GeckoGeek
-
Posts
1357 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by GeckoGeek
-
-
I'm looking for some suggestions on a GPS. I've looked though some of the threads, but I thought I'd post my specific situation.
I'm planning a vacation soon, and want to use a gps to track where I've been during the day so I can later geotag my photos. My Droid could do that, but the batteries would be sucked dry in a short time. I need something that can keep up with a vacation day. The 15-18 hours I see for a hand held GPS looks workable.
I used to use a Garmin Geko 101. I'd stick it under my hat and go. But it's seen better days and can barely stay on.
I was looking at the etrex 10 and 20, but was disturbed by all the negative reviews on Amazon. Is it really that buggy? I have the cable for the original eTrex, so a eTrex H might be workable. But it seems a little taller then I'd like.
Suggestions? The main requirement is that it is small, works, and I can count on it.
-
The point being made in the other thread was that adding a Not Found report with an explanation of what had happened to the mark or its area might add more information than a simple "Destroyed".
Ah, so the preferred way is to log a "Not found" and then send the email to log it as destroyed. OK, that makes sense. I have noticed on the PID that I've "destroyed" that it contains only a notation that it has been reported. None of the information I've passed along has been included.
There are ways to search but it is harder if you don't know the PID.As far as I know all the same searches on the NGS page are available, you just have to check the box that you want to see destroyed marks as well.
-
Hey, I didn't know Google Earth (free) could take GPX files! Thanks.
-
However, it seems to me that if there is any chance the underground mark survives, and if someone wanted to find it badly enough, they could bring in a professional GPS and locate it within a shovel width so they knew where to dig a hole. So with that reasoning losing the surface mark should not count as destroyed.
But, in this particular case, given how much the immediate area has been disturbed, how much would you trust it if you could find it? How do you know that it's hasn't been moved, say 3 inches? Or 6 inches? Personally, I'd think it would have to go though so much verification before it could be trusted that you might as well set another disk and be done with it. Given this situation, I wouldn't hesitate to send it off to Deb as "destroyed" and let her rule on it.
-
A note drilled into this conversation by PFF in the general benchmarking forum is that officially DESTROYING a station in the NGS database removes information that is useful for other stations, particularly the box score which may list useful non-PID stations, or tie-ins in the description. A cautionary note.
Can someone explain this further?
At first blush my reaction is that I'm trying to get their database to match reality. If the landmark is gone, it's gone and should be noted as such. If it has an adverse affect on the datasheets of nearby marks, that's a fault in the system, not something I should really concern myself with. It should be noted that you can still pull up sheets for destroyed marks if desired, so they aren't really gone.
Can anyone educate me?
-
Sidewalks are not the best places for benchmarks. They tend to be rebuilt over the years.
A number of marks in my area ended up in the section of sidewalk rebuilt to put in ADA ramps.
-
I am new to benchmarking. I just downloaded off the NGS site the benchmarks for Jasper County Illinois. It seems that 1983 was not a good year for recovery. About 50% of the benchmarks I have looked at, they are marked as could not find. Should I just avoid these, or should I wonder about the people who looked for them?
It makes a big difference who couldn't find it. The USPSQD is a volunteer group. While it's dangerous to make a wide generalization, I don't think anyone will disagree with me if I was to say that some of their members probably couldn't find their own rear end. Some of their "not found" will turn out to be "found as described". I've found one on a pillar of a freeway that's like that. Big circle of paint with the letters "BM" and an arrow pointing to it. Not hidden at all.
-
I don't remember the forums being green before?!?
Someone should notify LE about this.
I donno, maybe I'm just suffering from CRS. All I remember was having a big shock when I came in that it seemed it was radially different. More then just the style. Maybe I was using a non-standard skin?
(CRS = Can't remember squat)
-
Interesting how quickly people forget.
Yeah, the first looks familiar, but I swear it was green, at least around the edges. I was away for about a year, so maybe I had old cookies for the old color.
-
Comparing it to the old forums, the new skin is slightly more "blue," but to me it's basically the same.
I'd classify it as more then "slightly" more blue. I'd say it's a heck of a lot more blue. In fact blue with no hint of green. The old color was most definitely green. When I first came here I thought I was in a different forum. Then I thought that a forum that I had just joined messed up this one. Maybe it has.
-
I'm very sure the forum software was updated and this is the new look.
