WARTIDE

As some of you may know by my previous posts, I have been waiting on my PDA to arrive for a few days. Well, I finally received it yesterday and got the software loaded. I also purchased Cachemate and became a premium member of gc.com. I promptly went to the pocket query page and set up my first query. I had them emailed to me in .gpx format just as suggested. However, my email security settings are configured so that I cannot accept attachments. I must have done this in my "little fit of rage" I experienced last week when a worm slipped thru my antivirus software and infected my computer even without opening the email attachment. I have taken the attachment blocker off of Outlook Express so I can receive future pocket queries. My question is this, do I have to wait until tomorrow to receive my next file from the pocket query? Wartide

Over in the benchmark discussion forum, someone mentioned that it would be nice to have a Geocaching/Benchmark ID card to show to curious land managers/police officers, etc. I think it sounds like a great idea. I know the Geocaching logo is owned by geocaching.com. Maybe it could be a perk of being a premium member. TPTB could give premium members a code to access a web page that would have an ID card that cacher/benchmarkers could print and laminate themselves. I know gc.com is always looking for incentives to recruit more premium members. This seems like it would be an good one and relatively easy to implement. Wartide

That sounds like a great idea. Maybe if it isn't too much trouble TPTB could put some borders on it. Wartide

You also will probably want to let him carry the GPS. It is much more fun for the newby to actually lead instead of follow. And I agree with the others, let him find it even if you see it first. Wartide

Leave it. Often, a police officer will tell you that they are checking you out because...lots of drug activity, we had a complaint, someone reported a vehicle similar to yours, etc. When in effect, they are simply checking you out. They don't really need a reason, it is just easier to give you a reason than to say I just wanted to make sure you weren't up to no good. Leave it and just suggest cachers go for this one in the daytime. It seems as though everyone is getting just a little too safe. Some will say you just can't be too safe, well that's bull. Some get so much into "being safe" that it takes the fun out of it. Wartide

Well, my Palm still hasn't arrived yet but should be here in the next couple of days. My wife and I took a trip to Chattanooga, TN yesterday to go to the aquarium. I found the zipcode of the aquarium and pulled up four caches that looked relatively easy. We printed the cache pages and after visiting the aquarium began to look for the caches. We went to the first cache and found it easily, then the second, third and fourth. However, when we put the coords for the fourth cache in the GPS V, it began routing us to where the first cache was located. We drove 16 miles to get to the fourth cache, and it was only about 1/2 mile from the first one we found. I believe it is exactly this situation where the Palm and software will be very helpful. I can't wait to get it. Wartide

testtest Wartide

Thanks for the replys. The reason I had planned to purchase Cachemate was the fact that it was "one" program. I like to keep things simple and spinning, plucking, gpsx, etc just seems to run together to me. I'm fairly computer savvy and I'm sure I could handle the spinning and plucking once I got the idea of it. However, the cachemate looks like it would be the most simple option. I would rather pay a few bucks and get a useful, easy program than freeware that was just a bit more time consuming. I'll probably try both ways when I actually get my palm. I guess that is really the bottom line, whatever you use and are comfortable with. Again thanks for the comments and suggestions. Chiro

After getting a little more into geocaching and seeing some of your posts on paperless caching, I decided to get a Palm. I've never used one for anything. Following some of your recommendations, I bought a Palm IIIxe off of ebay. I paid a little more to get a new rather than refurbished one, but it was still only about $80 with shipping. As soon as I get it, I'm going to go ahead and get a premium membership. I would like to be able to do the pocket queries and also, it seems like I should be paying someone to do something that is as much fun as caching. I also plan to purchase Cachemate. I really had planned on using freeware, but I went to the cachemate site and found out it was only $7. How can you beat that? Paperless caching, here we come! I'm sure I'll have a few questions for you when it finally arrives. Chiro

Leftygator, First off, you'll love the V. I believe it offers the best of both worlds for geocaching and driving. Be sure and post a review after you've used it several times. Also, the deluxe package does come with everything you need. However, one accessory I would not be without is the Portable friction mount. I paid about $25 for mine on amazon. If you don't like the vehicle mount that comes with the package, look into the portable friction mount. Enjoy your new toy (um..tool) Chiro

