The DigitalRV Blog

This morning I read one of Rich Luhr’s latest posts with interest. He’d written on his mobile office, and the post’s inspiration came from a recent article entitled “Business in a backpack.”

Both the CNN article and Rich’s article are completely in keeping with the Digital RV concept. With the latest in portable equipment you can work from almost anywhere, and in a variety of industries.

This isn’t a new concept, but it’s new to many readers, and to many companies. While corporate America is aware of the latest technology they have often failed to leverage the technology. Often times companies today do not use technology to it’s full capacity due to fears regarding over site of employees. What do I mean by that? Simple. They want to see you in your cube from 8 - 5. Having a virtual office just doesn’t set right with many bigger companies.

But in some instances it works well. I’ve known for well over a decade that most of my work in wireless telecommunications could be done from anywhere. Each night I’d return home from work, and normally I’d get paged regarding one system disaster or other. I’d take my company laptop, connect to the Internet, and in a few moments I’d be online with the offending system and working on restoring it. This would all be from the comfort of my living room, usually on my couch.

Hand in hand with the Digital RV

Being a Digital RV’er allows for so many possibilities, just like the article “Business in a Backpack” points out. In the book I point out entertainment, communications, and business possibilities with the right systems. At this point in time you can work “virtually” from most any corner of the US. And the article Rich Luhr read points out that you can work from most anywhere in the world if need be.

So, working while on the road and touring the country can actually go hand in hand. Sure, you can be a workamper and take on site hosting responsibilities most anywhere in the US. But how about running your own business instead, or working for a larger organization that allows for virtual office roles? That’s now opened up to RV’ers who’ve gone digital.

What do I do, and what do I carry with me?

In my case I’m currently managing my own business from the road. Each day I work with multiple web sites, updating content, managing databases, and doing generic internet work. My e-mail is one of my lifelines for communicating with family and friends as well as conducting business. Job searches, client updates, and even online conferences.

Here’s the list of items I do every week, from the road in my own mobile office:

• Send and receive e-mail.
• Update 4 different web sites.
• Manage SQL Databases.
• Update client web sites.
• Process new photography.
• Process digital video, create and upload podcasts.
• Submit photography to stock photo sites.
• Manage book sales.

There are certainly more things I could do from my mobile office, but those are the highlights from my personal mobile office.
Let’s not forget, the second edition of the Digital RV was produced while on the road. With my wireless network I was able to upload the latest version of the book, deal with edits, resolve issues with the publisher, and get the book produced.

So, what’s in my “tech grab bag”? Not a whole lot honestly. You don’t need to load your rig up with every gadget under the sun. A few select items will have you all squared away, and like the article “Business in a Backpack,” what you have in your RV doesn’t have to be much.

The key items for my mobile office are:

• A Macbook Pro 15 inch laptop.
• 2 Lacie Firewire portable hard drives (100GB each).
• A Verizon Wireless EVDO card (to access the internet).
• Kyocera KR1 WiFi Router (works with the EVDO card).
• Canon SD550 Elph Camera (can fit in your pocket).
• Canon EOS 30D Camera (a larger SLR digital camera).
• 60GB Video IPod (entertainment mostly).

There are a few other random items here and there, but that’s the bulk of my equipment that gets used every day.  And with the exception of the 30D camera, everything else fits neatly into a small bag.  Just like the author of, “Business in a Backpack.”

So, when you’re considering the Digital RV concept, keep in mind, there’s a lot you can do with a little equipment.  And remember, beyond business needs, the latest mobile technology can save you a ton of space in your RV and expand your entertainment options as well!

Being a Digital RV’er means you have more options while on the road, right? Well, yes, it does.

Digital RV’ing also opens you to some issues as well. Your data can be exposed via WiFi networks, shared networks at parks you visit, and more. But you can control that pretty simply.

• Get a good firewall running on your system.
• Use Anit-Virus software.
• Secure your wireless network. Always use a WEP key.
• Backup your data regularly!

There’s the simple steps. But there’s more, and your exposed every day, not by your computer and digital technology. You’re exposed just through your existence!

