Hrethgir

If the MP3 part is just optional, like maybe for a hint of some kind, but not needed to find the cache, then I say give it a go. Sounds like a different idea, and different is good.

Ummm, you might want to edit your post before you are introduced to an admin brick. I get what I get. I took out the names I called him, but I'm leaving the rest to stand. If the admins think I deserve a timeout, so be it, I will accept my fate with aplomb and grace and not a word of complaint.

Nope, non-PM people can make hides and see coordinates UNLESS it is a PM-Only cache, then the coords will be hidden. Basically, this guy doesn't want to spend the money to be a PM, says he doesn't need what it brings, then bitches about not being able to get what the PM brings. And notice how much he's posted on this thread? Yeah, he likes to start incindiary threads then just watch them. Kind of like a pyro setting a dumpster on fire then hiding a block away, but still watching it. He kind of goes by the "any attention is good attention" motto, and he finds it easiest to get bad attention. Anyways, the guy thinks he's above the rules, and that's all I have to say about it.

What GPSr do you have? The Garmin eTrex H-series have had known issues with wandering tracks and multipath around large bodies of water.

The Colorado has a clearer screen in direct sunlight because it doesn't have the touchscreen membrane. Besides that, though, they are pretty much identical. I don't see the Oregon as being "miles" above the Colorado, either.

Navigon 2100: routing in the car DeLorme PN-40: geocaching Legend HCx: speedometer/trip meter on the motorcycle and bicycle, at least until I get a motorcycle mount for the PN-40. I also have a Gamin Streetpilot, but it's bulk and odd routing make me leave it at home, although it could come in handy for georuns, since I can load caches into it. I'll use it for navigating then, but otherwise, I like the Navigon a lot better. And once I get the motorcycle mount for the PN-40, the Legend HCx will pretty much become soley a backup/loaner GPSr. Nothing wrong with it at all, I just like the PN-40 better.

That's kind of cool, even if it isn't waterproof. Just being able to do what you want with it makes it cool, even though, if I bought it, I wouldn't know where to start! Like when I bought a set of Lego Mindstorms, the Legos with the sensors and programmable brain. I'd seen all these cool robots and stuff other people had made, but when I opened mine, all I could think to make was a car that backed up and turned when it hit a wall. And the separate GPS receiver could be very handy. Attach it to your backpack or shoulder strap or whatever, and always have the antenna in the best place, no matter where the handheld is. It would be better if it was wireless (Bluetooth), but it is what it is.

If cost is the ONLY concern here, then look for a Garmin Geko 101 on eBay. But they are old and probably not the most accurate. We really need more info here of what price range you are looking at and what you want to do with it. But right now, I would say the best handheld with a balance between cost and accuracy would be the Garmin eTrex Venture HC. Nice form factor,great battery life, color screen, high-sensitivity receiver, and all for about $133. Good for geocaching, but can't really do routing because it doesn't have expandable memory to hold maps. Move up to a Garmin eTrex Legend HCx, and you can do routing if you buy the add-on routing maps and software, but you're looking at a higher price there. Give us more infor on what you need to do and how much you want to spend, and we can help you narrow it down and point you in the right direction. Or just spring the $330 for a DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 and call it good

I was heading North on I-5 with you, I was behind you on my motorcycle in the left lane when we passed the big rig on the right shoulder slowing up traffic. You moved over to the center lane a mile of so later, and I pulled up on your right rear quarter to try to read the name on the geocaching.com sticker I saw on your back window. It was hard to make out while not dying (thought it said t.damon, but that turns up nothing here), so I figured I'd post this up and see if I could find you! Anyways, you: red Big Horn, me: purple Honda cruiser. Hi!

I have a Legend HCx, and the only time I suffer "bounce" is in very dense tree cover or on water, like when I was trying to set a waypoint on the end of a dock. Tried 2 different times, and both reading were in the river, and in opposite direction from the dock. My PN-40, however, got it spot-on. The etrex H series has some problem with multitrack and stuff like that around water or near cliffs, but it seems that the newest updates have made that much better. But I still have my PN-40 as my primary GPS, and the legend is mostly collecting dust at the moment. Nothing wrong with it, I just like the imagery on the PN-40 a lot.

