JDandDD

Well, I found the easiest way is to get a Garmin 305. Its like a wrist watch but includes a GPS with features similar to a non-mapping Etrex. Keeps time, shows your track on a map, and you can put cache waypoints in it to find, and tells you how far you've gone and the calories you are burning. JD

Ok, here's the next question. Now that we are in to real winter this question is about a hazard that could affect any geocacher in Canada, frostbite. Two parter: First, what are the 3 degrees of frostbite called. Second part, there are several don'ts for treatment and one is to not apply dry heat or hot water. Why should you not do these? JD

The worst case of being 'lost' occurred during a snow squall. These blow off the Great Lakes with little warning. We were geocaching in a moderately thick forest when the squall suddenly came in. It was snowing so hard that we had two inches on the ground in 30 minutes. The air was so heavy with snow and the ground so evenly white that it was difficult to see even a few feet. Visually it was impossible to tell direction and our footsteps had filled in so we couldn't follow those back. Without the GPS we would have been very lost and in a very bad situation. However, just followed that dotted line (even though the snow covered the screen so fast I could barely keep it clear). It got us out. My wife also used her compas to keep us in roughly the correct direction when things got confused. That compass and GPS saved us. This event is why our avatar is two people in falling snow. JD

I agree completely. In another thread (sometime ago) about Waymarking benchmarks, I made the statement that either US Benchmarks should be part of Waymarking or other Benchmarks should become part of geocaching.com. I said that one of these should be done for the sake of fairness to the entire geocaching community. Groundspeak (my memory says Jeremy) replied that fairness was the important thing and was being considered. It is now several months later and we still haven't seen any movement on that fairness. Groundspeak really does have to start treating 'the rest of the world' equally to the US. JD

Gar and Min are the first three letters of Gary Burrell and Min Kao. Hmm, Garmin. JD

Intelligolf Eagle edition for the Palm uses the GPS to give you course information. You can download curses from their course database (a real course that someone has surveyed) or use the software to survey the course as you go. Us the length of the hole, the starting coords from the GPS, the program will keep track of how far you hit the ball and how far you have to go to the green. Lots of other features to track club usage (length, accuracy), sand saves, putting, etc. JD

As a former government employee I always cringe when I see that argument. The answer is perhaps. Not every bit of information that the government holds is available to the public, think Social Security number, health card number etc. You can't get full lists of those. Ok, enough on that. Just because its government info doesn't mean its public info. In the case of Benchmarks, you can get the entire database via an account and running a search for all benchmarks. However, the government isn't going to give it away to a private business, especially an American one, so that they can make money on it without paying for it. Afterall, it costs the government (read all taxpayers) money to create that list and maintain it. It makes sense that if someone is going to make money on it then they should pay for it. Remember, Groundspeak is a business, and it is American. So, they have to pay a license fee if the government is willing to let them have it (probably be some terms of use and distribution issues). If you want to have it for a non-profit event then you can get it, just don't make money on it. JD

Huskers, you got two answers so over to you. JD

My wife has a Magellan Gold and I have a Magellan Platinum and they often show different locations even thought the software is the same (at least the postioning portion). One of the additional things that we've noticed that causes that is what satellites each unit sees. Trees etc. can be blocking 1 satellite for one of us and not the other. Different constellations, different calculation errors. How can you tell which is accurate? You can't, they are both inaccurate to a certain extent. If they are showing a 20ft error then the actual point will be within a 20ft circle of where the GPS is situated. JD

Numbness in the extremeties can actually occur fairly early in the process, before an irregular pulse occurs. The body first tries to keep the organs warm and so restricts flow to the extremities (where the blood is rapidly cooled) to keep warm blood flowing to the major organs. The primary cause of death: cardiac arrythmias followed by heart stoppage. JD

Does anyone know how the FCC license rules apply to a non-American vacationing in the States. Thinking about a trip to Wyoming/Montana area this year and wondering about our two way radios which we planned to use on hikes. JDandDD

