Phoenix2001

Today I had one out of 26 symbols show the magenta background. Checked the file in Paint Shop Pro and the color was correct (R=255,G=0,B=255). Compared it to another file that was working correctly. The one that didn't work had magenta (R=255,G=0,B=255) in the 256 spot of the palette (Index = 255). The one that worked had magenta in the index = 199 spot of the palette. So if magenta isn't working as a transparent color, make sure your palette matches the palette of a file that works, which looks like it should have magenta in the 200th spot (Index = 199).

The signal from the satellite is a type of measuring stick. If the atmosphere slows or speeds up the radio wave from the value expected by the receiver, the measuring stick ends up being an incorrect length. WAAS helps to make the measuring stick closer to the correct length. No matter how sensitive the receiver, using "measuring sticks" that are closer to correct lengths is better. The very sensitive receiver is very good at picking up signals reflected from a wall or hillside. This signal is going to be a few feet or perhaps a hundred feet long longer than it would have been if received directly. This measuring stick (being longer than it should have been) will throw the computed position off if it can't be ignored or the weighting that it is given towards the position solution reduced greatly. In other words, multipath can make the position more inaccurate in the "sensitive" receivers. What I have seen with a 76Cx is it performs very well in canopy that is reducing signal strength but otherwise has good HDOP (satellite geometry). Poor satellite geometry such as satellites in a straight line plus a good hillside to reflect signals from satellites not in direct view and somewhat perpendicular to that straight line, can result in positions tens of feet from the correct location.

I am suspicious of version 2.7 for the Vista Cx. I haven't had it very long yet so there's not much experience with it. It came with 2.6 and I did a day hike while also using a 76S, and 76Cx. They all recorded similar track logs with normal errors. I upgraded to version 2.7 just after the hike. I did another hike and ended up with a track log recorded by the Vista Cx that was offset from the other two until the end of the day. This happened on a couple other hikes too. I've run some tests on a south facing window sill and had the Vista Cx give a position about 20 to 30 ft. to the east of positions given by a Venture, 76S, Map76, and 76Cx. On the other hand, I've also done one hike where the Vista Cx recorded similar track logs to the 76Cx and a 76S. Also I've run one test at a surveyed benchmark with the Vista Cx, 76S, and 76Cx. With about 1500 points recorded, the 76Cx happened to be on the the meter and the other two had one coordinate with a meter off. So the "error" seems to need a view of the sky that's not optimal and also seems to be intermittent. I thought about going back to version 2.6 before I saw this thread. Eventually I'll probably try the older version after I gather some more test data. There's also another minor problem where the differential indicators "D" are not removed from the satellite page when WAAS reception is disabled. I don't know if version 2.6 had this small problem.

My 76Cx was off by about 125 meters to the north and about 90 meters east on Sat. May 19. A Vista Cx, 76S, and map 76 showed "correct" values at the same time. It took two hours before the 76Cx was back to reasonable values. I tried on/off, batteries out for about 10 seconds, and user data reset (Enter/Page keys). Receiver was running most of the time to download current almanacs. I didn't find the master reset (quit/menu/zoom out) sequence before the 76Cx was back to normal.

Did the "Reference Point" type idea die? Sort of. I added it today but it will take several hours to show up on the site. So far I'm not seeing it. I thought we were talking about additional waypoint types in case this was for something else.

Did the "Reference Point" type idea die?

I've done a cache that the description said to bring a 9 V battery. The box had all sorts of electrical stuff on it including a socket for the battery. It looked like it was a joke and it turned out the battery was not actually needed. I'd say go for it but be prepared to have to repair it often.

My primary difference from most of the other opinions is that I will log a moved cache if it has moved far enough to really be a different cache. A cache that moved around a 1/10 of a mile or so I would consider the same cache and NOT log it a second time. A cache that has moved 10 miles isn't really the same cache anymore. I wish cache owners wouldn't move a cache many miles and not make a new listing for it and archive the old cache location/cache listing. I'm rarely part of a group looking for a cache and when I have been, I've either been first to find it or spotted the cache at the same time someone else did; so I've usually not had to "worry" about that situation. If I were part of a group, I would hope that anyone else finding it first would not give the location away so that I would also have a chance at finding it. I'm really there for the challenge of the find not the find count. That being said, because caching is just a pastime for fun, because I'm not really serious about it, I would probably log a find when in a group if I were not the finder, but it is less of a find to me. I don't really care how others in a group handle it. Bottom line: I can't know where it is before I find it and when found, I have earned a find. That means if I am with someone hiding a cache and I know where they hid it, I can't find it. My own caches are an exception to this rule - if it was moved by someone else and I had to hunt for it, I do NOT log a find (but I have said so in a note ).

I would like to see more types for the "additional waypoints". I've just submitted a cache in which I'm supplying addtional waypoints to help guide the hiker to the area of the cache since there is no trail for the last part. I would like to see the types "Point of Interest" and something that helps route the searcher. It could be perhaps one type "Route Point" or "Guide Point" or maybe some more specific types such as "Trail Junction", "Trail Point", "Cross Country Point" (no visible path), "Road Point", "Road Junction", etc.

