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Greymane

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Everything posted by Greymane

  1. Silva is trying to give Cobra a run for its money. Great compasses, but stay away from the GPSrs!
  2. One thing to watch for is the drivers for the serial-to-USB cables. Some of these were buggy initially. If you find you are having problems, try to find an updated driver for the cable.
  3. Yes, knowing what you are looking for is key to pointing you in the right direction. I use Memory-Map Navigator with my Dell Axim. It is a great product for off-road and in-the-field use. On the driving side, I use Mapopolis for street navigation. Memory-Map has just come out with a new version which has better overlay (waypoint, route, track) management and lots of new options for routes and tracks (like tranparency). Plus, you can import GPX and LOC files. Mapopolis is great for voice-guided street navigation. They had some growing pains with the Axim x50v and the VGA screen, but the latest update I downloaded works wonderfully.
  4. I use an Axim x50v all the time. I have yet to break anything on it (or any of the three other PDAs I own). (*TOUCH WOOD*). I do use an Aquapac (waterproof bag) in the field. We use about ten different PDAs in our office and they hold up just fine as long as you use common sense. We also have some Otterbox rugged cases. These work very nicely. I use Memory-Map Navigator for caching, hunting and general hiking. It works great in the field, but falls short for street navigation. There, I use Mapopolis.
  5. Absolutely right. You can "cascade" your batteries to save money. Digital camera to GPS (still about 50% life), then to remote (or other low power consumption item) for many more hours of use.
  6. I am not really sure what you are asking, but I use my Dell Axim (Pocket PC) with a GPS all the time. I then use Memory-Map Navigator to download the data from the PPC. I can send it to my Magellan SporTrack or Garmin Geko from the program. So, yes, I can get the routes, tracks and waypoints from my PPC to my GPS, in a roundabout way. I can also go from the GPS to the PPC, or just create/save on the PC.
  7. I am afraid many parts of the country are not as up-to-date as King County. In many states, access to this information is limited to a paper map in the county offices, or is created on a county-by-county basis. Poorer counties tend to have much more limited resources, so less access to public documents and information.
  8. I would agree with Kerecsen, although some BT units can be testy. Also, look for a BT unit that has a good range. I would check on someplace like GPSPassion forum where they do independent tests on a wide variety of units. The actual numbers (for range) compared to the manufacturer specs will surprise you. I use a CF card GPS with my PPC, but it does impact battery life much more than a BT would. I have also used the Mio 168 and the Garmin M5. They are nice units, but I will stick with my Dell.
  9. I would disagree. The only thing I have done is put my Dell in an Aquapac waterproof bag. I have used a couple PDAs (I have four) for several years in the field for all kinds of work and have never broken one yet. You just have to use a little common sense. I use a CF card GPS with my Dell Axim x50v. It lets me carry tons of full detail 24k USGS topo maps (which I use with Memory-Map Navigator). The VGA screen is awesome. I can also use GSAK to send the cache pages to the PDA, so I have all the information with me.
  10. Yeah, a search for 14521 (which is the small town of Ovid) often gives Hayts Corners (an even smaller town of about a dozen houses).
  11. I use a PDA, so I carry mine in an Aquapac bag. It keeps the dust and water out and I can put the lanyard over my neck when I need my hands. It is totally waterproof, but I can use the PDA through the bag, so no need to open it.
  12. Dell Axim x50v and X30. I use a CF card GPS with the x50v and a Bluetooth with the X30. This gives me an SD slot on both for the maps. (I like lots of maps.) I use Memory-Map Navigator (Pocket Navigator) for tracking / viewing maps. I also use GSAK to send the webpages for the caches to the PDA.
  13. I can tell you from experience that the Magellan SporTrak tends to start wandering quite a bit when the batteries get below 1/4 full. Always snaps right back after new batteries are installed.
