own connector. I like the convenience of the single adapter, plus it eliminates the tangle and confusion of all the chargers and wires I've had to unravel every time I needed to charge something. My wife likes that it keeps everything in one place, since I'm always trying to remember where I plugged in my (fill in the blank) when it's time to head out the door.

Video From Wherever

2008-06-21T03:59:00.000-07:00

All my life, I've been a still image kind of guy. And even on digital cams that have the ability to shoot video clips, I've never taken advantage of them. Video has always seemed inconvenient to me. The thought of editing clips, doing background sound, and burning CD/DVD copies seemed somehow to be way too much work, particularly when cruising around in the camper. But I'm becoming a convert to video, now that several tools are in place that make it so much easier to manage the process.

In particular, I like Creative's new VADO video camera. It's a successor to the first of it's kind, the Flip, that was developed specifically to take video clips destined for youtube.com and other online presentation/storage facilities.

The VADO is eminently pocketable, and easy to use with one hand. I've become used to carrying it around in my pocket and pushing the on button whenever something looks to be interesting. I have it set to "HQ", or high quality video, which will let me record up to 1 hour of video. The lower quality setting allows 2 hours, but there is a definite difference in the quality, and 2 hours just seems like a lot of video to me.

There is a 2x digital zoom on the unit, which I've used a couple of times. Digital zoom on a video cam is more useful than for still images, because I assume that I'll eventually edit / crop a still, but not a video. I've also been happy with the sound recording of the VADO. Not that it's particularly great, but it's adequate, and I think that's really the point of the whole thing.

But the payoff for these kinds of videos is in the ease of publishing them. The process is dead simple:

Pull the USB connector from its slot in the bottom of the VADO and insert it into an open USB port on your PC.
Allow the VADO application to launch.
Select the video clip you want to publish.
Click either Youtube or Photobucket as your publishing destination.
Enter a title and some descriptive text.
Click the Upload button.

And your video is published.

The quality is more than adequate, and for $99 (either in pink or in silver), the VADO is great fun for catching those fun, awkward, embarassing, unusual, etc... moments, and sharing them with the world.

Starbucks free (?) wifi needs shot of caffine

2008-06-04T10:21:00.000-07:00

When the big gorilla of coffee shop chains rolled out its "free wifi" offer, it appears that many thought the idea was grounds for the perfect arrangement. All that the company requires for two free hours of wifi access every day is to sign up for a $5 rewards card, or register an existing Starbucks gift card. Then, as long as you buy something with the card at least once a month, the two free wifi access hours remain.

So many have signed onto the idea, that many others are finding they can't get in on the deal. On trying to access the Starbucks' Card Rewards web site, some are being turned away by an error message, told to come back later. Starbucks says the problem is not that of AT&T, the wifi provider, but that of their own servers. They say they problem will be fixed soon, and that joe-imbibers will be able to get their daily fix of the internet, too.

Finding the Right Place

2008-05-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

We are preparing for our 6 week sojourn, and thankfully, all the important stops are reserved. I've always had difficulty finding campgrounds either along the way, or in particular places, even though I have several printed catalogs of campgrounds, and numerous online listings.

But today, I tried a web service that I hadn't seen previously. Before, I send you there, I want to preface with a bit of explanation about the evolution of today's internet, because recent changes in the way web sites are built have been instrumental in making this new campsite finder possible.

If you use any of the "web 2.0" sites like Google Maps, Facebook, Youtube, Flickr, Digg, or Skype (there are hundreds more), then you understand how these sites seem not only more fluid, but also very feature rich. Part of the reason for this is the ability these sites provide to software developers to combine the best parts of the sites with the best parts of other sites, and then with software they develop on their own. These so-called "Mashups" become something that the developers of the original applications likely never imagined.

Such is the case with RV Park Finder. This site uses Google Maps combined with a database of RV Parks, and some custom software that lets you select a state, that then displays the state map along with pointers to every listed park. Like many park lists, you can add your own, and comment on ones you know about. Unlike most others, there is no advertising on the site.

It works for the US and Canada (only), but in my limited experience so far, this is the most direct way to locate parks in North America. I was able to discover lots of parks I wasn't able to find in other lists, and booked 3 of them today.

Making Hitching Up Easier

2008-05-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

We are prepping for our cross-country trip this year. We will cover a little more than 6,000 miles, pulling our 32' TT with a Ford E-350 Extended van. The only real issue I had (other than paying for gas) was the wobbly nature of my 50'+ combination.

I've had a Reese dual-cam setup for a couple years, and it has done a decent job, but I decided to bite the bullet in advance of this trip, and get a Hensley Arrow hitch, and completely eliminate the sway factor. Fortunately, I found a used hitch on eBay, and was able to set it up without much difficulty.

I was warned, in advance that connecting up to the hitch was one of the (if the only) problem with using the Hensley. This trip will include unhooking/hooking almost every night, I knew I needed a reliable way to get the job done.

Since I had already installed a backup cam on the van, I decided to reposition the camera portion, to use it to ease the daily chore of hitching up.

I mounted the camera portion of the backup cam to the bumper, directly above the hitch mount, and angled down a bit. The wireless viewer is mounted on the dash. The camera instructions suggest connecting the power to the backup lights, but I connected the camera to the tail lights so it comes on whenever the van's lights are on.

Here is a video of the backup process, as seen through the viewer on my dash. I was taking the video with one hand, while backing up, which accounts for the sloppy camera work. However, at no time was I actually watching the back end of the van, nor did I have any help.

¿Tengo Internet?

2008-05-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

¿Tengo Internet?

Such a question, phrased in Spanish, would inquire as to the availability of an internet connection. In the Ameicano vernacular, TengoInternet now refers to a growing company that provides internet wifi services to RV parks across the US.

It didn't exactly start out with a boom. In 2002 when TengoInternet founder Eric Stumberg tried hawking wifi services to RV park owners, many found him plumb loco. "It was a very hard sell at the time," he says. "Most of the owners were independent operators. They weren't technically savvy themselves, and they viewed WiFi as a technology versus an amenity. A lot of them were concerned about its obsolescence."

My how the tide has turned. Today Strumberg's company has servers in 300 RV parks, and the money is flowing in: Nearly two and a half million dollars in 2007. What makes the market go? It's those young dollar-bearing folks. Baby boomers are making the RV market grow, and Gen-Xers are seen by many in the industry as a growing salvation. Boomers and Xers have a perfect addiction to the internet, and TengoInternet sees itself as the supplier.

Users typically purchase airtime at a participating RV park. However, visitors to the TengoInternet site can also purchase time online. Rates? They start at $4.95 per day up to $29.95 per month of service. Yep, you can find wifi service free in some cafes--but it won't take long to drink up that much in lattes. For a map of enabled RV parks, visit here.
For more on the rise of TengoInternet, visit bizjournals.

