[My Magellan Explorist GC GPS won't receive downloads anymore]

I had to download each cache using the “download fox file” button and save to my downloads file on PC. Then plug in the gps, and in file explorer, open up the Magellan and look for the file “geocaches” and drag and drop the gpx files there. Worked OK, but would sometimes miss some files completely. It’s been very frustrating. My old explorist is also running very slow, so am now in the market for another that works for paperless caching. Just not enough clear info, and to many varied opinions to make a clear choice yet. Sigh. 

[filling out TB form]

I've have a number of TB's, and when I filled out the activation form, there is the option of "Collectable" Yes No. I usually just click no, but I was wondering what the difference is? If I click Yes, does that mean someone can collect it and keep it? or just that someone can retrieve it and move it? Maybe I'm just blind, but can't seem to find anything on this on the GC site. Been caching for 6 years now and just realized I have no clue what this part of the form means and just don't want to screw up all the new TB's I received as a gift. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Can I take TB from own cache?]

Thank you all for quick replies. Those are my thoughts too, but I just didn't want to make up my own rules for the game. If we all agree, then moving on ......

[Can I take TB from own cache?]

Several times, while doing maintenance on my own cache, I will find travel bugs, and feel tempted to take them, log them and move them on. Seems like an OK thing to do, but also seems like a cheap way to gather bugs. Any thoughts? Yes or No?

[Most hated swag]

I find I don't really take any offence if the swag is plastic toys or kiddy beads or any other relatively usless junk, it really is all about the hunt, BUT!, It really ticked me off when we found a nice cache in a nice park which was to contain a trackable that was placed over a month ago. We find the cache, open it up, and no trackable, and the person before us said they left new hot wheels, and before that someone said they left something called troll beads. Well, none of that was there, and the box contained used beer coasters, matches, chewed up erasers and toys missing heads or faces and a broken leaking pen. So between the day before and us getting there, someone cleaned out the nice stuff, filled it with junk and didn't sign the log. So we trashed the matches (dumb thing to leave) tossed out the junk and emptied our swag bag to give the next hunter a better selection. And if the person who took the trackable was a cacher, why the bleep didn't you log you have it? Others have been looking for it and now no one knows where it is. Classless really!

[When is a find really a find?]

The first two, log 'found with aaa and bbb' and backdate the log to the actual found date.

The other... If I did not have the cache in my flippers, and sign the log (or add a piece of paper with my signature if the log were too wet to sign), I would not log it as a find. I would log that as a DNF. Find cache. Sign log. Log on-line. Get smiley.

Thanks for the thoughts, they were what I was thinking was right, but it's good to here it from the those who have been there before. If your gonna play a game, do it right and be happy, or cheat and know your a knob.

This game is so fun, and a great way spend spare time.

[When is a find really a find?]

This is a bit of an etiquette question. The first time we cached, we were with my daughter and her fiance. We did 2 caches and this is what introduced us to the game. We then bought our GPS and off we went. Can we log the first two we did with my daughter as finds without going there again? It would seem to take a bit of the fun away to just rotely go there and pull them out to write on the log without really hunting for them. But then it seems sad to never log them just because you haven't searched for them. what would be the accepted protocol here? Secondly, while I was at work and parked for a break, I knew of a cache in the vicinity, and actually scoped out the area. This was a micro in a lamp post type hide. I saw the container through a gap in the cover, but there were so many other people around and I was running out of time for breaks and had to leave. Can I consider this a find or not? Many people say on other posts about doing things your own way as you feel comfortable doing, but if there is an unwritten rule about things, I'd rather play the game right and not change it to suit me. Your thoughts please.

[Disappointed by Trade Items in Caches]

New to the game as well. While finding stuff is fun, and fun to go through, it really is about the hunt and just getting outdoors and being together. I always have a bag full of junky plastic odd sox, and will leave a doodad if there room in a micro or just because someone somewhere may find it cute enough to take. A box full of junk just goes to show that lots of people have been there, and it's a small community connection with others in the game. I feel to much high end swag could turn this into a game of oneupmanship if we're not careful. To me, even finding the toy from a Kinder surprise or the stuff from a Christmas cracker in a cache is fun, just to even see it. It's abig worls out there and this game helps us all see a bit more of it, one hide at a time.