Great Birds
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Posts posted by Great Birds
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I chose to celebrate a fellow cacher who was inventive and had some fun we can all share in.
Well I'm not sure that I would "celebrate" it. I do think it is really cool!, but not a find. That would make a great note, worthy of a Groundspeak blog post. But it is still not a find. What happens when someone finally finds it for real. This stunt will really cheapen the actual FTF.
This is an exceptional cache. Exceptional in that as a locationless cache with no log book it is an exception to the general rules. Why not an exceptional find log?
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50ml Sterile Conical Tubes 500 for $149. That's a pretty good price.
SPECIFICATIONS
* Side white labels (1-7/8" x 7/8")
* Tube height 4-5/8"
* 5ml graduations indicated including 7.5ml
* Molden in seal-ring ensures a leak-proof seal to prevent contamination
* Highest temperature +120C
* Lowest temperature -196C
* Micro-centrifuge safe and autoclavable
* Non-pyrogenic
* Max. RCF: 7500g
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I chose to celebrate a fellow cacher who was inventive and had some fun we can all share in.
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Everyone plays the game differently, but I've never seen a reason to dip bugs. I'v'e had bugs dipped through my hides when the owner didn't visit the cache. So to support the request, could someone explain the reasons for dips?
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It just came through for me to. I guess someone was listening. Thanks
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Textmarks doesn't work at all for me either. When I send the initial "GEOC" message the response "We were unable to complete your Request," instead of the identifier and pin that the instructions suggest should be in the message.
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What can I do for those queries that generate more than 500?.
Downloading all available PQs at once is pretty simple. Each PQ has a unique URL. As they become available for download, make a bookmark for each one in the same bookmark folder. When you want your PQs, right click that folder and select Open all Bookmarks, or the equivalent in your browser. Presto, they will be in your computers folder for downloaded files.
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Depending on where you live, try Academy Sports and Outdoors.
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What exactly does Clyde from GSAK have to do with download problems?
Because an easy to update local database is a substitute when users cannot download PQs. Just the thing for for times like today.
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To prevail in a suit for the use of "muggle", the word would have to be protected in some way. While the Harry Potter books are copyrighted, the individual words within are not necessarily covered. Even for coined usages, as applies to muggle.
Ms. Rowling would have to have a copyright, trademark or other protection for the word and be willing to make a public fuss about a her fans making a natural extension of the world she created into the real world. Seems pretty unlikely to me, so I'll keep using the term for geocaching.
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I was on a week-long road trip and set up several PQs for various areas and routes where I would be traveling. I generated the PQs and had the output ready for download. I had reached the max of 40 and needed a couple of ad hoc PQs to make a special caching run in that area so I deleted one that I'd already generated. I was surprised to discover it also deleted the file that was ready for download!
It is fine to delete the source PQ that generates a result set but it does not seem correct that the result set which was already prepared would be deleted as well.
It makes that "Run this query once then delete it" setting worse than useless.
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You guys are forgetting that Pocket Queries are designed to give you caches to put in your GPS (and PDA and phone).
Offline databases are not supported, and it's unlikely they will make any changes to make it easier. I'm actually surprised they don't make it more difficult to use offline databases.
Regardless of what PQS are designed for, many users do use GSAK and have game related reasons for doing so. I am going camping this weekend and am not sure where we will be all the time so I will have several PQs of data in my GPSr and a copy of my GSAK data on a computer.
There is no harm in asking TPTB to make the site features accommodate the way we like to cache. Making it more difficult risks pushing a number of dedicated caches away from the game. GS walks a fine line between opening access to the database and letting freeloaders in, but they must work to accommodate users who geocache in ways GS didn't envision. If we keep asking they will find a way.
I installed Chrome for the exclusive purpose of downloading PQs. Each PQ has a unique URL and I have a bookmark for each one. A click on "open all in tabs" delivers my PQs to my hard drive in a folder where GSAK knows where to find them. Adjust the GSAK "load" settings not to accept older data and your database will stay pretty much up to date. Move the zip files to another folder and you will always have the latest PQ on hand to run again if needed.
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My only assumption is Groundspeak really isn't concerned about server load, even when they do other things claiming they are.
In my observation, Groundspeak's concerns are numerous. They must distribute customer created data to other customers. Because they have no propritary ownership of the original information, they need to distribute it at the lowest possible price. At the same time they must restrict access to the information to hold costs down and to prevent others from copying their database for redistribution, even at some expense.
Why restrict access?
For example, if I know that I will be caching where cell service is spotty, I'll create a HTML list of full cache descriptions and all the caches I may want. The files are stored on my phone and I use the phone browser to look up cache info. Anyone can easily create a HTML copy of the GC data for caches anywhere and put it on a public server to give away to non-premium members. If a pirate database were easy to keep current with GC data, then it would be a substitute for people willing to be free riders. Groundspeak's few advantages as a distributor of information is the completeness of the data and they do need to protect that.
We are their customers and they must provide services that will keep us happy. At the same time, if they don't protect their competitive advantages and free riders take them out of business, we all will be very unhappy. So it is a balance they must find between revenue and satisfaction. By keeping costs down, Groundspeak makes it easy not to free ride. the $30 per year is a pittance compared to other caching expenses and the enjoyment I get from caching. I gladly pay it to be part of this community.
