Crystal Sound

Some of this I've said before, however, I thought I'd expand upon it. I fully understand the dislike of a photo requirement. Until about 2 weeks ago, I didnt have my own digital camera. I either had to borrow someone's cam, or use a film camera, and either scan the prints, or get a photo CD. There's the time issue, especially for a dialup user. I was often lucky to get a 28.8 connection at home. I often read in the forums, comments about Waymarking not being as popular as geocaching. Granted, it's new, hasnt really been "rolled out", it's in "beta", yada... The "beta" part is what everyone seems to be forgetting. Waymarking is in development - and WE are the ones who are developing Waymarking. Granted, TPTB have developed a website & structure for Waymarking, but WE are the ones who are creating the waymarks and building the database. The Waymarking site would have been worthless, if TPTB had rolled it out as a public-release, without a single waymark in the database. Thus, we had the early development stages (such as before group management came to be), to start populating the database. When Waymarking rolls out, which would YOU rather see? A database of waypoints with some text only? Or a database of waypoints that includes a text description and a picture to give you an idea of what you would likely see? I think photos will go a long way, into making Waymarking attractive to newcomers. I think it makes things more "alive" and not just a "dead" database full of text and coordinate data. I have .GPX & .LOC files full of all sorts of points of interest, so why would I want Waymarking? The "realism" it brings to a point, and the information about it, that is shared. As a category owner, I like to see the photos that are included with a listing. It adds a bit of realism and authenticity to the waymark. Especially for a waymark that I may never see in person. For one nearby, a photo could go a long ways to luring me into a visit. So yes, for a listing creation, I see the need for a photo. As a logging requirement? I really dont agree with it, for several reasons. I dont see Waymarking as a game - although some do. Making logging requirements is basically making rules on how you can "score" the find. If I have to upload a photo (sometimes of GPS, sometimes not), for every site I visit to log it, *I* wont be logging it. I'll just visit sites, and not worry about logging online. There are cachers who visit my caches, and never log online - I sometimes feel cheated by these people, as I dont get to read their comments about the cache in my morning emails. The only way I know, is if I happen to visit my cache, and read the logbook (hopefully before it gets stolen/ruined/whatever). I would hate to "cheat" people out of my comments about my own experience (which is why I log my benchmarks and geocaches online), but if I'm stuck with not having met the requirements, then that is just what I will do. For now, since there is no real similey count in Waymarking, it doesnt matter. If/when the count starts appearing on the stats screen, I still wont care. I'm on the eve of my 200th cache find, and I'm in no rush to reach it. I'd still rather visit 1 really good cache, than do hundreds of boring ones. I'm not a competitive type. I waymark and geocache for the experience. If someone wants to put a bunch of rules and requirements in my way, I'll find something else to do. Let's be honest: For those of you who geocache, would you really have gotten into geocaching if there were photo requirements for every cache find? I'm sure I can go out on a limb safely and say that in general, webcam & puzzle caches dont get near as many finds as a traditional cache. Theres a reason for that. In summary: At this stage of things, I think it is our duty to make Waymarking as attractive as possible. If we clog up the works, then Waymarking wont catch on. Ok, ok, I'll shut up (for now)....

Right off, my guess is that the GPS is set to the wrong coordinate format. You want the unit in Degrees Minutes.Minutes It sounds like the unit is in Degrees Minutes Seconds.Seconds I dont have my foretrex 101 handy to tell you the exact menu options, but memory serves, its under the SETUP menu, under coordinate format or something similar.

I'm running Mac OS 10.2.8 on an ibook G3/500 and G3/900. I've had no problems downloading a file by clicking on the download icon, or tranfers in/out of my units. I've used both Safari, IE, and I think I tried it in Firefox, as well.

Good input. Thanks!

Still need at least one more officer. I've noticed this category is pretty restrictive, as it currently states "from one country to another". This might be a good category to re-write to allow any structure that has been moved, such as a house moved to a different part of town (or another town). The category also states "house", but the title says "structures" .... I would also suggest allowing structures to the category. For instance, my hometown has a steel arch that spans a downtown street. This arch was moved in the 1920's from another town, 45 miles away. It's a structure, and it was relocated. Comments appreciated.

