trevorh7000

Due to several stuff ups and circumstances it looks like the Ursimus maximus Cedit Mare VII will not be an official event cache. So what went wrong despite me being reminded by at least two cachers of the impending event<br data-text="true">1. I was slack and despite the two reminders though I had more time and when I went to make the listing I was a day late and it only let me choose the date of the 18th the Sunday after the actual Saturday 17th event day.<br data-text="true">2. I submitted the event anyway with a plea to give me leeway for the day. Or so I thought. Turns out that i only submitted a reviewer note and not submitted for review - an important difference. So I have only in fact submitted the event today when I was checking up why I had not heard anything. I had been taking the new news is good news approach. <br data-text="true">3, I had on the same day i though I had submitted it sent a personal email to Bruce and Rodney (to the email addresses I had on file - I just checked and the emails were sent but never replied too<br data-text="true">4. I filter my mail from Groundspeak and don;t actually read it - else I woudl have seen that my submission was only a reviewer note not a real submission<br data-text="true">So it was a perfect storm - I am hoping against hope that the event can be allowed but we will see - I will probably get a reply tomorrow<br data-text="true">But the swim is still on even if it will not be an event so I hope to see all the regulars there<br data-text="true">Saturday 17 Clifton 4th as usual 10am sharp

They look good on a map, take lots of coordination bit can be a bit contrived if the cache is not hidden at the exact location of the cache marker, like an off set cache or heavens forbid a mystery cache that the final is not at the chords. Using a few different types of icon for viewing pleasure is also great so that's where those mystery caches come in. Did not even know about the arrow of parrot so will have to check. It out. There is an awesome locomotive and airplane in the states that I can recall amongst other less impressive ones

UPDATE NEWS FLASH The weather is looking to be a fine warm sunny 21 degrees for Saturday Bring your friends Bring your kids Bring your smile Leave your dog at home. Trev

Dear caching community These forums seem to have slowed down somewhat and unusually I find myself the only one logged in at present. But as the title says the 5th Annual Polar Bear event Ursus Maritimus Cedit Mare V is taking place on Saturday 20 June at 10am on Clifton 4th Beach Lets try and get record numbers attending and swimming. For those on the know they would not miss it for those who do not know, we pick the shortest day of the year (mid winter solstice) and go for an icy dip at Clifton. Because its mad, its fun and we can. You do not not have to swim to attend this event - although I should probably list two events - one on the beach and the other in the water!!!! That will separate the men from the boys! So look out for the listing which I have submitted for review just minutes ago the GC code is GC5X1KK but that link probably will not work yet till its published. See you there Trev

You should have got an iPhone Pooks! You would have had less choice that you had to pay more for. I use c:geo as has been mentioned by others. Learn how to use it before you head out in to the field otherwise you might be frustrated. The official geocaching app is another choice - I have not bothered with it. With c:geo you can create and download pocket queries = or there was a helper program that does this, but once you sort it out its quite good. The compass on my current android, a s***ty zest seems very jumpy, but it was rock solid on my old samsung galaxy ace. So its probably the hone more than the app. If you are going to use a smartphone for caching then you are going to need a portable charging device - especially if you like to hike far to find caches Good luck Trev

At least you are not going to CAR! Watch out for the Janjaweed - or don;t they operate in the south? I will gladly host your virtual tour Probably best is if I give you my login credentials and then you can upload, play and configure to your hearts content the website is sativa.co.za and I don;t use it for much - so it will be good if it has an actual purpose so you can use something like sativa.co.za/whatever or I can try and set up whatever.sativa.co.za which might be neater solution - will have to play arround with the dns or something Trev

Derek try the OSM maps that are available for download here http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ Please be aware that it takes some time to generate your own custom maps up to days some time so get cracking well before you leave, but precompiled maps of countries are avaialble for immediately download. Fully routeable and I think these maps now even contain street number info but other wise just get your waypoints from google and punch the coords and you will be routed. Good luck Trev

Well this could take some time! Nice initiative but since all are mystery caches and the 5 listings I looked at are not to be found at the given coordinates the whole art thing is bit arbitrary. But well done on the effort that has gone in to this! Making an art work with caches placed at the actual locations would be a harder challenge - perhaps the Pretoria cachers could make an attempt after they have rested from this effort. Lots of puzzles to keep cachers busy on a rainy day! I hope there is a suitable prize or commendation for the first cacher to complete the entire series (who can honestly say they solved all the puzzles and found all their caches on their own!!) Oh and heres a link to the first in the series so you can find it easier on google maps http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4XV8J_pretoria-geoart-p01-music-for-your-soal - it took me a while - also it would be better to download the coordinates and plot them properly - I just used the live view in google earth which does not accurately plot the coords so the art work did not look as good as it should! Even better - here is a screenshot of the art the way it should be seen