You’ve probably heard the stories often on the TV or Radio news. Large corporations, the federal government, state governments have lost data. 60,000 employees data gets out into the public. Hackers have gotten into credit card clearing house databases. The list goes on and on. And none of it has to do with your personal digital security measures!

What can you do?

For this author I paid attention to a recent advertising campaign. Life Lock caught my attention, and I researched them, and finally signed up with them.

Now, do you really need an outside service out there to protect your credit and good name? Yes, absolutely. From a friend’s direct experience I became concerned and protected myself with Life Lock.

My friend, “Mr. J” was a full-time RV’er for several years. He and his wife lived aboard a Class A for two years before building a new house. Their travels were very short, and they didn’t do coast to coast as I have over the past year. As a matter of fact, they stuck close to “home”. All the familiar stops, shops, and service spots.

During their time aboard their RV Mr. J’s identity was stolen. A knock came at his door one afternoon, the local sheriff had come with a warrant for his arrest! He was accused of writing bad checks all over town.

With a little research Mr. J found that a person had opened an account in his name. The person opened credit cards too. And he was running a muck with Mr. J’s identity. How did it happen?

9 months earlier Mr. J had his RV serviced at his local dealer. The dealer’s nephew did some work in the rig, and while working in the rig, copied Mr. J’s driver’s license information and registration information. The dealer’s nephew was the criminal. No computer use, no hacking, just someone coming across your hard documents is all you need!

One year later Mr. J is still cleaning up his credit reports.

Knowing his story I’ve remained concerned since I hit the road. When I came across Life Lock I was thrilled. For under $150 a year they promise to keep my identity safe! The service is simple and easy to setup. The peace of mind it offers is priceless.

Life Lock is not a sponsor here.  I paid for their service just like anyone else.  They are a service I’d recommend.  I’d suggest you research them on your own and make your own decision.  For me, they provide extra piece of mind while I’m on the road.  That simple!

Oh, Mr. J is now a Life Lock customer too.

Maybe you’re like me. Severely allergic to half the planet! Part of my year long trip in my RV was to find the right spot where I could live with the least allergens around!

If you’re looking to find the right spots to breathe easy, the Internet offers a fantastic way to track allergens.

Take a look at Pollen.com’s web site. Exactly what you need, when you need it. No additional forecasts, hunting through the latest hurricane reports or blizzard watched. Just listings on where allergens are, how bad they are, and places that are a little better today.

The main page at Pollen.com shows you the overall pollen levels across the U.S. Take a look at the graphic below.

As you can see, they list the best and worst 5 cities in the U.S each day. Talk about convinient!

You can go a little further and also check exactly where you are. Type in your zip code and get the following report….

Now, if you’re full-timing and planning your next move you’ll have all the information you need. Finding the best spot for your allergies in the U.S. couldn’t be easier! All thanks to being a Digital RV’er too!

I’m asked all the time, “Who should I go with for a cell phone provider?”  And I’m always a little evasive about the question.

The big National Carriers are of course AT&T Wireless, Verizon Wireless, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile, and Alltel.  There are also regional carriers like US Cellular, Cricket, and Metro PCS.  All of these companies seem like they’ll be around for some time to come.  Worst case scenario, some may buy the others (still waiting for that).

What readers can take away from the list above is that these guys should be around a while in one incarnation or another.  I’d recommend picking from the group above, and steering away from the regional or city wide carriers.  You’re reading this site because you’re interested in being highly mobile.  With that in mind, stick to the nationals.

All of this came up this morning after reading an article at Gizmodo. It seems Amp’d mobile is going under.  I’d wondered when this would happen.  I’m sure Boost will be close behind as well.  The business models for these companies seemed a little flakey at best.

So, for your security, communications needs, etc., my best recommendation regarding wireless carriers is to stick with the national guys.  I’ve personally been using Verizon Wireless for years now, and I’ve been very satisfied with my service over the course of my last year of Digital RVing.

While WiFi is popping up everywhere, relying on it as your only means for internet connection while traveling might not be advisable. After a year of travel across the country, this author has come away disappointed in the reality of WiFi hotspots, their availability, and finally associated costs.

