RV Lifestyle RV Podcast

RV Lifestyle RV Podcast


RT70: Everything you need to know about staying connected to the Internet in your RV

January 13, 2016

Internet connectivity for RVers is a must have. In the last year, so much has changed, so many new products have been released and so many good deals are available from the various companies that we've put together a primer for everything you need to know about staying connected while you're on the road in your RV.

Helping us navigate the online option for RVers are Cherie Ve Ard and Chris Dunphy, also known as "the Technomads," publishers of the RV Mobile Internet Resource Center. This couple knows more about staying connected while traveling in an RV than any other source you'll find.

They live, breathe, test, review and compare all the different Internet plans and gear available and in this episode of the podcast, they share with Mike the ins and outs of the Internet and RVing for 2015.

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Complete Shownotes for Episdoe 70 of Roadtreking: The RV Travel Podcast:
Jennifer's Tip of the Week - Staying warm on cold weather campouts
This week’s tip is for those f you who camp all year round, not just in warm weather. Sometimes, when it’s cold outside, you need a little extra help for those cold nights. [spp-timestamp time="6:24"]

The solution for us  was to pick up a small ceramic heater.

The one we have is the Lasko Model 5307 Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater. Quite frankly, we can’t remember where we bought it but we think it was Walmart. But you now how hard it is to find something at Walmart. So we looked it up and found it available on Amazon for $34.

It is 16 inches tall and easily stores in one of the cabinets on our Roadtrek. It has three speeds, low, medium and high and you can turn the oscillating feature on or off.

Typically, on really, really cold nights, besides our regular heater, we’ll plug this in and set it up on the galley counter and run it overnight.

I need to point out though, that this heater takes a lot of  power…. 1,500 watts, in fact. So in most cases, unless you have tons of battery and solar power, you’ll want to be plugged into shore power. And since it is such a big power drain, you may have to turn it off briefly of you want to use other high power drain appliances like the microwave or coffee maker.

This little heater kicks out a surprising amount of heat. Other users say it can heat a 10 by 12 foot room all by itself. I don’t know about that but we are very impressed by how well it warms up our RV when we do winter camping.

It has overheat protection and comes in a something they call the cool-touch housing, meaning that you can pick it up and carry it around without it getting too hot.

We are very pleased with our unit. It heats very fast and is also very quiet.
Listener Question: Apps to create and share a travel journal
Listener Tom H asks:

I'm looking for an easy to use way to keep family and friends up to date on our wandering. Some time ago it seems like you did a feature on several but I can't seem to locate it. [spp-timestamp time="11:14"]

Mike's Answer: 

Besides keeping a record or journal, we love sharing our travel with friends and families. In this digital age, instead of postcards, we’re posting real-time maps, photos, video and travel reports. Let me show you three ways apps and the Internet can help you share your traveling adventures.

For iPhone and iPad users, check out the free Track My Tour app and website. You start a route and through the app, add updates as you travel. It grabs your GPS location from your device and  dispays it, as well as your comments and the photos you take on an interactive map.  It’s free, though there is an upgraded version that lets you have some extra features.

Check My Tour is a similar app, geared towards cyclists and motorcycle trips, though it will also work with regular roadtrips. It is for Apple devices but also Android smartphones.

Then there’s My Trip Journal. This allows you to set up your own travel blog website. It maps your routes and lets you write reports and updates and allows you to have a travel journal t...