Category Archives: Preparation

Preparation

LTE 4G Aerial Installation on a Motorhome

11 Comments

The moment I’ve been waiting for, for a few weeks now, came today.

I have been testing the system over the last week or so and been getting some good throughput  but my son ( a tech person) suggested last weekend that if the router supported two aerials, get another one and install it. I think he’s right as the throughput is amazing.

The aerials and bits all over the table
The aerials and bits all over the table before starting.
The Truma panel with the TV wiring behind
The Truma panel with the TV wiring behind

I took the van up to Vantage RV at Silverdale this morning and Phil got right onto it. Using the TV for a power source as the wiring was easily accessible and installing a Dethleff switch to match the others in the van.

The switch all done
The switch all done

Then on went the aerials. The aerials need to spread apart if you have more than one so they don’t interfere with each other. Something to do with the wave they have and the rule of thumb is 1.5 times the height of the aerials apart minimum. Ours are much more than that anyway.

Click on the images to see Hi Res or a slideshow

The wiring cupboard before we started
Setting the aerial bases up
Phil screwing down the port side aerial base
Phil on the roof with the goop gun
The router in place ready to go
Shameless plug for Vantage with an aerial.

After a couple of hours of running conduit, screwing it onto the roof and setting it up, we fired it up and in the industrial part of Silverdale, this was the result:

Test Date: 27/04/2016 10:39 AM
Download: 29.91 Mbps
Upload: 17.48 Mbps
Ping: 46 ms
Connection Type: Wi-Fi
Server: Auckland
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=-36.626536,174.676301

Later when I got back to Milford and parked up. I tried again.

Test Date: 27/04/2016 12:02 PM
Download: 34.55 Mbps
Upload: 17.77 Mbps
Ping: 56 ms
Connection Type: Wi-Fi
Server: Auckland
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=-36.767335,174.765883

Both tests showed only 3 bars out of 5 for 4G reception so it can only get better but given that ADSL mostly averages around 5 – 6mbs download and we’re getting 34 mb plus, its pretty impressive all the same.

Phil on the roof setting up the aerials
Phil on the roof setting up the aerials

Now the data package.  After searching high and low for weeks looking for someone who could do mobile cellular without any geographic constraints (like Skinny) or being in a fixed position, (like RBI), I got onto Netspeed in Dunedin.  They were happy to provide me mobile data as long as I used one of their routers which they provided by courier. They assured me it worked at 12v and there would be no problem with the fluctuating voltage from either the solar panels or the alternator and this has all worked faultlessly.The whole thing was setup in a blink (by me) and there were no issues at all.

The day after I received the router, we were meeting friends up at Mahurangi West (Sullivans Bay) and even there where you can’t get a cell phone signal, Fiona was able to watch Netflix movies on her Ipad with no issues and that was without an aerial.
See the Blog I did on Sullivans Bay.

The end result
The end result

So we’re all setup for fast broadband on the road.
I’m impressed and very happy with the setup.

Preparation

Softer underfoot with the finishing touchs

We were heading to Rotovegas for Anzac weekend and the carpet was ready. It needed to be collected. You can see the carpet layer at work here.

Looking forward
Looking forward

Although it was held up a week by the school holidays, it was well worth the wait. The result was stunning.

The carpet oiled up outside Rafe
Such luxury!
The Galley
In the Galley area
In the Galley

After picking them up in the car from Albany and after a quick vacuum clean of the floor, I set out the carpet into their relevant places. There is nothing better than new carpet, especially when it fits well.

By the shower
By the shower

As we headed down to Rotovegas, we both agreed that the whole van sounded a bit quieter but the feel underfoot was sensational.

My Motorhome, Preparation

Softer underfoot

2 Comments

Today was a big day. We got new Carpet cut in to Rafe after going bare floors since we first got Rafe.

Before in the Galley
Before in the Galley
Before looking forward
Before looking forward

White nylon carpet came with Rafe but they could probably be called mats as there were gaps up to several centimetres around each piece and being white, they were impossible to keep clean.

Fiona and I managed to clean them then we wrapped them up in plastic and stuck them in the “tomb” under our rented house with some of our furniture to sell with Rafe if/when we sell.

The first bit is done
The first bit is done
Paul doing the Galley
Paul doing the Galley

In the meantime, I bought a 3 metre offcut of Schist Godfrey Hurst Nylon and I have to say it looks heaps more practical.

Click on the images for Hi res or Gallery for Slideshow

Spreading out in the carpark
Paul tidying up
Looking back from the front
I made some rugs too

Paul, my friendly carpet layer spent the morning here cutting it in and it looks the business. It should also be a little better in winter too with something softer underfoot.

All done
All done

After Paul finished, I made some rugs out of the leftover carpet.
I’ll get them overlocked and then we’re in business.