During the past year of my personal travels I’ve made an extreme effort to have some form of internet connectivity. The primary means of connecting to the internet for me is a Kyocera KR1 with a Verizon Wireless EVDO card. However, even with my own personal portable WiFi setup, I’m always watching out for available high speed WiFi connections when pulling into the next new town.

Unfortunately, the case has been the same at most any RV park you stop into. WiFi is advertised as part of the package, but WiFi isn’t available 80% of the time. There are several reasons why this occurs, and they’ll be listed below. The bottom line for most Digital RVers (a term coined in the book, The Digital RV) is that WiFi is not a reliable option if you’re looking to remain connected the majority of the time.

Stopping in Salem, OR - WiFi service disappointment number one
During the course of my year long travels the International Airstream Rally popped up on my list of to-do’s. Of course, I arrived in the area a week and a half early. One friend had suggested a high end RV resort, and that’s where I went prior to the rally.

One of the key features that caught my attention was the WiFi service that was available at the park in question. The Kyocera and Verizon service had been functioning well, but a higher speed connection meant I could do some server maintenance that had been neglected while on slower speed networks.

The park’s WiFi service was a fee based service. Fortunately the cost was reasonable, so I signed up upon arrival. With pay for services you need to log in with a password provided by the park, and then you can connect to the Internet. Many parks offer free services, but the list of pay for WiFi parks is growing.

While parked in Salem, OR, I was happy to have my own WiFi
That should be a plus. It means the parks have a service provider monitoring the system, tracking billing, and working on network issues. The reality is quite different though.

During the course of my stay in Salem I would see the network signal from the park’s WiFi system. There were 2 different access points to pick from, and each was named for the park. Number one and number two.

My first try left me scratching my head. I connected to access point number one, and tried to get on the network. Nothing. No luck. Ok, switch to number 2. Once connected to number two I was asked for a password, and supplied the one on the card I’d been given when I purchased my WiFi service. The password was accepted……then nothing. E-mail didn’t work, the web went nowhere. Finally, I hooked up my KR1 and downloaded my e-mail.

A visit was paid to the office later that day to ask what I was doing wrong. The woman behind the counter answered honestly. Nothing. They’d been having issues with the service for over a week. The access points kept going up and down. A call had been put into the national WiFi carrier they had servicing the park, and they were “working on it”.

Over the course of my time at the park I used my Kyocera almost exclusively. I’d check on the park’s WiFi. Sometimes one access point was up, while the other was down. Sometimes both were missing. Sometimes both were up, but I still couldn’t get on the internet with them.

In the end, I was glad to have my own setup. Depending on this park, at $32 per day + Internet access payment, would have left me unconnected the entire time I was there.

Gunnison Colorado’s disappointing internet access

Two months after my experience in Salem I found myself in Gunnison Colorado. Lovely spot. And a busy RVing spot to boot. There’s a ton to do in the area, and it was hard finding an RV park with open sites. The local KOA had openings, and they also had WiFi service included.

At the time of my registration I met the owner / operator of the park. Nice guy. And he was very excited to hear what I did for a living (building national wireless networks). He explained he’d been having quite a time with the park’s WiFi service, and wanted me to take a look at his setup.

After settling in to my site, booting up my computer and finding no WiFi signal I plugged my KR1 in once again, and took a walk to the office to speak with the owner. He happily showed me through his setup, where the directional antenna was mounted, and his router equipment. So many mistakes in the system, and so easy to correct.

The primary cause of his network issues was an unreliable DSL connection. Keep in mind, the WiFi gets you to a router. The router must connect to the internet somehow. In the case of this park, a DSL connection was used to get park residents on to the internet. In Gunnison, there were regular DSL issues.

Beyond the fact that the pipeline from the park to the Internet was questionable there were other issues. Even when the DSL was working, the owner pointed out that many campers couldn’t even see his WiFi signal. The cause was simple. The antenna mounted on the roof of the KOA building was a DIRECTIONAL antenna. What does that mean? Simple, the signal was sent in a specific direction. It didn’t fan out 360 degrees. It went along the path the antenna was pointed.

One camper uses satellite to get on the Internet while at the Gunnison KOA 

It turned out a local “IT guru” had installed the system for this park. He sold them on a particular router, a particular antenna, and the DSL service. He was also a very busy consultant, and often hard to get ahold of.

