TXiceman

Try the Facebook group.

Ken

Diesels require clean fuel and clean oil.  The biggest issue with diesels sis coming from the emission controls. A diesel needs to be worked and not babied around town.

Ken

I have a USPS shipment coming to Tomball, TX.  It arrived at the North Houston distribution center at 10PM Dec 13.  It has been setting there since then.  One day, the tracking notice showed delivered.  Nope, not here.  Next day it was shown  as out for delivery.  Now today, it shows nothing but at the North Houston center.  The North Houston center is a total joke.  The package is literally 25 miles from where we are.  Shipment just stop for a long visit in Houston.  The Tomball, TX post office has been the subject of several local news stories about poor deliveries. 

If you complain, the USPS blames Christmas.  Nope, we get the same crappy service any time of the year.

Ken

Anytime I get something transferred to "Smart Post" it is a joke.  The initial carrier will get it to the city we are in or near and then it  goes wandering all over the country for several days.  It is sad but hilarious to see where all the package is routed.  Tracked one from the northeast to Houston to Victoria, TX, back to Houston, San Diego, Denver, finally back to Houston to Victoria and finally Port O'Conner, TX.  Only took about 10 extra days.

We use the Escapees mail and when we get our mail sent to us, never on USPS.  I use Fed-Ex Flat Rate envelope. It beats the Priority mail for just a bit more cost.  We usually get the mail in 2 to 3 days, all over the lower 48.  We are just northwest of Houston and sometimes, we have the mail, the next day.

I feel sorry for the USPS since they keep getting funding cut, needed equipment pulled and to top it off, very  poor management.

Ken

If you are just getting into ham radio, go ahead and take the upgrade to the General class.  The Technician class keeps you off the HF bands. 

As for the radio above, DON'T.  Get a decent VHF/UHF radio for the most use to start with.  Look at the ARRL website for the band plan to see where the different classes of license can operate.

Ken

Make sure the shield on all of the cables is connect at each termination.  Worst comes to worse, they may need to put a trap or filter on the TV connection.  Also start checking for loose grounds all over the 12 volt system, especially with the fan motor.

Al alternate is to add a capacitor across the power to the power at the fan motor.  This takes some experimenting.  If you know a ham radio operator near by contact him some help.

Ken

21 hours ago, agesilaus said:

Yeah but do not fly them over nps lands w/o a drone pilot license and permission

We were told, even with a drone pilot license, you cannot fly over Federal lands unless you have written permission from the specific park.  And they are not issuing permission except for specific use like a TV station to review an area for purpose of putting on the news.

I don't see what the problem with getting a license and following usage rules.  I have to be licensed to use my amateur radios.  They have to have rules and regulations to control the few that will not do right and cause harm.

Ken

Sent them a note and told them if it bother any of the local channels I watched, I'd just drop my locals from Dish and get them off air.

Ken

As noted, many campgrounds require trailer owners to maintain a vehicle suitable for towing your RV.  This is often due to storm threats.

Ken

SWharton, you need to be aware that many RV parks prohibit the use of any out door refrigertators or washers.  All appliance have to be within the RV.

Ken

We necessary, I will use the Alpha Campro II to boost a WiFi  signal.  It works well to boost a weak signals, however it will not provide additional bandwidth.  The bandwidth is determined byt the connection of the host computer and the number of users on the network.

Ken

And docj, you have to look at the plans yearly as they change.  Also work with your Doctor as he may be able to get you on a less expensive drug or combo.   I was on one drug that was a combo of two drugs.  The cost of the co-pay fro 3 months was close to $400.  The Doctor put me on the two drugs separately,....one was free and the other was $18 for 3 months.

Ken

My bad, I know the difference between PSIA and PSIG and mis-typed.  Corrected the original post to read PSIA.

Ken

Pure propane stops vaporizing at -44.42 deg, at 14.7 psia.

At -20 degF, the heat absorbed by the bottle has to exceed the refrigerating effect of the vaporizing propane. The liquid propane will reach -44-42 degF and stop vaporizing.  You can always put a heat lamp on the tank to raise the temperature.

You do not want to take a firearm into NY or NJ.  Only recognize their own permits. 

If you are going to carry, you need to join a group like US Law Shield.  They can help guide you through the requirements and to avoid NY and NY as well as CA.

Ken

For an ice storm, you don't want beer...You need Whiskey!

