The Digital RVer

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.