jfitzpat

quote:Originally posted by Bagbug: http://www.gpsinformation.net/mgoldreview/sportrak-pro-rev.html Amazing reception under tree cover ! Bag I think you might reading too much into the review. The reviewer noted that sensitivity was primarily subjective observation. The review also notes that the lack of scatter on the plots is principally due to "auto averaging", which cannot be disabled. As Kerry has pointed out, with some good data, in the past, averaging can actually decrease accuracy in many circumstances. The data does seem to show that the unit tested has a much improved WAAS implementation. (Pros and cons of WAAS have been covered in other threads). Certainly it is a nice ergonomic improvement over the Map330. But, if I am reading the review correctly, some users may still be better off with either the Meridian or an eTrex model. -jjf

quote:Originally posted by sbell111: Ultimatum- Your comment that 'no one is immune' to poison ivy is incorrect. As you noted, many people have low sensitivity to poison ivy, oak & sumac and falsely believe that they are immune to it because they have not yet experienced a rash. With continued exposure, these people could develope symptoms and become highly sensitive. However, some people are not allergic to the oils in poison ivy, oak, and sumac. The only way to know this is for one's doctor to perform skin testing. FWIW, a skin test is not very meaningful with urushiol. About 85% of the US population will show visible welting by the *second* exposure. Of the remaining 15%, the vast majority will show welting by the 10th exposure. Certain populations do show a high tolerance for the irritant. For example, in Japan, a poison oak cousin was long used to make a lovely black lacquer - a favorite on common household items. The difference in resistance was duly noted by post WWII US service personnel who found themselves developing whelts from the black toilet seats (really). Native Californians are also rumored to have a high resistance, but I don't know if the rumor has ever been studied. I kind of view it like anaphylactic reactions. I've never shown a severe reaction to bee stings, nor has my wife or kids. But, there is always a first time, so the epi pen goes in the first aid kit... -jjf

FWIW, you might get better tracks from your eTrex if you carry it face up (top of daypack, etc.) Dangling at the end of the lanyard does not put the unit in its best attitude for tree cover reception. That said, many users report better reception with QH ant. setups. Personally, I just don't see it. Usually, if my Vista is having trouble, a GPS 320 or a Meridian Green is having trouble as well (canyon with poor view of the sky, hills, etc.) I know of spots all over SoCal where one brand or another can get a lock, but the others are lost, but 'trouble' seems to be pretty evenly split. But, that is just my experience (which is mostly not the typical follow-the-arrow geocaching usage). Others feel pretty strongly that reception in their area is dramatically bettern with particular receivers. Ideally, you should rent or borrow before you buy - then try several units and find the one best suited to your usage. -jjf

quote:Originally posted by Anders: There is never as much heat to a debate, as when it comes to "my daddy is stronger than your's" or "my {whateveritis} is better than your's". For the record, my daddy could (have) beat the crap out of your daddy - with one hand behind his back... Now THAT is cleared up... I couldn't agree more about your better with use point. I saw a message in another thread that lamented how, after 5 weeks of ownership, the poster had determined that all eTrex models are utter crap. The complaint list, however, could largely be applied to any of the popular receivers out there. As good as this stuff is getting, I think that it is still a little like video conferencing. The technology still does not match many folk's expectations. Of course, it is easier to blame the equipment that to revise one's expectations. -jjf

quote:Originally posted by Anders: There is never as much heat to a debate, as when it comes to "my daddy is stronger than your's" or "my {whateveritis} is better than your's". For the record, my daddy could (have) beat the crap out of your daddy - with one hand behind his back... Now THAT is cleared up... I couldn't agree more about your better with use point. I saw a message in another thread that lamented how, after 5 weeks of ownership, the poster had determined that all eTrex models are utter crap. The complaint list, however, could largely be applied to any of the popular receivers out there. As good as this stuff is getting, I think that it is still a little like video conferencing. The technology still does not match many folk's expectations. Of course, it is easier to blame the equipment that to revise one's expectations. -jjf

