RE: Directv Trav'ler roof top and portable antenna
I wired mine as follows
Rooftop antenna is connected to the "A" terminal of a common A/B switch.
Go to Google.com enter "Antenna switch" and the Google store has an RCA switch for (Drum roll please) $2.00.. THat switch is identical to the one I overpaid for.
From the "B" terminal run a RG-6 to a ground block in a basement compartment, or under the hood (Bonnet if your are British) (mine is bolted to a Bracket for the Brake master cylinder) or to a Bulkhead (THrough wall) connector.
If you noticed that makes A- the antenna up above
and B- the .. well there was a plethora of "B" words in that paragraph but BELOW is the one you are working for
The common "Switched" terminal goes to LNB IN
You need one switch for each LNB IN
Now.. if parked under the evil signal eating tree..
Hook up the ground mount antenna.. (Do this first)
Slap the switch to "B"
Point and RESET your receiver
That last step (Resetting the receiver) is kind of important as it will then "Adapt" to the different antenna
When you are again parked in the clear.. Slap it over to A, and again reset
RE: Can hot battery cause low voltage?
Can a hot battery cause low voltage... Well.. No, not exactly, However read on
A shorted cell in a battery CAN (And in fact WILL) cause low voltage
AND.. Since the other cells are now seriously overcharged the battery will become HOT.
So, The HOT, and the low voltage, can both be symptoms of the same thing.
That said. the above answer is not complete
If the battery is HOT, the voltage may go down a little, perhaps 0.05 volts (not enough for you to notice)
Or if it's too cold, I forget which w/o looking it up.
But My guess is you have a shorted cell. and thus you have a 10, or perhaps even an 8 volt battery.
RE: A Direct TV question .....
Dish Network wants an additional 5 bucks a month "Access Fee" if you don't have a phone line plugged in (Stupid policy in my not very humble opinion but I do know why they do it (or I suspect I do) and I consider it illegal, however my opinion and ___Price of a cup of coffee___ will get you.. one cup of coffee)
DirecTV does not do this
The problem with home/rv accounts is this...
If you want DISTANT NETWORK SERVICE, and your home is in an area that has local network service then BY LAW, they are not to grant you DNS for a home account.
AN RV account, however, DNS is no problem
So, what I suggest is you don't get a home account, get an RV account
Then get a dish off craig's list and install it yourself on your house and use your "Spare" receiver (you get 4 rooms for one price no matter if it's house or RV) in the house.
Is this legal.. NO.. do I care.. Same answer, Do I do it.. Well.. I don't have a house any more so no. I don't.
RE: CB radio vs two way
I am considering getting a CB radio to use while travelling. Does anyone use a two way instead and how effective would they be for the purpose of range and being able to get channel 19, 14.
Uh, a CB radio IS a 2-way.. Or did you mean something like Family Radio Serves (FRS) or GMRS (Both of which are also 2way)
CB is good on the road because the truckers hang on chan 19, Good Sam (RV) channel is 13.. I monitor both when driving.. Many's the time that I've listened in on a trucker telling me something I seriously needed to know (For a real example.. I once heard of an overturned tanker in the road ahead.. Black ice on road. so I started backing it down.... WHen I got to the point I could safely stop the Maxi Van I was driving about 8 people were standing around their smashed cars freezing their... you know... off.. I ended up taking them home after the nice police man wrote up the accident in the comfort of my van sitting around the table)
Without the CB.. I might well have been vehicle #5 on that report.)
I also have FRS and GMRS (Yes I have a license) this lets me use the small radios for campground and me to wife w/o bothering our cell phones, if, like now, I'm in an area where coverage is spotty.
I also have a pair of Ham Radios (ANd yet another license) one 2-mtr/70cm FM only by the driver's seat for chatting with other hams as I drive (Wish wife would consent to getting a Technician license) and one in another small room which does many modes and the HF bands as well (160 Meters through 70cm inclusive) That one can put out up to 100 watts average (200 PEP) and with it I can talk, or type to many other countries..Worked France the other night.