Well, if its a serial connection you want for a Palm TX, PN Technologies makes a TX to serial cable. Here's the URL: PN Technologies Serial Cable JD

Well put Lil Devil. I think the OP was talking about the cache box but you've correctly pointed out how size is shown. JD

This statement is not accurate. As the first two years I had a non-renewing membership paid through paypal, and I did receive a subscription number. Now I have auto renew. After receiving the membership number I copied and pasted on the subscription page. Kayak, the statement IS true. I have never received a subscription number and have never entered one. That is because I pay for a year at a time and I pay through paypal. When you do that you do not get a subsscription number. Maybe you used to get a subscription number at one time but since I became a premium member I have NEVER received one. I do NOT fabricate what I put in these posts. JD

Tony, Google Earth is not that accurate. 60 to 100 feet is pretty typical with its maps so there is nothing wrong with your Etrex. JD

This has been an interesting topic to read. I think that respectful hides in cemetaries are fine. To me, cemetaries are places to remember those who have gone before us and not a place where the dead are just meant to be forgotten. We just did two cemetary caches yesterday that were place well and respectfully. We spent time wondering about what life was like when those who died in the 1800's was like and picturing there lives. The stone often say things like "in memory of" and the only way that happens is when someone visits and contemplates the past. JD

Don't the rules say we can't bury cache containers? But I love the unique container you found for this one. JD

First step is to ensure that you have retrieved it from the other cache. You have to click on the geocoin name and then follow the on screen info to say you found it. You will then be asked for the tracking number of the coin to prove you retrieved it and then it will show in your inventory. Then, for your new cache, write a note for the cache (not a found it but a note, you don't want to accidentally increase your find count, considered bad form) and then at the bottom you will of the screen you will see the coin in your inventory. Highlight the coin and then hit the submit button. Presto! The coin shows in your cache. Hope that helps! JD

It should also be added that if you buy non-renewing memberships via paypal then you do not get a subscription number. Rather, Groundspeak will enter you premium membership information themselves and it will just show up on your account. Non-renewing really just means not automatically renewing. Its my preferred way since I control whether or not I want to stay with a subscription (not just for this sport) without being caught by an automatic renewal I forgot about. JD

As others have said you could just average them. Keep in mind that all of your readings are well within the errors expected with the GPS system so you won't be misleading with any of the choices really. The chances of being perfectly accurate are very low. You can only be expected to be within a 3 meter to 10 meter (10ft to 33ft) circle at best anyway according to the system. Don't sweat accuracy too much is the message. The fact that you took so many readings will ensure that people are getting as close as they can expect. Nice job I'd say. JD

The other thing, make sure you have the newest version of Mapsource (6.11.6 released Dec. 7, 2006). What came with your Topo likely isn't that version. My Topo had 5.0. They have made pages and pages of changes in how Mapsource works and may have changed that behaviour. Here we are talking about Mapsource and not the Topo Maps. The underlying Mapsource interface program and the map data are two different things. JD

You are doing nothing wrong. That is the Groundspeak server not working. Its had a problem with its SQL database and is not responding to any request. So its a general system error, not anything you have done. JD

I understand your point but as has been said in many threads at different times, a micro is a size of cache not a cache type. You can also have micros that are multis and then you'd have folks making the request for an indicator that the micro is a multi because they don't like multis. No answer than your own work really would work for all the possibilities. JD

I have to agree with Woodbutcher68, go out and get experience before placing a cache. As you do more you will learn a lot about the sport and you will get a better idea of what are good hides and bad hides, what are good containers in your area and the kind of things cachers in your area tend to put in their caches. It will pay off by making your first hide better. There really is a lot to learn to really understand geocaching. JD

Its almost more a question of what not to put rather than what to put in a cache. You need to avoid dangerous items (knives, scissors, anything sharp or pointy), anything that will attract wildlife (they have a great sense of smell) so food, perfumes and other scented objects are out, and keep in mind that its a family sport so don 't shock the little ones, flammable substances also should be avoided. Other than that, anything is ok. JD