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26 May 2012

External Antennas for iPhone


Because cellular reception at my house has always been pretty poor, and because I frequently go to where it's even worse, I have always had external antennas for my cellular telephones: 

  • A large, no-compromise, "trucker" antenna designed for maximum efficiency (and maximum potential for poking someone's eye out; look at those ground plane spikes!).
  • A smaller--safer and easier to carry around--plastic antenna.
My phones have always had co-axial antenna ports hidden behind little rubber "navels".  However, my new iPhone 4S lacks this feature, and in fact doesn't even have an internal antenna (which is usually a metallic/foil thingy against the inside of the case).

Wilson is selling an inductive adapter for our iPhones, and I have bought one.

However:

Although they do specifically mention iPhones 4 and 4S, I am skeptical.  My understanding is that the internal antenna of a cellular telephone is usually a thin metal (foil) thing; this "passive" antenna connector would cover that antenna and capture its signal, sending it up a coaxial cable to the external antenna.  There would be considerable inefficiency in this scheme, but in theory the very much greater efficiency of the big antenna (compared to the original internal "patch") would offset the loss.

iPhone does not have that internal "patch" antenna; instead, its metal frame is the antenna, which means that the adapter would have no hope of "covering" any significant part of it; intimate association (close adjacency) is needed for this to work.

Despite my doubts, I bought it anyway; it was not expensive, and if it helps even a little while I am out camping in the woods or driving between cities, such help might occasionally be welcome.  I am actually rather skeptical.  Wilson does apparently know antennas in general, but I fear that they don't quite understand this situation.

(Note that this is entirely passive; there is no (powered) amplification.  Wilson's amplified system is the Sleek.)

I hope my skepticism is misplaced.  We'll see.

Update: Now that my camping tow vehicle is an actual truck, I expect to permanently mount the trucker antenna on it.  The smaller external antenna will go into my gadget bag.


Mark_
26 May 2012
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26 April 2012

Ranger Bypass Surgery

Our friend Dick R. (_Gladness_) is recovering at home in Pahrump, after a fairly serious case of _heart bypass surgery_.

Apparently this _is_ the kind where they crack open the ribcage.

He says that he doesn't recall much about the procedure--if anything--but that the aftermath is unpleasant in the extreme. Coughing hurts, and jokes are no fun at all. He says that there is no way he could have managed without Cricket's help; he isn't permitted to lift anything heavier than a fork, and he would even be unable to rise from a chair without assistance. Even so, aside from those painful inconveniences, he feels okay.

The upside is that he has been told to expect to feel better than he has in years, and he is looking forward to riding his newly acquired BMW motorcycle.

Go, Dick!

Mark_
26 April 2012
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10 March 2012

RVing Resources Online: Parks, Campgrounds, & Reservations

Make a free account with the National reservations system to have it remember you.
(Most of these have not been checked recently.)




Mark_
06 July 2013
130822

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RVing Resources Online: Not Trailers


  • Pleasure-Way: Comfortable and pretty, but may not be suitable for rough roads.  
  • RoadTrek: Sleek and luxurious, but may not be suitable for rough roads.
    UPDATE: There is a 4x4 version.
  • Chinook 4x4: Baja & Quest. 
  • Airstream coaches: New models are based on the Mercedes/Chrysler Sprinter, which, although very nice, may not be suitable for rough roads.
    The old "B-Van" conversion (B-190) may be suitable for upgrade to 4WD. 
  • Great West Vans.
  • Leisure Travel Vans.
  • Sportsmobile: Off-road (4WD) van conversion; well equipped, seriously functional, and unpretentious.
    (These guys apparently did early VW Microbus camper conversions!)
  • Volkswagen Westphalia camper: Some of the later Vanagons came with a type of all-wheel- or four-wheel- drive. Lots of them are still taking their owners along moderately rough roads, but alas, VW no longer imports (U.S. or Canada) the most recent of their van-type vehicles, the EuroVan.
    Pictures of a very whizzy Microbus update have been displayed on the Internet--with a "transforming" camper version. I don't know the status, but I think I have heard that it has been killed. (I'm not certain that everything I saw illustrated was possible, anyway.)
    Update: Planned, then killed in 2005: Microbus Concept (Wikipedia).
  • Bigfoot: Molded fiberglass truck campers (as well as travel trailers).
  • Northern Lite truck campers. Similar to Bigfoot?
  • Lance truck campers. At one time their web site was quite nice.
  • Monaco Motor Coaches. Not Beavers or Prevosts, but nice. 
  • Tiger Off-Road RVs. Class C space on a Class B footprint.
  • UniMog: Odd-looking but extremely capable Mercedes military vehicle privately adapted to expedition RV use. Basis for (i.e., inspiration for) the MaxiMog*.
  • Xplorer Xcursion: An example. 
  • EarthRoamer: Perhaps the ultimate expedition vehicle; every little component is the no-compromise, no-expense-spared, best available. (May have been discontinued.)
    [I saw one! Extremely impressive! 05 June 2006] 
  • MaxiMog: Oh, wait--this is the ultimate expedition vehicle. 
  • Unicat: Or is this it? 18 June 2007 
  • Action Mobil: Or this? 18 June 2007
  • Terra Wind: I hardly believe it, and you may not, either.
Etc.

