Portable fire! Advantages of a gas fire bowl

Almost every great picture of families gathered around a campfire show a wood fire pit with everyone roasting marshmallows.  But when you actually start traveling around the country, it's quite surprising how many campgrounds don't allow wood fires.  Of those that do allow them, there are some that won't allow you to pick up dead or fallen wood on the ground; you must buy the firewood.

As we have traveled, it seems that most campgrounds prohibit wood fires or simply don't support them because they haven't installed fire rings.  We wanted a solution that would allow us to have a campfire almost everywhere we go, and that solution was to buy a propane gas fire bowl.

While wood campfires crackle, pop, and can smell good, they are actually a bit of a pain to use.  You have to buy the wood, get it to your campsite, open it, stack it, get stuff to light it, stoke it, add more wood, and finally douse it with water to put it out.   Fire pit cleanup can be a real pain for campground owners, and (technically) it actually may be illegal to carry firewood into some states from other states.

A propane gas fire bowl eliminates a lot of the hassle.  The flames look great, they are quiet, provide really good heat, have adjustable flames, and are clean, clean, clean.  Setting one up is a breeze:  get it out of your rig, remove the cover, connect it to an LP source, and turn it on.  When you're finished, turn it off, let it cool down, disconnect and put it away.

Although we've found that many campgrounds we have visited in the past year don't allow wood fires, every campground we've been in has had no problem whatsoever with a gas fire bowl - except Fort Wilderness at Disney World.  One of the big arguments against wood fires are the embers it creates and potentially spreads to nearby leaves and trees.  For the past few years, fires have raged across the country, and government and private campgrounds have greatly curtailed wood fires in campgrounds.  Gas fire bowls don't create embers and are much safer.  Fort Wilderness has an extra requirement:  you may use a fire pit or bowl as long as it is completely enclosed and has a top on it (the idea being that embers can't escape).  However, they have made no exception for open-topped gas fire bowls.  Here are the detailed rules at Fort Wilderness:

I asked around on Facebook and then searched the Internet for a fire bowl that could easily be used at the campsite, would be easy to carry, and could be used repeatedly without any issues.  A lot of campers told me to look at one of the fire bowls made by Outland.  The one we chose, pictured at the top of this article, is Outland's Firebowl Premium Portable Propane Fire Pit.  It sells on Amazon for around $150.  When you consider that you can have a camp fire quickly and just about anywhere, with little mess and no expense other than the initial cost and the gas, it really is a good deal.

The "size" of the flame can be adjusted with a knob on the side.  We have found that the lowest setting is all we need for a great camp fire.  The bowl comes with an attached 10-foot rubber (plastic?) gas tube with a regulator on the end for a quick connection to a propane source.  I went to Walmart and bought a 20-pound propane tank that can be refilled at many RV parks.  Although I haven't really made an accurate measurement, I'll guess that we can get 12 hours or so of fire from a full tank.

You can get a nice carrying case to keep the fire bowl covered while traveling.  The basic unit comes with a metal cover over the fake (but real-looking and reusable) rocks.  The unit comes with extra rocks.

When you unpack the Outland Firebowl, you simply open the rock bags and put them in the container (they tell you which ones go on bottom, middle and top).  Then you screw the regulator onto your propane source, turn on the gas at the source, then slowly turn the knob on the bowl clockwise.  As you do this, the gas enters the bowl and as you keep turning the igniter clicks and lights the flame.  Once the fire is going, you can turn the flame up by continuing to move the knob clockwise.  When you're finished, turn off the gas at the source, wait a little bit for the gas to leave the hose through the fire bowl (the flame will go out) and then turn the knob all the way counter-clockwise to be ready for the next use.  It usually takes mine about an hour to cool down enough for me to feel comfortable enough to put it back into my coach.

If you're interested here are the direct links to Amazon where you can check out the Firebowl and it's optional cover.  If you get one, leave some feedback here or recommend it on Facebook (and maybe post a link to this article!).  And remember, I don't get anything from Outland or Amazon or anyone else - so I have no reason to push anyone into a sale.

Amazon link 1:  Outland Firebowl Premium Portable Propane Fire Pit

Amazon link 2:  Outland Firebowl Carry Bag

Take care...and safe travels!

Tyron Bands

If you're always concerned about safety in your RV, and I'm a bit obsessed with it, you probably pay a lot of attention to your tires.   It's important to check your tire pressures, have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), keep an eye on the age of your tires, and maybe even take steps to cover them when you're parked for a while to protect them from the sun.

Right after buying our coach in the fall of 2015, we met another camper who suggested that we take a look at Tyron Bands (See the article titled Upcoming plans:  a new rim, a tow bar, the Tampa Show, and a bit of Fort Wilderness).  He told us that the military used them in some of their tires and that they helped prevent tire shredding in the event of a blowout.  They also provide something of a "run flat" capability when your tire blows.

I was intrigued by the concept because of the stories I had read on Facebook and some videos on YouTube about front tire blowouts on motorhomes.  When a tire blows, the rims shred the tire.  This results in increased loss of control and can potentially cause sparking which can start a fire.  These things have happened quite a few times.  When I'm driving my very heavy coach around turns on an Interstate while going 63 miles per hour, I'm always aware that a blowout can happen unexpectedly.  It's important to know what to do if that happens.  Here's a great video from Michelin about handling the RV if you have a blowout.

It seemed to me that instead of riding a shredded tire in a blowout incident, I'd rather have more control and possibly be able to drive slowly to the next exit and pull off.  So we had our dealer install Tyron Bands on our front tires.  It wasn't cheap:  about $1100 per tire.   But I just had to treat it as another kind of insurance policy, and this one would give me a lot of peace of mind while driving.

This video is from Tyron's web site about front tire blowouts and their product:

A lot of tire installers are either not familiar with the bands or are not experienced in installing them. Getting the bands on when you need to change rims can be a bit of a challenge (or so we've been told) for the uninitiated.  Tyron also has a tool kit (with instructions) that you can carry with you so that installers will have what they need to make changes.  We made sure that we got one of those, too.

Since we've had them on our front tires for two years, we're thankful that we've never had to experience their benefits.  But I've kept my eyes on social media for discussions about them.  When the subject comes up, many simply don't think they'd make much difference.  Others don't want to spend the money.  I can understand the reluctance, but I want every edge I can get.

On Facebook, I found that people that bought them generally did so for the same reasons I did.  And there were also a few testimonials from people (none listed here are affiliated in any way with Tyron) who had heard firsthand the experiences of others or unfortunately had to put them to the test:

• "I have a set on mine! Last summer while traveling through Knoxville Tn in the middle lane of traffic, I had a front right blow out. Because of the bands, I was able to negotiate across 2 lanes of traffic to the shoulder safely. No damage to my rim or rig. Considering a replacement rim can easily go for $1000 I think it's money well spent." -- Bob Hemphill
• "We have them on our front tires. Had our first blowout, after RVing for 30 years, and feel that our Tyron saved us from losing control, and only damage was to our generator tailpipe.

