Camping gagits

[Coyote Chris]

Many of us I am sure have gagits we like to take camping....I like the Skyscan 31420. While smart phones and smart watches do just about all the features of this simple $15 folding travel alarm clock, I like to set these up next to my airbed and if it gets hurt, I dont cry....I have a number of these travel alarm clocks but I like this one as it sets its own time using govt transmitters. It packs small and I like all the info I get at a glace in the middle of the night when us old men have to get up....I have no idea why I like to know the temperature inside the tent vs outside the tent but I do.....I have a cheep thermometer outside the tent. Typically there is a 5 to 10 degree differential but it varies from tent to tent.

Whats your favorite gagit?

 

[junglejim]

I like your gadget. But I don't think I'm smart enough to operate it. I can't even tell which way is clockwise on those digital things.

My favorite is a small battery operated weather radio. I can find out that I'm going to get wet before it happens. I plan, pack, and camp a little bit differently when I know it's going to rain, storm, or blow hard. But sometimes the forecast is WRONG!

 

[Coyote Chris]

I like your gadget. But I don't think I'm smart enough to operate it. I can't even tell which way is clockwise on those digital things.

My favorite is a small battery operated weather radio. I can find out that I'm going to get wet before it happens. I plan, pack, and camp a little bit differently when I know it's going to rain, storm, or blow hard. But sometimes the forecast is WRONG!

Yeah, I do carry a weather radio, too. Or if I have my scanner, like at Reno, it has a weather band too.

 

[Mellow]

I use the smartphone as an alarm. It's housed in an otterbox so pretty tough. I may place it on top of my duffel next to me when I sleep or in the tent attic or one of the vertical mesh pockets of the tent.

I don't really have many 'gadgets'... I like to keep things simple because it makes setting up and taking down camp fast and easy. Everytime I see some gadget and buy it, I might use it once or twice and realize I didn't need it because now I have to keep track of it.

p.s. Let's not turn this into a gun thread... no one comes to the site to discuss guns so that's considered way off topic. (those comments are being removed.)

 

[charlie b]

I used to like having specific task oriented items. Phone for calling, GPS for navigating, PDA for contact list, ipod for music, camera for pictures, alarm clock, etc, etc.

After a few trips I now use my phone for everything. It does calling, music, GPS, "intercom", pictures, videos, alarm clock, cooking timer, games, books, movies, etc, etc. And, I only have to have one charger. The only batteries are for the keyboard and mouse that I use with it (it also doubles as my 'laptop' when on the road). Heck, it is even my 'emergency' flashlight' (it uses the camera flash unit).

I do realize that relying on one item also presents the critical path for failure. Lose or break the phone and I am back to the "stone age".

 

[Coyote Chris]

I used to like having specific task oriented items. Phone for calling, GPS for navigating, PDA for contact list, ipod for music, camera for pictures, alarm clock, etc, etc.

After a few trips I now use my phone for everything. It does calling, music, GPS, "intercom", pictures, videos, alarm clock, cooking timer, games, books, movies, etc, etc. And, I only have to have one charger. The only batteries are for the keyboard and mouse that I use with it (it also doubles as my 'laptop' when on the road). Heck, it is even my 'emergency' flashlight' (it uses the camera flash unit).

I do realize that relying on one item also presents the critical path for failure. Lose or break the phone and I am back to the "stone age".

I have never had a smart phone till now but the Evening news said one can expect a failure every three years on the average, and they arent cheep.
I have nothing against them for folks that are willing to pay for them and like them. But somehow, its just not me. Call it an age thing. Call it a reflex after being a police communications specialist for 30 years....but I like maps, an inexpensive MP3 player with buds I can stick in my ears and if I drop the player on the ground and step on it next to thee bike, thats no loss, and a good point and shoot with at least a 12 x optical zoom and auto as well as manual controls. The cell phone stays in its padded case, securely locked on my belt. And when I can get this blasted stupid Vista machine to start working properly again, I will actually do the tutorial on my pay as you go smart phone and see if It is smarter than me (probably) or not.

 

[Mellow]

Lol, Chris, you might have to go to your backup Window 3.1 machine.

 

[junglejim]

Dang you Chris - you're leaping out ahead of my again. I'm still waiting for good cell service so I can get one of those gadgets. I guess there just ain't enough of us potential customers around here for them to put up a tower. But that isn't all bad. It is just a shame the cell phone providers are so destitude they can't afford any more towers.

 

[RedNigel]

My favorite camping gadget is my Hilton Honors card

 

[Coyote Chris]

Joe.....Ha! Do you know how much my Windows 3.1 machine cost in today's dollars???? Arrrgh.....
Jim, I find lots of places in the west with holes too. Like my house. I am up at 2400 ft...I can see five mountian tops.....I am 7 miles from Spokane....intermittant poor coverage,
despite what ATT says....I told you the story where I was warned by the checkin person at a Yellowstone NP campground that there was no cell coverage....I said I didnt mind but was
suprised that that she should make it a point to tell people before they paid. She said she has seen little girls go hysterical if they cant text....and she was serious.....
(still cant edit or delete posts.....either in Firfox or IE9. Where is my DOS machine....?