Like most people are saying, if I look but don't find, I try to remember to log a DNF on it. I'm sure I've missed one or two, and there were a couple I didn't find because I was rushed by the wife and only had a couple of minutes to look, so I didn't really count those as a DNF. I did go back the next day and gave them each an honest search, and found them. But currently, i think my stats are 34 Finds and 15 DNFs, and I'm perfectly OK with that. This isn't school, and it's not a grade, just a record of the past.

I don't agree. Size wasn't a criteria for him, and while the battery life of the eTrex is longer, the difference is about 7hours +/-1 hour (I got 25 hours out of my Legend HCx sitting on a windowsill, and the 60CSx is claimed to get 18 hours), so while there is a decent difference, I think the 60CSx still has a very good battery life, and the antenna/chipset combo in it and external antenna option for it make it a better unit that meets his requirements much better than any eTrex.

If you don't need voice, then the Garmin Oregon and DeLorme PN-40 can both route you on the road and then get you to the cache. I plan on using my PN-40 for navigation on my motorcycle this summer. But for in the car, I'd rather have voice commands so I don't have to look at the screen. Really, if you are looking for one unit to do both, you'll be coming up short in one area or the other: OR and PN-40 are good for caching, OK for nav (like I said, I like voice propts), while the Nuvi is good for navigation, and while it can get you to a cache, it isn't as easy or user-friendly as a dedicated handheld. I think the best idea is to have one for each use, otherwise you might not be happy with it half the time. I have a Legend HXc and DeLorme PN-40 for caching, and a Navigon and Garmin Streetpilot for navigating, and it works well like this. I can even load the caches into the Streetpilot and then it can navigate me close to the cache, then after I park, I use a handheld to get me the rest of the way

I've never used one myslef, but I'm thinking the Garmin GPSMap 60CSx might be the best combo of chipset/antenna/battery life/ruggedness/screen display to meet your requirements. Plus it's a time-proven unit with all the bugs worked out of it, it's just a well-honed and rugged GPS unit. Not sure if it has an external antenna connection (let me check garmin.com... looks like it does), so I'm going to say the 60CSx.

I like the idea myself. Maybe not the switching datum stuff, but I'm down with the rest. Just call it a multi, with the final cache being at the "clubhouse bar".

I've owned lots of refurb electronics, and I've never had a problem with any of it. I say, if you find an even better deal on a refurb'd unit, take it as long as it has a factory warranty on it. But that Legend HCx deal at Costco is smoking, especially since it comes with the City navigator software!

I've had both the PN-20 and the PN-40. I bought the PN-20 to kind of give the DeLorme a "test drive" to see if I liked it, and I liked the PN-20 enough that I pretty quickly decided to sell it and buy a PN-40. I would really suggest saving up or waiting a little or whaever it takes to get a PN-40, the extra speed is nice not just on the road, but even just in scrolling through menu pages. Not that the PN-20 is a piece of junk, it's a very nice unit, but the PN-40 is even nicer, and the addition of the electronic compass is something I really like, too.

Garmin eTrex Legend HCx - $188: http://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?it...81AA&GEN0=Y Garmin eTrex Vista HCx - $225: http://www.pcnation.com/web/cart_stage.asp DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 - $340: http://www.amazon.com/Delorme-AE-7985-201-...1646&sr=8-1 DeLorme Earthmate PN-20 - $140: http://www.amazon.com/Delorme-AE-7843-201-...1986&sr=1-1 I have had several of those units (currently own the Legend HCx and PN-40, and previously owned a PN-20), and they are very nice. If you want to spend the extra $100 for Xmap and spend the time making the maps for Canada, then the PN-40 is an awesome unit, but I think it's way out of the price range you were looking for if you factor in Xmap. Now, you could go down to the PN-20, which I have also owned, and do the same thing with Xmap, but with either PN series handheld, you won't be able to make use of the Imagery Subscription, which is one of the benefits of the units. For you, I would recommend the Garmin Legend HCx, it has a high-sensitivity receiver, nice color screen, expandable memory, and it holds signal very well in cover. Plus, it's right around the price you wanted. But for a little more, you could move up to the Vista HCx, basically the same as the Legend HCx, but adds an electronic compass and barometric altimeter. And you can get routeable Canadian maps from Garmin, although that is an extra cost.

