mptjelgin

Isn't that the case? I had two Superduty trucks with the V-10 engine and put over 300,000 miles on them combined. It was an outstanding motor and part of it was due to the overhead cam design. Now everyone seems to be giddy about a push-rod engine. Other than being a bit more compact I don't see the advantage.

I haven't conducted any scientific tests, but the answer seems to be "quite close". We are using the "Hershey bar" inside antenna that came with the amp, and I find that having the phone/broadband device within several inches of the antenna is optimal. I have noticed "some" boost at a distance of a few feet but closer is better, for sure. It hasn't been an inconvenience as I usually use a headset with the phone and the broadband router lives right next to the amp anyways.

This is exactly what I do. No need to go up into the roof.

We are currently using the WeBoost Drive 4G-X and it has worked well for us. The phone/broadband device must be quite close to the inside antenna, but it gets us usable signal in areas where otherwise there is none. For instance, we are in the lower campground at Davis Mountains State Park in West Texas right now, a notorious "no cellular" area. We are getting usable broadband and voice service, but only with the amplifier.

Northwood Manufacturing, producer of Artic Fox and Nash produce (Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheels, Truck Campers) their units in La Grande, Oregon. We took the factory tour while we were volunteering in the area and it was very informative.

Or perhaps there is no need or reason to change? We've always lived conservatively and feel no need to begin spending more money just because we have it.

Thanks! I've tried online and it seems to be a no-go. I'll find the nearest corporate store and give them a try.

I asked this question on another thread and didn't get any responses. Does anyone know if it is possible to get the 8800L with the prepaid unlimited data plan, instead of having to start with a something different (online gives only the choice of MHS990L and 7730L). Since I don't have a Verizon Jetpack I'd rather not have to buy one that I will immediately replace with the 8800L.

I don't have a Verizon Jetpack, and would like to order the 8800 along with the Prepaid Unlimited Data Plan. Online you appear to be limited to either an MHS900L or a 7730L with the prepaid plan. Has anyone figured out how to directly online order the 8800 along with the new plan?

We have run across a small percentage of on-line forms that will not accept a character in the address field that is non alphanumeric. So putting the "#" sign in the address generates an error. In those cases we use "213 Rainbow Drive 12345" as our format and it has worked fine. Seems to fly in the face of the above quoted postal regulation, but so be it!

Some battery monitors are integrated with solar controllers (or inverter remotes) but there are plenty of stand-alone monitors. The Bogart Trimetric 2030 is a stand-alone unit and will not interfere with your solar controller.

I'm a little curious about the state-of-charge table for the Vmax batteries. Even though they are AGM batteries I believe that they are still lead-acid technology, so they should track pretty closely with flooded cell numbers. I really wonder if your 12.74 volts in the morning represent a 70% SOC or something much better. With my flooded cell batteries I would consider that to be essentially fully charged. I've seen several other state-of-charge tables for various AGM batteries, and I can't find any that list voltages as high as the Vmax charts. Unless they'd got some sort of modified chemistry I would take them with a grain of salt. As others have noted, a battery monitoring system is necessary to really determine state of charge and loads during the day. With the inverter off and only running the fridge on gas, the water pump occasionally, and a few lights, you should be doing quite well with your solar system, and definitely not have to run a generator 3-5 hours each day.

It's probably the first time I've been around the trailer long enough to be approached. We tend to leave early in the morning to go sightseeing, birding, etc. But once back we don't often spend much time standing around outdoors!

I agree. So why is it that during breakdown is when I am most often approached?? I can be on a site for several days, but only the morning that I'm breaking down does the neighbor come over to ask where we're from, where we're going, etc. Never fails!!

Three things have steered us away from front living rooms. First is convenience. We spend most of our time in the living room, and having it on the lower level with easy (level) access to the kitchen, fridge, etc. is desirable. Second is headroom. I am 6'-1" tall, and our bedroom (upper level) is just over my head. Our living room, on the other hand, is much higher than my head, allowing for a ceiling fan to be used and generally just giving a more open feeling. Third is heating/cooling. The upstairs (bedroom) in our trailer tends to be warmer than the lower levels. In some cases distinctly warmer. I suppose that depending on where you are that could be a good thing or a bad thing, but for us we would find it stuffy much of the time during the day.

