gallahad

No problems of that nature here. Try deleting your PQ file and re-entering it.

I agree with your point. However, this is a sport of individuals (not all of whom possess "common sense" - what ever that is) and some of whom are new at hiding caches without having had much experience at finding them. I simply don't bother with caches that fit the descriptions in your comments and I try to avoid other caches created by the people who my experience tells me have done a disappointing job in the past; as evidenced in my notebook. There are some caches in my area that have never been visited. There's a reason for that. As you gain experience and learn who in your area creates a worthwhile challenge and who doesn't you'll find your geocaching experiences to be less disappointing.

Gemini (The Twins) think and act swiftly highly imaginative constantly seeking new information craving new experiences vital, intelligent, curious and young at heart not happy if things do not go your way something of a non-conformist dislike being tied down Yeah; I geocache that way. But doesn't everyone in this sport?

Initially, I thought it was an offer; then I realized it was a typo. At least I THINK it was a typo. Seems to me that anyone reading about premium membership perks should be able to see the value (or not) of PQ's and other stuff. Don't see any need to entice premium members by giving them a one time free-be on the PQ. Like some others in this thread, I joined the help keep this sport alive. I didn't join for the perks (although I do enjoy them, and I run a local PQ twice a week cuz there's lots of activity within fifty miles of here).

Thanks all for you advice and counsel. The documented history for KS1753 confuses me greatly. At one place it refers to a reference point 4.8 feet south of the witness post, 1 foot from the north edge of the street. The mounment marker has 4/8 printed on it so I assume that's the witness post. However, this marker is on the south side of the road so I can't figure out how anything "south" of the witness post could be a foot from the north edge of the street. I'm beginning to think that this benchmark stuff is best left to the folks who documented these things to figure out.

There appears to be a concensus (it's not unanimous, of course) that it's better to find a fair number of caches before taking on the responsibility of hiding one. I'm in agreement with that. While it's true that anyone can create a cache and that some novice caches are very well done, developling the skills for creating a good hide usually takes a bit of experience. Selecting containers that don't leak, ensuring that the container is sized properly for the type of cache hidden, camouflage techniques, correctly assessing terrain, etc. are all important elements in cache placement. I've found nearly two hundred caches. A few of them were excellent creations, most were only fair and some of them would qualify as trash. Good luck with your geocaching experiences.

"The basic point is, just because you're spending less doesn't mean the unit is less accurate." Once again, Prime Suspect offers sound advice. I spent a lot more on my GPSr than I needed to - I rarely have need of all the "bells and whistles" that I paid for.

You can download a pdf file of the users manual for your Etrex here.

OK, I'm going to give it a try. I took on the task of locating KS1753. It's in the Sierra foothills where the pine trees have deposited thirty years of pine straw since it's last recorded sighting. I found a monument marker within two feet of the NAD coordinates and a number of interesting things nearby that appear to be "official" but I'm not sure where to go next. I've recorded what I've learned to date on my web page and I'm hoping that someone can give me a few pointers on what to try next. This monument marker is on the right-of-way easement but it is, in reality, on private property so I've gotta be respectful of adjacent land owner interests.

I noticed this morning that, when I edit a cache page entry date after having logged a TB drop, the edited date appears on the cache page but doesn't change in the TB log pages. Therefore, the date entry error on the TB log pages remains. Wonder if that couldn't be worked out so that when the cache page date edit is posted the system also updates the MMDDYYYY data on the associated TB logs.

Sorry, Jeremy. I believe I spoke too soon when I asked to have the "old cache page" list of all logged finds left intact. Now that I've looked more closely, I see the "All Logs" on the "Geocaching Details" page handles that aspect beautifully. My learning curve seems to run shallow and long. Thanks again to you and the amazing groundpeak crew for getting this project off the drawing board and into production. It doesn't get any better than this. Those nearby cache lists (especially the benchmark list) is a great feature. I believe the fast and easy access to the benchmark list will increase interest in the aspect of our sport.

*Ahem* That's what I suggested to try (although I guess I didn't say it very clearly). Glad you know which way's north again. Yes indeed, north is very important in this geocaching sport. That's cuz I can't find a cache unless the darn compass points directly at it as I'm facing north. Would you call that "north challenged"? Thanks again folks. I'm off on the hunt...... (and I still love that avatar)

FOUND THE FIX As I mentioned previously, it was set on magnetic north. But I decided that what robertlipe had to say made sense - it was behaving like it was on GPS Course. So I turned it off, then back on again. Then: POWER> NAV (position screen)> MENU> SETUP> COMPASS ORIENT> GPS COURSE> ENTER> ESC> Then I took it for a walk around the block. It performed just as it had before. Returned home: POWER OFF/POWER ON> NAV (position screen)> MENU> SETUP> COMPASS ORIENT> MAGNETIC NORTH ENTER> ESC> NAV (to compass screen) and Viola - it reset to the correct feature. Looks to me like it got stuck in the GPS Course mode during download, even though the screen informed me it was in Magnetic North mode. Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I am more grateful than you can imagine.