• "Today at 12:45 on I 75 sixty miles north of Atlanta. Blow out on our front right tire. Sounded like a bomb. My hubbie handled the wheel well. Thank God for the Tyron band. All is well. Good Sam took care of roadside assistance."
• "Had them put on my steer tires. I've talk with several people who have had blowouts with them on. All have been able to maintain control. I figured it was good insurance to get them. Hopefully I never need them" -- JoAnn Smith
• "I have them on our Monaco Dynasty. I have talked to people who have had front blowouts and it can get hairy real quick. Tyron bands keep the tire on the rim, allowing you to maintain steering control. The likelihood of rolling is minimized if you have a front blowout."
• "We bought our Class C from Lazy Days in Tampa back in August 2016 and purchased these bands. At the end of last month we headed out on a trip to Pittsburgh and ended up having a blow out on both front tires within 24 hours of each other. The tires did not shred and stayed on and we were able to drive safely to the side of the road. They worked great and did what they were designed to do. With that being said, Good luck finding someone who knows how to use the tool and replace the tire. When I did find someone the toolkit they provided didn't work with my rim. They had to take the tire/rim back to the tire shop to replace." -- Jennie Walker

There were others who said that they wouldn't "waste" the money.  But it's up to you.  For me, it was a no-brainer.  If you're interested, check out their web site:  Tyron USA.

Answers to some common RV questions on Facebook

After many years of reading posts from more than 20 different RV Facebook groups, reading and contributing to IRV2, attending 12+ RV super shows and talking to hundreds of experienced and inexperienced Rvers, I'd like to offer this list of tips.  In my opinion, these are the most popular answers to questions on Facebook.

1. What type of toilet paper should we use?  Septic safe is good, the fewer ply the better.

2. Should I get a surge protector and, if so, which one? Hands down, yes.  Get a Progressive Industries EMS.  Not cheap, but the best protection and a lifetime warranty.  By far the most recommended.

3. Should I get a tire pressure monitoring system and, if so, which one?  Responses are slightly in favor of "Yes", with motorhome owners answering Yes more often.  EEZTire and Tireminder are the most often recommended.

4. Should I get a RV GPS and, if so, which one?  By a wide margin, yes.  Most people say Garmin (the 760 or the newer 770).  In second place is the Rand McNally.  For apps, most recommend CoPilot.

5. What apps can I use to find campgrounds?  Allstays is the most popular answer.

6. What can I use to plan a trip?  A slight majority say google maps and a (paper) road atlas.  RVTripWizard is the most mentioned online option.

7. Should we turn off our propane when refueling?  Most folks say "no", it's unnecessary.

8. What are the best RV manufacturers?   In the $150K-$400K range, Newmar and Tiffin motorhomes are most frequently recommended. After that, Winnebago and Fleetwood.  For fifth wheels there are many, although Grand Design and DRV are often favorably mentioned.

9. What should I avoid?   Service at Camping World or anything Thor.

10. What do we do about loud neighbors, barking dogs or people cutting through our campsite?  Talk to management.  If they don't do anything, leave.

11. What are recommended campgrounds in SomeCity USA?  Go look at http://www.rvparkreviews.com/.

12. "This questions may have already been asked, but….".  Search for an answer on Google, or search in your favorite Facebook group (see http://slowlanerv.blogspot.com/2017/06/facebook-tips-for-members-of-groups.html for some extra tips).

13. For a motorhome, should I get gas or diesel?  By overwhelming majority (and if you can afford it), diesel.

14. Where can I get RV insurance?  Most frequent answers are Good Sam's, Progressive and AAA.

15. What RV air compressor do you recommend?   Most popular brand mentioned is Viair.

Roadside Assistance: Comparing FMCA, AAA, Good Sam and Coach-Net

I recently had Good Sam's Roadside Assistance, but wanted to make a change.  Naturally, I went online to Facebook and posted a question about it asking what people preferred.  As usual, the most positive responses came from people who have used Coach-Net.  I had originally planned to get Coach-Net, but decided against it because it was more expensive.

It's important to note that a lot of insurance companies and extended warranty policies offer roadside assistance.  If you're shopping, be sure to check to see if you're covered elsewhere.

After reading various the various comments and experiences of other RVers, I decided to do a little bit of research and compare the four services that are most commonly mentioned:  FMCA Roadside Assistance, AAA Plus RV, Good Sam Auto+RV Standard, and the Coach-Net Motorized RV Plan.

Here's what I did:

1.  Created a spreadsheet listing features/benefits in column A and the four company's most popular plans across the top.

2.  For each feature/benefit, I filled in the corresponding cell for each company's plan based on the information presented on their web sites.  If a benefit wasn't mentioned on a company's site, I left that cell blank and highlighted it yellow.

3.  After all cells were completed (or incomplete and marked yellow), I called each company and asked for the missing details.

Disclaimer:  Calling FMCA resulted in getting asked to leave a message on a voice mail system.  So, missing data for FMCA wasn't recorded.  I'm not going to do business with any Roadside Assistance customer service operation that doesn't answer the phone at mid-day on a Friday.  Regardless, most other available FMCA data was considered.

Benefit-by-benefit comparison (just the major stuff)

Cost

Cost was evaluated considering first year cost and the year-to-year cost after the first year.  FMCA was the least expensive at $109 per year [Update:  on 11/4/2017 I read that FMCA had decreased their rates to $69/year]. AAA was the most expensive, as it was $101 to join + $80 for my motorhome + $24 for my wife + $39 for each additional person (I would have added my daughter).  That's $244/year, and it doesn't change.  Good Sam's was only $69 for the first year, but it goes up to $118 per year after that.  Coach-Net is $249 the first year (they do have discounts), but it drops to $149/year after that.  So, in order from least to most expensive:  FMCA, Good Sam's, Coach-Net and then AAA.

Coverage for other people in your family

Good Sam and Coach-Net cover your spouse and dependent children under 25 without additional cost.  AAA will cover anyone in your family, regardless of age, as long as you pay them (see above).  FMCA did not provide data.

Other vehicles you may own

Good Sam's covers cars, boat trailers and motorcycles.   Coach-Net and AAA basically cover whatever you're driving, although AAA mentions that motorcycle coverage is available separately.  FMCA did not provide data [Update 11/18/17:  FMCA's new web site states they also cover family members and their vehicles.  This includes spouse and children under 25 who live with you or are away attending school].

Towing

Good Sam's and Coach-Net will tow your vehicle (RV or cars) to the nearest professional or qualified repair center.  Both offer unlimited towing miles and no charges.   AAA will only tow up to 100 miles (although there is an upgraded package that will take this to 200 miles for additional cost.).  FMCA says only that they will tow to the nearest qualified repair center (no clarification on distance or cost).

Lockouts

All of the services will get you in your locked vehicle.  Keys and the cost for making them are extra charges.

Delivery of fuel and other fluids

Good Sam and AAA don't mention this in their information, although I know that AAA will deliver fuel.  FMCA will bring gas, oil or coolant.  Coach-Net will bring gas, oil, water, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and brake fluid.

Tire changes

They'll all send someone to replace a tire if you have the spare.  If you don't have a tire, the policies are different.  Good Sam's and Coach-Net will try to find you a tire and bring it out, paying only for delivery (Coach-Net has a separate policy that totally covers tire expense and replacement if the tire is damaged by road hazards).   AAA won't find a tire for you - at least they don't say they will.  FMCA will dispatch a "mobile tire service", but it will be towed if a mobile tire service isn't available.  And they specifically state that "mobile tire service is not available in all areas".

Technical Assistance

Good Sam's and Coach-Net offer a service where a qualified RV Tech will talk to you and answer questions on the phone.  Neither AAA or FMCA offer this service. [Update 11/18/17:  FMCA offers technical assistance on the telephone.]

