Nothlit

Sheesh, I've only been doing this a week and I already feel like an old-timer. Welcome to the game.

Sheesh, I've only been doing this a week and I already feel like an old-timer. Welcome to the game.

Well, one method if you still have even a weak satellite signal for your GPS (or if your unit has its own internal magnetic compass rather than one that relies on GPS) is just to do whatever you would normally do to follow a route or arrow of some sort toward the cache. When you get within the last 100 feet or so according to your unit, look at the direction that the arrow on the unit is telling you that the cache is located, how many feet away it says, and pick out a landmark in that general direction to work toward (so you don't get off-track going around bushes, etc.). As for using a compass separately without a directional arrow when there is no GPS signal, I could probably do it on the spot, but I don't think I could explain it very well here.

Well, one method if you still have even a weak satellite signal for your GPS (or if your unit has its own internal magnetic compass rather than one that relies on GPS) is just to do whatever you would normally do to follow a route or arrow of some sort toward the cache. When you get within the last 100 feet or so according to your unit, look at the direction that the arrow on the unit is telling you that the cache is located, how many feet away it says, and pick out a landmark in that general direction to work toward (so you don't get off-track going around bushes, etc.). As for using a compass separately without a directional arrow when there is no GPS signal, I could probably do it on the spot, but I don't think I could explain it very well here.

Yep, I just got my etrex Venture last week and made my first four finds (and one failure ) over the weekend. It really is addictive! I'm already thinking of places to put caches of my own, but I'm going to wait till I find a few more to get a better feel for it.

Yep, I just got my etrex Venture last week and made my first four finds (and one failure ) over the weekend. It really is addictive! I'm already thinking of places to put caches of my own, but I'm going to wait till I find a few more to get a better feel for it.

Thanks guys, I'll let you know when I get back how accurate these are.

Thanks guys, I'll let you know when I get back how accurate these are.

I'm traveling to Puerto Rico next week on a mission trip, and while we're there we are going to be visiting the Arecibo radio observatory (you know, the humongous dish-in-the-ground from Contact and other various movies, and the source of SETI@home data). I would like to be able to plug the coordinates into my GPSr in advance just as a little diversion to be able to know and tell other people I'll be traveling with how close we are, how long it will take, etc, during the drive from where we're staying. If anyone here has ever visited Arecibo and marked it as a waypoint, or knows where to find the coordinates online, I would greatly appreciate it!

I'm traveling to Puerto Rico next week on a mission trip, and while we're there we are going to be visiting the Arecibo radio observatory (you know, the humongous dish-in-the-ground from Contact and other various movies, and the source of SETI@home data). I would like to be able to plug the coordinates into my GPSr in advance just as a little diversion to be able to know and tell other people I'll be traveling with how close we are, how long it will take, etc, during the drive from where we're staying. If anyone here has ever visited Arecibo and marked it as a waypoint, or knows where to find the coordinates online, I would greatly appreciate it!

All of this is well and good, using the Force and such... But the problem I ran into for the first time tonight, on my fifth hunt, was that I couldn't get accurate enough readings from my GPSr to even get anywhere near the cache site. There were just too many trees and whenever I would get within 20 feet or so of the cache, suddenly my GPSr would decide I was 100+ feet away in the opposite direction. There's no way I was about to scour every tree stump, hole in the ground, etc., in the entire park just to find the cache. I'll go back later when I have more time and perhaps a better satellite configuration.

All of this is well and good, using the Force and such... But the problem I ran into for the first time tonight, on my fifth hunt, was that I couldn't get accurate enough readings from my GPSr to even get anywhere near the cache site. There were just too many trees and whenever I would get within 20 feet or so of the cache, suddenly my GPSr would decide I was 100+ feet away in the opposite direction. There's no way I was about to scour every tree stump, hole in the ground, etc., in the entire park just to find the cache. I'll go back later when I have more time and perhaps a better satellite configuration.

I'm hardly an expert (only found two caches so far myself) but it's really not too difficult to go the last 20-50 feet on your own. I believe all of the Etrex models will show a ring around your current position depicting its margin of error (in other words, it shows you at a certain spot, but in actuality you could really be anywhere within the ring), so if the waypoint marking the cache is within that circle, you should just get a direction from your Etrex and then rely on your own two eyes (and some common sense) to figure out where it's hidden. I figured this out myself yesterday on my second cache. I knew it was hidden at the base of a tree, and my GPSr kept me going round-and-round a tree that was in actuality about 30 feet west of where the cache was really hidden. Whoops!

I'm hardly an expert (only found two caches so far myself) but it's really not too difficult to go the last 20-50 feet on your own. I believe all of the Etrex models will show a ring around your current position depicting its margin of error (in other words, it shows you at a certain spot, but in actuality you could really be anywhere within the ring), so if the waypoint marking the cache is within that circle, you should just get a direction from your Etrex and then rely on your own two eyes (and some common sense) to figure out where it's hidden. I figured this out myself yesterday on my second cache. I knew it was hidden at the base of a tree, and my GPSr kept me going round-and-round a tree that was in actuality about 30 feet west of where the cache was really hidden. Whoops!

It's possible, with some effort, I suppose. I would have to do some searching to find a phone number or something, since they only offer e-mail contact from their web site. If all else fails I'll just use it on the flight once we reach cruising altitude and see what, if any, reaction I get.

I have read a small handful of posts on these forums regarding GPS use on AirTran flights. Some people were successful, others were denied use. But most of the messages were not recent. I e-mailed AirTran customer relations about a week ago asking what their official policy is regarding GPS use in-flight, and received this reply: quote:Thank you for taking the time to write with your inquiry. Upon my research with our Systems Operational Control department, the use of your GPS (Global Positioning System) can be used during flight. The limitations will be the same as any electronic device allowed on board. Should you have any additional concerns, please feel free to contact us. Is this just one customer support guy's opinion, or has AirTran reversed their policy?