Keiko's buddies

Thanks for the link to the explanation. After reading the Release Note I begin to think that there are some Groundspeak folks who are studying up for a run at political office. I now get 10 PQs a day when I never even used 5. It is also supposed to be easier to click the email link, download the .ZIP file, unzip it, then transfer the unzipped file to my GPS than it was to RightClick/ SaveAs as directly to my GPS. Anyhow it still works, just not as conveniently for me. I travel a lot and often go for a while without and internet connection. It was nice to just have my PQs arrive with an email, then disconnect and deal with the rest later. Thanks for the help.

Something must have changed somewhere. My pocket queries have stopped arriving as an email attachment. I do get emails telling me they are ready for download. I have checked and my hit limit is still set to 500 caches as I believe that is the maximum that the system will attach to an email. In addition, I have the check box for converting to a ZIP file turned off but the queries when I download them are still in ZIP format.

It's accurately described there: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=281106&st=0&p=4826494entry4826494 Frohes Jagen Hans Excellent information....Thanks! I assumed from much experimentation and head scratching that something like this must be happening. Makes sense now.

HHL's solution worked perfectly.....Thanks! To clarify what I needed was: I needed a pocket query gpx file of our local geocaching area that shows all geocaches as unfound. Our geocaching club gives seminars to new geocachers and we need a local gpx file with all caches marked as "Unfound" for obvious reasons. It would be great if the pocket query generator at geocaching.com had a way to do this but I don't think so. Any output my account produces will always have caches marked as found or unfound, depending on the status. I can filter all the found ones out but that would produce an incomplete list. So I imported a complete list into GSAK then followed HHL's method: ------------------------------------ 1. filter on found caches 2. do a "global replace" on "symbol name" and set it to "Geocache". ------------------------------------ Then I exported them as a gpx file and sent it to the Colorado. Worked great....thanks HHL

I would like to build a pocket query for instruction purposes that shows all geocaches as "unfound". If I use my account to generate this pocket query I get output that shows a mix of my found and unfound caches. Is this possible? I have tried to load a mixed found/unfound query into GSAK and converting all found to unfound then exporting the gpx file to my Colorado 300. Somehow the geocaches still show up as found (open treasure chests) I'm sure there must e a simple way I just haven't found it yet!

I am using Mapsource Topo Canada on my Garmin Colorado 300 and want to know if there is a way to change the color of individual map items, specifically the road color. I find that the small road color (off white) is not very visible against the pale yellow background. I would like a more contrasting color.

Nope, not working. Other .kml files seem to be fine. Panoramio is fine. Maybe ther is a problem with the geocaching .kml file?

I need an opinion regarding a cache idea and it's acceptability. I would like to hide 6 microcaches that would be normal in every way. They would also include a single digit number. These numbers would be the last three digits of the Northing and Westing coordinates of a 7th and Regular cache. All 7 would be logable. The 7th cache however could not be found without finding the 6 micros. The position of this 7th cache would be given to the aprover of course. Any comments?

Ok. Thanks for everyone's help on this. I think we can end this thread now as I know what I can do and how to do it.

Also try to use containers that are waterproof, no matter where you live. We live in BC so all cachers at least make an attempt at using waterproof containers. We just got back from a month of geocaching in Arizona. Those folks down there must think it never rains....then came this winter....lots of very soggy caches and containers rusted shut.

There is a great 4 page article with photos in the current issue of Canadian Geographic.

Ahhhhh....the fog is lifting! Is there a filter term to exclude unavailable caches? In other words, I want to show all active caches centered on X with a radius of Y. Thanks for your help on this.

My Pocket Query does exactly the same thing as yours. It is the radius search that is wierd. If I use the URL: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...758&dist=53&f=1 It returns 249 hits. If I use the URL: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...4.84758&dist=53 it returns the same results as the pocket query. I just drop the term &f=1 from the URL. I dont know what this term does though, I just copied it from your original reply to this post.

But the regular search returns less caches than the PQ, not more. 68 caches are not on the standard search that are in the PQ.

During our last Mid Island mid winter get together we did a quick and dirty, and definately not scientific, comparison test of GPSr accuracy. We placed a table out on the beach then a bunch of us placed our GPS units on it and waited for a while. Then we wrote down the resultant positions. You can see the results by going to our website clicking on the Useful Stuff link. It is amazing how close they all were. All we know for sure of course. is where the table was!

The only restrictions I have set up on the query page are: - Any cache type - Any container Size - Any difficulty etc - Is ACTIVE - centered on coords with 53 mile radius The setup page is here if you can see it. Also remember the query produces more results than the seek.

Strangely enough the two types of searches produce different results. The Pocket query result produces 317 caches and the "seek" method produces 249. I used the same coords for both methods, both were in decimal format, and both had a radius of 53 miles. Some caches were not included in the result done by the "seek" method, for instance the "Reststop cache by Redgreen" which is only .2 Km from the center point is not there. I have made a couple of links to buth these searche types on our home page here. So if any of you Premium Members want to do some brain twisting and help me sort this out you can link to it there.

Well, I kind of thought that's what would happen. Pocket query results are for Premium members so I would expect that would happen. I will go with the "seek" method and will have to put up with having archived caches displayed, unless someone knows the URL command to filter them out.

Well, it looks as if both methods may work. The "seek" URL definately works but also returns inactive (archived) caches, which I don't want but could live with. The "pocket query" method may work. As a premium member, when I click on the link that points to the query it works fine. I don't know if it works for a non-premium member. So if a regular user sees this post could they go to:Mid Island Geocaching and click on the bold number in the main text area and see if it works? Please post a reply here. Thanks!

Yay! It works, sort of ,I think. Is there a way to filter out inactive (archived)caches? I am physically going to this location tomorrow so I can get an accurate decimal fix. Taking a reading via Mapsource/Canadian Topo isn't nearly close enough. Thanks for everyone's help on this. I take it the minus sign for west longitude indicates West but no sign in front of the latitude implies a plus, or North?

So would this be the URL? "http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?origin_lat=N49.52415&origin_long=W124.84897&dist=53&f=1" Doesn't work for me, what am I doing wrong?

After you enter the waypoint it is a good idea to leave it on unless the cache is a long way and battery usage is an issue. With a mapping unit like the Legend you can take advantage of the fact that the waypoint shows up on the map and will help you plan your driving route.

11. Get a puppy. Train it to snif out Tupperware. 12. take a spare pen/pencil with you. Often the ones in the caches are missing/broken/dull/out of ink 13. Take several trade items with you. From very small to larger items, you are then prepared for most cache sizes. 14. Print a few brochures from Here and carry them with you. You can hand them out to folks who are wondering why you are poking around in their park and acting suspiciously. 15. Find out if there is a geocaching group in your area and join in. Geocaching with others is fun and they will teach you the ropes.

I do have a premium membership and know how to do pocket queries, the trouble is the output of a pocket querie is not viewable by other cachers. I want to place a link on our website (migeocachers.org) that shows all active caches in our caching area. The center of this area is a set of coordinates that do not correspond to a nearby postal code. The closest one is at least 6 km away.

Exactly....postal codes won't work in this instance. The closest postal code address is 6 Km away. I don't see why the geocaching.com folks couldn't make the distance box variable like they do in other sections. (hint, hint)