550 / 560 Could Use Your Collective Input...

Tears: Nix on the annual licensing fees for brakes, at least here in California where you appear to be (I'm in Marin). Makes no difference brakes or not. I licensed my 560 Ultra here three months ago, brakes and all, with no problem. It's a camp trailer under 16-foot overall, thus gets a PTI (Permanent Trailer Identification) license plate under California DMV regs. No annual fee (after paying the usual registration fee based on California sales tax less Wisconsin sales tax; my fee ran about $800), and good for five years.

Also, don't let them tell you you have to haul it into DMV for inspection before licensing. When I inquired ahead at DMV, they told me I had to bring it in to a DMV office to be inspected before it could be licensed, so I dragged it all the way from New Mexico to Marin County for DMV, only to be told that it wasn't necessary since I had an original manufacturer's certification form (or whatever it's called) from Camp-Inn. Double-bummer -- 2,200 wasted miles of extra driving before I got it back to my New Mexico second home where it stays!

 

Re: Bruce, did you see this?

Here is a link to other WiFi options. It even includes a list of RV parks with WiFi. There is also info about an antenna that costs $110. I will continue to check around for other option.
http://www.countrymilewifi.com/
You guys got me thinking of other options. thanks. Tearfully yours.

P.S. to Jim...good to know about the California registration does not apply to trailers with or without brakes. I guess it is size that matters...Anything over 16' gets taxed. Good advice about the registration process too. thanks.

 

Re: Bruce, did you see this?

I like the one we are looking at because of the ease of mounting it on a tv antenna pole we already use. I work with an electrical engineer who looked at it and thought it would work for us but depending on our location in the campground (where we would be using it) the reception will always be hit or miss. I figure if we have an antenna that is up off the ground then we have done the best we can without paying a ton of money.

 

Re: Bruce, did you see this?

It will be interesting to see how well these all work make sure we get some feedback guys and I might spend some hard earned dollars.

 

Ok here goes, We got the Captifi antenna and aside from a slight problem with the installation cd I got the software installed and have the antenna working. I only have tried it inside my place of work and it does pick up more networks than the internal antenna does and it does seem to have good results so far. As soon as I can try it outside I'll post the results but as it is right now I'm happy with the it.

 

Ok, If you go to the Hid n Pines in Old Orchard Beach Maine web site and look for their campground layout we were on site 116 and the wifi antenna worked great. With out the external antenna I got a weak signal and with the antenna it showed excellent signal and we had no problem connecting. I'll keep posting as we go to different campgrounds and have more layouts.