Fledermaus

I have a method that just might work, and you might need to bring a very large tool and make lots of noise to get it loose from it's mountings. No cables to cut, and no eyebolts to cut. I only wish that I knew how to use a chainsaw without chopping myself to bits in the process. BTW, after furthor inspection, the culprit used a hacksaw to cut through the 5/16 inch 6 inch long Eyebolt that was threaded deeply into the tree. Yes, I do have a couple of suspect! One of them is a local and "inexperienced geocacher", as stated my a well know local cache Approver/Reviewer. I have several larger ammo-cans, but I would like to make a deal with someone who has a couple of smaller one. I am going to wait, but not because I want things to cool down a bit. I would like to confer with a friend of mine who wants a piece of the action or the culprit. Considering the materials and time put into that container, it's reported worth was over $100, to include it's contents, both mine those of the TB owners. Thanks for all the support! I will survive and will come back with a vengence! Fledermaus

There is a cache thief loose in this area. I have no evidence as to whether the thief is a geocacher or muggle. To the best of my knowledge, only one other cache owner has reported a simular incident. Is there a connection? I would surely like to clear up that mystery. Maybe that cache owner and I can figure out what is going on! My Chiroptera cache, located at the end of my driveway and in an old maple tree stump, has been stolen! It contained 2 Travel Bugs and now I have to report to the owners that they are MIA. The Ammo-Can was unique! It had a 100 Milliwatt transmitter inside and it's frequency was 27.125(CB Ch. 14). It can be recognized by the SO-239 CB Connector on the right side of the case. Furthormore, there was a 3 foot steel cable attached, with one end of the cable looped through a 6 inch eyescrew. The other end was attached to the box with a key type lock. In addition, the box was secured at the front with a combination lock. Anyone having evidence pointing to a suspect is urged to contact me and/or geocaching.com and report what you know! SUGGESTIONS WANTED: Should I archive this cache or should I replace it? If I replace it, the vandal may target it again. If I archive it, then they may lookm for another cache of mine to target. What should I do next? FLEDERMAUS

After reading about the new changes to the "My Cache Page" function, I decided to check it out. I believe that all of the functions in the Upper Right Corner of that page have a common possible fault. When accessing "Geocaches", "(Filter Finds)", "Benchmarks", "Update Home Coordinates" and "Lookup/Email Another Player" functions, you cannot return to "My Cache Page" using the BACK button. Using the BACK button returns you to the Sign-In Screen/Name and Password screen. Furthormore, if you click on the "My Cache Page" tab while at the Sign-In screen, you can get back to the "My Cache Page" screen. I would like to see one function added to the systems as well. I would like to click on a line, somewhere within any cache page, so I may send a copy of a cache page to a friend. It could be interfaced with the standard "Lookup/Email Another Player" function Fledermaus

Hello! I'm the creater of the FAHRENHEIT-451! @ KRL-CB cache mentioned by Bull Moose. Initially, I went to the Head of Staff for the Board of Directors. I gave her a sales pitch that intrigued her. So, she "took up the guantlet" and went to the Board on my behalf. Subsequently, they approved it 100%. As for the cache itself, the library building is the cache container and a real book is the log book sitting on a Reference Only shelf. All members of the staff are aware of this book, since it was mentioned in their weekly briefing of changes within the library. If you think you have the right number, they might even help you find it. Some have been led astray by the coordinates they calculate for the direction to walk where the cache is. I make mention in the text that "The shortest distance between two points is not always a straight line". All they have to do is go about 30 feet and go in the front door from the flag pole, which is their last Waypoint. The numbers they get for directions are sometimes quite humorous, but are for guidence only. One person said the the numbers they got took them across the street. There's nothing there! In all actuality, the coordinates are, for the most part, a false trail. The real numbers that are needed are the ones to fill in the blank, i.e. DD# = R ___ .1, which is a Dewey Decimal number of the book. I guess some people don't know what the term "Dewey Decimal" means. All they have to do is get the right book number and they should be able to walk right to it. However, a couple of finders have found a unique work-around. One of them started at a number he thought was appropriate and worked his way upward from there. He found it, but it took some time to do so. The second finder, namely Bull Moose, did pretty much the same thing, but worked his way downward in numbers until he found it. I will not fault them for their creativity. I did not count on that unique approach. BTW, this cache is on a trial basis, and if it works out for all concerned, as it has so far by comments from various staff members, I may be given permission to expand this idea to the other local branches. Until then and during such time, no other caches are allowed in or on library grounds. You might want to read the "Fine Print" statement at the bottom of my cache page, which expresses the concerns of the library's Head of Staff and the Board. For those who attempt to find it and fail, hopefully you will have learned something from the experience. Any and all comments for my next library cache will be greatfully appreciated. FLEDERMAUS (Flying Mouse / Bat)