  14. Hats off to you son (and you for raising a fine patriot). I have always found my Pocket PC very handy (especially at sea) and now I use it for caching (and other GPS functions) as well. There are many GPS options depending on the type PPC you get (Bluetooth, CF card, etc.). This may be an option for you. It would not only give him the GPS function, but let him play games, compose email, store addresses & pictures, etc. Maptech sells street maps of the major cities for the Pocket PC. They are the only ones I know of off hand. (Nothing like having a hand full of maps!) You may also want to look into something like an Aquapac (around $25) which will keep the water and dust out of the PDA (and you can even use the PPC right through the bag, no need to take it out). This is certainly pricier than just a GPS, but serves a lot of other purposes as well. Fair winds and following seas to you son.
  15. Well, I fall into that category as well. I have discovered the car speedo is about 3 mph too fast (which is ok with me). I have also heard of tons of other uses for GPSrs. Some are listed below: Real estate agents use them to mark property boundaries Marking gas / power lines Search and rescue Finding your way to the still (just kidding) Some people walk/drive over large areas and create pictures from the track they produce Kayakers marking danger / caution spots on a river Hunters marking locations for animal tracks / signs That is just a small sample of some of the things people do with these little gems.
  16. I use Memory-Map Navigator and love it. If you buy the Discoverer set, you get all of the USGS topo maps for your state along with the software. It lets you look at the maps in 3D, so you can figure out the best way to approach a cache. It also allows you to import GPX and LOC files. The software works on both your PC and your Pocket PC, so it is like getting two programs in one.
  17. You might want to look at Memory-Map Discoverer. It will give you the full range of USGS state maps and a whole lot more for less than $100. It does 3D views and has a handheld and PC version bundled together. I love it.
  18. I have a Dell Axim x50v and use a Pharos CF card GPS. It works great. I can also use the SD slot for maps, so that is pretty nice. Even when I have multiple GPSrs with me (a common occurance), I use the Dell as a map library with all my topos on it. Since you suggested you are not geared toward driving, might I suggest Memory-Map Navigator for off road use. I use topos and aerial photos all the time with it. In my state (NY), I can get 1m or .5m resolution DOQQs for free on the internet. I have to convert them and calibrate them, but it is worth it for the level of detail I get.
  19. I would have to disagree with this statement, as I have an iFinder GO sitting on my desk right now connected to my computer. I am testing it for a friend, so I don't know the source of the cable I am using, but it looks identical to a Garmin eTrex connector with a slightly different pin configuration. I know I can send waypoints to it and I know I can get a position from it, so far. I don't have any Lowrance software, so I am kinda walking around blind right now, but definitely have some level of connectivity.
  20. Please remember, these people are volunteers. Each has his/her own schedule and organization. Some caches require more research than others to ensure the guidelines are followed. I would send a friendly note every few days, but please be patient.
  21. Whereify works like many other tracking programs and uses cell phone networks for the "transmitter" part of the package. The problem is that if you don't have a cell phone signal, the device is useless. I use Memory-Map Navigator which has a tracking capability to it. It, too, uses a cell phone for transmitting, but I can get around that with a satellite phone (which gives me coverage almost anywhere).
  22. Obviously, if there are rules for a given cache, you should try to follow the rules. No, you don't need to necessarily trade a TB for a TB in a regular cache. The deciding factor should be "can I help this TB accomplish it's goal?".
  23. Greymane

    Geko 101

    If you search, you will find dozens of discussions about starter GPSrs, but I think your best bet is to go with a basic Garmin eTrex yellow. I think it will prove a better choice than the Geko.
  24. Despite the mass of micro haters out there, I don't see a problem with them. As has been said many times before, if you don't like them, don't hunt them. That said, I find it insulting for someone to hide a micro in the middle of a forest or field and think it is a good hide. If you have an acre to hide the thing, make it a suitable size. If you are hiding it in a hundred square foot area, make me have to search that hundred square feet.
  25. Greymane

    New

    Welcome to both of you. Enter the forum at your own risk. You may learn a few things (but probably not).
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