Here in the RV pit, I live in an incorporated area. So, I get cellular service here and I use my mobile hotspot for the Internet on my laptop. What you should know is that this will never run Netflix or Hulu well. That's because my devices get unlimited downstream, but the hotspot only gets 15 gigabytes of download. For those of you traveling out there, that's in the "fine print" of your cellular package. Lucky for me, I have two devices. So, I'm getting 30 gigabytes, but I doubt that will run those said services. I've never been willing to try it before because I need my download size for other things.
What I do have is off-line videos on an external hard drive. Because I'm in the motorhome, it needs to be the laptop version of the external because it only needs power from the USB. The desktop hard disk version has a separate AC to DC cable.
On another topic, I tried to put some hooks in my motorhome's ceiling to support a folding stool. As space goes, my ceiling is generally under utilized. What I discovered is that the dry wall wouldn't support the stool, so I had a project up there that's been on hold until today. Today, I put some drywall studs up there and screwed the hook into that.
So far, there's three of them. I need another one to support the seat of the stool. But I found some paracord, which is something that us hikers carry. The military version (5/50) is stronger, but that's irrelevant for this project. I made paracord loops so that the stool could interface with the hooks. But I'm not willing to let it set overnight with my laptop being right under it and the seat being unsecured. When the motorhome is in transport, the stool will have to come down because the wiggling of it might crack the ceiling and make the drywall studs come out? That would cause the stool to come crashing down.
My stool by the way is what I sit on when I play guitar. And the folding stool is compact.
Because I'm a volunteer leader, and in light of what I do with the trails, I have a commercial laser printer in the motorhome. But I made a mistake in getting it down here. I should have removed the toner cartridge during transport. Since I didn't, there is now toner particles in the wheels of it causing smudges on my prints. I can't use it to make fliers at this time.
What happened is when you insert the cartridge, the guides cause it's door to open. Had I thought that contaminating the inside could be possible, I could have removed it and taped the door shut. That's probably what should have happened?
Showing posts with label cellular. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cellular. Show all posts
2014/04/13
Log 2014041302
It's good to run tests and put things on a shakedown cruise. Just because the smartphone is new... that makes it an unknown. Here's another unknown... I have 6GB of data on it that I can download before I incur overage charges. When I lasted used a PCMCIA cellular expansion card in my previous laptop on Sprint, it took me downloading 29 seasons of television shows to rack up an $800 bill in a single month mostly overage charges.
Verizon doesn't have unlimited data packages, so that's why I pay for a additional 6GB package. And they have several lower ones, too. I chose 6 because I was guessing what the phone and laptop would need down trail. But since I wasn't paying attention last time, I really don't know how much it would take it get to, or exceed that 6? At the moment, I haven't even broken the 1GB mark yet, but judging by where I'm at now, I expect to do so at the end of this month...
But not 6. My cable Internet package here in the office is not measured in "gigabytes," or the total you can download, but in "gigabits," which is a measurement used to describe how wide the channel of information. And the amount of information one could download on those is usually unlimited. With the smartphone, that's not the case.
So a test needs to be done. I have a usage meter widget on my smartphone. And what I need to do is hotspot, or wirelessly connect my three other computers to my smartphone's Internet for about a week or so to see what it would take to get to get close to maxing out. And I'll do this at the end of the month and stop it about 0.3GB shy of the limit so the smartphone still has some of the package left to get by for a few days. Having this experience will allow me to know exactly what I can do it down trail when the hotspot becomes the primary Internet connection. And if I don't run an expirament like this, I could wind up in "hot water" simply by being ignorant.
2014/03/03
Log 2014030101
My slightly used truing stand came in today in like new condition from Yonkers, New York, USA Today via eBay and USPS. It arrived 2 days ahead of schedule.
Last night, I determined that due to the modern advancement of smartphone apps that I use, and that their updates are mandatory and consume an increasing amount of storage... couple that with the fact that I could not save some of those apps to external storage (which I have in abundance), I concluded that I can no longer trust my Samsung Galaxy S D-700 smartphone down trail this year.
So, today I purchased a new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with a lot more internal storage and a larger 7+ inch screen. I got it for about $300 out the door with a new 2 year contract with Verizon. My Sprint service is still connected while Verizon migrates my cell phone number from Sprint.
