Flagpole for Starlink dish

The Starlink service is a great option when we don’t have cellular service (or when we only have a network with limited data). But not so great when there are trees or other obstacles that block the signal.

RVs with a ladder will often use a FlagPole Buddy kit, that enables mounting a flagpole on the ladder. But our coach doesn’t have a ladder, so I needed a different solution.

Inspired by a post by Rick in my Tiffin Allegro Bus 2016-2018 Owners community on Facebook, I purchased a 20 foot telescoping flagpole and accessories to mount it on our coach, so we can raise the dish above our coach, giving it a better chance of a clear signal.

Another nice benefit of this system is that I can position the pole and dish anywhere around the coach, to have the most clear view of the satellites.

I bought the items Rick suggested:

Flag pole, adapter, velcro, suction cups

Dish

To attach the adapter to the flagpole, I removed the two screws that hold the top of the flagpole on, then the adapter simply slips in. I used the same screws to attach the adapter, only screwing one of them in partway, to avoid intruding into the tube space:

Bushing adapter

The Starlink dish simply slides into the adapter and clicks in place on the pole:

Dish on the pole

On this occasion, I put the Starlink modem in the wet bay, running the cord through the hose space:

Modem in wet bay

The cable and the flagpole sitting on the ground:

Cable

Suction cups and velcro straps holding the flagpole:

Suction cups and velcro straps holding flag pole

The dish has a nice clear view of the sky:

Dish

The dish on the flagpole:

Pole and dish

Later, the flagpole with the Starlink dish and a Mariners flag, mounted at the front of the coach:

Flagpole with Starlink dish and Mariners flag

Flagpole with Starlink dish and Mariners flag

With a US flag:

Flagpole with Starlink dish and US flag

Flagpole with Starlink dish and US flag

At another campground, mounted lower without a flag (more stable that way):

Starlink on flagpole

2022 stickers

On the passenger-side slide-out, we have a large sticker with the Sinclair Trails logo, a map of the US showing the states we’re visited, and stickers with the SinclairTrails.com domain name and @SinclairTrails social handle:

States

The states sticker consists of separate stickers for each state, applied to a base sticker. Our rule is that we have to spend a night in a state for it to count (and only since purchasing our coach). Once we have spent a night in a new state, we add its sticker. So far, we’ve visited 12 of the 50 states:

States

Visiting Alaska is going to be a major project. And of course we can’t take our motorhome to Hawaii, but we’ll count that just by the next time we visit (and may or may not rent a camper of some sort, depending on how strict we want to be).

On the driver-side slide-out of the coach, we have stickers for each of the National Parks we have visited, that being another of the goals in our travels. So far, we have visited 27 of the 63 parks:

National Park stickers

Of course, we’ve also visited numerous National Monuments, National Historic Sites, and other classifications. With 423 parks of various types in the National Park System, not to mention parks administered by states, forest services, etc, we had to cap the memorializing of them somewhere! National Parks are the goal; others are gravy.

However, inside our coach we have a framed board with a wooden map of the US, around which we add stickers (and other objects) for any kind of attraction we visit:

States and stickers board

The wooden map has pins for states we’ve visited (in their capitols); the pins feature the state flags:

Map

Some of the stickers above and below the map:

Stickers

Stickers

2022 special posts

While most of the posts on this blog are about travel, campgrounds, attractions, and modifications, I sometimes post about other topics. This is a summary of those posts from 2022.

As with previous summaries, for each I include a link to the corresponding blog post, and a sample picture; see the post for details.

Making a multi-year route map:

Route map in Acorn

Introducing the Tiffin Allegro Bus 2016-2018 Owners group on Facebook:

2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP

Sinclair Trails logo:

Sinclair Trails logo

Sinclair Trails merch!

Sinclair Trails mug

Washingtonians:

Washington coach license plate

Anniversary of buying our motorhome:

2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP

RV floorplan and square footage:

2017 40SP floorplan with sizing

RV trip planning:

RV Life Trip Wizard

2022 modifications

We have done a number of modifications to our 2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP motorhome, to make it more comfortable as a full-time home, to improve the features, or to repair issues. This is a summary of some of the changes done in 2022; also check out the changes from 2021.

As with previous summaries, for each I include a link to the corresponding blog post, and a sample picture; see the post for details.

You can see all of the modification-related blog posts via the modifications category, with the earliest posts at the top, or the latest posts at the top.