But every radio on that list is a 2-way.
RE: How to upgrade WiFi connections on Laptop?
There are two common issues which can prevent a connection.. One is with older computers running windows 9x as opposed to NT versions like XP
The other is with the campground.
The first is this: Windows NT, being designed for networking, will release the IP address of the wi-fi client every time you power down. 9x does not. so you need to MANUALLY release and refresh your wi-fi client.. Took me the longest time to figure this out and when I did it was one of those HFWHOH moments
(Hitting forehead with heal of hand)
Now the park problem
Linksys ships thousand of Wi-Fi routers every year. One of the most common is If I got it right the WTR-54G
This is a "Small office/home" grade router. Though it can assign up to a bunch of IP addresses. by DEFAULT the DHCP routines in the box are set to 50 clients
From IP 192.168.1.100 through 192.158.1.149.. If you are client number 151 to attempt to connect.. No joy
Today there are lots of clients out there.. Obviously every person in the park with a laptop is a client. (If it's turned on) but wait, there's more (As the TV pitchman used to say)
There are several cell phones.. INcluding the iPhone, and several T-Mobile phoens and others that will attempt to connect via the internet if there is an open router nearby.. And there are Personal Data Assistants... and more (I have a pair of Replay TV units in my motor home)
All these devices desire IP addresses... so it don't take much and 50 IP addresses are.... Assigned
There are two things you can do when this happens.
I won't tell you how to access the router and re-set it to 100
Or you can manually set your IP address.
I'm not going to describe that either.. I will refer you to your windows help program (I can show someone, but to type it out.. not something I wish to do)
Back around 4-Jul-2009 I had to do a bunch of manual IP's (That was before I reset the router to 100, and even then I had to do manual IP's as ... Well, don't ask how I know about PDAs and Cell phones and Game systems and such) (ok do ask, the router told me)
RE: Slow response time using satellite
There are several things that affect response time.. Now, I measure response time by using the PING program and PINGing the remote server. This gives an exact response time.. For example I just opened a Command Prompt box and typed (without quotes) "Ping mail.yahoo.com"
A few seconds later I had some stats on the screen.. average ping (response) time was 664ms that is 0.664 seconds or a bit over 1/2 second
i'm using Verizon 2-way Satellite just now.. Frankly that is a bit slow. .I'd have expected closer to 0.59 seconds (Just a bit, not seriously slow)
However if I go to a speed check site I should be seeing 700KBPS or more (Around DSL speed)
So, what is the difference? Well the satellites are rather high up (GeoSync orbit) and that is just about 1/8 Light Second above the earth
So from the time I hit enter it is 1/8 second to the bird
1/8 second back to earth... Yahoo gets it a tiny fraction of a second later (Oh, that's why the additional ping time.. It had to querry a DNS, Usualy I ping an IP address) and then it's 1/8 second up and 1/8 second down again
Total 1/2 second
So, NOTHING will happen for 1/2 second.
This is why I recommend you try before you buy 2-way satellit interenet
I did and for me... Well. yes it's annoying, but on a scale of 10, you'd need a fraction to describe how annoying (like 0.15 or there abouts)
RE: I LOVE my webtv.....BUT....
Every laptop I have ever had had a phone jack, In fact there should be two. One is slightly larger than the other.. The smaller one is for a regular phone line, Touch Tone or rotary dial don't matter (you get to pick later)
The larger one is a LAN connection.. used if you have a local network, can also be hooked to a DSL modem or Cable Modem but I recommend doing that via a router.
But every modern laptop I've ever had has a phone connection. and most of the older ones too (Some of the very early like a THinkpad 300E may not have but if you really have one that old.... Well. it will be summer before I am near it again but I have a spare modem I very much do not need)
RE: News, Would you ride on this winged rocket?
To answer the question.. As it stands no,, the $200K price tag is a bit more than I can afford.