Ken

Kirk is right on the small wheels.  Hard packed surfaces are OK and easy.  These are not long distance ride bikes, but are very adequate for riding around a campground.  Generally, they are not geared low enough to be good in hilly areas.

If you are into longer rides on loose surfaces and hilly terrain,  you need to be looking at full size bikes.

Ken

2 years ago we bought a pair of Zizzo Forte folding bikes and they are good bikes for the money.

https://zizzo.bike/

Ken

We also went with a supplement plan G so that we can travel and not worry about in-plan networks.  Any Doctor of hospital that accepts Medicare accepts the plan G as well.

Ken

I do not understand the people that just "have" to travel for no real purpose than to have fun.  

We are full time and this year limited our travel to absolutely necessary.  We had to go to Tulsa for our dogs surgery (half the price of Houston), go to Kansas RV for trailer repair since we were already in Tulsa.  Now headed to Fort Worth to get Mor/Ryde axle alignment (chewing up a tire), then to Livingston for a few weeks and back to Houston area for the annual Doctors and winter.  We plan to stay in the Houston area for an undetermined time while this virus gets under control.  

We stay in the RV, occasionally get take out food, get groceries and only talk to people in the RV park at a distance.  We would rather be traveling, but I do not want to take the chance of getting sick or worse.

We need to stop unnecessary travel, social distance and wear a mask.  Pay attention to the Doctors and scientist.

Ken

Escapees mail service has been flawless for over 7 years for us.  One time we got the mail of someone with a similar last name and a PMB that has a couple of numbers transposed from our PMB.

Ken

Just got notice from the mail center that our ballots were there.  Now to get them to where we are ... FedEx

Bigjim, the USPS in Houston and Tomball have been on the local news several times over the past few years due to slow service and disappearing mail.  We had a Priority mail sent from Livingston to us in Tomball and it took 13 days.  For 3 of those days the USPS had it shown as delivered.  After two trips to the Tomball P.O. and talking to the postmaster, the envelope mysteriously showed up.  This was not the first  time and others in the park had issues as well.   Since these issues, we will not use us anything but the Fed-EX flat rate envelopes in Tomball and Houston.

Ken

Our absentee ballots were mailed from Polk county on October 2nd and they are still not at the Escapees mail box. 12 days ( Ijust called the mail center). They have to go from Livingston to Houston North Central USPS and back to Livingston.  I could ride my bike there and back is a lot less time.   

I tried calling USPS Customer DIS-Service and the wait time is over an hour.  I filed a email complaint and now see how long they take to answer that. 

I guess we will be driving to Livingston and making a provisional ballot if we can't get them as we have in the past.  

Ken

Having lived many years in the Houston area,  I have seen many times the temperature dropped below freezing.  It has gotten down to 17 degF several times.  Two years ago we wintered in Tomball (northwest of Houston) and we had a really long cold snap.  It was into the lower 20's and the temp did not get above freezing for about 36 hours.  People all around us wee experiencing frozen water lines and faucets as well as drain hoses.

So, yes, you have to deal with occasional hard freezes in Houston area.

The suggestion for a used mobile home is a much better choice if you are not going to travel.

Ken

Dennis K, we are currently in Oklahoma and we have a Wildcat on one side of us and a Alpine on the other side of us.  Both units have two A/C units on 50 amps and both have has to add supplemental A/C units to keep the inside livable in the summer.  They are going to be here for the winter and both have large propane tanks for the furnace.  Neither unit is 4 season, but the Alpine has a sticker on it claiming it has a Polar or Arctic pack.

If you want a better insulated used trailer, you need to be looking at something from NuWa HitchHiker, Carriage Cameo, Teton, Excel to name a few.  As far as I know, Crossroads in a 3 season trailer.

As noted, living in an RV is not as simple as living in an apartment.  We have wintered in the Tomball area and have to deal with freezing weather.  A heated water hose is expensive and does not protect the water faucet.  We just fill the fresh water tank and drain the water hose and turn off the water.  You will also need to close the fresh and black water tanks and drain the sewer hose other wise it can freeze and won't drain.

The other issue you need to deal with living in an RV in the winter is moisture and condensation in the RV.  You will need to keep a roof vent cracked open to let out the warn and moist air.  Vent when showering and vent when cooking.

90% of the trailers on the market are weekend/vacation use, 3 season trailers.  Our trailer has dual pane windows, better insulation, radiant heat barrier and we have been in temperatures from 15 degF to 109 degF and stay comfortable.

Ken