M-T-P

Now don't shoot the messenger, but a really interesting news release was recently put out by treadlightly.org. It has some common-sense tips and information, but it still worth keeping in mind . The release can be read at: Adventures in Geocaching: Geocachers Encouraged to Tread Lightly. To go along with this topic, I found a mention to this organization and a great guide last month posted by Jeremy at http://www.treadlightly.org/readedu.mv?edu...0000C2900000000.

Thanks!

For the past couple of weeks, one of my PQs (a typical 500 nearest unfound caches) has been returning 502 waypoints when sent to my email address. In each email, I get 2 GPX file attachments: 212409.gpx - 2315K - 500 waypoints 212409-wpts.gpx - 3K - 2 waypoints Anybody know what's going on here? The online results only return 500 waypoints, its just the GPX files in email that return 502.

There are several programs and web-based services that help you do this. I'll recommend three. 1) GPS Visualizer - GPS Visualizer is a free, easy-to-use online utility that creates maps and profiles from GPS data (tracks and waypoints), street addresses, or simple coordinates. Use it to see where you've been, plan where you're going, or visualize geographic data (business locations, events, customers, real estate, etc.). GPS Visualizer can draw maps in SVG, JPEG/PNG, and Google Maps format, and can also create map overlays and KML files for Google Earth. For non-Google maps, JPEGs are easier to deal with, but SVGs are interactive. 2) GPX to Google Maps Creator - GPX to Google Map Creator is a really nice little program that allows users to easily upload GPX files created with GSAK or downloaded from Geocaching.com and display them in an online version of Google Maps. The map detail with Google Maps is not quite as high as it is with Google Earth, but these maps can be included on web pages and used by people without Windows XP. This program also allows Geocachers to display their tracks captured from a GPS receiver with GPSBabel. It is a great program for Geocachers to use for providing fully interactive maps of geocaching trips on personal websites or for printing out in advance of a geocaching trip. Caches are displayed on the Google maps with a Signal-the-Frog icon. This is an excellent little program that deserves 5 stars for its functionality even though its value to typical Geocachers is slightly lower than the other programs mentioned here. 3) CacheMaps - CacheMaps is a new discovery for me recently and one that I haven't had the opportunity to use in the field yet. It allows Geocachers to load an LOC file from GSAK or directly from geocaching.com and display those coordinates on online maps. However, its most useful feature for me is its offline map capabilities. Any map including its location, zoom, and cache position are automatically stored locally on your hard drive and are available at anytime even where there is no active Internet connection. Read about these and other geocaching software programs at Adventures In Geocaching: Geocaching Software.

What about a good ole F.U. outside Fredricksburg University? Is that what you were after? If so, F.U.

I really like the Black Nickel idea as well. I've ordered half-a-dozen.

We're not sure yet Too bad you have the custom icon. I'd love to buy a small quantity of numbers from you, but wouldn't want your icon to be attached to it.

Amen, brother! Cache on!

No. Until there are actual "rules" in geocache finding, there can't be actual "cheating." My opinion: just play your own game your own way and don't worry about anything else. I'm sick of hearing about the cache police these past few months. * Boy, I can't wait to see the controversy that this statement might bring.

Why not? Why does a coin have to be made from metal instead of wood or paper? Paper coins are the new fad, run with it!

huhh? This excerpt from Wikipedia might help explain. "According to the Hitchhiker's Guide, researchers from a pan-dimensional, hyper-intelligent race of beings, construct Deep Thought, the second greatest computer of all time and space, to calculate the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. After seven and a half million years of pondering the question, Deep Thought provides the answer: 'forty-two.'"

Good advice, any others?

Sure, and I can understand this not being done by buyers of out-of-state merchandise, but I'm asking about those of you who are sellers. I'm talking more about this statement from the Texas Guide to Internet Orders: Buying and Selling, "Whether the sale takes place online or in a store, Texas sellers must collect sales tax on taxable items sold and delivered to Texas locations." I'm really not trying to stir things up, but before I start selling my first coin I want to be sure that I'm 1) doing what I'm legally responsible for doing and 2) doing what everyone else is doing. Unfortunately, it seems like 1 and 2 are in conflict.

The income part is no big deal. The IRS doesn't care unless you make over $600 in income (actual profit) from the selling of coins. Unfortunately, at least in Texas, the state wants it's share from every single share even if you don't break even. So, for my original question, does ANYONE here actually charge and pay their state's sales tax when selling geocoins?

Those of you who are actively selling your personal geocoins online individually or not through a management company who handle's that aspect for you, what do you do about your state's sales and use tax. In Texas, for example, if you sell more than two items online during a 12 month period, you are responsible for charging state and local sales tax on all in-state purchases. In reality, this would affect listing coins on eBay, here, or any online venue for the marketing and selling of geocoins.

I think this one definately qualifies as being grandfathered.

Hmm... that gives me an idea. I better go ahead and register those two as domain names right now! Plan for the future!

I wish I kept my history, but I don't. I found it! It was BomberJohn's website at http://home.comcast.net/~johnleger/. It wasn't a blog afterall, just his geocaching website. Thanks Sandy at PodCacher.com for reminding me.

I wish I kept my history, but I don't.

Neither, I'm just looking for the blog that I was originally reading and want to finish reading. The bit about geonickels.com was just that person's recent blog entries and got me distracted and away from their blog site until I forgot about it. Now, I can't remember where I was or whose blog it was.

Several days ago, I came across someone's excellent geocaching blog site. Unfortunately, I got distracted by a post about geonickels.com and left the site. Now, I really want to go back and check out the rest of the person's site, but can't find the URL anywhere. Has anyone here blogged about geonickels recently or might have seen the blog post about them?

Sure, like this: http://www.google.com/mars/#lat=11.216122&...4.501953&zoom=8 Create the link like that using the "Link to this page" URL near the upper left of the Mars maps. Unfortunately, the Google Moon maps don't have this type of link.

I got NetStumbler downloaded, but aren't sure which JiGLE file to download, Java or Windows. I'm running XP. The Java client, JiGLE, seems to work so much better than the Windows client, DiGLE. For this reason, my instructions are for the Java version. Of course, this means that you'll have to have the latest version of the Java Runtime Env. installed on your machine which you can download from java.com.

I'd also recommend checking out PodCacher.com, Cacheopedia.com and my Adventures In Geocaching blog.

Don't forget that this is also one of the main functions of Cachemate. In fact, if you are also a GSAK user, you can then use GSAK to transfer your log notes from your Palm Cachemate into the cache log pages using GSAK's built-in Cachemate macro.