For the size of the park I recommended a repeater to solve some of the problems. Also I suggested another directional antenna pointing at the rest of the campers, or an antenna that did 360 degrees. I showed the owner a few web sites with the recommended equipment, and it was clear quickly he didn’t want to invest a couple of thousand to do it right. My one argument against such thinking…..he had the local tech over each week at a pretty steep rate. Long term, he would have saved money.

Anza-Borrego State Park - AT&T WiFi service….where was it?

On a very recent excursion into California I was lucky enough to spend time in Borrego Springs! What a wonderful place.

While planning for the trip, a friend pointed out that Anza-Borrego State Park offered AT&T WiFi service. I tucked that thought into the back of my mind, and traveled out to the high desert park. I completely forgot about the AT&T service, and I’m glad I did. I liked the park so much, and the WiFi service was such a disappointment that it would have detracted from the experience.

My first week in Borrego Springs I used my Kyocera and Verizon service. I’d totally forgotten about the AT&T service. However, when I set up in a new spot I always scan for wireless networks. The only one that came up was my Kyocera.

After enjoying several days at the park I moved on. A week later I returned to meet several friends at the park once more. This time when I scanned for wireless networks the AT&T service popped up. It was surprising to me, and I wondered why I hadn’t seen it the week before.

During my “second stay” I spoke with one of the park attendants regarding the WiFi service. She told me that it was down the week before, and was pretty inconsistent. How disappointing.

Looking up information I found regarding AT&T’s WiFi service I became very happy that I brought my own. Monthly service charges, limited hot spot locations, and from what I saw in Borrego Springs, inconsistent service. Of course, the park attendants know nothing about the service, how to repair it, etc. So when it goes down you’ve got to wait on AT&T to get it going again. In this particular situation that meant almost a week. Would you really want to pay monthly service fees for something you can’t use in many places, or for that matter can’t use because it is out of service? I wouldn’t.

Here’s the breakdown from AT&T’s site regarding the subscription fee:

Primarily for non-AT&T Internet access customers, providing unlimited access to any AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot starting at just $19.95 per month with a one-year term commitment.

One year contract? Not for me.

There is a bright side to WiFi

The WiFi story isn’t all gloomy. But the 3 samples above should illustrate pretty clearly, there’s a long way to go in WiFi if you’re looking for regular connectivity.

So, what’s really positive in the WiFi world? From this author’s perspective, small private hotspots and libraries. Local cafes offering free WiFi always seem to have service working. And every single library I’ve visited in a year of travel has had WiFi available to the public for free! Fantastic!

The author using the Victor Idaho public library’s WiFi Hotspot

Where the fee based services fall down, the free hotspots seem to shine. Cafes advertising WiFi always have functional WiFi. Same case with the libraries. What is it the cafes and libraries know that the RV parks don’t? I’m not sure. Whatever it is, seeing that high speed WiFi signal when pulling into a library is always a joy in my book!

Bottom line with WiFi Hotspots while being a Digital RVer

So, what’s the bottom line?  Simple, WiFi hotspots can help you get connected while traveling, but relying on them solely will leave you extremely disappointed.  The only way to guarantee 100% uptime on the Internet while on the road is to go satellite.  Anything else will leave you with less than 100% coverage.  And when it comes to hotspots, if you’re covered 30% of the time you’re doing well.

That doesn’t imply you should discount WiFi hotspots.  It just means you should not depend on them.  I’ve heard time after time from other RVers, that advertised hotspot services haven’t worked out.

Today marks 2 months since I began full-timing as a “well connected” RV’er. With a few months in now, the big question of “What’s been working?”, comes to mind.

Therefore I’ll give you the top list of what’s been used, not used, acts as a paper weight, or I wouldn’t leave behind for anything.

Items you couldn’t pry away from me….

