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jeffbouldin

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Posts posted by jeffbouldin

  1. I'm still a bit of a newcomer to this and have been using the Geocaching app on my iPhone for my finds so far. I've been thinking about the whole geocaching thing and am puzzled by the thought of a dedicated GPS receiver rather than my iPhone, so my simple question is "Would I ever want/need one?"

     

    * My iPhone app gives me decent enough accuracy so far, and as I understand it, a dedicated receiver doesn't give significantly improved accuracy. If I need improved accuracy I can always use the MotionX app to improve it a bit.

     

    * My iPhone app gives quick links to descriptions and hints, which can be very helpful.

     

    * My iPhone app allows me to go and look for a cache without planning it online first. Whenever I have a few minutes spare in a town, I can turn it on and see if there are any geocaches nearby then go and find them.

     

    I'm sure I'm missing something, but I just can't see any reason why I would want to get a GPS device as well. What am I missing?

     

    Thanks in advance.

     

    On the last two points you are correct, on the first you are not. All modern and several older dedicated hiking GPSrs a much more accurate then phone GPSrs, especially when in tree cover. Also, when you decide to start hiding you will need to get a dedicated GPSr, even if you borrow one from a friend. iPhone and other phone hides have notoriously given horrible coords.

     

    Also consider battery life and durability. In the city these aren't much of an issue. If you decide to get out on the trails this will be. I've dropped my GPSr on all sorts of surfaces, what happens when you do that with your iPhone? I have a Delorme PN-30 which has one of the worst battery life in the handheld market, but still I'll go 8 hours on two AAs then pop in two more.

     

    I have a BB and an Android based phone as well as several hand held GPSrs, I use the HH GPSr 98 percent of the time.

  2. Just one question "WHY"!!!

     

    As mentioned above, many of us like to meet the cachers who come to hunt it. I like hunting them at cachers house for the same reason. If it is clear from the page which house it is at there is no issues with the hide.

     

    My question for you is "WHY" should you care? If you drive up and don't like the location just keep on driving. You do not have to find every cache. Let others hide what they like without raining on their parade.

  3. I do it one of two ways, depending on the size of the file. If it is small enough you can email it. Open the email and download the attachment. On mine CacheSense picks it up and loads it. If yours does not, pick where you want it downloaded, go into CacheSense, in the menu choose Import GPX and browse to where you saved it, then open it. If the file is too big to email then transfer it through your USB cable and Blackberry Desktop Manager, then follow the above instructions to load.

  4. I am curious - what site is supposed to get shut down if they don't follow their own rules? I know T-caching is going down, but that seemed more related to the owner deciding not to continue to support it.

     

    The site won't be shut down, the cache will be shut down. Let's say I go to find a cache listed on this site (someone already linked to it, I'm not going to so it doesn't appear I'm promoting it) and find it in a Cemetery (illeagle in TN), or I find it in a city park that requires a permit and it doesn't have one. I will report it to the admin and they will take it down. That is exactly what the reviewers here do.

  5. ]Huh? I have no idea what any "real contender to gs" will do. Right now, Groundspeak is the one listing service with a review process that satisfies the local land managers. As I said before:

    If another listing service wants to establish a similar review process, and demonstrate to the parks and open spaces that that review process will address their concerns, then I'm sure both review processes would be acceptable alternatives. But that hasn't happened yet.

     

    That is not accurate. There is another site active currently that has the review process, has stated that all caches listed there must follow all local laws and policies, and any will be shut down immediately if it comes out that they don't. I personally contacted the local park managers who have regulations on caches there and let them know of this site and neither had a problem with caches that met their guidelines on either site.

  6. It is possible, however it might not be advisable.

     

    If the cache owners are not active anymore and you replace the cache you cannot fix the cache page. If it has Needs Maintenance posted to it only the cache owner can remove it.

