FMCA Chapters Bring Tons Of Fun
If you haven’t already joined one of the subgroups of FMCA, you are missing out on what some consider the best part of belonging to our RV association.
By Rett Porter, F369084
National President
rporter@fmca.com
What sound is better than children laughing? Maybe adults laughing? Now that families have been traveling again and getting out on the road, the question is, “What will you be planning to do that is interesting and fun, but not expensive?” Many members have been staying closer to their homes because of fuel costs. TV news stories have described “staycations” where families camp in their backyards. But if you want to camp or glamp with others, what do you do? You join an FMCA chapter!
If you’re currently not in a chapter, then let me suggest that you look on FMCA.com or in your January issue of Family RVing magazine and see what chapters are near you or have similar interests or geographic locales (e.g., Amateur Radio, 4-Wheelers, California, or Roadtrek International). You can look at the chapters’ websites and register to go to one of their rallies and try them on for size. If you don’t feel that you fit in, then check out another chapter. You can be in multiple chapters. They each have a different flavor or focus.
Many chapters have fun activities such as potluck meals or chili cookoffs. Then, in the evening they may play card or board games. On one day, they may plan an outing to go to a local event or a place that is educational. Being with a group of people with like interests can lead to making lifelong friends and having enjoyable rallies.
At one chapter rally, Claire and I hosted a game we had learned from seeing it played at an RV resort. The game we called “Pilot and Copilot” is fashioned after the TV game show “The Newlywed Game,” but with no embarrassing questions. We positioned four or five couples in chairs and then escorted one partner from each duo out of hearing range. We proceeded to ask the remaining contestants questions and recorded their answers. When the partners came back, we found out whether they could match the answers their companions had given.
Here are examples of questions that can be asked: 1. How many batteries does your RV have? 2. How much pressure do the tires on your RV take? 3. Where is your favorite RV park? 4. How tall is your RV? 5. How many tires does your RV have?
The answers we got from both individuals were fascinating. The answers did not have to be correct, but they did have to match. We heard a lot of second-guessing about what the partner would answer. This game was so entertaining and educational that the group asked if we could play again the next night. This is only one of the fun games you can play when a group of friends get together.
If you have children traveling with you, there are many things you can do. In July, we were at FMCA’s Great Eastern Area Rally (GEAR) in Lewisburg, West Virginia. Gaye Young, the area president, had asked the Family Activities Committee to help support the rally with fun and games for members of all ages. The Miskell family — Chris, Charlsanne, Maddy, and Maci — organized bingo, s’mores around the campfire, kickball, a water balloon toss, bean bag baseball, and more. All ages participated, from 6 years old to 89. Many adults played, and we had a great time. The sounds of laughter enticed others to join. Everyone was having fun.
Those who know FMCA past national president Charlie Adcock probably recall him frequently saying, “It’s all about having fun.” We want everyone to have fun on RV trips and at FMCA events. Encourage others to join in that fun and expand your own levels of enjoyment.
Travel safely, and I hope to see you at an FMCA rally or event soon.
Change
Information about the recent switch to AT&T as the provider of FMCA’s optional mobile internet plan.
By Chris Smith
Chief Executive Officer
csmith@fmca.com
You’ve probably heard it said that the only constant in life is change. Wise words. And they seem especially true in our world today with the pace of change, especially that brought on by advancing technology. It can be frustrating trying to keep up. At the same time, it’s pretty amazing what technology has made possible.
Did you know that back in the 1980s, FMCA provided a telephone message service that allowed members and their loved ones to call the FMCA national office to leave messages for one another? When the service began, those messages were handwritten on index cards and stored in a file box. A member could call to let family members or friends know their whereabouts or to share important communications, and if a friend or family member called to check, an FMCA staff member would search through the index cards and relay the message.
In this day of ubiquitous cellphones and texting, that seems like ancient history! Not only do cellphones help today’s RV owners to stay in touch on the go, but the internet and associated mobile hotspots allow travelers to stay connected with the entire world wherever they roam.
To that end, FMCA has been offering the TechConnect+ program since 2017. One component of that is an optional mobile internet plan with unlimited data. FMCA has been able to negotiate great rates for members, and the plan has become quite popular.
Recent changes to the program have caused some bumps in the road that we have been working through. Change may be constant, but it isn’t always easy, and we appreciate the patience members have exercised along the way.
The initial Wi-Fi plan involved Sprint, and, as most of you probably know, T-Mobile acquired Sprint two years ago and began the process of eliminating the Sprint brand and shutting down Sprint cell towers. FMCA members who had the optional Sprint Wi-Fi plan had to transition to a T-Mobile plan. Then, more recently, when FMCA’s contract with T-Mobile ended, FMCA decided to move the mobile internet option to AT&T in order to keep an unlimited data plan and reasonable rates for members.
The AT&T plan took effect on June 6, 2022. FMCA’s in-house Tech Connect+ team began taking necessary steps to supply new devices to several thousand members moving to the new plan and to assist them with the transition.
As noted, the AT&T plan that now is being offered to members continues to be an unlimited data plan. It includes 4G LTE speeds as well as 300MB roaming coverage per month. This plan is available only in the United States, as international data is not included.
FMCA did have to increase the rate for the Wi-Fi plan for the first time since the inception of Tech Connect+. The cost for the basic plan is now $59.99 per month (plus a one-time device rental fee of $39.99). This plan has a maximum speed of 12 Mbps and will suit the needs of many RV owners. The IT team at FMCA has tested it with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime streaming services and encountered few issues.
Members who do a great deal of streaming, especially with data-hungry services, will want to consider upgrading the plan to the next level — 25Mbps — for just $5 more per month (plus the one-time device rental fee). The FMCA IT team tested the upgraded plan with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Max, and other streaming services and encountered almost no streaming issues.
As is true of other mobile internet plans these days, the AT&T plan from FMCA is subject to network management. What that means is if you have used more than 75GB of data in a month and are in an area with a congested tower, you could experience slower speeds. Once you leave a congested area or when a new plan month begins, the device will return to normal speeds.
In addition to the optional Wi-Fi offer from AT&T, the Tech Connect+ plan includes several tech-related discounts, and FMCA continues to seek others. Currently, the plan includes a 10 percent discount from Cellbooster.us, a certified reseller of SureCall cellular signal boosters; $50 off a portable satellite antenna bundle from DISHForMyRV.com; and 10 percent off the Winegard ConnecT 2.0 WiFi Extender and ConnecT 2.0 WiFi Extender + 4G LTE.FMCA is pleased to be able to offer its members ways to stay as connected as they want to be while they enjoy all that RV life has to offer. Enjoy the journey!