ao318
-
Posts
1046 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by ao318
-
-
It probably has been stated before, "If you looked and couldn't find it, log a DNF. If you weren't able to look due to muggles, parking, or any other reason that didn't allow you to actually look for the cache, write a note letting the cache owner and others that you were unable to look for the cache at that time."
DNF's let the cache owner and others know that there might be something amiss with the cache. A note will let the cache owner and others know that there might be a problem during a specific time or day with the cache and to plan appropriately for future hunts.
Don't be afraid to log a DNF, only you can see that stat or number. I have personally logged a DNF on a cache 3 or 4 times with no remorse or concern. This has allowed the cache owner to see that I was just not getting the concept of their cache and they emailed me asking if I wold like a hint or what I have done to help me figure out if I'm doing the right thing.
Don't be afraid of the "blue frownie".
-
I utilize a feature in GSAK that allows you to enter the updated coordinates into the system as you solve it. I then lock those coordinates as the new coordinates for the cache so that whenever I run a new PQ it does not override the updated coordinates. I also put in the notes how I solved the puzzle and what websites I may have used to solve it just in case I didn't solve it correctly.
If you're referring to the "Corrected coordinates" function, you don't need to worry about locking the cache. Corrected coordinates aren't affected when you load a GPX. Locking should only be a last resort, because it prevents things from being updated like the description and hint. This could lead to your searching in the wrong spot, using the wrong access, etc. because your information is out-of-date.
Regarding the OP, bookmark lists are probably your best bet at the moment. Once the Groundspeak updated coordinates feature is completed, that'll do what you want (we hope).
Thanks, I meant to say "save" after updating the coordinates. I'm a little tired from just finishing 72 hours at the fire house
. -
I utilize a feature in GSAK that allows you to enter the updated coordinates into the system as you solve it. I then lock those coordinates as the new coordinates for the cache so that whenever I run a new PQ it does not override the updated coordinates. I also put in the notes how I solved the puzzle and what websites I may have used to solve it just in case I didn't solve it correctly.
-
Like with any game, sport, or even life things change and become history. If you were lucky enough to be around when something was popular and you were ale to do it than you earned a place in history. If you started too late or were unaware of the things that were available to you than that's just too bad.
I believe it's best not to do as you ask because it will cheapen or decrease the value of that achievement those did before us. You also may have an icon that no one else may get that started today like 10 year event icon. Should we change it to an October 10th icon so they can get a 10/10 icon every year? I don't but that's just me.
I agree, the 10th anniversary event can't be repeated so you are right, that icon will tempt folks who start say 2 years from now. The 2011 Lost and Found Event was a single day. Cant be replaced, though, other Lost and Found events can happen.
But this?
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=a6cf5c51-1530-4b8c-bfa6-5e0b690c3ab6
Its a sphinx, then and now. Why not, for fun.
Ok, I'm all in. As long as we do this, why not open up "Ape Caches" on the opposite years of the "Locationless". All that would be needed to log the find is a picture of yourself in front of your tv with the movie playing in the background on the anniversary of the opening day of the movie. How's that sound?
Again, just my opinion that it's kinda silly to cheapen something that someone has that you don't.
-
Like with any game, sport, or even life things change and become history. If you were lucky enough to be around when something was popular and you were ale to do it than you earned a place in history. If you started too late or were unaware of the things that were available to you than that's just too bad.
I believe it's best not to do as you ask because it will cheapen or decrease the value of that achievement those did before us. You also may have an icon that no one else may get that started today like 10 year event icon. Should we change it to an October 10th icon so they can get a 10/10 icon every year? I don't but that's just me.
-
I believe I have a couple where I have the "click on" link that will send a cacher to another site, usually another cache page, to get information on how to solve a puzzle or complete a challenge cache.
That's just my guess.
Just a quick question: does this include the Geochecker.com link?
-
Hmmm interesting. So I guess that it works best when moving and not when stopped then?
I'm actually a little confused too... the Vista has GPS and a magnetic compass? I assumed the compass was also GPS based.
So as a general rule, is it best to always be moving slightly when using the GPS?
Is it "better" to use the compass or the topo map when locating a cache? Or is it just a matter of personal preference and/or based on the conditions of where the cache is located?
