For the Wendlands, part of preparing for the busy RV travel season ahead is taking stock of their cameras, phones, and other devices that enhance their life on the go.
By Mike Wendland, F426141
May 2015
May 2015
As the 2015 travel season shifts into high gear this month, I’ve been tweaking my tech — adding new gadgets, downloading apps for our various mobile devices, and redesigning the systems we use in our Type B Roadtrek motorhome as we head out for what will be another year of crisscrossing the country.
My wife, Jennifer; Tai, our Norwegian elkhound; and I will be on the road pretty much full-time between now and late fall, visiting just about every region of the United States, including both coasts.
And my new dash cam — a high-definition video camera that adheres to the windshield via a suction cup — will document every mile. I added the Windshield Witness dash cam ($210) earlier this year and couldn’t be happier. You can read all about the system I use at http://roadtreking.com/windshieldwitness.
Dash cams are becoming hugely popular. They’ve been around for well over a decade. In the United States, they primarily have been used by police departments. But overseas, particularly in Russia, where the staging of fake accidents and insurance fraud are rampant, they are in use in just about every other vehicle.
Since a dash cam records everything the driver sees out the windshield, you can imagine the videos that have made their way to YouTube: spectacular accidents, streaking meteorites, incidents of road rage, hijacking attempts, and lots of close calls with all sorts of animals and people crossing the road.
I purchased a dash cam because I like to record videos during our trips. And I enjoy knowing that I’m getting great high-definition shots of everything I’ve seen. The dash cam is always on. As soon as I start our motorhome, it begins recording.
I have added another camera, too. It’s the Belkin NetCam, something I picked up at my local Verizon Wireless dealer. It’s widely available at prices around $75 or so. It’s meant to work in tandem with a home Wi-Fi system and transmit live video and audio to your smartphone or tablet, wherever you happen to be. I know several people who use one to check up on their sticks-and-bricks home while they are on the road.
Since I have a Wi-Fi system in our Roadtrek (I use the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Jetpack), I figured, why not set up the NetCam in our motorhome?
So, I did. When Jennifer and I go out for dinner, or tour a museum or go somewhere where Tai is not allowed, he usually stays in the coach, stretched out on a bed and enjoying the air-conditioning.
But we always worry about the A/C suddenly stopping. The heat inside a closed-up motorhome can become dangerously high very fast. That’s where our NetCam comes in handy. While we’re away, I just open up the NetCam app and look to see whether he’s comfortable. I also listen to make sure I can still hear the A/C running. Having that visual and audio check is reassuring. We still don’t go too far from the coach or stay away too long when he’s in there alone, but the NetCam is a nice addition to our traveling tech tools.
We had other gizmos and gadgets in use in the Roadtrek E-trek that we traded in late last year. When we took possession of our new 2015 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL, I made sure to install them in it as well.
The first thing we reinstalled was a two-way amateur radio transceiver. I’m a longtime amateur radio operator (K8ZRH), and the unit I have gives me the ability to communicate over considerable distances by VHF and UHF radio frequencies, thanks to the various ham radio repeaters in use throughout North America. You need to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to use such a unit (check out arrl.org to learn what’s involved), but on the occasions when our mobile phones are out of cellular communications range, having two-way radio communications is a nice safety addition.
To help me make those cellular connections in marginal areas, though, I have long been using a cell phone booster called the Wilson Sleek ($125). It comes with a cradle, a power plug that connects to a 12-volt outlet, and a tiny little external antenna. I upgraded to a longer antenna (about $25) that I mounted on the roof of our Roadtrek, snaking its connecting cable into the coach through the driver’s-side door. The booster has allowed my smartphone to go from zero bars to three bars on many occasions.
Then there are my favorite apps. Here are three we will be using this year:
Wandering Weather (free for Android and Apple) — Enter your starting location and your destination, and the app will help pick the route and the optimum time to depart in order to encounter the best traveling weather. Very cool.
Cabin (free for Android and Apple) — This app sets up a private mobile network for families and friends that lets you assign reminders, track locations, and chat with your loved ones. It’s a closed group, available only to those you invite. You can share photos, audio, and notes; keep a running list of to-dos, tasks, and important dates; and even pinpoint exactly where everyone is, in real time. It’s great if you are traveling in a group, caravan-style.
Track My Tour (for iPhone and iPad users) — This free app is great for showing the world your travels. You start a route and, via the app, add updates as you travel. It grabs your GPS location from your device and displays it, as well as your comments and the photos you take, on an interactive map.
So, no matter where we roam this season, we’ll be able to stay connected.