Master Mariner

I forgot to mention that, by doing it this way, you are always working in the DD MM.mmm format that you are probably used to. No conversions and the possibilty of mistakes! Charles

I use a PDA with Bluetooth GPS and use TT3, VitoNavigator II, Memory Map and GPXSonarsoftware. I also use GSAK on my desktop machine for the hard work. The following works for me - but there is more than one way to skin a cat! 1. In GSAK, I decide on which area I am going to do some caching in and asign it a number. Let's assume that this weekend I am going to "do" Surrey and I will call it Batch 18 (or area 18). 2. I then go into GSAK and for each cache I aim to visit I put the Batch number in the Usort column. This enables all the caches I intend to visit to be filtered. Once I have selected all the "victims" I then do the filter. I will save the filter as "Batch 18". 3. I then have a look at each cache description, by douible clicking on the cache name in GSAK, and then clicking on the "Online waypoint URL" to take me to the live GC web page. I then check that there are ni issues with the cache (disabled or archived) and then read the description to see if there is a parking area suggested. If there isn't, I then use memory Map to see if I can identify a possible parking area. 4.Let's assume I am going to do the "Derby Day" cache (GCKBRA). This has a recommended parking position at Tattenham Corner. I highlight "Derby Day" in GSAK and then click on the Waypoint menu and then Add. This brings up the "Add a waypoint..." form. I then click on the "Clone/Copy current waypoint" button. That fills out the form with the "Derby Day" data. In the "Waypoint code" text box I append "_Parking" to the code so get "GCKBRA_P". I then append "_Parking" to the name to get "Derby Day_Parking". I then put a check mark in the "Lock" field and then enter the parking co-ords in the Lat and Lon fields. I then click OK. 5. I now have another entry in GASK. You can expand the "Code" column so you can see the appended "_P"s. I then add the Batch number, in this case 18" to the "Usort" field. I then repeat (4) & (5) for any other caches to be sought. 6. I have macros set-up in GSAK to locate each batch and automatically create several export files. The following is the macro extract for Batch 18: CANCELFILTER FILTER Name="Batch 18" EXPORT Type=GPX Settings="GPX Export" File="Q:\PERSONAL\Geocaching\Archive\GPX\Batch - 18" EXPORT Type=GPX Settings="LOC Export" File="Q:\PERSONAL\Geocaching\Archive\LOC\Batch - 18" EXPORT Type=SNT File="Q:\PERSONAL\Geocaching\Archive\CSV\Batch - 18" EXPORT Type=POI File="Q:\PERSONAL\Geocaching\Archive\OV2\Batch - 18" EXPORT Type=MEM File="Q:\PERSONAL\Geocaching\Archive\MemMap\Batch - 18" What this does, is clear any previous filters and load the filter "Batch 18". It then produes export files in various directories with the name "Batch - 18". "GPX Export" creates a GPX file that I use with GPXSonar. "LOC Export" creates a LOC file that I use with VitoNavigator II. "SNT" creates a CSV file that I use with MS Autoroute. "POI File" creates OV2 files for use in TT3. "Mem File" produces a Memory Map file for use in Memory Map. 7. Referring specifically to your question, I then copy OV2 file and corresponding BMP file, that is created, to the TT3 map directory on my PDA. 8. On the PDA, I assume this is the same for TT5, start TomTom and go to the map view. Then click "File" then "Properties" and select the "POI" tab. In the list of POIs you should see "Batch - 18". Set the check mark against it and ensure that the check mark is set against "Show points of interest" at the top of the list. Click "OK" and then move the map to the area of interest and you should see the "Batch - 18" POIs. As you zoom in, you should be able to differentiate between the cache and the cache parking spot. If you press and hold on the cache parking spot you should then be able to set it as the destination. Return to the Navigator screen and off you go! 9. I use the other export files for the various bits of software on my desktop and PDA. I hope the above helps and makes sense. It seems to be long winded but using the excellent macro feature in GSAK it's a doddle. If you need any further help please feel free to contact me through my profile or the forum. Happy 'caching. Charles