Multiple Computers - One Internet Connection

2008-02-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

Even though I'm the one who relies on a computer to earn our living, my wife spends her fair share of time online as well. In the past, we've shared a laptop. It's been less than convenient, but we've worked out our schedules so that we both get enough time at the keyboard. But this year we bought a second laptop so we could both do what we needed, when we wanted.

One problem with having multiple computers when on the road is that both computers need internet connectivity. If you're lucky enough to be in a campground that offers (and delivers) free Wifi, you're in good shape. But I can't count on that. Most of the time I end up paying a fee for access, or using a cellular connection. Both of those options mean that I'm only going to have a single connection to the internet.

Synet's Windy31 fixes that problem. It's just exactly what I need to let both of us connect through a single internet connection. The unit connects to the USB port on the laptop that's connected to the internet (actually, you can connect it to a desktop just as easily), and becomes a Wifi access point and router... just like the one I have at home. The difference is that it's small and routes through the laptop to create a private wireless network.

I plugged the Windy31 into my laptop and the software loaded from the USB device... no CD was needed. I'm guessing the software is stored in memory in the USB unit. When I turned on my wife's laptop, it scanned for Wifi networks. It found the Windy31, connected to it, and was online in a few seconds.

I'm sure there are plenty of other uses for the Windy31, but this will do for me. Sorry, but it only runs on Windows XP and Vista computers, but of course any Wifi device (Apple, Wifi phone, etc.) can connect through it. Retail price is around $60.

Printing on the Go - Without a Printer

2008-02-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

I take a lot of photos when we're on the road. I store them on my laptop, back them up to my desktop at home, and upload them to Flickr.com where I can share them easily. I also carry a small Epson photo printer so I can make prints and give them to fellow travelers. But sometimes I want prints that are larger, better quality, or just plain different.

I've used a variety of print services ranging from local pharmacies to specialty print services offered by the likes of Kodak's EasyShare service. But I recently tried RocketLife as a way to create both a calendar and a coffee-table photo book, and the results are stunning.

RocketLife offers to help you create a variety of print products including the calendar and photo book I made, but also including greeting cards, posters, photo collages, mousepads, puzzles, and more. But this isn't just your standard "print this picture on a calendar for me" kind of service.

RocketLife makes your finished products different by automatically arranging your photos on pages in interesting ways, combining photos and backgrounds. What's more, if you don't like what RocketLife produced automatically, you can ask the system to try again, producing different results, or you can take control and manually rearrange (as well as add or remove) photos on the page.

What makes RocketLife great for us folks on the move, is that it lets us create our designs wherever we are, then ships the finished product to our selected location. That means we can create gifts for delivery elsewhere, or ship to our current, or even next location.

I got great results from my projects. The photos were printed on high quality, heavy paper and looked like professional print products you would buy in a book store. My 12-month, 8.5 x 11 calendar cost $20, and my 20 page hard bound 8.5 x 11 book was $40.

I enjoy using RocketLife for these printed products because it delivers high quality, and does something I can't do on my own.

Phone numbers for where you are

2008-02-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

There are times when we are traveling and would like to have the folks we are visiting be able to reach us via a local phone call. There are also those times we want to give out our phone number, but really don't want to receive calls from the folks (most usually a sales operation) after a certain period of time.

For those situations and more, I've been using a service called Vumber. When you sign up for a Vumber phone number, you can select pretty much any area code in the US, and a number is assigned to you. That number is then redirected to your existing cell phone or land line number.

So far, that's not all that unusual since there are lots of services that can do that.

What sets Vumber apart is its range of features.

For one thing, you can request your number be changed at any time, making it convenient to use for those "temporary contacts."
You can also set up your preference for how caller ID is shown, both on inbound and outbound calls, so that your calls appear to be originating from your Vumber.
There is, of course, a voicemail account for each Vumber, and messages can be sent to your email account.
But one of my favorite features is the ability to have multiple Vumbers. This means that I can have a Vumber in multiple area codes, and call from and receive calls to all of them at any time.

Of course, there are costs to using Vumber. The basic charge is $9.99 per month for one Vumber. You can change your Vumber twice at no charge, but there is a charge thereafter, as well as for additional Vumbers.

WiFi now available at Four Louisiana State Parks

2008-01-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Louisiana State Parks is now offering free wireless Internet access to RV enthusiasts and other campers. Sites participating in this new service, and the overnight accommodations available, include:

* Bayou Segnette SP (Westwego): group camp, campsites
* Fairview-Riverside SP (Madisonville): campsites
* Fontainebleau SP (Mandeville): campsites
* Poverty Point Reservoir SP (Delhi): cabins, lodges, campsites

State Parks guests with a laptop that possesses wireless accessibility (i.e., a wireless card) should detect the signal automatically while on park grounds. Guests are advised that technical support for the wireless service is not available at these sites.

The addition of this newest guest service is a pilot program, to determine the feasibility of offering wireless Internet at Louisiana's State Parks. Having information, such as lake conditions or weather forecasts, can add to the experience of the visitor. In addition, Internet access can provide an alternative activity for family members who are less inclined to participate in outdoor recreation.

Over-the-Road Wireless For Dummies Learn how to get connected on the road. Covers WiFi, choosing equipment and services, protecting data, managing your business and personal affairs, enjoying online entertainment and more.

Turn Your Cell Phone Into a GPS

2007-12-26T12:44:00.000-08:00

For those of us gageteers who'd love to add a GPS unit to our holdings, but find we already have too much stuff, can't afford it now, et al, will be pleased to hear the news: You can turn many cellphones into a GPS unit with Fugawi Touratel. Sounds a lot like some kind of sushi, but its actually internet-based software that can play on a lot of different cell phones.

For a $3 a month fee, Northport Software will let you "tune" your internet accessing cell phone to its site. Your phone doesn't need Bluetooth to work. When you bring up the Fugawi Touratel site, you can "tap into" maps that will show your location on high resolution US Geological Survey maps, street maps, air photos, and more. You can use the software to find nearby locations and maybe get yourself out of trouble without pulling into a gas station.

Right now the software is compatible with cell phone models by LG Electronics, Motorola, Samsung, and Sanyo, from carriers that include Alltel, Boost Mobile, and Sprint . Northport plans to add support for additional carriers and cell phones in the near future. That'd be a blessing for us Verizon users! You will need to have internet access via your cell phone, so beware, if you get into a spotty coverage area you'd best keep those old style paper maps handy. For more information, check out this website.

Finding for Finding's Sake

2007-12-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

As part of my work with GPS systems, I have been using a DeLORME Earthmate GPS PN-20. This is not your typical dash-mounted, or even shirt-pocket GPS. Rather, it is a ruggedized handheld unit specifically designed for hikers, backpackers, and others who rely less on paved surfaces and more on understanding the layout of the terrain.

