d-dixon

I use an Etrex H on my bike and can thoroughly recommend the Garmin bike mount: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004VX15/ It's a two-part solution - a bike mount clip that fits to the handlebars, and a replacement back cover for the GPSr itself, incorporating a quick-release mount for attachment. I've not had any problems with it. I use a smart-phone while out walking, but for cycling the Etrex comes into its own - rugged, good battery life, and perfectly good for getting you to the cache area. For £12 for the mount, you can't go wrong! David

If you want the waypoints back, it's a quick edit to line 87 of the script: OLD: coord = parsecoords(awptblr[j].cells[5].innerHTML); NEW: coord = parsecoords(awptblr[j].cells[6].innerHTML); David

The primary source for this appears to be: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=20...A11727#g2367.r0 www.magic.gov.uk is one of the 57 of 82 DEFRA websites chosen for closure. There is no indication whether this will mean removal of the data completely, or whether it will be integrated into one of the remaining websites. David

Below is why OSM mapping would be great (in addition to the current offerings). Google Maps are fine if you don't leave your car and are caching in areas with good map coverage. Otherwise OSM really helps. I chose a non-Western city at random (Jerusalem) and compared Google with OSM: Google on the left, OSM on the right: That's why we want OSM! David

OK, ignore the previous script! Sorry, let's try to get it right this time: java script:(function(){var%20script=document.createElement('script');script.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');script.setAttribute('src','http://johnmckerrell.com/files/osmify.js?rand='+Math.random());var%20heads=document.getElementsByTagName('head');if(heads[0])heads[0].appendChild(script);})() NB. You need to manually remove the space between "java" and "script" that the forum software automatically inserts - I can't see a way around that. I know it doesn't look like a standard bookmark, but if you paste this into location/address area (instead of the usual http://???) it does work - load the GC map page, then select the bookmark. Alternatively, GreaseMonkey users can install the same thing using the link below: http://www.dna-software.co.uk/geo/geo-osm2.user.js Note that in both cases this script calls another script on a 3rd party site - this has potential security issues. That's one reason why the previous script I posted had a link to a local copy, which is another reason it won't have worked... David

It's actually much easier than that, and even better, you can have OSM mapping now! Taken from my previous post: For the Geocaching Maps page, add the following as a bookmark - clicking on it will add 3 different OSM options to the default map/satellite/terrain ones: java script:(function(){var%20script=document.createElement('script');script.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');script.setAttribute('src','http://johnmckerrell.com/files/osmify.js?rand='+Math.random());var%20heads=document.getElementsByTagName('head');if(heads[0])heads[0].appendChild(script);})() Described at: http://blog.johnmckerrell.com/2007/12/31/n...fy-bookmarklet/ For individual cache page maps you need this greasemonkey script: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=191618 Hope this helps! David [edited for typos]

Use Mobile Atlas Creator (http://mobac.dnsalias.org/) to import an OpenStreetMap atlas which can be formatted for Memory Map: - Use OpenStreetMap Mapnik as source - Choose required area and zoom - Use OziExplorer (PNG and MAP) as atlas format - Create atlas - Move PNG file(s) to M.M. maps folder & refresh maps [EDIT - forgot to say you need to reduce the colour-depth to 256 colours first]. - Select PNG file and manually calibrate using the info. in the .MAP file - Export to PDA as per usual If your version of MM doesn't let you do this, you need to upgrade to the latest version/pay for this optional feature (you may need to buy or get a trial "Import Maps" license, depending on what version of MM you've bought). David

It would be great to have OSM maps as an option. While we wait, there are a couple of workarounds: For the Geocaching Maps page, add the following as a bookmark - clicking on it will add 3 different OSM options to the default map/satellite/terrain ones: java script:(function(){var%20script=document.createElement('script');script.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');script.setAttribute('src','http://johnmckerrell.com/files/osmify.js?rand='+Math.random());var%20heads=document.getElementsByTagName('head');if(heads[0])heads[0].appendChild(script);})() Described at: http://blog.johnmckerrell.com/2007/12/31/n...fy-bookmarklet/ For individual cache page maps you need this greasemonkey script: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=191618 Hope this helps! David

A bit late, but GPO = General Post Office - the pre-1970 name for the UK's Post Office and telecomms company. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Post_Office

Here's something I just noticed - no idea how long it has been a problem and can't find a similar report. If a log has BBcode formatting that is not properly closed, the formatting continues through the rest of the page after the log. e.g. this log, where strikethrough is used: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...14-7037c0fdbb34 I've reproduced this on a test log with for example "crossed out text here". Win XP, not dependent on browser (IE, Firefox). David

OK, here's mine: Taken just before Christmas, checking up on one of my caches: Log for "Mixed & massive piles" David

For a really basic Windows Mobile find nearby caches, with link to log, give this a go: http://www.dna-software.co.uk/geo/NearbyCaches12.CAB Discussed at: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...=207818&hl= Yes, it's very basic. Yes, I wrote it. Yes, it's free. Yes, data transferred is absolutely minimal. Yes, Groundspeak have kindly given me permission to distribute it. David

My opinion: Because removing somebody else's caches might be construed as theft, Groundspeak, its reviewers, etc. have no choice but to publicly state that abandoned caches shouldn't be removed, as per Deceangi's response. In practice, where it is obvious that the owner has abandoned the cache and it has been archived, I'd see removing the cache as a good deed, preventing geo-litter from accumulating. I have removed abandoned caches for "safe-keeping" 5 or 6 times recently, and have posted a note on the cache mentioning it. I will happily return the smashed tupperware and mouldy log books if requested by the owner. In other words, do what you think to be right, but don't shout too loudly about it... David

