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JDandDD

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Everything posted by JDandDD

  1. Certainly is bad today. Not consistently so for me but I always wonder what kind of response the system will give me on any given day. JD
  2. Just a slightly different take on this. I agree that its up to the cache owner to provide hints or not. However, as a cache owner, I would say that if I got the reactions the OP is getting it would tell me that one IS needed for those caches. It would imply to me that the cache is harder than I thought or the local community thinks this type of hide requires a hint. You do have to think of your fellow cachers and if they are trying to tell you something then you should listen. JD
  3. Nokia's motivation was to stay ahead of Apple and the iphone. Adding GPS mapping ability was important for that. At no point was Garmin ever mentioned except in the blanket statement of maintaining service to existing companies. Nokia is a cell phone company and competes with them. The ultimate limitation in cellphone GPS map technology is that the mapping will be good where there is cell service available and won't work elsewhere (straight coordinate would of course). Its a lot like Google maps on a PDA, great where WiFi or cellular is available, totally unavailable elsewhere. To add full GPS service, like a Garmin Etrex, means adding about $200 to a cell phone and increasing its size for the additional electronics. Since Nokia's core business is cell phones, to do that is not a competitive move at this point. JD
  4. Well put wavector. I have no problem with people placing alternate coordinates in their logs. Even though I try to get them very accurate, some locations are very difficult to do so due to trees, signal reflection off rocks etc. So an alternate set can be helpful, even on my own caches. In one case, I took 18 readings over 7 trips, averaging to the best point before publishing. There was considerable variability so people finding them off was expected and alternate coords were helpful to folks. No problem on my part. What I do object to is when someone implies that I was sloppy when they have no idea how much effort I put into the coordinates. So, I agree: alternate coordinates yes, derisive comments no. JD
  5. Well, that actually went pretty well. Raytech proved to be no problem at all. Got my GPS returned yesterday with a note to email or call Garmin for a new unlock code. That was required because it was replaced not repaired. Garmin support got that set up fairly quickly after a downed server came back on line. The only real problem was getting my City Navigator Update 2008 DVD working again. They kept having trouble with their system releasing its association with the old GPS. Finally they re-did my account and presto I'm now back in action. Bottom line, sending to Raytech is fine from a technical point of view. No complaints. Pricing if not under warranty may be an issue but I was under warranty so no issue there for me. Thanks Raytech!! JD
  6. JDandDD

    FTF ! How far?