Battery Boosts (Jumping)

They'll all do this.

Services per year

No information from Good Sam's or FMCA [Update 11/18/17:  FMCA's new web site says that use is "unlimited", but that "if it becomes apparent you are not maintaining your vehicles you could be subject to a rate increase"]  AAA says that they'll do four service calls per year, and then charge extra after that.  Coach-Net says that their service calls are "unlimited".

Dispatches a mechanic

All but AAA will do this, although FMCA will only do it if you're more than 50 miles from home.  You'll have to pay for the mechanic, but they'll find one and dispatch one.

Winch out/extraction

Good Sam's doesn't offer this.  Coach-Net will bring winch you out if you're within 100 feet of a roadway.  AAA says they'll do it if you're in a ditch or snow and if they can do it safely.  They'll also bring in a second unit to help, but will only pay for an hour of their time.  FMCA will only winch you  out if you're within 50 feet of a roadway and they'll only pay up to $500.  FMCA also won't do it if it's the result of an accident or if it's down a hillside or an embankment.

Trip Interruption

If you're sidelined because your vehicle is damaged, they all will cover some of your expenses (like lodging, food, and car rental).  Good Sam's will pay you $150 a day up to $1200.  You must be more than 100 miles from home, and one per year is allowed.  Coach-Net will reimburse up to $2000 and you must be more than 100 miles from your home.  AAA will give you only one day of a car rental (if a non-collision tow is needed).  AAA will pay up to $1000 if your travel (in your car, NOT your RV) is interrupted because of a breakdown.  FMCA will pay $300 per day up to $1200 if you're more than 100 miles from home, and you're limited to one reimbursement in a 12-month period.

Conclusions

There are some benefits, like discounts and concierge services, that aren't shown here.  Given all of this information I made the following conclusions.  These are obviously my personal conclusions and preferences - you may feel entirely different.

1. FMCA's coverage lacks in several areas.  And I got a voice mail when I called them.  I'm sure the voice mail was a customer service line; probably not a line you'd call if you were on the side of the road and needed help.  Still, I want better coverage.

Web site:  https://www.fmca.com/benefits/fmca-roadassist.html
Phone:  877-581-8581

2.  Good Sam's has good coverages and a decent price.  But I've heard a lot of stories on Facebook about them raising prices unexpectedly during renewals (not verified).  And I have other issues with the whole Good Sam/Camping World business in general. They also don't offer technical assistance and, based on my experience with the company in general and what other people have told me, are likely to be more difficult to reach and work with than other companies.

Web site:  https://www.goodsamroadside.com/
Phone:  800-601-2850

3.   AAA is simply too expensive.  They also don't offer a couple of the services.  Based on price alone, I have to rule them out.

Web site:  https://autoclubsouth.aaa.com/membership/pluspremierrv.aspx
Phone:  855-652-2245

4.  Coach-Net is the second most expensive, at $149 per year after the first year.  However, their Facebook recommendations are numerous, their coverages are complete and, for the most part, unlimited, and they will cover just about anything you or your family are driving.  Late note:  Someone mentioned on Facebook that Coach-Net may not service all areas of the country, mentioning Maryland in particular.  I would imagine that if they can't service that area, then other companies also have some restrictions.  I couldn't call them today (they're closed), but will follow up and post here when I get an answer.

Web site:  https://coach-net.com/Products/Compare-Motorized-RV-Roadside-Assistance-Products
Phone:  877-801-0333


The winner?  Coach-Net.  Great services and often mentioned and recommended by users.

I hope this helps you make your choice for Roadside Assistance.  Safe travels!!

Facebook tips for members of Groups

If you belong to a Facebook group, there are some basic things that you should know how to do.  Here are a few tips to help you navigate in your Group.

Search for your answer (before posting your question!) 

Before you post a question (i.e. "What RV toilet paper should I use?"), take advantage of the Group Search feature.

1.  Find any place on the screen with the name of the group and click on it.  You can also go to your Shortcuts on the left side of your screen, find the group you want, and click its name.  In either case,  you'll be taken to the top of the group and will see the group photo.

2.  Find the box on the left-hand side of the page that has the words "Search this group" in it.  Type in the keywords for your search, like "toilet paper". NOTE: if you are using the Facebook app, the search bar is at the top of your screen.

3.  You'll see all posts that have words matching your search terms - and will likely be surprised at how many people have previously answered the question.

Follow a post

Interested in a particular post and want to get a notification when people respond?  You don't have to type "following" (which isn't really a response to the original poster).  Instead:

1.  Click on the caret (the "down arrow") in the top right corner of the original post.

2.  Select "Turn on notifications for this post"

Don't let people continue responding to your post

If you've posted a question and responses are getting out of hand or are moving away from your original topic, you may disable people's ability to comment.

1.  On your own original post, click on the caret (the "down arrow") in the top right corner of the post (see above).

2.  If you don't see an option to "Turn off commenting", then there's nothing you can do except contact an administrator and ask them to turn off comments for the post (see below).

3.  If you see the option, you may want  to make a final reply before you select the option to turn off commenting.  Perhaps something like "Thanks for all of your help everyone.  I have my answer and will go ahead and use 10-ply Charmin".  THEN go back and turn off commenting.

Reporting a Post (abuse, something "bad" or not appropriate for the Group)

1.  Click on the caret (the "down arrow") in the top right corner of the original post (see above)

2.  Select "Report Post"

3.  A screen will appear giving you some options.  Choose one and then select "Continue".

4.  On the next screen, you'll be presented with several other options to help deal with the problem.  Choose an item for more help or to take an action.

Find out who the Group Administrators are

1.  Go to the top of the page for your group by selecting the group's name anywhere you see it.

2.  In a column to the right of the messages, find the section that says "Add members"

3.  Select the link that shows the number of members.  It'll take you to a list of the members.

4.  At the top of the member list, it shows the total number of members and the total number of admins.  Select the number beside "Admins".

5.  You'll see the list of Group Administrators.

Electric slide out motor mounts: check the bolts!

I've said before that IRV2.com is probably the best site on the Internet for detailed RV information.  In a post to their Newmar Owner's Group on June 12, 2016, Ken "Stealth01" posted about a potentially disastrous situation related to loose bolts in slide out motor mounts. I don't usually re-hash articles in IRV2, but I feel like this is important enough to warrant more attention.

To paraphrase, Ken said that he heard a loud noise and his kitchen slide out stopped retracting. When he checked it out, he discovered that the four mounting bolts of the kitchen slide-out motor had broken out of the housing.  In short, further investigation and some discussions with some RV technicians led him to conclude that the bolts became loose and the high motor torque cased the casing to crack  - resulting in the other motor mounts breaking.  He checked all of his other slide out motors and found that they were all loose.

I didn't see Ken's post until about a week ago.  I read the replies to his post and just about everyone who checked their own rig found loose bolts. Even though Ken was posting about a Newmar coach, some responders said that other manufacturer's rigs also had the problem (Monaco and Entegra were specifically mentioned). Needless to say, I grabbed my ratchet set and headed out to investigate.

What I found surprised me.  While I didn't have any loose bolts, every one of the 16 bolts in my 4 electric slide out motor mounts needed tightening.  I don't own a torque wrench, so I just "hand" tightened them without over-tightening.

The last thing you want with your slide outs is a problem like Ken experienced, so it's important that you periodically check to ensure that your motor mount bolts aren't loose.  Some people suggested various methods to prevent it using things like Loctite.  For me, for now, I'm just adding a periodic check to my calendar.

