mchaos

Mobile Atlas Creator seems to be very powerful. Its free. The maps are free. It has nearly ever free map database in a list to pick from. Google, teraserver, microsoft. You can make your own, in every GPS format, Although I do not know about Iphone or other smart phones, ti depends on what file type it takes. The quality of the maps it produces is very good. Better resolution then Nat Geo topo, by far. Any one know of any other map making software?

Should be super easy. Problem is you have to make a lot of small layers for a magellan map. Start with a small map and work your way to bigger ones. I am making hybrid maps for area's of caching interest. On the right, Find where it says type of map. Select magellan. Then at the top you will see zoom levels. The higher number is closer to the ground. Which is anywhere from 100 to 200 feet depending on the map source. Highlight a small area, because magellan can only handle small layers. So just start say with the area around your home for testing. Select what zoom levels you want to be in it. I make mine as close as they can get so I can see where I am heading for a cache. I do like the first 4 highest zoom levels. For example, 19, 18, 17 and 16. That fives me 500, 300, 200 and 100 feet zoom level maps on the unit. Then hit add layer. Hit make atlas at the bottom. A dialog will pop up and make the map. Note** if you get an error, you highlighted an area that is too big. Clear the layers, and make a smaller highlight and do it again. Higher zoom levels take longer to download then lower. So depending on how detailed and close you want to view will decide how long it will take. Once its done, go into VP, At the top hit maps(With gps connected) Click the green + sign, browse to the map file, and add it. Now you can transfer it right to the unit. As well you can also just put the map file on the SD card from the pc in the MAP_DATA folder and it will be there when you put the card in the gps. If you want a bigger map, Highlight an area that is small enough for the unit. Easy way to do this is to set the zoom level to 13, and when you click on a grid square it will highlight that square. This size magellan can handle. Click on a square, hit add layer. then click on a square next to that one and hit layer, and so on and so fourth. Don't get too nutty in the size of the maps. I tryed making a really large one and it was going to take days to render. It is smarter to just make detailed maps of area's you will be going too. Its really cool when you can see something on the screen that looks like the cache could be hid at/in/on before your on top of it. Hope that helps. Little trial and error, and its all good. EDIT: Yes, this will work with explorist GC as long as you use the megallen format, which is a pain because it needs to be such a small patch per layer.

I have had Nat Geo Topo deluxe as it came with my Triton 400. Its pretty decent only you have to pay for the map tiles. Although they are very inexpensive. Recently I started messing with Mobile Atlas Creator. Why haven't I looked for something like this before?? Its free. you can customize your maps. You can get close up zoom detail, not available from Nat Geo Topo. Also you can choose from numerous map sources online. Spectacular!! So, does it get better then this still? whats you favorite mapping software.

I can't the police fining you. there are over 1m caches world wide. Its a generally accepted game.

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Think of it this way. Some people hunt for swag. Some people hunt for the find. People who hunt for swag are going to want to know how much swag is in the container. People who hunt for find could care less about swag so it has no bearing. So you set the size for how much swag you can fit, so the seekers know how much room for trade items there is. Now you could say the size could help some one find the cache. But there is so much variety to the container, so you still wouldn't completely know what you were looking for. That's why a lot of people will put the type of container on the cache page. Example: Cache is in a regular size lock & lock." or "Cache is a 30 cal ammo box." In your case I would say, "Cache is a regular sized lock & lock inside of a 5 gallon bucket full of rocks." Then it would be clear that the cache is regular size, and they would be looking for a 5 gal bucket to look inside of.

What ever container it is, make sure it has some sort of rubber seal. Such as a lock & lock type, ammo can or a water tight match stick holder, or bison tube. Walmart sells an orange match stick holder good for micros. Its 1$ Lowe's has a fake sprinkler head key hider for about $5. By far the best container to use for cheap swag size is a lock & lock. Walmart carries, well the same thing by rubber maid. (Did rubber made by Lock & lock?) They are cheap. Round $5 for a regular size. Get your self a roll of camo tape as well if you want to make it harder to find. Unless you want cache soup, stay away from stander glad-ware type containers. They are not waterproof, and water will get in it. A little science: A container that does not have a tight rubber seal will allow pressure to push through the seal. During the day the container warms up with the temperature. The air inside the container expands a bit. The pressure pushing outward will let a bit slip by. Not much. Very very small amount. At night as the container cools there will now be a slight vacuum. Again, nothing tremendous. Would be hard to even measure. Just enough to pull a little air back in. Tiny amount. With this air will come moisture. Over time the moisture will build up in side. If its hot out, And it rains, the cool water will cook the container fast, and pull in some water. This will build it up faster, unless the container is sheltered well. Even a container with a rubber seal may get some moisture in it, but much much less likely.