There are a few features that make the unit largely unfit for use while you're driving, but spectacular for walking. It has a smallish color LCD and a cluster of controls you can operate with your thumb... no touch screen. It holds its data on a memory card rather than on a hard drive, and doesn't come preloaded with maps of the entire North American continent. The device connects to a computer (in my case, a laptop) and receives maps and directions from DeLORME's Topo USA software. Topo is like Street Atlas in many ways, but it is more focused on geographics than on driving.

But what is so interesting about the PN-20 is its use for a pastime called Geocaching. If you haven't heard of geocaching, first know that the hobby is perfectly suited to folks like us, who drive around the country visiting places we know nothing about, but would like to see more of where we are.

Geocaching can be described as a sport or as a hobby depending on the exuberance you approach it with. Either way, the point is to find a hidden object (the 'cache') using its GPS coordinates. Of course you need a GPS device that lets you enter, or better yet, download the coordinates, then carry it with you as you trek, stumble, climb, or just walk to the location. The PN-20 is perfect for this, though it is by far not the only unit that supports this kind of activity. Take a look here, for a nice description of how the PN-20 supports this sport.

There is a whole subculture of geocachers who go around the world hiding "caches" then posting the positions and a few clues online at www.geocaching.com. Of course these people also participate in finding caches and posting their finds online.

The reason geocaching is great for RVers is that no matter where you are, or will be, it's likely you can find caches nearby. And the fun is in following the directions on your GPS unit to a place you've never been, then finding the sometimes very well hidden object. It's a great way of discovering the places you visit beyond the campground and local restaurants. The folks who hide the caches are generally out to provide you a good time and often, a little knowledge of the local history.

For me, it beats driving around, looking at the local shopping mall, and some of the caches can be quite a challenge.

USB in the Can

2007-12-12T12:33:00.001-08:00

If you have multiple computers, or even if you only have one computer but want to be able to take your critical files with you, I'm betting that you also have at least one USB flash drive. I have a few myself in an array of capacities and configurations. But my favorite one to take with me when I'm traveling is my Corsair Flash Survivor. Why? Because it can stand up to pretty much any abuse I happen to throw at it.

My Survivor is the smallest of the two models available, at 4gigabytes (the capacity of the larger one is 8GB), and sells for $60. Those specs by themselves are unremarkable, but the drive itself is very unusual. In fact, Corsair offers several unusual flash drive configuration... but that's a different subject.

4GB of space is more than enough for my purposes since I only carry my most recent work and a few photos on the drive. But the most important attribute of the Survivor for me is its ability to "survive." I've dropped the drive in salt water (on purpose) and driven over it with my Ford E350 van (not on purpose), and in both cases, the drive was still functional afterward.

It keeps itself in good shape because the actual drive is contained within a special housing. As Corsair's literature explains... "Triple Point Protection featuring CNC-milled, aircraft aluminum housing, shock dampening rubber collar shielding, and sturdy metal end caps to prevent the hollow metal tube from collapsing." And the design certainly works.

After being run over, there are a couple scratches on the outer housing, but to me that only adds to the rugged machismo of the thing. I was worried that even if the drive were to be intact, I might not be able to unscrew the end cap and get the drive out of its housing. But is opened easily, as if it had never been abused.

If you carry a flash drive on your travels, take a look at the Survivor.

Printing Digcam Images

2007-12-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

I carry my digital camera with me wherever I go, and particularly when I'm in places I haven't been before. I take lots of pictures and post them online, usually at flickr.com. But there are times, especially when I've just taken a shot of our 'new friends' around the fire, or just sitting around getting to know each other, that I wish I could get some of the shots printed and hand them out.

Of course, there's usually a pharmacy not too far away where I can slip my memory card into the kiosk and print out a few copies. But somehow that just never seems to get done... the moment has passed and the urgency disappears.

But on my last trip I was fortunate to have one of Epson's PictureMate Dash printers on hand when the moment arose. The PictureMate has been around in earlier versions, but the latest incarnation is faster and (for me) easier to use. I also got one of the perfectly-designed travel bags that lets me stuff the printer, paper, extra ink cartridge, and cables all in one padded and stowable pouch.

So, when the time was right, I pulled the kit out of its hiding place in a small cabinet, opened it up, and slid my memory card into the printer. In a few seconds, my images started to appear on the 3.6" LCD. From there I scrolled around the images, selecting which ones and how many of each photo I wanted printed. Once I had made my selections, I pushed the Print button and the printer started spitting out 4x6 prints at the rate of about one every 40 seconds. I was able to hand out prints to our guests right there on the spot.

All that may not be so amazing, as I've seen lots of folks with printers in their rigs. But the fact that I didn't have to use my computer to download, edit, select, and print the photos really made things convenient.

Of course I wasn't the only one with a camera, and two of the others wanted to hand out a few of their masterpieces too. They were able to just insert their memory cards even though their cards were different from mine because the printer accepts a wide variety of memory formats including USB drives.

I was able to select from a list of formats including multiple images on one 4x6 sheet. That cut down on the expense of printing, that runs at around 35 cents per print. My PictureMate Dash sells for around $100, and the Zoom model that includes a CD burner sells for around $200. There are lots of accessories, including a battery pack and a bluetooth adapter for printing wirelessly from a cell phone.

My PictureMate now has a permanent home in my equipment cabinet, where it doesn't take up a lot of space, and is protected in its carry case.

Tracking Your Travel

2007-10-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I've used a variety of methods to keep friends and family updated on my travels. It began with simply posting photos on a private web site and sending email to them letting them know how to view the pictures. More recently I've posted photos to Flickr where I keep all my online photo collections. Still, that isn't optimal since Flickr really isn't made specifically for travel.

Last week we (my family) took a short trip, and it just happened to coincide with my discovery of a relatively new web site service specifically created for travelers. The site is RealTravel and is for all kinds of travel, not just RVing.

Nonetheless, I found it to be perfect for my purposes.
I was able to set locations that show up on a map, create entries about what was going on, upload photos (or simply collect them from my existing Flickr account), and invite friends via email. It's easy to navigate and easy to use. More important... it's free.
Check the entries from my last trip. You may even want to sign up for your own account.

Clearer TV picture in RV available with HD receiver

2007-10-02T06:42:00.000-07:00

RVers who have watched much TV in their coaches are familiar with the typical fuzzy reception, poor sound, interference and limited channels they get with a standard RV antenna.

These days, using a batwing antenna for TV reception is outdated. Times have changed a clear picture, better sound and more channels is easily available with a digital HD receiver.

