RangerRick

About a year ago I placed a cache in a state park that is located behind my house. I walk about 2000 feet up a hill to check on once in awhile. About 3 weeks ago my 14 year old daughter placed a cache about 500 feet away from my cache. She is too young to drive so cache placement was a problem for her. I have no issues about the closeness of the cache. Actually, maintenance trips are a lot easier for both of us now and many cachers have said they appreciated having two caches next to each other. It is very convenient for youngsters that can't walk very far to get to the toys! Also, I find that the two caches located close together attract more cachers than a cache placed miles away from any others. Just my thoughts, RangerRic

Thanks Planet, RangerRick

Hello Joske, I never used a Vista so I can't compare the Vista and the V, but I have used for Garmin v for the past year, so I will answer what I know about that one. For autorouting, you do key in the destination, the V will calculate and then you go. This calculation usually only takes a few seconds unless the destination is hundreds of miles away. When you leave the calculated route, the V will recalculate automatically. (no need to stop) You still do need Mapsource City Select or Metroguide when using the V if you want any detailed info. such are backroads, restaurants, hospitals, etc. Mapsoure City Select comes standard with the V and you need an unlock code to unlock the maps or you can use MetroGuide maps that don't require any unock codes. You wanted to know if there was anything on the Vista that isn't on the V. All I can say to that one is that I never heard of anyone selling their Garmin V and buying a Vista unless it was for the dollar differnce. PS: If you are using the GPS unit strictly for road use, you might be much happier with a Streetpilot III. You will have a color map screen and the unit will talk to you. That is, it will give you spoken commands of when and where to turn. I use the Streetpilot III to get me to the cache area and then use the V to find the cache. The SPIII has a bigger screen that is so much easier to see on the dashboard. Hope this helps.

test3

test2

testing [This message was edited by RangerRick on December 06, 2002 at 07:35 AM.]

This message goes along with the above post. Mapsource City Select needs an unlock code, Metroguide USA does not require one.

K2Dave, To answer you question, each unlock code only works for one GPS unit. So, If you bought two units, unlock region 8 for example, and load that region onto your Garmin unit, you need another unlock code for your other unit (which Garmin will give you for free)to be able to load that same region onto your other unit. In short, each unlock code is unique and is determined by the serial number of the gps unit.

Hello FireTrkDriver, You already have the full unlock code for Mapsource City Select. I sent it to you with the unit. Just load both programs onto your computer. MetroGuide is already on your unit. Try it for awhile and then try the City Select for awhile. Then you can decide which one you like more. It will take about 1/2 to upload either map to your GPSV. Good Luck

For some reason, our emails both ways do not connect. I have contacted Firetrkdriver by phone and we are all set. Thanks for your help my fellow geocachers.

Hello Jamie, I understand what you are saying about storage capacity on these memory cards but I know that when you download a new map to these cards, the entire map base on the memory card is erased and then is rewritten. This takes a long time. (hours)! So I figure, for example: Have Connecticut on one smaller card, New York on a card, etc. If you own three memory cards and need to go to New Mexico in 2 hours, just rewrite the Rhode Island card installing just New Mexico on it. It will only take minutes instead of hours

Hello Bob, Ranger Rick here. I did leave you a couple of emails and tried calling you also. Will try again tomorrow.

Why not just buy a few 32 or 64 meg cards, load different regions on each and swap them out as you travel? Would that work?

Hello Shingld and welcome to the sport. Just one tip seeing you are taking two young ones along, I suggest your first caches should be rated no higher than a two. These should be easy enough for you to find and enjoy and then you can work your way up as you get a feeling for the conditions you will encounter along the way. Good luck and have fun!

Hello Glen, I have been using my built-in GPSr on my Audi for over 2 years now. My unit gets the info from a CD that is located in a cd player in the trunk. The only way I would be able to load my own waypoints is to hack the cd and burn a new one. Now maybe there are other units that you can attach cables to for downloading your own info but not mine. [This message was edited by Ranger Rick on October 11, 2002 at 07:16 AM.]

Hello Pharmadude, I don't know where you live but if you live anywhere around Connecticut USA, I have a few Garmin V's that I would let you use for your outing. When I have a couple of other people with me caching, I supply each person with a unit just so we can all search at the same time. Great for competition and fun. Keeps everyone interested. Just let me know.

Hello Oz, If your friend is serious, I think you should bring him to a doctor ASAP!

I only have Garmins so I can't comment on the others but I love my Garmin V for a dual capability unit. Excellent for setting on the dashboard and letting it lead the way and even better in the woods. Excellent base map (at least here in the northeast), points of interest such as restaurants, hospitals, gas stations, etc,. You can have it make a "bread crumb" trail as you travel. That feature can really help if you forget to mark the location of your car when you head out for the cache. It also has a compass and altimeter built into it. Maybe the others have the same features also, I just don't know. Good Luck

A ziplok freezer bag can make any gps unit water proof. Used them in many rain storms while geocaching.

A ziplok freezer bag can make any gps unit water proof. Used them in many rain storms while geocaching.

Jason, the best way to mark the waypoint is to use a gps unit that can "waypoint averaging". In this mode, the gps unit will keep taking signals from the satellites and will will keep averaging the readings until you stop it and enter "save". The Garmin GPS V will do that as well as some other units.

Has anyone heard from Gary "Gimpy" Strong lately? I used to enjoy his frequent posts in this forum but haven't heard from him in a couple of months now. Did he change his name in the forum?

I'm with you Alan2. Before I had my GPS, I used to go to a location once and could return there within a year with no map. Now I let the gps guide me there and after 3 visits, I still can't find my way back to some locations without the gps. Is that what happens when we get old? LOL

Hello Steel, I would be disappointed with my Garmin V if I was not within 20 feet of the cache when my gps indicates that I am near it. A few times, I was brought witin a few inches of the cache.

Haven't tried the Platinum but I will say I liked my Garmin V enough to buy two of them. My brother had a Magellan and now has a V. But I can't tell you what model he had. You can find them for about $350-360 on Ebay. Hope this helps.