Alboy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...is-pet-dog.html Bet Vlad can also put his hands on a few ammo containers easily enough!!

Do any of you guys know if I can export and import from a Forerunner 305 and Memory Map (v5.1.3 if it matters) I would love to know if I get a 305 whether I can log my runs in MM (and see heart rate etc) I've been googling like mad with no luck thanks

It seems to me as a relative newbie (200 caches over 3 years) that the thing missing is a way to ID quality. I wonder whether there could be an informal system of recommending quality caches. Once a cache has been quality flagged enough times (appreciate this could be subjective) then it gets to stick a Quality logo on its cache page. I appreciate one wouldn't be able to PQ search them or anything but it must help? Don't know if one can search for the word "Quality" or "Great" in GSAK - I'm off to try after this email! Sure the system could be abused but it would help. It's only us who are going to make the situation better for ourselves. I for one am going to make a pledge to write longer logs to say thanks to those who set them.

Many congratulations!!! Out of interest, how far away is your nearest unfound?

There's a few in Millets in Crawley. Some Stonehenge, an Angel of the north, a London eye, probably about 7 left. I just picked up a Clifton Suspension Bridge and a London eye one

Al's Angels finished in 28 hrs and 19 minutes. It's a long, long, long time to be walking! But we stuck at it and managed to get our weakest link to the finish, so whilst we didn't set as good a time as we wanted, we got there in the end. I'm sure I speak for all teams when I say it is an amazing event, and an experience no one who does it will forget. I'm not yet sure what happened to Paul yet, I was texting him from time to time as we went round but he fell off the radar towards the end? But regardless, anyone who even starts this event deserves huge credit. Actually, I've just read his blog so I know. You have my respect for getting to 7 with a twisted ankle. Much of the trail is flint stone in a chalk base and it really strains your ankles. It was a really really tough part of the course, there's a big long hill between 6 and 7 and at night it was absolutely freezing in the wind on the exposed ridge. I had a fleece and a winter jacket on over my top and I was struggling to generate enough heat to keep warm. I passed one shivering girl wrapped in her emergency blanket and waiting to be picked up, and loads of others were suffering as well. We had the same issue at that point, one member of our team was really suffering and we had to tell her that we couldn't continue with her going that pace. I've so much respect for her that on the next stage she really dug deep and eventually made it to the end. It would be good to see more cachers go for it next year!

Thanks to Paul for his very neat little updating system and ironing out my incompetence in using it! I too shall be blogging my way round providing my blackberry battery lasts the distance. If someone wants to set a cache at Brighton racecourse I'll certainly do it once (if!) I get there! Forecast looks OK if a little windy (and it's very exposed on the South Downs so it might be a factor) I am looking forward to my emotions after 45 miles, it's pitch black and has been for a few hours and there's a blooming great hill in front of us...

I am borrowing a Garmin legend for a walk I am doing next week. There is a set (100km) route with 10 checkpoints on it. I have entered the route onto memory map and downloaded it to the GPSr. There are also 10 checkpoints that I need to check in on. I have entered them onto memory map and downloaded them too o the GPSr. What I want to know is can I set the Legend up so that it follows the route whilst telling me how far it is to the next checkpoint? I am sure that it is fairly straightforward but unfortunately I don't have time for a trial run at all. Does the distance function tell me the distance simply to the next waypoint on the route or the end of the route or can I get it to tell me the distance to the next checkpoint? I am sure these are simple questions solved by trial and error in the field but the manual doesn't help and I don't have time before the event! Many thanks in advance!! Alboy

I once pulped a nearby wild berry and used my stylus to sign a log.

personally no. For me that would be about the walk, the scenery etc. Again personally, given the quality of swaps in caches I really don't mind micros over larger ones. However, if the walk is suitable for kids then a well stocked final cache would make a nice prize for them for completing the walk!

Good spot Gushoneybun, bet that's our person! Anyone know her to ask?!

I wish I'd been paying more attention, but at about 5.45pm Chris Evans was asking a female listener what she'd do if she had an unexpected day off - her answer? A lie in from the kids then out geocaching!! I think her name was Sian, but as I say, I wasn't really concentrating til that point! Anyone else hear it? Who is the mystery cacher!?

Caroline Great idea. I am the son-in-law of one of your boat driving volunteers at Dapdune Wharf (Jim Burr). Please feel free to get in touch either via him or this forum. If you want help placing caches etc then please let me know, I'd be happy to help. Alistair

I went on a long walk yesterday and want to be able to tell precisely when I was at a certain point. I assume the info is stored somehow as the GPS track can show me my speed at certain point etc. Is that possible? I've tried saving the gpx file as a csv file but can't work out which is the time stamp and how it work ets. Anyone know? Thanks as ever in advance!

It can?! I must play around with my sound settings then, as I've never had any luck. What do you mean only one at a time? If I have a route with 3 proximity alarms at various points along it would each go off as I arrived in the proximity of each? Or can only one proximity alarm be set at any one time? thanks

Thanks for everyones input so far. So can someone using Memory Map confirm that the PDA CANNOT handle proximity alarms? Also, what other Garmins can?

You can download routes and waypoints directly from MM to a GPSr as long as the GPSr has a serial or USB connection. But sadly not the maps!

