KC2WI

Some GPS units like my Garmin 62sc will do averaging of multiple readings taken and different times. The 62sc says wait at least 90 minutes between readings and usually takes about 5 minutes to indicate 100% accuracy. Generally I just come back to the cache later and preferably on a different day. If your GPS or phone doesn't do multiple reading averaging, just take several readings and average them manually. Approaching the cache from multiple directions may help. Put the GPS down and let the readings stabilize. Only the last one or two digits will change. So if you are reading decimal minutes all you have to do is average the last 2 or 3 digits.

Is there "value" in any find? It's just a game.

If a CO wants to test his/her cache coordinates and write-up before publication by giving the info to someone, that's a good thing. I don't see anything wrong with beta testing and I don't have any problem with a beta "finder" signing the log only but not claiming FTF. Actually it seems to me that the "FTF" game is only valid if the playing field is level. It seems to me that a FTF achieved by using inside information not available to the general public diminishes the "value" or significance of the FTF.

I've had a Trimble EnsignXL model 17319 in storage for years. I don't know exactly when it was made but when it turns on the screen says copyright 1993. Just put some batteries in, took it out on the picnic table and turned it on. After a while it acquired satellites. Coordinate reading was pretty close to my Garmin 62sc, so I guess it works. The unit looks to be in excellent condition in the original box with manual, data cable, mounting bracket, external antenna, etc. It's probably not something that you'd want to use for routine geocaching or navigation, but it may have some "collector" value. Probably will take some pictures and put it on eBay. Anyone interested or have any idea what it might be worth?

I can't recall - it is has been years since any of my caches got a NM - but as far as I can remember a NM just sends an email to the CO same as any other log entry. If the CO hasn't responded to several log entries stating the cache needs attention, it is unlikely that a NM will get any results.

I generally don't bother checking physical logs against posted finds. I would definitely check the cache if someone posted a throwdown "find" and most likely disallow it.

I don't see anything wrong with this. The cache "consists of at least a container and logbook." When someone finds the cache it will be obvious that they have the correct book because it is hollowed out to form the container. It is certainly more imaginative than the typical LPC micro and the log is certainly easier to sign. Who cares if the "logbook" is physically attached to or part of the container or not? If Groundspeak is worried about possible damage or defacing of books, then by the same token they certainly should not allow caches that are fake bolts, electrical plates, number plates, etc., because this encourages attempted disassembly and resulting destruction of actual facilities and could be dangerous to cachers.

It is crazy to disallow this cache but allow the thousands of crummy unimaginative nanos, micros, and others thrown under a lamp post skirt, etc. The cache has a log you can sign. The log of this cache is easier to read and sign than the log in a nano. It will also never get soggy and wet like the usual pill bottle micro/nano. There is no container but so what, the only purpose of a nano/micro container is to protect the (paper) log. In this case the "log" does not need protecting. You can't put any swag in a nano or most micro containers. If you follow the rules to the letter, all nanos and micros and many other caches are are illegal because they do not have a logbook. If the log you sign does not have to actually be a book ("logbook" implies a paper log book) then nowhere in the rules does it specify that the log has to be paper. Evidently the log you sign can be made of anything. It is also not specified that the "logbook" has to be inside the container. A cache just has to "consist of" a container and logbook. So attach a pill bottle to the log and you meet the rules. Seems to me that with 37 favorites, the people have spoken.

Are you sure it is a geocache and not a letterbox?

I have replaced a few logs and no CO has ever contacted me to say they want them back. Maybe once I've received a thank you from the CO. If the container obviously is not waterproof and/or other people have already commented about a wet log with no CO response then I don't bother.

I don't agree... It would be nice to know someone is reading the logs. I don't go back and look at every crummy micro I've found but I do occasionally go back and look at some of the more interesting caches. I sometimes wonder why bother to leave interesting log entries. Does anyone really read them or do they just scan through to see if there are any clues to help them find the cache? An occasional response from a CO might be nice. Especially if you log cache maintenance you've done such as drying the cache, replacing a log, etc., it would be nice to get some response like maybe a PM from the CO. I've never gotten any response.