     

    If it is missing you should post a Needs Maintenance and\or send the owner an email. If after a period of time (many feel one month) there is no follow up then post a Needs Archived. The reviewer should then disable it and after a period of time (usually a month) if the CO does nothing he\she will archive it. If you like the spot you can hide and list your own.

     

    One exception to this would be a cache that has some local historical or personal attachment. Then you may elect to keep it up.

  7. From what I gather the cache was in bad shape and as a favor to the owner who was no longer maintaining it you replaced the container. At a later time you noticed that because of changes to the area the cache was no longer hidden the way the cache owner intended. This cache owner has not done anything to check on the hide and verify whether or not it is what he or she wanted, I believe you said half buried which indicates it has been moved or knocked to the ground. If the cache owner will not fix the cache you are completely justified in removing the trash and posting a NA.

     

    I think it is great that you want to help your fellow cachers maintain their caches with replacement logs and such. I would recommend that in the future you look at the cache owner's page first. If you had seen that this owner wasn't active, you would have had less issues if you posted your NA then.

  8. Another option to get started would be to use your phone, if you have a GPSr enabled smartphone. There are apps for iPhones, WM, BB, Android, and some Symbian phones.

  9. the X stands for the hi sensitivity receiver which I highly recommend to get.

     

    Actually the H stands for High-sensitivity chip, the C stands for Color, and the X stands for expandable memory (SD or Micro SD card slot). And you are correct, don't get an eTrex line GPSr without the H.

    Oops, my bad. Was replying on my iPhone and sometimes it auto corrects itself and or I have a hard time proofreading on my little bitty screen.

     

    I just got an Android based phone and had to turn off that predictive text feature. It was extremely annoying, always changing things I type to things I didn't want.

  10. the X stands for the hi sensitivity receiver which I highly recommend to get.

     

    Actually the H stands for High-sensitivity chip, the C stands for Color, and the X stands for expandable memory (SD or Micro SD card slot). And you are correct, don't get an eTrex line GPSr without the H.

  11. I probably could say that, if ii new what a muggle was. Like a muggle in harry potter? or like mugger or cache :) ?

     

    muggle=non-geocacher, someone who doesn't know the game

    wow that was quick, am i a muggle? only done caching at a camp, (but i have read the sight head to toe)

     

    This is one of the reason some of us don't care for the term. I personally use the term non-cacher. You have been caching, you know about caching, you are a cacher. You might not be in a position to do it much now but that doesn't change your desire. Don't let a label scare you from the game.

  12. I once found a police calling card (business card they leave at places they check out) in one of my caches. Later I saw an officer in her car, so I went over to inquire how to reach the officer and ask about how his card got there. She was able to fill me in. He got a call of a suspicious person putting something in the trees. He found my cache (clear lock-n-lock with geocaching sticker) and took it with him. He called his Sargent to meet him (the officer I approached was the Sargent) and showed her. She knew what geocaching was and told him he needed to put it back because people will be looking for it.

  13. I have 3 kids, 15, 10, and 9. I would start with a couple of regulars and take some swag to trade. However I do not subscribe to the theory that you should completely cater to the kids. I take mine to every kind of cache (except ones that would be too dangerous). I feel that they need to learn that caching isn't all ammo cans with toys. Get them into the hunt, let them find it. Many times we will not make the grab if we find it before them and give them as chance. I heard someone on the Podcacher show talk about Hucklebuck caching. When they find it they walk off and call Hucklebuck, then the others keep hunting. He said his 4 year old loves it.

     

    Make it an adventure and plan on stopping at every playground you come across!

  14. I have a virtual in the Olympic National Park. I would like to adopt it out as I am 85 and having Open Heart Surgery to replace my aortic valve in a couple of weeks. Right now you are not allowed to adopt it out. If i go, it goes. It is at Hurricane Ridge and a beautiful place. I do hope they will allow it to continue. There is no one in my family that could keep it going. thanks

     

    You could let a cacher know your log in info with instructions to take over the account and maintain it.

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