    Never that interested in FTF's and they account for 2.7%. Most have been accidental FTF's, going to a cache and being surprised it was still FTF after a couple of days. Our first is also the furthest at about 60k and it was entirely accidental. JD
  7. So far so good with raytech. Got the notification today that Canada Post has the return package on its way to me. That turn around would be about 4 days from when it arrived at Raytech. Not bad at all. Should have it back Tuesday I would think. Raytech looks like its working out. I agree that prices for repairs seem awfully high, but, there are a lot of costs involved. The repair company has to pay its staff for their time( $10-$20/hour), shipping for the return, rent on their business space, parts (likely the least expense), office overhead, their repair equipment costs (purchase, replacement, upkeep of tools, testing equipment), plus profit (it is a business). All of that is a proportion of every repair bill. Having run an IT maintenance department and having to make decisions between repair and replacement of a variety of IT, I was always confronted with how quickly the cost of repair (even in my non-profit setting) could approach the cost of replacement. $170 flat fee may not be as unreasonable as it initally seems. JD
  8. Well, my unit is at raytech, just arrived there yesterday. I'll update folks on how it turns out. JD
  9. I respect your thoughts wavector and understand that you had a bad experience. Not questioning that in my response at all. I haven't looked at these circuit boards so not sure how they are constructed But I also have worked with electronics and have seen all kinds of bad ways of installing switches, leds etc. that make things more expensive to fix than they should be. What I was really reflecting is how I'm seeing design decisions that put switches etc. on a circuit board in a way that you can't really repair them without risking harm to the main board. I think that is something that manufacturers could do better to make repairs cheaper and more efficient. My comment was a reflection on what I see as generally poor design for the sake of increasing profit margins and not a comment on what your experience was. I was also just trying to tell people that I generally find out of warranty expenses too high to make them worth it, not that I think it is right at all. Also, I want to add that I appreciate your input into this. If I had had a choice, your comments would have convinced me to not use raytech. Unfortunately, I discovered after starting this thread that Garmin doesn't give Canadians choice now. Experiences like your make a good case for Canadians to complain directly to Garmin to improve our repair services. JD
  10. I do want to clarify one thing. I didn't call Garmin USA to squak. Actually, my contacts with them were intially about a different support issue and then this piece broke in my C530. It was a continuation of the conversations with Garmin USA that led to the raytech issue. (Garmin automative USA were VERY good with me and better than when I've dealt with Magellan). I also never repair any electronics out of warranty. Doesn't seem to matter what it is, with the level of integration on circuit boards these days what looks like a simple replacement often ends up being the entire board (saw that in my work siituation all the time). As such, the cost usually starts to approach the cost of a new unit. Rudeness, however, should never be part of customer service. JD
  11. Yep, that's the one. It was because of things that I read from a 2005 thread here that made me wonder about sending to the US. But that's only an option if Garmin gives you an RMA to send the unit to them. They wouldn't and sent me to raytech. It appears to be the only option now for Canadians. JD
  12. You can't put them directly onto the palm without some other program residing on the Palm to manage the database (the pdb file). The most commonly used program on the Palm seems to be Cachemate. Using it along with GSAK makes a complete caching system for your handheld. JD
  13. Thanks again Landsharkz. After your first post I got into an email discussion with Garmin Automotive division. They were great and the support is terrific. Looks like Canadians have to use Raytech now for everything except aviation products. For others looking for the info, you have to use their return form on raytech.qc.ca JD
  14. Thanks Landsharks. Did you send it to Raycheck in Quebec or directly to Garmin? The 2005 thread seemed to imply that Raycheck (at that time) was very slow which is my concern. Two weeks or so I can live without the Streetpilot but longer than that is a problem. Any advice on what would be the fastest way (US or Quebec)? Thanks for your help. JD
  15. I have a C530 that needs to go in for repair of the ring that holds it to the mount. Read the thread from 2005 about the Canada repair centres and it didn't sound very good. Has that service improved? and what is the turn around time like? Thanks JD
  16. The real key that people are missing is the word soliciting. If the cache is NOT placed by the owner of the property then its not soliciting business. It is therefore not a commercial cache. The intent seems pretty clear from the policy statement on commercial caches. Its to prevent business from using the site to increase their businesses revenues. Where there is likely a violation is in the obtaining of permission to place the cache. JD
  17. There is nothing morbid or disrespectful about visiting or walking through a cemetary. Actually, by reading the stones you are actually remembering and respecting those people. Would you like to be totally forgotten? Someone reading a tombstone is making sure that people aren't totally forgotten. There are a couple in our area in pioneer cemetaries that without people visiting and donating would fall into complete disrepair, become overgrown, and forgotten to time. Now that is disrepectful to the dead. The real issue with cemetary caches, is to be sure that some thought is put into the placement and that it is put in a spot that does not get in the way of the mourners or in any way damage the stone or the areas around them. It is only then that they are a problem. JD
  18. I, for one, will support your position. I have been at this for four years and when we started most treks to caches involved going into a forest, a conservation area etc. and 1km or so of hiking. We have felt for some time that the distances are going down to .5 km being a long walk now. There are also more drive up and very short trek caches. Is that good or bad? Hmm, that's a tough question. I guess if you like going into nature and taking a hike its a bad thing. If you like building smilies, or don't like a longer walk its a good thing. For us, we prefer the hikes and those are disappearing, at least in our area so its a bad thing and would like to see more balance in what's being placed. JD
  19. While I can understand the 'ktisch' part of your post, my problem with LPCs is that they seem to always just take you to a parking lot. I don't know why I want to look at a lamppost in a parking lot. I will do them when on vacation if its the only way I can mark on the map that I was there. Otherwise, I tend to avoid them. Each to his own I guess.
  20. Every time the DNF question comes up it gets a large variety of answers, and all of them are probably accurate. As a cache owner, I want to know that my cache may be missing. So, if a person gives an honest try at finding the cache and can't I want to know so that I can check on it and replace it. But, also, I would like a note about difficulties they may have had in finding the cache. Some of mine are difficult to find and I don't really want to go out and check if its just a miss. A good note can help me evaluate that. My own protocol for DNFs is, if I was able to give it a reall effort at finding the cache I will log a DNF with a note about my effort. However, if poison ivy, damage in the area of the cache, dangerous terrain (i.e. really wet or ic covered), etc. caused me not to give it an effort to find the cache I will write a note indicating that I did not try and the reasons. That will let the owner know I was in the area and other cachers issues that they may want to consider in deciding whether to do that cache at this time. JD
  21. I'm sure we all appreciate Cache-tech's efforts with this issue. Not easy having to address some of these things. I do, however, think that the issues go beyond this event (not a single attended note). Among the issues that have emerged are: -the general perception of poor cache quality, something I fully agree with. -the apparent lack of maintenance of these caches, the quality of maintenance would appear to be spotty at best -the perception of the commercialization of geocaching, their motives may be noble to support the CEC but they are charging for the placement of caches and, from the postings on this and other boards, many seem to feel this is against the spirit of the geocaching rules if not specifically the letter. This issue needs to be clarified for all geocachers to understand the distinction here. The OGTH are not doing themselves any favours and are not enhancing their reputation in the geocaching community by creating these issues and then having such problems with their event. Hopefully these issues/problems can be addressed and resolved. JD
  22. This maybe some new info on the printer friendly page problem. I am using IE7 on XP. I have noticed that the problem of not getting the coordinates etc only occurs for printouts that are more than 1 page long. If the cache listing is only one page long, the printer friendly page works every time. If the printer friendly version is more than 1 page it fails (doesn't display the coords etc.) every time. Hope that helps Raine. JD
  23. This maybe some new info on the printer friendly page problem. I am using IE7 on XP. I have noticed that the problem of not getting the coordinates etc only occurs for printouts that are more than 1 page long. If the cache listing is only one page long, the printer friendly page works every time. If the printer friendly version is more than 1 page it fails (doesn't display the coords etc.) every time. Hope that helps Raine. JD
  24. The new print friendly pages are nice but there is one major bug. In IE7, when I click the decrypt button, on screen everything shows correctly but when choosing print preview and the coords are not showing and will not print. All of the coord information will print if decrypt is NOT chosen. JD
  25. Going to settle on Cook. Hmmm! There is evidence that Drake reached Vancouver Island 150 years earlier. But exactly where is unkown. Guess I'm going to have to research this from the Cook perspective since I was working on nailing down where Drake might have reached BC. JD
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