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How to DIY and set up a dual boot system with Windows and Linux. This is not hard and if you don't know how to do a full system image to restore if you screw something up don't even try this. If you do then this is a great tutorial. Excerpt: "I've likely used more operating systems than 99% of my readers. I cut my teeth on IBM 360/OS in the 70s. Since then, I've used every Apple and Microsoft operating system you've ever heard of, and many you've never known, such as A/UX and Microsoft Xenix. I've also used well over 100 different Unix and Linux distributions. So, when I say Linux Mint 21.1, the latest long-term support (LTS) version of Linux Mint, is not just the best Linux desktop, but the best desktop, it means something. Also: 8 things you can do with Linux that you can't do with MacOS or Windows The only way you'll know if it works well for you, of course, is to try it yourself. Here's how to first give Linux Mint a spin. It's simple to try it. And, then, if you like what you see, I also explain how to replace Windows with Mint. Materials needed: Windows PC, Internet connection, and a DVD-RW or USB Stick with 3 or more GBs of storage. Estimated time: (2 hours). Estimated cost: $5 How to try Linux Mint 1. Download a copy of Linux Mint sjvn Unlike other operating systems, Linux distros like Mint make it easy to give them a test run before installing them. To do this, first, you must download a copy of Linux Mint. Unlike Windows, when there's only one desktop interface, you get your choice of three different Mint desktops. These are MATE, Xfce, and its default desktop, Cinnamon. If you have a 2012 or newer PC, go with Cinnamon. If you have an older machine, try Mate, and if your PC is really old or doesn't have much horsepower, use Xfce. Also: Want to save your aging computer? Try these 5 Linux distributions Depending on your internet speed, downloading Mint could take a long time. The distribution now weighs in at 2.5 gigabytes. 2. Make sure your copy of Mint is the real thing sjvn Next, you should make sure that the image file you just downloaded is the real McCoy. You do this by downloading the sha256sum.txt and sha256sum.txt.gpg files. You should be able to find them in the same place you downloaded the ISO image. When you download them, do it with your browser's "right-click->Save Link As…" command. In the next step, head to the GNU Privacy Guard (GnuPG) page. Once there, download and install the Windows installer, download.sig. Then, run the installer. It doesn't matter if you run it as an ordinary user or as an administrator. Either way works. Also: The best Linux distros for beginners Now head over to the Download folder. Once there, hold Shift while right-clicking your download folder and open a command window. When done, run the following command CertUtil -hashfile filename.iso SHA256 Eventually, it will return an alphanumeric sequence that's called a hash. If this hash is identical to the one listed in your sha256sum.txt, then the integrity check passed, and your ISO file is good to go. If not, delete the ISO file and download a copy. 3. Burn Mint to a DVD-RW or USB Stick sjvn Now, you're ready to burn the image to either a DVD disc or a USB stick. If you have an old copy of Windows, you may not an ISO burner program. In that case, you must download one. I recommend freeware programs ImgBurn for optical drives and Yumi for Windows for USB sticks. Other good choices are LinuxLive USB Creator and UNetbootin. All of these are free programs. Also: How to get started with Git on Linux Windows 11 users can just use the operating system's built-in ISO burner functionality. To burn your ISO file to a blank DVD-RW or USB stick, insert the disc into your DVD-RW burner drive or USB stick into a USB port. Then, open the folder containing your ISO file in Windows File Explorer. Typically, that's the Download directory. Next, click on your Mint ISO file. On the top of File Explorer, you should see the Burn option. Select it and burn the image to your DVD or USB stick. If you're using a USB stick, set it up with persistent storage. With this, you can store your programs and files on the stick. This way, you can carry Linux and use it as a walk-around operating system for hotel, conference, and library PCs. This is very handy, and there's always at least one Linux Mint stick in my laptop bag. Finally, if you used a DVD, check your newly burned disc for errors. Over the years, I've had more problems with running Linux and installing Linux from DVDs from bad discs than all other causes combined. 4. Reboot Image: J.A. Watson Next, place your disc or USB stick into your PC and reboot. During the reboot, stop the boot-up process and get to your PC's UEFI or BIOS settings. How you do this varies according to the system. Look for a message as the machine starts up that tells which key or keys you'll need to press in order to get to the BIOS or UEFI. Likely, candidates are a function key or the "esc" or "delete" keys. For a recent list of the major OEMs, see How to Enter the BIOS on Any PC: Access Keys by Manufacturer. If you don't spot it the first time, don't worry about it. Just reboot and try again. Also: Emmabuntüs is a Linux distribution geared toward those who don't know Linux Once you get to the BIOS or UEFI, look for a menu choice labeled "Boot," "Boot Options," or "Boot Order." If you don't see anything with the word "boot" in it, check other menu options such as "Advanced Options," "Advanced BIOS Features," or "Other Options." Once you find it, set the boot order so that instead of booting from the hard drive first, you boot from either the DVD or USB drive. Once your PC is set to try to boot first from the alternative drive, insert your DVD or USB stick and reboot. Then, select "Start Linux Mint" from the first menu. And, from there, you'll be running Linux Mint. 5. Start Linux Mint sjvn Once your PC is set to try to boot first from the alternative drive, insert your DVD or USB stick and reboot. Then, select "Start Linux Mint" from the first menu. And, from there, you'll be running Linux Mint. So far, you haven't installed anything on your PC, but you are running Mint. Use this opportunity to play with Mint to see if you like it. Review: Private Internet Access: A cheap, powerful, open-source VPN Using a DVD drive, Mint will run slowly, but it will run quickly enough to give you an idea of what it's like to use Mint. With a USB stick, it runs fast enough to give you a good notion of what working with Mint is like. Indeed it's fast enough I use Mint USB sticks for work, sometimes on office PCs. 6. Fix Nvidia graphic problems Some Nvidia graphics cards don't work well with Mint's open-source driver. If Linux Mint freezes during boot, use the "nomodeset" boot option. You set this to the Start Linux Mint option and press 'e' to modify the boot options. Then, replace "quiet splash" with "nomodeset" and press F10 to boot. On older PCs using BIOS, press 'tab' instead of 'e.' Mint will run slower this way, but it will boot and run. If you decide to install Mint, you can permanently fix the problem with the following steps: Run the Driver Manager Choose the NVIDIA drivers and wait for them to be installed Reboot the computer 7. Back up your system Like what you see? Want to use Mint? Now, you're ready to install Mint. First, make a complete backup of your Windows system. Installing Linux in the way I'm going to describe shouldn't hurt your Windows setup at all, but why take any chances? Also: How to easily back up your Mac onto a USB drive (and feel like James Bond doing it) It used to be that installing Linux on Windows PCs with UEFI and Secure Boot was a major pain. It can still be an annoyance, but Ubuntu and Mint have made booting and installing with Secure Boot systems a non-issue. All pre-built binaries intended to be loaded as part of the boot process, with the exception of the initrd image, are signed by Canonical's UEFI certificate, which is implicitly trusted by being embedded in the Microsoft signed shim loader. If, for some reason, you can't install Mint with Secure Boot running on your PC, you can always turn off Secure Boot. There are many ways to switch off Secure Boot. All involve going to the UEFI control panel during the boot process and switching it off. 8. Install Linux Mint sjvn Next, make sure your PC is plugged in. The last thing you want is to run out of battery power during an operating system install! You'll also need an internet connection and about 8GBs of free drive space. That done, reboot into Linux again. Once you have the Mint display up, one of your icon choices on the left will be to install Mint. Double-click it, and you'll be on your way. Also: The absolute best Linux distros for programming You'll need to walk your way through several menu choices. Most of these decisions will be easy. For example, the language you want Mint to use and your time zone. The one critical choice will be how to partition your hard drive. 9. Partion your hard drive sjvn Partitioning a hard drive can become very complicated, but fortunately, there's an easy choice to enable you to dual-boot both Windows and Mint. Simply pick the first option on the Installation Type menu: "Install Linux Mint alongside them." Also: The best external hard drives you can buy This procedure will install Linux Mint next to your existing Windows system and leave it totally untouched. When I do this, I usually give half my PC's remaining drive space to Mint. You'll be asked to choose which operating system you want to boot by default. No matter which one you pick, you'll get a few seconds to switch to the other operating system. If you want to, you can also specify exactly how you want your hard drive to be set up. Only power users should try this. If you go this route, I suggest you use Ext4 for your main Linux file system. 10. Add Linux Mint finishing touches sjvn You'll also be required to give your system a name, pick out a username for yourself, and create a password. You can also choose to encrypt your home directory to keep files relatively safe from prying eyes. However, an encrypted home directory slows systems down. It's faster, albeit counterintuitive, to encrypt the entire drive after you have Mint up and running. Mint's setup menu enables you to automatically create a system snapshot with Timeshift. This way, if something goes wrong later, you can restore your system files and get back to a working system. It does not, however, save your documents and the like. It just saves the system files needed to run Mint. While you're at this, set up a regular Timeshift schedule. Timeshift can save your bacon if something goes awry. Also: How to install Linux on your Raspberry Pi Next, you can have it check to see if your computer needs any additional drivers. I highly recommend you run this. After this, you can choose to install proprietary multimedia codecs, such as drivers to watch DVDs. I think you should do this, as well. You should then update your system to the latest software. Unlike Windows patches, when you update Mint, you're updating not just your operating system but all the other programs such as the default web browser, Firefox; office-suite, LibreOffice; and any other programs you've installed from Mint's Software Manager. This is very handy. To do this manually, click on the shield icon in the menu bar. By default in the Cinnamon desktop, the bar will be on the bottom part of the screen and the icon will be on the right. It will then prompt you for your password and ask if you really want to update your system. Say yes, and you'll be ready to give your new Mint system a real tryout. The setup routine also lets you look at system settings and find new programs with the Software Manager, but since you're probably a new user, you can skip those for now. That's all there is to it. I've installed Linux hundreds of times, and it usually takes me about an hour from starting my download -- the blessings of a Gigabit fiber internet connection -- to moving from booting up to customizing my new Mint PC. If you've never done it before, allow yourself an afternoon or morning for the job. Have fun, get work done, and enjoy. FAQs What are Linux Mint's system requirements? If you have a computer from the last decade or so that still works, it can almost certainly run Linux Mint. Technically, Linux Mint requires: 2GB RAM (4GB recommended). 20GB of disk space (100GB recommended). 1024×768 resolution (on lower resolutions, press ALT to drag windows with the mouse if they don't fit on the screen). You can probably buy an old PC from a junk shop, and it will run Mint. I've done that very thing. Is there any problem with running Linux Mint and Windows on the same PC? No. It will take about ten seconds, plus the boot time, to switch from one operating system to the other, but that's it. If you want to run them at the same time, that's a different thing entirely. To do that, you should look into running one in a virtual machine (VM) such as Oracle VirtualBox or running Linux under Windows using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2.0. In these configurations, both operating systems will run a bit slower. But unless you're editing video or playing complex games, you shouldn't see any real slowdowns. Can I run Microsoft Office on Linux? sjvn/ZDNET Yes. There are complex ways to do this using programs such as WINE, Crossover Linux , and WinApps for Linux but the easiest by far is to simply run Microsoft 365, formerly Office 365. You can, of course, also run many great Linux desktop programs such as GIMP for photo editing, LibreOffice for office work, and Chrome or Firefox for web browsing. https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-replace-windows-with-linux-mint-on-your-pc/?utm_source=pocket_saves