The motors are usually accessed by opening a bay door under your slide and looking up to see a long rod with a motor on it (see photos above).   I have a 2015 Dutch Star.  The kitchen slide out has one motor, the bedroom has one, and the 27' full-wall slide has two. Each of the motors has four mounting bolts.

The kitchen and full-wall slides had easily accessible motors.  The bedroom slide motor had to be accessed by raising the bed, removing a single screw from the rear (nearest the headboard) carpeted "flooring" under the bed, and contorting a bit to reach it.

Thanks to Ken for posting his article, and to everyone who responded with great photos and tips.  I highly recommend you read his IRV2 post titled "Own A Newmar With Electric Slide Outs... Read This!"

Pick up your tools and go find your motors!  They're easy to tighten - and you may end up saving yourself a lot of time, aggravation, and money.

[Update!  It's mid-June 2017 and I'm at NIRVC in Lawrenceville, GA.  When I arrived for other service, the service advisor told me that Newmar has a recall for these.  They have replaced the standard nuts with Loctite's on all of my slide motor mounts.]

Choosing a Ladder for the RV

I've been searching on and off for several months looking for a ladder that we can carry along on our travels.  In the process, I have come to understand that there are two basic types that are most useful for people who feel like they need them:  telescoping and a-frame.

Telescoping ladders are great for RVers because they collapse into a small space, typically requiring less than three feet of storage.  A-frames may take up to six feet of storage, but they're safer because of their better stability.

If you have a larger motorhome, your roof is probably anywhere from 12 to 13.5 feet high.  Getting an A-Frame that will allow you to safely get on and off (and stay under six feet in storage) is not easy.  Telescoping ladders are therefore a better choice for roof access because you can get them in longer lengths - and they'll still collapse for storage.  Since you need to stand the ladder away from the RV a bit to climb it, you'd probably be most comfortable with a 15-foot telescoping ladder for hopping on and off the roof.

In the early days of my research, I had decided on a telescoping ladder similar to the Xtend and Climb 785P on Amazon.  It collapses and requires three feet of storage, yet extends to a more comfortable 15.5-foot length.

But that was before my wife expressed concern that my feeble old bones might break if I tried to get on and off the roof; if that happened it would "ruin" the trips we had planned (forget my injuries, the trip would be ruined!).  Back to the drawing board.

I made a promise that I wouldn't climb on the roof.  But I still need to get up high to clean roof drains, gutters (along the sides), and the tops of awnings and windows.  Sometimes, light bulbs may need to be replaced and tree branches moved out of the way.  I needed something that was tall enough to get the job done, but that was sturdy and stable enough to be comfortable using.

So here are the new requirements I drafted for my ladder:

• A-Frame with foot stabilizers (legs wider at the bottom for stability)
• Able to support up to 300 pounds
• High enough that I could stand on the highest safe step and reach around the top of the coach
• Storage length no more than six feet
• Weight that I can handle (Note: almost every ladder I looked at, telescoping and a-frame, weighed about 35 pounds - so this is a "wash")

In the end, I found one that met every requirement and ordered it.

This is the Little Giant Ladder Systems Model 15109-001 ladder available from Amazon.  As you see it here, the top of the ladder (the thicker orange platform) is about 5'9" from the ground.  The "comfort step" is the highest safe place to stand, and it's a wide platform.  The comfort step is two rungs below the top orange piece.  When the ladder in its shortest position, the comfort step is 3'10" off the ground.  But when you extend the ladder, you are standing 7'8" above the ground.  I'm 5'10", and I can easily reach around the top of my rig, which is a little over 12'7" when not aired up.  Here are some photos of my ladder so you can get an idea of its size, both in its shortest position and fully extended:

I'm really happy with the new ladder, but am still trying to decide where to keep it.  There's room in the basement, but it might be better to keep it in the bed of our pickup truck. 

Until next time...

Camping vs. Glamping

What's the difference between Camping and Glamping?  Wikipedia actually has an entire article devoted to the question, but I'd like to address it here because of reactions we often get from our non-RV friends.

When you camp in a motorhome, especially a larger one, you'll often hear "THAT'S not camping!".  When hearing friends or acquaintances say this, I've learned to resist the urge to argue and simply agree with them.  "You're right.  It's not camping."  When people think of camping, they think of tents, campfires, mosquitoes, bears, a rushing stream, and sleeping bags.  To a large extent, I agree.  That's camping.   To me, camping is also spending the night away from the city.  Surrounded by trees and nature.  Sitting outside reading and enjoying the smells of the forest, the sounds of the insects in the trees, and the peace and quiet.

When a person decides that they want to travel around the country, they may choose to stay in hotels or stay in a motorhome.  When I stay in a KOA near Disney World, I'm there to see the sights and have the benefit of sleeping in my own traveling house every night.  It's not camping in the traditional sense, it's simply "seeing the country and staying in a motorhome".

Since we choose to take our home with us as we travel, we'd like to take along many of the conveniences we enjoyed in our regular "sticks and bricks" house:  a microwave, a dishwasher, air conditioning, a washer and dryer, and even satellite TV.  We had these at home, why not come "home" to them every night as we travel?  After all, you'd have these amenities at a hotel, wouldn't you?

So we travel and see a lot of things AND we stay in our home on wheels every night, enjoying all of the things we'd have in a stationary home.  You may be in your house enjoying the same things as we are one mile away from you at a KOA.  The only difference is that tomorrow we can go somewhere else.

On our travels, we may stay in a National, State, County or City park.  We're close to "real" campers who are without all of the amenities, like those with tents.  We are all enjoying the same woods, the same crickets, the same mosquitoes, the same stars in the sky and the same smells of steak on the grill and damp wood in the forest.  But at the end of the day, the campers go into their tent and "rough it" while we disappear into our home on wheels.  They may read a book by the light of a lantern; I will look at the Internet, watch a football game, and do whatever I would do at my S&B home.

So yes, I glamp.  I am able to travel the country and go home every night to a place that has all of the things that I had in my previous house.  I'm comfortable and have many experiences that I wouldn't have otherwise.

Glamping isn't a dirty word.  It's a lifestyle, and glampers are no more "spoiled" than most people living in a typical house in a typical city.  Except our house is constant while the city may change.

Gotta' love it.

Tips for diesel fueling at Truck Stops

A lot of folks who are new to RVing with a motorhome, especially large diesel pushers (DPs), have questions about where and how to get fuel.  Most DP owners I have met have said that they prefer to stop at mainstream places like Pilot/Flying J's, Loves, or a TA Travel Center.

If you have a large DP or are planning to get one, the first thing you need to realize is that you are now as large as many semi trucks on the road.  In fact, if you're towing you may be longer than a lot of them.  It's clearly unreasonable that you should have to thread your way around the outside lanes of a BP or Shell station that happens to sell diesel in an outside lane.  When you're towing, you can't back up - which makes it all that more complicated.

The best solution is to simply go where the truckers go.  Don't worry about whether or not you're "allowed" to do it or if truckers may not like it.  You have every bit as much right to stop there and fill up as anyone else.

Finding a Place to get Diesel

Many apps (like Allstays) and GPS units (like Garmin and Rand McNally RV devices) can display icons for upcoming fuel stops.  The most popular places for RVers, like Pilot/Flying J and Loves, are easy to see when you use them.  Other apps, like Trucker Path, can show you many more places to stop.  The main problem with just telling your RV GPS unit to look for the next fuel stop is that it will most likely point you to a regular gasoline station; none of the popular apps or GPS's have a filter to display only places that have diesel fuel.

