pamkay

That's great. Glad things worked out for you.

Hello. This article in the May issue has a section about automatic fire suppression systems and lists several companies that offer them. Perhaps the companies could to direct you to an installer? https://familyrvingmag.com/2019/05/01/rv-fire-safety-3/ Pamela Kay Director of Communications, Publishing Family RVing magazine

Years back, FMCA provided all members a small accidental death and dismemberment policy, with the opportunity to buy additional coverage. That ceased quite some time ago.

As noted in the text of the article in question, it is important to make sure the tow bar is reasonably level when connected. So, you make an excellent point and a good reminder for motorhome owners. This photo was supplied by Demco and shows their Dominator tow bar. Given their expertise, we believe they would have made sure the setup was within tolerances before taking the photo. And as Mark Quasius, the author of the article noted, when I questioned him about this, “We can’t see the whole picture. It’s possible the motorhome could be on a sloped surface that would lower the front of the coach, raising the back to make it look like the tow bar was at an excessive angle.” Pamela Kay Director of Communications, Publishing Family RVing magazine

Hi, Kay. Thanks for confirming. Kay actually is my last name. I acquired it when I married. Good thing my first name wasn't Kay! That would have been confusing. I do end up being called Kay accidentally at times.

Hi, Ross. I was able to see my posts by clicking on my name at the top right of the page; then Profile; then See My Activity on the right side of the page. Pamela

Hello. You may want to check out the Membership Directory at FMCA.com -- accessible via the Membership tab/Membership Dashboard. The search function makes it possible to look for "Pinch Hit Drivers" in a particular city or state. These are members who have agreed to drive a member's RV in an emergency situation, at the owner's expense. Here is a link to the search page: https://site.fmca.com/member-help-search It is possible to filter by state and also by Pinch Hit Driver. Pamela Kay, Director of Communications, Publishing

Hello, all. Actually, the purpose of the original post was to invite new members of FMCA to participate in the new "Meet the Family" feature in the magazine, not to discuss the name change or how it came about. But since that's where it's gone, I thought I'd jump in and offer some explanation. When the vote to allow owners of other self-contained RVs to join FMCA took place, the decision was made not to change the name of the association but to focus on the acronym that many members already use -- FMCA. That didn't work quite as well for the magazine. So, the idea of giving it a new name arose. Careful consideration was given to the name, and ultimately the Executive Board gave the change its blessing. The staff didn't unilaterally make the decision. The new name definitely ties in with the former. We believed it was important to retain the "Family" aspect of the name, because it describes the essence of FMCA -- a close-knit community of RV owners -- a family, if you will. And it describes the people who are enjoying the RV lifestyle. I'm not sure how we could have involved the entire membership in the decision regarding a new name. Instead, the Executive Board was given the opportunity to represent the membership in this decision, as they do with many other things. Even if we had taken a vote, undoubtedly some would have been disappointed that their favorite wasn't chosen. We aren't planning to lessen the focus on motorhomes even with this name change. And, like John indicated, much of the content we've been publishing for years is "equipment neutral" -- it is valid, useful information no matter whether your RV has its own motive force or needs to be towed. We're excited about the refresh that the magazine is undergoing. It's been 10 years since it was given a new look. And we do realize that some members liked the magazine just the way it was and aren't ready for this change. We heard comments to that effect with the redesign we undertook a decade ago. My favorite comment about a redesign came years back from a member who called to say that he likes his olives to stay in the same place in the grocery store, and we had essentially moved his olives! I don't know about you all, but the stores I shop in seem to love moving things around. We definitely appreciate your passion about FMCA and the magazine! I hope this explanation helps. Any new members out there willing to be profiled in "Meet the Family"? Pamela Kay Director of Communications, Publishing

Here is an article from RVBusiness.com that addresses this issue and notes that RVs will continue to be included, perhaps thanks to some RVIA education of legislators: http://www.rvbusiness.com/2017/12/rvia-tax-reform-bill-will-benefit-rv-industry/

Hi, Bill. FMCA still sends members a monthly magazine, unless they specifically request to place the print copy on hold in favor of reading the digital edition. I checked the records, and your magazine wasn't on hold. We looked at the April and May label files as examples, and labels were prepared to send the magazine to your mail forwarding address. Perhaps you had requested that the mail forwarding provider not forward periodicals to you? In any case, I'm sorry you missed out on receiving the magazine. Pamela Kay, Director of Communications, Publishing.

TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF CAMPGROUND OWNERS IDENTIFIES PARKS THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE HURRICANE HARVEY EVACUEES The Texas Association of Campground Owners has identified campgrounds and RV parks with space available for Hurricane Harvey evacuees. “Many Texas parks are privately owned and operated by folks who would like to help their fellow Texans and visitors find a safe place to wait out this hurricane,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO), adding, "Texas park owners have opened their hearts and their parks. They are receiving countless evacuees and helping them while the storm passes and the cleanup begins. It will be a long process but together we will get through it." Schaeffer encourages hurricane evacuees to check TexasCampgrounds.com and TexasCabinRentals.net to locate Texas parks that are far enough away from the coast to escape the brunt of the storm. After checking the list, people should call the parks in advance to reserve a site. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation temporarily suspending ALL state and local hotel occupancy taxes in Texas for evacuees from designated disaster prone areas as well as documented relief workers. This proclamation also applies to occupancy taxes normally charged by campgrounds, RV parks and resorts. This temporary tax relief is effective from Aug. 23 to Sept. 6. Counties affected by the disaster declaration include: Aransas, Austin, Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Harris, Jackson, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Liberty, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Waller, Wharton, and Wilson.

Hello, Chris and Herman. Availability of vehicles and writers to review them are the true determining factors in which motorhomes end up being reviewed in Family Motor Coaching magazine. Also, to clarify: We endeavor to keep advertising and editorial as separate as possible. That’s better for the magazine’s editorial integrity and better for the companies that end up having products reviewed in the magazine, actually. Companies DO NOT pay for coach features, the front cover, or other editorial material in the magazine. If you check back, you will note that some of the companies with coach features definitely are not advertisers. We’ve included their vehicles because we endeavor to keep readers abreast of what’s available in the marketplace. Of course, we’d like all of the major manufacturers to advertise. Advertising helps to support the production of the magazine, to the benefit of members. Thank you for the suggestions, Chris. I remember touring an Earthroamer at an FMCA convention years back, but their current models look completely different. They have new ownership since I would have toured them. So, this probably is worth looking into. We did have a Lazy Daze review years back, so it wouldn’t hurt to try again and see whether they are willing to provide a vehicle for a writer to check out. Not all companies are, believe it or not. Again, thanks for the suggestions. I’ve shared them with FMC editor Robbin Gould, who coordinates coach features for the magazine. Pamela Kay, Director of Communications, Publishing

Yes, it is possible to place the print copy of your magazine on hold. If you are interested in doing so, please contact the Member Services Department at the FMCA national office -- membership@fmca.com or 513-474-3622 or 800-543-3622. Another idea is to keep the print magazine coming to you and then pass it along to another motorhome owner in a campground or to leave copies at a local RV dealer, etc. to help spread the word about FMCA.

@Me2Bus. Glad to hear that the digital issue worked well on your smartphone. I, too, love the print version of Family Motor Coaching magazine, and all of my other magazines (I have a bit of an obsession with magazines in general). But I must admit that I'm growing more fond by the day of my iPad, and Family Motor Coaching magazine looks really great on it. And having options is especially nice for FMCA's mobile membership. Thanks for the feedback!

It is possible to download a PDF copy for reading offline.This option appears on the Tools menu. The icon looks like a hammer until you roll over it, at which time the word Tools appear. The download PDF button is at the bottom of the menu.

Someone else indicated that they experienced issues with viewing it on a first-generation iPad. I think changing to the single-page viewing mode on the Tools menu may help with navigation on the iPad.