Security cameras:

Eufy camera

Telescoping ladder:

Ladder

Spyder control panel and shades issue:

Wiring

States map:

David adding states

Jack pads:

Jack pads

Bolts to secure our outdoor rug:

Drill driver, bolts, washers

An extra step:

Extra step

Truck windshield rock chip repair:

Adding resin

Wine rack and liquor holder:

Liquor holder and wine rack

Steering wheel table:

Steering wheel table with plants

Cummins for check engine and malfunction lights:

Errors

Magne Shades:

Magne Shade

National park stickers:

National park stickers

Foldable wagon:

In use

Dash cover:

Dash cover

3-stage water filter:

Clearsource water filters

Safe T Plus and Koni shocks:

Koni shock and Safe T Plus

Chair armrest adjustment:

Passenger chair

Cellular internet:

MiFi

Internet cupboard:

Internet cupboard

Emergency labels:

In case of emergency labels

Ceiling AC filters:

Filters

Water quick connectors and gauges:

Tap, splitter, gauge

Coach Proxy:

Coach Proxy hardware

Starlink internet:

Starlink dish

Window latch repair:

Replacement latches

Ceiling fan motor replacement:

Dismounted motor

Replacing 3-stage water filters:

Water filters

Lectric XP 2.0 ebikes:

Bikes

Propane fire pit:

Propane fire pit

CLAM screen tent:

With our chairs

IKEA storage cabinets:

Drawers and cupboards

Reflectix insulation in cupboards:

Reflectix

Heavy-duty security chain and lock for bikes:

Bike lock

Sinclair Trails stickers:

Stickers

Half-bath door hinges:

New hinges

Hammock:

Assembled hammock

Map and sticker art:

Picture

Theater seating and cabinets:

Theater seating

Mirror glass replacement:

Removing broken glass

Firefly Vegatouch Mira:

Vegatouch device

Unclogging macerating toilet:

Toilet in shower

Automatic paper towel dispenser:

Dispensing

Water softener:

Water softener

BlueFire diagnostic adapter:

BlueFire data adapter

Power Watchdog dimmer shade:

Power Watchdog at night

RV fire safety:

Open emergency exit

Wash Wax All waterless cleaner:

Wash Wax All kit

VIAIR tire inflation compressor:

VIAIR tire inflator

2022 attractions, part 4

Concluding the summary of some of the attractions we visited in 2022.

This is part four of four, covering October through December, inclusive. Start with part one, or check out part two or part three, if you haven’t already.

October 2022

Drive through Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming:

Views

Rocky Mountain National Park day 1, Colorado:

Sprague Lake

Rocky Mountain National Park day 2:

Rocky Mountains

Pikes Peak, Colorado:

Switchbacks

Garden of the Gods, Colorado:

Rocks

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado:

David with a sand sled

Santa Fe, New Mexico:

Chuck Jones

Balloon Fiesta morning day 1:

Balloon glows

Balloon Fiesta morning day 2:

Balloons

Balloon Fiesta evening day 2:

Smokey balloon chase vehicle

Balloon Fiesta morning day 3:

Balloons

Balloon Fiesta evening day 3:

Balloons

Balloon Fiesta day 4:

Rainbow Ryders tent

Balloon Fiesta morning day 5:

Balloons

November 2022

Truth or Consequences and Elephant Butte Dam, New Mexico:

Elephant Butte Dam

White Sands National Park, New Mexico:

Sand

Las Cruces mountains and weather, New Mexico:

Mountain

Mesilla, Las Cruces:

Double Eagle Restaurant

Texas and New Mexico wine tasting:

Live music

Roswell UFO Museum, New Mexico:

UFO Museum exhibits

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico:

Kings Palace

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas:

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Sitting Bull Falls, New Mexico:

Falls

Carlsbad Caverns National Park again:

Natural entrance

December 2022

Fort Leaton State Historic Site, Texas:

Dining room

Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas:

Contrabando day use area and movie set

Marathon, Texas:

V6 Coffee Bar

Marathon Sky Park Star Party:

Telescopes

Gage Gardens, Marathon, Texas:

Gage Gardens

McDonald Observatory Star Party:

Star Party

Big Bend National Park, Texas:

Window view trail

Junction, Texas:

Deer Horn Tree

South Llano River State Park, Texas:

River

Fort McKavett State Historic Site, Texas:

Ruins

Ingram, Texas and Stonehenge II:

Stonehenge II

SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas:

Orca Encounter

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park:

Mission San Jose

San Antonio Zoo Lights:

Zoo sign

The Alamo:

The Alamo

San Antonio River Walk:

River boat

We certainly have done a lot!

2022 attractions, part 3

Continuing from yesterday, a summary of some of the attractions we visited in 2022.

This is part three of four, covering July through September, inclusive. Start with part one, or check out part two, if you haven’t already.

July 2022

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park south rim, Colorado:

Canyon

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park north rim:

Canyon

Colorado National Monument:

Rocks

Dinosaur National Monument, Utah and Colorado:

Dinosaur fossils

Tiffin rally sessions, Wyoming:

Session

Tiffin rally; Tiffin models, Wyoming:

Wayfairer

Great Salt Lake, Utah:

Great Salt Lake

Utah Alpine Loop scenic drive and Bridal Veil Falls:

Bridal Veil Falls

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon:

Painted hills

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon:

Crater Lake

Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon:

Trail of the Molten Land hike

August 2022

Silver Falls State Park, Oregon:

Behind the falls

Bike rides around Stub Stewart, Oregon:

Banks-Vernonia State Trail

Seaside and Astoria, Oregon:

Astoria–Megler Bridge

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Oregon:

Fort Clatsop

Trillium Lake, Oregon:

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Marchesi Vineyards:

Marchesi Vineyards

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington:

Mt Rainier

September 2022

North Cascades National Park, Washington:

Diablo Lake

Mount Baker day-trip, Washington:

View

Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington:

Mount Saint Helens

Farragut Museum at the Brig, Idaho:

Cell

Beaver Bay Beach, Idaho:

Beach

Glacier National Park halfway, Montana:

Views

Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park:

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

Golfing to the Sun and waterfalls in Glacier National Park, Montana:

McDonald Creek

Continue to the thrilling conclusion!

