latvija

One frustrating thing I've confronted with rechargeables is that the batteries get larger as you go up in mAh ratings. This isn't much of a problem with my Garmin V but the 2300s are a really snug fit in my yellow eTrex. Nothing above an 1800 will fit in my old Kenwood TH78a (ham radio). I'm curious how much bigger the 2600 and 3000 mAh rechargeables are than the 2100s or 2300s. latvija

I like the ETA feature on unfamiliar trips. I've always found it accurate to within a minute and it makes for a nice answer to "Are we there yet?" Unfortunately, it just never figured out a route though I had it trying all the way from KC to St. Louis. I doubt we're all that far away technology-wise from subscription services for GPS which DO advise of construction, accidents and such. That we don't have it yet in large metro areas is probably more one of contractual agreements than technological gaps. latvija

Since several of you have mentioned owning the V and autorouting with the basemap, I've a question... I recently travelled from Topeka, KS to Memphis, TN. There wasn't room for all the maps so I just loaded parts of KC, St. Louis and Memphis. I'd thought the V could mix-and-match a route from Mapsource and basemap. Unfortunately, it never could find a route. This isn't a difficult stretch either - I70 East to St. Louis and then I55 South to Memphis. Anyone else able to get it to create routes from a mix of Mapsource and basemap? latvija

Thanks for the info on lithium AAAs. The AAAAs have started turning up in the office stores (Office Depot, Staples) and electronics stores like Circuit City and Best Buy. I've even seen them at a few Target locations. latvija

Anyone know if lithium AAAs are available and, if so, where? I love lithium AAs in emergency lights and radios. The shelf life and performance make them a perfect fit. latvija

For "treating" poison ivy, poison oak, etc. in the field, try Tecnu from Oak-N-Ivy. Unlike Ivy Block (preventative), Tecnu is remedial for use immediately after coming in contact and for minimizing spread after the rash begins. Helps cleanse the oils from the skin before they trigger the reaction. I had good luck with it the one time I had to use it and keep it around just in case. latvija

"Think Frequency" most likely refers to using a simple frequency count to solve a substitution cipher. For English, the frequency is as follows: ETOANIRSHDLCWUMFYGPBVKXQJZ with E being the most frequent to Z being least. Replace the most common letter/number/symbol with an E. Second most common is replaced with a T and so forth. It is easier the more text you have. Check out Singh - Frequency Analysis site for more. latvija

I agree with Snideswipe...DaVinci Code just didn't do it for me. It felt more like a summary of a movie treatment than a self-sustaining novel. I've read Foucault's Pendulum half a dozen times, however, and thoroughly enjoy it. My preference for a geocaching-type read would be Neal Stephenson's article in Wired a few years back called Mother Earth, Mother Board. He traces a transoceanic communications cable as it snakes from switch to switch. Coordinates are provided for those who'd wish to follow in his footsteps (all virts so far as I'm aware so some'll whine). Mother Earth, Mother Board is also very clearly some of the background research for Cryptonomicon.

I hear the return of Selective Availability is imminent to prevent geocachers molesting the natural environment.

This thread came at precisely the right moment yesterday. Needed an activity with the Cub Scouts. Had two hours. Ran to the hardware store and picked up 1/2 PVC, 2 1/2 Ts, 2, 1/2 elbows, and 2 1/2 caps. Cost about $2.00 for one. Cut into 1 9" section (barrel), 1 7" section (rear air chamber), 2 4" sections (handles), 2 3" sections (air tube and connector to rear handle), and 1 2" section (blow tube). Nothing magic there...could be other dimensions. We load them by breaking it down right behind the front T. Drop the marshmallow into the T, reconnect, and blow. Off it goes. Total time from reading thread to making prototype for second graders was 1 hour. Takes them about 15 minutes to saw the PVC (they've never used a hacksaw before). Need to know more about Red's clips though. Do you use a T with 2 1/2s and 1 3/4 to feed into the "chamber"? Will play more this weekend I guess. Thanks to all for saving my tail last night.

I've just begun Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver and he's a tale at the beginning about how pirates are gibbeted in locked iron cages in an intertitdal zone where they will be drowned and then washed regularly by the tides. The cages in which we gibbet the pirates can become specially-authorized GC virtuals. Pirates love jazz-like riffs on established rules so they should have no problem with this particular variant. While it'll likely never be as popular as hamster-caching, I'd guess it'll eventually be seen as a fair compromise between GC and the pirates - someday a plaque recognizing it as the Great Treaty of 2003 will be erected. latvija

Is there something interesting about the phone booth? I found a working rotary pay phone the other day and thought that would make a good site for a micro. Haven't seen a rotary in better than a decade.

Verizon's also got the Kyocera 7135. Color PalmOS unit. Has graphical web browser with Java as well as a text-only (much quicker) and WAP browsers. Email and SMS too. Will also work as an external modem for a laptop with speeds purportedly up to 56K. Was at a stop on Memorial Day I "felt" would be a good cache site. Used the Kyo to search and found the page (and the cache). If they had a way to access the GPS in it, I'd have no real reason to carry any other device.