Excerpt: "I've never been a big fan of the Windows interface. But I do see the appeal. The traditional desktop layout is efficient and covers all the bases. If you want to quickly launch a favorite app, click an icon on the panel or desktop. For launching any other app, scan through the desktop menu. Do you have a folder you frequently access? Add a shortcut to the desktop. It's all there, ready to go. If that UI sounds not only familiar but also desirable, Ubuntu Cinnamon has you covered. The desktop offers a very traditional layout with all the features you're accustomed to using… but with a decidedly open-source spin. You'll find plenty of open-source software installed by default. Click the Menu button (lower left corner) to reveal everything categorized so you can easily find what you're looking for. Also: This official Ubuntu Spin might just be the perfect intro to Linux Pre-installed software includes the likes of: LibreOffice (office suite) Firefox (web browser) Thunderbird (email) Celluloid (video player) Rythmbox (music player) GIMP (image editor) For those who prefer to house folders on the desktop (for easy access), simply right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Create New Folder. Also: Want to save your aging computer? Try these 5 Linux distributions Another very nice feature of Ubuntu Cinnamon is window snapping. With this take on the desktop, you can snap windows: Splitting the screen in half vertically. Splitting the screen in half horizontally. Splitting the screen into four quarters. Working efficiently with four apps snapped into corners. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET I'm a big fan of window snapping and use it every day. Not every desktop includes four-corner snapping and I'm here for it. Who is Ubuntu Cinnamon for? This is an important question to ask, primarily because the Cinnamon desktop is directly linked to Linux Mint. And given how popular and user-friendly Mint is, why wouldn't you just opt for that OS? To make this question even more confusing, Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu. So, why not cut out the middle person and use Ubuntu with Linux Mint's desktop? Also: How to replace Windows with Linux Mint on your PC There's no hard and fast way to answer that question. The difference between Linux Mint and Ubuntu Cinnamon lies in the details, most of which really won't matter to new users trying to decide which operating system to choose. Even the file managers are the same. From the user's perspective, the primary difference is found in the number of pre-installed software. Linux Mint includes a number of applications not found in Ubuntu Cinnamon. For example, Linux Mint includes the likes of Warpinator (send and receive files across a network), Redshift (color temperature adjustment tool), and Hypnotic (watch internet TV), Library (view recent files). One big difference is that Ubuntu Cinnamon uses GNOME Software as the app store, whereas Linux Mint offers mintinstall. Source with much more: https://www.zdnet.com/article/ubuntu-cinnamon-is-for-users-who-prefer-the-familiarity-of-the-windows-desktop-but-with-the-freedom-of-open-source/