Yep, temp. and barometer working just fine. I'm gonna take it on a short trip and wring it out. If it can be used to find a cache with any degree of accuracy I'll use it until Thales Navigation comes up with a fix; or untiil I throw it in a lake - whichever occurs first. (Love that avatar)

On my own "my cache page" the text (in the list of caches) for "2/22/2004 You found..." is compressed so that the "4" in 2004 and the "Y" in You run together and blur the text. Wondering if this is unique to my own cache page or if it's a product of the work in progress.

Thanks. Thus far I have done the following: Full compass recalibration - completed Series of compass recalibrations (probably half a dozen) - completed (I figured that might be the problem but recalibration didn't fix it) Setup procedure for compass orientation: MENU> SETUP> COMPASS ORIENT> MAGNETIC NORTH Problem continues........ I'm still open to ideas.

Then perhaps logging a note, rather than a DNF, would better serve the purpose of the log? Personally, under the circumstances you describe, I don't bother to log anything.

It's an improvement and, I believe, a very nice lay-out. I do hope we'll be able to access the "old my cache page" data that provides the index of all the logs in our record. I use that complete list quite often. The current link, is it's intended to be left accessible, is fine with me. Otherwise, something akina to what's on the travel bug page - "List travel bugs you own or have found" that refers to the caches you have logged would be nice. I too don't believe we need all that recent log text and the fix that Jeremy offered sounds like an excellent adjustment for that element. "All caches in your state" is a nice feature that I'd like to see maintained, I've heard some talk about refining that to "all caches in your region" but a pocket query using local zip codes pretty much takes care of that so IMHO that'd be of little value for the effort. I too would like to be able to select a tab which links to a specific calendar by month rather than having to page through an entire series of calendar pages. Inasmuch as calendars also run through years, tabs for the year on each calendar in file might also prove useful. This new "my cache page" is a credible piece of work and, with the fine tuning that is certain to occur, it can only get better. Thanks Jeremy and crew...... we love ya. edit to include more details re: "my old cache page" data......

When I first purchased my Magellan Meridian Platinum (July 2003) the compass feature worked continuously. That is, the compass functioned continously, regardless of whether I was stationary or moving about. I downloaded the latest firmware update from Magellan for my Platinum last night. Although everything else seems to be functioning properly, the compass feature is no longer continuous. It is necessary to move (about fifteen feet) before any change occurs in the compass reading. I have communicated with Magellan about this issue but haven't received a reply yet. Happy to keep others posted on the developments via this thread as the discussion with Magellan progresses. Just wanted others to know so that, if they elect to download the new firmware, they may discover similar problems.

This "driver" thing is confusing. I agree that a "driver", other than the files that were used in setting up the Belkin USB BusPort, shouldn't be necessary. But Magellan includes a CD with a driver with its USB to Serial Cable Adapter and the system does ask for it when the USB adapter is connected to the PC. But installing the driver, as directed by Magellan's instructions, doesn't change a thing. EasyGPS still looks for the GPSr at COM1 (which is the DB9 serial port that came with the original system and was used exclusively before the USB card came to live here). Mapsend's GPS Settings checks COM1, 2, 3 & 4 it can't find the GPSr either. The ActiveSync software that was supplied with the ViewSonic pocket PC found the USB card and linked to the pocket PC without a hitch. In fact, I can switch COM ports with impunity for the PDA and the ActiveSync finds it no matter where I place it on the system. I have a complaint filed with Magellan support. Let's see what they have to say about the issue. edit correcting typos......

Well, it is a GITO (garbage in, treasure out) world isn't it. I rarely trade any more. If I do I usually exchange some little trinket for another and leave the item I took from that cache in another cache. Haven't really found anything worth "collecting" or using in any meaningful way. In the majority of instances, I'm satisfied with TNLNSL. Or TN, left some token item, SL. The fun, IMHO, is in the hunt.

Trouble with rules is - they don't provide control over anything without sanctions. How ya gonna sanction a geocacher who says "stuff your rules, I'm playin' the game my way"! I suppose you could control unacceptable behavior by setting up a private membership system, but that's an expensive proposition. I'm a big fan of gentlemen's agreements. (ladies too, but I don't what word to use in describing that - "ladie's agreement"? Nope, can't use the word "ladies" in today's world. Oh the dilema of political correctness) I like the word "etiquette" better than "rule". Anyhow - let's just leave well enough alone and enjoy our sport before someone screws it up with so many rules that we can't breathe.

Try running your pocket query entering a series of zip codes along your route without duplicating the first three numbers in any set. For example, run a query on the area's main post office (e.g. 94500) without running sub areas like 94501, 94502, etc. That'll limit the number of queries and make the job faster until someone comes up with a feature that allows for selecting regions or working within a specific distance along a given route. Seems there's no end to how much we can improve what we have. But we ought to realize that what we have, IMHO, is pretty darn great.

Thanks for the guidance. The USB card is a Belkin and it installed without a hitch. The Pocket PC runs beautifully (GPXSonar, Mapopolis, etc.) using the USB port but for some reason, EasyGPS just can't find the GPSr. If and when I figure this out I'll post something on my website - maybe it'll save someone else the frustration. System continues to report "Cannot open serial port COM1" and suggests that it may be occupied by another serial device - but there's nothing connected to either USB port except the GPSr and no software running to support any other serial device. Maybe I'll try jumping into the BIOs and see if I can foul those up.

What he said....