yourBuddyBill

I played with the KML file a bit. After opening the google earth network link and zeroing in to an area, I did right-click and 'Save as' on the folder, saved as a KML file. Then, I compared to some other KML I exported, older ones. Thru trial and error, this seemed to work. Open the KML file in a text editor (notepad works, I use TextPad or UltraEdit instead). then find and remove the <TimeStamp> tags , example: <TimeStamp> <when>2006-09-14T07:00:00Z</when> </TimeStamp> Then, I did File/Open of my editted KML file (it shows in Temporary Places). With those tags gone, little white flag-on-box symbols apeared. Um, I also had been doing edits of the Styles, so I think this was the fix, but not 100% certain. Would love to hear of anyone else having success this way.

Yes, and Yes. (1) Any cache GPX file you download, or get from a pocket query, can be opened/viewed in Google Earth .. drag and drop baby! (2) Go to your Account page, in lower right look for "Google Mapping Features" for a link to 'buildnetworkkml.aspx' which will open in Google Earth. This is a dynamic link, and refreshes as you zoom or scroll in the world map.

Thanks all. The trip occurred, and me and the lil eTrak made it back. Once at the Taj Mahal in Agra it was almost taken away, and while in China I got really bad satellite reception, but otherwise, it wordked well, I nabbed a handful of caches, but I have GREAT track overlays to drop on Google Earth, and then do time/location comparisons against my photographs.

My mapsource 6.0 will only save as gdb and and export as mps or dxf, no loc or gpx. So I d/l loc or gpx, bring into EasyGPS, Send to my GPS, then d/l from GPS to Mapsource or Trimble Outdoors. Or I used to. Last two weeks, I switched to just easyGPS and Google Earth ... using the GPS link from Google Earth. Until today, when in the forums above I read about the "drag and drop a gpx file into GE" mentioned above, gave it a try and WOW, something so simple it blew me away. Wish more waypoints had elevation data.

I used the Search feature, but I did not see the 07/17/05 LA Times article mentioned in a prior post. I apologize that I was unable to find another mention, thought I had a FTF, and thereby offended you TeamAlphaOmega.

I lurk. I've read some pretty interesting and useful and humorous and confusing things here in the past. I haven't posted because I don't want to do any "me too" posts. Except this one, on lurking. I tried over at navicache too, but their boards are not as active, and I have run across many more nasty or mean posts (could just be my luck on the topics I choose on the two sites though). Here I rarely see any of the typical name calling, flame wars over grammar, or "Three's Company" like misunderstandings that grow out of control that seem to happen on other forums. Back to lurking.

In the B section (California) was an article on left side of page 1 about a day with the Bomb Squad. The article was by Steve Lopez steve.lopez@latimes.com The bomb was near a park near Vista del Mar Blvd near LAX airport. In the last column of the article, mentions are made that the bomb squad had come to the same park 2 years earlier to remove The item this time was After the object was carefully handled by the bomb squad, there was some paper with the letters 'GPS'. Steve Lopez ends the article as follows: Now, Mr. Lopez did not refer to geocaching or navicache or any of those directly. Perhaps his information is about an evil cousin. Does anyone know of any alternative Internet game involving GPS where the participants are ENCOURAGED to make their caches bomb-like? Them I might call morons. There is probably an opportunity here for some PR with the Times and the LA bomb squad. Oh, and a lesson to remember to put that GEOCACHE stencil on the outside of our caches ... and leave the fuses off.

I plan on doing a trip including stops in China, India, Italy, and others. Can I bring my GPSr or am I just asking for trouble? Are there any rules I might run in to , outside the USA? Are GPSr illegal for private citizens anywhere? Do I need to worry about police or security getting aggresive? If theres a chance my GPSr will be confiscated or I'll get tossed in the clink, I'll forget it.