Cushag

Not being a Tecnophobe I like the new UK e-zine. From a layman's point of view it's just great. Loaded OK and a nice easy to read format. Thanks.

Enjoyed doing the Stamford Taurus with the grandchildren. They liked the history bit, and learned a great deal about a place they had visited very often. Also being arranged around a town it enabled a leisurely lunch at a local hostelry.

For the UK go to www.geocacheuk.com. Go to Stats, Caches and then Search. You can either put in a town or co-ord and you will then get all the local caches near to that location. Cannot help with France.

Getting more used to the mapping now. It does have London Streets in a stylised fashion and all towns and cities same. .Also to my surprise names of towns and small villages on the Isle of man, but not the full works like contours and roads. Easy to download maps although only one section at a time. Easy to mark Waypoints and routes to upload/download to GPS. I am beginning to think that maybe it is quite good value. (I am not in the pay of Mapsend!)

To add to my previous posting evaluation. Now had time to check Magellan Database searches. Excellant Database on downloaded map on Magellan. Not only the A and B roads but named lanes. Also points of interest such as the nature reserves, Camping and Caravan sites etc. Also if you have the cursor on a path/road press enter you can check the elevation profile of the path, which means I can assess step hills on my bike, ie. do I get off and walk now or shall I try to cycle. Mostly the former.

Well I did fork out the loot. Ist evaluation. It is very stylised mapping. Contours fine but roads etc are lines. First appearence is not like that of Memory Map or an OS map BUT all the information is there albeit not as one would expect. As the magellan screen is small the info can be difficult to read, on magnification though I was surpised to see even some little lanes actually had the names of them, eg, Hedgerow lane. First thoughts are that for caching/walking you would be better off with Memory map and PDA. I can see this Magellan Topo though being of use to me for my little cycle forays, maybe saving me from getting lost. Good database for finding places and things on the Magellan. Topo disc Program loaded well onto PC. Interface good. Problems started when I wanted to download to Magellan. With the Topo disc came an upgrade disc for the Magellan. Upgrade was to 4.06. My Magellan already had 4.10 so upgrade not necessary. Tried to download map section not possible as magellan needs to be 5.01. AARRGH. Went to Magellan site and download upgrade to 5.01 (despite site saying not needed for Europe) to PC. Surprisingly the upgrade to the Magellan worked with no hitches (heart in mouth at this point). The only problem with these upgrades is that you have to Clear the memory of the Magellan before you start which means you lose all your preferences, waypoints and routes. In my case I did not have many of the latter but if you have loads of important stuff it could be fustrating. That only happens on the upgrading not downloading maps. I downloaded a mapping section of Arnside Peninsula (been there)= 196kb as per usual the mapping does not cover the Isle of Man (home) and as the memory of the magellan has 21mb you should be able to download a fair patch of Mapping. Contours look good, a little difficult to see which are paths /tracks although the Magellan tells you what they are at the bottom of the screen. No doubt with use these features will become more obvious. So there you are folks. Seeing as I will not be able to use the mapping until in the UK in July maybe some other purchaser could try it out in the field and evaluate. I will endevour to evaluate futher in the Summer. PS. I am still saving up for Tom Tom and PDA!

I doubt if it includes the Isle of Man , Mr Seasider, as on the Magellan the Isle of man has no roads. Just a sploge in the Sea. Not needed for the Isle of Man. My use is for wandering travels in England, Scotland and Wales. If not suitable will have to fork out for Tom Tom and PDA. How many caches this weekend?

Not in the post today, so may get it Monday. Checking GPSs site all now sold. None in Stock. Apart from me who else has purchased it?

Looks like Magellan beat Garmin to the release. Checked today and only 10 left on GPS site. It has been posted to me and on it's way so will write a comment on it once I have read instructions and downloaded a section. I hope it will be useful not only for geocaching but on my little bicycle rides on holiday so I have also ordered a bike handlebar holder! I only do short daily rides but I am apt to get lost frequently and the Mapping in the Sportrak as it stands has only mostly major roads. I travel around the UK on holiday so do not have all the OS maps with me. Maybe this will help me get back to base.

Link http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/...&category_id=77 The news came in a GPS newsletter yesterday. 17 left last night. 12 left now. Dug deep into pocket and ordered! On Bread and water for the next month!

Noticed that Topo mapping have the new Topo out for UK. OS maps to download to Magellan Sportrak. Any one used it yet?