2022 attractions, part 2

Continuing from yesterday, a summary of some of the attractions we visited in 2022.

This is part two of four, covering April through June, inclusive. Check out part one, if you haven’t already.

April 2022

Titan Missile Museum, Arizona:

Missile

FMCA Tucson 2022 convention:

First timers session

Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments in Arizona:

Montezuma Castle

Jerome, Arizona:

Jerome

Mariners Spring Training game in Peoria, Arizona:

Pitching

Route 66 in Williams, Arizona:

Williams at night

Grand Canyon Railway and National Park:

Grand Canyon

Petrified Forest National Park:

Petrified logs

Grand Canyon National Park at sunset:

Grand Canyon

Route 66 around Seligman, Arizona:

Roadkill Cafe

Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater Volcano, and Wupatki National Monuments:

Wukoki house

Lake Mead and Hoover Dam:

Wide angle

Las Vegas strip, Nevada:

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign

Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience:

Fremont Street Experience

May 2022

Great Basin National Park in Nevada:

Cave

Zion National Park, Utah:

Rocks

Red Canyon in Utah:

Red Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah:

Bryce Canyon

Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah:

Cedar Breaks

Pipe Spring National Monument and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park:

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument including Singing Canyon:

Singing canyon

Zion National Park again:

Zion National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park at sunset:

Bryce Canyon

Mossy Cave Trail hike, Bryce Canyon:

Rocks

Kodachrome Basin State Park:

Rocks

Capitol Reef National Park:

Rocks

“Loop the Fold” drive around Capitol Reef National Park:

Ridge

Hickman Bridge Trail hike in Capitol Reef:

Hickman Bridge trail

Island in the Sky in Canyonlands National Park:

Green River

June 2022

Sunset in Arches National Park:

Delecate Arch

The Needles in Canyonlands National Park:

Rocks

Sand Dune Arch, picnic, secret back road for Arches National Park:

Rocks

Landscape Arch in Arches National Park:

Landscape Arch

The Windows in Arches National Park:

Double Arch

Dead Horse Point State Park:

Colorado River

Goblin Valley State Park:

Goblins

Goulding’s Monument Valley Stagecoach Restaurant:

Navajo fry bread

Monument Valley sunset tour:

Rocks

Goosenecks State Park, Mexican Hat, Forrest Gump Point:

Goosenecks State Park

Monument Valley horseback ride:

David and Jenn on horses

Monument Valley drive:

Monuments

Moki Dugway switchbacks:

Switchbacks

Bears Ears and Natural Bridges National Monuments:

Bridge

Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Utah:

Great house

Mesa Verde National Park quick visit, Colorado:

Mesa

Four Corners Monument:

Four Corners Monument

Hovenweep National Monument:

Hovenweep Castle

Mesa Verde National Park lookout, Far View, tower, palace:

Far View Community sites

Mesa Verde National Park Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House:

Cliff Palace

Aztec Ruins National Monument:

Reconstructed kiva

Continue to part three.

2022 attractions, part 1

One of the main reasons for traveling the United States in a motorhome is to explore the many wonders around the country. This is a summary of some of the attractions we visited in 2022. Again, you can see the ones from 2021 in last year’s summary post.

We’ve seen so much, I split this post into four parts, one for each quarter of the year. This is the first part, for January through March, inclusive.

As with the previous summaries, I’ll include a link to the corresponding blog post, and a sample picture. Click or tap the link or picture to see more.

You can see all of the attraction-related blog posts via the exploring category, with the earliest posts at the top, or the latest posts at the top.

January 2022

Xscapers Bash in Lake Havasu City, Arizona:

Bingo 

London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona:

London Bridge

Palm Canyon in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Yuma, Arizona:

Palm Canyon mountain

Hike in Coachella Valley Preserve, California:

Palm trees

February 2022

Downtown Palm Springs, California:

Palm Springs

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, California:

Other tram

Salton Sea, California:

Salvation Mountain

A hike in Joshua Tree National Park:

Joshua tree

Disney day 1; Disneyland:

Castle and Disney

Disney day 2; Disney California Adventure:

Radiator Springs

Disney day 3; Disneyland:

Jenn's lightsaber photos

Disney day 4; Disney California Adventure:

Parade

Disney day 5; Disneyland:

Minnie and Mickey Mouse

Medieval Times in Los Angeles:

Knights

Warner Bros Studio Tour:

Back lot

March 2022

El Capitan State Beach:

Sandpipers

Channel Islands National Park and wildlife cruise:

Arch

Cabazon Dinosaurs:

Dinosaur

Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona:

Garden

Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch:

Ostriches

Check out part two!