Information Discussion for Gate Guards

[mdbass]

Thought I'd start a new topic for Gate Guards to use for comments. Like the moderator suggested-keep technical stuff, recipes, mechanical, etc. where they belong. Lets hear from everyone sucking down that caliche dust.

[mdbass]

We just received our SOHO YX545 phone booster and we are stoked! Our phones and air card signals are maxed out. We had no reception and could barely talk on the phone. We like Wilson and we know that it's an allowable deduction, but this saved us at least $100. I will say that SOHO states that it doesn't "suck in" a signal-it just amplifies it. I am sold and they do offer a better antenna for around $100. That would still make it cheaper than some other offerings. Thanks to those of you who recommended this product.

[coolbikeman1]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I also had a derogatory PM from the "Livin Good" character about my canopy question. I believe he said something to someone else here recently also that wasn't very nice. Just letting you all know. It said something like "just remove the canopy from the frame and would you like me to change your diaper too?" I don't think I would need any advice on taking off the canopy during high wind conditions, that is common sense;) But he must get a rush from these PM's

[coolbikeman1]

Thanks for the information. We did experience just as strong or stronger winds twice while working at Adventureland in Iowa last summer. I have umbrella type supports for our awning and anchored down both ends of awning with ratchet straps. Everything was ok after the 60mph+ wind. The problem here is that it is near impossible to get a stake or screw type anchor into these rock/caliche pads and our previous location was on soft dirt, no rock at all. Tried to use a screw type anchor but it eventually worked lose after a few weeks and a few days of rain.

It seem like most of our days here since first coming here the first of November have been very windy like today is right now. I don't think a canopy could be used very during the hot summer if the wind stays this strong all the time.

Actually the wind burn is about as bad as the sun burn. I was out all day one day in the shade and it felt like I had sunburn.

regards,

coolbikeman

[Don_Shar]

coolbikeman1 wrote:
For the veteran gate guards that have done this for a few years. If we try to do this during the summer it would be nice to have the shade of one of the canopies like shown in your picture. But with the last few days of the very strong winds(before this recent storm) how do you keep them from either flying away or getting completely torn up even if the legs are holding firm on the ground.

the coolbikeman

Don/Shar wrote:
I have always liked camping on the edge of a lake, but this is not what I had in mind. Wow...lots of wind, lightning, and obviously water.

Here is a picture with the top on. Notice we use a tie down rope on each corner w/ a noodle over the rope for visibility. We have the weights on each leg. Also we have a rope we take over the top and tie down on all 4 sides. We have one of the better easyups but here in Texas we use this, it only cost $60 and provides shade and if a wind comes up in the middle of the night we will only be out $60 not $200.
We have a really nice big pad on this gate so it gets a lot of use.

[mdbass]

We used to have a pad where there was a stout fence with metal posts in the ground. We tied and anchored our awning to it. Even so we still brought it in during heavy weather. Shade is problematic here because of the wind. After paying almost a $1000 for a replacement awning, I have learned my lesson. BTW-here's an entry from my blog that I wrote a while back.

I'll Huff and I'll Puff
Having spent years in Oklahoma and traveled to many places, I've seen my fair share of windy locales. I have to say I have never seen the wind blow like it does in South Texas. Although Chicago sometimes is called the "Windy City" in reality it's not even close. Dodge City takes the prize with Amarillo a close second. Last night, and continuing through today, we had sustained winds of over 30 mph with gusts in the 40's. The motor home was rocking and the wind howled and swirled outside. At "oh dark thirty" we stumbled out of bed to the cacophony of the slide out awning extending, flapping and retracting with the wind. It's not a simple process to retract the slide out because we try to make our little coach a home. Therefore a lot of stuff has to repositioned first. Those of you that live without slide outs have my admiration-I don't know what we'd do without the extra space. I'm sitting across from the couch in my recliner and I can touch it with my feet. Too cramped for me. But, I digress. In the close to six months we've been down here, the main awning has been out over a period of days maybe twice. And that was when we were in a spot where we could tie it to a fence post. Lately, we rarely, if ever, extend the awning. In contrast, one summer in Missouri we left it out most of the time. I have tried the tie downs, but in this windy environment they just slow you down when you have to stow the awning. It's not mentioned often but; a part of Gate Guarding in South Texas is managing and dealing with the wind. You may want to check out this website which shows the extremes of weather we have in the U.S.-how about 134 degrees in Death Valley, California and -80 degrees in Prospect Creek, Alaska. Or that Nowata, Oklahoma got to thirty below zero last winter (2011) Fascinating!


http://web2.airmail.net/danb1/usrecords.htm

[Blondie_Girl]

There are also canopies that have the layered, vented tops that let the wind blow through them. They are more expensive($250-$300) but are much higher quality.

