Sputnik 57

I just bought a Leatherman Wave this weekend. I paid, um, way too much for a multi-tool. On the shelf next to the Leatherman was a no-name knock off for, um, a LOT less. But it looked cheap. The last thing you want in a tool is poor quality steel and bad ergonomics. This is my second Leatherman. I got the first one from Sandy Clause about 12 years ago. I still works well (except for my having broken the tip off of the knife blade--note, the knife is not a screw driver; the screw driver is the screw driver). I am not one wowed by name brands or givn to extravagance, but when it comes to tools, the extra money is usually worth it. Just my $1.87 (inflation there too, you know).

Congrats, Space Man. Welcome to the addiction, I mean hobby, I mean sport, I mean recreational activity.

If you browse the forums, you'll also see an informal rule that you not post "spoilers" in you on-line log. That is, don't give away so much information in the on-line log that it takes the fun out of the hunt for others. That having been said, some people get so excited about overcoming some challenge in finding the cache that they can't help bragging about it in the log. Hence the warning at the top of the log listing indicating that the log may contain spoilers. I love to complement cache owners on clever hides (if they are clever) or for cool cache containers (if they are cool). If the cache is lame, my logs are pretty short. (If you can't say something nice . . .)

From the Geocaching.com home page: I don't think you have to a GPSr to do it (but some caches would be pretty tough without one. I agree that if I search for the cache, find it, and sign the log (and I'm not a muggle that just stumbled across it) I'm caching.

Cool idea. Can you get it to market before Geocaching hits Parade magazine next Sunday? There's bound to be a brief surge in the market for GPSrs after that hits the streets.

Congrats e3! Glad to hear the old girl still has what it takes!

Look here in the 60CS thread. I looks like you just hold enter and page as you power up the unit.

Are you sure your coordinates are correct? Make sure that you are using WGS 84 coordinates, and entering them as dd.mm.mmm (not degrees, minutes and seconds). Hang in there!

Not sure whether this is a GSAK problem or a gpx issue. I downloaded my nearby caches, and while browsing through GSAK, was pleased to see that Reindeer Run by MedTexPlacer was no longer shown as archived (it is one of my few dnf's). But when I clicked on the cache, Geocaching.com tells me it is archived. Any clue why the discrepancy? I can send my GPX files to you if that would help.

I stand corrected. The MAP60 floats, but not as well as the 76

The actual post is here

dd.mm.ss is degrees, minutes and seconds. Geocaching.com uses dd.mm.mmm, which is degrees, minutes and decimal minutes. If you enter the coordinates from the web site, but your GPSr is set to dd.mm.ss, the receiver will take you at your word, and guide you to the wrong place. Be sure that your GPSr is set to dd.mm.mmm when you enter coordinates. More on this topic (and LOTS of other good info for a newbeeeeee) here

Congrats on your find, e3. Welcome to the addiction!

Another mistake, especially with older GPSrs, is that they are set to DD.MM.SS, (degrees minutes and second) but the Geocaching site gives coordinates in DD.MM.MMM (degrees, minutes and decimal minutes). You can either change the setting on the GPSr, or convert them. Edit: BTW, as a rough rule of thumb, one thousandth of a minute is about 6 feet, so a unit that only lets you enter coordinates as dd.mm.mm will only get you to within 60 feet (or, I guess, 30 feet if you round properly), but that is usually close enough to find the cache! Happy caching.

I agree that this is well within the guidelines, but let's get a cache approver to chime in. It sound to me like a cool idea with some neat prizes, that just happen to be sponsored by a company that benefits from spreading the geocaching bug. This seems like a win-win situation. Congrats on getting a local company to be so helpful!

Unless you buy mapping software to replace the base maps, be careful where you buy. Garmin units purchased in the US have US basemaps, and AFAIK, they cannot be replaced. If you are going to cache in Europe and rely on basemaps, be sure that you get a unit made for Europe.

Garmin Map60C--small, compact, sinks like a rock Gamin Map76C--large, spacious, floats when immersed Can you choose wisely, Grasshopper?

Try here and here. Both of these are linked in Geocache.com's hide your first cache faq, which I encourage you to read.

More on waypoint names here. (I just love to Markwell people to Markwell himself.)

There are lots of happy legend users in these forums. You seem to have gotten a lot of input from 60 and 76 owners. You may want to search for "Legend" in the GPS Units and Software forum.

I use NG Topo! Back Roads Explorer. Great topo maps down to 100K for all 50 states on 16 CDs. About $100. You can also add state-by-state maps down to 24K for about $100 per state. I haven't gotten the Texas one (yet). Good maps, with lots of off-the-beaten-path roads.

Look here

Lesson number 1: When you get out of the car, mark a waypoint. (If you don't know how to do this, read the manual and practice near home.) Label it "car" or "X" or something. If you get turned around, have your GPSr guide you to the car. You would be surprised how many experienced cachers get disoriented in the woods, especially when they've spent 10 minutes (or half an hour) wondering around in circles looking for Tupperware. Lesson number 2: Next time you get turned around in the woods, kick yourself for not remembering Lesson number 1. Voice of experience. Welcome to the adiction. Your find lots of caches and have a blast. Stick with it. Mark your car as a waypoint!

Printing the maps from the geocaching.com site that identify nearby caches is the most straight forward, low tech route to go, and a good approach for beginners, no matter what kind of GPSr you get. As you get more experienced, using other tools like GSAK, fancy map software on your computer, and "paperless" caching with a palm or other handheld pda can be fun. One thing to watch out for is using your GPSr without maps. I recently drove to a rural area, found three nearby caches, and then asked my GPRr to find the next nearest cache. It pointed to one 3 miles away. But that was as the crow flies. Driving distance to the bridge that got me over the river, and then back to the cache was 19 miles. I'm glad i didn't try to walk it without checking it out on a map first!

I use a 60C, just because I like the feel of it better than the 76. Smaller and better button placement, but that is personal opinion. As to detailed maps vs. base maps, the base maps are fine for major highways, but not too much else. But if you are driving from Dallas to Denver, you could load the Dallas area maps, the Denver area maps, and rely on the base maps in between. The 60 or 76 will autoroute you along detailed local maps, switch to base maps as needed, and back to local maps. Most people spend most of their time on major highways between stopping points. Loading detail for the stopping spots only means the 60's memory should be ample for most trips. If you are taking an unexpected side trip to Durango, you'd be left with base maps (except that in your case, you have them on the PC in your RV).