As far as coverage areas go, according to the map, I believe I won't go so much as one hiking day without at least having roaming signal. Couple that with the planned CDMA car cellular signal repeater that on my construction plans, I don't think that my base camps will ever be out of signal in Ohio.
2014/01/07
Log 2014010601
I received a letter in the snail mail today from my cellular provider. And in it, they stated that they performed an account review and had noticed that I was exceeding my data roaming limit. Considering that I've been at home port in Painesville of Lake County for the last 67 days with regular voice service and 4G data and in that time, I only put about 1,000 miles on my 2008 Chevy HHR, I would have to conclude that they were in reference to my extended time while on hiking/ maintenance for the Buckeye Trail. And I could only imagine that this excessive data roaming was accrued while using Google Maps and my turn-by-turn navigation moving from one place to another and finding amenities. I tried to get in contact with their Roaming Compliance Department in their last operating hour today, but there was no response.
On my smartphone, there's five bars that indicate regular voice service. When the unit goes in to voice roaming, there's a little icon and the bars start over for that. As for 4G, I only get that signal in major markets, like the Cleveland area. The rest is 3G service. But when the unit goes into data roaming, there isn't an icon. You would have to roughly assume that the data roaming service area is similar to the voice roaming area. But I know for a fact that they are not exact. Sprint has online maps that detail these areas, but I would have to download an offline copy for what I do, but I don't believe that is available. If I had an offline copy, I could upload it to Google Earth on the laptop that I carry on these trips to reference and know when I need to get paper directions.
So, I'm starting to formulate alternatives. One is getting paper directions like I mentioned.
- Purchase a automotive GPS, which would work with satellites instead of cell phone towers and be more reliable in more places.
- Purchase and install a smaller a CDMA repeater in the car so my smartphone can get regular data services in more places.
- Change my cellphone carrier to Verizon if their services suit my needs in regards to data roaming.
But what I'm really hoping for is a special package that I can add on. What does a cross country trucker do?
So far today, the air temperature was -13°F at home port. At -7°F, my 2008 Chevy HHR had a difficult time starting. It rained yesterday and froze on what was already hard packed snow... So, the Chevy did not move at all today. And the already weak tailgate release would not power up when actuated.
This morning was the first in last 64 days that I didn't notice my back ache. And considering that I tried pushing the HHR into a place where it might get some traction today, I still don't notice it. Depending on how I sit, I can still feel, but barely.
My personal task list is dwindling down as I've completed a bunch of items. The biggest hurdle now is I need to get about 45 days worth of pressure canning done before I can sit down and work on the 2014 Edition of the Ohio Transit Hiker's Resource. That's January's main task. In February, I need to start getting The Cramper's materials ready for when the weather breaks in Southern Ohio.
The next recreational series will tentatively start in the City of Parkersburg, West Virginia. The plan is to bicycle to the Village of Chesterhill in Morgan County on the American Discovery Trail (ADT) in Southeast Ohio. It's about a 31 mile ride. At Chesterhill, the ADT will run concurrent with the Buckeye/ North Country Trail across the south. I have the BT/ NCT/ ADT already completed from the Village of Mount Orab in Brown County to Eden Park in the City of Cincinnati.
After the ride from Parkersburg to Chesterhill, I'll need to drive across the state to Cincinnati. The 6,800 mile ADT is kind of peculiar in that it's mostly a straight line... until it reaches Greater Cincinnati. That's when the trail splits into a loop. The south side goes to Saint Louis, Missouri and the north goes to Chicago, Ill. They rejoin near Denver, Colorado.
I'll have to find a parking spot for the car and use public transit. Before hand, I'll have to get a bike box from Amtrak (because there's are better) and use it to board the Greyhound to Richmond, Indiana. Richmond is on the Indiana/ Ohio State Line and I'd cycle south on ADT's north side, while managing to divert and pick up about 2.5 miles of the south side. And then, I'll turn around and clip through Northern Kentucky before reentering Ohio in Downtown Cincinnati, end at Eden Park and then pick up my car. That ride is about 45 miles long.