Preparation

Wandering Linen

1 Comment

Both the Dethleffs and the Burstner and I think most other European Fiat based Motorhomes with the centre island bed come with a shorter Queen sized bed, with a insert that you can add if you’re a tall person. The duvets on them, largely bunch up and the weight of them tends to drag down to the floor overnight leaving you with no linen. While this is great in summer, it’s not so flash when it’s freezing cold in winter.

The Tailboard on the bed.
The Tailboard on the bed.

One of my changes in Rafe was to get Vantage RV in Silverdale, our local Dethleffs experts, to make up a tailboard and screw it onto the base. I’ve since modified this to work with the mattress insert as my feet kept touching the board in the night.
It works really well and the duvets now behave themselves and apart from wandering sideways when someone gets cold! The linen is still on the bed in the morning.
TailboardAn easy solution and well worth doing.

Preparation

Packing Up.

The contents of the kitchen all boxed up
The contents of the kitchen all boxed up

It’s our last night in our house tonight. Tomorrow we have the moving truck coming to move a small amount of stuff into a room in Milford where we will stay in between trips in Rafe. I’ll be more or less full time. We are both quite looking forward to not having to think about looking after a house and having a good look around the country in between the jobs.
Our property manager had a hiccup with one tenant who agreed to rent the house three weeks ago from Europe after sending a friend through the house on her behalf. She signed a contract for 12 months after her friend said it was just right for her and when she arrived last week, began inventing excuses as to why it wasn’t for her. She is paying rent until someone else is found. Two people who have been through just on Friday are both keen so we don’t see any problems. Honestly, what planet was this silly woman on!

What was my office. Buy 5pm the room was empty
What was my office. By 5pm the room was emptying
Empty spaces. The carpets have been cleaned and most of the furniture has already gone
Empty spaces. The carpets have been cleaned and most of the furniture has already gone
The rubbish pile and part of our storage area.
The rubbish pile and part of our storage area.

It has been really liberating over the last few months, selling off stuff we don’t use any more, giving stuff away and dumping a lot of things that either doesn’t matter or we don’t use. Just in my wardrobe, getting rid of stuff I haven’t worn , it’s fantastic.

Alex came over today with the grandsons and Andrew popped in too to help with the last packing and shifting stuff into a storage are we have.

Rafe waiting patiently to takes us away.
Rafe waiting patiently to takes us away.

A busy day! A pizza for tea as everything has been packed and a glass of wine while we prepare ourselves for another busy day with a pre dawn rugby semi final to enjoy and the packers coming.

Preparation, Ready to go, South Island 2015

We’re just about there

2 Comments

As we’re renting the house out, we’re running down the pantry stocks in the house so provisioning the van for the Sth Island trip tomorrow was pretty straight forward… more a case of finding places to put stuff.

Madam in the Supermarket provisioning for the trip.
Madam in the Supermarket provisioning for the trip.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday pulling everything out of the cupboards and resetting where stuff goes in which cupboards… It’s amazing the space that was created for yep! …. more stuff

Under floor storage. There are three ares like this .. Very handy

We use big plastic storage bins for keeping things tidy in the garage and most of that was rejigged as well so it’s all looking good..  I’ve got that feeling we’re going to forget something important..

Wardrobe drawers.. A cheap way for extra storage

On a recent visit to the Plastic Box company, I discovered a neat way of making better use of our wardrobes. They have a hanging draw set that is designed to make a wardrobe into some shelving… To do both wardrobes was about $140 all up and it looks like it should work quite well..

Yippee .. Off tomorrow to meet some Motorhome friends at Raglan for a couple days, then Marton to meet some other Motorhome friends and then we travel in convoy to the South Island via WOW in Wellington.

I’ll try to post daily now we’re on the move. Keep your eyes peeled😃

Fiamma, Preparation, Ready to go

Easy Clothesline

1 Comment
Ready for the towels
Ready for the towels
Ready for the road
Ready for the road

Today I installed a clever Fiamma clothesline that integrates with the bike rack we had installed a week or so ago. The nice part about it is it stays on the back, whether you’ve got bikes or not. It simply unfolds.

Perfect for the towels after a shower or the tea towels and flips out in seconds.

Preparation

Wow .. How is that Black!


Tough painting on your knees amongst the plants. The base of the steps look great.

The black really looks good … More rent ?  🙂

Preparation

We’re online !

3 Comments

We had the property manager today to list the house for renting. I’ve been busy painting trellis by brush ! .. The spray gun started to paint things I didn’t want painting so it ended up in the big green bin……

Why are we doing all this ? … To hit the road fulltime.. so  Bugger it, We are off

We’ve done the sums and by renting the house out, along with some other income, we can live very happily on the road….

Sir Rafe on the park we made by chopping down an oak tree and installing a gate.
Rafe on the park we made by chopping down an oak tree and installing a gate.