The Relocated Structures Management Group needs officers. http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.a...e8-845317244877

I need a few more officers for the Luftwaffe Radar Ruins management group. http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.a...ee-3fdb6a63960b I've thought about "widening" this category, to "World War I / II Radar Ruins" - comments?

Dear God, please don't tell you base your educational methods on what business wants! -ajb I'd hope so! Otherwise I'd have had alot more difficulty in finding a decent job. McDonald's may not want such qualities, but those three items are skills that my employer desires - and are skills I need on a daily basis. Many schools (particularly higher education) listen INTENTLY as to what business wants. After all, it does a school no good to turn out graduates that do not have the skills that employers seek. To get back on-topic: I think it would be a real stretch to classify GC com as a social networking site - the forums might not be as much as a stretch. Either way, alot of noise over nothing.

What I meant was that the current carrying capacity of a line is determined largely by the size of the conductor. Other factors, such as conductor composition (copper, aluminum, aluminum with steel core) also come into play. But if the conductor is big, then it is carrying a lot of current, or the power company is wasting their money. Another interesting thing about conductors and corona discharges is that corona discharge is minimized by increasing the diameter of the conductor. To take advantage of this, ultra-high-voltage transmission lines often use three conductors (per phase) locked in a triangular configuration, and these 3 wires act like a single large diameter conductor, to minimize the corona discharge. In a sense, they act like a hollow conductor. The company I work for by day, American Electric Power, just recently energized a new 765,000 volt line. Normally our "765KV" lines are constructed in a bundle of 4 conductors per phase in a square pattern. This line was built using 6 conductors per phase, in a hex-pattern. The reason was the corona discharge noise was lower by something around 10 decibels by using this configuration. I spend a fair amount of time in the large transmission stations. Yes, the noise is very normal, and isnt harmful. There are some mornings though, its particularly loud, and does make one cautious. The most interesting experience was when walking through the station yard, underneath the 765,000 volt busswork. At certain spots, i could feel my bones resonate from all the energy. Didnt feel any electrical / static shocks, but it was certainly an interesting sensation.

That was probably wise. I visited a local prison recently (while working on National Map Corps project) and was informed that taking pictures of the facility was prohibited. One of the guards informed me on several occasions, they had to detain the person, call in the State Patrol (State Police), who would (at the very least) question the person, and who knows what else. I made a few notes, took some coordinates, and left the premises.

I hadnt seen a group form for this, so I've formed a group for various Ovens & Kilns: http://www.Waymarking.com/groups/details.a...69-12dc6c904f6b I need a few more members to get this going!

At the risk of repeating what the others have already said: I got into geocaching as a "detour" in my searches for interesting locations to visit. I was looking for a particular location (an abandoned train tunnel), and ended up finding a reference to a geocache. I found geocaching to be an interesting pastime. The concept is pretty cool - hide a box with a logbook and some trade items at a (hopefully interesting) location. People come, visit, sign the logbook "i was here".. yada yada. Problem was: Sometimes a particular location couldnt support a geocache, or wasnt allowed, or muggles kept stealing the box, or whatever may have happened. The Waymarking concept appeals to me. It gets back to what I originally liked to do: Visit interesting locations. The categorized layout helps in the organization. I can seek out, and/or share, interesting locations, post pictures, tell of visits, and so forth. I still like geocaching... Finding a box, especially in a place I have never been, that is an interesting spot, is still fun. It just gets harder to find a "good" one, from many of the "fair" ones. Different strokes for different folks.... If you like hunting for containers, signing logbooks, and trading items - then geocaching is up your alley. If you like visiting or seeing something interesting - perhaps Waymarking is your thing. Me? I prefer mapping and benchmarking - so the National Map Corps, and reporting benchmark recoveries to the NGS is what I like. But I'll still grab the occasional cache, or submit a waymark when I get the chance.

I might be mistaken in my notion, but: I was under the impression that the USGS is no longer interested in the benchmarks. I recall reading here that a few have been in contact with various persons o the USGS and there seemed to be a lack of interest on their part. I guess it might also depend on whom one were to talk to within the USGS organization. Ask 5 different people, and you are likely to get 5 different answers. Earnmark's posting is the first I have seen of any interest.

