TeamCNJC
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Posts posted by TeamCNJC
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I ordered a MeriPlat, had it for a few days and couldn't even get it calibrated - it would be off 20 or 30 degrees, but not consistently (i.e., dead on North, 30 degrees off East, 20 degrees off the other way South...). I called Magellan, had them walk me through a more extensive calibration procedure in the hidden menu system, but still didn't get consistent results. Returned it through my vendor for a MeriGold, and have been completely happy without an electronic compass.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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This topic has been debated time and time again. The archives have exhausitive answers to your questions.
Why did you choose the Platinum vs. the Vista? Is it because of the barometer and compass? Are these features that you're really going to use? Are you going to spend time calibrating the compass? A $5.00 Silva compass from Walmart can point north standing still. Any GPS can point north when you're moving, even a few steps.
If you're dead set on the compass and barometer, I would look at the Garmin 76S instead of the Vista. Do an archive search on antennas to see the pros and cons of patch (Vista) vs. quad (Meridian, 76S) discussed as well.
BTW, welcome to geocaching. Whatever you choose, you'll have fun.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by Mike (n0odk) and Chi:I found a couple caches in bad condition. Sees like some people like to have more caches out and maintain then less. I wish people that have 20+ more caches would cut back and make them better containers and less junk/business cards/and low maint.
Just make it more fun finding something good, not wet, and not junk. I don't take anything most times. Just the fun of hiking and looking.
So your second post EVER to the forums is to complain about cache hiders with many caches? As if KB had placed 80 fewer caches the ones that you found would be dry, or have better stuff in them?
BTW, a better use of the "mad" emoticon would be for someone who logs a find in a area that they've been to in the past, but never actually geocached in. Like an area that's been closed off due to a fire. That would make me
.I've hunted a few KB caches in the metro, and found most of them to be in good shape, in unique places, and well worth the hunt, especially if you're into "just the fun of hiking and looking." If you're not into a particular hider's style, feel free to stay away. But please don't criticize somebody for hiding caches.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
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It's the same site that offers all of the opinions expressed here so far. It's no wonder that we're confused.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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It's the same site that offers all of the opinions expressed here so far. It's no wonder that we're confused.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Markwell,
That's what I do, once a month, maybe twice. I've got a query for "hot caches" that are close by and unfound, and it runs three times a week. I don't bother with the LOC files because I don't want the hassle, but I can easily enter one or two new caches in by hand. I'm just trying to cut down on the bandwidth and processor time, and if I can get the eBook only, I would prefer that for some of my queries.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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I would recommend taking shoes - if you have to go too far off trail (or off asphalt), you can at least take off your blades.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Interesting. Can you supply the reference for those statements (for my information)?
I found a reference that seemed to contradict, but on closer examination, it was talking about decreasing accuracy once you left the WAAS service area, not within the WAAS service area. I copied the reference, tried pasting in here, lost it, couldn't find it again, lost interest in finding it again...
I found another reference that supports no-relation-to-ground-station-distance theory here. The space-based correction systems (i.e., WAAS) are constant, while the ground-based correction systems are range dependent.
I guess this debunks myth 3, but the last line in your quote seems to support myth 2.
This has been a good discussion. Thanks.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by Rubbertoe:I see that you've logged logs, but logging long logs shouldn't be a problem. I log long logs often, as I tend to be a bit wordy sometimes. Unless logging long logs to you means like 3000+ words or something.
How many long logs would a long logger log of a long logger could log long logs?
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by Rubbertoe:I see that you've logged logs, but logging long logs shouldn't be a problem. I log long logs often, as I tend to be a bit wordy sometimes. Unless logging long logs to you means like 3000+ words or something.
How many long logs would a long logger log of a long logger could log long logs?
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by Rubbertoe:There must be at least one negative to running WAAS, otherwise it'd just be something that was on all of the time.