Back to your original question... A cacher(s) called "sadexploration" has placed some caches in the Reigate/Dorking area of north Surrey - not too far from Beckenham. If you fancy a walk on the North Downs I would recommend "Reigate Mini Multi Ramble" (GCM4YE) and "Snow White" (GCMJ67) but you have to do the Seven Dwarfs before the true location of Snow White will be known. The Snow White series is on Box Hill that is very popular at weekends and sunny days so an early morning start is recommended. If you do these, I hope the kids will have a full English breakfast waiting for you when you get home! "sadexploration" also has a couple of caches that require a bit of thinking about before doing them. See "Interceptor" (GCPP26) and "Secret Squirrel" (GCNHP4). If it is Kent you want to "do" then look at any caches between the M2 and M20 motorways. There is a trilogy leading to "Kippens Kache" (GCJBXW), that I have not done persoanally, but always get good logs and is on my "to do" list. The undergrowth in the UK at this time of year can be prickly and stinging so I suggest you wear long trousers! Happy 'caching. Chas

Mr Lactodorum Sir I am prepared to take on the Regent's Canal series just to ensure that they survive. Does it matter that I have not actually found them ALL yet? I think I have 8 or 9 out of the 12! If I am given the honour, can I log those I am missing as finds as I have to find them to maintain them?!!! Please, please can some kind person(s) take on Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens as I have not done them yet!! Chas

My brokers and insurers line is to claim from the party causing the damage. That is the car that hit mine. The owner of the car that hit mine can then claim from the ferry company. My post was not really to seek advice but to see if anyone else had any strange accidents whilst out geocaching. Thanks for the cooments though!

Last Friday, I had a peculiar accident whilst geocaching. I was crossing the Thames on the Woolwich Ferry and the ferry hit the northern pier very hard. This caused all the cars to be shunted forward and mine was hit up the back end. Exactly the same thing happened to the two cars in the same position on the other side of the ferry. The reason we got hit and the others didn't was that we were parked on a dry bit of deck. Now for the funny bit... The driver who hit my car would not give me his details so I had to make a report at the local police station. After filling out the form, they couldn't decide if the poilice north of the river, south of the river or river police should deal with it! So far I have heard nothing. Now for the sad bit.. I had turned on my PDA and had TomTom running for getting off the ferry and I was able to report that the ferry was doing 6km/hr when it hit the pier! Any other unusual accidents whilst out 'caching? Charles

I use a systematic approach to my geocaching by creating geographical boxes that are assigned a number. The number for each "box" is then entered in the UserSort column thus enabling the caches in a box to be filtered easily. I have about 20 "boxes" at the moment. The macros then take over and using the filters create: CSV files for display in AutoRoute OV2 files for TomTom Loc files for use in VitoNavigator GPX files for use with SpoilerSync and GPXSonar I then just transfer the "box" details, that I require for the days caching, to my PDA. I have set up a couple of macro buttons so it's just a case of pressing button 1 to create the files for "boxes" 1-10 and button 2 to create the files for "boxes" 11-20. The filters also take out found caches, my own caches and DNFs - unless I am going to have another go at a cache. The macros are a lot more powerful than I use them for but are a great help to me! Thanks Clyde and thanks for the excellent support. Charles

Remove your SD card and the "glassy" looking bit of plastic that surrounds the SD card aperture can be pulled out to allow CF cards...

Thanks for the information on pics and GPX Sonar. I was expecting to see the pictures in-situ within the cache text. Maybe I am looking for too much! Thanks again.

I have the latest version of GPXSonar and Spoiler Sync but cannot get the images to display in GPXSonar... Any chance of a quick tutorial on how to display the pics? The Help file and web site do not seem to be too helpful or am I looking in the wrong place? Thanks in advance.

I have completed some virtual caches recently and have waited for an acknowledgement from the owner before posting a find. I notice that many virtuals are posted as finds with a comment such as "Email on its way". If the posts, with "Email on its way", are actually wrong, who should remove them - the cache owner or the poster. Doea this actually take place? Any comments?

I have hidden a few caches and, as a general rule, visit them after two months if there has been no activity or after 2 or 3 DNFs. Do any other cache owners have criteria that they use for ensuring their caches are still in place and in good order. A little research shows that caches that have had a couple of DNFs tend to lose their attraction. From my own experiences of DNFs, I now tend to avoid caches that have gone undiscoverd for a long period or have had a couple of DNFs. I take the DNFs more seriously if they have been posted by a cacher with a couple of hundred finds. Any thoughts?