KBoyKool

I don't know about the PQ options others have recommended, but I thought of this idea and did a search before posting a new topic. I'm glad to see others would benefit. My idea came as a result of spending some time at the future in-laws this weekend, but I would want it to be dynamic so that it is updated every time you access it, or so that it can change as a temporary coordinate (such as vacation, business trip, etc.) Of course, even though I'm not a Premium member, I would expect a feature such as this to be a premium one. Hmmm... might just convince me to become one. Thanks, KBoyKool

It wasn't buried. It's just that with all that sand and wind, it got buried by the elements. ;+) he he he

I suggest you try a piece of old innertube or similar sheet rubber product to make gaskets. I haven't tried this specifically for geocache containers, but I know my dad has found this successful for other gasketing uses. Hope that helps!

I saw a hollowed out pice of Birch at a flea market this past weekend that gave me some evil thoughts. A log laying out in the woods is free. Got a router? Or maybe a Dremel for a smaller one? Pop a cheap container inside it, and it's weather-proofed, not to mention a nightmare to find. Shhh... my dad is working one these types up for me. I don't want everyone stealing my idea. ;+) No doubt it has been used before, so it's not really my idea, but I do think my idea has a twist that will be unique. I'm going to save this for the encrypted hint, though. Great minds think alike--congratulations!

I would check out the Garmin eTrex Legend. It is for sale on Amazon for about $130.00. In addition to the GPSr, you will need to get the Mapsource maps for detailed streets or topo info. And then that can be hooked up to the palm? FOr transferring waypoints on the fly? I'll check it out, a guy I work with reccomended the etrex vista. Said he liked his. But I think he said he sunk $300 bucks into it too... YOu guys really seem to be caught up on the whole "palms are weak" thing... Just don't drop them... Babies are fragile too but I've not yet dropped one... and I've taken them camping and fishing I took someone's advice, here, and went to amazon. I applied for the Amazon.com Visa, bought my eTrex Vista with it, saved $30 and had a final bill of $184--shipped. You might try this method if you want the best in the $100-200 range. Thanks to whomever recommended this to me!

It's also a long time to go without looking for one. ;+) It helps to have the proper equipment! :+) I'll still be a casual GC'er. I'm not the hardcore numbers type, but it's a good excuse to get out and be active. Way better than a treadmill and even better than walking for exercise with no purpose. When you're out doing something else, you don't realize how much mileage you're putting in. I like golfing for excercise for the same reason. When you chase that little white ball, you don't think about the four to five miles you're walking.

Four years, two and a half months after signing onto GC.com, I've logged my first find. Dino Exchange becomes my first find on my first attempt. I literally walked out my back door and to the cache. Hopefully, I'll find my next cache before 2010. ;+) Now that I've had a GPSr for about two weeks, the chances of finding a second one sooner than the first are much greater. I'm not trying to solicit any congratulations, but did want to give my fellow geocachers the opportunity to celebrate with me. KBoyKool

It seemed to me like the operators are aware of the homeless population.

While I haven't used Delorme Street Atlas USA with GPS, I have had it since version 3. I've had 3, 4, and 8 and my company currently has v9. I've been very happy with Delorme's product and intend to upgrade again soon. While I haven't used Streets, Delorme seems to be a step ahead of MS on features and functionality, based on the descriptions I've read in the past. Besides, Streets is a MS product. Why support them if you don't have to? :+P I know, I know, that's an OT discussion. Also, I haven't used the PocketPC version, but I'm pleased with the desktop product. As IV_Warrior said, any mapping product is going to vary on accuracy. Delorme offers an online service where you can upload the modifications you've made (see IV_Warrior's post). They will research the mods to verify their accuracy and include them in future versions. I don't know if MS offers this feature, but it helps increase accuracy more quickly. Hope something I've said helps, Kenny

This year I will be organizing my family's third annual golf outing. For the last two, I've purchased balls imprinted with the date, location and our family name. This year, I'll do the same. Inevitably, I end up with an extra sleeve or two and am considering them as SWAG. At the very least, I could keep my dad's geocache stocked with them for a while. I did a search for "golf ball" to see what people thought of this idea. I had read that some folks didn't like them. That's when I stumbled onto this thread. It seems like those who dislike GBs have strong feelings against them, but everyone else is fairly indifferent. Kenny