Of course, there are signs along the roadway.  These are usually quite sufficient if your low fuel light isn't on.  Most diesel RVers I've talked to say that they start looking for a fill-up when they have between 1/4 and 1/2 of a full tank.  In my case, I start looking when I'm about 50% full.

Pulling up to the pump

Just follow the signs that truckers might follow; easy because they usually have only two things on them:  "Trucks" and an arrow pointing the way.  Look for an open lane like you'd do at any gas station, but know that you may have to find a lane and wait behind someone.  If you do have to wait, it might quite a bit longer than would with a car because it simply takes longer to fuel a large truck; sometimes, a driver even takes time to go into the cashier and/or wash their windshield.

Some places, like Flying J's, may have big signs telling RVers to pull into lanes specifically for them.  Don't do it.  Remember that a lot of RVs are smaller than yours.  Even though it's a special RV lane that you may be able to get into, you might find it somewhat difficult to get out.

Once you have pulled in and are sure that your fill is close to the pump, turn off your engine.

A common question asked on Facebook forums is whether or not to turn off LP gas when refueling.  I'm not advocating what's right or wrong, but will tell you that an overwhelming number of people will respond with NO; they don't turn off the gas when refueling.

Filling Up

If you don't have a credit card that is specific to the place you're fueling (like a Pilot/Flying J credit card), you'll probably have to go inside before you pump to get your card pre-approved.  Be sure to know your pump number before you go inside.  Have a rough estimate of how much you'll need to charge so that they can pre-authorized that amount.  If I think I may need between $150 and $200 of fuel, I'll hand them my credit card and tell them "$200 on pump 26".  If I also want to get DEF (see below), I'll say "$200 on pump 26 for fuel and DEF".  They'll run the card and hand it back to me.

Next, walk back to the pump and fill your diesel fuel like you do at any gas station.  Note that it comes out a lot faster than a typical car pump.  Even though they usually have auto-stops, they fill so fast that they ALWAYS stop and spill over to the outside of my coach, coating my paint beneath the fill.  If you hear it getting near full, you can manually stop it or at least set the auto-stop to a slower setting.

If you need more fuel than the amount you authorized, the pump will stop at the authorized amount and you'll have to go back in for another authorization if you want more.  More typical is that you'll use less.  They will only charge you for what you use.

Next, if you need DEF, get it.

DEF:  Diesel Exhaust Fluid

Quite a few of the truck stops also offer DEF at the pump.  If you haven't bought your diesel pusher yet, DEF is another fluid that all diesel RVs since about 2012 are required to use.  There's a separate tank in your rig that holds the def and it also has a separate fill port (or two).  You might use about 1 gallon of DEF for every 50 gallons of fuel.  For a large motorhome, your DEF tank may hold about 10 to 14 gallons of DEF.

Large motorhomes usually have the diesel fill on the driver's side.  Some have dual fills, with one on each side of the coach.  For DEF, it's convenient if the fill is on the driver side - but it's often located near the engine on the passenger side of the rig.  Since DEF and diesel fuel are offered from the same pumping stand, it would be great if the DEF fill was beside the diesel fill.  But life isn't that simple, is it?

The DEF pump is usually a blue-handled pump TO THE SIDE of the diesel pump.  It's behind a black plastic door that you have to raise to see the handle of the hose.  After putting in your diesel fuel, return the diesel hose to its holder, press the "DEF" button, lift the handle, take out the DEF hose  and start dispensing.

For those of you who, like me, have DEF fills far away from the diesel fill, here's a suggestion:   carry a couple of DEF containers that you can fill at the pump and take to your next campground.  Then fill the DEF at the campground.  This way, you won't feel the need to do all kinds of odd things (while truckers are waiting and watching) at the pump.

Finishing up

Beside all of the room you have to maneuver, using the truck lanes is great because their window cleaning poles are long; it's easy to reach top of your windshield to clean it.

After you're done with everything, get in your coach, start it and move it forward away from the pump so the trucker behind you can fill up.

If you want a receipt, get back out and go back into the store to get it.  If not, drive away.  If we want to get a drink or some food, we'll usually fill and then pull around to one of the large trucker parking spaces.  That way, we can take our time inside.

Safe travels!

Buying, Carrying and Using a Cricket Golf Cart

Back in September 2015, I published a blog article titled "Should we take our own golf cart?".  At that time, I knew that I wanted a cart small enough to fit in the back of a pickup truck and still be able to put up the tailgate.  We ended up with two possibilities: a Kangacruz or a Cricket.

Both the Kangacruz and the Cricket are lengthwise collapsible, so they will (barely) fit in the back of a pickup truck with a raised gate.  They both have published carrying capacities of around 600 pounds, travel at about the same speeds and have about the same battery life.

The Kangacruz Aspire SS

Kangacruz Aspire SS (from their web site)

Of the two, I became convinced that I wanted the upcoming Kangacruz Aspire SS.  The SS was to have a longer battery life and, more important to me, an increased carrying capacity of about 650 pounds.  It also had a few more bells and whistles than the Cricket; things like turn signals, a better suspension, and bigger wheels.

The problem with the Kangacruz was their ongoing promises that the SS model was "coming soon".  Initially, it was to be available in early and we were told that it would be ready on time.  Then they said it was delayed to the summer because some parts were on backorder.  That changed to late fall, and so on.  I corresponded with them by e-mail and they were very nice, but had nothing that they could sell me.

When it came time for the Tampa RV Show in early 2017, they told me that they planned to actually have one at the show.  I noted that their booth at the show seemed to be inside of an expo hall and asked them if we'd be able to drive it.  Their answer was "no", it would not be available to test drive; just available to look at.

On the 18th of January, the opening day of the Show, we went to the Kangacruz booth early and looked at the prototype of the new SS.  And even though we were one of the first ones to visit them, we were told that we would have to pay them over $4000 now and that shipment "might be in March or April".  Not only were they kicking the can again, they had reduced the recommended weight back to 600 pounds from their earlier online listing of specifications.

At that point, we decided that we didn't want to put our faith in Kangacruz because 1) they had been promising shipments for about 18 months and still wouldn't provide a firm delivery date, 2) the weight limit matched the more popular Crickets, and 3) they are located in Canada, which worried us in case it might ever need service.

The Cricket SX-3

The Cricket SX-3 cart weighs about 305 pounds, collapses to about 58" in length, and seems to be the most popular collapsible golf cart we could find anywhere.  In the months leading up to the 2017 Tampa RV Show,  we were told by a local Florida Cricket dealer that they would not be shown at the show as they had in some previous years.

To our surprise, we saw the outdoor Cricket display at the Show shortly after we had walked away from the Kangacruz booth.  The sales people willingly handed us a key to one and told us to take it for a spin, on our own, away from their area.  We did and were impressed that such a small cart did such a great job.

The seats on the Cricket are just wide enough to fit two adults.  It's tight, but not uncomfortable.  The back seat folds down to make a bed that can be used to haul anything from groceries to camping chairs. It's top speed is about 8-10 miles per hour.

One of the things I never liked about the Crickets was that the steering wheel was in the center of the  cart.  With the new 2017 version, that has been changed and the wheel is thankfully more towards the left-hand side.  Their later models also feature LED headlights, which is either good or bad depending on your opinion of extremely bright lights on such a small cart.

