steve0mania

I haven't keep up with all of the recent discussions about users needing to update their PQ requests every month or else gc.com will disable them, but I am guessing this is to try to decrease some of the load on the servers. An alternate way to decrease the load would be to have a few downloadable PQs available on the gc.com website. For example, in Utah (and I would guess in many other states), users are frequently running multiple PQs per week to keep the entire state's worth of caches updated in their GSAK databases. I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I would suggest that gc.com make downloadable files with an entire state's (or country's, for smaller countries) list of caches. If this were updated frequently (weekly? daily?), many of us wouldn't need to run multiple PQs, but would simply download the appropriate file for our state. This would also make it easier if one were going on a trip to a new location, then one could just download the appropriate file for the travel destination.

Dumb question: is the 200-500 geocache/POI limit also hold true if you put the files on an SD card? Thanks...

I received an eXplorist XL as a present, and have just started playing with it. However, I'm a little confused and perhaps someone can explain this to me. I've got an SD card in it (1 GB size), and so memory is really not an issue at the moment. However, it was suggested that the unit can only "load" 200 geocaches at a time into memory. Thus, if you hit the "goto" button, and scroll to the geocache list, only 200 caches will come up (even if you've got 4000 caches in the file you're using). Is this true? Also, can someone explain the different filetypes it uses to me? Thanks!

We've got a TomTom GO 700. I haven't looked to see if there's updated software available, now, but you can not directly input coordinates. However, GSAK will output a TomTom POI file that you can upload into the unit. You can even draw your own symbols (e.g., regular caches, virtuals, etc.). You can use it for geocaching, but it doesn't have many of the features that are helpful when you're close to a cache (e.g., distance and bearing measurements, etc.). There is an internal rechargable battery. I really like the TomTom for driving from cache to cache, and then when I get out of the car, I use my Magellan SporTrak (or soon, my new eXplorist XL). Hope this helps...

Thanks for the advice. For the moment, I'm leaving the clear plastic sheet on that was already on the screen when I received it. Perhaps someone will come out with a real case soon. Thanks...

Has anyone come across a nice carrying case for the Magellan explorist XL with a clear window to see the screen? I'd like to protect my new GPSr as much as possible (since I scratched up the screen on my old one pretty badly). Thanks in advance for any info... -Steve0mania

I have a Sportrak color and it seemed that I was no longer zeroing out where my caching pals were (both Magellan and Garmin users). I shot a note to Magellan, and they sent me some reset codes that (believe it or not) actually fixed the problem. I can't seem to find the email with these codes, but as I recall, tech support at Magellan got back to me within a day or two. I don't know if this would help the problem you're describing, but it's probably worth contacting Magellan directly via email or phone. Good luck!

I just recently placed a CD cache called Zoso Track 2. It's pretty out of the way, so I'm hoping it won't be stumbled upon and muggled. The CDs I used were the "bargain store" variety--compilation CDs of bands that cost around $6 each. The bands are pretty good classic rock types. While it was a little on the expensive side, it's the kind of cache I would love to find. The container I used over the ammo can was also expensive, but it was so neat I couldn't resist. When the cache gets more "mature" (i.e., more finds), perhaps I'll post the container, too. I agree that themed caches are tough, because many people don't go to the store to get the appropriate trading item. I know that I usually cache on the spur of the moment, so I'm not prepared for all of the various themes I come across. Of course, one always has the TNLN alternative. On my cache page, I suggested that one try to make a decent trade if they didn't have a CD with them. I'll see how it turns out over time. I usually have a couple of CDs in my geocaching bag to use as trading items for particularly good caches with high-quality swag.

I can attest to the quality of the Nalgene cryogenic tubes. I'm a lab researcher, and we use those to store samples in liquid nitrogen. We rarely have any of those leak, even under these conditions. They produce a small variety of different types, too, so you can probably find one to suit your needs.