The size really relates to the amount of swag you can fit. If you can only fit a regular amount, then I would call it a regular. You could say in the cache description that it is in 5 5gal bucket, with the regular container inside.

Well I hope you wouldn't mind me creating one around here as well. Its a great idea. EDIT: At first thought, 5 gallon bucket may work, but then I thought the proportions aren't quite right. Gotta find the right container to make into one.

That's a really good idea! I wouldn't mark it micro, even if just a log only. I'd mark it unknown. Throw them for a loop. I'd glue a model rail road lamp to the inside of the cap so when the open it, they see the lamp post. I would just call it Micro Lamp post Hide. then inside I would say, "The canister is a black Film can with a gray lid." I would actually love to hide one like this my self. Its an excellent Idea. It would sure get some chuckles.

First, Post in the appropriate forum. Second, check your cable. Third, check your drivers. Fourth, Reinstall software if needed.

Well I am sure there will be something similar here eventually... I might be.... at this point LoL...

I do too, and can read them on my GPS at the site, but its too bad the CO doesn't put much into his descriptions either EDIT: I am not going to quote, but they are some thing like this... (Micro along trail just off to side. Container is a 35mm film canister.) Maybe a few more words then that, but that's about the extent of information you get.

Never did anything like that while caching, but once when I was a teen at a skate park, Went up a quarter pipe, then about 5 feet up the wall over a gap, then down another quarter pipe. next to that one was a bigger one, and the open space was exposed. Came down on an angle toward it, caught my foot in it, Did about the same thing you did, only I fled it pull out, and swing around back into place back into the socket. Took about 4 days before I could walk right, but by then end of the week I had but a wee limp. No permanent damage either... It only hurt until the pain went away.

Hummm Sounds familiar... I wish there was a surplus store near me. Then I wouldn't have to mail order them and pay shipping too!

I can put a bit of a twist on that. I always like to add the words, "in bed" at the end of all fortunes from fortune cookies. It works with every one.

I have a feeling this will get moved soon... Any way. I just got my first trackable not too long ago. I got a patch, and put it on my bag. Hope I don't loose that lol. I'd say, put the goal on it to make its way to a specific cache where you can then retrieve it. Be a great experiment.

Yeah, I am sure eventually the problem will work its self out. But there are a lot of caches. then there is another guy a few miles up trail that starts the same crap. I guess maybe they were trying to make a "power Trail. But its ridiculous looking on a map of it. Now see, there are some spots on this trail where you can't place anything.

Yeah. Like I said, some of them are good. Just more poor ones that good.

Should there be a character count for posting a log? Say 20 characters for it to be valid.

I see plenty of short logs from people who are not using smart phones. I do not have a smart phone, yet I have on occasion made short logs.

My gf twisted her ankle a bit once. The closest I have come to injury was when I was on my bike trucking it down a trail and hit a tree root that was a bit higher then anticipated and landed practically on my face. Although I am too quick and was able to land properly. Just made me giggle a bit because I am sure I looked funny...

I apologize. I looked at the logs. However, Where I am having the biggest problem isn't with me finding a place to hide one. Hunting them and finding all of there's poor caches is what is making me want to pack it in some times. If I hide them, I can't go and find them. It would be nice if the CO would work on upgrading some of his caches.

When every one asks, "do you want people to find it" that is very valid. Some people place micros to be really hard to find. I don't understand why people do this. A cache should only be really hard for a muggle to find. Now if you are just trying to make it challenging, that is fine. As was mentioned, marking the correct terrain level will be fine. There are many tricks you can do to hide it right out in the open. If there is any flat metal, you can do a electrical plate hide. If there is any bolt or threaded rod poking out, you can use a bolt hide cache. You can do a fake sprinkler head right out side the gazebo. Fake rock. Just look through the CCC thread. Plenty of idea's there. Just remember this. If you hide it in an evil way, and you want people to actually enjoy finding it, you might want to put a clear hint in.

Personally I like the ones from geocacher-u.com They are double sided.