Airmapper

So the unit does have an internal GPS unit? I haven't been able to find any good info on that, it is the key feature I'm interested in. The Apple i-Phone didn't really impress me much, but this G1 has gotten my attention since it is going to support open source apps, which I'm hoping will be free. If the price is reasonable I could see myself getting one of these, unlike the i-Phone which I see as a money pit. All the other cool features appear awesome, but if it doesn't have an actual traditional GPS receiver under the hood it would discourage me from considering it further. I don't talk on the phone much, so the other functions would be more important to me, but if I'm going to have it as a phone it better get service as good as or better than my current pay-as-you-go cell.

Lowrance Expedition C

Do you have the aviation data checked in the display settings? There is a panel that will let you selectively add/ remove map data from view. Sounds simple but if I remember correctly it's not a setting that stands out.

In what way? For getting maps on your Lowrance unit it is about the only option you have aside from making your own which isn't easy. For using it beyond that (waypoint management and such) I'd recommend other programs. If the detail of mapping is what you mean, it's pretty good. It is comparable to Garmin's Topo Mapping.

You might be able to find some info here, or at least get a program that may be able to do the conversion to get maps on your unit, but not for MapCreate. As you may or may not know, what you want to do is not an easy task, as the software is made to prevent such actions.

I use a Palm m125 with a USB cradle. Works fine with Vista if you install the correct version of Palm Desktop.

I've used S&T a lot before but now only when I don't have online access to gc.com or Google maps through GSAK. I gather from the comments on MapPoint that it doesn't load loc/gpx files natively either? No, you'll need an export from GSAK or some other method of getting the .GPX into a format like .CSV. S&T Pushpins are another format it accept I believe. The Plug in I mentioned will allow you to Export from MapPoint in formats like GPX though.

I use MapPoint 2006 and think it's great. I have small cache icon images I use in the export process, so a traditional cache looks like and so on. I also save my MapPoint file as a Template, so when I need to update the info I don't loose settings and such. There is a free Plug-in you can install called Coordinate Exchange. LINK That lets you use the data in MapPoint with your GPS or other mapping programs.

1. Yes, I'm a member of several in my state, at least on the forums. I'm more active with some than others, but that mostly depends on the groups activity and how close it is to home. 2. Yes. I wish one would, I'd help with starting it or start it myself if there was enough activity in the area to support it. However activity in my area is very hit and miss, people come and go frequently, and most who are here don't seem to be very interested in socializing. I will commend one local who has regular events, but the last one only had 3 cachers attend including the owner, and myself. (Bad weather I guess.)

The real question is............... Is Signal Male or Female?

The cursor hover pop up will only display what is in the Name field for the waypoint, I'm not sure what it is, but there is a limit to how much info it can show. I've noticed when I try to put a lot of info in that field it cuts off, usually in the middle of a hint. However I pack a PDA, so I haven't tested it as thoroughly as I could have. If your not already familiar with them, what you'll need to do is use the %tags in the Lowrance export dialogue of GSAK, and you can add the hint to the end of the name by using %hint. As for the full cache description, I doubt that will ever be an option to load on the unit. It is generally a lot of text, full of HTML, and more than the unit was designed to display. Another option, is with the latest release of GPSBabel you can add info to the comment area of the waypoint information page. This means you can get more info on the unit, but you'll need to hit FIND -> Destination -> ENT (Assuming you have an active GoTo, otherwise use the normal search features) to see it all. Clyde has mentioned this feature will be utilized in the next major release of GSAK, allowing you to do it within the program. Right now it requires you export to GPX then convert it to Lowrance format. The discussion on that can be found HERE. EDIT TO ADD: GPX to USR will probably be the easiest to configure though, it is much easier than GSAK. I prefer GSAK since I can manage the data for all my devices (PDA, Mapping Exports) but for quick and easy GPXtoUSR is fine. P.S. Seen your posts on GSAK boards and My board, I replied here since it is the most active thread.

What Star said. Pretty inexpensive and they work well. Same here, they work great.

You two ought to go cache together, then both of you can whine together.

RICOH makes Cameras? And GPS units? The link took me to the camera's page, from the looks of it the GPS is connecting to the accessory shoe, and will have specs of it's own. While definitely cool, I'd question it's ability to map trails. First will it be able to record, save, and transfer track data into a manageable format, like GPX? From what I found about it on RICOH's site it's primary use is to Geo-code the images themselves. I'm not sure if it has any features beyond that. But that is one cool camera.

If you do it to find/hide a cache, can it really be considered stupid?