Winegard's Digital HD Receiver provides the clearest image available and DVD-quality sound using an analog TV and crank-up antenna. The compact receiver connects easily between an RV antenna and TV to deliver clear digital channels. The receiver can be used in an RV and at home with no monthly fees.

Besides getting a clearer picture and better sound, the advantages of using a digital receiver are abundant. Viewers also get increased programming choices -- such as the local channels (wherever they are in their RV), including additional programming such as weather, news, special features, movies, children's programs and sports -- as well as HDTV compatibility for use with HD-capable TVs.

To learn more about the Wingard Digital HD Receiver or to purchase one, visit www.campingworld.com.

Wired on the Road is Getting Even Easier

2007-09-29T06:23:00.001-07:00

Sprint just announced its latest cell-network modem, and I think it will be a winner. This is dubbed "Novatel Wireless Ovation U727 EV-DO Rev. A USB Modem" and according to the press release, it "Combines Mobile Broadband Connectivity and File Storage for Sprint Customers."

It looks like Novatel combined a standard USB thumb-drive with its cellular modem... a good thing since the old PCMCIA card slot is disappearing, or at least being used by other gear, as USB becomes the most available connection choice.

To sweeten the offering, the main connection uses EV-DO Rev. A, which (where available) can deliver great high speed connections. So if you're on, or near an Interstate or populated area, you should get near cable-speed connections with this baby.

Sprint says it will be available through their business sales outlets beginning in October. Here's their words...

Beginning next month, the U727 will be sold through Sprint indirect and business sales channels and online at www.sprint.com for a suggested retail price of $279.99 and as low as $79.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and mail-in-rebate. Sprint retail stores will begin offering the device later this year. Service plans for the card currently range from $39.99 per month for 40 MB to $79.99 per month for unlimited data usage. Customers signing a two-year subscriber agreement will be eligible to receive unlimited data usage for $59.99 per month (no separate voice plan required).

By the way... you'll notice the Verizon logo on the image, so yes, Verizon is also offering the modem but I just don't have the details on their offering right now.

Looking for a portable GPS device?

2007-09-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

If you're in the market for a portable Global Positioning System, then advice from Consumer Reports might lead you in the right direction. In its October (2007) edition, the magazine lists as its "best buys" the Tom Tom One ($300), the Magellan Roadmate 2000 ($250) and the Garmin StreetPilot c330 ($300). Some of the other units they tested sell for more than twice as much. In fact, the editor's top rated GPS, the Garmin Nuvi 660, retails for $700. Paying more, said CR "brings niceties such as hands-free Bluetooth callling," but overall the editors liked the three units here noting that while they didn't offer "everything," they were especially easy to use and did their job well.

Transformers as RVs

2007-07-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

This is one more of those units that I'm going to have a tough time justifying. The $500,000+ price tag is bad enough, but the fact that it has 11 rooms on 2 floors seems overkill for my wife and I, even if we dedicate separate rooms to each of our 3 dogs.

On the other hand, having a sundeck and plenty of room for guests could turn our camping into a completely different experience. OK, it's really billed as a hotel, gets around as a semi, and probably wouldn't fit in any RV campground I've ever been in, but how cool is a stainless steel trailer that slides not only horizontally, but vertically as well?

The Mounties are Here

2007-07-29T05:09:00.001-07:00

As I've mentioned in a couple previous posts, I have a decent collection of technology within my reach while I'm driving. Short list:

Lowrance GPS
Toshiba Satellite laptop running GPS, Outlook, RSS feeds, and podcasts
AT&T Samsung Blackjack cell phone/IPmodem
Webcam

My key to being able to handle all this digitroncs is having it all mounted securely at the right location. In order to do that I've installed a collection or RAM Mounts; industrial strength mounting products that let me position nearly every device exactly where it needs to be. And in most case, move them out of the way when necessary.

I have one pedestal mount that bolts under the existing front seat bolts (no drilling necessary) with a swivel/adjustable top. I also have one windshield mount for the GPS unit. The webcam isn't attached to a RAM Mount, but I'll explain that later.

I've used suction mounts before and always had some issue with them. Not usually with the suction part, but with the positioning of the mounted device. I never felt that the grip was solid enough to keep the device exactly where I wanted it. Not so with the RAM system. They use the traditional ball-and-grip method that squeezes the mounting ball between to clamps. But these things are monstrous, and I'm able to tighten them as much as necessary so nothing moves unless I loosen the clamp.

In fact, my laptop mount is held securely in place by a single ball mount. The laptop platform is spring loaded and stretches open to clip the laptop in position. I was able to reposition the 4 side clips where they needed to be in order to allow room for my 3 USB connectors (cell phone, GPS antenna, and webcam).

The rear of the platform is a cable basket that holds my power adapter and a couple other wires. If you look closely at the photos, you'll see there are still way too many wires hanging off the dash, just begging for a better way to route them.

The main mount for the RAM laptop platform has 2 swivels that let me position the unit pretty much anywhere I need. In addition, it telescopes, making it easy to raise above the seat. This would be good for stationary work, which I haven't tried yet.

My vehicle is a Ford E350 XL van, and the mounting system works perfectly. View the specific unit here. The company's website makes it easy to find the model mount you need. This model sells for under $200, but I also have one of the side-mount accessory arms to hold my cell phone.

Great stuff, and way better than a few strips of Velcro holding my laptop to my console.

Boost Your Cell Signal Wherever You Are

2007-07-26T09:07:00.001-07:00

Today I'm just South of Portland, Maine in a nice campground about 3 miles from the shore. The campground has cable TV but no WiFi. And the signal for both my AT&T and Verizon cellular connections is mediocre at best. What to do...?

Fortunately I have a device I've been dying to try out. It's the Wi-Ex zBoost. The zBoost is only one of the company's products, and this one is actually intended for use in a home or office where cell signals have a hard time reaching through building walls. So if it will work for a home and concrete/brick walls, my aluminum camper should be a piece of cake.

In fact, performance has absolutely nothing to do with the composition of the walls since the installation process consists of placing an antenna outside, in the location of your best signal, and running a cable (like a TV cable) to a device inside the camper (or house).

I ended up hanging my antenna on the power pole next to the camper and running the cable through the rear door where I plugged it into the booster unit. About as simple as it gets.

I then checked both my cell connections to find that both the Verizon and AT&T were affected... positively. They both read 4-bars, when they previously showed only 2-bars inside the camper. Life is good once again.

I can hardly wait (not totally true... I can easily wait to get home) to try this setup in my office in the basement where I get absolutely NO cellular signal.

Wi-Ex sells a variety of units for different environments. The zBoost sells for $300. They have one specially designed for cars that runs on 12 volts but I opted to try the 110 volt system since it will eventually end up at home. I may need to buy an extra antenna so I can bring it with me when we travel next time. There's no way I'm leaving my cell signal up the the carrier's tower placement again.

