apsyrtes

You can download your USGS topo maps and various other map data here: http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/NextPage.asp Although it talks about "putting together an order" there is no fee for the order. You can then use OziExplorer's MapMerge (free on the OziExplorer site) to stitch them together into as big a map as you want. Will that accomplish what you are looking to do?

I checked out the trial - I really like the software, but I've looked just about everywhere I can think of and can't for the life of me figure out where I would get useful maps for it. The site is not much help; it does have links to possible map sources but I can't figure out what I am supposed to be looking for when following those links. I certainly don't have a scanner big enough to handle any topos.

GSAK for managing just about everything MS Streets and Trips for planning caches along a route, and mapping out rough location of caches National Geographic TOPO! for getting in and seeing what's *really* there that Streets and Trips didn't bother to tell me. Backroads Explorer edition is great, as it overlays street data (better street data than MS S&T). Backroads Explorer + the 1:24,000 scale topos from the "State Series" is perfect for anything.

Generally when I'm close and still can't see the cache, I grab the bearing and distance off my GPS and mark it out with my compass. Since my compass points to magnetic north, the only way to be accurate is to also have my GPS showing bearings based on magnetic north. If this is what you intend to use your compass for, then your answer is to use magnetic north. True North you would want to use if using your GPS in combination with a map. I don't even do this though; it's easy enough to just turn the map around so N on the map lines up with N on the compass and then North is North no matter how you look at it, without worrying about declination. Unless you are in a canoe, or any other situation you can't lay the map flat. Of course, if you are talking about using a magnetic compass that's built into the GPS (seems that way, with the "dance" comment) then I guess the electronic compass in your unit can automatically accomodate for declination? In that case, might as well be True North because then your GPS, compass, and map will all agree. All depends on what you really mean, I guess. More Clarity. I would suggest that if your case is as in the paragraph previous to this one, set your GPS to Magnetic and buy a real compass.

http://www.thesupplynet.com is a great source for cables to connect just about any PDA/cell phone/GPS to any PDA/cell phone/GPS.

I write with Graffiti. It's fast enough and easy once you get some practice in. Certainly, I can type much much faster -- but I can only type when I'm actually sitting at my keyboard, I can Graffiti whereever I am. I also use TextPlus, which helps - it's a text auto-completion program (well, it's a little bit cooler than that......) so I rarely have to write more than a few letters of any word.

Cachemate really helps with logging. I found 13 caches on a spree today, I was able to do all my logging on my Palm while I sat on the couch hanging out with my wife (who was feeling a bit miffed that I'd spent 6 hours after work geocaching instead of coming home.....) -- usually I'll just log everything on the spot as I find it. One sync later, and a button press in GSAK imported all those logs from my Cachemate file and started the "semi-automatic logging" of all my finds for the day. This cannot be done with Spinner/Plucker.

I have no idea what monument you are talking about. I have no idea what significance it may or may not play in US history. I may be going to Washington, D.C. reasonably soon. If this cache existed, you could add it to your ignore list. Because this cache doesn't exist, I will never be able to add it to my watch list. Geocachers are not all American, remember. And non-americans do often visit the US (me, I live here now). The other thing that may come as a big shock to US Citizens is that people outside the US know very little about either the US or it's history. You're not all *that* important in the grand scheme of things. Write down everything you know about Canada that is fact..... I can probably match the resulting few paragraphs when talking about the US.