You're not wearing the WSGA sash?! You truly are an outlaw. I think that all geocachers should have brands on their foreheads, to mark them for what they are. However, since there are so many varieties of us, the greatest problem would be to select an appropriate symbol. Any ideas out there? With regards to the hours one should be in a park, that should be dictated by common sence. Most parks operate on the premis of Dawn to Dusk, while others spell it out boldly at it's entrance. If you choose not to abide by the rules, I hope you have a better excuse than "I'm just a geocacher..." for the cop who stops you, wanting to know what you're doing. Therefore, let your conscience be your guide, or be prepared to tell a big fat lie!

Temper, Temper! Sounds like Jimmy has a "good buddy" in Tacoma(probably not). Or could it be just an Alternate ID for making rude comments? Do I have to take the issue to a friend of mine, at the local school district office, and get this settled once and for all? Let's hope it doesn't come to that, because I know who will loose!

I bring up the issue of caches, or parts thereof, having been installed by a local geocacher on school and commercial properties. The 1st step is not on school grounds, but the 2nd through 4th steps are on school properties and the final 2 steps are on unimproved commercial property. To the best of my knowledge, he does not have permission from the elementary and jr. high schools involved nor does he have permission from the commercial property owner. EDITED: After seeing some reviews! As a taxpayer, you always have the right to go on public property. Very few people get permission to put a cache on commercial grounds. However, common sence dictates that you should: Engage Brain Before Caching! Explaining you activities to the authorities after-the-fact is one thing, but thinking first is usually your best preventative medicine. There are a lot of paranoids out there, and I don't want to be the object of one. BTW, the cache was approved by GC.COM, so they apparently have no issues with it

Where do you stand on geocachers placing caches on school owned properties, such as in and around the schools themselves and their associated playgrounds? I am concerned about geocachers going onto school properties, while school is in session, whether they are in their classrooms or out on the grounds playing. Considering the articles in the news lately, I would think that placing or hunting of a cache on school properties might be a bad idea, especially at night.

With all the articles in the newspapers and on television, what do you think of hiding or hunting geocaches on city, county and state school properties? My personal opinion is that it's not a good idea! Anyone who is on school grounds should only be there is they are a student, a parent of a student, a teacher or administrator, a maintanence person or other authorized person for that school or it's district. If you're not one of those mentioned above, you could be reported as a suspicious person and then have an encounter with the local authorities. I don't think that my explanation that "I'm just geocaching" would carry much importance, especially if I were doing this while kids were in school or, worse yet, playing out on the grounds around you.

Interesting that you should make comments regarding DOCTYPE and other than IE browser compatibility. When I created My Webpage I felt that it was absolutely necessary to include the complete "Header" wherever possible, not to mention it's XHTML compatibility. I do have a question for those in the know. Why is the HTML command bgproperties="fixed" not allowed by XHTML? My editor, TIDY doesn't like that, but I use it anyway!

I'll have to correct that slight oversite. I'll add several of them as soon as I find something that's really irratating to the eyes. Did anyone happen to notice that Howe Farm has a lot of caches in one area and that my cache page crosslinks them? Each image has a function, such as a to inform the viewer of a clue. The "heiroglyphics" as you call them, they are used as encoded information about the cache. Try using Notepad and the COPY/PASTE functions. As for the brightly colored intro for my personal webpage, that was an experiment that will be attended to in the near future. It's actually a rainbow divider-bar turned sideways, using an image editior, and then repeated horizontally. I never have been one of those so-called "lemmings that supposedly jump off clifs blindly when told. However, I do plan on making improvements to several other pages as time goes on, to include colorful displays and the like. Life is so boring in B&W. I've never heard of "technovomit" but I do like "Techo-Rock"!. Right now I'm thinking of "The Exorcist". That term sounds like something from the "Web pages that suck" book or website. The only complaints that I've received so far are from those here in the forum. I wonder why that is? Of course, there is always the possibility that cachers won't hunt my caches because they're so colorful. Nah, that won't happen! There's too many "Point Collectors" out there.