(Some of this may be stale.)

Mark_
19 April 2013
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RVing Resources Online: Vintage Iron (and Aluminum, and Wood!)

Some of our ancestors' camping rigs were interesting, some were beautiful, and some were both.  A few were just odd.
Mark_
13 September 2005
31 May 2012

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RVing Resources Online: Trailers

Trailers: Folding and Otherwise

Emphasizing the small & lightweight, with a single noteworthy exception.
  • Airstream: Beautiful, tasteful, shiny! Phil & Ann are very happy with their new, larger, AS, which has the bedroom (twins) forward instead of the usual aft; the dinette is aft, for a view better than that of the truck-bed.
  • Aliner: Interesting "A-frame" approach to the pop-up (i.e., folding) form. 
  • Base Camp: Hard-side pop-up similar to what Apache made some years ago. Their site is persistently down, so here are some owner pix. 07 March 2006.
  • BigFoot: Molded fiberglass trailers, both conventional and fifth-wheel. (And slide-in truck campers.)
  • Burro: Small white fiberglass; celebrating their 20th year in 2006; I might have guessed longer.
  • Casita: Small & lightweight, white fiberglass; may be suitable for rough-ish roads. The Jeep Wrangler may be able to pull this. Only the 17' model has full stand-up headroom; the others are a couple of inches or so less tall. The 17' might be my choice of the type.  Dick & Dorothy like theirs.
    UPDATE: Late 2012 we took delivery of our own Liberty Deluxe 17', Arcadia. We are quite happy.
  • Chalet: Interesting "A-frame" approach to the pop-up (i.e., folding) form. 
  • Coleman: There is a story, but I don't know it. We had a ton of enjoyment while using our 10' Santa Fe "pop-up", Walden. 
  • Eggcamper: White molded fiberglass--a lot of it.
  • Escape: Small, molded fiberglass, full stand-up inside. A lot of people are liking these.
  • Fleetwood: They built Coleman pop-ups, and retain some/most/all Coleman features. They have a couple of new "off-road" styles. Other stuff, too, including big trailers and coaches. These may be about the best of the type.
  • Forest River pop-ups. 
  • Go RVing Canada's list of "types" of RVs. This web site seems not as good as it once was; it once had a list of manufacturers.
  • Jayco pop-ups. (In Australia, too?  08 May 2009) 
  • Keystone Vantage: Large fiberglass travel trailer; very reminiscent of the Airstream aesthetic both inside and out. Nice.
  • Molded Lightweight Fiberglass RV web site: Links to several brands and info about small white trailers. AKA "FiberglassRV.com".
  • QuickSilver: Very lightweight pop-up; all aluminum and synthetics, no wood. Good ground clearance, but more primitive inside than some others. Also, its top is all-tent in place of the usual rigid roof. 
  • Scamp: Small white fiberglass. 
  • Small Trailers for Bugout: This guy may be a "survivalist" or a "prepper" or some such. Interesting comments, though.
  • Starcraft pop-ups. 
  • T@B: Teardrop style sold (but not built?) by Thor, who build Airstream and others. Cute and appealing, but small. 
  • Track Trailer TVAN folding trailer: Pops not so much up as out. This seems to be serious adventure hardware, and a twist on what is seen in Europe, apparently. Phil R. saw one recently in Australia, where they are made. Other models are pretty manly, too. (For a real thrill, check the price of the TVAN while sitting.) 08 May 2009
  • Viking pop-ups. 
Etc.

Mark_
19 April 2013
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RVing Resources Online: General & Miscellaneous Information

From my defunct _Ranger Keels & Wheels_ web page.


(Most of this has not been checked recently.)
Should I edit this in future, I would remake it with the current date.

Mark_
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