Recreational Vehicles

Lesson 4: Communications And Finding A Job On The Road

Communications on the road is a very important subject. There are several aspects to communications and I will spend just a little time discussing each area.

Communications On The Road!

Let's start with TV: If your RV is equipped with an amplified TV antenna you can usually get local channels. But there are a lot of areas where it just doesn’t work that well. There are a lot of campgrounds that provide cable TV hookup. Beware here: some parks charge extra for this service; ask when you check in.

Then there is satellite TV. This is great for all areas of the country. It takes a little getting used to finding the satellite signal each time you stop, but with a little practice it’s a snap. There are also automatic dishes that find the satellite for you, which make it even easier. These “dishes” are about 18" in diameter and mount either on your RV or on a tripod near your RV. I suggest having the tripod mount; that way if you are parked under trees or don’t have a good southern sky view you can move the dish to where it can see south.

If you are not familiar with this service, there are basically two options available. They seem to be pretty much the same programming but with one you own the equipment and with the other they own the equipment. Personally I prefer to own the equipment, which means that if it breaks I pay for it. There are some things that you need to know about this service. Let’s say you live in a brick and mortar home. In most areas of the country you are allowed to receive your local channels, for a modest fee. This is great because you don’t have to switch back and forth between your satellite dish and your local antenna. Now let’s say you move into your RV and tell them that you have done so. Now, for some reason the FCC says that it is illegal for them to provide you with local stations. They can provide you with local feeds from New York and Los Angeles locals if you sign what they call a waiver. Most people either don’t tell the truth or file the waiver.

Next item is a relatively new service, which is satellite radio. You buy the receiver and then pay for the programming each month. Unlike the radio that we are used to, this service provides “channels” that are dedicated to a certain programming. For instance one channel plays only country, another plays only 50’s tunes, another sports and another only news, and so on and so forth for about 150 different channels. The main advantage, as I see it, is that if there is a channel that you like you can always get it. They brag about no commercials but they do advertise themselves.

More than likely you already have a cell phone. Well, don’t get rid of it - as a matter of fact now is the time to do serious comparisons of service plans. I know, "there is another headache I don’t need", but you will find that a cell phone is even more of a necessity than before. Nextel and now Sprint, and perhaps others, offer a nation wide Walkie-Talkie type service as part of their cell phone plans. This service can be of use while traveling, such as we do, in two vehicles or perhaps just to stay in contact while in the Wal-Mart.

As you travel this great country of ours you will find that all cell phone providers have holes or areas where their service is unavailable. Regardless of what they say none of the providers have coverage everywhere. You will, though, find that if you stay close to the interstates you will have coverage most of the time with most of the providers. What I am advocating here to is find a provider that gives you the most minutes, and other perks for your buck. You will now probably call back home to your kin more than you ever did while living in the same town. Buy a calling card, obviously the cheaper the better, about 60 minutes and perhaps one that you can add minutes to and does not have an expiration date. This can be used in those emergencies when your cell phone has no access and you need to make that pay phone call.

Another handy item is the Family Radio Service (FRS): This is a small, shirt-pocket size, short range (2 miles) radio. Other than the Wal-Mart example above, uses include: aid when your spouse is helping you back that monster into that parking space, keeping in touch with family and friends while on a picnic or exploring the campground that you just moved into.

Global Positioning System (GPS): These units receive signals from satellites and when they are electronically superimposed onto a screen you can see yourself driving down the road. With your starting points and destination points programmed in, the GPS unit can guide you through your daily travels. Some units verbally tell you that you have made a wrong turn and what steps may be taken to get you back on the correct road. These units cost anywhere from $150.00 for a hand held unit to over $2000.00 for a dash mounted unit. The hand held units are just fine for most of us.

The Internet: Whether you need it or don’t, you can find it on the Internet. The Internet is a network of computers all tied together to form a large information-sharing network. This is a world in and of itself - everything is on the Internet: your bank is on the Internet, you can send mail to family and friends on the Internet, this course is on the Internet, you can buy groceries on the Internet and have them delivered to one of your stops along the way.

Just the other day the push button that opens our microwave door came flying off into the middle of the room. Just a simple piece of plastic...but where in the world do you go to get one of these things? You got it - the Internet; I had found a supplier and had the part ordered within 10 minutes. We use the Internet to do all of the above and find it to be a great source of entertainment on those dreary days when you don’t want to go outside.

Let’s not forget the old snail (land) mail. For this to be really efficient in keeping up, you need a good mail forwarding service, some idea where you are going to be and what that mailing address might be. There are mail services listed in most of the RV magazines and most RV clubs are associated with a forwarding service.

1  2  3  4