bigeddy

That's funny.. I have a Dell Axim handheld with MICROSOFT OS and it just works.... <snip> I have a Garmin with the software that came with it and don't have to do the things you've described, it just WORKS (and I have a PC) Of course they work because the GPSr and apps are designed to be compatible with Windows. The question is why there is little or no apparent Mac support for Wherigo in particular and other GPS apps in general. It's a question on the mind of many Mac-based geocachers who struggle with proprietary Windows-only Garmin and Magellan devices, and then have to deal with elements of geocaching where the Mac is a side-thought. The answer, as Jeremy has stated in no uncertain terms, is that there are not enough Mac users to worry about, a common refrain of Windows software developers. It begs the question of geocaching community equity (as opposed to business concerns) but that's a topic for another time. True, especially as we become more networked with other users and as evil-doers get more aggressive. However, the Mac OS is inherently secure and most Mac users rely on common sense rather than special virus programs. The few reported Mac viruses have been obscure quirks that were quickly corrected, proof-of-concept exercises, or related to Microsoft products on the Mac. For every Mac virus there are tens of thousands of PC viruses. Garmin has a relationship with Groundspeak and close ties to Wherigo. To their credit Garmin is slowly... painfully slowly... making progress with Mac compatibility after years of empty promises. Ironically, a Mac user still has to run Windows to convert maps to a form suitable for the Mac apps. At least Garmin is not Magellan who have flatly stated they do not support Macs.

I installed Leopard OS X 10.5 on my wife's laptop. Geocaching.com works well on Safari except that the site's cookies don't seem to stick so I have to log in each time I do anything. It's always something.

I wouldn't be surprised since I am using an older version of the OS called Panther (aka 10.3.9). It works well on 95%+ of web sites but geocaching has been one of the select few that tends to render poorly--not surprising because they have said it is not tested on a Mac. It doesn't help that when the code is put through an HTML validator it is has so many errors it makes your head spin. We'll see how things go when I upgrade to Leopard later this year on the one computer I have capable of running it. The Groundspeak folks seem to like pushing the programming envelope. The constant work on new features is appreciated but, IMHO, their top priorities should be stability and speed. If this was commercial software I had purchased, I would be really upset with all the bugs and sluggishness. Edit - While posting this message I got: PHP Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 45 seconds exceeded in E:\Inetpub\forums\GC\ips_kernel\class_db_mysql.php on line 457 PHP Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 45 seconds exceeded in E:\Inetpub\forums\GC\sources\ipsclass.php on line 1111

I notice a pop-up calendar was added to the "Date Placed" field on the "Report/Edit a Cache Listing" page. Nice feature but, unfortunately, the calendar defaults to 12/13/1901 and changes the cache's hidden date. I have to correct the date every time I edit my cache page. This was tested on a Mac with 3 web browsers.

It's interesting to get the perspective of a new player. While your "3 or less per person" proposal seems arbitrary and impractical, I appreciate the fact that there are a lot of caches out there and it can seem like all the good locations are taken. Certainly, placing caches is harder than it used to be. By way of reference, I placed one of the first caches in my city in 2001 and there are now a couple hundred. I frequently see new caches going into places that I had rejected as being either poor or inappropriate. To make matters worse, areas open to caches are shrinking in part because of poorly placed caches that antagonize authorities. And then there is the proximity guideline itself which makes placing caches anywhere around multi-caches, puzzles and membership caches fraught with uncertainty; even the reviewers get confused. So, what is the would-be cache hider to do? There are several trends in the game that provide some answers: 1. Expand your territory into cache-poor areas. The problem here is not only the transportation costs but the fact that there is usually a good reason no caches are there. Still, there may be interesting possibilities in your area. You just have to explore and, if you do place a cache, accept the fact that it probably will get fewer visitors than the prime locations. 2. Be creative. This can be hard for a new cacher to do although I've seen some great hides by unknowns. Typically, you have to find a certain number of caches (20, 30, 50?) to get a feel for the possibilities and what you like. Clever camo, history lessons, challenge caches, themes, puzzles, etc.--people's creativity keeps the game alive. 3. Adopt good caches. Get to know the other local cachers and keep in touch. People frequently move and some of them would be happy to hand over their caches to a responsible owner. 4. Use micro, sub-micro and "other" caches that can be hidden almost anywhere. This is the least desirable approach IMHO but many people hunt these types so it comes down to what containers you are willing to use. Hiding can be more fun than finding. Think about what will work in your area and try it.