Options included a top frame that has a vinyl cover at the top that is tied to the frame, a long rear-view mirror, and a plexiglass windshield.  There's also a cart cover (only used if top frame isn't in place) and a rainproof slip-cover that fits over the entire cart (top frame included, with windows on the front and side).

Our Cricket, bought at the 2017 Tampa RV Show

We liked it a lot, and decided to buy it with the standard (no-top) cover, top frame, mirror and windshield.  We also got a pair of aluminum ramps so we could load it into our pickup truck.  The ramps were about $200.  The total price, which had to be paid using cash or check, was in the neighborhood of $4300.  We got to pick our color (candy apple red) on the spot and after about a half hour of some top assembly and instructions, were able to drive it away into the fairgrounds and use it during the Show.

The Cricket sales people were very nice at the Tampa Show.  They apparently were getting about 10 of them every day of the show and were selling them all.  If you think you may want to get one at the show, I recommend that you get there on Wednesday (opening day) so that you can pick your colors and options  - and drive it home.  You'll also be able to use in inside of the show each day - a real bonus.

Cricket post-buy review

Now that we've had it a while, we still love our Cricket.  However, there are some things that are definitely worth noting:

• They told us at the show that it should carry more than 600 pounds.  We were concerned because you sometimes may want to take four "larger" adults.  We tried it out and it seems capable, but it can "bend up" (picture an upside down "V") with all of the weight.  It does a lot better if you put the two heaviest people in the front seat.
• One of the biggest reasons we wanted a Cricket was because it could collapse to fit in the bed of our truck.  However - and this is important - you can't collapse it unless you remove the frame for the top; the top won't collapse.  So, if you want to collapse it, you have to remove the  entire top and store it (it's pretty large), or break the top frame down into pieces by removing 8 bolts, 8 nuts, and 16 washers.  Not good at all if you plan to take your cart in and out of your truck/SUV a lot.   In the long run, I decided to remove my truck topper so that we could fit the un-collapsed cart in our truck while traveling.  We will have to remove the vinyl top, windshield and rear footrest each time, but that's a lot better than removing or dismantling the entire frame.
• The charging cord isn't long. To charge it at night without an extension cord, I had to park it about two feet from my coach and use a plug in the basement area.  One morning, I went out, turned the key and drove off - cutting the still-plugged-in charging cord.  I quickly replaced it with a cord bought at Home Depot, and bought a magnetic reminder strip to put on the steering wheel whenever it's plugged in.
• Those LED lights are bright.  Man are they bright.  Especially at night.  

We have driven the Cricket in loose sand, through bumpy grass fields, on concrete, asphalt, and over tree stumps in the campground and have never had a problem.

Choosing and Installing Satellite TV

The two main satellite TV options for RVers are Directv and Dish Network.  Both offer tons of programming and are easily comparable to cable TV in a S&B (sticks & bricks) home.  They offer a variety of programming packages, digital video recorders (DVRs), and on-demand movies.

I could take a day to create charts showing the differences between the two, but they are minimal.  If you look up comparison charts with Google, don't pay much attention to the ones on the sites for Directv or Dish.  They are biased and actually distort their competitor's features by saying that something isn't offered when it IS offered, but may not be included in the most basic package(s).

When I started looking at the possibility of installing satellite TV in my motorhome, I was overwhelmed by all of the information available on web sites, Facebook, magazine articles and in books.  Even talking to RVers about their own satellite systems, I learned a lot about things to look for when it came time to buy my own. In this article, I'm going to discuss things, obviously from my point of view, "in a nutshell".  Condensing a lot of research into a small space is a good thing.

The number of channels and availability of packages, like the one for NFL games, is the biggest "plus" for Directv.  For Dish Network, it's their pricing - including a "pay as you go" plan for RVers.

Both DTV and DN want to cater to RVers, but they've got quite a way to go.  The links in the first sentence of this post will take you to their sites for "travelers".   They are minimal sites, and will give you minimal information.

Directv

Directv sells a system called a Genie, which is a fancy satellite receiver and a DVR combined in a unit like the one you get from a cable TV company. You can put a Genie in your house then get one or more "mini -Genie's" to put in different rooms of your house, again just like you would put different cable TV boxes in different rooms.

However, for reasons that must be locked up in the basement of the Pentagon, Directv doesn't want to install Genie's or mini-Genie's in RVs.  Instead, they want you to buy other "mobile" receivers from several third-party companies like Winegard and KVH Industries.  They provide links to the company's sites on their "traveler's" site.  The issue with some of the receivers not only is that the number of tuners is more limited (number of different shows you can watch or record at the same time), but that you may have to attach a separate hard disk drive so that you can record TV shows.

For antennas (satellite dishes), Directv offers several.  Many of the ones they have for travelers are called  "carryouts" or "tracvisions".  They also offer the typical antenna that sits on a tripod, but the  most talked about ones are the carryouts. [Although there are several different types of portable antennas, I'll refer to them all as carryouts for brevity.]

The great thing about the carryouts is that they're very easy to use:   you just connect one to a receiver and it automatically searches for and finds the necessary satellite(s).  You don't have to do anything other than ensure that there is unobstructed sky in the right place.  The downside is that most of them can only provide one receiver with HD programming (the rest get standard definition).  Still, if you don't want the hassle of setting up your own tripod antenna (ensuring that it's level, setting the  azimuth, setting the elevation and then fine-tuning it), the carryouts are a great option.

Dish Network

Dish Network is similar to Directv in the way they want to distribute receivers.  Their best receiver is called a Hopper, and the smaller ones that go in secondary rooms of your house are called Joeys.  Like Directv's mini-Genie, a Joey can be wireless and "talks" to the Hopper, so that all of the main functions like recording and tuning are handled by the Hopper.   Both the Genie and the Hopper, with their mini-Genie's and Joeys, allow you to watch recorded shows in any room or to start watching something in one room, pause it, and continue watching in another room.

Just like DTV, Dish Network doesn't want to sell you a Hopper for your RV (same secret, same room in the Pentagon).  Instead, they have other receivers like their 211Z or "Wally's" that they'd like you to put in your coach.

Dish Network has several antennas to choose from, including the standard tripod mounted dish and the portable automatic dishes that you just put on the ground and let them do the work.  For Dish Network, these automatic dishes are usually called "Tailgaters", "Pathways", "Roadtrips", or "Playmakers".   With these portable dishes, you can get more HD than you can from Directv, but they only work with certain receivers.

Getting help

Confused yet?  I am.  It's a mess to figure out.

The best way to navigate the satellite dish options for you is to call a local satellite installation store.  Ask if they've done installations in RVs before.  If they haven't, hang up and call another one.  The bigger the city, the better chance you have of finding someone who can  help you.

Directv or Dish Network?

In my case, I chose Dish Network.  I did this because I didn't feel the need for the NFL package and I liked their pricing structure.  Although they have a pay-as-you-go plan (you can turn off the service for full-month periods if you want), I plan to use mine year 'round and liked their Top 200 package.