Is this one of those "craptastic" cache pages? One of my cache pages! I dared to use Mouse-Overs, Hot-Linking, Background and Foreground Images and much more. So, forgive me if I don't apologize for using lots of colors and images. It's just that I am a bit more imaginative and that plain text is outright boring! Or perhaps this page is a better example of a "craptastic" personal web page? My Webpage! BTW, how much XML, HTML and XHTML do you understand and can you write in any of those formats?

Some GPSrs are very basic and have poor to fair sensitivity. Some have lots of bells and whistles, inspite of there lack of sensitivity. Others have excellent sensitivity, lacking the bells and whistles, but others just fall flat on their LCDs when it comes to tree cover. I have several friends with various versions of the ETREX series. Personally, I won't trust the little yellow and silver ones(Venture, Map and etc.), since their ability to receive under heavy tree cover stinks. As for what I have, use and have recommended to friends in the past, is a good old fashion Garmin GPS-12. Even Garmin advertized it as being capable of "working under heavy tree cover". Furthormore, an acquiantanence told me today that it's still being sold. I was surprized, considering all the "improvements" in GPS devices in the last 3 to 5 years. New is not always better! I also use my RoadRunner and Thomas Guide for maps of the areas in which I do my geocaching. I have a friend who has one of those new Magellan units, as seen in your local Radio Shack store. I'll have to challenge him in some woods and see who's GPS quits first. *** Not all GPSrs are made the same, some are more equal than others! *** Fledermaus

I would like to know how many geocachers, who have placed cache for others to find, think that it is important to get permission from the property owner, such as a city or county agency, even if the grounds have no signs posted, such as No Trespassing or Keep Out and etc? I have a lot of caches out there and most of them are in city and county parks. However, I will not put a cache into a state park, simply because I don't like the idea of having other pay for parking to find a cache. My city caches were installed with a permit issued by my city's parks & recreation dept. As for others that are in my county, I have permission and/or blessing from the powers that be.

I did a few of Black Acorn's caches last month and enjoyed each and every one of them. One of them eluded me and I almost got frustrated, but then there it was right under my nose. All I had to do was see what I was looking at. I have had the experience of finding many caches of many variations. Some might be considered "lame" and others "easy", but those two terms are not always one-in-the-same. All of them showed different methods of thinking. The whole idea is to do the best you can with what you have and improve your skills as time goes on. I do agree with the comments that it is best to get a few caches under you belt before going out and planting a few of your own. However, in my area there weren't many cachers or caches, when I got started, but I decided to kick it in to high gear and contact some of my friends, to see if they were interested in the hobby. It worked, and several of them have been creative enough to challenge my skills, much to my liking. I find that the purpose of a log book is to express a few of your trials and tribulations in finding the cache, but not all of them, that's what the website is for. As for being critical of a cache or it's owner, I tend not to do that. If I have a problem with a cache, finding it or otherwise, I prefer to contact the owner directly. I hope to see some of you at the meeting in Gig Harbor, if my plans are not corrupted by other activities. Furthormore, there are many caches in the Bremerton area just waiting for you guys to find them. Hope to see you here too! Fledermaus

