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09-19-2014, 07:42 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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Oh my, it can happen to us...
Full-timing in the Montana.
Moved out of the stickhouse, put all our goods in storage and allowed our daughter, SIL, and 3 grandkids to move into it.
We now use our Monty to stay in TT (Thousand Trails) campgrounds for free. We pay a small "annual maintenance fee" but that's about it. Utilities are free, too, unless we want to stay longer then we'll have to purchase long-term leasing terms. So far, we don't mind moving every 21 days to avoid leasing fees. But we can go from TT campground to another and there are several within 100 miles of our house. We often go back to visit the stickhouse (repairs, minor maintenance or to swap things we need, but mostly to visit the grandbabies).
We use DirecTV for entertainment (Ugh, on the manual aiming, might have to break down and go for something more automatic) and a Verizon Hotspot for Internet (ugh, on the expense!). Anyone have better solutions for Internet? 5Gb don't cut it and we struggle keeping under 10Gb at $80 per month. Higher data rates are very expensive, but we need higher.
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09-19-2014, 08:16 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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Hope you enjoy full timing as much as we do. I broke down and bought a Winegard Traveler last year. Best money I've spent. I love just pushing a button and having it set itself up. On the internet we've tried a lot of stuff and we use 18 gigs a month so I know what you're talking about expense wise. Your area will make a big difference. We tried other services, but since we work for Fish and Wildlife in the winter we are frequently way out in the boonies. We use Verizon because their coverage is best where we go. The other cheaper services that use Verizon's network have equipment that just didn't cut it for us out there. As a result we use an Ellipsis jetpack and when necessary a Wilson booster. The other cheaper services have worked well for others, but didn't cut it for us.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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09-19-2014, 10:19 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: _
Posts: 5,238
M.O.C. #6337
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Verizon wanna be available from Millinicom. Internet store, no sticks n bricks. $90.00 for 20 gigs. Not lightening fast, but, if I am ON, I am happy.
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09-19-2014, 10:42 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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Enjoy full timing. We did.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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09-19-2014, 11:25 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Washington Coast
Posts: 2,688
M.O.C. #10696
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__________________
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09-19-2014, 12:18 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Benson
Posts: 3,121
M.O.C. #1658
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We switched from Verizon to Millenicom ( http://millenicom.com/) a year ago. We are have 20gb/ month for $89.99, no extra fees or taxes. Download speeds generally run 10-12 mps. Higher or lower depending on the area and whether or not 4g is available
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09-19-2014, 12:50 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Livermore
Posts: 5,183
M.O.C. #1920
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Second the Winegard Trav'ler. We've had it over five years issue free.
__________________
Ron and Terrie Ames plus Meg - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar+ Legacy Package
2021 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, BIM Charging
4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
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09-19-2014, 02:09 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Livingston
Posts: 1,150
M.O.C. #12333
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Congrats on your new chapter.....we love full timing and would never look back!
__________________
Les and Sue Young, 2009 Int 4400 LP, 2020 DRV Mobile Suites [/url] https://ramblingrvrat.blogspot.com/2019/11/freedom-from-grid-rambling-rv-rats.html[/url]
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09-19-2014, 02:20 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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Appreciate the replies... I guess I gotta look up Millenicom (never heard of it). Yes, I love Verizon quality, so that's a concern too. Because of the new data rates limitations of wireless we struggle with 10Gb, 20Gb could help. I used to monitor our usage at home and with Netflix, Pandora, online gaming, online puzzles, the grandbabies playing their online games (yup, even at their ages, 4 grandkids all under 5 years), we were around 40 to 50 GB unlimited on Verizon Fios. Fios with wireless was $70 month and that's with me running wires for two computers, and the printer (network printing, too) directly to the router.
bigskyjimmy - our fingers are crossed, but we hope they remain God-fearing, churchgoers and continue living the clean life they are teaching their kids. We stay close by and we love spending time there, so it's all good. Plus, they are getting FREE utilities to help them out and save more. If you live in the hot Southern California area and are aware of the rental and home prices and cost of utilities, it will help you understand the deal they are getting, because they are very aware of how good they've got it.
I'll need a DirecTV autodish and prefer one with HD for when I swap out the glass tubes for flat screens (the receiver is already HD capable). I use an IR remote receiver to operate the BR TV using the same receiver with the two different TVs. I even reprogram the satellite remote to use the different TV volume/power controls depending where we are. One of these days, I may break down and get a second receiver for the BR TV.
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09-19-2014, 02:33 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Fayetteville
Posts: 2,354
M.O.C. #6831
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Congratulations Art and Marge on the new chapter of your life.
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09-20-2014, 03:37 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Brandon
Posts: 3,944
M.O.C. #1034
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Congrats!! Wish for you many years of enjoyment from your new lifestyle.
__________________
Darwin & Maureen DeBackere
Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada
2011/3500/Silverado/4x4/DRW/Duramax
2017/3721RL/Legacy Pkg./Pressure-Pro
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09-20-2014, 01:49 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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Great... already the trouble starts... Camping at TT and we get rain, over 100 degrees and it not only rains, the wind kicks up so quick, I had to race outside to furl the awning. Too late. This old awning got furled but with all the flapping around during the wind, the cover is starting to separate from the underlying fabric. I guess that's what happens to old awning. The awning is so sunbeaten, the outer vinyl is separating from the main fabric since it's so dried out and weatherbeaten. Fortunately it's not much but enough to make me quite angry.
The awning will extract and retract for now, but it sure looks angry. I guess a new awning will be in our future. Nothing like full-timing to find out what is really put together well and what lacks in strength and quality. I will probably remove some of this loose outer covering so that driving around doesn't make it worse, Bah!
Admittedly I do like the full-timing (been doing it since mid-June), and know these things will happen, but one must ALWAYS stay on guard. That's okay, because it will keep my retired mind sharper than sitting in a stickhouse watching the "telly". I've even had to help a few people in these RV Parks with some tricks and tips I've learned here in the MOC. They think I'm brilliant, but the MOC gets most of the credit.
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09-21-2014, 07:57 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Washington Coast
Posts: 2,688
M.O.C. #10696
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On our first class A we had he same thing happen and went and bought some clear Awning tape from Camping World and it works really good till you can get a new Awning
__________________
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