Yes, I see that the cache is loaded on the GPS receiver but with a "small city" symbol, not as a "geocache," so it does not appear in a normal geocache search. I wonder if the symbol is something the Communicator determines or if Groundspeak can specify it? It makes the communicator less useful when I have to correct the symbol for each cache.

I tried Communicator with the latest versions of the Mac OS, Safari and Firefox to a Garmin GPSmap 76CS with the latest firmware. Using either browser the window says: "Geocache (GCxxxx) geocache saved successfully" (redundant wording could be cleaned up) but it does not, in fact, upload the waypoint to the receiver. Confirmed this several times with different waypoints.

Thanks for the kind words after a DNF. There is now a sequel, Cache-O2, you may like to try. It is higher elevation near Mt. Bachelor and so has a short season (winter is just around the corner). There are several other caches in Central Oregon for map & compass fans, including Bushmaster and Pine Mountain Ridge Runner. Other local caches incorporate projections or map play, for example, Area 51 Geo-Node and Our Blue Planet.

My attempts to combine geocaching with orienteering are Cache-O and Cache-O2. For each hunt there is a starting map cache found with GPS, a series of stages (aka control points) found with map and compass, and a final cache found with GPS (the coordinates are obtained from the stages). The distances are shorter than in a rogaine but the hunts take most people several hours to do. Folks who try it seem to enjoy the challenge. I hope you're back on the trail by now!

Is there a technical or policy reason that we can't query archived caches? (I suspect policy since you said volunteers can do searches for them.) I find that researching archived caches is both useful and fun. They are part of the game's history and should be preserved.

Welcome to the world of (so-called) paperless caching! Sounds like you're heading along a path blazed by many others so I'd suggest you just search the forums for relevant info and tutorials. Paperless is a tad more difficult with a Mac but new apps like GeoJournal and MacCaching show promise, and standbys like CacheMate are reliable. GSAK is very capable if you can stand Windows. For example, you load a GPX file from a Groundspeak query into GeoJournal, process it however you like, and then download the results to your GPS receiver and to CacheMate on the Palm. If you can get the Mac-GPSr and the Mac-Palm connections established it's a matter of learning how to use the applications. Have fun!

I do trot out GPSBabel on occasion to convert some strange format. It is relatively slow on my G4 and has too many settings for routine transfers. Just tried LoadMyTracks and it seems simple and fast as a single-purpose utility should be. My main objection to it is having yet another app to keep track of. This sort of utility should be built into any self-respecting waypoint manager, me thinks.

My "fun flow" depends on the hunt's complexity and how much time I can devote to research. I often load new caches into my GPSr directly from the web page via Geocaching Menu and go. I load query results using MacGPS Pro; the cache info goes into GeoNiche (similar to CacheMate but fancier) on my Treo. I "clean out" the GPSr waypoints and track logs around month's end or before a major trip. This is when I do most of the waypoint management. MacGPS Pro is my favored app because it saves files in standard GPX and track log formats which I can manipulate with a text editor (powerful but no so user friendly). I prefer text format because I can look at the data years later without having to worry about proprietary apps that become obsolete or change. MacGPS Pro also displays a map of the data so I can edit graphically; for example, select waypoints around a given city I have visited or am planning to cache in. The downside of MacGPS Pro--or most any other Mac app--is that it is a lousy waypoint manager. That's what I was hoping GeoJournal could do but if it can't download data from the GPSr it is useless to me. The benchmark for managers is GSAK but it has a wretched interface and inefficient data structure. A better GSAK for the Mac would be great.

Exactly. I've noticed a correlation between number of finds during a trip and the log creativity. Not only that, with speed cachers the swag gets gobbled up, the travelers lost, and the cache is put back carelessly. Because of that I've stopped placing easy caches and instead go for the ones that require some physical or mental effort. Fewer logs now but they tend to be better ones--not always well written but the people try which is what matters. My own logs tend to reflect the effort put in by the cache owner; when they take pride in their cache so do I. Nor am I shy about writing negatives if that's what I experienced. I take a lot of photos and will sometimes let them do the talking. People seem to like photos and I'm surprised there are not more of them on the logs.