Hey Totem...need your expertise again. I note that your latest post indicates that ice is an absolute no-no on snakebites. Any indication why or conjecture? Is it for fear that pain or lack of feeling might increase likelihood of frostbite? I would figure ice could help slow the blood flow and, therefore, the spread of the venom.

The Kyocera 7135 isn't a horrible phone (though horribly expensive). Can be a fax/modem and Verizon tells me it is capable of 56bps. I've not gotten the kit yet to confirm that. The Kyo itself though doesn't really need a laptop. I was travelling this weekend and happened on a spot I figured would be a good hide. Checked gc.com and confirmed.

Thanks for the info Totem. We've a Sawyer for stings and such but wasn't aware it'd do much for snake bites. I guess I'll keep it around. The problem I'd heard about the kits is that even the most effective can only remove a tiny fraction of the venom. Venom from a snake bite is farther under the skin than an insect sting and the puncture wound acts somewhat like a one-way valve making removal of the venom ineffective.

So long as you're not days from civilization, I've always been told the best snake bit "kit" is a set of car keys and a waypoint for the nearest emergency room. Add to that a cell phone in the event coverage is available. The odds of a healthy adult dying from a snake bite (North America) are slim. Were my child bitten, I'd much rather make a mad dash for real medical care than putting them at risk with some $10 gadget.

While you're pulling lighters, pull one of our favorite cache finds as well...magnifying lenses. People seem remarkably afraid of children. They burn down forests, cut each other with pocket-knives, shoot up caches, etc. Let's ban children from caches as they seem to pose the most significant threat to the sport.

I have a '90 Pontiac Transport that kills signals dead. Does the same for the toll-road transponders. Also have a '94 Chevy Lumina which doesn't hinder GPS reception but still prevents use of an interior toll-road transponder. The windshield of the Transport is just plain huge. Uses an aluminum screen (I'm told) to help provide strength.

Though I think the toe rings are silly, I would like some sort of vibrating alert on my Garmin V. When I'm travelling in an unfamiliar city, I hate to advertise my unfamiliarity by whipping out the GPS. I'd like a simple system - 1 buzz=turn right, 2 buzzes=turn left, etc. Heck even a little Morse code like my server's UPS would be tolerable. I tend to like my technology capable but invisible.

I want this system tied to a facial recognition package. I'm horrible with names so I'd love to have a tiny HUD tell me the name of the person to whom I'm speaking and a quick bio.

A cousin and I set out with our two 4 year old boys on our first cache hunt two years ago. Testosterone ran high as we compared 'units', joked that a map wouldn't be necessary for a city park, we'll be back before breakfast, etc. We trudged the poor troop for no less than four hours straight up several cliffs, over cacti, through bushes, and in circles a few times. Fortunately we had enough water and the boys thought the adventure worthwhile in pursuit of buried pirate treasure. When we finally discovered the cache, we learned that it was just two feet off a trail only 1/4 mile from a parking lot! Even so, I still refuse to consult a map prior to caching or to read the logs. The roving arrow of my beloved yellow etrex makes the hunt that much more fun. Even a 1/1 can be interesting when you've no idea what awaits.

Most of the caches in our immediate vicinity contain a cheap plastic flower, a spork/napkin in plastic, and two cents. I gather from the logs that they are intended as signature items. My kids haven't been impressed. Fortunately, location is still reward enough for the hunt so no search has been a total bust.

Russians use "space" pens too - pressurized cartridges (zero gravity) and nearly solid ink with a wide "operating" range. Pencils must be sharpened. All those little shavings floating in zero gravity worry space planners. Pencil - $0.05; Vacuum-equipped Filtering Sharpener - $50.00. The Space Pen was developed privately (approx. $2M) prior to the space race. NASA tested and then approved for use the Space Pen on Apollo. I carry one daily and have never seen it leak - the ink is nearly solid. Besides, the Bullet Pen model has a rubber gasket that keeps the lid on and would contain a leak. They also handle the washing machine AND dryer well (several times). They would make a generous geocache item (approx. $20 - even refill alone is about $2). Pencils seem superior for such use.

Russians use "space" pens too - pressurized cartridges (zero gravity) and nearly solid ink with a wide "operating" range. Pencils must be sharpened. All those little shavings floating in zero gravity worry space planners. Pencil - $0.05; Vacuum-equipped Filtering Sharpener - $50.00. The Space Pen was developed privately (approx. $2M) prior to the space race. NASA tested and then approved for use the Space Pen on Apollo. I carry one daily and have never seen it leak - the ink is nearly solid. Besides, the Bullet Pen model has a rubber gasket that keeps the lid on and would contain a leak. They also handle the washing machine AND dryer well (several times). They would make a generous geocache item (approx. $20 - even refill alone is about $2). Pencils seem superior for such use.