datum

Disregard...seems to be working now.

Play It Again, Sam Cache is an ammo box, the tapes seem to do OK.

Without rehashing what has already been said about the quality of some caches, it would be ashamed to clutter up an area with another film canister or Tupperware container when a good virtual has the merits to stand on its own. The problem being that everyone has their own definition of what “good” is. I always felt the “Coffee Table Book” guideline was the clearest, most reasonable and understood (by most).

I haven’t seen the Sport Trak Color but I currently have the Magellan Meridian Color GPSr with an expanded (SD) memory card of 64 MB. It is a nice unit and it seems to work well for me. I have also owned the Magellan 330 map and the Sport Trak Map. These of course, used the basic (black & white) screen. Viewing of the screen on the Meridian Color unit is best done with the backlight on…difficult with it off. On a bright sunny day it can be difficult to see even with the backlight on. You will find yourself angling the screen to get the best view – still with difficulty. In something less than bright sunny conditions or a cloudy day with the backlight on…the color screen is very nice. My feelings on the Meridian Color are that it is a very good unit and the color is nice if you can learn to deal with its shortcomings. I don’t know how much better viewing Sport Trak Color unit is….but I’d be curious to see it in bright daylight. Depending….(and if I were buying) that might make me reconsider my need for a color unit.

Have a look at The Big Spring Thing and The Mystery Spot These are not terribly hard to find....just a little different....

To get to the PROJECTION feature...go to the POSITION SCREEN. That's the one that has your TRIP ODOMETER on the bottom of the screen and your POSITION COORDINATES at the top. Press MENU button. Scroll down to PROJECTION. Press ENTER. Work it!

Try turning the ad blocking setting to off.

"Cache well stocked except for pen / pencil. Had to use a leaf & stick to sign log book. (A pen or pencil works better.)" [This message was edited by datum on October 19, 2003 at 05:23 PM.]

Yikes! Spoilers?....We don't need no stinkin' spoilers.

Thanks but I’m in the Cadillac area this weekend. Will try the MIGO site Monday and contact you if there still is a problem. Hope you catch a break from the rain for the event. Have GPSr - Will Travel

Hmmm...I haven't been able to get in. Even though it gives me a "Hello Datum"...when going to Forums I get an "Access denied - Registered users only." I can't re-register...it tells me there is already someone with my email address. (Yea...me!)

Another reason for not exposing the location of a cache with pictures would be that it increases the chances of it becoming plundered. A lot of young kids have access to a computer but not a GPS. It would be very easy for them to print out a cache map and picture of the cache location that may be in their area and go out Geotrashin’. Probably doesn’t happen a lot…but it does happen. Get the picture?

Posting spoilers should be left to the discretion of the cache owner. See this thread. That also goes for those posting to their personal webspace. (I had one person do that with a Virtual - gave away everything. Explain that.) If you hide your own cache and post spoilers of it...that's fine. Your cache...your choice. [This message was edited by datum on September 11, 2003 at 01:59 PM.]

Make sure your GPSr is set to use the correct datum for the coordinates - typically WGS84.

quote:...many of us who would appreciate the ability to mark a cache as "ignored", so it just doesn't appear on our closest caches pages, our pocket queries, etc. Pretty please...?

OK…ready....Gimme a big smile…..

To claim credit for this Virtual cache take a picture of yourself and your GPSr with your GPSr clearly visible....

Here's an interactive Michigan Virtual that requires you to stay in your vehicle to experience. No need to take the wheelchair out of the vehicle...and interesting enough. The Mystery Spot Is it an illusion…or the doorway to another dimension? You be the judge….

I have no problem with a finder posting a picture that does not give away the cache location. A nice shot of what’s in the general area or even a close up of the cache container / contents away from its hiding spot is fine. If it’s a nice area…that will help draw people to do the cache. I will not accept a picture that gives away the cache location. Exposing the cache location / hide and posting it with your online log. I wish someone could explain why they feel the need to do that. Can’t keep a secret? Wants to help the next guy? Or…thinks nobody believes that they are capable of finding one…so they need a picture to prove it? Fortunately…it doesn’t happen often. Most people have the common sense and courtesy not to compromise someone else’s hide. If you’re lucky, the person who placed the cache has taken some time, thought and effort in its placement. ANY clues / pics giving away the cache location should come from them. It’s just plain wrong to nullify that effort by exposing the cache. Indicate a spoiler may be in the log? Human nature being what it is…whether by choice or accident…will stumble on that picture. You spoil the fun and adventure for everyone when you give away too much information. Do what you want with your own placed cache…leave mine as it is. I can always make adjustments depending on the feedback in the logs. We have a cache here in Michigan (Bill &Gary’s Excellent Adventure) that is sponsored and placed by the Metropark itself. It‘s a big park and quite a challenging multi-cache. Last year’s was great and this year looks to be even more challenging and fun. I know Bill & Gary would not like to see all their hard work and effort done for naught because of someone with a camera exposing their hide(s). That’s understandable…isn’t it? I no longer apologize for deleting a picture or log anymore. It does no good. Now I specify on my cache page that “Spoilers will be deleted without notice.” If that’s unacceptable to you….keep on walkin’…….. [This message was edited by datum on June 29, 2003 at 01:47 PM.]

How do I vote NO?

Whatever reason we have for not doing a particular cache can be as varied as we are individuals. Regardless, I see agreement that once that determination is made, it would be nice not to wade through them again every time the Nearest Cache list is brought up. Using Pocket Queries and programs like Watcher may be an option but it is not a solution for the clutter. As the amount of caches in a particular area grow, that percentage of “passed” caches will grow. Simply…. because the caches you want to do, you will. THOSE move off your Nearest Cache list and move on to the “Caches you found.” The “passed” caches stay there. It is conceivable that with the exception of the occasional new cache, you may have to someday go through a multiple of pages to find something you want to do. I would not like to see it come down to “Log(ging) it as a find but in the comments post: Not found – removing from list” to eliminate a cache from you list. That would skew ones cache number. THE NUMBER is a motivator for some and for others it is a convenient reference as to ones activity. However, unless the clutter problem is addressed, it may become a measure of last resort. For those who have been around for awhile, think about the amount of caches in your area 2 years ago. Look at today. Imagine what it will be like 2 years from now. It’s good to be selective.

Here’s something I offer up for discussion. I realize not everyone agrees on what makes an acceptable cache. Some may find the Virtual consisting of a “historic plaque” sitting in the middle of an empty open field explaining that a post office once set here to be interesting. Others may think a Tupperware container tossed behind a tree along a busy road is exciting. Then again some don’t. Some feel the more caches the better, some don’t. Some folks get into the number of finds, some don’t. However, what most can agree on is that we would like some control as to what caches show up on the Nearest Geocache(s) list that comes up when a zip code is input. Since at present, there is no way to get these off your list unless you “find” them, here’s a possible solution. Log it as a find but in the comments post “Not found – removing from list.” This would eliminate the listing of that cache and the necessity for you to do a cache just to get it out of the way…off your list. A better solution would be for Geocaching.com to have an additional option on the Log A Find page (along with: Found it, Couldn’t find it, Post a note, Cache should be archived) called “Don’t list on Nearest Cache Page.” This option would remove it from your list but not claim it as a find. Thoughts, comments?

What da’ ya’ mean...SMILE? [This message was edited by datum on May 25, 2003 at 04:49 AM.]

A classic example of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.

I wave to admiring crowds with my left.