Thanks for the thanks Seasider. Wanted to see your caching logs but Nibbo had already guessed that you would head for a Pub. Nibbo managed to finish Man Hunt this evening and now has till 9th June to leisurely log some more IOM caches. I never did get to see the scratches on your legs! We fully enjoyed Manx Mission.

Mission Day Update. 14.00 hrs (2 pm). Ten caches completed so far, very hot day apparently running up mountains! No ETA for the finish yet.

Cachers gathered at Manx Mission Co-ords last night 25th May. Seasider flew in (has he wings?) at 17.30. Unfortunately a new cache had appeared that AM but he has that sussed already. Owing to a late social evening, sleep was achieved around 01.30 AM today 26th May. Up and about by 05.00! Seasider and Nibbo fortified with Bacon sarnies, a picnic, and various electronic caching gadgets headed off into the unknown at 06.00. ETA back at base unknown as yet. Whatever, IOM cachers are welcome to The Glue Pot, Castletown this evening for a de-brief.

Looking foward to meeting you all. Nibbo will meet you off the plane. He came over last night on the ferry, smooth crossing. Weather sunny here. Slight breeze on the hills. PC is available at accomodation abode (my place) for latest printouts of caches and logging. Have a safe journey

I am like Nobby Nobbs in the UK. Paying £4 plus a gallon. I have to run my Campervan (RV) on that getting about 23 miles to the Gallon. Apart from buying a GPS geocaching is quite a cheap hobby, gets you out and about walking (healthy) in the fresh air. You make friends and the hobby is for the whole family. We , in the UK, now do not buy our fuel in Gallons. It is sold in litres. EU directive! We still use miles though not kilometeres but no doubt the EU will soon make us use Kms.

I think I have the best caching vehicle. An Autosleeper Rambler GL. Also a folding bicycle. I can find a camp site near to caches, a different venue each move on. Get out the bike and toddle off to a cache or two. One day , two days, who cares. On day trips out I have all mod cons. No B&B fees, BBQ whenever I fancy. Loo available for those needful moments. Laptop can run off the 12 volt. No long car journeys out and back to home. Bliss.

I'm another one in the Nursing/Health Profession but--------------I have been a Scout Leader! Compasses and all that stuff. Last Xmas my grandson asked me what gadget I wanted for a prezzy. I appear to have become a gadget geek.

Fantastic. Email Nibbo and myself direct with timing. Maybe worth emailing the other IOM cachers. We need to be aware of Mugglers. We may catch some motorbiker cachers over here for TT. Pyoung1's?

Contents are not important to be posh. I found this out at Easter caching with my grandchildren. A few caches had really nice objects in but what did they choose? A tiny sea shell from one cache. A tiny animal skull from another and a single sword cocktail stick (one of those cheap plastic ones) and a dolls house rusty garden fork. Sigh! They could have chosen lots of other things that to an adult's eyes were a better swop. Just goes to show. Nevertheless I feel I definately traded up those times! It's the finding that counts! Micros are popular and there is only a log book in those!

Event Cache would be great. Can we pass on TB's. I have 5 new ones ready to go out into the wild. Tuesday best for me , as Nibbo said, work commitments on Wednesday evening. Allowed to stray only in Castletown, if mobile rings I have to leave the jollyties.

Seasider possibly in covert operation to sneak over. Stand by your caches!

Thats not a bad price Seasider. Wait till the Summer £200 plus! Foot Passenger is about £38 return and as you live where you do you could give it a thought and bring a bike! Now you know why we have set up caches here to save our caching instincts from waning. Just finished and logged Man Hunt today. Is Pyoung1 coming over for the TT?

With relevance to first Posting. How about these;- D A G's Dogs against Geocaching (all those long walkies) H A G's Husbands against Geocaching (jealosy) F A G's Family against Geocaching (Boring day's out) B A G's Bosses against Geocaching (using work PC for logging) B A G's Boyfriend's against Geocaching (No time for fun) G A G's Girlfriend's against Geoocaching ( As Boyfriends) M A G's Mothers against Geocaching ( I worry about you out there on your own) N A G's Not another Geocacher Syndrome I AM SURE THERE MUST BE MORE.

Third week of May would be great as Nibbo will be visiting the Island then as well! If coming by ferry bookings are getting tight owing to TT.