1. Scan documents If you have ever had to sign a physical document and then submit it digitally afterwards, you know how much of a hassle it can be to print out, scan, and then email the document. The good news is that you no longer have to turn to your clunky scanner. With both iPhones and Android devices, you can use the smartphone to scan a document and export it. Also: How to scan and fax from your iPhone On iPhones, all you have to do is open your Notes app, click the camera icon, and then hit the "scan documents" button, and you're set. On an Android device, the process is even more seamless. All you have to do is open your camera app, hover it over the document, and tap "scan document" for Pixel phones, or the yellow "T" icon for Samsung devices. 2. Start your car Before you get your hopes up, your ability to use your phone as a key or car-starter will depend entirely on the model, make, and year of your car. Thankfully, a lot of cars have this type of functionality. Two reasons why you might want to take advantage of this feature include the ability to remotely start your car from the comfort of your own home or setting the car temperature just the way you like it before you get in. Also: The best car gadgets If you're interested in this feature, look up your car on the web and see if there's an app that can help. For example, Ford has an app called FordPass, which allows Ford car owners to unlock and lock cars, remotely start the car, and even schedule remote starts from the app. Android devices have a feature called digital key on select smartphones, which works in tandem with your car manufacturer's app or the manufacturer's email to make your phone a digital key. 3. Help you change channels There are few things more frustrating than getting ready to watch a show, sitting on the couch, settling down with your blanket and snacks, and then realizing you can't find the remote. Once this realization hits, you have to dig to find the remote, only to find out that the batteries are flat. To spare you this trouble, many TVs are capable of syncing to your smartphone to turn your device into a remote. If you have an iPhone, you can use it to control compatible TVs including Roku or Fire TVs, or an Apple TV 4K. It's as easy as being logged on to the same network as the TV, going to the screen-share option, and then hitting the remote icon. If you want to use your iPhone as a remote control, we have a handy how-to. Android smartphones have the same capability with Android TVs. All you have to do is open the Google TV app, tap the remote icon on the bottom right, and then scan devices and choose your device to complete pairing, according to Android. In addition, Android has TV remote apps for Roku and Fire TVs, and even third-party remote apps for Apple TV. 4. Measure stuff Don't have a tape measure? No problem. You can take measurements of anything you need to on your phone using your smartphone's camera and AR technology. All you have to do is drop a point at the beginning of the object you're measuring and pin another point at the end to get the exact measurement. Also: 8 cool ways to use LiDAR on your iPhone and iPad iPhones come with the Apple Measure app preloaded, but if you're an Android user, don't fret. You can simply use Measure Up, Google's tool that lets you do what the Apple Measure app does, but on your phone's browser instead of via an app. 5. Take photos for you Have you ever wanted to take a picture, but had no one to take it for you? The scenery is beautiful and your outfit is perfect, but you can't spot anyone around -- so your photo opportunity is ruined. Sure there is your phone's timer, but that can be near useless because you have to set everything up for just one photo to be taken. Thankfully, Lens Buddy is an app made to solve that problem. Also: Shaky photos? You're holding your phone wrong. Try this With Lens Buddy, you can fully customize the timer, including the speed and intervals of the pictures, so you can get the perfect shot. Instead of having to set up a ten second timer for your phone only to snap one photo, you can set a timer that takes many photos over a customized interval (ex: every three seconds) for as long as you'd like. With Lens Buddy, you have a lot of options to pick from from one session instead of just one. The app is only available on iOS. However, there are camera-timer alternatives in the Google Play Store, such as Selfer, which does the same thing. 6. Monitor your heart rate Despite the plethora of smartwatches and fitness trackers on the market, it is possible to monitor your heart rate with just your smartphone. Heart-rate monitoring apps use your back camera and flash to determine how much blood is pumping through your skin, and get your heart rate through a practice called photoplethysmography. To get your results within seconds, all you have to do is place your finger over the camera and flash. Also: The best fitness rings These mobile heart-rate monitoring apps do not come with your phone as standard, but can be downloaded in your smartphone's app store. To figure out which one to download, I recommend going to the app store and downloading a free app with the most positive reviews. There are many perks to regularly tracking your heart rate, including being more in-tune with you body. I personally used one of these apps to monitor my irregular heart rate and, ultimately, got my heart condition diagnosed. 7. Hold your medical insurance card If you own a smartphone, you are likely familiar with the concept of a digital wallet. With a digital wallet, you can add cards, boarding passes, tickets, and more to your smartphone for easy access when paying or entering certain events. Also: How to add your driver's license to Apple Wallet But did you know that you can also add your health insurance card? I love this feature because my pesky health insurance card always gets stuck to other cards in my wallet just when you need it. Also: How to add your transit card to Apple Wallet For your convenience, many insurance providers, including Cigna and Aetna, allow for mobile access to your insurance card. All you have to do is download the app for your insurance provider and sign in. There, both iPhone and Android users will find your mobile health insurance card, which you can then present at any healthcare provider. If you are an iPhone user, you get the added perk of adding it to your Apple Wallet. Bonus feature Just as a reminder for those of you who might have forgotten: as well as working as a compass, flashlight, TV remote, and thousands of other functions that you can download as apps, your smartphone can also... make calls. Yes, really!" Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/seven-things-you-didnt-realize-your-phone-can-do/