1. My Mac Laptop: For other folks building their Digital RV, you can use a Windows too. But my laptop has been my primary mode of communications, entertainment, work, new source, and more.
2. Kyocera KR1 & Verizon Wireless Card: Put these two together, because they work hand in hand. Not my number one item, as I could find other ways to connect to the internet if push came to shove. So the laptop beats them out.
3. Verizon Wireless Cell Phone: Pretty straight forward here. This is my only phone now….
4. Garmin 2610 GPS: This thing has been super while traveling, and in new towns. I’ve found groceries, laundry mats, and Rich Luhr, all with this device!
5. LaCie’s 100GB FireWire / UBS 2.0 Drive: This drive is FireWire or USB powered. No additional power source beyond your computer. That’s a huge plus. My Lacie stores my media files (entertainment), photography (your entertainment), business documents, etc.
6. Canon SD550: This is my little pocket sized camera. If you’ve been following my personal journal, you know that I supply a great number of photos. The Canon has been fantastic for photos and short video clips!
7. Mobile Mate SD Card Reader: This little card reader was featured in a previous post here. It’s used every day, and is ultra convinient!
8. IPod: For both travel days, and rest days, the IPod is super. Been listening to tons of music as I travel, and then background music in the trailer as I type. The IPod has now passed my XM on daily usage time.
9. XM Radio: The XM has been quieter lately. When I’m driving it’s on often (after the IPod), but getting to camping locations I don’t use it as much. Too busy meeting new people, talking tech, selling a few books, etc. When I want my news though, the XM is my first choice!
10. IGo 130:  This is my little portable power supply.  It rocks.  Recharges my Mac, Windows PC, IPod.  I need more adapters for it to cover my phone and a few other items.

There’s my top 8 items. Basically, these devices are used every day, often! That’s the hallmark of a good product / digital device in your RV. How often do you use it. Once a day, sounds pretty necessary. Once a week, does it really need to come along? Good question.

Less used items that I’ll still keep with me

1. Elgato EyeTV EZ: I haven’t been watching TV every day, so the EyeTV hasn’t been getting exercised enough. It’s nice though, not constantly viewing TV. While I might be super “connected”, at least I’m not watching a screen the second I come into the trailer (except when I’m typing).
2. Canon Printer: My printer sits stored away the bulk of the time. However, I need it to print out business documents, letters, etc. I wish I had a smaller one, but I’m unwilling to spend several hundred dollars on an ultra portable one that only gets used once or twice a week.

That’s it for the top device list today.  And for the “not so top” list as well.  Basically, my digital devices have indeed helped enhance my RV living so far.  I expect that they will continue to as well.

Finally, after a small test trip, a few weeks at the beach, lawyers, doctors, and tons of preparation, my rolling tech fest is getting ready for “the big trip”. About time too!

For the techno junkies out there, I thought that a list of what rides in the truck with me might be of interest. The gadgets listed below help with navigation, entertainment, communications, and remaining connected with the world. Maybe my list is over-kill, but I am a confessed gadget junkie. To my knowledge there are no rehab centers for gadget junkies, so I guess I have to cope with it on my own.

The Truck List:

• Garmin 2610 GPS: Keeps me on track, and informed. I know where upcoming exits are, what services are there, etc. Also helps find that last minute camping spot when I’ve gone too far for the day.
• XM Radio: Entertainment & News. What would I do without my XM. I shudder to consider the possibility.
• Verizon Wireless Motorola Cell Phone and Blue Tooth Head set: Great way to stay in touch with friends and family, call to fix a tire, or for emergency purposes.
• Apple’s Ipod: With 7.5 days of music on my Ipod I’m certain I won’t get bored immediately. Maybe I’ll listen to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy again!
• Phone charger and Ipod Charger: Pretty obvious what these are for.
• Digital Camera, Canon SD 550:   Taking photos along the way.

Well, that’s the list of the digital gear in the truck. So far all of it has served me well on shorter trips. You’ll notice, the computers aren’t listed. I don’t need to distract myself with a laptop while driving. Got enough other stuff thanks!

Going digital in your RV opens up a host of conviniences. One of them is doing your banking / bill paying online.

Over the past month I’ve eliminated all of my paper billing statements. Everything now comes to me in e-mail. Once I receive my bills I can look through them on my laptop, save them to a file for reference down the road, and avoid filling up my trash can with paper I need to shred.

On top of not having to deal with tons of paper, there are other great benfits to doing your banking and bill payments online. Now, with a sign in on my financial management software I automatically “sync” my accounts from the financial institutions. All my transactions are saved to my computer and I can sort through them at will. What does all that mean?