Dualing Routing

2007-07-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

My current travels have taken me from Western North Carolina to Cape Cod, then to lower Massachusetts. For this first leg of the trip I used two GPS systems.

One reason I'm using dual systems is because I'm trying out a set of mounting systems that attach my handheld GPS to the windshield and my laptop next to my seat. The mounts are provided by Ram Mount and work great, but more about them soon.

I ran my route on my Lowrance iWay 350c self-contained navigator as well as on DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2007 on my laptop. The experience was at times confusing, and at times schizophrenic, but in the end I liked having two systems to rely on because they didn't always agree with each other.

I changed the setup on each from time to time in order to get different perspectives from each. I changed the Lowrance's display from 3D to flat, and from "North Up" to "direction of travel up". It took a bit of getting-used-to, to compare the routings, but in the end it saved me from some U-turns.

There were sections of the routes that didn't agree with each other. That doesn't mean that either was wrong, but it did get confusing at times. Once I selected a course based on one of the systems, the other acquiesced and (usually) matched the current route. But I did find it interesting that even based on the same destination and routing instructions, the systems disagreed so frequently.

I'm off on the next leg of our trip... to Portland, Maine this time. I've been recording the trip with my own version of a dash-mounted webcam, but won't bore you with the 20+ hours of mostly-uninteresting video. But I will show you how I set it up.

Digicam/video/music/and games

2007-07-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've used a wide variety of digital cameras over the years. Some have been great cameras, some have been great video cams, and some have been pretty poor at whatever they were originally intended to do. Right now I'm using a DXG-589V that's about as much a Swiss Army knife as you can get and still be a camera.

Its main purpose is as a digital camcorder, and it does a decent job recording 5megapix video. But it also takes still images, records voice, and can store MP3 files... becoming a music player. The interesting part is that it does all these things pretty well. The videos are usable, as are the still images. That said, you won't ever mistake the images you take with the 589 for those you took with your Canon or JVC camcorder, or your Nikon digicam.

There are a couple very nice things about the unit that make it well worth its $200 price tag.

- It's small enough to put in a pocket

- It uses SD memory cards that let you easily move your files to your computer

- The 3" display tilts and rotates, and is clear and bright

Unfortunately there is no optical zoom, but there is a 3x digital zoom that I recommend only be used in video mode (you can crop your stills on the computer and get equal or better results).

But the most important part of this cam is that your travel companion can use it to play any of its 20 included games. I think it's a great use of the beautiful 3" display when it isn't being used for taking photos or video. Most of the games are old-style, but I like the version of billiards and a couple of the blaster type games as well.

The DXG-589V won't take the place of my digital SLR, but it's always in my pocket where I can grab a quick shot or video... or chill with a quick game of Final Escape.

Cooling Your Lap

2007-07-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of camping, or more specifically camping while working (as opposed to working while camping... there IS a difference) is being able to take my laptop outside in the open; either under the awning, under the trees, or right out in the open. But I've either had to balance my laptop on my legs, or resort to the picnic table, neither of which is really comfortable.

I may have found a solution in the Belkin CushTop, a sloping, padded, ventilated cushion that I can easily put under my laptop and on my legs. It's slanted, so it holds the laptop at a nice angle, and made out of stiff foam making it comfortable. The foam also insulates my legs from the heat of the laptop, which can get pretty uncomfortable at times.

The CushTop sells for $35, and you can store your power cord, mouse, or a very skinny sandwich inside the slot for easy carrying.

Freezer or Fridge?

2007-07-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

My camper's fridge has been a freezer since we purchased it over a year ago. You might think having too much cooling would be a good thing, but just try using yogurt or mayonnaise after it's been frozen... and forget veggies.

My pleas to online forums and phone calls to Dometic were no help at all. I followed suggestions about moving the thermistor up or down on the cooling fins, checking the camper for horizontal placement, all to no avail.

Eventually I did replace the thermistor, thinking that it was simply not sending a signal to the cooling system saying ENOUGH!! Still no change.

Along the way I kept thinking there must be a temperature control somewhere on the fridge. But I guess in the great white north of DometicLand there is no differentiation between cold and COLD. So the temperature is set by the electronics on the control board behind the fridge.

Then it dawned on me that the only thing left to test was the controller board itself. I called Dometic customer support (who attempted to be very helpful in fact) who advised me to go to a dealer/service center to have the unit looked at. Since the nearest service was over 100 miles from me and I didn't want to disrupt my camping to wait at a service center I went to a local 'unauthorized' service center and gave them the part number for the control unit that Dometic provided to me.

Surprisingly the service center owner pulled out a unit with the part number on it (he had bought it for a customer that never picked it up) and offered it to me for $150. Since Dometic told me the list price for the part was $120, I was sceptical and took a closer look at the card. It didn't look like the card in my fridge. It was smaller, but sure enough it had the correct Dometic part number on it. I decided to take a closer look at the card in my unit and bring it in to compare.

When I looked at the card in my fridge I saw that it was, in fact, not a Dometic part, but a Dinosaur component (strange, I thought). It even had a "For service and support call..." sticker on it, and so I did call. I also noticed when looking at the card that there was a small dial marked "Cooler" and "Warmer". Wow! Temperature control on a Dometic!

After a very informative call to the service department I was able to order a replacement card for about $110 that included the temperature control. The card arrived 3 days later, and after labeling each connected wire, I was able to replace the old card in about 15 minutes.

I put a cup of water in the fridge and left it overnight to see if it would be magically turned to ice the next morning. It didn't!

If you've been longing to be able to control the temp fo your Dometic fridge, check out RG-elecrtospec.com for your replacement control unit. Service is great and the product makes a simple and effective replacement.

Wireless on the move

2007-07-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

Like many of you, I'm on my annual escapade for the Summer months. Right now, we're in Cape Cod enjoying way too much lobster and clam strips. We're in a campground that advertises "Wi-Fi High Speed Internet Access".

To their credit, they have free access in the store area where you can carry your laptop, or even use a computer they have set up for free Internet access. Nice! However access at the sites is definitely not free. It's a subscription service that charges (like most) $10/day or $30/week, etc. Not really all that bad, but not free.

But I came prepared this time. I have a new Panasonic Toughbook CF-74 with me. To me, this is the perfect camping laptop. Toughbooks are... well, tough. They are shock protected and water/sand tolerant. So if you drop the thing in the sand you can brush it off. I haven't tried taking it to the beach to brave the salt water, and probably won't. But I could!

The Toughbook has built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, and Verizon cellular. When I booted up the first time, the WiFi kicked in and found the hotspot. When I saw that it wanted me to pony-up I switched off the WiFi and let the Verison connection take over. How sweet.

