kunarion

Was it something like this?http://www.flickr.com/photos/29576506@N04/4438798003/ Those are signature items, made in fired clay, by a Geocacher named "Geowalkabout". You can trade for those items, and keep them, or move them to another cache. They aren't trackable like Geocoins.

That makes sense. But the description states "This static cling... includes a copy tag that you can write down the code on and keep for your records". But I can't figure out why you'd "write down the code" onto a TB tag that already has the code on it. So I've always assumed it was blank. Ok, maybe they mean that you "write down the tag's code onto a separate piece of paper and keep that note for your records". But that's not how it arrived in my brain when I read it. In reference to the OP: since there's no need for dogtags at all, on a car TB decal, if you get a set of dogtags with a different number, that should be used for a different TB later. Or you could send them back .

Tracking numbers are reusable. The TB owner should attach the tag “copy” now. Even if both original tags are lost, the TB can continue on, with the same TB number. That's the best plan -- use the same number as before. One way to do this would be to make some suitable replacement tag with all the info on it, including the original TB number, designed to be very securely attached and durable. If you swap it to another number, people who've found it before will have a hard time tracking it now. Some people like to check on previously found TBs to watch them travel. But you could (in theory) type the info on the old TB's log, mentioning the swap (just the reference number, not the actual tracking number). At the very least you should first email contact@geocaching.com to see if they can swap numbers for you. Otherwise all the previous mileage and logs will be lost (well, they remain with the old page, but no more movement or logs will ever be done for it again).

You can try that, and just plan to check on it once in a while, to clean off some rust. There's probably not much room, but you could try some kind of liner inside the bolt, to keep the log clean. Maybe a plastic tube, watertight sealed container, or even just a lining of rustproof coating. If it tends to get real wet, and you can't engineer a water seal (as mentioned in the previous post), at least use waterproof paper for the log, and swap it out when necessary.

Three weeks is not an unreasonable length of time to hold a TB. If, for whatever reason, you can't place it as planned, consider sending another email to the owner at that time. Or just add a note to the TB's page.

The Geocaching.com shop sells a decal which specifies it "includes a copy tag that you can write down the code on and keep for your records". I haven't bought one (I cheated by printing a TB decal of my own, using a Travel Bug code I'd already purchased). But from the item description, it seems like the decal is alone (just a decal with a number). If so, the other Travel Bug dogtags are to be used for a different Travel Bug (they're not linked in any way to the decal). Is that possible, or do I have it completely confused?

You might find some in an online auction, or google "buy geocoins". And some of the uglier coins are offered at a discount (thus less collectable, which is actually a good thing). If it's a real nice design you love, consider keeping the coin with you, and just "dipping" it into caches or displaying it at cache events. You should also check out "Travel Bugs", inexpensive travel tags that can be tied to any item. If you'd like to try to keep your item in the game, take a look at Snoogans' TB longevity clinic, before placing any trackable. It works well for either coins or TBs: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=64691

I plug the GPSr into the PC via the USB cord, delete unneeded PQs, load new ones, done. I'm too old to use GSAK, it runs upside-down and backwards, it makes absolutely no sense to me.

In Your Account Details, in "Your Profile", click "Edit". Then scroll to the "Profile Details" box. It's the "Forum Signature" entry form. http://www.geocaching.com/account/editprofile.aspx

I've never seen anything like it. Seems to be very special. Possibly coded clues? That's an interesting location for the coordinates. It's the exact location of a multi-cache. An official "Geocoin" will have specific text on it, and a unique tracking number (which may be almost microscopic). It will say "Track at geocaching.com", or "Track at Groundspeak.com" (or say "trackable"). If it's not an official Geocaching trackable gamepiece (not a Geocoin nor Travel Bug), it's a "signature item", can be traded for and kept, and which many people collect. Or you can move it along to another cache. But I'd suggest puzzling over the code first. Who knows where it leads! EDIT: I found the cacher who made that item (or at least makes one that is almost exactly like the one you found): http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=16...7f-56ad5ee35037

That seems a little excessive with decent reception. Is it a car GPS? Is it possible that the antenna needs to be oriented differently? In a car, the GPSr is vertical, but when caching, might be held flat. But even at 40 feet off, you're pretty close to GZ. It's time to begin searching for likely hiding spots, maybe have a hint on hand, and rely less on the GPSr. And once you're closer than 20 feet, the indication is definitely going to bounce around some. That's about the limit of expected accuracy.

+1 I have a puzzle cache, and specify in the description to leave a note.

Yes, that's probably what the OP needs. There's also this thread: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=220920

You should visit the site where you bought the software. Or contact the company, maybe they can help you find out exactly what the software is asking for: support@geocachenavigator.com

I eventually turned off "relief shading".

