RVerOnTheMove

It appears the OP only wants to use the Dish service for 4 months per year and does not use Dish while at home. The Dish PAYG program allows for this. However, it appears that the OP's Dish account was never setup properly for the PAYG service but instead setup as a standard account causing him his current issues. With the PAYG service you simply call and have the service turned on for a specified period of time (30 day blocks). At the end of that time period the service simply ends unless you tell them to extend it for another 30+ days. It does work, and work well, but if the account is not setup properly you can end up with a 2 year contract and the issues he is describing above.

They are all about the same. Call and make reservations NOW. Most are likely already booked. There are private sites available as well where you have your own piece of land and power. It's dirt, dirt and gravel, or gravel no matter what you choose assuming you want to stay close in to QZ. The entire town is 2 about 1 mile square so location is not an issue. Call around and find the required services and pay the too high price. You can use Google Earth to look at the campground but, as I mentioned earlier, they are pretty much all the same. No trees, few, if any, facilities and pricey (in season).

With the Dish service you could get your HD via a dome or the Trav'ler but you will have some limitations caused by a dome which you would not have with the open faced antenna. The first consideration is that if you are in areas with rain, morning dew or similar moisture events you are more likely to lose your signal from the dome where as the open faced antenna would likely be unaffected. Also, the Dish service is provided from 3 different satellites (more is you want to discuss Western Arc and Eastern Arc) and a dome can only see one satellite at a time. This would limit or eliminate the use of a DVR or dual tuner box if you choose the dome. The dome and Dish work best together if you plan to only use one signal tuner receiver. For anything else I would recommend the open faced antenna.

There is often a (one) tire dealer at the National as well as some of the larger Regional rallies. I doubt this would be good tire shopping time, however. Take a look at the FMCA Michelin pricing which can save you many dollars and call local installers for pricing in your area on other brands. The tire folks at the show have a local store as well and are not going to be offering any super specials just to get rid of inventory but rather offering the convenience of doing the work on-site.

What did they say when you called and asked that question?

If those are really the instructions, they are terrible instructions. On flat, level terrain you would never use the T/H option.

What does Onan think the problem might be?

Red Robin! YUM! I always get the Whiskey River BBQ burger. Have been eating it for years! Sorry, I know, I get your point. As to Navistar, I understand they are closing the OR location but relocating to Elkhart and the old Monaco facility. Does anyone know if that is still valid information?

You are correct not to pull too much. If you get the proper screws out the frame (or whatever) should slide out with very little effort. Is there a full frame around the TV? If so, look inside the storage cabinets on either side of the TV and see if there are screws on the inside frame of these cabinets that go toward the TV. If they are there, these screws (really long) will screw into a bracket attached to the frame and once removed (usually 2 on each side) will allow the frame to come out as one unit.

You will do no harm either using it or not using it. It is only designed to change the shift pattern programming originally setup for that chassis. It's quite possible that the added weight is enough that the shift pattern you are seeing is the same as you would find with the button pushed. I would suggest that you will not find any benefit to using it on flat terrain, but the next time you are headed into an area with some hills you might want to push the button and see if you like (or notice) the change. It's nothing that you would ever be required to use but it might improve your climb or descent experience.

During your talks with HDKA, what do they seem to think the problem might be?

Hopefully, no one is going to use someone else's experience as the reason to make choices in this highly complicated mine field. What works for one person may or may not have anything at all to do with how things would work for another. Topics are here to post information but only the end user can decide what's right for them. Casper47 and me are perfect examples. What he/she does would not work for me and what I do would not work for him/her. You just have to love having choices!

It will happen sooner or later (especially if you want 4G service in the future) but it's certainly nothing anyone needs to jump into today. Since most of us are not grandfathered into an unlimited plan it "can" make sense for users of multiple devices.

I have used my CB less than once per year over the last 10 years of full-timing. This has only been to find out why the traffic has come to a stop on the Interstate and it has not provided any information that could change what was going on but it did provide some info as to how long I might be stuck. In the meantime you have to endure the extremely abusive language and prejudices spewed by truckers while hoping to glean just a bit of useful information. If I were in trouble I would either use my cell phone for curl up until some real help arrived as the CB is not likely going to be able to provide critical assistance should it be necessary.

As was I. I live in a MH but I understand the reasons behind owning a trailer as well. Would I own one? No. But that's just me and should not be factored into anyone's ownership consideration.

On the other hand, you have substantially more room to live in with a 5th wheel so how you travel and how often you move can make a big difference as well.

Not another Elkhart rally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Snore.

Mostly you will find excellent shopping at excellent stores without issue. Safeway, Fred Meyer's, Albertson, QFC, Fry's, Smith's, Kroger, Ralph's, Vons as well as the Costco's and Sam's Clubs. You really should not have any issues at all finding good shopping at stores as nice or better than anything you have ever seen on the East Coast.

I would assume that the most logical solution would be to unload the car, have the car equipped with a tow hitch and then move the trailer as necessary with the car. When it's time to leave, reverse the operation. Move the trailer to a location where the RV can pick it up and then park the car on the dolly.

Am I tasting sour grapes? Sounds like there will be a rally. It will be very refreshing to NOT have the rally in Berrien Springs!

That is a beautiful campground with a terrific location. Your retirement fund must have done very well for you recently as that is also the most expensive campground I have ever visited!

I am not sure if the moderators will delete this post, so save it quickly if you think it is appropriate! If you joined FMCA only for the benefits then I think you joined for the wrong reason. I (and FMCA) will be sorry to see you go but the reality is that FMCA is much more than just benefits. FMCA is an excellent organization (with whom I do not always agree) dedicated to the enjoyment of the RV experience by owners of self-powered recreational vehicles. FMCA is expanding that definition to include towables which may or may not work toward the betterment of FMCA, but is not a concern of mine. I like what FMCA does do. The magazine is an excellent resource for all RVers and likely worth the price of membership all by itself. FMCA also has a strong lobbying arm, offers an excellent National rally annually and allows local and regional chapters to exist and be supported under the FMCA umbrella. They also encourage and support the many regional FMCA rallies such as the WMHA SW area rally (Indio, CA), 6-States rally, SE Area rally, GLASS Rally, Rocky Mountain Ramble, GEAR, NE Area Rally, and likely many more. This is a social organization (yes, it's an organization that wants to make a profit at the end of the day) that has been very successful in promoting the RV life-style. What's so wrong about that?

I have seen multiple tests showing how quickly TP breaks down. Some break down in something like 10 seconds and others take up to 90 seconds. Is this really a problem? How often do you dump 90 seconds after using the facilities. If you don't then I assume both types will have broken down. I have used many brands but mostly Charmin and I have been full timing since 1997 without any issues related to the type of paper I have used.

Not all RVs (really, not most RVs) are that heavy.

I was only clarifying the issue. No offense or attitude was intended. Many vehicles no longer have a steering wheel lock and that is what the OP indicated.