That means budgeting gets a whole lot easier. Check book balancing becomes simple. And that means I can quickly see where my money is going on any trip.

Sicne I’ve setup my accounts this way, I can get a real time view of all my expenses. For gas ups I use my credit card. The online statement makes it easy for me to classify fill ups and get a gague of what I’m using when traveling. The same can be said for groceries (which have gotten expensive due to my dietary requirements), campground stays, and other store trips. A great deal simpler than having to remember to write down ATM and credit card transactions after the fact!

Sounds great, but is it secure?

Yes, the whole thing is fairly secure. You can have your identity stolen with simple information that comes in the mail. Doing your business online doesn’t mean you’ve just upped your chances of identity theft. Plus using the right software helps too.

There are some things you can do to protect yourself further if you’re really concerned about identity theft, or someone getting access to your current accounts. While these things won’t guarantee 100% security, you should take every precaution you can.

1. Use a credit card when traveling, not your ATM card. I’m a big fan of Dave Ramsey (financial talk show host). He’s against credit cards, period. This is where I differ from him. With a credit card, you can stop a transaction quick, and money isn’t out of your pocket. If someone pilfers money from your ATM it usually takes time to fix it.
2. Use a secure web browser. I’d recomend FireFox. There’s a link to it on the sponsor links to the right. CNET advised it’s the most secure browser available last year. It’s the only one I use.
3. Do your banking on your network. I wouldn’t do my banking while on a hotspot at Pannera Bread. I’ll stick to my network. On a WiFi hotspot that’s not yours, there are ways to take a look into your system.
4. Make sure you use anti-virus software on your computer. If you’re not doing this, don’t even go online.
5. Always have a firewall on your computer. Both Windows and Mac systems come with built in software firewalls now. You should be using it.

What should I use for online banking?

Well, most banks now have Internet access for customers. At minimum, you can look at your records through any web browser. If you just want to keep track of your account, that’s the simplest answer.

If you’d like more, you’ll need some type of financial management software. There are two big ones out there currently available. Microsoft Money and Quicken. I’ve used both over the past decade, and don’t really have a preference between the two. They both work well, and have more options than a person will ever use.

Several updates today while traveling down 81.  Last evening we were lacking Internet connectivity (only miles away from where we were).  So today I got to update the blog, check the forum, and play with a side project.

WheelInterested from the forum and several other folks have been looking for a photo gallery at the digital rv.  Well, we’ve got one…sort of.  There is now a gallery, located at http://www.digitalrv.net/gallery.  The software is functioning, but one annoying catch.

Supposedly it can integrate with the forum software and use the same user database.  This would save people having to create logins for each system.  So far though, all testing has been hit & miss.  Sometimes the shared user names work, sometimes they don’t.  I’ll continue working on a final solution, but in the meantime the photo gallery is available as a “stand alone complex”  ;)  By that I mean, folks can sign up and use it, but you’ll need to create a user name and password.  It is not sharing that data with the forum at present.  Sorry, I’ll keep working on it.

So far the digital gadgetry has been working well.  We’re on the net, sharing photos and stories, the whole 9 yards.  Nothing bad to report, other than my lack of vision regarding a tire.  ;)  For more on that click here.

Off to sleep now.  Did you remember to Spring Ahead?

Well, I’ll be doing a great deal of updates on digital toys soon.  Today is day number two of traveling southward.  I’ve put in plenty of trip updates on Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles (my personal blog).  Check them out when you’ve got time.

I will say, all things digital have been used heavily so far.  The list is as follows:

• Digital Camera has been snapping away.  Check the Airstream Chronicles for some photos.
• Cell phone:  Tons of usage.  Especially after a flat tire we received yesterday (also blogged on the chronicles).
• Laptops:  Entertainment and communications.  Waiting 5 hours for a tire gets old.
• Portable LaCie Drive:  All my recorded shows and DVDs are on it!
• IGo Power supply:  Only had DC power available yesterday.  Tom’s laptop needed some power too!

That’s the short update for the Digital RV.  Pop by the Airstream Chronicles if you want the whole story.