Thank you. I went in and posted a note. Thanks for the quick answer. Chiro

I have a question that I'm sure somebody can answer. I just placed my first cache yesterday and it has been approved. Along with the standard cache items for the new cache, I also put in two TBs. One is a new one that I just activated and one is a Bug that we got from another cache. How do I place those in that cache without logging a find on my own cache. Do I just post a note? Chiro

I love to have parking coordinates. I hate parking somewhere thinking "I hope no one tows my car". I too am almost ready to place my first cache. Unless it is blatantly obvious where to park, I'll definately give parking coords on the cache page. BTW, if it is a private business with only a small number of spots, you might need to ask permission. If there is a large number of spots and they have the room, I wouldn't even ask. Chiro

I know there is another lonnnng thread on this somewhere on the site. However, to sum it up the consensus is every airline is different. What I did when taking a trip by plane is wait 'til you're off the ground and when electrical devices can be turned on flip it on and enjoy it. Several of the flight attendants saw mine and paid no attention to it whatsoever. Whatever you do, don't be stealthy and spylike. Just use it and if asked to put it away, just do so and be polite about it. Chiro

test Chiro

Unfortunately no, I don't have any pictures of the pens. However, I'll post a pen as soon as I get the next one made. Right now, my lathe tools are very dull. However, I've informed the wife I need a sharpening system and she's on board with the idea. New shop tools and geocaching, does it get any better than that? I'll post a pic soon. Chiro

Exactly my thoughts El Diablo. BTW, I've looked at your staffs when referred to in some other threads. They are really nice and a thing of beauty. Are most of the staffs natural ones that you add designs and a finish to get the final product? Do you turn any of your staffs on the lathe? Also, do you use a rotary tool for the designs and letters? Believe me, I'm not after trade secrets, I can't carve or engrave to save my life. I'm just interested in any woodcraft related items. Chiro

Deckyon, That's probably a good idea, but to tell you the truth I have a feeling that selling them would make it less fun for me. I'll tell you what though, as soon as I get the rest of my shop set up and do a little housekeeping (about a month from now) I'll contact you and send you a pen for your enjoyment. I doubt it will have a geocache logo, but you'll love it anyway. Now don't all you "me-too's" start in on me. This is a one time deal. I'll send you an email from your profile page and get your contact info. chiro

Thanks. The pens are actually very cool. I've never sold a pen, I just give them to family, friends, and colleagues as gifts. However, you can find some very nice ones for sale on ebay and on individual sites on the web. I'll make sure and get a copy of the rules for cache placement before submitting my first cache for approval. Chiro

Well, my wife and I now have a few finds under our belts (and a couple of not founds). We especially like the travel bugs and helping them on their journeys. However, lately we've been itching to start our own cache. Yesterday, I went to cheaperthandirt.com and ordered 3 50 caliber ammo boxes @ $3.97 each which seems like a good deal to me. I chose the ammo box due to the fact that the one ammo box cache we found so far was bone dry even after a lot of rain in the area. We also ordered four shiny new travelbugs from Groundspeak. Can't wait to get the containers and bugs and go shopping for the original cache stash. One question I have is this, I was thinking about a good FTF prize. It just so happens that in my woodworking hobby I've started making lathe turned pens. I use one everyday and have given many away as gifts. Everyone loves them. This would make a good FTF prize wouldn't it? BTW, they cost about $7 in materials to make and are usually sold for about $15-$30 at craft shows. So, if you are in the north Alabama area, watch for our first cache to be placed in the next couple of weeks. Chiro

After reading some of the past posts about replacing the Garmin V warning screen with personal information, I decided to give it a try. Here is step by step how I accomplished this: 1.) Go to garmins website and download latest firmware update for the V. 2.) Search on the boards here for memap and download it. 3.) Unzip garmin firmware update (It defaults to C:Garmin folder, but I created a new folder just in case I screwed up called C:Garmin2) 4.) Open memap app and look in C:Garmin2 for the .rgn file. Warning will already be in the seach text box just hit the search button. You will get the option to replace "Warning" with 7 letters of your own. (I used REWARD) Save and Exit memap.(it will automatically create a backup file). 5.) Open memap again. Search in c:garmin2 for the .rgn file. This time put Do not in the search box (the search function is case specific so it won't work if you type do not, use Do not instead). Type your info: name, address, phone, etc. Save and exit memap. 6.) In the firmware update from garmin there will be a file called update or updater. Click on this file to start the upload to the GPS. Make sure you have the GPS on and Connected with the serial cable. One last hint I would like to give is this, initially, I entered my info using mostly lower case letters. I decided it would look better to use all UPPER CASE letters. I went back into memap and replaced my info with all uppercase letters. To my suprise, I had several more bytes to work with. I was now able to enter my name, street address, city, state, zip, phone with area code, email addy, and $$$REWARD$$$ and still had space left over. On the first edit I was only able to use my name, address, city state zip, and phone number before I ran out of space. Maybe someone with more knowledge can tell us all why that was the case. GOOD LUCK. I think this is cool but might also be of some help if the unit is lost or stolen. You never know, it can't hurt.