*shrug*
In the latest Magellan units, WAAS is on all the time. The "option" to disable it is buried in a hidden menu.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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How about an option for eBook output only? The LOC files aren't doing it for me - way too many files that need to be manipulated to change icons, compare to what I already have, etc. Personally, if I find one or two caches in the eBook, I can enter the information by hand, and very infrequently (twice a month at the most), I would actually use the LOC files that I'm getting.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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1) I like the topo maps. The basemaps (see #2) are relatively limited, and the topo maps provide roads in addition to the topo lines and natural features. Topo maps also provide address lookup. The Streets and Destinations provides road and POI information if you're primarily interested in on-road applications.
2) The 2Mb for the base unit and the 16Mb for the Gold/Platinum is for the basemap. Naturally, the larger basemaps have more information. Basemaps are updatable, and if you hack around you may be able to find a procedure for replacing the basemap in the Gold/Platinum with the North American marine, Euro land, or Euro marine basemaps. You can't do that with the base unit, though.
If you're going to get an SD card and upload detail maps, then you really don't need the updatable basemaps in the Gold/Platinum. However, with the latest firmware, Magellan has split the base unit from the Gold/Platinum firmware. This may mean that future new features may not be supported in the base unit, but this is really just wild conjecture at this point.
3) LIKES: Signal lock (better than my Garmin Venture), updatable/removable SD cards, ability to load maps using a card writer (time savings), multiple screens for customization
DISLIKES: Size, lack of clip/lanyard
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
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Originally posted by EraSeek:Third myth: You have to be near a WAAS station to get a good drop in your readings
I've heard before that this is not true because the corrections work by zone or area not distance from a station.
I think this may be a "partial" myth. WAAS corrects for errors due to timing (clock), ionospheric interference, and satellite positioning (ephemeris). While you may be able to get a large area of correction for clock and ephemeris errors, the graphic that you mention above shows that ionospheric errors are localized and rapidly changing, so there has to be some correlation with distance from a ground station. The WAAS FAQs on Joe Mehaffey and Jack Yeazel's GPS Information Website seems to support this, if not the other two "myths."
As far as myth #2, with my Garmin Venture I did not see an appreciable drop in EPE, though I did get differential signals if I was lined up just right after about 3-4 minutes. I've left the unit on for over an hour, stationary, receiving WAAS corrections, and the EPE stayed the same. OTOH, my Magellan Meridian Gold will show a drop in EPE to about 13 or 10 feet after receiving WAAS signals for 1 or 2 minutes.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
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... but I did remember reading this before. On the GPS Information page concerning WAAS:
quote:
3) Also, a handheld must be within a region serviced by at least one of the monitoring stations supplying corrections to the Master Control site. The distance might be somewhere in the range of 500 miles or less, because the ionospheric delays are fairly local in nature and change rapidly.-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
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There aren't that many that I can think of. Usually the cache has to be off the trail enough so that it won't be found by accident. There are two virtuals that I can think of as rollerblade-accessible - this one is probably outside of your line of travel, and this one is downtown. The only traditional cache I would even think about attempting on rollerblades is this one, but it's been moved since I've been there last, and may be pretty far off a paved path. It's near Elk River.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by smoochnme:I wouldn't consider what PA has done a policy. They (The Pa Dept of Conservation and Natural Resources) have developed a form for geocache approval on State Parks to be used as Park Managers see fit. A Park Manager is not required to use it, if he/she is comfortable with letting geocachers place caches on their park.
Actually, it IS a policy: Geocaching is allowed if approved by the local park management. In MN we would love to have someone is St. Paul tell us that it is up to the local guys to make a decision - they're reachable. Right now, the MN DNR policy is "NO," and the response to opening a dialogue with the DNR is "No thank you." Also, the "resources" I was referring to is the time and manpower to study geocaching to see if it will work in MN state parks. I'm sure that the PA DCNR resources are not the same as they were a few years ago. I know that the natural resources are vastly different from state to state.
We'll continue watching what's going on in PA from afar. The direction you're moving is a lot better than here in MN.