Let me answer what I know from using my 60CSX:
The electronic compass in the Vista HCX should work without you moving. The legend HCX required you to walk to get an accurate reading of the compass. It is always a little better to walk but not completely necessary. The most important thing is to check whether or not the compass is on and has been calibrated.
I personally utilize the topo map from afar. As I get closer, .20 miles or less, I switch over to the compass to get me to GZ. As I get within 100' of GZ I start to look for possible hiding spots in the direction my arrow is pointing and focus less on the GPS vs the terrain.
-
That sometimes happens. What I have found to correct that behavior is:
1) hold the device level.
2) ensure you have fresh batteries in the unit
3) calibrate the compass feature
4) learn to recognize possible hiding spots from 100' out and trust your geo senses.
5) turn the electronic compass off and see how that works for you. You will need to walk for the compass to work now.
These are some things I learned with my 60CSX. Good luck.
-
Yep, you're going to need to enter everything manually. Keep a log or do what I do and refer back to the calendar when you are done for the day. It will list all the caches in order that you found but it will not list those you didn't find.
Good luck
-
I have team account and both my wife and I use it as we cache around with our kids. I am in Hawaii and she flew to Cali for Christmas I have been out caching all week and today I see she has been teaching her family in Cali about it also.
So my question is it ok for me to be logging caches and TB's in Hawaii while she is logging them in Cali also? What the written rule or unwritten rule?
I know I am not the first to do this.
Thanks
It is totally fine. You may want to eventually create individual accounts for personal tracking and use the team/family account for your achievements when you are together. There is a way for you to keep one PM account and log PM caches via a basic account.
The only thing that may occur is some doubt that you were actually able to travel back and forth over the pacific to find caches on the same day. Just state in your log that this is a family account and you are logging some caches while on business and the family is still in California. This would clear up any issue of doubt as to how you were able to travel so fast.
The main thing is to not worry too much about it and each of you log your finds.
-
I agree, and there will be more accidents in the future. I guess I'm biased right now, but just today reading very few logs on other caches I noticed another one of a cacher warning others of a deep hole near a cache, and a cache by Willi's dad where he warned of electrical equipment nearby. We will never eliminate all risk and accidents, but right now I see a huge need for improvements. Willi's death should be a wakeup call to do everything we can to minimize the risk of this happening again.
I think it IS easy to take action - an new log type is a few programmer hours for Groundspeak. A special section in every cache might be a bit more. A communication campaign also might help (though I'm not sure it will help with very specific risks for a cache). BECAUSE there are quite a lot of dangers out there I think many eyes see much more than just 4 (the CO's and the cacher's).
What might make a difference is that for climbing it is typically possible to come along with safety equipment while for bridge caches like the one mentioned
above there is no reasonable security measure available.
A simple warning: "Watch out, there's a hole in the middle of the bridge!" - no matter if posted by CO or other cachers...but VISIBLE might have saved his life.
These are nice ideas but as many have stated, a lot of cachers do not read the cache page nor read previous logs. A bigger problem that many cachers will face with this idea of having a "warning" spot on the cache page, is old and outdated information on their device or offline database.
How many cachers just load a PQ into their device and head out and never really looked at any of the pages prior? How many have loaded a PQ of an area they plan to do but did not have the opportunity to visit that area and leave that old PQ on their device for a later time? How many use GSAK or something similar and have multiple queries run during the week and only get those queries updated weekly? How many times have you gone to look for a cache that you couldn't find only to come back and log a DNF and now see that the cache had been disabled or archived because you didn't update your information on the unit.
These are just a few scenarios where, even if we did have a "warning" section, a cacher will never see an update to that section. The only way that this truly would work is if we had units that never loaded information into them but accessed the information like the iPhone app via a data plan. This way we would only get active caches with upto date info.
-
You are paying for top quality service. Not many stores have the return policy that they have.
-
Gsak
in How do I...?
Here is a link to their forums that consist of some documents called GSAK 101 etc. It's what I used to help me get started.
-
Here's how to do it with the GC.com APP.
First, you will need to have some queries that have been run within the last week.
Next, open the GC.com app (if that's what you are using) and select the tab that say's, "Pocket Queries".
that will open and list all of your currently run queries that are ready to be uploaded into the phone Tap the one you want and it will ask if you want to save for offline use, touch that tab and it will start downloading.
Once downloaded, exit from that screen and touch the saved tab on the bottom of the screen and it will list your saved queries to the phone.
Hope that helps.