Excerpt: "Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) rocketed more than 26% on Thursday, as the graphics chip maker rides the generative AI explosion. The rip higher comes after the company reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings Wednesday, and pointed to a dramatic acceleration in data center revenue in the current quarter. Nvidia is the leading AI chip maker thanks to years of investments in AI technologies. And according to Raymond James managing director Srini Pajjuri, the company isn’t going to lose that title anytime soon. “There’s only one supplier of GPUs, and Nvidia has been investing in this market for the last 10 years. They not only have the chips, they have the systems, the software, it’s a full stack solutions company,” explained Pajjuri. “In the short term, Nvidia is the only game in town,” he said. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) View quote details NasdaqGS - Nasdaq Real Time Price (USD) 379.80 +74.42(24.37%) At close: 4:00PM EDT 378.80 -0.99 (-0.26%) After hours: 7:49PM EDT Nvidia beat analysts’ expectations on the top and bottom line in Q1 thanks to its data center business, which brought in $4.2 billion in revenue versus the $3.9 billion Wall Street was anticipating. That was better than the same quarter last year when the company reported data center revenue of $3.8 billion." More in the article here: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/theres-an-ai-war-and-nvidia-is-the-only-arms-dealer-analyst-174654030.html

Excerpt: "The tie-up between the rivals makes Ford the first major automaker to embrace Tesla's proprietary charging standard, giving the automaker access to the biggest network of high-speed Superchargers in the United States. Access to charging stations is considered one of the main hurdles so far to broader acceptance of electric vehicles, analysts have said. Tesla said last November it would open its proprietary charging design to other automakers and charging network operators. A Tesla-developed adapter will provide Ford EVs fitted with the Combined Charging System (CCS) port access to Tesla’s V3 Superchargers. Ford will equip future EVs with Tesla's own charging standard, removing the need for an adapter for direct access to Tesla Superchargers, starting in 2025. "The idea is that we don't want the Tesla supercharger network to be like a walled garden. We want it to be something that is supportive of electrification and sustainable transport in general," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said during an online Twitter Spaces conversation with Ford CEO Jim Farley. "We love the locations, we love the reliability, your routing software, the ease of use of the connector, the reliability of it," Farley said. "Tesla storms through the train station like 300 kilometers per hour Shinkansen," Farley said, referring to Japanese bullet trains. "We're learning a lot." Tesla had 17,711 Superchargers, accounting for about 60% of total U.S. fast chargers, which can add hundreds of miles of driving range in an hour or less. Farley said earlier on Thursday at a Morgan Stanley forum that "on the infrastructure side, I think it's room for some collaboration between the auto companies, which is totally unnatural for us." Farley added, "I think we need to start – I mean, I think the first step is to work together in a way we haven't, probably with the new EV brands and the traditional old companies." For example, he called it "totally ridiculous" that the industry has multiple plugs for its charging networks and "we can't even agree on what plug to use." Musk earlier this month tweeted: "I think Ford’s overall strategy with EVs is smart. The electric F-150 (Lightning) has high demand." He also defended Ford over its losses on its electric vehicle business. "Always tough with margins for new vehicle lines, especially when there are major technology shifts." Farley said on Thursday that Ford should take the lead to reach out to a new company like a Tesla or a Nio Inc or BYD "to kind of work together in a non-natural way as competitors. I think you'll see Ford do that just because that's what kind of company we are." This year, Tesla has started to expand beyond its proprietary connectors and incorporate the rival CCS standard at some of its charging stations in the United States, as the Biden administration seeks to provide billions in subsidies to expand charging networks. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-ford-ceos-talk-evs-205013445.html

Gotcha, thanks. We are already there and the access fee is very fair. Our CSU is a municipal utility and actually adjusts prices down when they pay less. Last week I found they pay .02/kWh wholesale for electricity. I am now charging only on off peak hours.