Within Ohio, cleaning up the ADT independant of the Buckeye Trail, I'll line myself up to hike about 350 miles from Chesterhill of Morgan County to Mount Orab of Brown County. When I finish at Mount Orab (which this location is tentative), I will have completed the Buckeye Trail and be eligible for the Circuit Hike Patch. Also, I'll be eligible for the North Country Trail's "Ohio" state patch. The ADT doesn't have a state patch, all I really want to say that I've completed every major trail in Ohio. And should I wish to hike, or bike across it, I'll be well on my way with having Ohio completed.
In other words, cleaning up a few minor ends will allow me to clean up and finish everything on one course while the three trails are running concurrent with each other on the same route. That's my "plan of attack."
On my smartphone, there's five bars that indicate regular voice service. When the unit goes in to voice roaming, there's a little icon and the bars start over for that. As for 4G, I only get that signal in major markets, like the Cleveland area. The rest is 3G service. But when the unit goes into data roaming, there isn't an icon. You would have to roughly assume that the data roaming service area is similar to the voice roaming area. But I know for a fact that they are not exact. Sprint has online maps that detail these areas, but I would have to download an offline copy for what I do, but I don't believe that is available. If I had an offline copy, I could upload it to Google Earth on the laptop that I carry on these trips to reference and know when I need to get paper directions.
So, I'm starting to formulate alternatives. One is getting paper directions like I mentioned.
- Purchase a automotive GPS, which would work with satellites instead of cell phone towers and be more reliable in more places.
- Purchase and install a smaller a CDMA repeater in the car so my smartphone can get regular data services in more places.
- Change my cellphone carrier to Verizon if their services suit my needs in regards to data roaming.
But what I'm really hoping for is a special package that I can add on. What does a cross country trucker do?
So far today, the air temperature was -13°F at home port. At -7°F, my 2008 Chevy HHR had a difficult time starting. It rained yesterday and froze on what was already hard packed snow... So, the Chevy did not move at all today. And the already weak tailgate release would not power up when actuated.
This morning was the first in last 64 days that I didn't notice my back ache. And considering that I tried pushing the HHR into a place where it might get some traction today, I still don't notice it. Depending on how I sit, I can still feel, but barely.
My personal task list is dwindling down as I've completed a bunch of items. The biggest hurdle now is I need to get about 45 days worth of pressure canning done before I can sit down and work on the 2014 Edition of the Ohio Transit Hiker's Resource. That's January's main task. In February, I need to start getting The Cramper's materials ready for when the weather breaks in Southern Ohio.
The next recreational series will tentatively start in the City of Parkersburg, West Virginia. The plan is to bicycle to the Village of Chesterhill in Morgan County on the American Discovery Trail (ADT) in Southeast Ohio. It's about a 31 mile ride. At Chesterhill, the ADT will run concurrent with the Buckeye/ North Country Trail across the south. I have the BT/ NCT/ ADT already completed from the Village of Mount Orab in Brown County to Eden Park in the City of Cincinnati.
After the ride from Parkersburg to Chesterhill, I'll need to drive across the state to Cincinnati. The 6,800 mile ADT is kind of peculiar in that it's mostly a straight line... until it reaches Greater Cincinnati. That's when the trail splits into a loop. The south side goes to Saint Louis, Missouri and the north goes to Chicago, Ill. They rejoin near Denver, Colorado.
I'll have to find a parking spot for the car and use public transit. Before hand, I'll have to get a bike box from Amtrak (because there's are better) and use it to board the Greyhound to Richmond, Indiana. Richmond is on the Indiana/ Ohio State Line and I'd cycle south on ADT's north side, while managing to divert and pick up about 2.5 miles of the south side. And then, I'll turn around and clip through Northern Kentucky before reentering Ohio in Downtown Cincinnati, end at Eden Park and then pick up my car. That ride is about 45 miles long.
Within Ohio, cleaning up the ADT independant of the Buckeye Trail, I'll line myself up to hike about 350 miles from Chesterhill of Morgan County to Mount Orab of Brown County. When I finish at Mount Orab (which this location is tentative), I will have completed the Buckeye Trail and be eligible for the Circuit Hike Patch. Also, I'll be eligible for the North Country Trail's "Ohio" state patch. The ADT doesn't have a state patch, all I really want to say that I've completed every major trail in Ohio. And should I wish to hike, or bike across it, I'll be well on my way with having Ohio completed.
In other words, cleaning up a few minor ends will allow me to clean up and finish everything on one course while the three trails are running concurrent with each other on the same route. That's my "plan of attack."
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