Hello All.My wife and I are so new to RVing that we havent started yet. We bought a MH and its in the driveway ready to pounce or chug a long on the open road. We are waiting until a grandbaby arrives before starting our adventure. We have a few questions of the opinion sort that maybe this forum can help with. First internet/cell phone coverage. How does this work on the open road? We both have minimal computer skills (basically Fisherprice type computer skills) but we see a need for it to a certain extent like weather, traffic, and the all important sports scores. Also keeping in touch with family. How do we set up this service? Ballpark costs on mobil internet services? We have a smart phone too be we seem to be not smart phone users. Also to tow or not to tow. I would rather have a towing package set up and not tow than not to have one and then have the need to tow. What would be the reason to need to tow? We dont want to tow based on cost. We are on a fixed income and we weigh the needs vs wants carefully.We are going to use our RV to sight see and run in between grandkids. Maybe a longer excursion every now and then. Any input would be greatly apprecited.Kailua

For some better answers on the tow question, what motor home did you buy? Class A, B, C, C+ ?????? Length? Gas, diesel?

The most reliable internet service will probably be the "hot spot" on your i-phone, then turn on your phone's WIFI if you are using a computer. If you are not streaming videos or playing on-line games, most i-phone WIFI's services will probably deliver enough service for minimal use (which it sounds like you do). If you are into on-line games or movie watching, like Netflix, then you may want to explore other options. More and more campgrounds are becoming WIFI available. But there are some draw backs that makes the usage a real pain in the neck. Namely, everyone else is using the same WIFI and the campgrounds system can run very slow. Still, it's an option. But... about the time you really need the campground WIFI, you'll find yourself in a park that doesn't offer it. So, campground WIFI is really not a reliable source either. Your phone is still the best.About towing. You have a motor home and that will be your only method of getting anywhere. Every time you need to run to the grocery store, go to the campground swimming hole, or go to the local golf course, you'll need to break camp so you can use your motor home for transportation. This is the reason why folks have a toad, second vehicle, so they do not have to break camp to run around. It's your choice. Some folks use motor scooters, golf carts, small cars, bicycles, even Segways have been discussed on these forums. It really does depend upon your own individual needs. You may not need to ever run around, plan your grocery stops while enroute between campgrounds, and plan your black tank dumps also. But if not, you may need to re-think a second vehicle. Only you can make that choice.

Cell phone coverage depends on where you happen to be, the same as a car. Usually coverage is reasonably complete in urban and suburban areas, and often along major highways (such as Interstates). In rural areas off of major highways it can be a good bit more spotty. The exact situation of course depends on where you are and what carrier you have.Internet service would be most reliably had through the cell phone, though it's best not to necessarily consider it full-speed service like you might have at home. You probably have some access already on your smart phone, though the details depend on what plan you have. The least expensive I know of offhand for minimal use is a pay-as-you-go Tracfone, which (using the 60 minutes/90 days cards) can work out to as little as about $7 a month. One does also encounter public Wi-Fi hotspots scattered around, such as at many rest areas and restaurants and occasionally at campgrounds; these generally require no payment.There are a number of weather apps for smartphones. I use (on my Android phone) "NOAA Weather Free" which I think has a nice interface and seems to work well. The actual forecast data, as the name implies, comes from the government, which I think is likely true for most weather apps.Towing is only needed if you need to haul something along with you that you can't fit in the motorhome, such as a car. Sometimes this may be useful for sightseeing, depending on where you're going and how comfortable you are maneuvering the motorhome and how much work you do to set up and tear down camp. As a very general principle, another vehicle is much more of an aid the longer you tend to stay camped at one campground. If you're traveling every day or every other day anyhow, it's a lot easier to stop along the way for shopping and sightseeing and whatnot than if you're staying at one campsite for a week or two. However, there's certainly no requirement to tow anything; it's a convenience, sometimes a great convenience, but not a necessity. (For occasional needs, renting a car can be a reasonable option; some rental companies will even come to a campground to pick you up.)

Thanks for the input. Our plan as far as RVing is to keep it as simple as possible. We dont want the expenses going through the roof but I understand that there will be some expenses beyond our control.As far as toeing, we went up to the Rocky Mountsin Nat'l Park this week (not in the RV) and I was watching in amazement on how some RVs were struggling with a towed vehivle. At the same time I saw some expert driving. I dont want to be "that" guy we all cuss out on the highway drifting all over the place with his towed vehicle. I'll give him a break because he was on his cell. Probably had good cell coverage.As far as sight seeing, are towed vehicles mostly needed? Any specific places that require a smaller vehical to see that sights? I know that thisvis a real general and posdibly lame question.ThanksK

What do you have? A 40 foot Class A motorhome or a 20 foot Class C? It really makes a difference when you are asking about the need for towing a car.

We are newer than thee nwest newbie | Good Sam Community

22 Replies

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Aug 03, 2016
The most reliable internet service will probably be the "hot spot" on your i-phone, then turn on your phone's WIFI if you are using a computer. If you are not streaming videos or playing on-line games, most i-phone WIFI's services will probably deliver enough service for minimal use (which it sounds like you do). If you are into on-line games or movie watching, like Netflix, then you may want to explore other options. More and more campgrounds are becoming WIFI available. But there are some draw backs that makes the usage a real pain in the neck. Namely, everyone else is using the same WIFI and the campgrounds system can run very slow. Still, it's an option. But... about the time you really need the campground WIFI, you'll find yourself in a park that doesn't offer it. So, campground WIFI is really not a reliable source either. Your phone is still the best.

About towing. You have a motor home and that will be your only method of getting anywhere. Every time you need to run to the grocery store, go to the campground swimming hole, or go to the local golf course, you'll need to break camp so you can use your motor home for transportation. This is the reason why folks have a toad, second vehicle, so they do not have to break camp to run around. It's your choice. Some folks use motor scooters, golf carts, small cars, bicycles, even Segways have been discussed on these forums. It really does depend upon your own individual needs. You may not need to ever run around, plan your grocery stops while enroute between campgrounds, and plan your black tank dumps also. But if not, you may need to re-think a second vehicle. Only you can make that choice.
BB_TX
Nomad
Aug 03, 2016
For some better answers on the tow question, what motor home did you buy? Class A, B, C, C+ ?????? Length? Gas, diesel?

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