Looks like buckmeadows is a cacher who designs "non-standard" containers that match the surroundings. So if the container's given to a friend to hide in another area, maybe the cachers won't have seen that style before. It's a secret, it's tricky. Even if you write to people, they may be reluctant to tell you all about it. Don't assume you know what a buckmeadows cache looks like (as it applies to describing a hide). You could call yours a "non-standard container". Or better yet, call it a "calamitystrange style hide".

So true. How can someone possibly even lose track of the process? Here's what I do: Do the Found It log for the cache, upload cache photos, edit photo captions. Click the bug's link (I also usually enter the tracking number to verify I'm at the correct Trackable page). Retrieve the bug from the cache by entering the tracking number to visit the TB's log page, leave a note about grabbing the bug, enter the TB number a 2nd time, select “Retrieve”, then submit (if the TB's not listed as being in that cache, add just a few additional simple steps). Click the link for the bug again, upload some photos of the bug, edit photo captions. Now visit the other cache page, do the Found It log, select the bug from the list, choose “Dropped Off”. Submit. Upload cache photos, edit photo captions. Visit the bug page, leave a note and photos I took of the bug at the drop-off cache, edit captions. I simply do that again for the other TBs I've grabbed/dropped today, and that's it! It's a no-brainer.

That's what's fun about Micros. You may be within feet of it, and still have many hours of "fun" searching, head-scratching, trying various tools (mirrors, magnets, even a couple gallons of water in some cases). A Micro may be a challenging puzzle, and the container may be the size of your fingertip, and camouflaged to match the hide site. It can be practically anything, and if you're real lucky, it will be something not quite right, which you'll notice if you step back and just look. If the description doesn't narrow it down, the Cache Owner probably intends it to a be tough one. Take them up on the challenge or go for an easier cache instead, it's up to you. But once you're close enough to decide which park bench (for example) to try, the GPSr has done all it can.

That's perfectly normal operation. The GPSr is constantly averaging signals, and is affected by slight reception changes caused by nearby obstructions. Once you're at the spot (plus or minus say 30 feet), you're there. Put away the GPS, now it's time to search. Use the hint, the description, and your Geosense, and hunt down that evil little Micro. Look for hiding spots, then look in and on those hiding spots. I have had some luck walking a few yards from GZ, and checking the angle and distance, then walking to some other spot to "triangulate" it.

If someone's standing around looking lost, it's me. So I'm glad the Cache Owner might sometimes drop by to chat (so I know I'm at the right spot). I also like that cache being so close to the CO, it's simple to maintain.

I thought of this one when I read your question, but I don't know of a Garmin Colorado specific one:GPS Geocoin

You must swap them out when (or ideally, before) they get soaked. And you must keep tabs on how other cachers use them. So it works best in your own maintained cache. I've been testing silica gel in a large cache container (one with a huge water problem). The log was soaked, so I added two cotton socks full of silica gel in a ziplock bag, for just the log itself. This dried the thick log book in a couple of days. Then a cacher had a "great" idea and pulled one of the silica gel socks out of the ziplock and dropped it into the water. That soaked one gel pack, and gave the logbook half its water-absorption ability. So, yes, it works great (as a HUGE amount of silica gel in a sealed watertight ziplock). And, no, it doesn't work so well (people assume the packs are magic, and use them as sponges instead of dumping out the water). NOTE: Don't give in to the temptation to wax elequent about getting a better container in the above example. It's just a worst-case scenario. The above container (a bucket) has an o-ring lid and seems to be water-tight, but can get plenty of water inside if opened in a way that dumps the standing water from the top of the lid into the bucket. That's in addition to inherent bucket difficuties (condensation, etc.)

That's not an uncommon sight in semi-rural forested areas around here. I sometimes make a reference to finding "lots of containers", but I don't further describe the discovery. If it's DNF, it stays DNF. I won't return.

As those cache descriptions are obviously a cry for help, the publicity may cause the CO to get the therapy they need.

It's also located in a country where none of those words would be considered particularly objectionable. Nor the grammar . That example is a translation issue, not a symbol of how open "other countries" are compared to prudish Americans. Non-English-speaking programmers frequently encode inappropriate words into PSP scripts, or their web sites (selling programming services). I've sometimes offered to polish the text for them. Many of these people didn't know Americans don't really talk like sailors, in professional business settings, such as on public web sites. The above example was not translated properly from the native language, so it's entirely likely they have no idea how ridiculous the text looks. As this applies to Geocaching, a cache description with bad grammar (let alone nastiness) is a clue that it's a bad cache. Use that valuable clue and consider ignoring those caches. It's slightly humorous to have a suggestive phrase for a cache description, so I wouldn't get too uptight about it. But there's no need to then add a paragraph to clarify it in case I didn't get the joke.