Updated to bring back child waypoints! http://www.dna-software.co.uk/geo/geocachi...tituter.user.js David

I can't say it bothers me, but a very basic Greasemonkey script will do the job : http://www.dna-software.co.uk/byebyebenchmarks.user.js David

Thanks Edgemaster! Before seeing your message I've had a go and got a quick & dirty solution working so if anyone is desperate: http://www.dna-software.co.uk/geo/geocachi...tituter.user.js David

Wow... I think you've convinced me to buy it. Is this the Home version? The Pro versions get pretty pricey.. Or even better, buy its sister product GeoBuddy instead - the same code as Expert GPS but with additional geocaching features, and for the same price. Even better, if you're outside the US and don't want the US maps, the "bronze" version is nearly half price!

In my experience, TomTom is very fussy. It will work with the GPSr hardware port, but then nothing else can use the signal. If you use the software port which allows multiple applications to use the signal (and as required by my program), TomTom won't work unless another application has already opened the port. Fortunately for me, my PDA has a 2nd hardware port (don't know why!) which TomTom is free to hog. Another program you might like to try, although again I think it requires an automatically managed GPS port, is Groundspeak's Geocaching Live beta site. It looks like it is limited to European cachers at the moment but automatically finds the 5 nearest caches, and has lots of other bells & whistles compared to my program - and a larger download bill too, probably... David

Welcome to the madness! There are a few Durham cachers who I'm sure will offer their advice, and there's also a more local forum which may be good for Durham-specific caches. There aren't many caches that require a long walk, but there are plenty of great walks with caches to be found along the way. For a start, how about starting at Shincliffe, walking along the S side of the River to Croxdale Woods, carrying on to the Honest Lawyer at Sunderland Bridge for lunch, then coming back along the footpaths on the North side of the river? You'll pass close by a few other caches on this route too. For a good long walk (no pubs though) Kepier Wood is hard to beat. To get your friends interested these are just a sample of nearby fun caches: MagicBox - some clever puzzles in the woods Numb3rs - a great little challenge Grandma We Love You... - Do something silly where (hopefully) no one will see you... David

Other map choices for the cache search page might be useful, although it's not something that bothers me too much. For individual cache pages though, you *can* have OSM mapping - you need to install Edgemaster's brilliant Geocaching Map Substituter script, along with Greasemonkey (needs Firefox). As an added bonus, this can also provide Ordnance Survey mapping for UK caches.

I was going to mention OpenStreetMap, but it looks like Edgemaster got there first! It is however possible to download gpx files for many of the Sustrans routes from OSM, although it's a bit fiddly: Go to: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiPro...National_Routes Find the route you're interested in. For each route, the 4th column contains four links labelled "nnnnn map check visual". Click on "check". This takes you to a page where a "Download GPX" button lets you download the route. The GPX file may well be too large for many GPSrs, so may need to be simplified/split. Memory Map should be able to read the GPX file too. Unfortunately, route 51 that was mentioned in the first post appears to be corrupt, and won't download... Similarly, many regional cycle routes are also mapped. These routes aren't complete (although they are getting better by the week) and aren't perfect but if you're lucky your route will be well mapped. If it isn't, save your cycling track log and help improve it!

Oops - I'm afraid I've dragged this somewhat off-topic - sorry. To answer the original question, there are plenty of Windows Mobile programs that use an off-line database to hold and navigate to caches, but there's no web-linked do-everything application like the iPhone application or Trimble's Navigator for phones (that I know about). Both these work presumably through Groundspeak's proprietary API, and any Windows Mobile software is going to have to do the same, and I'd be extremely surprised if Groundspeak would provide API details to a hobby programmer like myself. So - we'll all have to wait for some "official" software - does anyone know if any such thing is being actively developed?

My best guess is that in both cases, your PDAs are not properly set to allow Windows to automatically manage the GPSr output. To check, go Start --> Settings. Under the "System" tab there should be an icon labelled "External GPS" (If not, it may have a different name, or alternatively may be hidden in which case tweaking the registry is required). Click on this to examine the settings - on the access tab, the check box "Manage GPS automatically" must be ticked. Also check on the hardware tab that the settings are correct for your GPS port, and on the Programs tab that the GPS program port is set to something sensible. See here for some screenshots. I hope this helps. David

Thank you Rodz - for some reason I thought it was going to be more complicated than that. I'll eventually add an option to switch to the full website but for the time being here's a version that will access the main website: WebCache.CAB I'd only recommend using this if you have an inclusive data plan - each page is ~ 250 kb so could get expensive! This will co-exist on your PDA with the WAP version so you can switch between the 2. As per Rodz' suggestion, this will remove any found/owned caches so if you want to see these, log out first... David

Got it! Many thanks to those who helped out - I've tracked down the offending setting preventing NearbyCaches working with certain browser/PDA combinations. Each time a web request is made, the browser sends an ID string along with the request. The contents of this "User-Agent" string determine whether NearbyCaches works. The WAP site only sends the correct page if this string: - Begins with "Mozilla/x.x" - contains the word "compatible" So, this works: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint MP6950SP But this doesn't: SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/1.0 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) The solution here would be to remove "SAMSUNG-SGH-I617/1.0" from the string. Unfortunately this involves editing the registry - see here if you are comfortable doing this. Otherwise, the only work-around is to use an alternative browser. The other solution would be a slight tweak at Groundspeak's end - I might make enquiries... David