[AVATAR TESTING and INSTRUCTIONS]

Just getting my ID#

[Logging Muggled Caches]

Thanks for the feedback everyone -just wanted to know what the common practice is. Just so you know, there was absolutely nothing else around that could have hidden the cache -single bush in the middle of the desert besides a long stretch of open highway. But, just to make sure, I took pictures of the site and uploaded them to notify the cache owner and verify that it had indeed been swipped. The cache is in a different state, so probably won't get a chance to revisit for a while. So, I'll log it as a DNF. Thanks again guys, I'm impressed by how quickly all of you always respond.

[Logging Muggled Caches]

If I find a muggled cache (either totally missing or log gone/destroyed), should I log it as found? Most of the time (unless it's a first find), it's about the hunt, so I'm not going to go back to the site even if they fix the cache. In addition, I want it to be marked as found so I can eaisly filter it out in GSAK or when decluttering my GPSr. Problem is, I don't know the etiquette on this one.

[Adult Swag?]

I like to leave things that are particularly usefull to geocachers. I carry around a variety of stuff in the $1-2, $3-5, $5-10 range and for special trades $10-20 range. I always carry around several TB's of my own to trade for others. I also like to keep in mind that many cachers bring their families with them, so I carry around a few kid items. BUT all of the stuff is usually new and of good quality -no junk. And I don't spend a ton, I just pick up things on sale when I find them at Wallmart, the Dollar Store, etc. I like to keep the items small and realitively flat so I can eaisly pack them and take them with me when I travel.

 

$1-2 Range

Coleman Zipper Pull/Keychain Compass & Thermometer

Pin-on Ball Compass

Small Bison Containers

Small Bison Survival Whistles

Batteries

Carabiners

Mini-lights

Bug Spray

Camo Tape

Magnetic Badge Backs (the good type that can be used to hold up a fairly large container -from K&J Magnetics)

 

$3-5 Range

Coleman Map Compass

Large Bison Containers

Bison Ball Containers (some of the best micros)

Large Bison Survival Whistles (the end is also a micro container)

Coins (military unit type)

Patches

Keychain Calculators

Sunglass Hut Sunglass Visor Clips

Sunglass Bags (you can put anything small in them like a GPSr and they are great for cleaning the screen)

 

$5-10

Gift Cards (Lowes, Home Depot, Wallmart, etc.)

Small Maglites

Adventurine & Mother of Pearl Stretch Braclet

Geocaching.com Lanyards

Good brand name ear buds

 

$10-20 Range

Any cool small tool/electronic

Leatherman Micros

Motorola Talkabout Radios

Pretty decent Sony, JVC or equivalent mini headphones

Very small USB Hub

Winchester Multi-tool (very good quality and for around $15)

Packs of batteries

Tiger Eye Stretch Bracelet

 

Kid Stuff

Scrunchies (not the generic type, but something with beds and bangles or college logo print)

Funky beaded necklass kits (I especially like the ones that come with a frog bead that I find at the Hallmark stores)

Magnets

Giant Crazee Beans

Small Beanie Babies

Lurchin Urchin Yo-Yo Balls

Super Balls

Logo Rubber Stretch Bracelets

[To Pic Or Not To Pic]

Seems like you could just PM or email and ask whoever posted to remove, and then only delete there log entry if they failed to do so within a reasonable deadline. I like gchance's idea of taking pics of the cache/area that actually don't reveal too much on the hide -kind of like a challenge to figure out how to get some good pics without showing too much.

[Explorist 600 And Geocache Points]

I have a Magellan eXplorist 600 (and I have installed the latest firmware). Whenever I use either GSAK or the provided Magellan Geocache Manager software to transfer geocache points (generated from .gpx files) and compare them to the database in GSAK, there are many more points in the GSAK database than in the file in the GPSr. In addition, the missing ones appear to be random (it dosen't just not load some number of the last points -furtherest away or last alphanumerically, but various ones throughout the database). I limit my Geocache.com pocket queries to 500 points. The litterature says the unit will handle 500 POIs, but perhaps this is not the same as how many geocache points it will handle???

[Explorist 500 Topo Software]

If you want to hack your GPSr and upload custom maps, check out the book GPS Mapping, Make Your Own Maps, by Rich Owings. You can find a review of it on Today's Geocacher site: http://www.todayscacher.com/2005/dec/reviews.asp. Comments from the review below:

 

"The final section of the book is probably the most interesting. Many geocachers are not satisfied with the proprietary mapping programs offered by the various GPSr manufacturers. Owings’ book provides detailed instructions about how to "hack" your GPSr and load your own mapping program. It’s not an easy process and not for the computer illiterate, but if you follow the detailed instructions you can load your own maps to your GPSr."

[Magellan Explorist 600]

I had the same problem with my 600 when I first tried it, in addition to my computer saying I had a malfunctioning unknown USB device connected. Then I found a post that talked about which way you connected the 6-pin adapter to the back of the unit -the manual dosen't talk about it. If you connect it with the cord running out of the connector towards the top of the unit (towards the little nub antenna), it will charge, but will not transfer/communicate properly with your computer. If you connect it with the cord running out of the connector towards the bottom of the unit (where the control buttons are), it should work fine. In addition, it will also charge with the unit turned on. Hope this helps.

[To Pic Or Not To Pic]

Thanks everyone. I'm new to the game and this gives me a better idea of posting etiquette -I wasen't sure exactly how everyone reads the posts and certainly don't want to spoil anyone's hide or hunt.

[To Pic Or Not To Pic]

Whenever I find a cache, I like to take pics of the location and cache contents as they appear that day. Should I post these with my log even though they may contain spoilers (even if I include a warning that they contain spoilers and not to view until after you have found it yourself). Thought the pics might be of interest to the cache owner or others who just wanted to see what's in it now.

 

PorkChop61YD