I just happened to wander in on this thread. Oddly enough, I did a similar test with my Garmin Foretrex 101 yesterday for the fun of it, while killing some time. I had pretty much the same results. I found with WAAS off, I had a similar wandering and showed a trip distance of "several" feet. With WAAS ON, my unit showed a trip distance of zero, over a similar amount of time. FYI - I would not worry about the metal or the magnetics of a benchmark disc. I use GPS very regularly in very high electromagnetic field areas ( extreme high voltage substations) and have never noticed any abnormal operation. I dont see it being an issue, as I use GPS as a high-precision timing source for 1 micro-second accurate power measurements.

I have a chiseled cross in a granite block from 1881 that I "claim" as my oldest find: http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=JY1397 This one, is a little older (Aug 5, 1879) - I dont really "claim" this as my oldest, as it was too easy - at the front steps of my hometown court house. http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=JY0461

Oops! The original category manager never made that category active, I suppose. Later someone else proposed the category and in it went. Thanks for pointing this out, and sorry to the 4 of you for the mixup. Sean archived the category and group. Thanks!

Somehow 2 listings for covered Bridges have appeared in the system. One of them recently went up for adoption, I ended up as leader of it. One of the group members brought it to my attention just a short time ago. I have renamed the group "covered bridges alternate" and replaced most of the data fields with "delete". There are no listings in this duplicate category. The real group has over 60, i think. I've advised the group members to quit the group. I would like to see this group deleted, as I am at my leader limit of 5 groups.

This does add a whole new angle to the photo requirement issue

I got the same email. I spoke with Erin on the phone for about 15 minutes or so. She was very open to conversation and comments about the policies, among other topics. I've a meeting scheduled at a park to discuss possible locations for a cache. So far, so good. I've only got good comments for the people at OHS.

I was considering the same thing, after adding my listing for Vinton Furnace & the Belgian Coke Ovens to the Iron Furnace Ruins Category. I'm game.

I'm the Chief Officer of the management group for the Abandoned Train Tunnels category. Although I dont include other kinds of tunnels (automobile, ventilation, etc.) - I will allow about any tunnel that had tracks running through it. An overall tunnels category might not be a bad idea though.

Let me know when the work is complete. I would be interested in joining.

Although these are not direct comparisons, it's probably close. I have both a Foretrex 101 (which is basically the same thing, just different battery) and an eTrex Legend (which i think is very similar to other models, just the maps/memory). I've looked at a friend's 201, and it's virtually the same, just thinner and has a built in battery. I find the Foretrex gets a much better lock on the satellites, and holds the lock under "bad" conditions better than the Legend. It also seems to get a bit of a lower EPE than the Legend also. The backlight on my 101 is a bright orange, much better than the dim white glow of the Legend. I find the black/white display on the 101 is easier to read than the greyscale of the Legend. I use AAA nimh 15-minute-rechargeables in my 101 and get around 12-15 hours use on a 15 minute charge... I get around 9+ hours with cheap alkalines. (if i recall correctly).. I'm not sure about recharge time for the 201, but i think my friend said overnight. I bought my 101 as a first GPS unit... I chose it over the 201, as I wanted to be able to change batteries if need be (which, with the conditions i use mine in, that ability is needed). The 201 is a bit thinner but i find the slight increase in thickness doesnt matter to me. The 101 does NMEA very well, i've used it in that mode in a number of packages without a problem. User interface is pretty simple. i find i can operate it with one hand, as all the buttons are on one side. Its pretty easy to hold and operate with the same hand, or while wristworn. GOTO, Page, Enter/Mark, Up, Down buttons pretty much do it all. I bought my Legend later on, wanting the map capability. Its a decent unit, but I like my 101 better. Aside from not being a mapping unit, i think it's a better unit than the legend. Hope this helps.

Hmmm... So that surveyor I was talking to, who told me he was out over the weekend and getting 3 centimeter error, is full of it? The difference is, he was using a PROFESSIONAL TOOL (receiver), and not a CONSUMER TOY (receiver). They both use the same satellites.

The bounty of iron furnaces in southern Ohio is what motivated me to join the Iron Furnace Ruins Management Group. I've been wanting to add a few more furnace sites of the area, but havent had chance to get there yet, with other stuff i've been working on (So many places, so little time.) Looking forward to seeing your waymarks!