Today, as I planned, I attended 3 seminars at Camping World. All were taught by the same man - Jeff.
TV Satellite Antennas Seminar
How timely this seminar was since Camping World is having a big sale on different types of satellite TV antennas. :)
There are basically two categories of satellite TV antennas:
- portable ones that you set up each time you want to use it
- antennas that are permanently attached to the roof
Both satellite providers (Dish and Directv) work on each category, regardless of manufacturer although Directv HDTV can only be received using the Winegard Trav’lers.
The portables seem like the best to me even though they require set up each time. If you have an antenna permanently attached to your roof and you park in a wooded area, chances are you will not have adequate reception and your only option is to move; the portable can be moved around until you get a clear view.
To make the portables work, it’s a good idea to get a Satellite Finder which will show strength of signal as you are setting up.
I mentioned that they were having a sale. In fact, if you committed to a NEW two-year contract for standard (not HD) Directv, the antenna, cable, etc. was free. You would just have to purchase a receiver or, if you had one at home, you could take that with you.
I’m going to try to get along without a TV at least for a while. It will be a big adjustment, but I’ve got a lot of reading to do and may even get to writing again.
RV Roof Maintenance Seminar
The second and very informative seminar was on rubber roof maintenance and how important it is. Per the Camping World tech, the roof of your camper should be checked at least twice each year (he checks his quarterly).
The roof maintenance, which I never want to tackle myself, consists of cleaning the roof thoroughly, checking for problems in the caulking around the edges of the roof and items like the A/C, vents, etc. adding caulking where needed and finally sealing the roof with a special sealant.
This seems like a job for Camping World each year, not for me. I have no desire to climb around on the roof. Maybe twenty years ago I would have done it, but not now. So now, I have another item for Camping World to do on Tuesday.
Tire Safety and Maintenance Seminar
The last and perhaps most important seminar, at least in terms of safety was about tire safety and maintenance. Let’s face it, when you’re tooling down the highway at 50 – 70 MPH and a tire blows, you could lose control and endanger yourself and others on the road.
Jeff started this seminar with a quiz: do you know how old your tires are? I did. The DOT on the tires tell you the month and year your tires were built.
He also asked when a tire should be replaced. My response was when the tire is 5 years old, regardless of tread. He said I was right though some experts stretch it to 6 years.
He also stressed that if one tire in a dually goes bad, both should be replaced because the difference in tread makes the tires track badly. I don’t have a dually, but some of you might want to know this important piece of information.
As I mentioned recently, I had wanted Camping World to install a tire pressure monitor system, but they didn’t have any in stock.
Jeff passed out brochures on the two systems Camping World sells. I’m glad they didn’t have the one on sale, because I really wanted one that not only monitors pressure, but also temperature and the one on sale did not monitor temperature.
In addition, I’m going to have to have metal valve stems installed since the rubber ones don’t hold up to the amount of tightening necessary for the sensors to work. The sensors take the place of the valve cap.
I guess I’ll order the system on-line from Camping World and have the system installed after I take my truck in for my 7500-mile service after I get back from Georgia. I’ll have Ford Service replace the valve stems when they put nitrogen in the tires.
Well, it was a great day for learning. I’m looking forward to visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom tomorrow. Then I can say, “Been there; done that.”
Until next time…
Interesting post. Sounds like a great day of learning indeed. About TV: what about getting "over the air - free TV"? That is what we are getting and I know that is what Judy gets (she has lots more channels to choose from than we do). The new TVs have the ability to tune in the stations but you would need a power HD directional antenna.
ReplyDeleteGreat info re: roof care, we should have our roof coated (I would probably be the coater).
Then the tires: on our way home from Alaska last summer, just before Jamestown on Rt 17, we stopped at a rest area. It was a very hot day and we stopped on hot blacktop. Don and I went into the facility and when we were both walking back to the truck, we heard an earsplitting P-SSSSSSSSS? Turned out it was the rubber valve stem on the inside dual tire on the driver's side. The whole end of the valve blew off. Luckily we found a station in Jamestown where a young man was working on that Sunday afternoon and he found a valve stem and replaced it. For $10.00, but Don did most of the work, jacking and lifting the tire off, etc. So, you are wise to get the metal valve stems.
Have a good night's sleep, you will need it tomorrow!
Thanks for the info on the free TV. I know the travel trailer has a TV antenna, but don't know if its a power HD directional antenna or not. Probably it's just a regular old antenna.
ReplyDeleteI realized after I posted my blog that I'll have to have metal valve stems put on the camper tires too. How could I not think of that? One more thing for Tuesday. I'll be lucky if I get my camper back by the end of May with all of this work to be done. :)