I'm not sure how the process works or what appears next to a name, once it has been registered, but I'll relay my story in case it applies. In early 2001, a coworker told me about geocaching. I didn't have a GPSr at the time, but thought it sounded interesting. I watched the boards and occassionally checked for new caches in my area. After a few months, I lost interest, simply because I didn't have the key tool. Several weeks ago, (and two jobs later) I overheard a coworker discussing something that sounded like geocaching, so I asked. Sure enough, two guys at my current job are into it. I jumped back onto GC.com to check out the latest. In over three years, quite a bit had changed. It also said my account had never been "validated". I didn't know what that meant, nor do I recall being asked to validate it three years ago. To bring my story current, I finally bought a GPSr a couple weeks ago and though I've played with the unit, I haven't been 'caching with it yet. After being a "member" of the geocaching community for four years, I finally have a GPSr and will soon log my first find--or DNF, at least. ;+) Kenny

You should send out wedding invitations with only the date, time and coordinates. ;+) Edit: remove brain spasm. 5/23

Before I got to this post, I was thinking the same thing. After I read this post, I remembered the trick of a former roommate. He was proposing on a pier and planned to "accidentally" drop the ring into the water for dramatic effect. He went to a department store and bought a fake ring for $7 to use as the decoy. It was probably cubic zirc. and painted metal. One might somehow employ this concept into the "private geocache" scenario. Hope this stimulates some brainstorming, Kenny

I have a Handheld PC and the first time after 9/11 I was asked to turn it on, like all of the other laptop computer carriers. On my most recent flight, I turned it on and the TSA agent said "no, no, no... we don't do that anymore. We figure if it really IS a bomb, the last thing we want you to do is turn it on in the terminal." Apparently there has been a policy shift, so like other posters have said, I doubt they would even ask you to power up the device. FWIW, Kenny

Thanks. I saw your review and others on the amazon site, but I felt the opinion of geocachers would be more reliable and more for the purpose I ultimately intend. That's why I decided to ask, here. It seemed most criticism came from the battery cover and "O" ring. I do need to verify my handlebar size, too, before purchasing. As for selection, it obviously comes down to what I'm willing to spend right now. I just need to be comfortable with the extra $80 commitment to the Vista. Also, the Foretrex is a good recommendation, but I like the mapping capability of the Legend or Vista. The Foretrex lacks this, correct? Thanks for everyone's input. Kenny

So I'm not as concerned about "ugly", but I just bought a new bike and am contemplating my first GPSr. I'm pretty much settled on the eTrex line and only waffling on how much to spend (Legend vs. Vista). Anyway, I was thinking about combing the two sports and wondered if anyone had tried out the bike mount. Let me know your thoughts, suggestions and recommendations. Thanks!

No, but that must be the source. Sahm would definitely qualify as an "Indy Park" :+) and that is part of the program title. Good detective work! I'll bet you'd do well at geocaching. ;+)

Not bad without a GPSr, eh? ;+)

Has anyone tried sealing these up with some baking soda inside? ...or for larger containers, a couple charcoal (grill) briquettes? After a few days, these methods should remove the odors.

I just bought a new bike and took it for a ride in the park behind my apartment complex. I was riding by a pavilion and saw, tacked to a picnic table, a sign that seemed to have coordinates on it. I rode back by it again and sure enough, it did. Then I began to wonder if it had something to do with geocaching. I finally rode up to it and the sign had the GC logo in each of its four corners. I did a search for caches near those coordinates. I didn't find any caches or multis in the area, which seem to be related. However, the coordinates on the sign do not seem to match the location. Therefore, I am guessing it must be a multi. I won't reveal the coordinates from the sign, here, so as to not spoil anything. However, if anyone has been geocaching in Sahm Park, recently, and knows what I'm talking about, let me know. :+D A Kurious KBoy PS--The sign did appear to be temporary in nature.

