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Two Humans and a Dog

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Everything posted by Two Humans and a Dog

  1. Good one Robert!! I cannot seem to get my picture to work in these forums. I have jumped through all the hoops....but no luck
  2. Oh my goodness.... this was certainly a hot topic. A good point was made a while back (not sure by who now) It is coutious to give parking directions. And my intentions "were" that a space be provided on a cache page for parking coordinates. I do not think it would be necessary to make any rules. A form is not a rule unless you cannot submit it with ommitted info. But if space is provided for parking coordinates, it could be used at the discretion of the cache owner. Maybe some sort of bench test can be made by the web site owners to see if this would be a popular idea. And to those who don't want to use it, don't.
  3. Omg Huey Flier....where do you get a cable for $15??? It cost me $35 for my serial cable from Garmin.....then an additional $20 for the addapter when I switched computers and the new one required USB. I use Delorme's Map program... I can take my laptop with me on trips and see real time movement on it's interface. it also gives me all kinds of GPS info I can call up.
  4. Well... all I can tell you is what I do for finding a cache (if that helps) I happen to have an Garmin Etrex (yellow one) which likely has the same features yours has. One thing I learned long ago is to have the unit set up for proper longitude and latitiude coordinates. To do that, your instruction book can help. I can also tell you that you will need to go to the "menu display" on your unit, get into the unit's "set up" and then find "units". Then you need to scroll down to "map datum" Your map datum needs to be set on WGS 84. This is all done under "set up" Once this is accomplished your ready for the next step. Go here, to this web site and choose a cache that is near to you and in a familiar area. (for your first time) There are a few ways to utilize information to find a given cache. One is to download the waypoint into your GPS unit, but this requires an interface cable. The next way is to directly input the longitude and latitude (if your unit has the capability) directly into your unit. And the method I use is to write down the longitude and latitude on a piece of paper and familiarize myself with the area map provided on the right side of the cache page (Map Quest). Once you feel confident you know the general area you are going to, you can proceed. (don't forget extra batteries)(voice of experience) I usually drive to the general area (indicated on the cache page map), then I turn my unit on. After my unit gets a satelite lock, I scroll to the compass display. On the bottom of the screen you will see additional info displayed. (mine defaults to "speed"). You can scroll "within the compass display" to bring up an additional display of "longitude and latitude" at the bottom of the compass screen. Now, if you are in the general area of the cache you are seeking, these numbers will start to correspond to the numbers you have written on that piece of paper. You will learn with practice which direction to move to get the numbers to change closer to the numbers on your piece of paper. The closer the numbers on the display are, to the numbers on your piece of paper.......the closer you are getting to the cache. Now, if you are in North America... all longitude and latitude will be displayed in the following (as an example) N 41 82.4332 W 085 45.2223 The N & W of course representing North and West, but not "Northwest" combined. These numbers will increase (go up) as you move to the north or west. And will decrease (go down) as you go south or east. Keep that in mind as you compare the GPS Longitude and Latitude to your piece of paper that has the longitude and latitude of the cache. With practice you should be able to find most caches with this method. You can also with time refine it to suit yourself. Remember, a GPS unit is not going to take you to the "exact spot". It will take you as close to the cache as the GPS unit is capable of. Most GPS units can get you within 20 or 30 feet of a target in ideal conditions. Not so ideal conditions (trees, hills, cloudy/stormy skies) and you might be looking at 50 yards or more. It just depends..... I like going to caches that are "containers" of some type. I go and buy little trinkets at the store to leave there, in exchange for what i might take from the cache. There are also "virtual" caches. Which are just meant for you to arrive at a significant spot and so on... This info is just some basics for you.... There are many ways to skin this cat (geocaching). But this will get you started and hopefully you will enjoy it. I know you are going camping and kayaking and perhaps backpacking. One of the most important aspects in those areas........don't get lost!!! This requires you turn on your GPS unit "at your start point". Get a lock with your GPS unit. Scroll through until you have the "menu page". Scroll down the menu page and select "waypoints". If you hit the "select button" it will ask you if you want to mark your position with a waypoint (001??) Just push the select button again to confirm marking your postion. Please read your instruction book carefully to fully understand marking waypoints. Now you have your starting point marked (car, parking lot as an example) you can shutoff your GPS unit and walk to your destiation. Once you wish to return to your original starting point. You turn your unit on and scroll back to the menu page and select "tracks". (I believe you have track-back feature) Select "save" and then select "entire log". This will save "where you were" and "where you are now". Then on the same screen select "track-back". And then select "to begining" Now your GPS unit will show you on another screen (compass screen). It will have an arrow that will indicate your direction of travel. Follow the arrow back to your starting point. You can also scroll to the "track-back screen" to actually see your progress and how far away you are from your starting point (pictorial representation). There is also additional info your unit can provide you on your trip. You really need to practice with it and understand all of it's functions... Do not just go out and hope it all works out. Have confidence in what your doing before you do it. Practice using the track-back method while going from home to the store for example. the worst place to "try it" is when your lost in the woods.... Be careful... Hope this helped..