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I've visited MN quite a bit and believe that the public resouces are quite different for each state. Imagine the fun if we could geocache in the BWCAW!The BWCA falls under the jurisdiction of the Wilderness Protection Act, and is part of the Superior National Forest. Two strikes against geocaching. Personally, when I go to the BWCA, I take my GPS as an emergency backup to map and compass, and probably wouldn't feel right about finding Tupperware just off the portage trail.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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In addition to receiving differential signals from a WAAS satellite, you also have to be in proximity to a ground station. As I understand it, the ground station receives the signal from the satellites in view, calculates the error in the signal (because the ground station doesn't move), and that error correction is uploaded to the WAAS bird that transmits it to all WAAS capable units. The farther away you get from a ground station, the less impact the differential will have. Even though you may be receiving a differential signal, it may not be adding a significant improvement to your accuracy.
Here in MN, I've seen a decrease in the EPE displayed on my GPSr, but the availability of WAAS signals has not influenced my ability to find a cache.
As always, YMMV.
Here's a question for those who are more knowledgable then me - is there a listing of WAAS ground stations, and what is the radius of the ground station's influence?
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by Growley:One question I have for you Meridian Platinum users; do you have a "hold level" message pop up when using the magnetic compass?
The Meridian Platinum has a "3 axis" magnetic compass, so it knows the position of the unit and which way it should point. It's the coolest thing to stand there holding the unit at about 20 degrees off vertical and watch the compass spin as you turn. Calibration consists of spinning the unit around once, then flipping it over, and has to be done whenever you change the batteries.
Unfortunately, I had problems with my Platinum's compass, and could not get a consistent calibration. For instance, I could be dead-on west, 40 degrees off when pointing north, 20 degrees off pointing east, and 30 degrees off the other way pointing south. Magellan tech support talked me through a more extensive calibration procedure, but no luck. They thought that I had a "serious problem" and asked me to return the unit. I decided to go with a Gold when exchanging with my vendor.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by Macduff:With the Attorney General attempting to turn us into a nation of snoops, perhaps there is a danger of geocachers being turned in for 'suspicious activity'. for more info, see:
https://www.citizencorps.gov/tips.html
VERY scary!
Scary? I'd be relieved. If someone decided to "turn me in," I'd have some explanation for what I'm doing. If someone decided to turn me in for snooping around a skyscraper, national resource/landmark, or other "vulnerable" place with a GPS, I wouldn't have an explanation. I also wouldn't be geocaching.
Remember the state where the "20th hijacker" was caught for suspicious activity before September 11? I do.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by jhwf4:Just curious Harrald...why do you do this?
"Don't forget the people that hide and seek under different accounts."
jhwf4
Some people hid under "team" accounts, so that no one team member gets credit or sole responsibility for a cache. Under the current system, only one logon ID can be the "owner" of a cache.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Since there are advocates of logging a find when they find the cache location but no cache, I would email the finder, ask him exactly where he thought the cache should have been, and let him keep the find as long as 1) he/she was in the right spot, and 2) the cache is indeed missing. If he was looking under the rock in the picture (entitled "Where the cache isn't"), and that's not the place, he should change his log to a not found.
Had I been the finder, I would've posted a note and emailed you to make sure that I was in the right spot before logging a find that I didn't actually find, but felt I was entitled to.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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If you're thinking about somehow having a popup menu with the trip information, I don't think this is possible. You'd have to swap out one of the data fields on the page, or put the information you want to display on another page.
Magellan Meridians have more pages than the Garmin units, so you have the option of having more "custom" pages, but you don't get things like max speed or a trip counter in a custom field.
FWIW
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
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Originally posted by Eric O'Connor:How would you feel if you returned to find that your cache had been disabled in this way so that you could verify it's condition and report the results back to the page?
If one person had a concern over my cache because I hadn't been there to update it in a while, and I was given two weeks to respond before my cache was deactivated - I'd be pretty ticked. Especially since there are many caches out there that have gone unattended/unanswered for months.
If many people had complained, and it had been a month or more and nobody was able to contact me - I would probably be ticked, but would understand that there was a growing tide of concern over the cache. Like you, I would welcome the opportunity to be accountable to what I'm doing with my cache.
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Originally posted by Rubbertoe:Heh... sucks to be Jeremy at times like this I bet.
Amen.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...
SporTrak Pro or Meridian Platinum
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
SanDisk is a brand, and they make SD/MMC and CF style cards. I've got a 64Mb SanDisk SD card for my MeriGold.
-Craig/TeamCNJC
... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...