Is someone going to tell me to open a new thread? With all that has been said and done or not done yet with all the missing and edited tags and etc., has anyone considered the compatabilty of the GC.COM website with XHTML? It is my understanding that the XHTML format is more in line with the memory needs of PDAs and simular devices. It has stricter rules regarding the opening and closing of tags and several other aspects that are deficiencies of the standard HTML. Some of us who have their own FREE personal webpage(s) are not allowed to Hot-Links. Therefore, maintaining control over JPGs and GIF(animated or not) is a mute issue. Where can I get a dependable FREE Personal Webpage that allows Hot-Links. I too have had several of my caches ripped apart in one fashion or another. Most of the issues mentioned in earlier situations are familiar with me. Should I write my pages to suit the 800x600 format with Medium font size(IE/View/Text Size)? I've had cachers complain that lines runs off the right edge of the screen. Isn't that what the H-Bar is used for? When I write my cache pages, I don't use a "Cheater Program"(as I call them) such as FrontPage and the like. I use raw code with the assistance from CSE HTML Validator and the X-htML-Kit programs. My latest creation, but not my best work, since they have been destroyed by recent system changes: FAHRENHEIT-451! @ KRL-CB / GCHMHW / ID=15101 This cache was written in 100% XHTML and checked with Tidy, but I had to downgrade it to HTML. I wonder if Image Mapping is allowed anymore? So many questions and so much confusion!!! FINI/ENDIT/NNNN/73s/30

I can no longer provide an example of the problems I encountered, since all of the files have been edited to remove the problems they had. I did notice one very interesting thing though. Image Mapping seems to fail when implemented. I had it in one of my caches and it worked, and then one day it went away, all by itself? I am not using style sheets nor do I know anything about them. From what I've seen of them, I don't really care to study that subject for the time being. I wonder why <font style="font: 14pt ARIAL" color="#000000"> (not part of STYLE sheets) isn't recognized? I use HTML Validator and X-HTML-Kit and they allow me to validate in all formats, as well as convert from one to the other. I wonder why <br /> is not regognized by this system. I wonder about so many things that maybe I should just stop wondering and give up! Everytime I turn around, the HTML is changing with this added and that added and this and that deleted. Oh well! As for the Animated GIF subject, The files worked on my system, but failed to work after upload. The reason they didn't work was quite obvious, it had been converted by the website and not by my own hand. When you upload a file and then check on it's link, as displayed in the address window, it comes out as a long string of characters and terminating in the JPG suffix. My system did not convert it. As for the the HTML vs XHTML issue, it was my understanding that the latter was created to help the evolvement of PDAs and other related devices. Have I been wasting my time studying XHTML? HTML may be the greatest thing to hit the internet, but it still has it's faults. I am by no means a highly skilled individual on HTML or XML or XHTML, but what I do know is what I have seen and what has happend. Maybe I have had one of those alien encounters, where I saw it, don't have a witness and have no physical evidence. The next time you are typing in your newest cache page, incorporate some of the new XHTML and see what happens. The next time you want to use an animated GIF, upload it and see what happens. I have already discussed this with a prominent and well-known geocacher, who is part of the "upper crust" so-to-speak. In a previous E-Mail he stated that even he had to repair some of his caches after changes were made to the system and that's when all the problems began. I have tested the system and found the chink in the armour! Sometimes I feel that "I'm just banging my head against some dadgum bugger's wall". FINI / NNNN / 73s / ENDIT / 30

Over the last few months I took a vacation from Geocaching and computers. However, since then I have been upgrading my knowledge of HTML and learning XHTML. However, it appears that Geocaching.Com is lagging behind the times. Several of my caches have been compromised with various HTML commands cut and trashed. Most of them seem to be associated with Image Linking, the STYLE command and more. 1. The "http://img.Groundspeak.com/caches/#####-200.jpg" link has been totally changed. I had to review the uploaded graphic and capture it's Address and re-edit my cache pages, while online. 2. The commands <font style="font: 14pt ARIAL" color="#000000"> Has been removed. I have changed what lines I can so far to <font face="ARIAL" size="5" color="#000000">. In many cases and after removal, all that was left was <font>. What's up with this? 3. I attempted to use a couple of simple animated .GIFs, but they just sits there frozen! WHY? 4. Having uploaded a 100% Compatible XHTML cache page, all of the NEW <br /> were changed to OLD <br> , and that's only the beginning. Are there any correct answers out there? Jeremy Irish hasn't answered my last E-Mail. I was told by someone, Moun10bike I believe, that some changes were made to stop or prevent hackers from damaging the system. I hope someone out there knows what's going on! FLEDERMAUS

