Cardinal RV Club

Communications

1. Cell phones, What company and plan do you guys recommend to get good country wide service

2. radios, Do any of you all use CB radios for member to member communications

Out here VHF and SSB are a must, thanks Capt Jim

Cell phones...most everyone will have a different opinion on this. Husband and I are currently on Sprint....but mostly because we have had pretty good coverage where we have travelled. And because we have had the same plan for about 10 years, we can't get a better price anywhere.

We communicate with others with our cell phones...to me they are easier to use than CBs. We do have a set of inexpensive walkie-talkies that Ron and I use when arriving and departing - much easier then trying to yell at each other!!!

We have AT&T, once again had them for years so when we went full-time just kept them. We've had very good luck with coverage with a few exceptions like where we are now, but nobody has coverage out here (10 miles up the road no problem as we are between 2 mountain ranges). That being said Sharon's phone actually rang last night and she had a one minute conversation before the call dropped.

I have had AT&T, Sprint and now Verizon. I find that Verizon works best overall for us, in all areas of the U.S., rural as well as metropolitan. We go to remote desert and mountain areas and off the beaten path, and Verizon is there for voice and data, plus in Canada. The others frequently dropped calls or had no service when we left the major population areas or left the Interstate Highway corridors. Verizon has free calling to other verizon cell phones and friends and family plan (no matter what their plan) so you can call them free if identified as frequent callers. It keeps cost down. I was totally frustrated, out of sorts, and out of service with the other providers.

Like most say it is a matter of preference and opinion. I had AT&T but left them for difference of opinions on thier customer service. We now have Verizon which has been great on our 4 months of traveling(plus most all my family use verizon so I dont get charged to call any of them). I like it when I dont have WI FI I can use my phone to get out and most times we have good service. (this was sent by the cell phone over the internet)

We've tried a number of different cell phones and now we are using Verizon. I think they have all improved over the years. We also us Verizon's hot spot for our wi-fi and like it, especially when we are in an area that has 4G.

At one time we did use a CB, but not in a few years. Truckers are on channel 19, but the language gets bad, channel 13 is for RVing and if you get another RVer to talk to you it great information.

We still carry our old VHF handheld Marine radio with a scanner. It's fun to listen to boaters when we're by water.

We have Verizon because we spend a considerable amount of time in kind of isolated areas in New Mexico and they have the best cell coverage there and pretty well every where else we have traveled. I will say it does not work on the Valley floor at Yosemite NP though.

Don

Don Wilson wrote:We have Verizon because we spend a considerable amount of time in kind of isolated areas in New Mexico and they have the best cell coverage there and pretty well every where else we have traveled.

Ditto.

Rob

Another verizon user here We also have walkie talkies on board also. I do believe that they have probably saved a few members marriages Great for your spouse helping you get backed into a site when needed.

No Problem Dayna, I will just fit myself a drink and watch her back it in

The sailor wrote: No Problem Dayna, I will just fit myself a drink and watch her back it in

Please let me know how that works out for you.

Well she can dock the boat with out hitting to hard, have not busted a fender yet, but they are large.

Since I've been the Admiral all these years, maybe I should set ya'll straight about docking the boat and who bent what coming to the dock. You might ask Capt Jim, who bent light pole and tore the dinghy off the davits one year when we were in the Bahamas. Also, for those of you who are interested, the only time we usually get upset with each other is when anchoring. Capt Jim has a detached retna which has interferred with his depth perception and is hard of hearingr so when I have the helm and he sees a great place to anchor and I just know we will be too close to the next boat, I say no, no, no we need to go further over he does get a little testy So I let him have his way and down goes the anchor and when the boat pulls back on her anchor and heads into the wind, we are within kissing distance of the next boat. That's just a little too friendly for me. I do have to be honest though. There was never a better Captain or navigator on the water than my Honey. We just don't see eye on anchoring and never will. Hope backing the camper up will be easier on us than anchoring. The walkie talkies is a great idea and I will sure purchase a set. Ya'll know who this is right?

Hi Jim & Norma--

Welcome to the club---have been away (not onl) for a little while--have seen a few of your posts and will admit to being a little envious of your past lifestyle---I am sure you will enjoy the new one as well--This old country of ours has a lot of beauty and interesting places--

Thought I would join in and "echo" some comments regarding "communications"--The wife & I each have a Verizon Cell Phone--for communication with each other when apart (not quite "fulltime"; but no landline at home)--and "free" between family & friends---Have a Sprint "hotspot"(up to 5 devices) for internet/data--use FRS(Family Radio Service) "walky-talky" for parking or communicating between rigs if traveling with others in close range---Have "hand-held" 40 Ch CB with Weather Channels for monitoring Ch 19 / 9 / etc. and weather---also, can use "wifi-hotspot" for computer (email/etc) when mobile (travelling)--

You indicated that you might make the "Memphis Rally"---we are not signed up yet; but have it on "planning sheet", as we will be on "left coast" during Spring/2012--Maybe we will see you there--

Travel Safe & Enjoy !!

Jim & Pat D

Cell phones for both of us, CB with Upper and Lower Sideband capabilty (still haven't got it mounted in the new truck), laptop and a aircard for when there is no WiFi, like now.

Jeff