RockyMtnRay
09-19-2003, 11:42 AM
As an independent business software and database systems provider and consultant, it's imperative that I never go much beyond 48 hours (preferrably never over 24 hours) without at least checking my email, ideally also checking the logs and such of my database and web service servers. And if a client has a problem, having internet access on demand is a veritable godsend.
So far I've been able to adequately meet this requirement from most of the places I've camped in Colorado by using my digital cell phone in conjunction with an Ositech King of Clubs modem in my computer to act as wireless modem (only 14.4...kinda slow, but bearable). I've sometimes had to drive 10 or 20 miles from the campground to find a strong enough cellular signal...a nuisance, but not a show stopper. But that's Colorado...with 4 plus million residents and enough major ski resorts/visitors that the cellular phone companies have installed a fairly good digital infrastructure.
However, within the next year or two, I'm going to start going north into Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana on longer camping trips. And in those sparsely populated states, the closest digitally equipped cellular tower can be over 100 miles away. I gotta find another mobile internet solution before I head toward those states.
Hence, the relatively new DataStorm Mobile Two-Way internet system really has piqued my interest:
http://www.motosat.com/images/datastorm_opp_way.gif
Web site: http://www.motosat.com/twoway_001.htm
As noted, the price is a kinda hefty $3995...which does not include installation (add another $300 or so). Nor does it include the cost of engineering/building a strong but lightweight support platform that would transfer its weight (a relatively paltry 105 lbs) to the aluminum tubes at the top corners of my TM's rear shell (there's no room on the front shell for this thing)...I figure that would cost me another $500 or so. And, after talking to Jimmie Davis at TM about it, I definitely have to have a set of heavier duty torsion bars (figure $500 installed) (Jimmie did confirm my suspicion that if the weight was carried on the corner tubes...and not the center of the roof...there shouldn't be any structural issues in the shell to worry about).
The advantages of this particular device are its relatively light weight, low travel heights (folds to only 10.5 inches...I can still put my TM in garage!), and it needs only a couple of amps of 12V power to operate. And I can get a broadband class internet connection from just about anywhere in the USA that has a good view of the southern sky (basically if a satellite TV antenna will get a signal, so will this thing).
One of these things will be on the roof of my TM before the 2005 camping season. I am, however, kinda curious if anyone else has installed, or intends to install satellite internet on their TM.
So far I've been able to adequately meet this requirement from most of the places I've camped in Colorado by using my digital cell phone in conjunction with an Ositech King of Clubs modem in my computer to act as wireless modem (only 14.4...kinda slow, but bearable). I've sometimes had to drive 10 or 20 miles from the campground to find a strong enough cellular signal...a nuisance, but not a show stopper. But that's Colorado...with 4 plus million residents and enough major ski resorts/visitors that the cellular phone companies have installed a fairly good digital infrastructure.
However, within the next year or two, I'm going to start going north into Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana on longer camping trips. And in those sparsely populated states, the closest digitally equipped cellular tower can be over 100 miles away. I gotta find another mobile internet solution before I head toward those states.
Hence, the relatively new DataStorm Mobile Two-Way internet system really has piqued my interest:
http://www.motosat.com/images/datastorm_opp_way.gif
Web site: http://www.motosat.com/twoway_001.htm
As noted, the price is a kinda hefty $3995...which does not include installation (add another $300 or so). Nor does it include the cost of engineering/building a strong but lightweight support platform that would transfer its weight (a relatively paltry 105 lbs) to the aluminum tubes at the top corners of my TM's rear shell (there's no room on the front shell for this thing)...I figure that would cost me another $500 or so. And, after talking to Jimmie Davis at TM about it, I definitely have to have a set of heavier duty torsion bars (figure $500 installed) (Jimmie did confirm my suspicion that if the weight was carried on the corner tubes...and not the center of the roof...there shouldn't be any structural issues in the shell to worry about).
The advantages of this particular device are its relatively light weight, low travel heights (folds to only 10.5 inches...I can still put my TM in garage!), and it needs only a couple of amps of 12V power to operate. And I can get a broadband class internet connection from just about anywhere in the USA that has a good view of the southern sky (basically if a satellite TV antenna will get a signal, so will this thing).
One of these things will be on the roof of my TM before the 2005 camping season. I am, however, kinda curious if anyone else has installed, or intends to install satellite internet on their TM.