I think of it as the security at a store. Walmart, Best Buy and Frys have attendants at the exit doors to reduce shrinkage. Do I like having to prove my purchases? No! Does it matter much to me? Not really. I still will shop at those stores. I don't like having to enter my zip code when I use my credit card to buy gas either, but the benefits of prevention from loss from credit card are more important. Restricting theft through minor inconvenience is a benefit to all shoppers and we have a choice to shop elsewhere. All stores have security and the costs are reflected in their prices. The expenses to prevent theft are a part of life.
Yes I would like to have access to a "Changes in the last 7 days" PQ, but if Groundspeak feels it needs to restrict that information, it isn't going to happen and I will have settle with working from slightly stale data or interact with GC in the way the site has set up to provide the most current information. But I will also keep asking Groundspeak to serve me the way I want them to.
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As a GSAK user, I just click the status update button to see if a cache has been archived.
I've always wondered how that works (but never motivated enough to run WireShark to find out). Seems it might be a borderline (or flat out) TOU violation to me.
Clyde is careful about TOU violations in GSAK. This feature is not available in macros because it could cause disruption to the web site. On an individual cache basis it is no different than loading the cache page.
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I just did a zip code search and it returned both the Wereigo caches in the region surrounding the fourth largest city in the USA. The site search function may be working (at least for me), but the Wherigo program is not very healthy.
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To date this is what I have done It is not full automation, but it is fast.
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Strange how we gain a sense of entitlement.
Yes it is. Like you, I have arranged GSAK to work with the way I cache. I like to wake up on Friday mornings when I am going camping that evening and load a few thousand caches as POIs into my GPS. While I may be camping at one spot, my travels may take me near thousands of caches and I want to have all my caches handy. I also like to have the caches available for GSAK on my netbook in case I want to do some impromptu route planning. It is about flexibility. And flexibility is what the new scheme takes away from users.
For now I am keeping my local PQs under 500 to maintain the flexibility. For PQs covering other regions I have moved to 1000 to get a wider range. To download them I log in with Firefox and have the link to each PQ as individual bookmarks in one folder in my bookmarks toolbar. A click on "Open All in Tabs" gets the current PQ in my download folder then a macro get loads them in GSAK. It takes some extra time but as long as I do it first thing in the morning it is less of a bother.
Still no two caches play this game the same way and flexibility for individualized ways of caching is what will satisfy the most users.
ETA
During lunch I logged onto my home computer, installed Google Chrome then implemented the above scheme in Chrome. Worked like a charm and I have a folder full of pocket query zip files waiting for my GSAK macro to be pointed to the new location. For now I plan to use Chrome exclusively for accessing PQs so I can keep the settings optimized. Firefox will be for general browsing.
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Thanks, OpinioNate.
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My phone was recently stolen, causing the loss of one of my favorite links. It was the the geocaching.com search url for mobile web devices. The page was simple, allowing searches for caches by zip, GC number or a few other criteria.
Will some kind cacher post the url? Any tips for mobile interface with the web site.
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I'd never be able to look at my fellow geocachers the same way again.
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Not happy with new fix...much better accuracy,for me,with 2.97.......
How did you know? Did you mark a waypoint at a benchmark? did you post process the data? side by side with a trimble? OR did you look at the "Accuracy" data field?
The reason people got "better" accuracy with previous versions was because Garmin's equation was not a good representation of what the data was telling the GPS. I feel that this 2.98 version is much better at giving you more real numbers with a higher fidelity to the actual data.
Remember, the "Accuracy" numbers the GPS displays are just a guide and by no means does it somehow magically represent reality. It is simply an estimation, an equation. Garmin could write an equation that always equals 1ft, that wont mean the GPS is any more or less accurate than if they wrote the equation to always equal 1mile.
I would rather have the EPE numbers be more dynamic and representative of error than a conservative estimate to give people a false perception of accuracy. It's like having your 5 year old tell you he didn't shave the cat, even though he did. He lied to avoid punishment (beta <2.97) rather than fessing up to be accountable (beta 2.98).
That was my little rant on EPE. Much love!!
So according to your rant i should hide my caches when i have a 30 to 50 foot accuracy with the 2.98 fix rather than 8 to 15 foot accuracy with the previous 2.97 fix.....Ya Right !!!
The point being made is that the accuracy of the GPS is not dependent on the way the potential error is being calculated. The accuracy is not precisely known so the EPE numbers are estimates. Changing the way the EPE is calculated does not change the actual error of the Oregon.
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I use GMail for my pocket queries. The service archives all mail so it just sits there until I go and delete old PQs. With the high storage limits on GMail, it takes a long time to reach the storage limit. I have used older ones to rebuild a GSAK data base so it will have more than the latest five logs.
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I don't have any answers for you. But something similar happened to me about a year ago with some "routes" I made that did not actually follow any roads. It was a known bug at the time and was subsequently fixed. Perhaps it was not completely fixed.
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I get an error message using the newest POI loader, It crashes and I can't even use the thing. I reverted back to the version before and can load all the same files just fine.
I emailed garmin and they were of no help. seems strange the issue I have is only with the newest version.
I had no problems running POILoader v2.4x, but when I upgraded to v2.52 I started having the crashes I mentioned above. emailing to Garmin support was of little or no help. Even after I provided them with the details as to what I could do to re-create the crash, I got no response back to the email. The only response I ever got from them was "it works for us"...
Garmin gave me this fix and it worked for me. Download a older version of the POI Loader. I installed Version 2.4.1 from this web page and POIs will now load in v64 bit Vista.
what is "chirp"
in General geocaching topics
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