The Verizon EV-DO connection is nearly as fast as a normal WiFi link, and at no extra charge. Of course that doesn't mean it's free. Verizon charges about the same monthly rate for unlimited data connections as Sprint and AT&T; $60.

The only issue with cellular services is knowing which service is active in what location. Unfortunately, there is no global service, yet. To combat that issue, I have added a data plan to my AT&T Blackjack phone that can serve as a modem when connected to a laptop. The monthly charge is about the same as the other services, but with the variety of connections I have, I'm pretty sure I can get connected anywhere that's near an interstate or a town.

Your New Dinghy (for real)

2007-06-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

If you have a coach, in all likelihood you pull a car. Some of you also bring along a small boat, canoe, or sailboat. I've even seen die-hards forgo the car and pull a full sized boat.

Here's the real answer to those of us who love being on water as much as land. The Aquada, from Gibbs Technologies will be coming ashore on the US in another year or so. Personally, I'm tempted to put in my order right now so I can have it for the 2009 camping season. On second thought, I'd be better off spending the estimated $225,000 on a new coach before I get a new boat.

Wheather wherever

2007-06-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Weather Channel is arguably THE authority for weather information in the US. In addition to getting updates on TV and on your PC, you can now sign up for severe weather alerts to be delivered to your cell phone.

Sign up for both email and cell phone alerts and you can select from a range of conditions including icy weather, severe storms, or just plain rain. When you sign up, you have to provide a zip code for which you want notification, but you you can change the zip code as often as you like by logging into the web site.

This service is free, but of course The Weather Channel would like for you to sign up for some of its paid services as well.

GPS for your other activities

2007-06-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of GPS units that will help you stay on track while you're on the road. DeLorme's Earthmate GPS PN-20 is a little different.

The PN-20 is designed as a complete handheld unit to be used while you're out of your vehicle. If you're a hiker, biker, backpacker, or indulge in any other activity that takes you away from your RV and into the back woods, this is for you.

The PN-20 is designed to go with you and let you know where you are, even if there are no roads anywhere in the area. It's design is nothing like the pretty, shiny dash-mount or pocketable units you're used to seeing. In stead this baby is ruggedized with rubber grips, protective housing, waterproof seals, and a lanyard hole so you can hang it from a backpack or belt clip.

It runs on AA batteries since you're not likely to be near an AC adapter while negotiating the rapids, and rather than being optimized for road maps, it uses DeLorme's Topo USA map set.

The Topo maps are (as you might expect) topographical maps showing land and water features along with altitudes and foot trails.

The PN-20 uses flash memory rather than a hard drive. That means that you need to select the area you're interested in from the computer-installed Topo maps and copy them to the device before you start out. This turns out not to be as much a problem as you might think, since unlike cruising in your RV, you're unlikely to cover an area larger than what you can download while on foot or boat.

If you're planning a trek outside your vehicle this Summer, take a look at the PN-20. It sells for less than $400 at DeLorme.com and may be worth your life if you're lost in the woods.

WiFi now free at Horizon Resorts

2007-06-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

TengoInternet, the oldest and largest wireless Internet service provider for the outdoor hospitality industry, along with Western Horizon Resorts (WHR) today announced all TengoZones at Western Horizon Resorts will offer Wi-Fi services free to guests. TengoInternet has exclusively supplied the Western Horizon Resorts with wireless internet access since 2004. The switch to free-to-guest Wi-Fi services is a growing trend in the outdoor hospitality industry. TengoInternet supplies Wi-Fi services to all 23 of Western Horizon Resorts’ properties.

Think your fuel bill is high?

2007-05-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

This rig is probably a bit larger than yours. It certainly is faster than any I've seen and cost more too.

Even though this is an aircraft, it's been completely outfitted as living quarters. Don't look for it to pull into the site next to yours; besides you wouldn't want the noise when they pulled out in the morning.

Be there without going there

2007-05-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

There are lots of mapping applications available including Microsoft Virtual Earth, Mapquest, all of the GPS enabled applications, and Google Earth. Today, Google announced its latest addition to its online mapping application, 360 Streetside Views.

It's only available for a few locations right now, with more to come soon. And it won't help you find your way to the closest campground either. But if you need to see... I mean actually SEE... the street corner to tell whether your rig will make it around the turn, this might just help you out.

Personally, I think I'll route around downtown San Francisco, but at least now I know how bad the tight the turn would be if I had to go there.

Not sure where to go?

2007-05-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

OK... this isn't specifically for RV travels, but if you are just itching to go somewhere but don't have a destination in mind, Tripbase may be just what you need. You can tell Tripbase when you're leaving, where you're leaving from, what your budget is, and what kinds of things you're interested in (nightlife, dining, attractions, nature...) and it will find locations for you.

Be sure to select only North America from the destinations search list. I don't know about your RV, but mine is strictly land-based.

Vehicle Expenses and Performance Tracking

2007-05-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

Keeping up with a car's maintenance history is a good thing, but with an RV it's a necessity. Iambic's Vehicle Manager was designed for typical car maintenance tracking, but it's flexible enough to keep your tow, coach, or dinghy records all in one place... on your mobile phone.

You can record information about multiple vehicles, add custom categories like awning replacement, and get quick statistics. Once you've added enough history, the system will issue reminders for maintenance. All that for only $20.

International Calling Anyone?

2007-05-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Calling outside the US can get expensive. It can get even more expensive if you're tied to using a cell phone's service rates. Yak4Ever.com's service lets you make international calls at no charge at all other than your cellular rate.

Route Planning and Campground Finding

2007-05-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

I've tried lots of software and services including Google Earth, Microsoft Visual Earth, DeLorme Street Atlas, Microsoft Streets, and too many others to list. They all have some good features and some that fall short. None of these are designed specifically for campers though they do allow for searching along the way for "points of interest" with keywords like 'campground' or 'RV' and other likely keys.

The problem I've had with most of these is that they find all kinds of points, many of which are not so interesting... at least for trip planning. I've found mobile home parks, boy scout campgrounds, and RV service centers; none of which I really wanted to spend the night in.

But I just got a promo mailing (you probably did too) to join CampclubUSA. Never mind that they offer saving 50% on campgrounds, the real gem is their trip planner tool. It's based on MapQuest and displays campgrounds along the route.

Two things to know about this service:
1- It only displays member campgrounds.

That's bad because there aren't a lot of them. I found only 2 on a route between my home in North Carolina and Cape Cod.
But that's good because (if I join the club) the rates are only 1/2 the normal retail day rate.

2- The MapQuest service they link to is a watered down version that doesn't allow you to specify non-direct routes, so you need to create multiple trips if you don't like where the route goes. In my case, I don't like traveling through NY City up I-95, so I made two routes, avoiding the Bronx.

