[GPS with maps]

Do GPS units already have topo maps installed in them? For instance, I am going to get the Garmin 60cx. Will I need to purchase software to download the geographic area I am caching or can I just download that info from somewhere?

 

Thanks

 

Most car GPS's come with 'Street Maps'.

Most handheld GPS's come with a minimal basemap of major highways.

Additional software is needed if you want Topt, particularily on the 60CSx. I got a copy of that old MapSource Topo real cheap. My GPS is a Magellan and I also got a copy of that Topo real cheep when the new version came out.

 

Others will say that maps are not necessary, but they are definately nice to have.

 

You may well find that you can get good topographical mapping of your area from OSM4You

[1:50k Ordnance Survey Maps - Are they good enough]

I've got a SatMap Active 10 GPSr and have been using 1:25k (explorer) level OS maps with it for Geo Caching and it works a treat. But.... The 1:25k scale maps are expensive so was looking at buying a 1:50k (Landranger) scale card which will cover a larger area for less cost. But before I buy, does anyone have a view to whether the 1:50k scale is sufficient detail for Geocaching.

 

Any views or expeiriences of using this scale are greatly received.

 

1:25k is useful for walking in wilderness areas as it is better at showing the routes of paths and contours. I would suggest that you buy the 1:50k mapping for now and only invest in the Explorer maps if you plan to hunt around National Parks and the like.

[Help....can't pick up a geocoin]

I have 'in error' picked up a geocoin the other day. I have tried and tried to pick it up from geocaching.com, but without success.....any help to solve this is appreciated. Many thanks

 

 

Do you have a tracking number for the coin?

[Delurk]

Hello all. My family and I are new to this game but we've just had our first cache published and are now eagerly hoping that someone finds it in the near future. If you've any small children, they may be pleased to find what my daughter left in the cache.

[How many of you male geocachers were in Scouting?]

Being English, I was never an Eagle Scout but I became a Queen's Scout as one of my final acts as a Venture Scout before going to University back in the early 1990s.

 

I was more than a little fortunate in that my local Sea Scout troop was tremendously well-equipped, both in terms of kit and, more importantly, in leaders, many of whom truly appeared to devote their lives to us often ungrateful youths.

[Problem With Cache being denied]

What the heck is this "hold" policy? That's what I'm concerned about. This should definitely be in the guidelines because I have not idea what it is and who is allowed such privileged status.

 

Why would you want to keep the caching community in the dark?

 

If it's not published (the "hold"), how can it prevent another from placing a cache there? This stinks....

So, cacher A places a cache but there's a problem with it. Suppose he put in a pocket knife, which he wasn't supposed to do, but everything else about the cache is OK. All he needs to do is to go back and remove the knife in order to have his cache published. Cacher B places a cache 50' away the next day not knowing about the other cache. You're saying cacher B should get the spot instead of cacher A?

 

Now suppose cacher A doesn't get back to his cache for (some arbitrary time period). Cacher B contacts the reviewer. The reviewer contacts cacher A who says he just can't get out there to fix the problem. The reviewer publishes cache B instead of cache A.

 

Where's the problem?

 

If cacher A put the knife in the cache then it means that he either didn't read the guidelines or chose not to follow them. IMO, that cache should be taken out of the queue completely and have to be resubmitted by the owner after he fixes the problem.

 

It is obvious to anyone who has read the rules that it is truly foolish to place certain items in a cache. Cacher A acted with undue haste in placing the cache without first engaging brain. Cacher B placed a cache having previously considered such factors as location and contents.

 

It would be excessively harsh to remove cache A from the queue completely but it should, IMHO, be moved to the back of the queue. If cache B were then found to have a flaw, it would be moved behind cache A.

 

The very fact that this system would cause inconvenience to those who cock up is its advantage.