I'll believe that, but I'm just making sure that what I see on my screen is really the new look and not something else. I just surprised that it's new blue instead of green - and apparently the default colors of this software since identical to the forum I was visiting before - hence the confusion.
-
Well, given this is a "height" mark, rather then a horizontal one, I suppose as long as the surface is perfectly leven, it doesn't matter where the "mark" is as long as you can reliable find the right height. This is an unusual one. As long as it's found as described, I'd log a "found it".
My digital camera sadly is on the fritz and I can't afford a new one for a while.
I know this OT, but a camera is benchmarking equipment. But what kind of problem? Sony, which makes the CCDs for a number of different brands, is ending fixing a bunch of cameras, even if they are out of warranty, due to a defective CCD. Symptoms are really whacked out colors, or lines, or even just nothing. I know of at least one person who had his out of warranty camera upgraded for free because they didn't have a replacement.
-
The forum software was updated this morning, welcome to the new look.
Uh, you sure about that? Two-tone blue? I thought GC's colors were green.
-
I visited a different forum (www.corsicas.com) with my computer. After I was done, I closed up the browser (IE) and came to Groupdspeak. Now I suddenly find instead of the familiar Groundspeak colors, everything is different - it's taken on the color scheme of the other site.
What's worse, all my "new" markers have been reset. Anyway to participate in both forums without messing each other up? I suspect both use the same software, and may be using the same cookies for some reason.
-
I find it interesting that the NGS has to get permission to do whatever with thier benchmarks. The electic company sure doesn't ask permission to read my meter box every month(which is next to my house, actually mounted on my house), and other utility companys...
If you read the fine print in the paperwork when you signed up for the service, I think you'll find that you agreed to let them come on the property for that purpose. After all, you do having a working relationship with them. Typical homeowners have no relationship to any surveying company.
-
First of all I'd like a new model. I personally don't want anything used, that's just me. I'm only planning on using the device for paperless caching and possibly jotting personal notes, but not much else.
Keep in mind that PDAs are not like GPS units - they are not built for the outdoors. CacheMate will do fine with most any model. My recommendation is to keep it cheap - you won't cry as much when something happens to it. That's the major advantage of used, but then that's your choice.
-
See if I run a new pair in another device for just 30 sec it will allow the lithiums to work fine in my GPS, but if I put them in right out of the package this problem occurs.
That's fine for when you pop the new set in, but will that problem return? What happens if you pull them back out and let them "recover" for a few days? Or simply leave the unit off until the next weekend? Or put the GPS on a live USB port for awhile (since there seems to be talk of it charging)?
Seems like there's a potential for having this problem return even before you get to a new set.
-
I went over to the Garage sale to see if I could see what you were talking about. Didn't see it. (but didn't look all that long either) Some did seem high for used, but were still under GPSNOW's new price. Anyone who shops used and doesn't know the new price, well, that's their own fault. Not like anyone's twisting their arm to buy at that price.
You want to seen nuts, go visit eBay. Some of the bidding wars people get into.
-
A couple of things might be happening here:
1) The owner honestly doesn't realize the price has fallen that much since they bought the unit at full retail at some store.
2) There might be some added accessories. In particular, if any maps are added that don't normally ship with the unit, that can make a major dent in the price difference.
-
Boy, I don't think so. I can sure change the "tones", but can't find a way to change the timing or the loudness.
I can't find it either, but it sure seems like it aught to be a setting.
-
Is it destroyed or merely replaced by another marker? I ask because I've seen many logs where the original mark was replaced by a disk. So if one mark can replace another, then how is this "destroyed"?
-
My CX seems to wait a lot longer to give a beep to alert for an upcoming turn, then beeps again almost right at the turn.
Isn't that a setting?
-
Probably the biggest issue is that a regular GPS is designed to be an "outdoor" appliance and is designed with a hiker in mind.
The PDA versions are more fragile and not waterproof. Unless you confine yourself to park n grabs and not go on any significant hikes that's got to be a consideration.
With a separate PDA and GPS, the GPS can stay in your hands through rain and stream crossings while the PDA can stay nice and safe in it's waterproof bag until you arrive at the cache site.
-
Re: POI, sorry, can't help you there.
Looking for GPS for tracking
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
After posting, I took my Googling a different direction. I'm really tempted by the i-gotU GT-600.
Not so good for geocaching, but looks like it will work great for geotagging.