-
-
I've had a similar thing happen with my Garmin 60csx and City Navigator. My CSX broke just out of warranty, I called Garmin to find out about repairing it and they said they would just exchange it for me at no cost. When the new unit showed up, I had to call Garmin to get a new activation code to pair up my new GPS with my old version of CN that was registered to my old unit. They worked me through the process and I actually ended up getting the most current version of CN at that time.
As others have said, you really need to call Garmin and talk to them. Good luck.
I have done what you did but this situation is big time different from yours. His device failed and he bought a new one so I don't think they will do it for him. If he had sent the dakota in for warranty repair (or manybe even post warranty excahnge) they might.
Yet if he still owns the faulty unit he could still send it in and get it replaced/repaired and, depending where he bought the other unit, return the new unit. Or he could sell the old one after getting it repaired/replaced and buy a new version of Birdseye for his 550.
He has options and choices. Just depends on how much or little he wants to do. Me personally, I would call Garmin and get my old unit repaired/replaced so I could have a backup unit. After some time if I realized I no longer need it, I would sell it to recoup costs of the new unit and or repair.
At the least, if he didn't really want to do anything at all, he could sell it on eBay as a broken unit and see what he gets or it. I did that with a point and shoot camera and got $45.00 for it. More than I ever expected.
-
I've had a similar thing happen with my Garmin 60csx and City Navigator. My CSX broke just out of warranty, I called Garmin to find out about repairing it and they said they would just exchange it for me at no cost. When the new unit showed up, I had to call Garmin to get a new activation code to pair up my new GPS with my old version of CN that was registered to my old unit. They worked me through the process and I actually ended up getting the most current version of CN at that time.
As others have said, you really need to call Garmin and talk to them. Good luck.
-
You may want to consider the Garmin Oregon series of GPSr 's. They have larger screens and use touchscreen technology like the smartphones but are a bit more than the Etrex series. Go look at those at a store and compare.
Also, what type of caching are you going to do? Trails and hills or cities and local parks? The first I would choose a dedicated unit the other will be fine to use a smartphone.
You will also need to become a Premium Member to really utilize the features of the GPSr for its papaerless utilization. The smartphone will allow you to get most of the information needed for paperless without a PM.
Just a little more info to make your decision a little more difficult.
-
I'm thinking those other logs were from people that may not have had good mapping software on their GPSr's and didn't want to wander around looking for the correct trail or path to the next stage. They may have figured it would be easier to plot it out on google earth and then come back and finish the multi at a later time.
I myself have run into this situation on my older units. You see a line and follow it tramping up and down hills and working your way around obstacles when just a few hundred feet away there was a trail that meandered its way to the next stage. This is one of the reasons I got the delormes extra mapping software, it was like having google maps on my unit and I could see the trails on the imagery better. Another option, if you have a smart phone and are in cell phone coverage, is to open your mapping software on your phone and look for nearby trails.
-
Just made my purchase of a new PN-60w with spot for $345.00 brand new on closeout. Can't wait to try it out and go on longer hikes.
-
Right now I'm going to get the 60w with a spot. I looked at the inreach and I can afford the unit but on comparing the prices for service, the inreach's cost is a lot more. Right now I'm mostly doing day hikes in the hills and don't really need it's service. Maybe when my daughters are out of school.
-
I am in the process of upgrading my GPSr from the Delorme PN-40 to a PN-60 or a 60W. I am not sure which to purchase because I like the low price I have found on a 60 but I have been going on longer hikes that are out of cell range and my wife worries about me. I figured the 60W with spot would be the best option for me for that reason.
Is it worth getting and does it really work as promised?
-
We just purchased the nuvi 1390 LMT and so far like it very much. It was on sale at Costco a few weeks ago for around $150 give or take because I don't really remember the price.
It was a birthday present for my wife and she really likes it a lot. She has never had a GPS before and was unsure of it but has really become familiar with it quickly. She really likes how it talks to her and shows her what lanes to be in for exiting and turning.
-
Haven't had any valid offers so I am putting on eBay. If someone is interested, I can end the auction early and sell it here.
Thanks for looking....
.
Anybody heard if Garmins next GPSr is on the horizon yet?
in GPS technology and devices
Posted · Edited by ao318
I can only say that I have been seeing the Oregon 550 offered for less than $350 on a lot of different sites. Not sure if that means anything.