Who's big idea was it to change the avatar sizes to 75x75! Well at least now my avatar doesn't looked squashed.

On my site you might get an idea of what Geocaching with the unit might involve in the guides. Hope it is of some help. http://sitekreator.com/geo-lowrance/index.html Personally I'm really happy with my Lowrance units. I retired my AirMap 500 (Still operating fine) and got an Expedition C for caching.

I've met JoGPS several times.

I usually set up the compass page with one large readout set to distance. The very large arrow and number makes it easy to see at a glance if your going the right way.

There is an attribute you can add to the listing to designate that you can use 4x4 to get there: You can make a 4x4 cache just like any other, you still need permission, and might expect a few people to hike it if they do not have a 4x4. Another thing you might do is create a Bookmark list of caches that people with 4x4 would like. If such a list were in my area I'd check it out.

It would be okay for people to see what your doing, the idea is to do it a way that they don't care what your doing.

During approach your unit is generally held level and steady, but once you start searching it gets thrashed around a bit, and IMO that will discombobulate it's lock on the satellites some, making it jump around. Sit still with it a minute and it should level back out. I've noticed that about my unit.

It's possible. If you posted logs to the cache page it will be in your history and you can access it through that. You can't search for archived caches, but if you have some tie to it like a log or being it's owner, you can still access the page.

At one time I thought a compromise might be made where the feature still existed, but more options were available to those who had various reasons for making a cache PMO. For example making the audit log available to all caches, not just PMO. Also if newbie avoidance was the concern, a cap of say 50 finds must be reached before it is available, no payment required. Complete removal wasn't necessarily a goal. I got some time to kill, and I don't care to say my reasons. Of course they are subject to change and modification based on reasons and examples that I may be able to understand. 1. It opens the door to further restriction of caches based on money. Right now it is by member option, in the future it could be for all caches. Pay up or don't play. Your loyalty to PMOC now is suggestive that you will be open to the idea of paying to access the cache listings in the future. 2. Paying a subscription to find a cache suggests it is in some way special, or worth the extra effort. PMOC caches are not placed by Groundspeak staff, they are not stocked, maintained, or planned out to be in above ordinary locations by Groundspeak staff. The people you pay have nothing to do with the cache other than listing it. A PMOC is placed by someone spending their own time, effort and money to make it available to you. It could be extraordinary, so-so, or just plain lame, their choice. I don't think for whatever reason it is their place to say it is worth your paying someone to find it. 3. The feature is faulty. A workaround exists to log a PMOC without being a PM at the allowance of Groundspeak. If it's for PM only, why let the non-PM's log it at all? Using triangulation or other somewhat clever methods, a PMOC can be found using the search page. So if you are clever and the cache owner doesn't care or isn't paying attention, you can still find and log the cache. It's no more difficult than some puzzle caches out there. It doesn't hold to it's description. 4. There are so many other awesome features to gain from becoming a PM, why do we need PMO caches? All the other features deal with data organization or web features unconnected from the physical cache locations themselves, why have this one stand alone feature that ties to the actual cache, if not for my reason #1. I doubt the current powers that be even had pay to play in mind when the feature was introduced, I'm not sure they do now, and I wouldn't accuse them of such, I don't have that kind of information. However, that is not to say it won't be in the future, with new management and company goals. Originally I think the idea was to have a way to restrict users from accessing the cache page for security from unwanted members, most likely thieves or brand new players who don't know simple game guidelines (like don't take or empty the cache). It was a quick fix for an apparently small scale problem, and not a completely effective one. However I've seen it used in large scale applications for nothing more than marketing the website, and in that use I'm not a fan. So, there is why I dislike PMOC and it's principle. I'm not going to be a pain and try to get it removed or argue with people who use and like the feature. That would be a waste of time.

I am. Learned that trying to discuss it here is a waste of time. Do you believe your reasons to be sound and valid? If so, then why would discussing them here be a waste of time? Well, IMHO I don't think it really matters what I think. Given the number of times this has come up and the length of time nothing has changed, what good do you think discussing it further will honestly do in a realistic sense? It has been a pretty well established that discussing it over the years has had zero effect. It makes for good forum drama if your into that, and does so pretty consistently. I used to participate and throw my unpopular opinion out there, but all it served was to fuel more ranting over one point or another. And I admit I might not have expressed myself as calmly or clearly as I would have liked, given a few years to think about it. Sure I don't like PMOC's that well, but I still renew my subscription every year, go hunt the few I run across in my travels, and leave nice logs on those I find. I won't place one however, and that is all I can do.