5nomads

Yep, and if that is your intended use, be sure to reverse one of the batteries in the chamber to prevent slow drain and your will have light when you need it.

If you would still like to have rechargeables, I recommend Maha 2300. They are very long lasting, and charge at a low temp when used with Maha's pulse charger. I use them in everything.

Yep, ditto for leavign false trails and the ability to often see likely hiding places despite snow cover. I just wanted to add that hunting a gc with a good snow cover is probably my favorite time. There is something so peaceful about snowshoe hiking that brings the solitude of nature extra close. Of course, any activity in the winter demands a few extra precautions: - hydration: tendency not to drink enough in cold, but you expend more energy in snow conditions - thermal protection: Be sure to carry layers sufficient for the nightime minium not just the current temp for yoru day hike. If you become stranded and have to bivy for the night - the nighttime temp + windchill is your minimum reference Enjoy,

Another vote for Maha 2300s. They give superb length of life and show little deterioration in life after severe mistreatment (top-up charges, etc). Their new chargers are excellent showing no heat build-up and a nice trickle charge to keep betteries ready to go without over-charging. I keep a bank of 4 chargers running all the time for all the toys I use (gps, frs, etc)

I also use a RAM mount with my 60CS. I have the long metal arm on the suction mount and use it in my Land Rover which has a very hard ride. It has never moved. Great quality.

Thanks to everyone for their very useful input. It has been especially useful to see all the Palms that are capable of communication with GPSr's I plan to purchase a Palm T3, connect to 60CS via serial connection from a Universal cable. From what I have read, I need the following to be fully set-up: - Palm universal cable (to connect from Palm mini USB to serial cable) - Serial/USB cable (to connect from Universal to GPSr) - Cachemate - Garmin GPS Query/Upload 1.23 plugin Is this everything I need to get things working?

OK. I've decided on a Palm for my gc accessory, due to the large library of software. However, I can not find info on which units have serial connection ability. I have read some posts here that some of the Tungsten units do not and there is no info on the Palm website. I would ideally like to go with a high resolution screen as on the Zire 72, Tungsten E, or T3 (T3 being number 1 with higher memory and fastest processor). Any guidance from Palm users out there? I will be connecting to 60CS. Thanks,

Thanks very much. I look into the best PDA for my needs and drop the USB idea. p.s. Stay off the wheel, or your search may be never ending.

I am about to purchase a PDA for exclusive caching use and understand that the Palm will not support USB transfer to the GPSr. Is there a PDA that will? I use a 60CS and only utilize the USB connection with my computer and don't want to have to switch connection types if I don't have to. Thanks,

You're off to a good start and there is some good advice given already. I had answered an earlier similar post with a brief list but have since become concerned by what I read many people going into the woods carrying and decided to post a more comprehensive list here. Geo-caching is often a wilderness activity. I think many people may not think that because they are only a few km from their car, but anytime you are in an unfamiliar natural area requiring the use of navigation equipment – it is wise to consider it wilderness and take the standard precautions: know where you are, stay hydrated, be prepared for inclement weather, and have a basic survival kit. I always carry the following items in wilderness areas • Small backpack with hydration o I use an Arc'Teryx Needle 35. It has a close fit and low profile design to avoid getting snagged on limbs, etc. Pack closure and zippers are waterproof – big advantage and actually easier to get into main compartment than standard packs. The REI Hydration series are also a good value • Ultra-light gortex shell o Weather can change very quickly and having a shell is essential to overnight survival if exposed. o Mine: Marmot Preclip • Down Vest o Compressed into small stuff sack. Takes up little space and provides lots of warmth under light-weight shell. I use a TNF vest. • Map and compass o I can not emphasize this enough. It is foolhardy to venture into unfamiliar terrain without a map and compass. When the batteries go out on your GPS or you drop it over a ledge, how will you find your way out? In a pinch, you can take pretty good compass headings with a sun stick or using the watch method, but you can not “make” a map. o The compass is also useful for following bearings provided by the GPSr to the cache. This is much easier over long distances and you can save the batteries on your GPSr o Mine: Brunton Eclipse • Survival Kit o I make my own, but you can buy many off the shelf. It should include: signal mirror, fishing line, flat duct tape, hooks, waterproof matches, water purification tablets, steel wool, pocket saw, space blanket. This can all fit in a band-aid container. • First Aid kit • Food o I carry a few power bars • Flashlight o Great for looking in dark hiding places and for obvious emergency needs at night o I use a Surefire A2 Aviator – Small but very bright with LEDs and tungsten bulbs; can select red LEDs for navigation without affecting night vision. o If you reverse one battery in the chamber, it will be there when you need it but not cause slow drain. • Whistle o 3 blasts is the intl. distress signal. It’s lightweight and the sound carries much farther than your voice. • Bug repellant – 100% DEET • Small Knife • Pepper spray • GPSr with extra batteries o I use NiMH rechargeables in my 60CS • Stuff sack with: swag, extra notebook, pens, zip-locks, etc • My chocolate lab I often carry these other items if the terrain demands it: • Poles o I use them more than not. They can off-set up to 1/3 of your body weight and are a real asset in uneven terrain. o I use Leki shock poles with cork grips. You don’t need the shocks but do avoid rubber grips on cheaper poles. • Gaiters o No nettles; no PI; no rain, snow or mud in boots. I always file a trip plan with someone staying behind. Just a quick call to let them know what area I will be in and when I plan to come back. Nobody can look for you when you break your ankle if they don't know your missing! Last thing, is what I don't take (all the way). I try to always leave a bottle of water or a cooler with a cold drinks back at the car. Often very welcome once I get there by me and everyone else who had been dreaming of it for the last 2 miles. Have fun, (edit spelling)

That is an interesting point about data size contributing to shut-down. I experience a similar but opposite issue. Living close to the border of three countries, I normally have loaded sections from 3 different street maps plus 1 topo, when the unit is stressed trying to display data from multiple sources on one map page, the 60CS gets stuck "on" I can not switch it off, and have to unload the batteries to turn it off. It only happens in this situation. Aside from this one issue I love my 60CS. Just hoping this will be fixed in an upcoming update release.