PP, what do you mean access fee par vehicle? For electric access or road access like toll roads? I have an access fee of just ~ $13-15 just to be connected to the grid when we have our solar system installed. I think fees at registration with the DMV and making weight a factor in the equation might just work.

Excerpt: "The truth is, there's more to choosing a vehicle/trailer combo than matching a vague idea of your max tow capacity to the largest trailer within this limit. Below, we'll go over a few important factors your dealership probably didn't mention: your vehicle configuration, your payload, and your wheelbase ratio. All of these factors are just as important in determining how big of a trailer you can safely tow. In this article: Towing Term Glossary How Much Towing Capacity Do I Need, and How Do I Calculate It? What Is My Payload? What Is My Wheelbase?" Source: https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-much-trailer-can-I-tow.aspx This next video is excellent. Fifth wheels are more stable on the road if you have enough truck. I towed with a Ram 1 ton diesel Dually towing ~ 12k-12.5pounds. Safe Travels!

https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/newsletters/48559

😅😂

Yep!

Wow!

X2 👍👍

Just got here and Gary answered it. I don't trust RV salesman at all on towing capacities. They are right that you can tow almost anything with a pickup on flat ground. But emergency stops and stopping on a downhill run? I look forward to your future posts.

https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/newsletters/48540

Bill, Yep different hardware head units and Apps are different. You have built in Nav on your head unit. I have not paid for that in the forester just Android Auto whoich works great on its screen. My Tesla has Nav built in and the screen is excellent for everything built in as well as Nav because it is standard in it and my connectivity in it costs about ten bucks a month for 4G Internet access. But today they all get you there. I wrote this so RVrs could see that their phones are sufficient for Nav and for folks with Travel trailers class B, Pop Up trailers can make do with Android, as they rarely are tall enough to worry. Of course some may be today. I have no idea about iPhone navigation apps And of course it was not until Clinton in 2000 unscrambled our GPS Satellites that we could even use GPS outside of the military, and at first they were way to expensive. We did not even have cellphones until we came off the road full-time in 2003 and became part-timers. In late 2006 I got a Garmin for work driving a 100 mile radius of the ArkLaTex. Phones had little to no navigation we knew about until after 2007 with smart phones. Heck I used mine for only music on an SD card so we had no ads, only our music, and no dead zones. So in my experience we had no problem using an Atlas but still never trusted if a clearance looked iffy or just paved even on the bridges. I found out you can't trust clearances posted in apps and even in person! You still today need to be cautious on close clearances. I was cautious and snuck up on ones marked OK but close. A few with Lynn outside watching from the bridge berm so she could see if it cleared or not. We only took detours a few times and had to back up once. If mismarked and not reported to whoever monitors bridge clearances for the Nav App makers for trucks and RVs, even with RV apps you still need to be aware. "Pay Attention But That Sign May Be Old When you see a clearance sign, don’t ignore them. They are there for a reason and that is to protect you and your transport from harm. And because those signs may not have been updated after the last repaving job, take six inches off the clearance level. That’s SIX INCHES LOWER than what the sign declares. Also, note that various bridges have different clearance signs for different parts of the bridges. The middle of the bridge usually has the highest clearance level, but in mountainous areas it may be one side or the other. Go with the highest clearance area for your safety. If there is a bridge that you’ll just barely fit under and you don’t have any other option, go SLOW. Take a deep breath and move like a sloth under that bridge. By going slowly you’ll avoid unexpected bounces from uneven road surfaces that might have you grazing or hitting your roof. And don’t be surprised if you do have to back out and find a different route. Be prepared with safety equipment such as flares, neon triangles, etc., if you get stuck even before reaching the bridge. You may need extra notice to other drivers that you need to back your way out of potential disaster. Bottom Line Any damage you incur, will be your fault. Unfortunately, that’s the reality. The authorities won’t care about your excuses if you hit a bridge. Your RV’s height comes with special responsibilities." https://www.roamingtimes.com/2017/04/23/rv-height-clearance-tips/#:~:text=The Federal Highway Administration sets bridge clearances at,However%2C remember that states have their own restrictions. So we slowed or stopped to check out any iffy clearances. But at most places that allow RV parking there was never an issue like in National parks with some exceptions on secondary park roads. We never had smart phones when we were full-time 1997- 2003 because Apple and Android smart phones came out ~ 2007. We had no smart phones or GPS because the GPS satellites were still scrambled by the government in 1997 when we started out. So we planned our trips the day before on paper and Lynn had our giant Rand McNally Road Atlas out as Navigator. (Still have it as a memento our routes are marked on it) Back in those days we had CB radios (KAAY7082 The Connecticut Yankee) and they were SSB units in case of an emergency on the back roads of Alaska etc to shoot skip. However on major highways and in cities where there are semis we relaxed a bit with them. Then from 2004/2008 with a short break in the middle we used Garmins and bought the lifetime updates but for some reason the updates became too big and failed a lot or stopped working so we got into Google navigation apps finally ~ 2010 to date. Early on I found out that in some cases the folks who pave roads forgot to report the changes in clearance when they put a 4 inch layer of new asphalt. So being 13' tall to the top of our Maxxair Vent covers so we decided later with our two smaller rigs we never went back to them. I just don't trust the reporting system for secondary roads. We weighed ~ 12.2-12.5k pounds so would pay attention to bridge weights except on highways. Our phones are three and one year old so we never have issues just plugging them in when using the Subaru. But the Subaru has a hitch for small trailers but can't tow anything more than a teardrop ~ 1200 pounds or less. I have no hitch on the Tesla. Conclusion, if your RV is smaller you still need to measure your clearance on the RV. For newbys here is how you do it in a 44 second video:

