Alan2

I just realized the query for new caches in the last week has a flaw. It won't update the new caches after 500 have been accumulated. So I modified it to have a separate query that loads all new caches placed 1-1-07 to 3-30-07. It should not go above 500 before then. Then on April 1st, I'll create another query going forward to let's say June 30, 2007, depending on the number of new hides. Does anyone notice any problems with this?

OK I just set up my queries to run by date range. After the first download to pick up all the active caches by those dates, does it sound right to check the "updated in the last 7 days" to limit the size of each successive download (I'm doing this on a weekly basis). I also have one query that provides all new caches in the last week. Will I stay up to date?

JohnTee's right. I used a RAM setup with their bicycle mount. You can easily take off the cradle and extension when not using the GPS, but the bicycle mount stay on the pole (still a little unbalanced). I could also switch the GPS with the RAM cradle and extension to the RAM suction cup on my car's windshield for driving info so I could use it "dual-purpose" then simply switch it back to the pole at the next trail head. Obviously this method wiould work with motorcycles, bicycles, etc. You only need additional mounts for each vehicle. The cradle and extension is the same. Like I said though, I didn't like the weight imbalance so I stopped using it on the pole but it may be something you'd find acceptable. If you're using a RAM mount already, it's just the cost of a bicycle mount more to give it a try. Edited for clarity.

Yes interesting reading. That was definitely written by Lawyers. You're protected from liability unless you're not. Did you notice the part about it has to be available to everyone. If you indicate ONLY Geocachers are allowed on your property, you could be inviting trouble. Gives a whole new meaning to a sign I have noticed near a local creek. No Trespassing. Fishermen Welcome. Also, after reading it too, I wonder if geocaching can even be considered a recreational activity under the statute. There's no test case yet. The defending attorney will probably have to make the case that the cacher is basically "hiking" which is something more in-line what these acts were legislated for.

I'm not a computer expert, but GSAK and GPXSONAr and the like work on a Windows based system. If Garmin or other mfr's. added Windows software to their GPS to operate these other programs, you could probably add non-Garmin mapping software screwing up these mfr's proprietary software marketing effort around maps which is quite lucrative. They wouldn't want you adding your own ANtional geographic Topo, or Windows Street and Trips etc.

Makes sense to me. Just in case of national emergency in case someone want to blow up your cache that they have the coordinates for by using the very GPS technology the rest of us will use to find your cache. I mean, who wants to find a blown up cache? When the danger's past, the feds will turn the system back on and then the rest of us can get on looking for your cache.

gpspassion.com is a great resourse for GPS's used with PPC's, etc.

I've used this setup but the hiking stick gets unbalanced. The screen is always available for viewing. It does keep the sats locked in better than leaving in my breast pocket with a neck lanyard for safety, my current method.

I think you're right in the Mt Hood and Kim cases. But what happens when some moron, who knows better, goes out with a devil-may-care attitude, gets into trouble, and then gets rescue people killed or hurt trying to save his a##. I think it's beautiful that there are people willing to take cahnces to rescue people, but it's also upsetting when they get hurt for some jackass. (Hmmm. might be me next time.)

Sorry to hear about this happening. I';ve been on Doxycillin a couple of times although I'm not sure if I had Lyme. Once I had the tick tested and it had Lyme. The other time I just took a week of the antibiotics. My dog's had Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and something recently that they thought was from ticks but couldn't ID the desease. Nearly killed him. He was on two antibiotics for 4 months until he finally responded and got well. I splurged last year and bought Buzz Off clothes (shirt, pants, sock and hat) impregnated with Permethrin. Haven't seen any ticks on me since then. But you never know. Really hate ticks. Take care of yourself. Alan.

Well, I got back from Florida so thanks everyone with your ideas. While there I got my sister interested in caching and helped her place her first cache.

elevenbravo: Have you tried Mapopolis's GPS screen for in the woods navigation and if so how do you compare it to geodash?

Curious. How often do you use your compass when your GPS is working?

I've done a bunch of theme multi's around covered bridges like this one.. The 5 intermediate locations have their coordinates given. You go to each one to gather clues for the actual coordinates for where the container is hidden in the woods. I think the key is that each location is interesting, picturesque and not difficult to get too that makes these pretty popular.