Another reason for choosing Dish Network was that I repeatedly saw on Facebook posts that Dish  users had an easier time than Directv users when they called their provider to change their local stations.   You'll hear about this a lot.  When you establish service, you will be assigned your local stations (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc.) based on your service zip code.  If you take your RV out of that area, whether it's another county or across the country, you probably won't get those "local" channels.  If you travel from your home zip code in Florida to Beverly Hills, California and want to see their local stations (for news, weather, or just network shows in that time zone), you need to call your provider (Directv or Dish) and tell them that you're in zip code 90210 instead of 32812.  From everything I've read but not personally experienced yet, Dish Network is much faster and easier to call and get this done. [Update:  Dish Network is easy to call and set up local channels wherever we go.  I call them all the time - even for a one-night stop.  It takes about 5-10 minutes (tops) and isn't hard to do.  You can also go to mydish.com/chat and do it with your computer OR do it from your phone with the MyDish app.]

I also didn't want the typical receivers that they push for RVs.  I wanted the Hopper and a couple of Joeys.  Since I intend to use the entire setup in my house when we're not in the RV, I plan to move the receivers from the RV to the house (and vice versa) whenever we want.  I like the Hopper because it can "hop" over the commercials for some shows, has three tuners, and includes a feature called Primetime America that automatically records all prime-time network shows every night of the week and lets you go back and view them within eight days.

RV satellite antennas

RV satellite antennas are usually located on the roof of the RV.  For Directv, the best option is a Traveler antenna called the SWM-3.  For Dish Network, it's the Traveler SK-1000.  Inside your coach is a little controller box that you simply turn on and let the antenna do the work:  it raises and automatically finds and locks onto the correct satellites.  When you are about to leave your campsite, you press the button again and it lowers.

The problem with rooftop antennas is that you may sometimes park under trees.  Trees are the worst enemy of the satellite dish:  no clear view of the sky = no signal = no football game.  For this reason, it's best to have some sort of external antenna as a backup.  If you have enough cable, you can often put the antenna somewhere on your campsite that's away from the rig - but that still has a clear view in the direction of the satellites.  You can choose to get one of the carryouts/tailgaters, with their limitations but ease of setup, or get a "real" satellite dish mounted on a tripod that has few limitations but is more difficult to setup and align.

In my case, our coach originally had a Directv SWM-3 on the roof from the factory.  I wanted Dish Network, so I had to have a conversion kit installed to essentially convert it to a SK-1000.  I also wanted to be able to receive HD on all receivers in the coach, so I needed to get a tripod-mounted  dish instead of a tailgater.   Another bump in the road happened when I was told that the external dishes won't work with the newest version of the Hopper, the Hopper 3.  Instead, it works with the previous version, the Hopper Sling. So that's what I got.  The Hopper Sling is a well-proven receiver, so I'm not bothered by this in the least bit.

Setting up and aligning an external tripod-mounted antenna

When my installer was out and saw I wanted the external dish on a tripod, he told me that it wasn't worth it and that I would likely have to call a professional installer to set it up and aim it for me whenever I needed it.  I told him that I have spoken with many RVers who do it all the time and they tell me that, with practice, it only takes them about five minutes to do it.  He shook his head and said "Did they have a Hopper?  Hopper's are very sensitive.".    I ignored what he said and asked him to walk me through it when we set up the tripod and antenna.

The first thing you have to do is make sure that you have clear sky to the satellite.  Dish Network uses satellites at 110, 119 and (I think, will verify later)  129 degrees.   I downloaded an app called Satellite Finder Pro on my phone.  You hold the phone up to the sky and look at the sky through the camera.  When you do, it overlays a green arc on the screen and shows the location of the satellites by position (110, 119, etc).  If you see those numbers on the screen with clear sky behind them, you've got a place to aim.

After he set up the antenna, I said that I had read that it's very important to ensure that the tripod is level because that can severely affect the elevation.  He said that this was true, but "all you really need to do is eyeball it" and make sure it looks level.  I just nodded because I wanted to see where this would lead.  I asked about using the new digital satellite signal finder I had bought on Amazon.  "Those things are worthless.  Don't bother." was his response.  Okay.  I'm just observing; let's see how it goes.

Inside, we called up the receiver's satellite finder screen by going to Settings->Diagnostics.  Using menus, he selected 119 because it's the satellite in the middle of the other two.

Next, he tells me to ALWAYS set the azimuth (left and right) to 135 degrees.  I asked if this was true even if I was in a different state.  He repeated "Always!".  He then took out his compass, pointed in the direction of 135 degrees, and rotated the dish to that position. [Note: I'm in Orlando, and since we  finished I went home and looked it up, I see that the azimuth should be at 244 degrees.  I don't so much remember the details about his aiming the dish, but it is supposed to be 244 degrees in Orlando.] As he was doing this, he asked me how I would align the dish's azimuth to 135 degrees if he hadn't shown me.  I looked at the arm extending away from the dish told him that I would make sure that the arm (holding the LNB's on the  end) "pointed" towards 135 degrees.  He said "Nope.  The signal enters the dish at an angle, so you turn the dish so that the seam at the back of the dish [on the clamp that attaches the antenna to the tripod] aligns with 135 degrees."  Okay, never would have thought of that. [See the bottom of this article for updated pointing info.]

The next thing to do is to set the elevation (up and down).  For this,  you look up (use an app or the Internet) the proper elevation for your current zip code [See below].  Behind the dish is a clamp with elevation markings.  He loosened a bolt and adjusted the elevation until it was at 38 degrees.  Once that was completed, we headed inside the coach.

At the main receiver, we went back to the satellite information display.  On the screen, there's a "meter" that shows signal strength. At the moment, it read zero.  Now it becomes a two-person job, so I get out the walkie-talkies and hand him one.  He said that he would go outside and move the dish a little bit left and right.  I would call him when I saw the signal strength change.  By making a few minor  adjustments, we had the signal strength up to 71 in about four minutes and we were done!

Given everything that we did, I think that it'll take me longer to set up the dish (assemble it to the tripod and connect cables)  than it will to align it with my wife's help on the radio.  It doesn't look bad at all.  Five minutes sounds about right. At least I hope so.

[Update:  I've set it up several times now and, believe me, practice makes perfect.  The easiest way to do it is to follow these steps:

1.  Find a place in the sky that has a clear view to the satellites (110, 119 and 129).  You can use the SatFinder app on your phone to do this.
2.  Set up your tripod and make sure it's level.  I got a compass from Amazon for $13 that has a bubble level in it.
3.  Go to dishpointer.com.  Enter your location and find "Dish 1000.2 (110, 119, 129) in the pull-down list.  
4.  All of your peak values (Azimuth, Elevation and Skew will come up for your current location)
5.  Set the dish (loosen some nuts and adjust - markings are on the dish and stand) for the correct Elevation and Skew.
6.  Using the compass, point the dish in the direction of the Azimuth.
7.  With someone inside looking at the setup/diagnostics screen on the TV, fine tune your Azimuth (left and right) on the dish until you get the best picture.  Wait several seconds between each movement and listen for audio.  If you get the audio, chances are high that you'll have the video too.
8.  Tighten the "azimuth" nuts on the dish.
9.  You're done.  Once you do this a few times, it should get easier and faster.]

Your Questions

I hope this has helped to answer some of the questions you might have about selecting a company and setting up your antennas.  Sorry there are no pictures.  I'll try to come back here and add some photos later.

If you have questions, check out the direct links above and some of these:

• Technical information about Dish Network installations in RVs (unusual configurations).  See Tom's RVSeniorMoments blog.  Tom is very knowledgeable and has help a lot of RVers.
• IRV2.com's Technology Forum.  Ask questions ye shall receive answers.
• David Bott publishes lots of good videos for RVers (and has a good blog!).  Here's his video where he discusses "RV Satellite TV: Making a Choice".
• Dishpointer.com is a great place to find out where you should be pointing your antenna.  Put in your location and it gives you everything you need.  Thanks to Charlie Martin for the reference.