We also have one of those awning shades that attaches to your awning and goes all the way to the ground. We do not use it out here because of the wind. It ends up being like a wind tunnel and I can just imagine the dust blowing through there!! They are nice to use in campgrounds for a little privacy from your neighbors and they are almost like having an outside room.

We always strap our canopy down for stability, but this time the wind won out with it. Luckily, we had back-ups for everything and are all set up again and ready for our rig to start moving in today.

[Don_Shar]

coolbikeman1 wrote:
For the veteran gate guards that have done this for a few years. If we try to do this during the summer it would be nice to have the shade of one of the canopies like shown in your picture. But with the last few days of the very strong winds(before this recent storm) how do you keep them from either flying away or getting completely torn up even if the legs are holding firm on the ground.

the coolbikeman

Don/Shar wrote:
I have always liked camping on the edge of a lake, but this is not what I had in mind. Wow...lots of wind, lightning, and obviously water.

If the wind is going to be very strong we take the top off. Its very easy zip off the velcro on the corners undue a strap on the inside in 4 places and start peeling it up over the top. If the wiind is only going to be less that 14 MPH we have a rope we tie from the middle of each side over the top.

[coolbikeman1]

For the veteran gate guards that have done this for a few years. If we try to do this during the summer it would be nice to have the shade of one of the canopies like shown in your picture. But with the last few days of the very strong winds(before this recent storm) how do you keep them from either flying away or getting completely torn up even if the legs are holding firm on the ground.

the coolbikeman

Don/Shar wrote:
I have always liked camping on the edge of a lake, but this is not what I had in mind. Wow...lots of wind, lightning, and obviously water.

[rabajara]

Thanks for keeping us updated on Jimmy. He was the first guy we met when we started guarding. He was there to set us up at Tilden and again at Shiner.

[Blondie_Girl]

When I was at the yard today getting a new stop sign(storm broke it in half..found one piece under the motorhome and one piece in the road), Jaimie was telling me about the travel trailer that turned around and I thought he said it was over Kennedy way.

Jimmy is home now and doing as well as can be expected. He goes back the 1st for his lung work. He has a lot of trouble eating because of his throat surgery.

[mdbass]

Walmart gossip said one RV near Nixon/Gillett and one somewhere on 415 got tossed around. I was very concerned as I was up and working the night shift. Hope everyone is O.K. As far as tieing down an RV, I've seen stakes and banding (which is what they use for mobile homes) or stakes and straps over the top of the entire rig. Talk to the Company Man and he may help you sink the stakes. I've been told it would take at least 70 mph to dislodge our Class A DP.

[rabajara]

I don't know who it was out on 72. Only thing i heard is it was 2 men.
Pick the trailer up and set it across the road. Now that is grape vine talk. I don't know for sure. Only passing alone what i have been told.

[The_Texan]

Maxx, we've been doing this since 2007, from Ft Worth to McCook in the RGV and have never, NEVER seen a storm like last night. Even the locals who have lived here all their lives said it was the worst they had ever seen. Hopefully it is not a preview of what's to come this summer......:B

[maxx233]

We were fortunate to not have any damage other than lots of dimples on the side of our trailer facing the hail onslaught. Trying to come up with ways to prevent that in the future, because from everything I gather the winds are supposed to get faster and the hail bigger. I'm more worried about tipping over when we get to that point though.. I'm gonna try to come up with some sort of anchoring method, but it's probably gonna be hard since the ground on these pads is so hard - we can hardly get large nails in the ground to hold the stop sign down, let alone something beefy enough to anchor a trailer 😕 anyone try this before? How do guards across Texas not get tipped over like crazy in this weather each year?

[Don_Shar]

Blondie Girl wrote:
Well, we've been outside looking at our damage this morning:
Lawn chairs - Destroyed
Canopy - Destroyed
Lights - Bent up, but working with new bulbs
Satellite Dish and stand - Destroyed
2 Flags missing
Our Sewer trailer was moved about 15 feet

There were a few times during the storm that it felt as if the motorhome was being lifted, but everything looks OK.
Sure don't want to see another storm like that!!
We are from OK and are used to bad storms, but last night was sure scary...looks like we will have some tax deductions for this year.

Blondie: sorry you got all that damage. We took our top off of the
easy up, put chairs away. At least you will get all new stuff.