Texas Country Oaks Dance Hall, Edna, TX, New Years 2012

Thursday, February 21, 2013

February 21, 2013

02/11/2013

We have been connecting to the internet through a Verizon Pantech UN175 air card, plugged into a Cradlepoint router and amplified with a Cyfre amplifier.   This system has served us well for over four years but lately we have been talking about going to something else.

Our Verizon cell plan allows us to use unlimited data on the air card which is really great, especially since I am doing a lot of genealogy research on Ancestry.com.  Some of the census files and photos can be very large and we use an average of 11.5 gigabytes which includes the air card and our smartphones.

Yesterday we decided to make an upgrade to the Verizon MiFi system.  The new router/modem is 4g capable and we hope will be faster.  The main disadvantage to this router is we can't hookup an external antenna and send it through our Cyfre amp.  However, we are rarely in an area where we can't get cell service anyway so we feel that this is a better internet solution for us.

When we made this change, we lost our unlimited data plan so we opted for getting 10 gigs for now.  We'll have to watch our usage and change our plan as necessary.

Joyce also upgrade her phone to the new Galaxy IIIS.  I won't go into details here but be advised, check your phones when making any changes to your plan before leaving the store!

02/14/2013

On Tuesday we welcomed Ron and Katie Cutler to St. Augustine for a short visit.  You might remember we went to Orlando to visit last month.  We always have a great time with Ron and Katie who we hope to visit at their home in Payson, UT in the future.

Yesterday after saying goodbye to Ron and Katie, we drove up to Jacksonville to have the latest and greatest MAC OS, Mountain Lion installed on my MAC Book Pro.  I have been contemplating making the upgrade for some time now, having waited due to software issues with out air card.  Now that we have solved that little problem it was time to get my MAC up-to-speed.

02/15/2013

I have been using our new MiFi system for a few days now and am generally pleased with it's operation.  We are getting three bars of solid 4G service here at Anastasia State Park and so far we haven't experienced any dropped calls.  With the old air card we had several drop outs that sometimes lasted for five minutes or more.  Of course, the park in right in the town of St. Augustine so the we won't know really how it works until we're out on the road or in places like Terrebonne, OR.  Then we'll see how it works on 3G service.

02/17/2013

Joyce and I are grand baby sitting while Harold and Michelle are in Orlando.  Last night Grandma made a delicious meat turnover supper and I gave Skyler a bath.  He really likes the water!  After putting him to bed we watched "The Princess and the Pop Star" with Abigail.  Weather permitting we plan to take the kids our for a few hours today.  Might even hit Micky 'D's.

We did Taco Bell instead.  Skyler loves Cinnamon Twists!


Reading his Valentine card from Grandma Steffen.  I wish I had this on video.

Several of my squadron mates from the old 7th Military Airlift Squadron are planning a reunion for May 18th at the Pippo Ranch in Vacaville.  Joyce and I will be arriving at Travis AFB on the 17th for a weeks stay before heading up to Oregon for the summer.  We hope to get a couple of days of Reno time while we are there as well.  Anyone up for a Bozo's night?

02/19/2013

The yesterday was all about computer's, phone's, printer's and Verizon MiFi.  Grrr…..!!!!  'Nuff said.

02/20/2013

Yesterday afternoon Joyce and I made a visit to Fort Matanzas National Monument.  Completed by the Spanish in 1745, this small fort guarded the south river entrance to St. Augustine.







Until next time.

Barry & Joyce

1 comment:

  1. We have one of those unlimited data plans on one of our family plan phones and when my daughter opted to get her own plan we traded out her unlimited plan for another one of our family phones. Had to switch it to her number but it was worth it. No more data overages, ever. Look forward to hearing how Joyce likes her Droid and how yall like the MiFi. See you soon.

    ReplyDelete