The service is free to use, but you have to sign up at a fee in order to get the discounted campground rates.

Navigate from your cell phone

2007-05-08T10:25:00.001-07:00

I've used a lot of GPS units; dedicated handheld units, dash mount portables, and built-in consoles. Telenav's offering made me a believer in using a smartphone (in this case, my Cingular Blackjack) as a navigation device.

Of course, in addition to the $10/month service you need either a bluetooth GPS receiver or a fully-GPS enabled phone.

On some phones, like the BlackBerry, Telenav can use the internal GPS radio, but most phones don't allow third party applications to access their GPS. I'm sure there's a reason for that but I doubt it's a good one. Regardless, linking up a Bluetooth GPS is simple and quick. It may even be the better choice since you can put the GPS unit on your dashboard where it can pick up a better signal from the satellites than it can inside the car.

First I'll tell you about maybe the only drawback. Since Telenav uses your phone connection, you need to be able to get a signal on your phone. That's different from the unconnected navigators, but I'm willing to live with.

Now here are some of the nice things about using Telenav:

Its maps and database are NOT on your phone until you need them.That means they are always up to date.
Since the service is online, you can also use it from your computer. And what's nice about that is making changes, such as adding new addresses and locations.
Voice prompts sound like they are being spoken by a real person.
You can phone your destination address in to Telenav rather than thumbing it into your phone. This means you can actually set up a map while you're on the go. The service sets up the directions and the route shows up on your phone.
The "Biz Finder" lets you find pretty much any kind of business or service within an area you define. Categories include stores, medical facilities, businesses by name, parks, restaurants, and anything else you might need.

And here's the thing I like the best... find the closest, lowest price gas, then get a map to it. Telenav gets daily updates on gas stations and pricing, so even if you're in a strange city (or driving down I-95 in a different state) you can find the best price on gas.

There's more, like traffic conditions and rerouting, but that feature isn't available on my Cingular Blackjack yet. I found the service easy to use and even fun. It sells for $10 per month through most carriers, or directly from Telenav.

Campground WiFi Sucks

2007-05-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

More campgrounds are installing WiFi services all the time. Some offer it as a free incentive to visit while others charge a separate fee (just like cable tv). In my experience, very few camprgounds install the right kind of equipment needed to provide adequate coverage to the entire site. Even those that do make the investment in site evaluation and placement of multiple access points with advanced antennae don't (or can't) deliver decent speed to every location.

I'm staying at Bear Creek park in Asheville, NC this week. Bear Creek is one of those parks that has put the effort into installing top notch equipment (Cisco outdoor access points). My spot is about 150 feet from the nearest antenna, and I'm able to get what my laptop reports as a 'poor' connection at about 1MB/sec.

But when I plug in my hField Wi-Fire and point it in the right direction I suddenly get a 'excellent' connection. The Wi-Fire has its own connection analysis tool that helps aim the directional antenna to the best angle. It shows that this campground has 3 access points within range (not to mention 2 other WiFi routers that must be inside some other RVs close by).

The Wi-Fire sells online for $109. If you depend on WiFi connections, even at Flying-J truck stops, this may be just what you need.

Banking All Over

2007-05-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

Getting to the bank when you're permanently located can be a chore. But when you're not in the same place for longer than a few weeks, you may be better off not having a bank at all.

I'm not suggesting you should stuff your cash in a wheel well, but if you've already handled the issues of being connected to the Internet, managing your checking account (including bill paying, transfers, etc.) is probably the next step.

Lots of banks offer online services, so you may be able to pull this off without changing banks. RVBank.com at least specializes in RVing with its name.

And where have you been?

2007-05-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Some of us are obsessed with where we are about to go. Others may be equally enthusiastic about just where they've been. Then there are those that want to know how much the trip cost, plotted on a map, what their fuel mileage was, and so on.

For those of you with that kind of desire (and the right kind of cell phone) try Driving Log from Concrete Software. It runs on your cell phone, links to your GPS, and collects data for display and analysis. And you can even let all of us more casual travelers in on your adventures by displaying your results online.

Who answers your phone while you're gone?

2007-04-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

So, how do you deal with your phone when you're away from home?

I know that some people just let their answering system pick up calls, then they check in periodically by calling their own phone.

Others use call forwarding to direct calls to their cell phone while they're away, but invariably the first call that comes in when they get home goes to their cell and there's a mad dash to grab it... or they just forget for a day or so until they realize they aren't getting any calls on their home phone.

If any of these, or different variations apply to you, you might want to give GrandCentral a try. It's a free (yea, really free!) service that routes your incoming calls to as many phone numbers as you like. That means your calls come to your new, free phone number and ring on both your home and cell phone.

There are some very cool features that let you set up different ring tones, different answer messages, and other niceties. And you can set the system to send email, text messages, or both to announce when you get voicemail.

You need to tell your callers to use your new phone number (which you can also announce on your home answering system), and your new number can be in a completely different area of the country if you like. For instance, I live in North Carolina but I just signed up for a Beverly Hills, California phone number... and hey, there goes Hillary Swank... Call me, girl!!

Anyhow, GrandCentral may be just the answer for stabilizing your phone traffic.

Can you use your cell phone as a modem?

2007-04-24T13:07:00.001-07:00

Getting a wireless Internet connection on the road is getting easier all the time. On my last trip I used my Cingular Blackjack phone connected to my laptop as a modem. Most of the time I was able to get a spectacular connection, equal in speed to a standard cable connection at home.

Using the Blackjack as a modem is surprisingly easy, effecient, and even cost effective. I was able to add the 'unlimited' data plan to my current contract by simply calling Cingular. Since I already had the company's MediaNet plan (an additional $20/month over the voice minutes), I changed that for the data plan for an additional $40/month. Compared to the typical WiFi day rate of about $10, that's a bargain for the month. What's even better was that I could drop my plan back to the MediaNet plan during the times I didn't need the data plan.

But I said it was easy to use the phone as a modem. That's completely true, once you have the service set up and know how to tell your phone to let your computer connect through it. Here's what I found out:

The normal way to use a cell phone as a modem is to make a connection, either by USB or Bluetooth, from your laptop to the phone. Once that's done, set up a dialer just as you would to dial the internal modem in the computer, but direct the dialing out to the cell phone. That generally required a driver installed on the laptop that knows how to connect to the phone for this purpose. It also requires that you set an option in the phone allowing it to know that it's being a modem. That method works on most phones. Thankfully it doesn't work on the Blackjack.

Why 'thankfully'? Because using the phone as a modem doesn't always allow you to use the phone to make voice calls at the same time. The method I'm using allows me to use the phone for voice calls and as an Internet conenction at the same time... very cool.