Its that time of the year when you get the chance to freeze in the Icy Atlantic and get a smiley at the same time. It all goes down on Saturday 21 June 2014 10:00am Clifton Fourth We had 17 log attendance last year lets see if we can beat that this year - and get more attendees in their shorts and in the sea. I have just submitted a log listing so its in the review queue and will no doubt be published soon So all you Capies get ready and to the rest of the country if you will be in Cape Town on the 21 June pack your swimming trunks and join in the icy fun. Cache published - LINK Brrrrrrr! Trev

Tommy Two Gates never fear I have a copy of this addon - it has not been updated since 2011 and the website is defunct and you are right - I can't find it but its still installed in all my browser and I am sending you the xpi file so you can try it. Bear in mind that I am using an old version of firefox 20.0 and firefox is on 29.0.1 so there is a strong chance the addon will not be compatible - but you are free to try because it is a great addon Anyone else wanting a copy to try is welcome to email me and I will send the file Trev Cheesy fonts courtesy of WriteArea!!!!! I can confirm write area works in firefox 29.0.1 - this is proof!!!!!

Hey Bob The only thing you seem to have done wrong is lose the macro!!!!! I have the pilotsnipes macro and another one that was newer. I will email you the macros when I am home - I have a 200 but I am sure it will work for you 255 as well As for using GSAK direct I don't know about that - but the pilotsnipes is tried and tested If you have not heard from me feel free to ping me direct as a reminder Trev

Use OSM maps. Try this site for predefine maps or select your own. Download a format that will install to your Garmin via Mapsource or probably Bascamp now. http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ Its really straightforward. The maps are good and fully routeable but lacking street address information but if you have the waypoints loaded it will route you no problem. You can download info from OSM and make your own but the above site is the simplest method that I have found. Enjoy your new free maps! Trev Added I just tried it out and the pre built maps seem to be downloaded just as an .img file - this should be nor problem for your etrex as I think all the new Garmins allow you to just dump as many .img files in your GPS as you want (probably up to a maximum) If you set the manual seletion and select just the tile you need then I think it packages up the img file as a Mapsource install file for older units that have to have the maps loaded by Mapsource instead of just dumping a img file.

I'm not sure that is entirely fair. If you recall, when I first contacted them, they were aware of geocaching and very concerned about it. The hornets were already buzzing then. I am really gutted by their simplistic, "don't want to think about it" way of dealing with us. What I have to find out now is if their is any way to gently bend these overbearing rules. Fair enough. But now they have issued this decree - which actually can't be enforced anyway. They are simply looking at the problem with blinkers on in my opinion. That's why I don;t believe they have any capacity to do anything about it. And if they do it will once again be the soft target principle. If they concentrated their resources on making the mountains safer and getting rid of crime and criminals - but thats too difficult and costly - they can rather send some rangers out with GPS and Groundspeak printouts to remove the caches that are going to destroy the sensitive eco systems. Yes I am being facetitous but I think you get the point. But now the engagement has started it will be interesting to see what unfolds. Where was Cape Nature while the greedy Toll Operators where building on Sanparks land in Chapmans Peak. What about the rhinos? Trev

Seems like they don't actually get it. I would have thought not to poke the hornets nest. The hornets nest has been poked. Consequences to follow. I guess I am going to have to go and find some caches soon.

There are two Event caches n Wednesday and I was so looking forward to a nice bike ride to Hermanus. Accuweather is predicting rain. Now I have to take my cage - or get a ride with someone else. I am joining for lunch (not the tour of the Hermanus event and I do need to be back in CT by 6:30 pm which means just touching base with the Somerset West Cache at 16:30 Is anyone else going to both and I can catch a lift - alternatively I can take my bakkie and offer 1 person a lift. I am in Observatory so very close to N2 - can meet a The Wild Fig where I can be picked up it where you can leave your car safely if I am doing the driving. May we can use this thread =for others to ask for or offer lifts so we can do a little less damage to the earth. Will post to the WC FB group Trev

Ha Ha - Mouse hunt! Not done it yet!!! Trev

http://mediahack.co.za/2013/09/fusion-tables-and-kml-files-a-primer/ Just Came across this today I have seen the custom maps but using a pannable and zoomable google map would be an improvement - all sorts of stats coudl be protrayed graphically ona map no of caches per province/district, no of cachers, new caches, oldest caches etc So not sure if you gurus of data and stats were aware of this! Trev

Yes Andre! it is easiy enough to make from an old credit card to make the plastic part and a old serial mouse cable - then no soldering is required!!!!\ I think it only uses 3 of the wires! Any one have a old serial mouse they no longer need - will be going to a good cause! Or any other I did email the pfranc for SA Kalle, the guy who I bought my cable from, but sadly he has not replied - on his website he states Larry pfranc number 1 and manufacturer of the plugs has passed away so I am not sure where that leaves the project. I will keep trying to reach Kalle or another pfranc http://www.pfranc.com/ Trev