Well, the whole point of a built in compass is that the navigation screen on a non-compass unit can, most assuredly, point in completely the wrong direction - regardless of the attitude the unit is held. But, it does require proper calibration and use. The Magellan Platinum has a compass which is much more forgiving in operational positioning, but which seems to be 10-15 degrees less accurate than either a Suunto watch or a Vista. I'd agree that none of the GPS loadable maps I've seen on either Magellan or Garmin are a real replacement for paper maps, but I find them handy still. Having the whole portion of the state I normally roam loaded is convenient. I actually use the barometric altimeter quite a bit, but not for geocaching. Like Anders said, different strokes for different folks... Good Luck, -jjf

quote:Originally posted by phantom4099: The display on the meridian is larger than the etrex, and approx the same size as the 76. The meridian does support zoom (100 ft to 1700 miles). It also allows reversing routes, and version 3.12 allows to save many more tracks (and waypoints/routes) than the garmin allows. You can even create files (12 character names for tracks and waypoints) for diffrent waypoints (like geocaching, personal, fishing, etc...). Wyatt W. The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions. The physical size is almost the same, but the resolution isn't even close. If a user is going to do a lot of auto GPSing, the Garmin V and 76 are pretty nice (big, sharp, display). Really, for primarily auto use, I think an external ant. connection is really worth considering. For inbetween, I will say that the Meridian is much more vehicle friendly than the eTrex line. Physically larger screen is nice, and one finger, front panel operation, is too. -jjf

quote:Originally posted by phantom4099: The display on the meridian is larger than the etrex, and approx the same size as the 76. The meridian does support zoom (100 ft to 1700 miles). It also allows reversing routes, and version 3.12 allows to save many more tracks (and waypoints/routes) than the garmin allows. You can even create files (12 character names for tracks and waypoints) for diffrent waypoints (like geocaching, personal, fishing, etc...). Wyatt W. The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions. The physical size is almost the same, but the resolution isn't even close. If a user is going to do a lot of auto GPSing, the Garmin V and 76 are pretty nice (big, sharp, display). Really, for primarily auto use, I think an external ant. connection is really worth considering. For inbetween, I will say that the Meridian is much more vehicle friendly than the eTrex line. Physically larger screen is nice, and one finger, front panel operation, is too. -jjf

It doesn't offer all the features of either USAPhotomaps or the commercial mapping products, but http://www.lostoutdoors.com should work through a proxy server (that is, if you can view the internet from your work computer, you should be able to get maps, etc.) Good Luck, -jjf

It doesn't offer all the features of either USAPhotomaps or the commercial mapping products, but http://www.lostoutdoors.com should work through a proxy server (that is, if you can view the internet from your work computer, you should be able to get maps, etc.) Good Luck, -jjf

I'd have to second ClayJar - you need to be really careful. It's a double whammy - wrong map datum, and client side mark. I played with this when I setup http://www.lostoutdoors.com for putting the marks on the aerial and topo maps. Client side is potentially faster, but I ended up embedding them on the server both for accuracy, and so you could save the image off with markers intact. -jjf