We are pleased to announce that Family Motor Coach Association members and magazine subscribers now have more options for enjoying Family Motor Coaching magazine. Today we officially launch the digital edition of the BEST magazine for motorhome enthusiasts. It is now possible to view a user-friendly, flip-through version of Family Motor Coaching magazine on your iPad or Android tablet, on your desktop or laptop computer, or even on your smartphone. Members and subscribers also can download a PDF copy of the magazine to enjoy during times when they do not have an Internet connection. The digital edition is an exact replica of the print copy of the magazine, but it also has interactive features. It will be available a week or so before the print version arrives in mailboxes, so you’ll have early access to the magazine and its great content. Since access to the digital magazine will be restricted to members and subscribers, you must be signed in via your regular FMCmagazine.com sign-in account to view it. If you haven’t already created a sign-in account, you’ll want to do so and link the account to your FMCA membership number or subscriber account number. In addition to the current issue of the magazine – February 2013 – we’ve provided access to the January 2013 issue in the archive section. Each month when we add the current issue, prior issues will move to the archive collection and continue to be available. Happy reading and happy motorhoming! www.fmcmagazine.com/digital Sincerely, Pamela Kay Director of Communications, Publishing

Hello, Chris. The Stoppin' Spots listing appears in the January directory issue each year. The June issue contains only an updated RV Marketplace, the listing of FMCA commercial members. The Stoppin' Spots also can be found online at FMCA.com in the Members area. A member sign-in is required. Here is a link to that feature online: http://www.fmca.com/...-directory.html Pamela Kay

Although Gulf Stream is still in business, it appears that they are no longer manufacturing motorhomes. They are producing only towables at this point. The fact that their Web site -- www.gulfstreamcoach.com -- is still active is a bit confusing. And when you call there, which I did today but didn't reach anyone, they still mention a motorhome division as an option. But they have a display at the National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky, currently, and an FMCA staff member who is there confirmed with company officials that they are not producing motorhomes.~ Pamela Kay, Director of Communications, Publishing

Since the publication of the May article in Family Motor Coaching, Navistar finalized its purchase of Monaco's motorhome assets and formed Monaco RV LLC, which is producing vehicles at Oregon and Indiana facilities. Fleetwood's motorhome assets were purchased by American Industrial Partners Capital Fund IV LP, and the newly formed company has its headquarters in Decatur, Indiana. Country Coach and Rexhall are still making their way through their Chapter 11 reorganization filings but are producing motorhomes. Pamela Kay, FMCA Director of Communications, Publishing

Hello. I don't think that particular bit of news appeared in Family Motor Coaching magazine, but perhaps you read it at FMCA.com. Below is a link to the story about the Herzogs and their travels in a Winnebago Adventurer 35Z hybrid motorhome. It appears in the Motorhoming section under Motor Coach News. www.fmca.com/motorhome/motorhome-news/2587 Hope this helps. Pamela Kay Director of Communications, Publishing FMCA

Hello, Ray. First of all, thank you for your kind words about the magazine. I certainly can appreciate the sentiment you expressed -- in terms of focusing on life and the living -- and I agree with you in most respects. That said, the Final Trip column tends to be a popular feature in the magazine. We learned this with a prior redesign of the magazine that, in all honestly, made the Final Trip column prettier but a bit more difficult to read, as we received more comments about that than any other aspect of the new design. (By the way, we quickly fixed the problems in response.) And, of course, we want to honor those national officers who have served FMCA faithfully, such as Duane Pindell. Your point is well-taken, however, and offers food for thought. After all, the motorhome lifestyle is all about living life to the fullest! Again, thanks. Keep those ideas and comments coming! Pamela Kay Director of Communications, Publishing Family Motor Coaching

The entry below from the November 2004 Tech & Travel Tips column may be what he was recalling. FMC magazine has had several references to turn signal alerts over the years. Also, a commercial product is available from Daeco. It's called the Turn-Alarm, and more information is available at www.turnalarm.com. Hope this helps. Pamela Kay, FMCA, Director of Communications, Publishing Inaudible Turn Signals Many RV drivers find it difficult, if not impossible, to hear the clicking sound from factory-installed turn signals. It is not uncommon to see RVs traveling for miles with the turn signal flashing, because the driver is unaware that the turn signal is on. One solution is to supplement the factory flashers with an additional audio device such as the RadioShack Mini 12-volt-DC Electric Buzzer (part number 273-055A). Solder the buzzer leads to the flasher as close to the body of the flasher as possible; secure the mini buzzer to the flasher with a tie-wrap; and reinstall the flasher. William J. Paton, F203866 Titusville, Florida