It's really quite amazing how we can use the internet on the road. We don't even have to be “plugged-in” to get internet service. We can be driving down the road, stopped for lunch in a roadside park, parked in a Walmart, or like now, setting in a campground with full hook-ups. The secret is the data card from Verizon. Anywhere we can get cell phone service, we have internet.
It all begins with the Wilson Truckers antenna on our roof. This antenna helps connect to a cell phone tower. It a “space-age” looking antenna isn't it?
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All the “brains” of the internet connection are housed in a cabinet over the passengers side windshield.
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The antenna is connected to our Wilson Amplifier. This 3-watt amp helps improve the signal we receive. The amplifier is the blue instrument in the picture. It gets quite warm, so we sometimes leave the cabinet door open for air circulation. We can even plug our cell phone into the amp if we need to get cell phone service in a fringe area.
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The next electronic device is the router. Since Marsha and I both have computers and we want to be online at the same time, we have a wireless connection that links both our computers to the internet at once. It's wireless, so we can be anywhere in the MH or outside and get service. We do have it secured with a password so our neighbors can't use our internet service. This is important because we are limited to 5G of use per month. For the two months we've been on the road, we haven't come close to exceeding that limit. The secret is not to download movies, You Tube junk, or all the jokes people send.
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That's it for the internet electronics. The other items in the picture are a remote display for our inverter. The inverter allows us to use 120 volt appliances from the power stored in our batteries.
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Under that, the small switch is the on/off/find switch for our roof mounted dome satellite. We intend to upgrade this satellite in the future. We need to find someone to look over the wiring mess (looks like a bowl of spaghetti) in our TV control cabinets. The previous owner removed his satellite receiver without labeling wires or thinking about the next owner. I can't figure what wire goes with what????
The instrument panel with the “red” light is our control panel for our water heater (the read light indicates our water heater is running on electricity this morning instead of propane). We can choose between electric or propane which ever is cheaper or available at our location.
Also, on this panel is our control switches to move our slides in and out. There are two switches here to control the two living room slides. In the bedroom are two additional slides that control the two bedroom slides.
And finally, located on this panel are the indicators telling us the condition of our batteries, fresh water tanks and sewage holding tanks.
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It's amazing how this all comes together to make our life on the road a little simpler and more comfortable. Makes one appreciate the full-timers from years gone by. They had to use pay phones, and snail mail to keep connected to their families and friends.
Thanks for checking-in!
