Ocean Archer

I currently own a Garmin 255W that has been updated to the latest version of software and maps for the United States. There is an SD port on the machine that will accept a 4GB SD chip. Is there a way to store all the Geocache codes for Mississippi on an SD chip, then insert the chip into the 255W --> that way, as I drive down the highway, I will get geocache points shown in the machine, and if I select a point, the actual coords will be displayed ? I'l continue to use my hand-held for final location ..........

I may be totally out in left field, but I'm going to ask anyway. Is there any way one can adjust/align an eXplorist 210 ?? I've had mine for several years now, and it appears to be increasingly inaccurate. It used to reliably get me within a 10ft radius of a cache, but lately, I seem to be offset from "ground zero" by about 30 ft. Becomes annoying when it points me into a big bramble bush, only to find out later that the cache was attached to the guardrail 30 ft away ........

AYUP ... a long pair of tweezers would work too, but I would be ill at ease about sticking something metal underneath the skirt of "a bright idea" or similar cache ...

I am sure we all (at one time or another) have run across a cache (micro) where our hands/fingers were insufficent to retrieve the canister. Here is a suggestion that might help: Get two long popsickle sticks. Coat the bottom inch of each stick with Elmers glue. Shake off any excess. Now, dip the sticks into a small cup of sand, remove, and allow to dry. Get a couple of rubber bands such as would be used on the daily paper, and secure the clean ends of the popsickle sticks together. You now have a set of long "tweezers" to help you retrieve difficult caches. I know this will work, because I was the next cacher to locate a cache that was DNF'd because the other cacher could not reach the micro. With the "tweezers", it was no trouble at all... Ocean Archer

I plan to be in the Myrtle Beach, SC area near the end of January. If it is still stuck I will try and pick it up ...

I sincerely hope this is what happened. I know that there are cachers who (for one reason or another) hang up their GPS and call it a day. Hopefully, somebody will pick up the slack and volunteer to maintain those "orphan" caches. I'm trying to do that here in Mississippi, but as of yet, I haven't received the proper steps to accomplish the deed. The original cache holder will be unavailable to complete their portion, but as yet, we've not received the proper instructions .... Frustrating ....

Has there been some sort of problem over in Alabama?? I noticed that Groundspeak has archived all the caches of one of the cachers over there. There are also reports that one or more cachers had their account suspended for 30 days a couple of months ago, but I don't know any more than that. Don't really want to rock the boat, but I would like to know if there is something that we shouldn't be doing while geocaching and thereby avoid having something like that happening to me. A generic answer without a lot of details will suffice.

Enjoy the day, the sport, and the upcoming New Year .....

I have a related concern regarding this issue -- one of my caches was in an area where a bow-hunting club was planning to construct a "roving range". Fortunately, one of the members was aware of my cache and informed me of their plans. I pulled and archived the cache to prevent any accidents. Now, the club has disbanded, and the "roving range" idea has gone away. I'm thinking of re-placing the cache and reactivating it. Comments please ...

Take it one step further, and get one of those safety vests to go with your hard hat like the highway crews wear -- talk about fading into oblivion ...

I thought there was one out there which was located in an old fallout shelter, but I cannot remember the waypoint. It was one of the steps in a multiple, I think ...

A recent trek into the woods and a mis-written set of coordinates caused me to happen upon a rusty can at the base of a tree. Being inquisitive, I researched further, and found the durn thing was full of coins (mostly pennies). Looks like it had been there a while, so I put it in the boot and brought it home for drying and cleaning ... oh, yeah, I fnally found the cache too.

---at least you pushed enough buttons to get your TB moving again. I had one go missing from a cache - the person who picked it up is clearly identified by the cache log, and like others, refuses to respond to or acknowledge my e-mail requests. Short of locating another cacher who knows this individual personally (one who would be willing to apply a swift boot to the "seat of the problem"), I have no other recourse but to mark it missing and go on ... Sure makes me think twice about buying GeoCoins or more TB tags ...

WGS-84 is the "defacto" standard for use with GPS and GeoCaching, but there are several caches out there that use UTM coordinates for a portion of the cache. Haven't personally seen any that require other standards, but I'm still new at this

First thing I'd do was to check my batteries - sounds like yours were getting kinda "flat". Second thing, would be to check with other GeoCachers locally and compare machines - unlikely but possible you've got one that is not up to par. With only two satellites in view, most GPS's will be unreliable - need a minimum of three for a proper fix

The way I understand it, is that the WG buck is supposed to be re-entered into the WG website, and then spent like normal. Apparently, if you place any note in that login page that refers to GeoCaching, the WG website picks that up and treats that bill like a specialty item, and the originator of the listed bill doesn't get credit for the movement of the bill from place to place. Their rules, I guess ...

Very true Charlie, but if someone filled a cache with them, could you behave yourself, or would it be like Lays potato chips (you wouldn't take just one)? Obviously, items that are less susceptable to corrosion would be high on the list, but if the cache could be reliably made watertight, then other items could be included ...

Just a thought here -- Some caches are multi-stage, and the information necessary to move from place to place is often dependent on the information from the cache page. Also, others sites are puzzle caches, and having just the coordinates wouldn't do me a durn bit of good. Warnings about the sensitivity of a cache sight cannot be overlooked. Lastly, the level of difficulty is most important. I'd certainly be pist with myself if I'd driven many miles to a cache site, walked and bushwacked my way into the site only to find I needed (for example) hip boots to cross a stream to get to the cache, or a length of rope to climb down a ledge face to the cache, or something as simple as a strap wrench to open the cache canister. Personally, I print the cache page out and put it into a roll-up binder inside my cachepak, along with my trading items and other bits and pieces that I've found over the last year or so to make my caching experience both safe and enjoyable.

I'm not sure, but I'll start the questions -- 1. What type of computer (PC or MAC), and what Operating System (OS)? 2. Have you configured the computer to look for (expect to find) hardware connected to the COM1 port? 3. Recheck all your connections to make sure they are good. 4. Try turning your machine off, wait a minute, then restart the computer with the GPS attached to the COM cable. That's all the ideas I have right now -- Good Luck

Hmmmm -- maybe a digital recording of a rattlesnake with a low-current sensor/trigger when you reach into the hollow tree. Batteries should last pretty long ....

You have to be very careful in applying the correct rating to your caches. I ran across one near me that was not. Fortunately, I had not returned to the site before this message showed up -- http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...42-d7968fd5e2fe The cache is now unavailable due to hurricane Katrina, but I often wonder whether or not the cache is still there ...

Sounds like a fascinating idea, but don't expect this fat 'ol f--t to attempt it - I get tired out just thinking about it ...

Both pastimes can exist together, in fact there are several "combined" caches spread around the country. Since the stamp I use is small, I hit the cache log with it regardless. We've lost a couple of caches near me due the recent hurricane Katrina, and I don't know if they will reappear - we shall see...

Well, it is interesting to note, that if one tracks down the point exactly opposite to the coordinates shown in the picture, you find a location in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Pearth, Australia. Also, the bottom line of one of the messages in the picture says, "Enjoy your stay in Australia..."

BlackJack has the right idea -- if you find a TB in a cache, WAIT A FEW DAYS before "grabbing" it. A lot of travellers who GeoCache do not have the Internet laid on in their GeoCaching backpack. Please give them time to properly log the TBs before making a "grab" ....