If I did it that way, would the movie automatically load/run when someone goes to the page? Or would I have to actually make a link and have the viewer click on it?

I tried a search, but didn't find the answer to this. Can Quicktime movies be included on cache webpages? If so, is there a limit to the size of the included movie? I assume that I'll have to prep the page in html. Thanks...

Here's a fairly recent one that even made a bunch of antennas look neat! and another on my way back down:

Hi... I have three questions, one of which is related to a previous discussion we've had. I'm a registered/paid user of GSAK. (1) The Magellan GPSr (at least the SporTrak) will only give a description to 200 waypoint (even though it accepts 500 waypoints). Is there any way (via GSAK) to "decide" which waypoints get descriptions. For example, I'd like to give the 200 caches that are closest to my home coordinates a description, but at the same time, I'd like to fill the whole GPSr with waypoints (even if the next 300 don't have descriptions). (2) Is there any way to have GSAK limit the waypoint upload to the 200 closest caches, without physically going through and checking the user checkbox myself? (3) GSAK accurately lists my cache finds as finds, but it doesn't recognize my webcam finds automatically. Additionally, every time I download a new GPX file, the webcams that I personally marked as "found" become unmarked again. Is there something I'm missing? Thanks (as always) for all of your efforts! -steve0mania

Both my 5 and 6 yo boys have their own accounts. The 6 yo is learning how to use the GPSr, and caching gives him opportunities to consider geography, map skills, etc. The 5 yo is just happy to be out looking for "treasure." The other nice thing is that they can each have their own travel bugs on their own accounts to watch. It's very exciting when the email comes about the travel bugs moving from one place to another!

I was recently away on a trip to Chicago, and hit a couple of caches after it was dark. I usually don't do this, but I thought it would be fun to do a couple of out of state caches. Of course, being in the woods at night, in the rain, with "wild animals" around seemed like a set up for a horror movie. While I'm not usually taken to being scared, I spent a fair amount of my time wondering what I was doing out there! Here's the page from one of these: O'Hare TB Hospitality Club

My two boys (5 and 6 yo) really care about finding "treasure" in the caches. However, their standards are pretty low, so these don't have to be fancy or expensive. They love finding toy cars and trucks, games, plastic animals, etc. My 6 yo has a pin collection, so he's pretty happy when he finds pins, especially gc-related pins. A member of the Utah Association of Geocachers put a bag of UTAG buttons in one cache, and we've found a couple of button signature items. We've done a couple of micros, and as long as there's something in them besides a logsheet, my kids are happy. I usually try to bring them to full-sized caches, though.

I'm just getting started with GSAK, thanks--it's great. I have run into one problem that's stumping me. The first few times I've uploaded the data to my GPS, I've been able to get the waypoint name (I'm using %code) and the waypoint description (I'm using %Name by %By (%Dif/%Ter)). Now for the past few times, when I get a new waypoint to update, the description field on my GPSr is left blank. The description format I've written above are exactly what's set in GSAK. Is there a switch that I'm missing that tells GSAK to upload the descriptions? Any ideas about what I might be doing wrong? Thanks again for the great program! -steve0mania

Thanks for the info. I tried the pocket queries, and it was just what I needed. I didn't know the google trick. I will try that too. Thanks!

I like the idea of "kid friendly" or perhaps some basic age range (e.g., ok for < 10 yo). On a related note, it'd be neat if the database were downloadable. Then folks with some programming know-how could set up their own perlscript to pull out the data of interest.

Does anyone know if there's a way to search on Geocaching.com for caches based on type or content, or other feature? For example, is there any way to limit my searches to caches that are medium sized traditional caches? Or how about for caches with terrain difficulties of 2 or less? Or how about for caches that contain travel bugs? We just started geocaching, and I've been taking my 4 and 6 year old sons. Thus, it'd be great to quickly identify caches that would be appropriate to take them along on. Thanks... -Steve0mania