For those that don't have a GPS with a map function and want to find out about a cache's location, you can do all of that before you leave home. With most Single-Step caches, but not always with Multi-Caches, I can determine the distance from an intersection or other map reference to the cache. This is all done with a program that I use for every cache that I hunt. I use the information to cross-reference with my two map books, one for Kitsap/Mason(entitled RoadRunner) and the other for Pierce/King(entitled Thomas Guide) and etc. The program is entitled WinAPRS version 2.46, using Black & White maps. There are various versions, some with colored maps, but I think that the "K.I.S.S."(Keep It Simple Stupid) method is best. This program is an Unregistered copy and it is for personal use. If you want a better version, you can always pay a fee for the latest upgrade. Main Program: waprs246.zip ----- 1.62Mgb Map file A - G: wa_a_g.zip ------- 7.07Mgb Map file H - R: wa_h_r.zip -------- 9.35 Mgb Map file S - Z: wa_s_z.zip -------- 8.05 Mgb ------------------------------------------------------------- Total Space used before Unzip: 26.09 Mgb You will be able to navigate to any cache within Washington State. Maps are available for other states as well. These files come from Rutgers University and are trustworthy! Here is an example: The cache entitled Wauna Spit/GCGX87/ID# 92699, not having been there as of the date of this message, has two waypoints. The distance from the first to the second is about 650 feet at a bearing of 74 degrees. I could have determined the distance from the West End of the Bridge to the first waypoint, but I didn't take the time to do that. BTW, this program was intended for use by Amateur Radio Operators. With this program and various pieces of radio gear, the operator can transmit his physical location to a local website which is interfaced with an Amateur Radio Transceiver, placing the mark on a map showing the vehicles location. If you had access to that website and have an Amateur license, you could send a message to him as well. Callsign: KD7KRH Website: www.fledermaus.batcave.net/index.html E-Mail: derfledermaus2003@yahoo.com Fledermaus

Count Battie TB has been returned to the Greater NorthWest, thanks to "TheLostTwo" the last geocacher who found him, and is being readied for his journey to Europe, courtesy of WeightMan. During the time he has been gone, he has grown up a bit. When All Else Fails, RTFM!

I have a TB named Count Battie who has a destination of a cache in Germany. I would like to see it get to at least England and then perhaps onto the European mainland somewhere. It is presently in the hands of a geocacher and it has not yet been placed into a cache since he picked it up. I am trying to make arrangements with him and have it sent to me by regular mail. If I can get it back in my possession on or before September 1st, how do I go about contacting you so I can get it to you? I live in Bremerton, but can go to the Tacoma area and place it into a cache from which you can pick it up. Do you have a suggestion of a cache in which I can place it, so you will have easy access to it? E-Mail: derfledermaus2003@yahoo.com When All Else Fails, RTFM!

Just wanted to thank those who responded to my inquiry on this subject. I just found the following link, while browsing the web. Some of you may be interested in what it has to say, since it answers my question and then some. http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/16881.html Specific reference is made to the future of portable and mobile communications, with XHTML playing a significant role in that direction. Furthor comments are still sought on this subject, so feel free to express yourself. When All Else Fails, RTFM!

Does anyone know if there would be a problem with designing my cache pages using XHTML rather than the usual HTML? From what I've determined, there shouldn't be. When All Else Fails, RTFM!

Why is it so difficult for some people to log the travel bug they pick up or drop off in the cache page comment, travel bug's page and in the log book as well? There have been several cases in my area where travel bugs simply dissappeared, much to the dislike of the travel bug owner, simply because no one knew where they were or who had taken them, all because no one cared to log them in one fashion or another. If this is the work of newbies, I only have one bit of advice. If you don't know what a travel bug is when you find it, then leave it there until you do know what to do. Furthormore, re-hide caches that you find better than you found it. I get tired of finding my caches expose to anyone who passes, subsequently causing it's loss and yours. When All Else Fails, RTFM!

Kitsap and Mason Counties are not in the "Outback" or "Backwoods" of Washington State. Consequently, we would like to see more of you "Big City" geocachers over here on this side of the "Pond". We have a lot caches of varying designs awaiting for inexperienced and experienced geocachers alike. I bet you could spend the whole weekend or longer over here in the Port Orchard, Bremerton, Silverdale and Polusbo areas and never run out of caches to hunt. Hope to see you soon! BTW, how do I change that word "Geocacher" under my Bat logo in the upper left corner? When All Else Fails, RTFM!