So are we have: 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 6L engine 6 speed automatic transmission 4.10 rear end Crew cab Still need: Long bed/Short bed 2 Wheel drive/4WD Single rear wheel or dual rear wheels? Then we can look it up for you and show you where we found your towing specs.

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Thanks FTW. We try.

Freebirds, we need what Gary asked for too. Thanks Gary!

Many folks don't like change and others do. In another thread Dan was asking about Navigation and everyone was talking Garmin units as the preferred way to go. I disagree and here is why. Rather than change the topic there I thought that having it separate would make it easier to find. Dan, I have used both Garmin units and even the Delorme's units in the late 1990s that worked sometimes on a laptop. I used Garmins for several years daily for steel building site visits for about three years in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas. Back then the phone Nav did not exist and even in the first ten years of smart phones they were was essentially in their navigation infancy. When I grew up we were always swapping out our car audio systems and now my son is doing the same with his audio/Navigation, and streaming head units systems. Our cars had them already. I would choose Android Auto over all the several thousand-dollar head units. I have seen advertised today. I do not do Apple so cannot comment on Apple Car Play but some of these do Apple too. I think folks need to look at head unit change options today because full capability head units are available for under $300 that do much more and better than before. Garmins cost close to that or more. The Garmin 780 posted costs $399.99 retail and on Amazon $319. Above I have read about the screen size making phone based Nav hard to use. We have not used our phone screen for Nav since we bought the Subaru in 2019, and the EV in 2020. My requirements, besides not trying to see my smaller phone screen for navigation while I am driving are: 1. A head unit with a big enough screen for me and the little 5” screens don’t do that for me. 2. SD card and/or USB slots for my already ripped to digital music to use when on trips for no ads and no fade or searching for stations. 3. Built-in streaming services that use the phone for the Data connection. But not all the time and for trips I want to use my already made up SD Cards with 128 GB of mp3 ripped music. 4. Both radio and SD card capabilities because we have our music digitized and have several 256GB SD cards setup with music for each car. I like to set it to shuffle so I hear B sides of my favorite music. 5. Good resolution for Nav. 6. Backup camera required unless already installed in a separate screen. I’m going to post a three YouTube videos below with two folks that own them in RVs, and their opinion and how relatively easy they are to install or have installed. I tried to pick ones that have the same price or less than Garmin units. I leave it up to you if you need want other features but the videos are RV installations, and reviews. There are lots of choices but these looked good with a search. The takeaway last video is about Android Auto and your always up to date smartphone for connections, Nav, and media.. The first one is portable and can be used with several vehicles if you buy additional mounts. Just like a Garmin but has a bit bigger screen which can be positioned anywhere you want. The other is a replacement head unit that goes in your dash. "In this video I will be reviewing the Carpuride 10" wide screen wireless Android Auto & Apple Carplay device. If your vehicle is not equipped with a navigation system or bluetooth connectivity, this device will allow you to add these features to your car. With the large display, you can use navigation apps like Waze and Google map. You can also listen to your Spotify music. In this video, I will show you how to install it and pair your phone to this device." $279.99 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjOwzH8rCKY From seven months ago: Wireless Android Auto and Wireless Apple CarPlay with Android for under $300! Eonon Q03Pro $159.99 on Amazon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWPHk4gP1oU From three months ago: Latest Android Auto Review, tips and tricks! You won't believe what it can do!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA-npNvRWTQ I think we have moved beyond just phone screens and/or GPS units. Our in-dash Nav units now are way easier to use and see than our Garmins or phones alone were and came in our cars from the factory. Aftermarket head units have gotten to be as good, and not as expensive as a few years ago. Here is a video on tweaking Android Auto - Here are the most useful settings you should change in Android Auto, both in its developer settings and the main options page.: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/android-auto-tweaks/ Safe Travels!