You need to transmit your coordinates to the antenna positioning equipment, and have the appropriate azimuth/elevation controller to position the antennas. Getting the coordinates and transmitting them is fairly easy. You can do this with APRS (Amateur Packet Reporting System). Google APRS and you will get lots of references. I am sure that there are commercial equivalents as well. The primary use of APRS is to report location information, but other data like weather station output or short text messages can also be transmitted. To transmit on Amateur Radio frequencies you need a license. You can transmit on all ham radio frequencies above 50 MHz with the entry-level Technician license. Note that you can not use Amateur Radio for any commercial purpose, so if your broadcast application is something like news reporting, you'll have to use a commercial land mobile radio service. Typically APRS is done on the lower end of the 2 meter band, but it could be done other VHF, UHF, or microwave bands. At these frequencies. radio signals travel basically line of sight, so the receiver needs to "see" the transmitter. You can't be behind a mountain or down in a deep valley. If you are trying to get a parabolic antenna to follow you then I assume you're going to be using some microwave frequency for the broadcast application and therefore you'll have to be within line of sight for that to work as well. The parabolic broadcast antenna and the directional antenna for receiving APRS data could be mounted together so both would follow you. There are a few hand-held Amateur Radio transceivers that have all the APRS functionality including GPS built in. Some others have a dedicated data connection for APRS. Or you can buy/build your own packet radio interface to a standard FM voice transceiver. If this is a commercial application, then you can't use ham radio frequencies but you could use some other frequency for which you have the proper license and radio equipment.

I am not at all impressed with the Garmin maps. I have a GPSMap 62sc, but if I had it to do over, I'd be tempted to go with a Delorme because of the superior maps.

caches in "wilderness" are fine with me.

You have already basically placed your own cache in the location and are physically maintaining it. All you need to do is get control over the listing. Since the CO is not responsive, you will not be able to adopt it. The only option is to get it archived and create a new cache listing. The only possible disadvantage is that it now has a new GC code. Not a big deal. If you want you can even put a link to the archived cache in your description so that people can see who found it before you essentially adopted it. If the cache page shows several NM logs with no response, the geocaching.com admin should be willing to archive it after giving the CO one last chance to respond. You can immediately create a new cache with the same coordinates and description, or modify the write-up slightly as you see fit. I would check coordinates with my GPSr using averaging and correct if necessary.

In the first case, the CO at least responded although never followed through. However he acknowledged and thanked you for your effort, which is more than I can say for most CO's who's caches I have fixed. I wonder if the CO you your example would be open to other cachers adopting the ones he apparently maintain. I posted a note for a cache I discovered (GC26NTF)was in a spot I planning to place one but didn't know one was there until looking at the web site afterward. The CO sent me a message saying he was looking to thin out his hides and offering to let me adopt his cache or archive it so I could place mine (GC4M46E) as part of a series I was planning. In the second case the best thing would be for you or someone else nearby to adopt the cache IF the CO would respond. I guess if it is s good location and a lot of cachers are enjoying it then a community effort to keep it operational is warranted even if the CO has effectively abandoned it.

Any CO who does not respond at all to a string of DNFs on an easy cache or a NM after a reasonable amount of time doesn't deserve to have that cache. If they can't physically get to the cache right away they can ask a friend or at least post a note asking for help, or temporarily disable the cache until they can get to it. If a CO has placed 'vacation caches' or has caches spread out over a huge area that is so big they can't respond in a timely manner, they really don't have much claim to the cache locations. The unmaintained caches should be archived so someone else who lives nearby and is willing to maintain a cache can place one if it is a good location. I encountered this problem more than once during the August '31 Days of Geocaching.' There should have been more than enough conveniently located caches for me to find when I was in certain areas. Hovever, several easy caches showed a string of DNFs over months with no CO response. In some cases it was rally obvious thathte cache was gone. Looking at the CO's profiles it was clear in some cases that the COs had caches spread over a big area and were not really local to the caches with all the DNFs. In at least one case it appeared that the CO was local but just not responding. A few weeks to get to and fix a cache is reasonable; a few months (with absolutely no notes posted on the cache page) is not.