Should I pick up a small paper retangle and find, shortly after, that the half dozen numbers there match those shown on the TV show which bears the name printed on the retangle and the prize I get is like 200 MILLION
In a heartbeat I'd sign up for a ticket to ride.
In a heartbeat.
If you can ever find a copy of Jody Krangle singing Starsoul
That is more or less my position on the issue.
(She's a fantastic singer.. I've met here a few times, and sang and/or chatted with her and/or her partners)
RE: fire hazard 50 amp to 30 amp adaptor
I would assume it's worn out and replace it.
A part of my working life was spent looking for breakers like that. Granted, the testing I did was on higher quality breakers than those in a lighting panel.
That is one of the reasons why when I figure amps from watts I use 100 volts instead of 120
Thus a 1500 watt device should need a breaker of at least 15 amps
Fact is.. I run a 2,000 watt device off a 15 amp breaker.. I have measured it, it really is 2,000 watts per my meters. but..... it runs on a 15 amp breaker.. Have not figured out why it does that.
NOTE: I do use a "Dedicated" outlet.. that is one that has a breaker that runs it and only it.
I have also added a 2nd dedicated outlet to the "house" 20 amps.
RE: mini cooper
There are two lists of vehicles that can be towed
REMCO TOWING has the larger list..
The short list is "Can be towed with no modification or by removing a fuse"
The longer list includes the first list plus a list of vehicles that can be towed safely following the addition of a product sold by Remco Towing.. Axle lock in my case. Drive Shaft disconnect or Lube Pump.
So go to Remco Towing.
Myself. I don't tow a car (A vehicle capable of being driven under it's own power) I tow a trailer.. (no power to the wheels) but when I unhook the trailer magically (and I might add legally) becomes a car.
(Legally a car in tow, at least in Michigan where I'm from. *IS* a trailer)
RE: 1st time in for service nightmare
One thing that just occured to me re the O/P's post is the large "needs fixing" bill
I recall taking my wife's car in once due to rough idle.. The now out of business dealer we went to (I kind of wonder if this contributed.. I did write a couple of letters) took it in and found a whole laundry list of things that were bad, Transmission (like that would cause rough idle.. well it can but it's a 25 dollar part) fuel pump (Leaking it seems..... after they stuck a pin in the hose I'm 100% sure) and I forget what all else.
What it needed was new spark plug wires.. They had done a tune up and not replaced the old wires.. So the rough idle was their fault.
last time I visited that shop.. The very last.
Get the idea.
RE: Crock Pot unattended. Do you do it?
Crock pots are DESIGNED so that you put the roast, or whatever, in in the morning, then do the breakfast and dinner prepereation dishes. Go to work and around 10 hours later (including drive time) come home to dinner.
So. Though we basically do not do that (Wife tends to stick close to the rig) when I'm driving all day camp to camp I will often put somethin in the Burton slow cooker, plug it in (12 volt by the way) close it up, put it in the sink and not look at it till I'm parked and set up many hours later.
Now if only I could teach wife how to carve meat.. She likes to cut across the grain, makes it tough
RE: Laptop Versus Net/Notebook
Netbooks basically fall into two groups.. First some common features
They are smaller than a laptop. this means smaller screens so you either need to use a lower resolution or it may be hard to read, it also means the keyboard is smaller and for someone like me this is a major... drawback.. Though if there is a USB port you can use external Keyboard/mouse (And likely should use an external mouse)
Other than that they are "Full powered" though they may have limited RAM..
Generally they have no optical or floppy drive.. though again you can plug in a USB drive if you need to load software.. Read on however
Now the differences
One type has a 'Solid State Hard Drive' or flash drive, this device has no moving parts, but is very small as today's hard drives are rated, It can do web mail, and some other stuff but you do not have much in the way of spare space for photos, documents, files and other programs. (Example the 1 GIG of music I just saved.. that's one GIG plus)
The other type has a real mechanical hard drive usually 40 gigs or more.. Same as this laptop that I"m typing on, and can do anything this laptop can do. including download all 3 hours of Folks Like US as a single PCM (WAV) File for later listening and extracting, it can and does run several other "optional" programs such as Sun Open Office, and Hamscope (My Digital radio program of choiice) and so on.