The problem with windbreakers is that, generally, the more durable the material, the less the jacket breaths, and the more it weighs. I'm not a big fan of cotton, if it is hot and muggy I sweat and stew. If it is cold and wet, cotton can be downright dangerous. Still, it is cheap and durable. Most of the year, for hiking, backpacking, and climbing I generally work with 3 layers. I start with a long sleeve, synthetic shirt - light or medium weight, depending on the weather. Always long sleeve. If it is hot, I roll them up - but if it is chilly, or you have to push through brush, you can cover your arms. My 'coat' is a fleece (capilene, etc.) pull over. They make zip ups (basically jackets), but zippers fail and are a pain with technical gloves, etc. I actually have two pull overs, a serious, winter camping Patagonia one, and a lighter no-brand one. Again, I pick based on the weather. Unless it is really windy or precipitation is involved, I stop here. Brush will catch and snag, etc., but the material is stretchy and very strong. If it gets too windy or wet, I dig out my shell... My 'shell' is an ultra light, breathable, jacket. I currently use a GoLite (www.golite.com) Reach. It has extra material at the normal climbing wear spots (shoulders, near the waist for the rope, etc.) These coats look waffer thin, but are amazinging tough. I've climbed some pretty rough granite chimneys wearing mine. I expected it to be shredded to bits, but it is still going strong. The thing is so compact and light that I never leave it behind. A couple of magazines have rated the ultra light breathables (Outside, Climbing, etc.) over the last year or two. The high tech materials are a bit pricey. If you are really just doing short hikes (1-2 miles) in fair weather, a denim 'letter' style jacket is pretty good protection from prickleys, scrapes, and so on. Again, just don't get too wet... Good Luck, -jjf

The problem with windbreakers is that, generally, the more durable the material, the less the jacket breaths, and the more it weighs. I'm not a big fan of cotton, if it is hot and muggy I sweat and stew. If it is cold and wet, cotton can be downright dangerous. Still, it is cheap and durable. Most of the year, for hiking, backpacking, and climbing I generally work with 3 layers. I start with a long sleeve, synthetic shirt - light or medium weight, depending on the weather. Always long sleeve. If it is hot, I roll them up - but if it is chilly, or you have to push through brush, you can cover your arms. My 'coat' is a fleece (capilene, etc.) pull over. They make zip ups (basically jackets), but zippers fail and are a pain with technical gloves, etc. I actually have two pull overs, a serious, winter camping Patagonia one, and a lighter no-brand one. Again, I pick based on the weather. Unless it is really windy or precipitation is involved, I stop here. Brush will catch and snag, etc., but the material is stretchy and very strong. If it gets too windy or wet, I dig out my shell... My 'shell' is an ultra light, breathable, jacket. I currently use a GoLite (www.golite.com) Reach. It has extra material at the normal climbing wear spots (shoulders, near the waist for the rope, etc.) These coats look waffer thin, but are amazinging tough. I've climbed some pretty rough granite chimneys wearing mine. I expected it to be shredded to bits, but it is still going strong. The thing is so compact and light that I never leave it behind. A couple of magazines have rated the ultra light breathables (Outside, Climbing, etc.) over the last year or two. The high tech materials are a bit pricey. If you are really just doing short hikes (1-2 miles) in fair weather, a denim 'letter' style jacket is pretty good protection from prickleys, scrapes, and so on. Again, just don't get too wet... Good Luck, -jjf

quote:Originally posted by rghermes: I have the Vista, but I would avoid this model if you plan on using it on the boat too. The Display just isnt big enough for boating. I would recommend the 76 or 76s from Garmin. I'd have to agree. The Vista is great for hiking and mountaineering, but the display is too small for regular vehicle use. Also, the one hand operation that is nice while hiking, is awkward in a vehicle. If maps and vehicle are a big priority, I would probably consider something with a jack for an external ant. -jjf

quote:Originally posted by leatherman: Still nothing intellegent added to this discussion. As far as I can tell, Kerry just pointed out a basic, known fact. The way that the system is implemented, a receiver cannot get a meaninful fix from just two sats. If you have an receiver that keeps pumping out information in this situation, it is important to know that the unit is just spouting guesses. Kerry's listed stats have no impact on the physics, or the NavStar implementation. The facts remain what they are. In addition, Kerry has been a long standing contributer of excellent technical information on this subject. His message history, on both the new and archived forums, would have been a better way of investigating his credentials on the subject. A 'found' count has no statistical correlation to technical savvy or basic cognitive skills. Besides, you should know that a fair number of members don't log. The reasons vary, the hunt is enough, privacy, etc. This is coming to a head at my own house. I'm not much of a cacher, I'd rather climb. My kids like doing it with map and compass, but are hot to place, which will force us to rethink our posting policy (we already have had to revise our trade policy)... But, back on point, if you sincerely think your stats here on Geocaching.com are a meaningful yardstick of your value or credibility as a human being, get a life... -jjf

