What products have you found to make life out here more enjoyable?

skyraider

Veteran Expediter
US Navy
2200 watt generator on platform on rear(platform swings around on hinge pin to load freight). Microwave, electric skillet, do not use a fridge yet,but a cooler(mainly buy stuff as I need it). One memory foam mattress special cut to fit bedframe. Xm radio, and a laptop wireless. Electric heat when I use it, propane heat( Mr. Heater), and a window unit ac for summer which will be coming out shortly. Electric blanket to boot. Oh, tons of peanut butter, lol.:D
 

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
Oh yea, I need to pick up a new eletric blanket this week...getting to that time of the yr...haven't bought propane yet so the big buddy hasn't been fired up yet....
 

jjoerger

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Army
The little gadget thats been helping me out here is the avermedia usb tv card. Turns my laptop into a tv with high def picture. Sure helps on watching football games.

How well does it work and how many channels and what type of programming can you receive?
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
They are really nice, they will receive all the over the air digital stuff and in HD.

With the multiple channel 'channels' you can get more now than you did with the analog tv.

You will need a good "digital" antenna and a good laptop for it.
 

Swanny

Seasoned Expediter
Jjoerger, I'm using the small antenna that came with the avermedia and at the pilot in mount sterling, ky....picked up about 15 channels..including, fox,nbc, and cbs. I agree with Greg about a better antenna, some areas will be challenging to pickup a signal. The picture is quality is excellent.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
My laptop doesn't have the ooomph to render the video from a USB tuner. The video quickly degraded to being all choppy and out of sync. When I shut down nearly everything on the computer it worked well enough. A good antenna is a must, tho. I ended up going with a VuQube satellite antenna and satellite TV.

Still need an HD antenna to pick up local channels, but the satellite receiver has a built-in HD tuner for that. But rather than adding yet another antenna gizmo to the roof of the van, I just went with MyDistantNetworks to get locals (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) out of Chicago right on the dish.
 

guido4475

Not a Member
I realize this thread's six months old, but I think not having a fridge/microwave would be a drag. I couldn't handle eating fast food all the time, as I like to eat healthy. I guess I could go on a fruit/granola/water diet lol, hard to think what a person could eat without a fridge/microwave.

I see Sprinters will accomodate these, but does one have to take out the passenger seat if in a van? Just wondering.

I'd love to have a microwave and fridge in the van, but there is a empty weight problem that I have to keep an eye on.Also, I just do not have the room.While at home, it sometimes gets used for personal reasons, warranting the passenger seat being left in.I have a cooler,and usually have a bowl of cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch, and eat out at a restaurant for dinner.I have tried to keep the van as simple as possible.And so far, it is working.Just not as comfortable as others.
 

bobwg

Expert Expediter
The laptop with air card and places with free wifi, gps, a buddy heater for those cool/cold nights, cb with weather channels though I dont have the cb on all the time to many foul mouths and hate and dicontent on the air waves
 

bill98

Seasoned Expediter
The Oregon aero cushions are great spending 200 for a seat cushion seamed high but it was worth it
Engel cooler/frig keeps things nice and cold

lately i have been thinking about getting hf ham rig in van with a high sierra antenna on side
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
The Oregon Aero, I've got the 2" seat base which is $169, plus the 2" full cushion back with the included lumbar support, another $179. That's $348..... for a seat cushion. Holy crap. It's outrageous. But after sitting on it for 5 years, it's a bargain at twice the price.

Last time I was at home I took mine out and washed it. The covers unzip and can be machine washed and dried, actually. The foam inside was kind of falling apart, but spray adhesive fixed that easy enough. But I also handwashed the foam in the bathtub with some carpet cleaner, the pet stain kind that has enzymes to remove odor (because it was starting to stink after not being washed for 5 years). I sprayed it thoroughly with the enzyme oder-killing carpet cleaner and let it sit for several hours, since it takes hours for those enzymes to work. Then I washed it in the tub with some liquid laundry detergent (Woolite would also work), and let it soak for a while, then rinsed it out, rolled out the water (don't twist it). It took about 3 days to completely dry. So for 3 days I drove the van around town without the cushions. It was just awful. It was like driving while sitting on a milking stool. Just awful.

In addition to the Oregon Aero, Espar and electronic gizmos that other have mentioned, I'll mention it again that getting the side windows tinted makes a huge difference for both comfort and safety. DOT allows CMV's to be tinted to 70% light transmittance, but for cargo vans it can ge as dark as your state allows.

Sometimes I'll even double-up and add this Rosen Crew Shade to one of the windows. It's tempting to stick that right in front of your face on the windshield, but don't do that (even though it works great, especially out in the desert :D ).
 
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