I'm amazed. Transferring waypoints back-and-forth is such a part of my routine that it never occurred to me that a waypoint manager wouldn't do that. I grab waypoints off the GPSr for: 1. Routine maintenance to clean up waypoints no longer needed on the GPSr (much easier to do it in a manager than on the receiver). 2. Caches I have just placed, including all the averaged readings, stages, parking, etc. 3. Multi-stage caches I have done or am in the process of doing. 4. Notable locations I have waymarked for future reference, such as potential cache locations, trails, campsites, friend's houses, etc. The one thing I don't do is use it to update a list of "found" geocaches. I rely on queries and memory for that. I'm not a super high-volume cacher but I use my GPS receivers frequently and expect a waypoint manager to do the basics: transfer, organize and edit waypoints.

Looks like a promising waypoint manager but the first thing I tried to do (after setting preferences) was download waypoints from my GPSr. I couldn't see how to do it and the manual says nothing. I must be overlooking something as this is a basic capability.

Works well with Firefox, too. Now, why isn't Groundspeak up to speed???

"Other" is used for, well, other purposes that do not fit the size categories (containerless caches, heavily camoed containers, etc.) or when the owner does not want to note the size for some reason such as your evil hide. It would confuse the "other" category to add a specific container size to it. When the original size categories were set up there were few if any nano caches but now they are quite common. Calling them micros or "other" is not very helpful. If the cache owner wants to note the size they should have the proper categories to chose from and that means adding nano to the mix.

A nano category would make sense in terms of container volumes: large - bucket - 640 oz regular - ammo can - 100 oz (about 1/6 the size of large) small - serving container - 16 oz (about 1/6 the size of regular) micro - film canister - 2 oz (about 1/8 the size of small) nano - pill capsule - 0.05 oz (about 1/40 the size of micro) The nano is off the scale both in volume and potential difficulty--very different from a standard micro in key ways. Several people have suggested raising the difficulty level for a nano but difficulty is very subjective and is used for other qualities of the hunt. I would like to see a nano size category.

Good idea but the Unicode subscript seems to be ignored on the cache pages; both the cache name and the description fields revert to the in-line number 2. My computer system will display the Unicode subscript in other applications so this would seem to be a limitation of the Groundspeak pages.

I can see why it might be desirable to have cache names as plain text but if that's the intention then it should be consistent on all pages. OTOH, it seems impossible to avoid HTML or XML these days so I assumed a simple subscript would be OK in the cache name. Miragee: Yes, Opera is a nice browser although a few things (e.g., Wand) bother me enough not to use it regularly. My favorite is OmniWeb which has outstanding security, bookmark and viewing features. Nice that there are several choices.

I tried several browsers that use different rendering engines (Firefox, Safari, Camino, OmniWeb) with the same results. You can't see the cache page because it hasn't been published but you can test the problem on one of your own caches by temporarily inserting the subscript tag into the cache name. Note that the subscript displays OK on some pages but not in the name field on the Cache Details page. It displays OK in the description fields of the Cache Details page.

I inserted the subscript code, O₂ (diatomic oxygen), into a cache name. This displays properly on some pages such as "Report/Edit a Cache Listing" and "My Account Details" but just shows the code on the "View Cache Details" page. This looks like a bug because I would expect the HTML code to be stripped out if it can not be displayed on certain pages. Can this be fixed?

I've placed 3 short night caches (quarter to half-mile) using a variety of Fire Tacks depending on the situation. As noted previously, the 3D work best when perpendicular to travel or when inclined. The 4D are somewhat more visible and easier to place; they would be my choice if I had to use just one type. Instruct people to hold their flashlight at eye level for the best reflection. The "stealth" color is great where they can be spaced relatively close together, say, 40' to 80'; they just disappear in the day. The "blaze" and especially the "ice" and "diamond" colors are even more visible. The most visible are the out-of-production HotDots that I've used at several hundred feet. I like the Fire Tacks because they are easy to use, adaptable to many situations, and have their own low-impact fastener. If one tack doesn't work just add another to catch the light differently or space them closer together.

There is also a Palm version of Google Maps that works well on my Treo. I type in coordinates and it displays a photo or map as needed and traffic data if available.