 

[Phil Tarman]

I understood Windows 3.1.

 

[charlie b]

Heck, I had service in Yosemite valley and at Zion.

The good thing is I have my books, music, and GPS maps in memory, so no service is not a bad thing.

 

[seagrass]

Joe.....Ha! Do you know how much my Windows 3.1 machine cost in today's dollars???? Arrrgh.....

(still cant edit or delete posts.....either in Firfox or IE9. Where is my DOS machine....?

Chris sounds like you have a bug.

Download HitmanPro from www.surfright.nl and scan your computer. If bugs are found activate the free 30 day license and then clean the bugs.

Let me know how it goes

 

[Coyote Chris]

Thanks for the advice but I have full faith in Norton Internet security (OK, well MAYBE I did try some on-line bug catchers, too). Nothing.
This started when I did some updating from mother microsoft(an HP expert slapped me silly for doing that, BTW) ...now I cant even do restore points. I have decided after four years I will upgrade to a new
machine and then try and fix this one for fun this winter.....I found out the last time I had issues that upgrading was so much easier when both machines
pretty much work...then when you get the new machine all loaded and up and running, you can do what you want trying to get the old machine working as a spare
and not miss one day of posts on this forum!!!!
All I can say is, thankfully everything is backup up six ways from Sunday......

 

[seagrass]

Chris please do as you choose but after doing computer support for 23 years I have little to no confidence in the product you rely on.

HitManPro is a very clever, small program that will identify nearly all Malware/Virus problems in your computer in about 10 minutes and may save you a lot of frustration.

 

[Coyote Chris]

Rest assured once I get my new machine (sitting in its box on the floor) up and running, I will try it.
I have had poor luck with Norton anti-virus but I have to say that Norton Internet security has saved my
bacon many times. You are correct that no one program does it all. We are blessed with another good IT guy in the
shape of Tim from the WA coast) Peersonally, this doesnt seem like a virus. Not being able to reply to a post and getting
a grey box instead of a white one, along with not being able to work an interactive tutuorial on the LG800g phone
sounds to me more like a piece of bugged up software.
http://tracfone.deviceanywhere.com/straighttalk/home.seam?custId=TFLG800G&locale=en_US
I think my plug-ins are not plugged in!

 

[Sicday]

First day of Spring so I figure its time to start thinking about motocamping again! I'm an admitted gear geek so this winter I picked up a Biolite stove. I've found that while camping in Germany and Austria, most places do not allow you to have a camp fire, which to me is one of the highlights of a night spent outdoors. With the Biolite, I'll be able to have a small contained fire for ambiance, s'mores, or to heat some water for my morning coffee! I'm looking forward to 'Furlough Fridays' so I can get in as much motocamping as possible this summer! Prost!!!

 

[Bear]

I still have a computer with Win 95. I have it in my shop and it has all sorts of bicycle blow ups and parts numbers. I use it like an owners manual. I carry a small Grundig SW Radio with Weather, a regular cell phone, and sometimes a hand held CB Transciever. The CB will probably stay home for the Spearfish trip.

 

[Rich]

Dang you Chris - you're leaping out ahead of my again. I'm still waiting for good cell service so I can get one of those gadgets. I guess there just ain't enough of us potential customers around here for them to put up a tower. But that isn't all bad. It is just a shame the cell phone providers are so destitude they can't afford any more towers.

I've found that the North Central Plains (Northern Minnesota, ND, SD, Northern WI, MT) have abysmal cell phone coverage. If you connect at all, it'll be some small, regional carrier where you'll pay horrendous roaming charges. Big chunks of Wyoming and Colorado are also included in this black hole. Where I live on Whidbey Island, a mere 20 miles from Seattle, There is no 3G (let alone 4G) and one and only one carrier (T-mobile) has a tower (and only one tower) that serves my home. Even along interstate highways (say, I-90 from the Cascades most of the way to Spokane) it's spotty. Verizon is the carrier that generally sucks less in coverage, but the bar is pretty low and nobody in the US fulfills the hype of their advertising campaigns.

 

[junglejim]

I've found that the North Central Plains (Northern Minnesota, ND, SD, Northern WI, MT) have abysmal cell phone coverage.

I don't think it is quite that good. And you can include Michigans UP in your list too.
I have a unique cell phone that displays an "emergency calls only" screen when I try to use it about half the time (99% out west). Last week in Louisville KY I tried to call my motel for a shuttle ride and the dang phone didn't work. AT&T says "it shouldn't do that" and "you should buy a new phone". They actually expect me to buy another phone from someone who sold me a phone that doesn't work half the time! The only reliable feature is the "off" switch.

You don't suppose they contracted with Lucas electornics to produce phones do you?