So
you've purchased a mobile CB and
have installed the antenna properly
on your vehicle. Now comes the most
important - and often overlooked
- step: tuning the antenna. Do it
right and you'll get excellent transmission
and reception; do it wrong (or fail
to do it at all) and you risk permanent
damage to your radio. Andrew Youderian
gives you step-by-step instructions...[More]
The
iconic American road trip requires
a footloose spirit and a great deal
of wind in your hair. But that kind
of open-air driving also has an
unintended consequence: eyes as
scratchy as sandpaper. Dan Sedenquist
has a solution...[More]
The
most critical component of any CB
installation is the CB antenna.
It's what allows your radio to send
and receive signals so you can communicate
on the road. So it's important to
understand the different types of
antennas and the available mounting
options. Andrew Youderian tells
you what you need to know...[More]
So
you're browsing through a number
of CB radios online thinking, "Bells
on this one, whistles on that one.
How in the world do I choose?"
Relax. You may be surprised to learn
that every one of those radios has
exactly the same transmission potential;
the rest is just sorting out the
options. Andrew Youderian lends
a hand...[More]
Extremely
popular in the 1970s, CB radios
have since slipped from the spotlight
and are now regarded by many as
antiquated. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Despite the emergence
and affordability of other high-tech
electronics, the classic CB radio
remains one of the most useful tools
available to travelers wishing to
explore America's roadways. Andrew
Youderian discusses a number of
reasons why you'll want a CB while
on the road...[More]
Purchasing
an RV is a big decision -- literally.
At 20 or 30 feet in length, an RV
just might be the largest item you'll
ever purchase, outside of your home.
While there are many factors that
should be part of your decision,
one of the first choices you'll
need to make is whether to buy new
or used. At Cruise America, we've
found that a...[More]
Feel the burning urge
to get away? Away from your parents?
Away from school? Away from responsibility?
You're not the only one. More and
more young people are choosing the
road less traveled and carving out
their own path. So check this out.
You can get yourself an RV, see
the country, and still go to college.
As long as you've got...[More]
The writer GK Chesterton
once said: "The whole object
of travel is not to set foot on
foreign land; it is at last to set
foot on one's own country as a foreign
land." He might almost have
been talking about the road trip
- that great American journey...[More]
Coolers
and road trips were made for each
other. Coolers are also wonderful
for family outings -- a day at the
beach, a sporting event, or even
a trip to an amusement park. They're
even great for grocery shopping
on hot summer days, and they're
indispensable for picnics and backyard
barbecues. As uses for coolers have
multiplied, so have innovative designs.
Whether you're setting out to conquer
Route 66 or just heading up the
road for a picnic in the park, here
are tips for choosing and using
the best coolers for your needs...[More]
From
Cape Cod to Cape Flattery, Los Angeles
to New York, hostels have been springing
up all over the place in recent
years. But what exactly is a hostel?
And are they really the sort of
place in which you'd want to stay?
[More]
While
record temperatures are beginniing
to spread warmth around the American
southwest, the Midwest and northeastern
regions of the country are still
locked in winter's deep freeze.
Even though we'd all probably rather
be thinking about beaches and bathing
suits, we sent the IceDozer Plus,
a new ice-scraping tool, to Geneviève
Lauzière in Quebec...[More]
I'll
confess that after five years of
full-time RVing, I've collected
sewer gadgets that fill two, five-gallon
buckets. In fact, I've probably
got at least one of every sewer
connector ever invented. They're
all supposed to serve the same purpose--make
sure that black water goes from
your rig into the park pipe without
spilling on the ground...[More]
I
had to make a quick trip out to
Sturgis, South Dakota during the
annual event known as the Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally to do a radio
interview. Because this was going
to be a solo trip, I took the opportunity
to try out the Napier X-Treme Sportz
Pac tent package that we sell at
American
Road Shop...[More]
Many of us who have
thus far avoided using a GPS receiver
may be wondering what a GPS receiver
does, what benefits the technology
offers, and which models to look
into. Let's start with a description
of the technology. Global Positioning
Satellites (GPS) are a series of
satellites that work in combination
to provide...
[More]
Pet lovers understand
that once you bring animals into
your life, they quickly become members
of the family. In fact, a study
recently released by the American
Pet Products Manufacturers Association
showed that 74 percent of dog owners
think of their pet as a child or
family member. With such a high
percentage, it should come as no
surprise that many of these families
want to take their adored pet with
them whenever they travel...
[More]
A carefully planned
RV vacation can be one of the most
carefree, recuperative, exciting
vacation experiences you'll ever
have. But it's not for everyone.
At my company, Tracks & Trails,
we go to great lengths to head off
problems for people who buy our
RV vacation packages. But any trip
that involves navigating unfamiliar
territory is likely to produce a
few stressful moments. You could
encounter bad weather or get lost
a time or two, forcing you to alter
your plans. Take the time to think
about how you handle these and other
uncertain situations...
[More]
As the busy summer
travel season approaches, millions
of Americans are planning to load
up the car (and their pets) to head
for vacation destinations across
the country. Yet, the prospect of
a road trip or hotel stay can spark
fear and panic in even the most
docile pooch or kitty, leading to
destructive behaviors that may disturb
other passengers or harm the pet.
Much can be done, however, to smooth
out the trip once owners are equipped
with the right knowledge...
[More]
Vacation season is
here. Millions of Americans will
be hitting the highway to see our
nation's great parks, camp in the
mountains or swim at our wonderful
beaches. Most families face a dilemma:
how to fit everything in the car.
Families travel with friends and
pets. When there are more people,
there's sure to be more luggage
and gear. Young people on the go
with smaller compact cars and SUVs
need to haul sports gear like bikes,
tents, canoes and golf clubs...
[More]
The
single-lane dirt road was plugged
with about twenty SUVs on a four-wheel
drive road trip because one poor
fellow had two flats at once! We
were all lined up behind him. He
had no air compressor and no one
around him had on-board air. Fortunately,
I had the cure. It's called a Power
Tank.
The
Power Tank looks like a SCUBA (diving)
tank. But instead of oxygen, the
Power Tank holds carbon dioxide
(CO2). The CO2 is used to fill tires
faster than an air compressor!
[More]
Finding
a device to convert DC power to
AC may seem like it should be a
simple task, but when you start
shopping for a power inverter for
your RV or road trip vehicle, you'll
soon find that many choices will
confront you. With prices ranging
from less than $40 to well into
the thousands, it can be difficult
to know what features are important
and how to choose a unit appropriate
to your needs... [More]
In February of 2002
we purchased our first DataStorm
antenna from MotoSAT and quickly
found that there were many more
uses for the Internet than we had
ever considered before. Now we no
longer get any of our credit card
statements by mail -- I simply get
an e-mail that says, "Your
statement is available for download."
I then schedule my payment, and
I have never had a late credit card
payment since. I also schedule my
motorhome payments each month to
be deducted at the right time, and
I can track my bank account, investment
accounts, insurance accounts, and
almost anything else online anytime
I like and as often as I like. Like
many RVers, we use DataStorm to
run our business on the road...
[More]
The
shine on our six-year old Filon
(fiberglass) sided RV was gone.
Glass fibers were even exposed on
the surface. Waxes no longer worked
and painting was the only recommendation
the Filon manufacturer could give.
Searching the Internet under "fiberglass
restoration" revealed several
other alternatives for a fraction
of the cost of painting. "Poli
Glow" was the product I chose
which the boating industry has used
since 1991. The two step process
couldn't be easier...
[More]