Not enough info to answer. What year Chevy? What engine? What Tranny? What rear end? What body style crew cab or two door cab? We can find your answer with some information.

Soon I may not be able to say Tesla does no traditional paid advertising. However this one by their Asian division is not on TV. It is on Musk's twitter. Not TV ads yet but a baby step and a well done video! Excerpt: "Tesla's Asia division has published what some are calling the brand’s first advertisement. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Tesla’s first ad was published on Twitter by its Tesla Asia account, in which a Tesla customer outlines her buying experience and what drew her to the brand in the first place. Great video!" Source with the video: https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-advertising-with-new-video/

ExxonMobil Breaks into the Lithium Market with Arkansas Land Purchase As it prepares for a future beyond black gold ExxonMobil is turning to silvery-white gold. Exxon, a name synonymous with the oil industry in the US, has taken the first steps toward doing business in a future where the world is less dependent on petroleum. Sources told The Wall Street Journal that the largest offshoot of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil is now on the hunt for lithium. Fitting, given one of its labs was the actual birthplace of the first lithium battery in the 70s. Keeps Going, and Going, and Going Lithium, the lightest metal on the periodic table of elements, is used for all sorts of modern products – cell phones, laptops, smart watches, tablets – generally as the main component of their batteries. Lithium batteries charge quicker, last longer, and provide more power than conventional lead-acid batteries. And now with car makers taking huge steps away from the internal combustion engine to usher in the true era of the electric vehicle, the need for lithium has punched through the sunroof. As the automotive industry pivots, so too does the fossil fuels sector: • Exxon purchased 120,000 acres in Arkansas’ Smackover Formation from exploration company Galvanic Energy for more than $100 million, sources told the WSJ. The area has been known for its rich oil deposits since the early 1900s, but just last year, Galvanic Energy reported the area has enough lithium to produce batteries for 50 million cars. • It’s not quite an immediate needle-mover for the $430 billion market cap Exxon, but it’s a way of expanding its reach to other materials while still focusing on its flagship product. Oil will remain Exxon’s bread and butter for the foreseeable future, but its new venture into lithium is kind of like adding margarine to the breakfast table. “It’s a classic hedge against the prospect of eventually declining oil demand,” Pavel Molchanov, an analyst at Raymond James, told the WSJ. There from the Beginning: The Smackover deal marks a return to the lithium market for Exxon, which pioneered the industry roughly half a century ago. Chemist Stanley Whittingham helped develop the lithium battery while working at Exxon in the 1970s. The market proved too small at the time to justify all the research, digging, and production, but in 2019, Whittingham received a Nobel Prize for his efforts, and now lithium-ion batteries are the most popular form of energy storage." Source with more: https://thedailyupside.cmail19.com/t/t-e-zgddjy-jdttikduik-yh/

Exxon Quietly Joins Search For Lithium: Report 22 May 2023 "Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) has started to prepare for a future that will be significantly less reliant on gasoline. Exxon recently purchased drilling rights to a sizable chunk of Arkansas land from which it aims to produce the mineral, a key ingredient in batteries for electric cars, cellphones, and laptops, reported the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the sources, lithium is far removed from the fossil-fuel business, which has powered Exxon's profits for over a century. It signals the company's assessment that demand for internal combustion engines could soon peak. The report mentions that Exxon acquired 120,000 gross acres from Galvanic Energy, an exploration firm, in the Smackover formation of southern Arkansas, for more than $100 million. Galvanic said last year that a third-party consultant it hired estimated the prospect could have 4 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent to power 50 million EVs, added the report. Exxon has plans to spend $17 billion through 2027 on cutting carbon emissions and developing low-carbon technologies, mentioned WSJ. Exxon's CEO, Darren Woods, said last year that heavy industry, heavy transportation, and the production of chemicals would drive demand for fossil fuels for decades to come. Lithium production would also diversify Exxon's portfolio and expose them to a market that is expanding quickly. The company is setting up other facets of its operations to support electric automobiles." Source with more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/exxon-quietly-joins-search-for-lithium-report/ar-AA1bwWhB