Smokey Da Van

[Tulecreeper]

If this isn't allowed, mods please delete. This isn't a competing RV site, it's a blog site from a guy that full-times.

I found this guy's site a few weeks ago while looking for something else. This guy's name is Justin Hughes, and he full-times in his 2021 Ford Transit. He posts his blog through WordPress at Smokey Da Van

The dude really knows his stuff and has a lot of great info, not just for someone looking to full-time, but anyone who wants to know more about RVing in general. A lot of what he posts is specific to van life, but there is more than enough other info to keep you busy .

 

[HueyPilotVN]

Thanks for posting the link to his blog.

I read several of his posts and found them very interesting.

Short stories and lots of pictures.

Maybe we will catch him at Q if he is still there.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

And it appears he's a fairly active ham radio guy, so there might be some of those activities to read about.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[DonTom]

And it appears he's a fairly active ham radio guy, so there might be some of those activities to read about.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

I see his Quartzsite, AZ 85346-0030 address.

But it looks like he has not been active hamming for many years (also not many lookups):

Latest Contacts for KJ1H at QRZ.com

	de	date	band	mode	grid		Country	op
	W2PDY	2014-09-30	40m	CW	FN13ua		United States	Lewis J Malgieri
	KP3A	2012-01-08	10m	SSB	FK68nl		Puerto Rico	ASDRUBAL A LUGARO
	KF5BZF	2012-01-07	10m	SSB	EM23qm		United States	Cody B Barrett
	KB1VXH	2011-11-08	2m	FM	FN42cq		United States	George W Saari

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I wouldn't peg a QRZ log as a definitive measure of activity, mine has a decades' worth of contacts in as many listings. I've made several hundred contacts in the last 3 months that I've logged elsewhere, much less didn't log. Was working 6M SSB last night. He's active on APRS and lists his radio gear as part of his RV, plus he bothered to get a call plate for his van. Compared to some hams I know that have a license and a dead HT in a drawer I'd still call the guy active, at least he's agitating the aether in one form or another.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[DonTom]

wouldn't peg a QRZ log as a definitive measure of activity,

It's more the low number of lookups by other hams that give a better clue, along with the log and RBN. Of course, many do not use that log at all (but I do). He has 1958 lookups which is not many for the time he has been a ham (since 1989). You have 8232, I have 11,608 and I was inactive for 35 years or so.

Of course, it is not solid proof, but it usually gives a good idea of others activity. Also, on RBN show no activity for KJ1H at all over many years You and I show a lot of activity there in just the last year.

73, -Don- AA6GA/5 Mission, TX

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Didn't think about RBN but that's CW/digital only. But you're right about QRZ lookups, they generally follow activity. Still, there's hams I know who've been licensed longer than me with just a couple hundred lookups, the ones with the aforementioned dead HT in a drawer. He's showing more signs of radioactivity than probably the majority of licensed hams in this country. Would be interesting to learn if he's tried POTA, that and RV'ing go hand in hand.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[DonTom]

Would be interesting to learn if he's tried POTA, that and RV'ing go hand in hand.

For many, but not me. I don't care for the ten second QSOs of any type. Not even with so-called rare DX. IMO, all the contests and such these days are screwing up the ham bands for all the rag chewers like me.

I do not reply to SOTA & POTA CQs. Or SKCC, CWT, etc.

73. -Don- AA6GA/5 Mission, TX

 

[Onyrlef]

The diesel heater set up is interesting, assuming he has a carbon monoxide alarm in the transit. I think I'd pack a small generator in the trailer for situations like he got into with low batteries and no sun.

 

[RedForeman]

The diesel heater set up is interesting, assuming he has a carbon monoxide alarm in the transit. I think I'd pack a small generator in the trailer for situations like he got into with low batteries and no sun.

I've been using heaters like this for the past 10 years with no ill effects. They do throw some serious heat and don't use much fuel or power. I only got a low battery alarm a couple mornings in Wisconsin after a near zero nighttime low temp and high wind conditions outside. The combustion chamber is isolated from interior air flow. The only risk would be a poorly routed or damaged exhaust pipe, with a malfunctioning unit at the same time.

I ordered my Macks from the factory with Webasto bunk heaters. The previous two semis had Espar heaters that had been included with a prior owner's Tripac APU install. Those are the leading brands, both units are virtually identical. The one this blog references is a chinesium knock-off, probably just as safe and reliable. My only concern would be service parts. Specifically the glow pin screen should be replaced every year or so. The two I mention offer readily available service kits. Sometimes even this can be avoided by firing up the heater once every month for a few minutes.

 

[AlongtheRay]

I found this guy's site a few weeks ago while looking for something else. This guy's name is Justin Hughes, and he full-times in his 2021 Ford Transit. He posts his blog through WordPress at Smokey Da Van

Wonderful find! Thank you for sharing - I especially like these sort of blogs. If you know of more, please let me know as I follow a bunch in my RSS reader.

Ray

P.S. And thank you to the management for allowing these sort of links. Much appreciated.