quote:Originally posted by leatherman: Still nothing intellegent added to this discussion. As far as I can tell, Kerry just pointed out a basic, known fact. The way that the system is implemented, a receiver cannot get a meaninful fix from just two sats. If you have an receiver that keeps pumping out information in this situation, it is important to know that the unit is just spouting guesses. Kerry's listed stats have no impact on the physics, or the NavStar implementation. The facts remain what they are. In addition, Kerry has been a long standing contributer of excellent technical information on this subject. His message history, on both the new and archived forums, would have been a better way of investigating his credentials on the subject. A 'found' count has no statistical correlation to technical savvy or basic cognitive skills. Besides, you should know that a fair number of members don't log. The reasons vary, the hunt is enough, privacy, etc. This is coming to a head at my own house. I'm not much of a cacher, I'd rather climb. My kids like doing it with map and compass, but are hot to place, which will force us to rethink our posting policy (we already have had to revise our trade policy)... But, back on point, if you sincerely think your stats here on Geocaching.com are a meaningful yardstick of your value or credibility as a human being, get a life... -jjf

quote:Originally posted by Atilla the Pun: Just on the off chance that was directed at me... Not at all, I posted the comment pretty early and just assumed that the loyalists would leap in. I'm sorry if it seemed personal. -jjf

quote:Originally posted by boreal jeff: Excuse my ignorance but what exactly is a MRE? I know it means Meal Ready to Eat but what exactly are they? I do a lot of hiking with camping and think these might be useful. Sometimes I can't be bothered starting a fire and don't like granola bars. Every hour spent geocaching is added to the end of your life MRE rations were/are basically a replacement for the the US military MCI (meal, combat, individual) ration. The problem with MCIs was that they were intended for 'infrequent' use only. That is, you wouldn't want to be the person handing them out, day after day, to folks with guns. They also came in metal cans. MREs are intended to be suitable for a week or 10 days as a sole diet. When I first saw one in the early '80s, they weren't great, but they were already a big step up, taste wise, from MCIs. The new packaging also made them lighter and easier to stow. I've been told that they have continued to improve, with some substantial changes around '88. But I'm not anxious to find out first hand... -jjf

quote:Originally posted by boreal jeff: Excuse my ignorance but what exactly is a MRE? I know it means Meal Ready to Eat but what exactly are they? I do a lot of hiking with camping and think these might be useful. Sometimes I can't be bothered starting a fire and don't like granola bars. Every hour spent geocaching is added to the end of your life MRE rations were/are basically a replacement for the the US military MCI (meal, combat, individual) ration. The problem with MCIs was that they were intended for 'infrequent' use only. That is, you wouldn't want to be the person handing them out, day after day, to folks with guns. They also came in metal cans. MREs are intended to be suitable for a week or 10 days as a sole diet. When I first saw one in the early '80s, they weren't great, but they were already a big step up, taste wise, from MCIs. The new packaging also made them lighter and easier to stow. I've been told that they have continued to improve, with some substantial changes around '88. But I'm not anxious to find out first hand... -jjf

quote:Originally posted by Bagbug: Dont touch any eTrex. Worst antenna available on the market. You will regret it under tree cover or in a car. Get the Meridian Platinum, dadgum good GPS. Many geocachers told me not to get a eTrex Legend , I didnt believe them. One month later, I sold my Legend. If you prefer a Garmin, get a 76s. (Quadrifilar Antenna, like the Meridians) Bag If you are in a whiteout and the temperature is dropping in the mountains, get an eTrex. Magellans do not like the cold. A lot of commercial SD cards like it even less... Seriously, again, most of the units available are pretty good. The 'right' one really depends on personal taste and needs. I still would pick a Gold over a Platinum (see above). -jjf

