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alain4s

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Posts posted by alain4s

    NASA’s Mars Rover Perseverance is trackable via Geocaching! (TB5EFXK)

    in Trackables

    Posted

    15 hours ago, jamadad said:

    Just read this on the link provided by longtomsilver, "Note: It may take several weeks for the photo to be taken and sent back to Earth."

    Thought it was supposed to be only a few days, but we all might have a significant wait ahead of us.

    Exactly. Sheloc (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) will be deployed and used when the rover will reach some interesting samples to scan for signs of bygone life. I doubt it will be soon. The rover needs to be fully charged and tested, the big antenna deployed, the high bandwidth link established, a list of nearby regions of interest prioritized, the most effective route planned, the rover moved to the first sample, etc. Remember that the top speed of the rover is 152 meters per hour.

    The previous rover, Mars Curiosity, landed on Mars August 5, 2012. It's test first drive was, on Aug. 22, 2012, almost 3 weeks later, going forward about 4.5 meters. I am not sure but I think it took more than a month to reach the first region of interest.

    • Upvote 1
    • Helpful 2

    Notified of "new" souvenir every time the app starts

    in Official Geocaching® apps

    Posted

    On Android, there are two types of app-specific files :  persistent files, and another location for storing cache data.

    If the geocaching app uses cache files instead of persistent files, it would be consistent with this bug because 

     Android sometimes deletes cache files on its own.

    https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/app-specific

     

    And the solution for the programmers is to change the lines of code that looks like  

    File.createTempFile(filename, null, context.getCacheDir());
File cacheFile = new File(context.getCacheDir(), filename);

    with  

    File file = new File(context.getFilesDir(), filename);

     

    Notified of "new" souvenir every time the app starts

    in Official Geocaching® apps

    Posted

    I wouldn't be surprised if the problem occurs when :

    1. The download of the souvenirs images was interrupted or was never initiated. 
      In that case, the notification would stay on all the time.
    2. A "clean up" software (like CCleaner) periodically frees up disk space by deleting the app's cache.
      In that case, the notification would reappear a few hours or minutes later.
    3. The yellow dot is mistaken for a souvenir notification when, in fact, it signals an incoming message.
      In that case, the notification would stay on until the user reads all his messages.

    What does it mean

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    https://www.geocaching.com/about/glossary.aspx

     

    BOCP - Base of Concrete Post LWF - Log will Follow
    BOP - Base of Post MTT - Multi-Trunked Tree
    BOT - Base of Tree NA - Needs Archiving
    BYOP - Bring your Own Pencil/Pen NM - Needs Maintenance
    C&D - Cache and Dash P&G - Park & Grab (US)
    CITO - Cache In Trash Out PAF - Phone a Friend
    CO - Cache Owner PMO - Premium Member Only
    COTD - Cache of the Day PQ - Pocket Query
    DNF - Did Not Find QEF - Quick Easy Find
    EO - Event Organiser RAF - Replaced as Found
    EOW - End of Wall RHS - Right Hand Side
    FTF - First to Find SL - Signed Logbook
    GC - Geocoin STF - Second to Find
    GPSr - GPS Receiver TB - Travel Bug
    GZ - Ground Zero (Cache Coordinates) TFTC - Thanks for the Cache
    ICP - Ivy Covered Post TFTE - Thanks for the Event
    ICT - Ivy Covered Tree TFTH - Thanks for the Hide/Hunt/Hike
    LHS - Left Hand Side TN - Took Nothing (from the Cache)
    LN - Left Nothing (in the Cache) TNLN - Took Nothing Left Nothing
    LOFTS - Logged Only For The Smiley TNLNSL - Took Nothing Left Nothing, Signed Log
    LTF - Log to Follow TTT - Triple Trunked Tree

    Less Common Geocaching Acronyms

    AMIAT - Another Micro in a Tree OFTN - One for the Numbers
    AWP - Additional Waypoint OPS - Obvious Pile of Sticks/Stones
    CRAP - Cache Retrieved as Planned SBA - Should be Archived
    DISCO - Disguised Container (Scotland) SOOP - Something Out of Place
    FIGS - Found in Good Shape TAF - Text a Friend
    MKH - Magnetic Key Holder TOTT - Tools of the Trade
    MKS - Magnetic Key Safe UPR - Unnatural Pile of Rocks
    NiAH - Needle in a Haystack XNSL - Exchanged Nothing, Signed Log

     

    • Helpful 3

    GPS accuracie to GZ

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    Official U.S. government information about the Global Positioning System (GPS)

    https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/#how-accurate

     

    Quote

    How accurate is GPS?

