snarfblat

I picked up a new Storm a few days ago, and the Geocaching site is working just fine for me. The WAP site is pretty lame, though... the items need to be double-spaced because its way too hard to "click" on the right link the way it is now. That and the PREV/NEXT buttons on the description pages would be more useful as real links, as it's hard to tell when you're actually clicking on one. FWIW, my OS version is 4.7.0.75, which is the second major OS release for the Storm. There's another one due out in a couple more weeks from what I'm told. The GPS works great too... I've used Google Maps just fine, plus also VZNavigator, and Trapster, the neat little app that tells you when there are cops around (based on input from other users). I haven't found a caching-specific app for it yet that I like. No way in ____ am I spending what they want for that "Geocaching Navigator" thing. Man they sure are proud of that. Besides, I didn't buy this thing for Geocaching. I have a DeLorme PN-40SE for that. Rob

Well, two states then. I have two potential shipping addresses -- California and Nevada. I tried both, and they wanted to charge tax in either case. If it wasn't so much trouble, I would have had it shipped to my Montana address, since there's no sales tax there. Crap, maybe I should have done that... My issue, however, is that MOST sites do not charge sales tax regardless of where they ship. Some sites do, and they're the ones that really get me irked. Lands End used to not do it, and I bought a lot of stuff from them. Then one day, that all changed. I wrote them and told them that I would never be ordering from them again, and I haven't. Rob

Hey BTW, what's that setting I see in your screen clip that says four data fields? What does that do? Are they all in one line, or is it two on top/two on bottom? In other news... I got the email this morning about pre-ordering the PN-40, so I did! I placed a pre-order for the PN-40 SE with the travel kit. They almost lost a sale because they charge sales tax (complete BS for web orders if you ask me), but since I can only get the SE through them, I guess I was stuck. Grrrr. Rob

Ew, yuck! Yeah, three isn't gonna work for me on the PN-40. On my 76S, the three are on one line, so they don't take up much space. I guess I'll have to settle for clock and elevation, instead of including speed too. Rob

Is anybody planning on getting one of these? I've been a Garmin user for more than ten years, and as of a week or two ago, I've decided that it's time to switch brands. The latest map update for my Nuvi 250W has eliminated yet another feature (the map scale) and the response from customer service is, "it's not coming back anytime soon." Since it's already missing a TON of features that my StreetPilot III had, it was the last straw. In addition... my trail GPS (the GPSMap 76S) is remained my main unit because the color ones eliminated the ability to put three data windows on the map screen; now it's just two. Emails to customer service got the response of, "we have no plans to change how it is now." So I take it they don't listen to their users. I was all set to buy a Colorado too... I even bought the RAM mount for it several months ago. But the latest response from them on the Nuvi has me fuming. So I went out looking for new units. The best one I've found is this new Delorme unit. I _love_ the fact that you can get USGS 7.5 minute maps for it. When I go exploring (on my ATV), I've been using the 76S as my main unit, but I have also been using an iPAQ with Maptech's Pocket Navigator, so I could carry USGS maps with me (plus I used a Bluetooth GPS with it). So having to use TWO GPS units has been a pain, and the UI on the Pocket Navigator software has never been particularly good. In fact, Maptech just recently discontinued it, because they've sold off their Terrain Navigator products to Topo.com. So... I'm wondering if there's anybody else out there as disenchanted with Garmin as I am, and is ready to jump ship to the PN-40? I just signed up to be notified about it, and I'm hopeful I'll be able to get one without too much of a wait. Winter's coming and I want to use it while snowmobiling. It looks like a great unit... a new chipset, dual-core processer for fast screen redraws, etc. The next move is to figure out what to replace my Nuvi with for automotive purposes... Rob

I had an idea... wouldn't it be nice to be able to have an easy way to go to a specific cache's page? Have a simple text field on the page somewhere that you can punch in the cache's waypoint (e.g. GCG6DZ). The way I've started tracking caches is to send myself pocket queries of all caches in a given area. I then cram those waypoints into my GPS and then also download the description data into my old Palm IIIx. Well, since the caches show up using their "GC" waypoints, and that's also how I look 'em up in the Palm, it'd be nice to easily punch in that code to get to the cache's page for logging finds. This is especially helpful if you've visited out-of-area caches that don't show up on the Search page. Rob

I just bought a 3975 and the Navman sleeve, but not for Geocaching. I'll be using it with the Maptech topographical maps for other purposes. It wasn't cheap, but we'll save a ton of time and money not having to print out the maps and use up lots of inkjet cartridges. Rob

Thanks for the info... for $125 I'll live with the scratches and do as you suggested -- try glass polishes. Thanks! Rob

Exactly. I plan to get some for the new GPS to keep it from happening again. Rob

My eTrex Vista's screen has a bunch of small scratches on it, from being wiped off repeatedly due to gathering dust while ATV riding. It's very hard to read as a result. Has anybody gotten Garmin to replace the clear plastic cover on the screen? I haven't tried calling their tech line yet about it; I thought I'd ask here first. I'm wondering if they can just send me a new part (whether it's just the clear part, or the top case, or what), or if I'd have to send it in? In other news, I just got my new GPSMap76S, and it's WAY COOL. It's much larger than the Vista, which I'll keep around for hiking, but dang is this thing slick. It's the ultimate GPS for using on an ATV. I got the 12v cord so I don't have to worry about batteries anymore, and I can now run the backlight at night without worry. Rob