quote:Originally posted by Bagbug: Dont touch any eTrex. Worst antenna available on the market. You will regret it under tree cover or in a car. Get the Meridian Platinum, dadgum good GPS. Many geocachers told me not to get a eTrex Legend , I didnt believe them. One month later, I sold my Legend. If you prefer a Garmin, get a 76s. (Quadrifilar Antenna, like the Meridians) Bag If you are in a whiteout and the temperature is dropping in the mountains, get an eTrex. Magellans do not like the cold. A lot of commercial SD cards like it even less... Seriously, again, most of the units available are pretty good. The 'right' one really depends on personal taste and needs. I still would pick a Gold over a Platinum (see above). -jjf

quote:Originally posted by Travisty: Actually I also heard they were going to ban rock climbing in all National Parks also, but that was 10 years ago and nothing ever came of it... That's not quite true. Climbing is banned in portions of many parks, part, or even all of the year - including spots in Joshua Tree National Park, probably the most popular climbing destination on NPS controlled land. Certain activities, like bolting (even rap stations) is, by default, banned. A park may have a climbing plan in place that permits bolting or not. The norm would be something like: existing bolts can be replaced, by permit, for safety reasons... (ex. Devil's Tower, which, BTW, has a voluntary climbing ban each June). My point is that access should not be taken lightly. If the climbing world had not started embracing 'clean' climbing 30 years ago, the sport would almost certainly be banned in many more places today. That said, I would be really surprised to see a comprehensive NFS ban on caching. A backlash from the NPS makes sense, we are talking about poorly funded, intensely popular places. But the NFS's main goal in life is building roads for "scientific forestry" (clear cutting). -jjf

quote:Originally posted by Hinge Thunder: NO DUH!! When he said compass, he was talking about the pointer (which is laid out like a compass). I personally have experienced what he was talking about. As you are walking toward the cache, and the distance is dropping, yet the pointer is pointing back the direction you are coming from, not toward the destination as usual. As I said previously, this usually happens when the batteries are getting low. I have replaced the batteries, and the problem goes away. What I tried to make clear in my post above is that actual vs. implied attitude AND actual vs. measured location can effect readout. Positional error is not centered on the actual location. As you get close (60-100 feet), it is not unheard of for positional error to fool the unit into believing that movement is reversed. I've seen these with different makes and brands, particularly when there are hard vertical surfaces nearby. The only reason that I can think of that batteries might be involved is that, when battery voltage drops, the noise floor in the receiver comes up, potentially causing a larger positional error. Switching batteries might then rectify the problem in a border line reception situation. -jjf

James, it seems in so-so taste to me. But, I find that I am loathe to agree with you on anything. Perhaps I am harboring an irrational fear of second-hand stupidity... Seriously, why not drive down to Moab? It is hard to imagine anyone remaining up tight and volatile after spending some time among those towering red rocks and the miraculously lush green valley full of horses... -jjf

If you don't have an eTrex Vista, or Meridian Platinum, your probably don't have a real compass. The 'compass' (bearing needle) in most GPS receivers is inferred. The unit knows where you seem to be now and where it thought you were a second or so ago. So, it assumes that you are moving in a face line and looking where you are going. But, if you are moving slowly and/or the reception is marginal, there is a very good chance that the unit has guessed wrong and is pointing off in la la land. Here are a couple of ways this can happen - you turn slowly around, looking for the cache, then you look at the GPS display - you haven't shifted appreciably in location, so the GPS can't infer a new bearing. Similarly, positional accuracy drops (sat geometry, reception, etc.), you walk ten steps forward, but the unit thinks you have shifted 15 feet back and left of where you actually are. The measured 'vector' and your actual movement do not match, so, again, the arrow is wrong. Even if you have a compass built in, remember that it needs to be calibrated (like the compass in most cars). Many cachers use a plain old compass when they get close, or just look at the coordinate readout and ignore the bearings when they are zoning in. Good Luck, -jjf