    It depends. GPS satellites broadcast their signals in space with a certain accuracy, but what you receive depends on additional factors, including satellite geometry, signal blockage, atmospheric conditions, and receiver design features/quality.

    For example, GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within a 4.9 m (16 ft.) radius under open sky. However, their accuracy worsens near buildings, bridges, and trees.

     

    • Helpful 1

    The biggest jewel heist in history!

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    Quote

    Authorities need your help to solve the biggest jewel heist in history!

    Mystery at the Museum
     

    The heist at the Teague-Ulmer Museum remains the biggest jewel theft in history and one of the great unsolved mysteries of the museum world. Many theories have surfaced as to where the stolen jewels have been hidden, but after many years investigators have still not retrieved them. New evidence has recently revealed itself and the authorities need your help to find the stolen jewels.

    From July 11 to August 11, collect clues to track down the missing jewels. Once you have found all of the jewels, uncover the combination changed by the thieves to return them safely to the vault!

    ?

    • Upvote 2

    Sustainability?

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    A1smallfry, you have found 100 caches in Madisson county and another hundred in St-Louis. In Maddison alone, you have still 600 more geocaches to find. There are more than 10.000 geocaches in Illinois you haven't found. If you keep finding geocaches at the same rate as you did the last two years, It will take you at least 100 years to find all the geocaches in your state.

    You seem to have almost exclusively tried to find basic traditional caches. No premium caches. No mystery caches. No events.

    • Upvote 2

    New! EarthCache Guideline Update

    in EarthCaches

    Posted · Edited by alain4s

    Both the black and red paragraphs don't make me fear for my safety, I don't feel insulted and I don't feel I am in any fashion not welcomed to go visit any of those earthcaches, learn and have fun. Neither is the equivalent of an insult ("You're a F&%& M?&*&?") nor of a threat ("I will harm you if..."). Now, realising she used too strong words, terratin admits she feels being asked a photographic proof in bold text is only an annoyance. That's all.

    I understand that some cache owners feel the need to write their instructions in big bold red letters because some geocachers simply don't pay attention to the specific requirements of out of the ordinary geocaches otherwise. I see often the (unnecessary, in my opinion) reminder "Bring your own pen" in many descriptions. I see also "The geocache is not located at the published coordinates; you need to solve the puzzle first..." in big bold red letter in the descriptions of many mystery geocaches. I think all those reminders are unnecessary because I consider that if I decided to participate in a game, it's my responsibility as a player to learn the rules of the game first. But, that said, I don't consider those reminders rude or unwelcoming. They don't spoil my fun.

    • Upvote 2

    New! EarthCache Guideline Update

    in EarthCaches

    Posted

    I see nothing rude or threatening to being required to prove I actually went to the location and met the requirements of an earthcache. I don't take offense nor I feel I am being promised to be assaulted in any fashion. I think you exaggerating. 

    • Upvote 4

    Replacing Full Log

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    I never "replace" full logs. Instead, I send a photograph of all the signatures to the CO and add a new temporary sheet of paper to make the geocache last until the CO does their own maintenance. If there is no space for even a minuscule temporary log then I just send the photograph.

    In my region, truly full logs are very rare. Most geocachers, here,  let the CO know the log will need replacement soon.

    • Helpful 1

    APP not opening

    in Official Geocaching® apps

    Posted · Edited by alain4s

    I too have a Samsung Galaxy J3. It works perfectly fine with the official Geocaching app version 7.11.0. Not crashed even once.
    Current Android version for Samsung J3 is 8.1.0. So you might want to update your phone.
    Also check if you have enough memory to run the app.

    • Helpful 2

    Fizzycalc

    in French-speaking

    Posted · Edited by alain4s

    La plupart des logiciels de navigation ainsi que les appareils GPSr possèdent déjà cette fonction. SI vous utilisez l'un d'entre eux, vous n'avez pas besoin d'un logiciel supplémentaire comme FizziCalc pour effectuer ce calcul.

    Quant à FizzyCalc, rien de plus simple:

    1. Cliquez sur l'onglet « Projection »
    2. Entrez les coordonnées du point de départ dans le champs « Point »
    3. Entrez la distance de projection dans le champs « Distance »
    4. Choisir l'unité de mesure que vous avez utilisé à l'étape 3 dans le menu déroulant « Distance Units »
    5. Entrez la direction de projection dans le champs « Bearing » 
    6. Cliquez sur le bouton « Go » pour obtenir le résultat
    • Helpful 1
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