Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:58:12 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Advice needed for cross-country trip
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WELL Ellen..........
I'm sure you know the KISS principle.
( keep it simple stupid ) .
here's all I would have-
a cell phone and a laptop.
I have US Cellular - I can talk to any of the 50 states like it was a local
call ........like Alaska is the same as calling across the street, and it's
not an expensive plan at all, and I've never run over minutes.
Then with a laptop ..........both my ( wasn't very good ) Toshiba and now my
Dell Laptop..........can pick up a wireless signal lots of places, outside
many businesses, at truck stops etc. .......wifi is getting so ubiqutous
that you can get a signal in all kinds of places.
Heck, I even have wifi available to anyone in the neighborhood of my shop.
that gives you good phone .........cell phones work more and more places all
the time.
a lots of free internet access.
as for GPS ........lol - I know where I am all the time ! I don't need one,
not even slightly.
There are many great internet map services of course.,
lately I use yahoo maps, and what's so great about that map service, and
many .......you just write in a street addess, or the name of a lake and the
provice or state............and in 5 seconds you are looking at a map
showing it, and you can zoom in and out , get the bigger picture, the
close-in detail picture etc. So convenient. I don't even bother to memorize
street names too much ..........but when I need to know where some street
address is , I just write in at yahoo maps.............it couldn't be
easier. Same for a town name, a lake, a park, etc.
FlashEarth is a trip too. Satelite images. I can actually see a satelite
image of my shop/barn with a vanagon or two parked around it.
And .......it gives you the GPS coordiantes too.......one handly way of
getting pack to that very same image. But I've not yet found the actaul
need for a GPS. Just more geek gadgetry I think. More to keep your head
buried in instead of watching the road or earth's real beauty.
scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "TJ Hannink" <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 1:43 PM
Subject: Re: Advice needed for cross-country trip
>I pay around $75 a month for cell service with unlimited internet access
>through AT&T. My phone has a built-in web browser (Nokia E62) similar to a
>Palm. I can access most websites with my phone including the list archives.
>
> I use a USB cable to connect it to my laptop; it serves as my wireless
> modem and is my only connection at my home. There are some areas that you
> can't get data (or voice) service, but overall I have been happy with the
> coverage. Plus, you can still answer voice calls while you are online.
>
> My current phone has EDGE connect speed - 3 to 4 times dial up speed. I
> will upgrade to a 3G phone when that service is available at my house; the
> current coverage is about 11 miles away.
>
> You could probably get away with a "smartphone" and an upgrade to your
> wireless service. Make sure you get a phone with a full keyboard. Most
> will have some type of GPS option, but with data access, you can use
> Google!Earth or Mapquest.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Tim
>
> Ellen <elleninoregon@HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> The short story is this: I'm planning on quitting my job the first part
> of October, and embarking on a cross-country trip to see all my relatives.
> This trip will take me from Oregon to Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky,
> Texas, California, then back home to Oregon. About 6000 miles in all. I
> don't have any particular time schedule. I have a pension, and will look
> for more satisfying work when I get back home. Lola (with just under
> 53,000 original miles) will make the trip. I have AAA plus and sufficient
> funds should anything go wrong on the road. I guess my question is
> logistics. I don't have a laptop currently, but I see the need for one. A
> wireless internet service? GPS? What else do I need to know? This is all
> new ground for me. Anyone who has done this, please let me know what
> worked, what didn't work, what you wish you had known.
>
> TIA,
>
> Ellen & Lola, '85 Vanagon ASI Don't wait for a light to appear at the end
> of the tunnel; stride down there.....and light the bloody thing yourself.'
> ~Dara Henderson
> _________________________________________________________________
> Get Windows Live and get whatever you need, wherever you are. Start here.
> http://www.windowslive.com/default.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Home_082008
>
>
> TJ Hannink
> Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
> 1981 Bluebird Wanderlodge, FC-33SB
> Des Allemands, Louisiana
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FC_wanderlodge
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