John E Cache

OK, I think I understand what you want, now. I think you need better resolution not accuracy.

I thought that if you have a fix on four or more satellites, you get a 3D position and the 3 dimensions are calculated based on an ellipsoid model not DEM.

No - just used it to pull out the key phrase or sentence in some awfully windy paragraphs. OK, sometimes when people state opinions as facts by using absolute phrases like "can not be done" or "does not exist" instead of "in my opinion" or "maybe", I like to suggest otherwise. No anger. Just me being contrary. I was wrong about IRDA etc. BTW I replied to this thread because I thought Sony Erickson doing ANT+ is cool and I still think it is cool and I hope more phone companies follow.

While it is true that "protocols are handled by software", there is often a base layer that is embedded in the hardware and cannot be modified. For example, there are distinctly different bit timing schemes used for IrDA, HPSIR and ASKIR, and processors that integrate one or more of those functions, and standalone IR chips will control that timing directly. Only if you started from scratch with your own IrDA diode assembly and wrote the whole modulation thing from scratch would you be able to talk to one of these devices without having another of its kind to use. Perhaps you should read up on the Philips Remotes that mimic all IR codes with the timing described in pronto files. IR in the khz range is easily handled in software. Can't you just buy a 2.6ghz analog radio transceiver chip with internal or external DSP to handle all digital layers. What to you mean by "baseband"? Single function chips do have low level stacks in silicon. Multipurpose chips are programmable. I was trying to say since Garmin can change Sirf DSP firmware in their GPS, Sony maybe can change DSP or CPU FW to add ANT+ without a stand alone ANT+ chip. Your shouting leads me to believe I struck a nerve. I am only speculating and not accusing anybody of being wrong.

Wifi, bluetooth and ANT+ all operate on the same frequency. But you can't use a bluetooth chip to connect to your wifi or vice versa, because they're different protocols. Protocols are handled by software. Garmin could just license the ANT+ protocol stack. Notice, I use words like "could" and "maybe". The line between SW and HW gets really fuzzy when DSPs are involved. When Garmin upgrades its Sirf chipset, is it a HW change or a SW change or in between(firmware change).

Got any references for that claim? Why would they include an ANT+ chip if there's no use for it? Sony is doing a software upgrade. Maybe they share the WiFi 2.6ghz radio..

http://wildcanyongames.org/overview/

I am considering the nook or a kindle. Does the nook have a browser? If so, can you just upload the spinner cache dir and browse to file://cachedir/index.htm?

My Muslim friends always know when sunset is. Especially important during Ramadan because the daily fast ends at sunset. I was curious how they define sunset. I found this link interesting: http://praytimes.org/calculation/ They account for both height and refraction.

The data fields setting doesn't affect how the GPS collects position data, just what the data means. The GPS position is not accurate so each time it computes a new position your position can change 30 feet when you are standing still. If you are near the cache, 30 feet of change can make a lot of the fields and the compass change drastically . A lot of times in poor conditions you just turn the GPS off and look for likely spots.

Ladyada, the designer/seller of the DIY Mintyboost USB charger, is on the cover of Wired magazine.

Sit in one spot and watch your coordinates change because of position inaccuracy. Now, ask yourself why doesn't the odometer change when your position changes. Because the GPS guesses you are not moving because the distance changes are small. Now what happens when you walk slowly? The GPS may still guess you are stopped for the same reason. The GPS can later mathematically smooth out the zig-zagging and stopping of the track caused by inaccuracy.

I think I read the main reason for AGPS is that AGPS is required by law so emergency operators know approximately where your 911 call is coming from.

The "home" key doesn't stop the app, but puts the app in the background(still running without display focus).To stop an app you should use the back key or menu->quit/exit. The app should free up resources and exit. What happens when you exit the app? Does the power consumption go down?

Android/Linux does multi-tasking. Tasks running in the background use CPU cycles and CPU cycles burn dynamic power. Memory usage has nothing to do with it, in my opinion. Hold the "home" key to switch to running background apps.

I think you're missing something. The magnetic sensor is telling the GPS which way it is pointed in relation to the earth's magnetic field. Motion has nothing to do with it. I could be moving with the GPS pointed any which way. Also, if you are using the sensor only as a compass replacement, you are missing half the fun. The map and bearing needle bounce around when you move so they are perfectly aligned with the earth. At the end of this video the guy touches the corner and turns on the sensor and the map stays aligned, just like a stand alone GPS. Amazing.

The caches should show up as waypoints. Do "find->waypoints". Then select a waypoint and "goto waypoint.".

Been doing some more thinking. If the 27 meters is consistent, maybe GC is moving the coordinates around on live searches, like they they always done on google earth KML files.

Spot is announcing a new Spot Communicator at CES that talks to a smartphone via bluetooth. I wonder if the it will still talk to the PN60. It would be nice in the PN60 version was upgradable to bluetooth.

As a really wild guess, try a different app. Recent changes to this site are messing with that renegade app.

All geeky geocachers know "degrees minutes seconds" is a base60(called sexagesimal) number .You are right, license plates are base36 numbers.

That's what I was going to say but I didn't want to sound to geeky. I am way past worrying about that. I had to give it shot since I am a geek. I remembered the method I used when I worked on computers many years ago, before calculators. Using decimal arithmetic any base x number ABCD.... = A times x plus B answer times x plus C answer times x plus D etc.

Each digit in a base32 number can have 32 values, 0 thru 31. Similar to decimal 0-9. Since 32 is an even 5 binary digits(11111 binary = 31 decimal), I would convert each digit to a 5 bit number and then you have binary number that a lot of calculators can use. 325 base32 = 00011 00010 000101 base2

HHH, I just stated using C:Geo I was using the GC's app but to me it seems the compass feature is not very accurate even with full cell signal and clear skies. OK, I can kill two birds with one post. First the new 3D Google Maps with compass mode is an amazing app. Almost the killer app that sells Android. Second, I am tired of trying to explain how a GPS compass is supposed to work. The video clearly shows what I have been saying. With the compass on the GPS display is supposed to jump around. It just means you are facing different directions.