Writer's Digest Criticism Service

PO Box 12291

Cincinnati, OH 45212

Dear Mr. Gracey:

   I found From a 13-Year-old Hobo to an Entrepreneur to be entertaining and instructive.  The entrepreneurial minority needs all the homegrown literature it can get.  The rest of the world needs to have a better idea of what risk-taking is what it feels like, and why it should be rewarded when it succeeds. 

    Like so many people with courage, you come from a background that required you to have it if you were to exist at all.  This makes a good story.  Running away at thirteen is fairly ordinary, but staying on your own--now that's a rarity.

    Your book holds the reader's interest all the way through. Confusion of intention is nowhere to be found in your writing.  In physical appearance your typescript is among the most attractive the Criticism Service has ever sent me.  The illustrations are especially appealing.  Even better are the preliminary pages with ISBN information.  These say: "I mean business.  Take me seriously." Good.  You succeed at once in convincing the reader that you are not a fuzz-brained beginner.

    You should, I believe, go ahead and publish this. The world needs tales of persistence and gumption. We need more true-life stories of enduring marriages.  Yours has plainly had more quicksand than most, but the seriousness with which you and Dorothy took your vows is like quiet thunder. Others would enjoy hearing it through the pages of your very worthwhile book.

Respectfully,

T. Russell Wingate

B.A. (history), UCLA, 1968 M.A. (history), UCSB, 1970,  M.B.A., University of Phoenix, 1989

_________________________

MY 20 YEARS OF RV ADVENTURES

By Everett L. Gracey, WA6CBA 

Reviewed by Steve Ford, WB8IMY

QST Managing Editor

At first glance My 20 Years of RV Adventures appears to have nothing whatsoever to do with Amateur Radio, other than the fact that the author is a ham. You won't find a single call sign in this book, and there are only momentary references to antennas or transceivers. So why would QST devote paper and ink to a review?

The answer is that an increasing number of ham retirees (including those opting for early retirement at 55 and even younger) are choosing to enjoy their senior years on the road in recreational vehicles, better known as RVs. No doubt you've seen these behemoths on the highway; homes on wheels with almost every amenity except basements. Some RVers use their vehicles for extended vacation trips, but a substantial number call their RVs "home" on a permanent basis. They travel the continent like modern‑day hobos, cruising from one RV campground to another, and visiting friends and relatives along the way.

Amateur Radio is often an integral part of the RV experience. The RV becomes a platform for HF, VHF and even satellite operations. There are HF nets devoted to RVs. An RV‑mobile amateur can even use HF digital modes such as PACTOR to link with gateway stations and exchange e‑mail with non-ham friends and family via the Internet. With Amateur Radio onboard, you are never out of touch, no matter where your journeys make take you.

Making the decision to adopt a nomadic RV lifestyle isn't one to be taken lightly, and that's where My 20 Years of RV Adventures is of greatest value. Everett has condensed two decades of RV experience into a mere 55 pages (it's really more of a "booklet" than a book).

My 20 Years of RVAdventures is mostly a cautionary tale. Everett isn't trying to frighten you away from the idea of embracing the allure of the open road. Even so, he does want you to make sure you understand the hard facts and pitfalls before you plunk down great wads of cash on the RV of your dreams.

Everett's shopping tips include asking the dealer if you can take the RV through a truckwash before you commit to a purchase. The idea is to look for any signs of water leakage, one of the banes of RV travelers.

He suggests you check the power inverters carefully. Will they power your TV and other electronics (in other words, your ham gear) without contributing noise and interference? And how loud is the engine? Would a diesel engine be quieter? If you choose diesel, will you always be able to find fuel? These are just a few tips in a rather extensive list.

To show what can happen when you choose unwisely, Everett offers his own experience with what could best be described as the "RV from Hell." Although Everett wasn't trying to be funny, I couldn't help but laugh as he as his wife faced one unbelievable crisis after another with their new RV‑including brake failure while descending a steep mountain pass. The entire experience reads like a cross between National Lampoon's Vacation and the Old Testament Book of Job.

If you're dreaming about chucking your current homestead and buying something mobile, I strongly suggest that you pick up a copy of My 20 Years of RV Adventures first. If you finish the book and still have the strength of your conviction, go for it! Just keep the book handy as you purchase and equip your highway haven. Everett Gracey has done most of the hard work and suffering for you. Follow his advice and you'll avoid costly mistakes.

Page 68  Reprinted with permission from February 1999 QST; copyright ARRL.