A post by SprocketStL on August 7, 2004: August 7, 2004 by SprocketStL (206 found) [Had to do some bushwacking off the trail to get to it. The hint may be somewhat misleading:] I think the "100 feet off the trail" is actually 100 feet off the dry creek bed, not the trail. Descriptions (or "facts" given) on cache pages are not always correct for various reasons.

On rare occasions a GPS receiver can come up with a value that is clearly wrong. If you let it sit with a good view of the sky, it might correct itself within a few minutes (assuming it has a current almanac - if the almanac is out of date, you might have to wait about 15 minutes). I generally just turn it off and back on again. So far turning it off and on no more than twice has corrected any wrong location problems.

Hummm..... if they were that fast, they should have beat the first finders, no? However, if they're faster than light, they would be traveling back in time so if they wait just the right amount of time, they'll get to the cache before the FTF. But if they wait too long they'll get to the cache site before the cache was even placed! Talk about a DNF!

The GNIS database (USA) sometimes has multiple points for the same feature because the data came from different sources and/or was modified in various ways at various times. The receiver manufacturer may have dumped them all into their POI database. So the receiver has multiple points that are close together but all won't be displayed to avoid screen clutter. A receiver doesn't necessarily show all points on the display. Some close ones won't be shown so you can read the display. As you move, the set that is displayed will change. Maybe that is what you are seeing.

Bottom line - it depends on the source. "A geographic feature may have only one primary point regardless of size or extent. A point feature is defined by this single set of coordinates on the USGS National Base Map series at a scale of 1:24000 or 1:25000. The primary point of a linear feature depends on the feature class. If feature class equals stream, valley or arroyo, the primary point is the mouth. The primary point of a canal, channel, or trail is the center. The primary point of a ridge is the highest point. The primary point of an areal feature is the approximate geographic center with the following exceptions: The primary point of a populated place is the center of original place such as the city or town hall, main post office, or town square regardless of changes over time. The primary point of a reservoir is the center of the dam. The primary point of a summit, range, ridge, or pillar is the highest point." Excerpt from this url: http://geonames.usgs.gov/GNIS.html Multiple points for some linear features run from mouth to source. Multiple points for some area features run from center outword. Try an Internet search for something like: "gnis point location of area areal linear feature" The points are fixed. A non-mapping receiver only knows the points programmed in it. Outside of the points it has it doesn't know where the river or lake is, etc.

Sure, no problem. If it's a great area, I'd do the hike anyway. I occasionally hike up the Barr Trail to the top of Pikes Peak and back down too (some people get a ride down). That's about 13 miles one way, start at about 6700 ft. and finish at 14,115 ft. That's what I did to get to the first cache put on top. In the Land of the Marmots Archived Cache

I've got some bad news for you. You're not the only one there, I'm out there too!

I've been planning on picking up some "First Place" ribbons and finding a friend with a sewing machine that can do text. Then sew something such as "Geocaching FTF" on them.

The map authors Yahoo group is a great source for information on doing your own Garmin maps. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/map_authors/

Getting the pseudo range to the satellites involves more than just the antenna. There's also the RF circuitry and the DSP processing. I don't know the particulars of the Magellan/Lowrance/Garmin designs but consider the article referenced below. It mentions that the "typical GPS receiver" has 32 correlators. For comparison, the system being discussed can get a lock inside a car trunk and uses 16,000 correlators and has a significantly longer dwell time than the "typical GPS receiver". I suspect the primary difference in performance between Garmin and Magellan is in the DSP architecture and not in the antenna. Note that reflected (multipath) signals are relied upon for reception in the difficult areas. http://www.globallocate.com/GlobalLocateIndoorGPS.pdf If you record tracks at a fixed location, the Venture tends to make rectangular type patterns unlike a 12XL or 76 series, suggesting that the DSP is different in the non-color eTrex series than in other Garmin models. See: http://searching_ut.home.sprynet.com/stati...y_tracklogs.htm For some measurements comparing a Venture, 12XL, GPS 76, and GPSmap 76 and internal/external antennas see: http://www.gpsmap.net/WaldoTestIntroduction.html

This sounds like a story I read once that took place (don't know whether it was true or an urban legend) in the Pacific Northwest (he lived in Washington). He just went out for a hike - nothing to do with Geocaching. Seems to me it was even before Geocaching was invented. In this case it was the debate about people going into the wilderness and thinking/expecting their cell phone would get them out of trouble.

Find a place where you can kick back and relax and read. Put a cache nearby called "The Old Log Book Cache". Stock it with the old logs and, of course, make sure it's clear which log belongs to the cache.

Get a charger that has independent charging circuits for each battery such as the Maha 401 (MH-C401FS). You can charge the three batteries together in it.

Please, please do this!! I think I'll write a very true log to that one and misleading logs to all the others.

You can use a re-radiating version.

I have some waypoints posted that are intended to roughly map hiking trails. Look under "Waypoint Files for Colorado Trails". http://www.gpsmap.net/ This is a good site: http://www.travelbygps.com/ And another: http://www.swopnet.com/waypoints/