Just for clarity on waterways, this is controlled by the State and varies widely. Many states grant public access to "navigable" waterways, but the definition of "navigable" also varies from state to state. Best to ask a local fisherman or guide. In Texas, I believe any navigable waterway can be used publicly if accessed from a public low-water bridge and navigable is defined as being able to float unobstructed for 100 feet.

Yep, you're right EraSeek, thanks. I checked it today and had 5 out of 8 sats with "D" marked above the signal bar. I assume it is still in test mode from what was said above, so will lurk on the UK forum. Thanks again, (corrected terrible spelling)

I have seen several references in the boards to EGNOS, as the European version of WAAS. Can someone tell me if this is functioning currently? If a GPSr with WAAS capability has the WAAS function turned on, will it receive the EGNOS correction data from the sat? And if it does receive the data will it identify that sat as it does for a WAAS signal? I use a US unit (60CS) in Europe, since I'm just here temporarily, so thus why I wonder about the common reception of WAAS and EGNOS. Thanks,

That was interesting reading but leaves me with a question about what makes the technological difference b/w civilian and military units that makes SA no longer necessary. As the article states, "Now, GPS is accurate within 40 feet, or much better. Military GPS is even more precise and has a margin of error of only a few centimeters." Thanks,

Thanks for the useful info. The III+ memory is a big problem; I am happily lazy dumping large areas into the 60CS, without worrying too much about size, but 1.4mb is soo small. At any rate, I'll try to get it connected asd a back-up with the advice given. Thanks again,

First, this forum has been incredibly helpful to me over the past year and I continue to be impressed with the lengths some people will go to answer very technical question posted here. Mine is not so difficult, but thought I’d ask... I have been happily using a 60CS with MS Topo and Roads for some time. I recently bought an older III+ from a guy at work for $15 and wanted to use it as a back-up. - Can I load my MS maps onto the III+ without any licensing or compatibility issues? - Is there anything specific I need to do to get it to connect (I did not get any software with it, only the GPSr) - Anything else I should be aware of before I do this? Thanks again,

(Please ignore - I found the answer through a better search) I'm probably confused, but I thought that when a map covering the same area is loaded onto 60CS already having that area loaded from another map (such as topo loaded and want to load City Select) that the more recent map would overwrite the former, which would no longer be available. I have been selecting separate areas from both until now. How can I load two and select between them? Thanks,

Can't believe you are trying to futher this "OLD WIVE"S TALE". Extremely dangerous, more cruel than a snipe hunt, dumber than "if you put salt on a bird's tail you can catch it" THIS IS RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH POISON IVY. Can't believe the moderator allowed this to remain. Just finished my first case of poison ivy and can't possibly imagine the horror of having that creeping plague inside my body as well. Golfguy55 I'm sorry you had a bad case of PI Golfguy. I was simply sharing my own personal experience to provide background for what is now a common homeopathic prevention treatment - that has been successful for many people. I specifically said that I was not recommending working with actual leaves but that new extract alternatives are now available. Here are links to several of them: Oral Ivy Rush Tox It would seem that PI extract treatments remain debatable in their effectiveness for various people. Some have clearly had success, as I did. However, I can conclude that they are not a health hazard. As alluded to in my OP, if you have a GP who is open to alternative treatments, I suggest you discuss it with him and try a course of extract under his supervision to see if it can work for you. As an aside, here is some very practical info from the FDA regarding PI treatments, which also confirms the ability of urushiol to remain potent for years. ... and "no" the FDA does not endorse PI extract treatments. FDA Info (edited to add missing link)

It is also possible to assist your body in building up an immunity to PI. I did this as a kid at wildlife camp one summer. We started by eating a new bud of PI and continued each week eating successively larger buds, then leaves, until finally consuming a fully mature leaf. I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THIS. However, it worked perfectly for me, I have not had PI since that time. After telling this story years ago to my BiL, who is a GP, he told me that they now have available a prescription based extract course that does the same thing. Obviously, this is a better way to go since the process is controlled by a doctor and you aren't standing out in the woods eating stuff with a worried look on you face.

DQ coupon... used it an hour later for well deserving little nomads

Well put Team Screamapillar. The breakdown in logic is to assume that the people who really care for the environment and those who are owners of SUVs are mutually exclusive. That may be true for some people, who choose not to own and SUV in order to reduce total emissions. However there are many owners who are simultaneously users and protectors of the environment. A good parallel is the waterfowl hunter's organization Ducks Unlimited. No one person or organization has done more to preserve and protect wetlands in North America. They have purchased, restored, and preserved millions of acres of pristine wetlands that are critical habitat for waterfowl and other species and have active conservation programs running in every single U.S. state. I think that the reason they are so successful is that a majority of their members have a personal recreational interest in protecting wild game and their sport. A common misconception is that hunters want to hunt their prey into extinction (correctly termed “poachers”). Of course, this is simply a general majority case, there are always irresponsible individuals on every side of every issue. However, I think that similar to hunters, the majority of outdoor enthusiasts who choose to spend their free time in pursuit of natural fun like geo-caching (and use an SUV to get there), are more likely to be active protectors of that same area.

There's 5 of us and we've lived in 7 countries in 15 years... so you get the idea

Never withouts: - dog - Water - 60 CS - Oakleys - Sense of purpose Occasionals: - Gerber multi-tool - Sticks - Headlamp - Venison jerky - Feeling of satisfaction