On Line RV and Camping

FREQUENT POSTING

(and other information)

This is the periodic posting of Online r esources for Camping and Recreational Vehicles, which is posted on the first of each month to the following newsgroups, alt.rv, alt.rec.camping, rec.outdoors.camping and rec.outdoors.rv-travel.
This is revision 2.3 of the FAQ dated 2 June 2004.

This FAQ will also be available via WWW. The URL is http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv/online.html

Complied by Ralph Lindberg (n7bsn-at-amsat.org). Please contact Ralph with suggestions, changes, additions, etc.

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This FAQ is Copyright (C) 1996/97/98/2000/2001/2004 by Ralph Lindberg and the members of the UseNet community for their individual contributions. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to use, copy and redistribute this FAQ in whole or part by any means for any purpose so long the following conditions are met:
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Any reproduction or of distribution of this FAQ in whole or part by any means, implies agreement with the above conditions unless written (non-electronic) permission to the contrary is obtained from the author.

DISCLAIMER!

While the information con tained in this FAQ was carefully collected and compiled to be as accurate as possible, there are no expressed or implied warranties that the information contained herein is correct, of any value, or suitable for any purpose. If y ou use this information in any way, you assume full responsibility for the results of your actions. In no event will the author, or others be liable for any results or the lack thereof.

Neither of the compiliers have any connection with any of the business that may be men tioned in the FAQ except possibly as a satisfied customer unless there is a specific statement to the contrary in the text.

Please note: if your news reader puts strange characters, where double and single quotes might be being used. The fault is the character set my news program uses is not the same as the character set yours uses. I am working on fixing this problem.


TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Copyright and Disclaimer.

1 Advertising on the net

2 Related news groups , and email lists

2.1 Newsgroups

2.2 Email lists

3 WWW and INTERNET resources.

3.1 RV and Parts Dealers

3.2 RV Loans

3.3 RV rentals

3.4 General Camping Supllies

3.5 What RV Parks are on the Net?

3.6 RV Manufacturers

4 Other resources and selected personal home pages

5 Net Resources on the Road

1 Advertising on the net
Ralph writes--------------------------

While there are few rules in Usenet, posting an ad for an unrelated> product to a newsgroup is a certain way to make enemies. I can say for certain that as of this writing (two weeks after the creation of rec.outdoors.rv-travel) one persons un-related ad to rec.outdoors.rv-travel has cost him his net access. I can and will complain to the site admin of any poster that sends out an unrelated ad. Many providers cancel accounts for this activity.
I will include pointers (email or a URL) for related businesses in the FAQ. In addtion there is a newsgroup made just for marketing your outdoor related item. rec.outdoors.marketplace

2 Newsgroups, e-mail and we-based forums (BBS in "old" speak)

3.1 RV and Camping Parts Dealers

3.1.1 RV Dealers & Builders

Dealers and Manufacturers with on-line pricing
3.1.2 Parts and Accessories 3.1.3 Other
3.2 RV Loans
3.3 RV Rentals
3.4 General Camping Supllies

3.5 RV and Camping Parks

3.6 RV Manufacturers

4 Other RV and Camping information and selected personal pages
4.1 Clubs, Rallys,etc
4.2 Government Links
4.3 Bookstores
4.4. Other Misc pages
4.5 Other Commercial
5 Net Access on the Road
5.1 E-Mail On The Road

by: Janet (prinjrw@aol.com) Wilder, The Road Princess

Hi there,

E-Mail On The Road

These directions are for laptop owners only. If you insist in traveling with only a desk-top, I can't help you. Get a laptop, even a used one with a 14.4 modem to use for connecting. The places I am listing will work if you r provider has an 800#. If they don't, change providers. I use America On Line and it costs me 10 cents a minute for the 800#. They have a product for $4.95 per month that gives you 3 hours with a charge of $2.50 an hour after that.
For e-mail retrieval it is fine. I can download all e-mail and read and respond off-line. My bills run about $6 to $8 per month including the cost of the 800#.