  5. Somehow I get the impression you are looking for something simple. I have a pair of Cobra Micro Talk radios (model FRS 110). Push to talk, 18 channels, with a tone/call button. Very simple, reliable..don't remember the range we have experienced. I believe our longest was approximately a mile in a wooded area. They cost about $45 for the pair. I also learned that the channels do not correspond to typical citizen's band radios....(which I was hoping for) Because I have a large base unit which I hoped to use with them. Only one bad experience with them while mushroom hunting. My wife once told me on air, "I love you" and some stranger on the next hill said "Love you too" I believe all that fancy equipment is great if you plan on making that a hobby too, but if your just geocaching, perhaps simplest is best.
  6. Let it go Mopar......you obviously lost the argument
  7. Don't be lazy......give the public the info they need. Amen to HIPS -Meister, Thot, Erfunden, Greymane & Auntie Weasel!!!! Sometimes common sense does not enter into it. If a cache is placed anywhere, it is normally assumed it is accessable. We are not mind readers...so just put the info down. If not, maybe someone should hold your hand when you developing a cache. The "disclaimer" on each cache page is only a legal "I'm not responsible, you are" statement. Courtesy is an entirely differnt thing.
  8. My wife and I are relatively new to geocaching. We started last year and in areas we were familiar with. We would like to range out a little into new places. But I am concerned about accessing various sites for the caches. I know some might be against what I am about to say, but ....oh well. I think it would be very considerate of cache owner/operators to include lawful parking coordinates in their cache page. It is not going to take the fun out of finding the cache and would elliminate most possiblities of incidental tresspassing. I know that most cache owners/operators have taken much into consideration, but some have not. I do have an example of one cache in our area that happens to be in a park. If you don't read the signs carefully...you will find yourself with a ticket on your window. (the park is closed part of the time) And yet, nothing was mentioned on the cache page. Can you imagine someone traveling to visit a distant cache only to find the access closed? I would be ticked off... I have noticed a trend to add more info to some of the cache pages, but as of yet it is not consistant. I am speaking of the helpful icons on the pages to tell of pets welcome and so on. I do not have a cache myself, but believe that the web site owners could put forth a simple form to be filled out for each cache represented. That would be in the best interest of consistancy.
  9. My wife and I are relatively new to geocaching. We had a very serious problem on our first time out. We had the wrong input on our Etrex coordinates. We were only lke 500 yards off!!!! When I changed this to wgs 84 we went right to the cache sight. We were very successful our first year. We found everything we looked for. Now this year seems to be a different story. So far we are 0 for 2 and very dissapointed. We don't know if it is us, or the persons took the cache in for winter and never put it back out. I would like to see more vigilance on the part of cache owners to keep the cache page up to date and even include coordinates of lawful places to start. We are always worried about where we park and if we might be trespassing. Keep looking and look at past logs on that cache to see if it was found recently. If not..it could be lost, stolen or not monitored very well.
  10. Hey! I am having the same problems with my little yellow fellow. I feel for you guys! I never had any trouble with finding caches in the past. Now all of a sudden we have come up empty (0 for 3). (the cliff idea has crossed my mind) Now as outlandish as it sounds to some of you. I am suspecting that the recent earthquakes in the Indonesia area (that have already have been confirmed to have moved the earths axis some minor amount). And might contribute to a substantial difference in accuracy when it comes to finding coordinates here on earth. Remember, the satelites in space stayed in place, it was the earth that wobbled slightly. I never heard any reports whether or not this was a permanent situation or temporary. And if permanent, can this be compensated for? email me if you have info..... greypaw62@netscape.net
  11. I have noticed on several occassions that some people or teams seem to "hang on" to travel bugs for a very long time. While they do get to travel, I think it would be more interesting if they could only be carried "once" by any given individual or team and not nearly "indefinately". Yes, sometimes they might get stuck in one area for a little while... But hey, that's fate. Let the bugs be "free"....lol
  12. Peachy! What a rip-off! Are you sure that your "husband's name" wasn't on the gift-tag? Tell him to go get his own! Oris that what he really intended when he bought you, yours? P.S. Say "Hi" to "Phil", we're counting on him come February 2nd!!!!!! -Two Humans and a Dog-
  13. I sense from the vast "aray" of "famous" people listed. (only two I've ever heard of) That this celebrity seeking bug is traveling...hmmmm.. How does one say this with tact? .....hmmmmm... Well, it seems to be traveling the "backroads" of this country.....lol Good Luck with getting this bug to smooch the celebs!
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