Choosing an RV-specific GPS

A lot of people on Facebook ask what RV-specific GPS unit they should buy.  Since many RVs can only travel on roads where they'll "fit", it makes sense to have a GPS that will guide you along routes where the bridges aren't so low that they'll rip the top off or the turns so sharp that your long RV just can't make them.

I begin many of my articles by saying how much research I've done to reach my conclusions.  I just don't like the idea that readers might think that I just grabbed the first thing that came along.  In the case of GPS units, I've had various brands over the course of many years - just not for RVs.  When it came time to look at RV GPS units, I began the long process of scouring more than 20 RV-related Facebook groups, reading posts on IRV2.com, and asking a lot of fellow RVers what they use.

As part of my research, I ordered (or downloaded) and tried Garmin's RV 760, the Good Sam version of the Rand McNally RV 7730 (the 7735), CoPilot for RV, Waze, Google Navigation, and others.  I also read detailed reviews of them, as well as the RV-specific model made by Magellan.  On the first pass, I ended up returning both the Garmin and the Rand McNally because features were missing that I wanted to use - or they existed but were difficult to use.

If you look at the responses received on Facebook every time someone asks about RV-specific GPS units, you'll quickly see that users overwhelmingly recommend Garmin, followed by Rand McNally and then CoPilot.  Magellan is rarely mentioned.  Google Navigation isn't RV-specific, and neither is Waze.

Quite a few people say that they don't have much faith in RV GPS units because they've been led down roads that their RV should never have taken.  I get that.  But from what I can gather, this is rare.  I'd rather have an RV-specific GPS direct me on safe routes for RVs 95% of the time than not have one and take my chances.

Another consideration is that there is value in keeping with the mainstream.  In other words, sometimes it's best to get what everyone else is using because you know that there is a large community of support - not to mention that there must be something good about it because everyone is using it.  Comes full circle, doesn't it?  Thinking along these lines, I immediately throw out anything that's not RV specific (like Google Navigation and Waze) and anything that, from the hundreds of responses I've read, isn't used by most people (relatively speaking).  So, that pushed out Magellan.

Given all of this, I was left with three reasonable choices that required serious consideration:  Garmin, Rand McNally, and the CoPilot app.

Apps are great because they are easily updated and can go on most of your devices.  CoPilot is a good app because it has a nice interface and provides easy to understand voice turn-by-turn directions.  They have several different versions, one of which is called CoPilot for RVs.  It costs about $45, so it's much cheaper than standalone GPS units.

CoPilot for RV

CoPilot for RV allows you to enter your RVs specs (height, length, weight) so that you'll be properly routed.  However, there's a serious flaw in their app because it only lets you input a maximum weight of 26000 pounds.  Most large motorhomes weigh much more than this; mine weighs about 46000 pounds.  Therefore, the weight option is worthless.  I called them about this and was told that I should consider buying their version for truckers, which has higher weight limits.  However, the truck version doesn't have certain features for RVers - like campgrounds.  And, it also costs about three times as much. [Update:  I've heard that Apple's App store has a March 2017 update that fixes the weight limit issue by allowing any more thousands of pounds.  As of this writing, the Android (Google) Play Store's latest version is March 2016 and still has the weight limitation.]

On the good side, CoPilot allows you to download full maps to your device.  This is a big plus compared to standard phone-based navigation apps because you don't need to have a cellular signal to navigate and continually update your maps.  Your phone's GPS works directly with CoPilot and you can always navigate.  You can download map updates as long as you own the app.

Garmin and Rand McNally

The Garmin 760 and Rand McNally 7735 both had similar features.  If you want to waste your time, go ahead and search the Internet to find some of the comparisons.  You're wasting your time because they both handle RV navigation, have lots of Points of Interest (POI's - things like campgrounds, fuel stops, attractions, etc.), and are well supported with lifetime maps.  I'm about to tell you their main differences...

Some of the biggest differences between the two were that the Rand McNally had more campgrounds in its database, while the Garmin had more overall features (like backup camera add-ons and other things).  The Garmin is more expensive, but you don't have to pay extra for live traffic updates (like the fee charged by RM).  The Garmin, in my opinion, has a better display layout and brighter display.  And the Garmin can accept voice commands.

After reading everything I could and testing them out, I became convinced that Garmin was the way to go.  So many RVers can't be wrong, can they?

One of the key things I've learned about shopping for RV technical toys is to wait and not buy them until just before you need them.  If you just bought your RV and aren't "taking off" for several months, wait until a month before you leave because tech updates happen all the time.  It can be frustrating to buy something only to find out that the latest and greatest version is coming out two months after you bought it.   I wasn't striking out on our full-time journey until May 2017, so I decided to hold off on the GPS purchase until April (now).  And I was glad I did.

Garmin RV 770 LMT-S

In April 2017, Garmin introduced it's new RV 770 LMS-S GPS unit, the successor to the 760.  It's almost identical to the 760, but it includes Foursquare and Tripadvisor information, weighs less, and has a better screen with a higher resolution. [Note:  See Garmin's comparison chart of differences between the 770 and the 760]  I decided to order the 770.

So far, I've been very happy with the 770.  Admittedly, we haven't had chance to use it on our cross-country trip yet, but I can see that it's fast and is loaded with features that I like.  The display is easy to read, lane guidance is great, the voice is clear and easy to understand, and it's easy to lookup POI's.  I also preloaded a couple of trips into the Trip Planner.  Very nice in that you can just call up a predefined route and get going.  The Voice Command feature lets me interact with the device while driving and is easy to use.

I really like the integration with the phone.  I can use Voice Command to dial any number in my contacts and the 770's speakers and microphone will let me talk while driving.  When you select POI's (like a campground), you can even elect to call them using this feature.

As Garmin recommended, I loaded their SmartLink app to my phone and connected it to the 770 using Bluetooth.  Once you have done this, the 770 gets live traffic information.  We were driving from North Carolina to Florida on Interstate 26 when I saw a sign on the side of the road that said that the Interstate had all lanes blocked about 60 miles ahead.  I was wondering if the 770 would "know" about the blockage and, similar to Waze, would re-route us.  About 20 miles from the incident, a tone came on and the 770's female voice said something like "I-26 is closed.  Rerouting.  Please take exit 159 ahead."  Exit 159 was about 6 miles ahead of us.  We followed directions and it took us right to I-95 with about a 10-minute loss in time.  Nice!

Garmin and Waze

Note that Garmin, like most navigation programs, is not "social".  That is, you don't interact with others on the road.  That's where Waze shines.  Waze uses real-time reports of accidents, slowdowns, police sightings, and road hazards to warn you before you encounter them.  It's the only navigation program that does this.  Since it's social and real-time, expect that Waze is going to have the latest and greatest information about what's ahead.  Sometimes, you'll want to avoid things that Waze points out well before any GPS traffic program, like Garmin's, will know about it.

Conclusion

The setup that works the best is to use three things:  SmartLink running on your phone, the 770 handling RV navigation, and another phone (maybe even the one running SmartLink) running Waze.  You'll have total awareness of everything around you, what's coming up, and be reasonably assured that you won't be going under a bridge that's too low for your rig.