Hi All I seem to have misplaced my serial data cable for the etrex. It has that flat plug with 4 contacts. The cable that garmin will sell me for an exorbitant price. I bought one from a guy who makes them up for R200 (Still expensive but a lot cheaper than garmin) Does anyone have one lying about that they no longer use - it really is essential as with out it my yellow etrex becomes a dog and I have to load caches by hand and can't download tracklogs. I intended to take it overseas with me but never saw it during my travels so I assumed I left it at home - but I can't locate it at the moment. Thanks Trev

Just a quick report back on the GPS situation. I took my nuvi, etrex h and samsung galaxy ace. And my laptop In hind sight the best solution would have been cell phone with sim and data connection I used my pc for pocket queries and c:geo on the phone and had the etrex at hand as it is way more sensitive and accurate than the phone. I don't think I can stomach another slow overpriced for what it is garmin device I had a backup battery and then cell phone worked reasonably well Will probably just get a better phone that hopefully has a better gps receiver. Trev

I need a new phone anyway and am looking at the S4 or one of the samsungs S4/S3 mini. WIll certainly buy some sort of extra battery pack charging device plus will have my trusty etrex h that lasts all day No I need to work out if the camera will be good enough or whether I shoudl buy a camera as well - more strain on the battery!!!!! I figure the cost of the phone R9000 but paid off over 24 months is money better spent that R3000 for a sub par Oregon and it will be good enough! My mind is 90% made up - I just hate the idea of a cell phone contract I think they are obscene. I have thought about buying one when I arrive overseas but also don't want the risk.hassle of it not working back in SA or if it needs repairs under warrentee. thanks all who participated in the thread. Trev

I looked at an etrex 20 (R2600) and oregon 350 (R3000) at Cape Union Mart and I must say both devices were extremely disappointing to me for that much money. I think with chepa smartphones I have come to expect better screens - both screens are small and maps were quite laggy to update when dragged. The definition of the screens and their clarity looked shocking compared to R900 smartphone. The overall handling of a smarphone is a much nicer experience and the two mapping applications I have on mine are great. Plus you get live searches and Google knows just about everything. The only thing is the poor battery life. The Monterra may be the solution especially if they make it as thick and bulky as the oregon and etrex - then it can have a battery that lasts days - but ohn they won;t will they - it will be slim with a compromised battery no doubt I can't say I am excited by either a oregon or etrex - I did not even look at the other R5000 units which was the montana or something which had something of a decent screen size. Even the nuvi screens are better and there is a nuvi for R1 400 If I coudl get a battery that was twice as thick as my Galaxy ace and extended it's life 24 hours with constant gps and phone use then I woudl have a great little unit - even if the gps was not as a good as one of the dedicated units. Maybe I will look for a second hand unit as at least then I wont be dropping so much cash. Trev

Without using Google - as per the informal "rules" - I doubt anybody has every heard of the guy. I certainly couldn't remember back to 1969 when he walked on the moon! Suggestion - ask another question perhaps. After all it is over 2 weeks since the question was asked with virtually no response. Great suggestion old bean.

Monterra looks nice its exactly where I believed garmin had to go. I much prefer the navigation offering from my android but poor batter life means its not useable. Wonder what Garmin has done to extended battery life - I see they have added AA batteries as an option trev

I am looking to get a new gps and am looking at the etrex 30 vs dakota 20 vs oregon xxx I like that etrex 30 has GLONASS I like the touch screen of dakota and oregon for entering field notes I want this primarily for geocaching so I guess the touch screen is good but I would always have my smartphone for that - just that battery life sucks on a smart phone Are the altimeter and compass worth having? As that seems the only difference between the dak 20/30 and its about 500 cheaper Not intersted in spending more than 3k hence the models I have mentioned. I don;t need or care for wireless - unless it is wifi for transferring maps/caches via wifi - but I suspect it is some propitiatory wireless thing. Important features are ease of loading caches (via gpx file without messing with GSAK) and ease of loading maps by dropping them on to the sd card rather than having to use basecamp/mapsource to load. Perhaps you can mention the positives and negatives of your device if you have one of these. There is nothing wrong with my nuvi and etrex h but they are 5 years old now and I wanted a mapping handheld for my european adventure - I actually prefer the smart phone mapping but the battery and possible data costs are negative factors - or maybe I shoudl bebuying a large backup batter charger for the smartphone and be damned - but then I still have to mess with gsak to load the nuvi and etrex h Thanks in advance Other suggestions in my price range welcome - though the other GARMINS seem much more expensive! I'll be doing my favourite cache whose name I may not mention in the little village of F..king in Austria - I'll be taking orders for my special commemorative Tshirt when I get back!!!!! Slogan - I went to Austria and all I found was this 1. F..king Cache. Perhaps once I have been there I will be allowed to share photos and my experience without getting banned!!!