    Here's a list of places where you can use your laptop and modem:
  1. Truck stops with table phones. Order breakfast (anytime of day) and plug in. The phones are on jacks and can be disconnected until you are done. They only work on 800#s. The food is good, too. A copy of "The Truckers' Friend" (available in most major truck stops) lists tru ck stops with table phones. The "RVers' Friend" does not list them. If there are only portable phones available, ask the manager. Sometimes they will let you connect where they keep the bases for the portable phones.
  2. Staples, Office Max, Office Depot. They have fax service and/or computers where you can design your own business cards that are hooked to modems. Ask the manager for permission to hook up your modem for two minutes. Just go for the e-mail, download it and read it off-line. Send the answers off another time.
  3. Hotels. The ones that cater to traveling business folk have lobby pay phones that are desk models and will have modem access ports. They may have jacks that come out so you can plug in and use the 800#. Can sit he re in a nice chair and surf the net or crawl the web. Get a drink from the bar or coffee from the coffee shop and make yourself comfortable.
  4. Airports. Airports in most major cities have pay phones with modem ports.
  5. Kinko's, Sir Speedy and other copying centers often have phone jacks for use with 800#s. Kinko's will charge an hourly fee for net access. If you have your own laptop and want to just use the phone jack, they usually waive the fee.
  6. Mail Boxes stores, and other pl aces that will send faxes for you have dedicated lines to which the fax machines are connected. They are only used for outgoing messages. Give them the cost of one page of fax and they'll let you hookup.
  7. Desk-style pay phones. Found one of the se in a laundromat in Indiana and haven't found one since. It had a jack plug. I took it out and plugged in the modem. I held the handset of the dead phone to my ear so that passersby would think I was on the phone (which I was).
  8. Campground o ffices. You have to ask the manager and you have to be really, really nice. More and more campgrounds recognize that their guests have this need and will allow you to use the phone for a few minutes. If there is only one line, understand that they are running a business and can't afford for you to tie up their only line. If they have a credit card machine, point out that it is a separate line and ask if you can use that. If the campground allows you to use the jack, always ask when it is a good time for them.
  9. Computer stores. Go in and ask nicely. They usually will accommodate you.
  10. Public Libraries with computers that have internet access. Ask the librarian if you can connect through the jack if you cannot get your mail throug h the internet.
  11. College Libraries. See Public Libraries, above.
  12. Visit a friend or relative. Ask permission before you hook up. It helps to have one of those little connectors that you can plug a jack into each end. Unhook the cord goi ng into the phone and put it in one end. Put your modem jack in the other end. This saves having to crawl on the floor to find the phone jack. The connector is sold for a few dollars at Radio Shack.
  13. Factory Outlet Malls. If they have an administrative office, ask if you can get your e-mail with an 800#
  14. Courtesy Phones. Waiting Rooms in doctor's offices and repair facilities often have courtesy phones. Disconnect the jack and use the 800#
Using these methods will not all ow you to surf the net for hours on end. We hook up to retrieve e-mail and check the bank account. Many Thousand Trails/Naco campgrounds are providing modem ports for their members. You can find a local access number and surf away. Always be polite. No one owes you a phone jack!! Nasty RVers make it tough on the rest of us.
Note: This information appeared in "The Road Princess Gazette" in 1997. For subscription info. Write: Janet Wilder, 101 Rainbow Dr., #198, Livingston, TX 77351

Hope this is more concise. It also carries some cautions and protocol advice. Knowing some of the types now visiting the newsgroup, it may be wise to include them.

5.2 Other info
Ralph writes:

Choosing a provider:

The first thing to re member is that it's not going to be as cheap or good as your home to your local connection. As far as I'm concerned there is not `right' answer, and only maybe `wrong' answers.

You can continue to get service from your current provider. Most of the large national providers have local numbers in most urban areas, however only a few rural areas are covered. This certainly mean a long distance call to your `national' provid er when you are staying at Snow Bank Alaska.

You could also call your current provider long distance via a number of plans. All three of the `biggies' offer long distance discount plans, one where all calls to a particular town (say where you live and your service provider is) could be a good idea.

Another good idea is the personal 1-800 numbers. These can be set up to call any number you chose, like your providers. You certainly want one where a PIN or password is required.

Of course, there is Satellite service, at this writing the equipment runs about $4500, plus a $1000 for instalation, plus about $100 per month. See the Data Storm users at DataStormUsers.com