I believe there is also a windshield suction cup mount that you can use for the V. I'm in the same situation. I'm trying to find a mount for the V that would work in both my vehicles. I thought about the beanbag, but my truck has one of the infamous curved dashboards and I don't think it would work. Have any of you used the windshield suction cup mount? Does it work and where can we get one?

Well as most of you know from my other threads, I had to go to Miami for a funeral on Wed. and Thurs. of this week. I didn't want the family to have to shuttle my wife and myself all over town, I knew they had enough to deal with already. My Garmin V arrived early from Amazon (just in time actually, I received it the afternoon before I left). I had no preconceived notions regarding brands but went with the Garmin V deluxe on your recommendations and online info that I found. I played with the GPS on Tuesday afternoon. I read up on the features, loaded the mapsource CD to my computer, and generally just drove around with it locally to see what to expect. I was very nervous about driving around Miami blind because I've only been twice and I've always had my buddy driving me around. My wife and I rented a car, popped the GPS in the dash mount that came with it and entered our destination. After several seconds, it told me which direction to go. The funeral home was about 12 miles from the hotel. The only problem I had was this, the SUV of my wifes that we tried the V out in has a compass on an info. screen but the rental car had no compass. The first directions were to go south on such and such street. I didn't see the little north arrow right off and went the wrong way. I hear a beep and the V started recalculating the route. A few turns to get going in the right direction and everything was fine. This is the absolute best investment a traveler can make. I would have never been able to follow maps or directions to the address I had to go. My wife did the navigating and setting of different addresses on the GPS. It is very intuitive because she caught on to it in minutes, actually quicker than I did. Anyway, we found out quickly to rely more on the distance to turn than on which exit to take. You see Miami has renumbered exits and the old exit number is just a small sign off to the side of the big exit sign. We were able to just watch the distance and exit as directed. The autorouting and recalc. are my favorite features. If for some reason you miss a turn, just slow down and let it recalc. and you'll soon be back on track. It instills a confidence that no matter where you are, you can always find where you are going. We found every address we entered without much trouble even in the beginning when we were really learning how it worked. After several short trips with it, we were nearly flawless. After the viewing at the funeral home, we wanted to get a bite to eat. We sat in the parking lot looking through the restaurant list. My wife decided to try to find an Outback steakhouse. We found the nearest one and drove to it in about 5 minutes. Getting back to the hotel was not as easy. Ongoing construction had detours going everywhere. The GPS got us within a few hundred yards of the hotel and was prompting me to turn left even though no left turns were permitted. We simply went straight and made a couple of right turns to get on the other side of the highway and went right to the hotel. I don't know if I can ever explain the difference this device made on this sad trip. It was a comfort to be able to navigate around a city that is just about terrifying to someone who has no idea of where to go and some neighborhoods that are very dangerous. I tip my hat to each and everyone of you that suggested the V. I can't say enough good things about the GPS to do it justice. If some of you are wondering which GPS to get, I don't see how you could go wrong with this one. BTW, my wife no longer thinks of it as a toy or a fun gadget. She plainly stated after getting back to the hotel the first night, "We would have been screwed without this thing." We are both looking forward to our first geocaching trip, hopefully this weekend. Thanks for all your help.

Thanks for all the responses. I found out that the area I was looking for was a very small piece of Miami that I didn't include in the map download. Re downloaded and everything was fine. I'm posting a detailed review of my first V experience sometime today. Thank you for all the quick responses and sympathy in this and the other threads.

I just bought some NiMH batteries for my Garmin V. I've changed the battery type in the settings. My question is, does the GPS unit act as a charger when the cig. lighter adapter is is feeding power to it?