Yeah, swing up and hit the Original Stash plaque, it's not that far away. And while you're in the area, maybe hit up my cache, That Sinking Feeling (GC1GR3J) in Keizer, just north of Salem. It's inactive at the moment, but it should be back out in the wild well before you get out here. Sorry for the shameless plug, but my hide is, well, pretty freakin' awesome!

I love my PN-40, and that is all I have to add.

i have a solor batt charger so that is not an issue but thanx for looking out and pointing that out Still going to need extra batteries, as I'm sure the soar charger will charge them slower than the unit can deplete them. I did a windowsill test one time with my previous Delorme PN-20 and my Legend HCx, and the DeLorme got about 13 hours on a brand-new set of alkalines, while the Legend managed about 25 hours on the same. Obviously, using the backlights will shorten the battery life, depending how much you use it and how bright it is, butstill something to think about.

NOOOOOO! The newer units most definately do NOT give better accuracy. In fact accuracy is a major problem the new Garmin units are facing. The accuracy of the newer units is quite poor. Definately use the 60CSX, you should have very accurate results. I have used both the 60CSX and the newer units. Trust me, stick with the 60CSX for accuracy. This is true. The eTrex series especially had lots of issues with multi-tracks and tracks being way off, especially around large bodies of water or in hilly areas. Not sure if it's as much an issue with the Colorado or Oregon. I do know from personal experience that setting a waypoint two different times on the end of a dock with my eTrex Legend HCx led to two different points out in the river, while setting a waypoint at the same time and place with my previous DeLorme PN-20 resulted in a waypoint exactly where it was supposed to be. And from what I've heard, the 60CSx is rock-solid, can't really go wrong with that one.

I'd have to say no. Same screen size, and the PN-20 can display the aerial imagery, but the PN-20 is pretty slow, which can be a little annoying. Also, the Vista Cx has a barometric altimeter and electronic compass, neither of which the PN-20 has. The PN-20 does have a leg up on the Vista Cx with a high-sensitivity reciever, though, plus it comes with street-level map details in the box, while that's an extra cost for the Vista Cx. Basically, though, if you get a Garmin eTrex unit, get one with an H in the suffix, that's the high-sensitivity receiver. For a Garmin unit closer in cost and options, maybe look at the etrex Legend HCx. I have a Legend HCx and had a PN-20 (sold it and bought a PN-40), and they are very similar, but different. Neither has an electronic compass or barometric altimeter, same size color screen, and expandable memory. But once again, the PN-20 can (slowly) display all kinds of imagery and has street-level detail maps, while the Legend HCx has stellar battery life (I got 25 hours out of a pair of AAs with it watching satelites from a windowsill), map redaw speed is much faster than the PN-20, and holds satellites well under tree coverage.

One of the guys I used to carpool with caches, and one day, he had a borrowed Garmin GPSMap60CSx in the car, and I asked what all the treasure chests where on the screen. I had no idea there where so many caches, and that intrigued me. A few weeks later, we got together on a weekend and with the help of one of his GPS units, I found my first cache. Spent the next week or two doing research, bought my Legend HCx, and kept slowly building my find count. Weather is starting to get nice enough to get back out there now, time to go give the PN-40 it's first geo-run!

Except for the "or" part. Even if you become a premium member, you still con't send directly from the site to your unit. The "Send to GPS" function will ONLY work with Garmin or DeLorme handhelds, nothing else. Although, if you become a Premium memeber, then you can set up a Pocket Query of up to 500 caches to be e-mailed to you, then send that whole batch to your handheld via the methods listed above.