I don't see any point in general to throw-downs. If the original cache is not found at all, can you be certain you are putting a replacement in the exact same spot so that when (if) the CO comes to service it he/she can find it? If the logs show several DNF, NM, NA, or anything that indicates the CO is not responsive, why put another cache in place that will probably not be maintiained? Better to post NA and then when the cache is archived due to non-response of the CO, go put one you can maintain and control% I have replaced a couple of caches but only when notes in the log request it. In this case there were notes from a friend of the CO saying the CO is ill and can't get to the caches. In this case I hope that if the CO does not recover and the friend thinks these caches are good enough to remain, he/she adopts them, or if they re archived for continued lack of response from the CO, then the friend should place and maintain new caches in the same spots.

I deleted the preloaded jpgs (like "Garmin USA", etc.) and BirdsEye JNX files from my 62sc because as far as I'm concerned they are useless Garmin marketing clutter. Now every time I connect the GPSr to the a computer and start BaseCamp, it tells me there was a problem communicating with the gps and says an error occurred when reading theses files. How do I get rid of this error? Seems there should be a way to tell Basecamp not to look for these files.

You can't do pocket queries if you are not a premium member and the geocaching help says you can only download .loc files; but I am pretty sure that I was able to download individual .gpx files to my computer before I was a premium member. In fact I just found one I downloaded/saved/modified before I was a premium member. The non-premium .gpx files contained the description but not all the info that a premium member gets. I distinctly remember that the hint data was not available but was replaced by some text like 'this information is available to premium members only' However, you can add info. The .gpx files are plain text files which you can edit with any text editor. The data is in XML format and free XML editors are available. The advantage is that an XML editor will check syntax, etc. It is fairly easy to figure out the .gpx XML data structure, so you can add hints and other info by typing or copy/paste from the cache page. I am not advocating for or against premium membership here, but once you start doing this for any large number of caches you pretty soon figure out that it is probably not worth the time it takes, just to save the $30 cost of premium membership.

I think you have to enter a radius. No radius=0 and you won't get anything. Just make it very big. The PQ will only give you the closest 1000. You look at the last cache on the list and you can figure out the actual radius of the circle in which the caches lie. If you get less than 1000 then make the radius even bigger.

The sad thing is that I had just picked up on clearance for $6 a screen protector for some smart phone. I figured I could just cut the material to size and planned to do it as soon as I got home.

I set my Garmin GPSMap62sc down on the concrete base of a lightpost, lifted the skirt, found the cache, an in my haste put the corner of the skirt down on the GPS. It put a little gouge in the screen. I can't feel it but I can see it. Anyone have any luck polishing or otherwise removing scratches?

Do you have the Garmin Communicator plug-in installed on your computer? http://software.garmin.com/en-US/gcp.html ... and are you clicking on the "Send to my GPS" link. The "LOC waypoint file" and "GPX file" links will download the file to your computer probably in the "Downloads" folder, not to your GPS. You would then have to transfer the file to the gpx folder on your Garmin.

Messaging the owner is reasonable, especially if there are just no logs in a long time and it is a relatively easy cache. The CO could reply and give you hints on finding, or tell you he/she has checked and the cache is still there, etc. If it is an easy cache with a string of DNF then I think that pretty much indicates the cache is gone and the CO is not going to do anything about it. If I see more than a couple DNF logged on any of my caches, I would be checking on it, or if I couldn't get to it right away, I'd temporarily disable it until I could. If you get get no response in a reasonable time, then a NM is fair game and if that gets no response after a while then a NA is justified. If you want to place and actively maintain a cache then a deadbeat CO should not be standing in your way.