I use Mapopolis on my iPaq PPPC for auto navigating. With gpxtomaplet you can create icon for all the cches and overlay them onto the street map. CLick once and you get basic ionfo about the cache like miles from home, smartname, D/T, type container, cache type, etc. Click and hold and you auto navigate the street to the cache (nearest street location). You can also use Mapopolis gps screen for navigating off road. ALso National Geographic Pocket Topo for 24K topo maps in real time and gpxsonar for paperless caching.

Why is a GPS hi tech while a compass with 24K topographic map isn't? The idea that you can use the latter to give one a sense of being "one" with nature and not the former seems kind of odd. They're just a different technology. It reminds me of the purists who assured everyone that digitized music will never compete with analog records. (Hmmm. just where did I store those 45's I use to have?) Let's face it, a modern climber travels with hi tech boots, crampons, rings, nylon rope, etc. I suppose the only natural way to go would be without these things and you have to smell the river to find your way to water. But even then you'd be wearing your mocassins. I still think the problem with climbers, cachers and others doing whatever sport they like is complacency. After you've done it awhile, you get lazy, figure, well, heck, it's just a short hike, the weather's pretty good, I got enough backup stuff, and I'll just go home if the weather gets bad, etc. So you fail to take the GPS, or not tell anyone where you're going, or whatever, and fail to have the very thing you need to survive.

I hope they find the other two who are missing. This is really tough on them and the families. I think for the general caching community, though, the problem is not why seemingly professsional climbers didn't take a gps but why so many cachers including myself hike into the woods by ourselves for a "short" hike to a cache and don't tell anyone, go by themselves with little survival equipment, etc. It only takes a small accident where you're disabled and then you got major problems. The GPS isn't going to help much when your cell phones out of range.

Is there any way to search by attribute in either of these programs so that you can pull out only those caches that have a particular attribute like "dogs allowed"? I'm aware that you can do that from the geocaching PQ, but what about from GSAK and GPXSONAR? Thanks.

NG Topo is a great program. Pocket Topo is good but has one important limitation. The waypoints do not transfer into your PPC although routes, maps and notes do. (Regular NG Topo will transfer waypoints, routes etcf into your GPS hopwever, but not maps.) If you want waypoints in your PPC, you have to manually convert them to a Note which gets transferred. Then you can Go To the Note in your PPC. For $25 for Pocket Topo, it's still worth it since you can transmit 24K topo maps into your PPC for real time display of your position. No GPS stores 24K maps except for a few National Park areas such as by Garmin. NG allows any 24K map to be stored in your PPC.

GSAK converts the caches automatically to Smart Names of 10 digit waypoints. For example if the original cache name was Shake and Bake, the waypoint would become shakeandba in Mapsource, NG Topo, Mapsend, gpx or any of the other final program files created by GSAK. Or you can load you GPS directly with these Smart NAmes. No more GCabcd names! It does all 500 at the same time or as many caches you selected in GSAK.

I use Mapopolis for voice and visual prompted road navigation as well as in the woods navigation. In the woods, the GPS page shows the current coordinates, distance to cache, compass rose, bearing arrow, altitude, etc. (Of course a regular gps in the woods is less prone to damage.) Mapopolis runs $80-100. you can try the program for free for 9 days. mapopolis.com Add gpxtomaplet (free) and you can overlay all the cache icons over the Mapopolis street maps so you can see the caches as you drive arround. Then autonavigate from cache to cache and get immedate info like cache name, miles from home, cache type, D/T, container type, etc just by tapping the cache icon on the Mapopolis map. gpxtomaplet uses the gpx files created by GSAK. GSAK does not create the maplet directed. But the conversion takes about 5 seconds more. I then copy the maplet into my PPC memory card where the Mapopolis county street maps are located. If you're interested in paperless caching, you can also copy the gpx file created by GSAK into the PPC memory card and then use gpxsonar.

Florida's great for unusual species. Got to get back here more often. Cache page. Ok. Is this a tortoise or turtle? What species?

I was vacationing in southern Florida and visited a virtual cache in Delray Beach - The Wakodahatchee Wetlands Great place to get cousin close to friendly and well not so friendly species.

Actually - he's the first forum poster who got searched, not the first person to be searched. (Forum posters represent only a fraction of all geocachers.) How do you know that? Are you aware of non-forum cachers who were searched? How many?

You might onsider a Pocket PC with its large color screen and ability to go paperless caching as well. You need a cable to connect to your Vista for the GPS signal. The PPC loaded with Mapopolis for full voice and visual auto-navigation, you can also overlay the caches onto Mapopolis so you can see nearby caches and route to them automatically. A PPC can also be loaded with games, music, and office programs like Outlook.