I'm still not sure why people think PDAs are flimsy. I have a Rhino case on mine (aluminum), that I got before I started gcing. It's been with me on my 20-some-odd finds, in several environs, and it is holding up just fine. I even dropped it once. I just try to be careful with it. It seems ok in the rain. Tho I've not been in pouring rain -- I'd probably give up the search and head back to my car in that case anyway. I have pants with a leg-pocket, and I slide the PDA in there when I'm doing anything risky (where I'd need two hands anyway), like climbing trees or sliding down hillsides. My vote is still for the PDA + GPS receiver. Luna Edit: spelling It's true that some PDAs are rugged. I can't find the reference, now, but I believe I read in one of my trade magazines that Trimble (known for electronic surveying equipment) has introduced a rugged Windows Mobile-based device. Like most things construction, it features a high-vis yellow outer casing. I'm reading some replies, here, that suggest the purchase of a particular PDA for use during 'caching. I believe the original poster stated that he has access to a Handspring Visor. I do not know if there is anything available for this particular format. My understanding is that the visor is completely Palm-compatible, though I don't know which version. The first GPSr for Palm that I recall seeing was for the Palm V, I believe. If the Visor is Palm III compatible, this device wouldn't do you much good. I considered the same setup for my HPC, and though there are compatible GPSr devices, I am told they are only as reliable as the mapping software installed on the Handheld PC. I don't know how such devices report the coordinates, however, which for geocaching is more important. I have finally given up on this setup for three main reasons: Battery drain - The HPC runs on a rechargeable 3.6V Li-ion battery and holds about a 2-3 hour charge with no peripherals. With a GPSr attached, the draw on the battery would reduce the life of the device to nearly unusable for geocaching. Display - The color screen of the HPC is older technology and doesn't stand a chance against the sun. Cost - Though I haven't priced the PCMCIA GPSr devices, I'm guessing that they run even higher than a comparable stand-alone handheld. Even if they are WAAS compatible, I'm willing to bet the handheld GPSr is more accurate, and obviously much better suited to Geocaching. Despite these shortcomings, there is one huge avantage of my HPC. It has 32MB of built-in memory and accepts CF cards, including the newer 1GB cards. The eTrex Legend, a popular choice of GCers, has only 8MB and is non-expandable. Boy could my HPC hold a lot of maps, in comparison! ;+) I do plan to utilize my HPC as a tool for geocaching, perhaps enabling me to go paperless. There are membrane keyboard overlays that could enhance its ability to withstand the environment. I hope I've said something useful. :+) -Kenny Anderson PS--If there are any other HPCers in the Geocaching community, I'd love to hear from you.

I just spent two hours reading this thread and decided to jump on board. First things, first. I missed the first few scenes, could someone relate what happened? My VCR clock is auto-set by through my local PBS signal and it seems NBC's clock is a bit faster. The first scene it recorded shows the actor at the bar looking at the ring, just before his girlfriend walks up. Next, a confession... I didn't know you're not supposed to bury a cache. I first learned of geocaching about four years ago from a coworker. I watched the website for a while to see if any new caches would be placed near me. Without a GPSr, I eventually stopped visiting, but the site was still bookmarked. Recently (two jobs later), I overheard another coworker talking about geocaching and I checked back in. That's when I saw the note about geocaching being featured in an upcoming CI. My girlfriend watches all of the CSI and Law & Order shows. We both love Vincent's character. This was exciting to me, since I had JUST returned to the fold. I still don't have a receiver, so I haven't sought or "buried" (he he he) a cache, but I definitely wasn't aware of this rule. A lot has changed, though, since I first visited the site. It seems some new terms have arisen (hence the glossary) and I don't even recall the 528 rule back then. Maybe I didn't check things out that closely back then, and I definitely haven't had time to peruse the entire site, yet. Team K-9, you're correct. That is a masonry trowel. I agree that a gardening trowel would be a better choice, and just as compact, albeit against regulation. By the way, what's wrong with being a "nerdy engineer"? ;+) Nice helmet--I bet you always have coffee while watching radar, don't you? I can't wait to get out there and do some 'caching. I'll be reading the site to catch up on the rules and guidelines and the forums to get tips and GPSr suggestions. pseudo-newbie, KBoyKool