These tend to be a bit more expensive.. But it's what I'd suggest.
Now. brand recommendations:.... I don't do those, sorry.
RE: New Laptop, buy now or after Christmas
As someone said, Selection might be reduced (Though if you order from a company such as HP (Compaq) I'd expect them to tell you to expect a long delivery time rather than "Sold Out")
The prices may be ... Smaller.
Personally.. I'd wait
RE: Digital reception, 7 months later
Digital television is a mixed bag.. When I'm "At home" i went from 7 stations to around 20.. Including the original seven as x-1 level stations.
At one of the places I park I went from around 5 of the 7, to zero
At another I lost about half
Where I'm at now I get all major networks,, before I'd have gotten perhaps half that.
I did find out however that the digital converter makes a big difference (And likely some other things as well)
One of the campers here was having "issues" with his DirecTV.. He has a new DirecTV receiver, HD capable and the TV-ANT-IN jack is ATSC as well
He had a strong signal on his automatic rooftop satellite dish, but nothing on the receiver.. Well.. I quickly spotted and fixed his DirecTV problem, and then I showed him how to hook the Winegard Batwing up to it easily as well.. Without adding any extra cables. spliters or anything else (he'd taken a VCR out and replaced it with a DVD/Blue Ray device.. I simply used the "To-VCR" cable as the TV-ant cable nad pressed "ANT" on the switch box for the VCR group)
He got nearly 2x the number of stations I get and stronger too.
They wired his coach with RG-6.. Mine with bottom quality RG-59
RE: how to hookup a wireless printer to 2 laptops wireless?
Simply use a router.. The Printer is then set up as a wi-fi client on the router, your laptops are likewise. now you can share files between the laptops and share the printer.
Do please set the router up with WAP-PSK security pass phrase and change the SSID and the adminstration password please.. That way I won't be able to "hack in" with only one try.. And I never try twice.
NOTE.. if you use an air card to access the internet you can use something like a Cradlepoint router... this way you stick your air card in it and share that as well.
And yes.. I know the default password for the administrator on a Cradlepoint router... Which is why I say CHANGE IT.
RE: file association
PPS is power point.. Download Sun Open Office http://www.openoffice.org install it and use it's power point tools.
You may find that Microsoft is not the best on the market :)
Note to moderators.. Not selling anything here.. Open Office.org is a free download
The Open Office package includes a Power Point editor/presenter, Word Processor, Spread Sheet, Data Base, and more.. It can load, edit, and save most all Microsoft formats as well as several other formats...
I used it when I did some work for a Governor's election.. The rest of the office used Mickey Soft.. I used Open Office, and could read, create and save, files to share with them over the net. All on my laptop.
RE: CAMPGROUND WIFI
There are a few dangers with "public" wi-fi. and you need to think about these
First. A dedicated hacker can (and many have) set up Psuedo sites.. You log in to say "AT&T WI-FI" outside a McDonalds and it's really Hacker's R-Us server and it copies all your passwords and such. Not good.
Another hacker trick is to set up a network monitor.. They can thus again sit nearby and without your knowledge log all your passwords and account names.
Sometimes they can even access your computer
However... At campgrounds you need to look around you somewhat
Usually the campground router is a small office router such as a Linksys WTR54G or some such, it only has an effective range of a couple hundred feet, (Though that can be improved with high gain client antennas) and the campground is remote enough that you do not have "Neighbor" issues.. SO the hacker, if there is one. will likely be where you can physically see him or her
And most of the folks I see where I"m parked....... Are not hackers.
(I am the "most eligable" for that title here.. And I don't do internet hacking.. Just hardware hacking.. Hardware hackers are honorable people, and in fact that's where the word comes from.. They "Hacked" their computers and such apart to see how to make 'em work better and then wrote articles to share.. As opposed to the modern "Crackers" that crack security.. They are criminals. )