I've been using my Memory Map for some hikes recently and have tried to get my PDA to bleep as I come up to certain waypoints on the route so I can navigate easier, without having to look at it the whole time (ie just bleep as I approach a turning, as opposed to continuing straight on). However, it never seems to work, and I get no alarm. Is that right or have I got some PDA setting incorrect? I've looked in the MM Help files regarding proximity alarms and it says that they work with certain Garmin GPSrs. Anyone know which ones?! I'm thinking of getting a Garmin for my hiking (my PDA is great but not robust enough and does not have long enough battery life for longer distances) and I'd like one that can allow me to use the proximity alarm feature. As an aside, I'm borrowing a spare Garmin etrex Legend from a rather notorious puzzle cache setter from round these parts (and yes he did delete all waypoints before giving it to me!). Can I make that notify me audibly in some way? Don't think so? Any help gratefully received!! Alboy

I get a similar message when trying to copy stuff from Memory Map to my garmin via the serial port, but only when I have my PDA in its cradle and linked via Activesync to my PC. It's something to do with Activesync 'nabbing' both the USB and serail ports. Maybe removing any PDA from the equation might help? Other than that, can't help, sorry!

Well I've had permission to do my worst with it, so will try some uploading tonight. What are the best maps to upload? is there any concensus?

Hi I have been leant a Garmin etrex Legend, and i have been playing around with it a little. I've got some topo maps of the UK and I want to load them onto the Garmin, but when I do, via mapsource, I get a warning saying I will delete the map already in there, and that I can get another copy of the deleted map from the Garmin website. I've had a look at the Garmin website and cannot find anything about base maps etc. As I say, I've been leant this unit so don't want to do anything I cannot undo, but it would be nice to trial the topo maps and see if they actually make life easier for walking / caching. Does anyone have any experience of swapping maps on and off their Legend? Also, aside from the cost factor, does anyone have any prefs over which topo maps to use - the official Garmin one or the free Scottish Mountaineering Group ones? Thanks Alboy

And from me too! - Up to my neck in toys (who gives a 3 yr old a Drum kit!! ) and batteries!

Wow, that is a really fantastic response from everyone, I'm really overwhelmed! I guess with all the effort you guys have put into posting replies, I can't really back out now can I!? One small point I should have clarified re the Camelbak... I want a Camelbak that carries 2L (could I get away with 1?) of water but that has about 5-10L STORAGE for odds and sods etc. I'm not planning on carrying 10L of water! I will get down to do the trail in parts before the walk, and hope to do the parts at night at least a couple of times for some familiarity. I can't believe someone kindly looked up the state of the moon on the day, awesome, thanks MBFace! I'll certainly look into Trail Mix. Not come across that before so another thing to get to terms with. One question someone might know the answer to... I picked up a pair of second hand walkie talkies as a swap in a cache (thanks Tjapukai!) and they seem to work fine. If I get a couple more should they be able to inter-operate? Oart of me says that 2 should be enough as a group of 4 prob shouldn't split into any more than 2 groups at any one time, but if someone knows the answer? Re training I have a reasonable guide from the NZ Oxfam site. http://www.oxfam.org.nz/oxfam%5Ftrailwalke...ing%20schedules We have set our sights on the beginner section! If anyone has any thoughts/comments, I'm all ears, all advice gratefully received in the spirit in which it is given! Thanks again for everyone's responses. It's been much appreciated. Alboy

Hi I am thinking about doing the Oxfam Trailwalker walk in 2008. You can find a link here... http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/fundraise/trailwalker/ So, in summary a 100km walk in 30 hours or less, over the South Downs, nonstop. I've plotted last years route in Memory Map and the total vertical climb is the equivalent of Ben Nevis and Snowdon combined! Aside from the fact that I am manifestly physically unfit (but can work on that at least in the next 6 months!) I wonder what general tips you can give me? There must be plenty of experienced walkers in this forum. I'm not planning on doing any caches on the way (but if there are any around I COULD do them on one of our training walks along the route I guess?) as I think the team would not appreciate any diversions or delays, as its long enough in all regards as it is! So my questions are hopefully all practical in nature... Should I take poles? For all or just the ascents and descents? 1 or 2? Shoes or boots? Think I've probably already decided on shoes given the terrain is not harsh I'm told. Given the walk will involve walking through the night, any thoughts on the best methods of illumination or route? Is a headtorch enough? I'd like a GPS with me, more to monitor progress etc than for the route which I'm told is well signposted, though I would like to be able to upload the route from memory map so a PC interface would be important. I have Memory Map on my PDA but keeping it charged will be a nightmare I think, so does anyone have anything that will last 24 hours or so? For those using AA batteries will the unit turn off when I swop them over? Will it lose the history of the walk so far (I appreciate I can save it but will the average speed, distance walked so far etc be lost?) What should I absolutely 100% carry with me at all times? Bear in mind I hope to have a support crew who will be in a car and able to meet me every 10km or so if required, so waterproofs, more water, food (thoughts?! Regular snacks or a sarnie stop 3/4 times?) etc can be carried by the car in case. I'm thinking of a small camelbak with 5-10l carrying capacity should be enough. Any other tips, thoughts, ANYTHING much appreciated! I plan to drop some Trailwalker caches on my training walks so keep an eye out!! Thanks Alistair / Alboy

Thanks for the reply. I havent actually tried sending anything to the GPSr and will, but I hav looked on the Interface Setting and it says that it is not connected, so it seems the GPS does not think it is accepted. If it works though I'll be sure to let you know! thanks again