Alan2

I've been caching for 5 years and never heard of a pocket cache. Must have fallen on my head or sumpthin'. But what is it anyway?

The lid is off of navigation systems. With the regular public moving towards hand held and other auto-navigation systems for their cars, Magellan and Garmin have started to expend big bucks on advertising their ware to the non-caching public. At least I'm hearing the ads where I live. Who's going to win?

Congrats Floop.

Mapopolis. Use it all the time. Love it.

The most sensitive GPS on the markets use the Sirf Star III chipset. These are available in dedicated hand held GPS's like Garmin 60csx. I don't have a list of the mfr models - maybe someone else could post it. The x means that garmin is using that chipset. They are also available in CF and SD PPC slot models. I have one of these and can pull in 8-10 sats sitting in diners and have no problem pulling them in dense foliage. Google Sirf Star III.

Are you clicking on the program or the file you want to open? I've gotten that message with the latter.

My RAM mount screwed up my Vista' srubber protector too. Garmin replaced it. Finally one of the RAM tabs broke. Instead of replacing the cradle, I kept it and it was easier to insert and remove the GPS. Then I got a PPC with GPS and a new RAM cradle for that. It damaged the PPC like the Vista. I finally got rid of the RAM cradle, kept the RAM bracket and suction cup and attached it to an Arkon mount that came free with my CF type GPS. While the Arkon latching is not as strong as a RAM, it's OK for use in my car and just plain easier to insert and remove. And it doesn't damage the PPC. I suppose RAM mounts might be OK for bicycles because of the "bumps", they are just damaging overkill for use attached to a car windshield.

OK let's beat this to death. Another point, you really cannot route using the track log. On a Garmin Vista, you can log 10,000 track points. Do not know Magellan's stats. If you stand still for awhile, you can store dozens of points none of which is at the same spot due to reception errors. If the GPS routed you back according to each track point, you'd be walking in circles most of the time. You can see that by checking the total distance on the track log. It's much more than you actually walked. Also, reception could cause readings very far from where you actually were. Gaps in reception (under foliage for example) add to the difficulty in using a track log to follow. So the manufacturer's program when it creates the route from the track log eliminates "error" points, gaps in readings and decides which are the "real" turn locations. That then becomes the route you can follow. 10,000 track points can be reduced to 150 more meaningful route waypoints to follow.

The problem is that since ticks have taken up geocaching, we're both walking the same trails. This will continue until they decide to take up a new hobby.

That's amazing! It worked. Thanks. How d'ya do that?

I edited my cache page and screwed it up. here Somehow I change it at a point that added %20 after each word subsequent to my change. Anyway to reverse that? If not, I have the entire page stored in GSAK so I can copy it and replace it. However, how to I get the HTML format coding info such as for paragraph and sentnece breaks to display so I can copy that and the text rather than having to re-enter the HTML coding throughout the text? tks Alan

On my Vista, if 001 is not being used currently, the GPS will assign it. Otherwise it goes to the next available number.

Seed or larvae ticks do not carry disease. Only in the subsequent nymph and adult stages can they be infected. Deer tick life cycle

Buzz Off clothing is impregnated with Permethrin, which kill ticks (Deet is a repellant). I use Buzz Off socks, pants, shirt and sometime their hat. Seems to be working however, I do watch very carefully, try to minimize the high grass in the warm months and like caching better in winter because of ticks. Article. The pants and shirt are light colored so you can see ticks better although I have n' t seen any on them since I started using. I even tuck my pants into my socks. I little nerdy but what the heck. I keep my shirt tuck inside my pants. I check my clothes every once in a while. Check before I get in my car. Check when I shower at home. I undress in the shower and stick my clothes in a plastic bag just in case. Hmmm. Might be easier to to climb mountains!

Tacky and disrespectful.

You can convert coordinates to UTm and change Datums right in your GPS.

Have you considered using GSAK to get 10 alpha-numeric smart names rather than the GCxxxx name ofr a waypoint. GSAK converts it so that the smartname goes into your GPS as well as on the Topo map to make it all easier to know which waypoint cache is which.

Here's a NY Times article today regarding Permethrin impregnated clothes and how to deal with tick and other biting insects. Insects, Beware of Clothing That Bites Back I use Buzz Off which seems pretty good so far. It's suppose to be good for thirty washings.

Just to clarify: for all practical purposes, only Garmin brand maps can be uploaded to your GPSr. The mapping packages you quoted are for use on your PC. As stated by Miragee, the National Geographic State Series TOPO! package is a great resource for me. It is the scanned 1:24000 topo maps for your state. I use them for planning hunting trips and find them very useful - again, only on the PC, not the GPSr. You can transfer waypoints and tracks to and from these maps and your GPSr. NG Topo can be loaded into a PPC using their Pocket Topo and synced to a GPS for realtime locating your position on the 24k map.

CT increased 34% in number of Lyme desease from last year. Article.

Did you call and get permission from that person?

Leave well enough alone. They already allow us to geocache. Why keep asking them? They may change their minds.

I use my Ipac PPC with a Sirf Star III in CF so it's one unit for use in the woods. In my car I use the aforementioned Mapopolis. With gpxtomaplet, you can overlay all the caches onto the Mapopolis maps so you can auto navigate from cache to cahe. I'd get a suction cup mounting bracket to attache to your windshield and a car lighter cable to PPC to keep it charged while you're driving. That way you'll have a full charge when you hit the trail. Otterbox is good although I use mine naked. I also have a Vista that I take with me as backup but on short runs I don't bother. I also use the Ipaq for paperless caching using gpxsonar in the PPC and Gsak in my PC. I also use the PPC for National geographic Pocket Topo (24K maps). Good luck.

I connected my Vista to my Ipaq originally but found that it was very inconvenient. In the field you have two units connected with a cable - hard to carry and handle. Plus, the batteries are wearing down in the GPS. You could get a combo cable that also charges the Ipaq and prevents the GPS battery use while using in a car, but those cables run about 45.00 I final got rid of that set up and now I'm using a Globalsat BC-337. It slips into the Cf cards slot and costs about 85.00 It uses the Ipaq battery and I now carry one unit in one hand -much more convenient. Plus the BC-337 uses Sirf Star III technology which pulls in the satellites better than any other current technology. I would get a car lighter to Ipaq cable to charge the Ipaq while using in in the car. (I also use this setup for auto-navigation). Good luck.

Good resourse for all kinds of compasses. The Compass Store