DRV makes a fine trailer, but they are very heavy, and quite expensive. Don't let anyone tell you that you "need" a DRV to fulltime. You simply do not! 99+% of fulltimers are in something "less" than a DRV and doing fine.

There are thousands of people full-timing in Keystone trailers!! I know at least five different couples full-timing in Montana's (just one of the many Keystone lines) and doing just fine. I would wager that there are far more people full-timing in Keystone trailers than are doing so in either Grand Design or DRV, if only because of the sheer number of Keystone trailers out there.

If you love your trailer now, there is no reason to believe that you'll not love it just as much in a year or two. While I agree that trying to nail the "perfect" RV (whatever that means) the first time is unlikely, it doesn't mean that your first RV won't be just fine. We started with a used 26' travel trailer (while still working), moved up to a 30' fifth wheel two years later, using a great deal that we'd learned from the first trailer to make our selection. We part-timed in that fifth wheel for seven years, and then full-timed in it for almost two more. After those two years of full-timing we purchased our current 35' fifth wheel which we're still in seven years later. While each trailer was very different, each was fine for the period of time that we owned it, and at no time were we faced with "not getting it right". My point is that you've chosen a perfectly reasonable trailer, with a floor plan that you like. You should be able to get into most (but not all, neither can we!!) state and federal campgrounds, and you'll certainly have zero issue finding campgrounds in the RGV. Relax, enjoy yourself, and take it easy. It will all work out fine!!

Not even close...

There are places that will take a single volunteer. But I really hope that if you decide to volunteer it will be because you WANT to volunteer and are eager to offer your services. Volunteering primarily "for nothing more than a free place to park, power, other? " will likely not be satisfying to either yourself or the agency that you are volunteering for.

Valid points. In the past couple of years we've seen more volunteers who seem to do it primarily for the free site and who appear to have little interest in the volunteering aspect. This has been most obvious at a couple of state parks where volunteers are being allowed to stay year-round. This is not a positive trend in my opinion as these volunteers seem to do the bare minimum or not even that. But I suppose that is a park management issue, just as it would be with an under-performing employee. On the other side of the coin are volunteers who put in far more than the requested minimum number of hours simply because they enjoy what they are doing and see value in it. Most volunteers that we've worked with fall into this category. When I speak to Volunteer Coordinators they are certainly seeking out folks who enjoy and value volunteering over those who are simply looking for free lodging, but it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference until it is too late.

My wife and I have volunteered over 14,000 hours in the past 8 years. It has absolutely nothing to do with equivalent pay. Nothing. Nada. Zero. It seems that every time a volunteer topic comes up someone feels the need to point out the poor "pay". If you need an income then Walmart and McDonald's are definitely the way to go. But obviously that isn't the reason that folks volunteer. If you don't like to volunteer or don't think it is worth your time, great. Don't volunteer. But don't feel like you need to educate those of us who do on what the value of our time is. Because you don't get it...

We've had the same experience. DirecTV w/ DNS (East Coast only) for 8 years with no recertification. We get locals at our home base near San Antonio and have changed service address a couple of times. But in past years we've not asked for service address changes as we simply don't watch the locals.

Absolutely not. I have pulled our fifth wheel full time for eight years with a single rear wheel (SRW) F-350 pick-up. Much of that travel has been in the Rockies including most of the notable passes. Our fifth wheel is a well-constructed, full-time rated, 35' long trailer. I paid well under $50,000 for the truck in late 2009 and currently have 130,000 +/- miles on it. When the time comes to replace it I can get something equivalent for less than $50,000. Are there more expensive trucks out there? You bet. But they are not necessary for 99% of the fifth wheels on the road. This message board is well represented by the other 1% (long, very heavy fifth wheels) that do require an MDT or HDT to tow safely, as well as some passionate advocates for HDT trucks. But don't let that convince you that these trucks are necessary for the vast majority of applications. That being said, I've actually seen folks on this board recommend a DRW diesel as the minimum for safely towing a 30' travel trailer, so you'll find differing opinions... But even those trucks don't start at $100,000!

Having stayed in volunteer village at a NWR where everyone had lights under their RV's because of the local Woodrat (Pack Rat) population, I'll say that it wasn't all that bothersome. Lights on the ground beneath a trailer are not that noticeable. They are far less bothersome to me than the large "security lights" and awning lights that I'm seeing more and more of. I'm even noticing lights built into the front cap of some fifth wheels as accents. Why???