Exactly! I'm trying to come up with good ways to organize caching trips, and it's kinda difficult how it is now. Between the caches found within X miles of a given location, and with them coming up in all different directions, it's actually easier to just do the Map feature and hunt them that way. But then you have to keep track on paper which ones are which, since you might have others in your watch list already. I'd be nice to have "folders" to store watched caches in so they can be better organized for a particular area. What would REALLY be nice, but as a programmer I know how much of a PITA this would be, and I think I saw somebody post about this already, would be to enter in a given route... say, "I-80 from Reno to Winnemucca" and a distance from route, say, five miles, and have it spit out a list of all caches found along that route, within five miles of I-80. That's asking for a lot, so I'll just leave it as a, "really nice to have" for a long time down the road when the developers are bored enough to try it. Rob (writes e-commerce type web apps for a living)

Exactly! I'm trying to come up with good ways to organize caching trips, and it's kinda difficult how it is now. Between the caches found within X miles of a given location, and with them coming up in all different directions, it's actually easier to just do the Map feature and hunt them that way. But then you have to keep track on paper which ones are which, since you might have others in your watch list already. I'd be nice to have "folders" to store watched caches in so they can be better organized for a particular area. What would REALLY be nice, but as a programmer I know how much of a PITA this would be, and I think I saw somebody post about this already, would be to enter in a given route... say, "I-80 from Reno to Winnemucca" and a distance from route, say, five miles, and have it spit out a list of all caches found along that route, within five miles of I-80. That's asking for a lot, so I'll just leave it as a, "really nice to have" for a long time down the road when the developers are bored enough to try it. Rob (writes e-commerce type web apps for a living)

Hi... I was thinking that it'd be nice to be able to (a) group caches that are in your watch list into groups of your design (e.g. "Near Black Rock Desert"), and ( to be able to sort them by distance from your home location in addition to how they're already sorted alphabetically. I also second the idea for grouping by quadrant when searching for new caches, as posted by somebody else in this area. Thanks! Rob

I have the "official" Garmin case, and really like it. You're right that it interferes with the RAM mount, but I usually have the thing IN the RAM mount when I'm on my ATV, and when I dismount to go on foot to find the cache, I take it out of there and pop it into the carrying case. That way I can clip it onto my belt or whatever. Rob

I'm also having trouble. I'm using the COM cable that came with the Vista, and it finds the unit on COM1 just fine and talks to it. It says, "Erasing..." and that's all it does. On the Vista screen I see, "LOADER LOADING..." and nothing changes. I can shut off the Vista and turn it back on and it still works. I've tried this on two computers and get the same result. It worked fine when I did the 2.26 upgrade not long ago. Rob

...the pin of a hand grenade (with the grenade still attached to the pin). Rob (so who has trouble getting Travel Bugs through the screeners at airports??)

...the pin of a hand grenade (with the grenade still attached to the pin). Rob (so who has trouble getting Travel Bugs through the screeners at airports??)

So you can hand-enter coords into the eTrex? How about the Vista? I'd love to be able to do that, but I don't have a clue how. Instead, I've been carefully finding the coords in Mapsource, creating a waypoint, and then saving them to the Vista. Rob

So you can hand-enter coords into the eTrex? How about the Vista? I'd love to be able to do that, but I don't have a clue how. Instead, I've been carefully finding the coords in Mapsource, creating a waypoint, and then saving them to the Vista. Rob

Well, for one I think I need to turn off the compass, and for another, I think it's time to start using NiMH batteries. Too bad I have at least three dozen AA's around here now. Thanks for the tips! Rob

Well, for one I think I need to turn off the compass, and for another, I think it's time to start using NiMH batteries. Too bad I have at least three dozen AA's around here now. Thanks for the tips! Rob

I just receive my order of four bugs from Groundspeak today, and I'm curious about where to release them. Is it considered proper to release them into a cache that isn't one of your own? My only cache right now is one that's pretty far out, and I don't know how long it'll take somebody to find it. I'm going to go out this week to check on it and switch it from a bucket to an ammo box, but I don't really want to put a bug in it because the bug could die of loneliness. So... if it's okay to release them into other caches, that'd be great. Rob

I just receive my order of four bugs from Groundspeak today, and I'm curious about where to release them. Is it considered proper to release them into a cache that isn't one of your own? My only cache right now is one that's pretty far out, and I don't know how long it'll take somebody to find it. I'm going to go out this week to check on it and switch it from a bucket to an ammo box, but I don't really want to put a bug in it because the bug could die of loneliness. So... if it's okay to release them into other caches, that'd be great. Rob

You suppose it'd do any good to put, in large friendly letters on the box, "THIS IS NOT A BOMB!" or maybe a graphic showing an old style black ball bomb and fuse, with a red circle/slash through it? Rob

You suppose it'd do any good to put, in large friendly letters on the box, "THIS IS NOT A BOMB!" or maybe a graphic showing an old style black ball bomb and fuse, with a red circle/slash through it? Rob