So here's the step-by-step. I don't know if this works with other phones, but I would guess that it would as long as the phone supports the InternetSharing function.

1. Connect your Blackjack via USB to your PC and get ActiveSync running. Then Explore the Blackjack.

2. Look in the Windows folder for a file named InternetSharing.

3. Copy the file (Ctl-C)

4. Paste a shortcut in the Windows/Start Menu folder.

5. Push the Start button and browse to the Internet Sharing icon. Click on it.

6. You'll see two option boxes. Select either USB or Bluetooth PAN depending on how you want to connect.

7.The other box should already read "MediaNet" with no other options. Click the Connect button.

At this point the Blackjack will disable your ActiveSync connection and in just a few seconds display the "Connected" message. It's like magic.

Let me know your results if you decide to try it out.

Weather Anywhere

2007-04-20T09:06:00.001-07:00

Finding a local weather station in unknown parts can be a challenge... or at least it can take a couple minutes. I tried out a cute little digital weather station from Brookstone that displays a 5-day forecast according to whatever airport you're near. In fact you can select from 4 different airports if there are that many close by.

I was able to wake up wherever I was and see the local conditions as well as the forecast for the next 5 days on this nice little LCD mounted above my kitchen sink. Pressing the little button on the side (the ONLY control on the whole unit) changes the active weather station so you can pick the closest, or even the closest to where you might be going, as long as it isn't too far away.

Still Wondering Where You're Going? Just TellMe!

2007-04-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

On the heals of Google's voice commanded 411 directory and location service , veteran cellular directory provider TellMe has made its service free and added a couple interesting twists.

As with the Google service, you can call 800-555-TELL and interact with a mechanized voice system, or you can use your cell phone text messaging service and send a request to 83556 (TELLM). But if you have the right cell phone (which I don't) you can download a program to your phone and enter your requests through it by talking rather than typing.

Since I wasn't able to download the program and try it out I'll leave that to one of you to let me know how it works. As for the text message service, it worked similarly to the Google service, but the voice operation was less (or maybe more) than Google's.

One of Google's continuing strengths is its spartan interface. Just that facts Ma'am. The voice system asks for your location and your request then spits back up to 8 responses. TellMe is much more conversational and only responds with the first match. I think this may be because TellMe is advertising-driven and if there's an advertiser that fits your criteria you will hear it first... but I may be wrong about that.

Either way, I like the Google interface better. But... TellMe does have a nice feature that not only sends the name, phone number, and location information to your cell phone, it also sends a map of the location. With Google's amazing mapping capabilities, I would expect this to be a feature also available from Google soon.

Internet Connection Choices - we got 'em

2007-04-17T09:39:00.001-07:00

I was fortunate to be able to try out both Sprint and Cingular Internet connections for my laptop while on my last excursion. Both of them are based on cellular technology but both have their strengths and limitations. I'll be posting more later, but here's a quick rundown on both.

Sprint Mobile Broadband Card - Wireless Merlin S720

This card provides high speed (really!) access for a laptop computer. I found it easy to use and very reliable. Even when the signal was relatively weak I got a connection. And, no problem at all using the card with its tiny flip-up antenna inside the camper.

Cingular Blackjack phone

This do-everything phone can do double-time as a high speed modem. I was able to connect it to my laptop using the phone's included USB cable. What was particularly cool was being able to use it as a modem at the same time as I was making voice phone calls.

My tests produced nearly equal upload and download times for both devices. But the particular service available for each will depend on where you are, and will ultimately determine your connection speeds.

More on the specifics later, but the good news is that mobile Internet access is definitely here... or at least wherever your cellular service provider has a decent signal.

Mapquest on your cell?

2007-04-16T11:03:00.001-07:00

Not everyone has (or wants) their laptop running while driving. In fact, that may even be illegal in many states, even if you're only using it as a souped up GPS system. As an alternative, do your Mapquesting before you're under way and have Mapquest send its directions to your cell phone.

To be completely accurate, Mapquest doesn't really send its maps to your cell phone. Rather, it sends a text message containing a link to the map online. In order to use the service you need to have two things:

1- the ability to receive text messages, for which you will likely be charged by your cell service provider.
2- the ability to browse the Internet from your phone. You will need a capable phone as well as an appropriate service agreement from your cell service provider.

Assuming you have all these things, give it a try. In addition to maps, you can also receive Mapquest's turn-by-turn directions in the same way.

Check Mapquest's mobile services

Backing up (not what you think)

2007-04-12T06:43:00.000-07:00

Traveling is such joy. I do love being in different places and seeing the scenery along the way. Unfortunately automotive seating is not always the most comfortable, particularly for eight to nine hour stretches.

Driving our extended Ford Econoline van and pulling a 32 foot camper can get tense at times, especially when contending with trucks and high winds. Coupled with a relatively hard ride, my back tends to tighten up, so that at the end of the day's travel I'm lucky to be able to stand upright.

Luckily for me, the Brookstone folks (www.brookstone.com) loaned me their MiniMax Lumbar Massager. It has a 12 volt adapter that plugs into the van's outlet. It proved to be helpful at least for part of the trip but I couldn't simply leave it in place all the time... for a couple of reasons.

The first reason is that the massager is a little over two inches wide and only about eight inches high. The result of this shape is that it is easy to position wherever you want it. But its thickness means that while in place, the rest of your back is necessarily leaning forward and not up against the seat back. This makes for an awkward posture.

I was able to use the massager's remote control to change the speed, select from three settings for massage zones (both sides, center, or full), and set the duration of the massage action from a few seconds to continuous. I like the way it works, and it really does provide some relief for a tight back.

The second reason I couldn't leave the unit in place was because my wife wanted to use it. I actually think she got the better of the deal because she was able to change her seat position and put an extra pillow behind her, above the massager to support the upper part of her back.

Looking for the closest campground? Just phone Google!

2007-04-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Google's currently experimental Google Voice Local Search lets you find businesses over the phone. I called 1-800-GOOG-411, said the city and state I was looking in, then asked for "campgrounds." The voice on the other end of the phone listed the first 8 campgrounds in the area and offered to connect me to them. Alternatively, I could get their address and phone number and even have the information sent as a text message to my cell phone. Oh... and did I mention the service is free?

Call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411)

Of course the service can find things other than campgrounds. It's always tough to find services and stores in unfamiliar locations. Calling Google-411 can be a lot faster and less expensive than trying to use a local 411 operator.

You can use the service to find things in places you expect to visit. For example, I know I'll be traveling to Massachusetts this Summer, so I asked Google-411 to find campgrounds in the area I'm going to visit. It gave me a list of 8 campgrounds in the area and then dialed the campground's number for me.

The service is free, but the phone call may not be, depending on what your phone service plan is. The best bet is to use a cell phone with national long distance plan.