Scrappy_Chiq

Oh my gosh! I can't believe how simple it really is! I was totally making it harder than I needed to! Thanks for recommending opening the GPX file It worked perfectly! Thanks again folks, I appreciate it!

So I wanted to try out the features of Google Earth Pro and plotting the caches on it. I have a Explorist 210. I had it connected up to my computer last night and did the GPS function, but it told me it couldn't find my GPS. My computer told me it was connected, so I'm not sure what I was doing wrong. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

While I haven't actually put any of my pictures that I've taken since I started caching in June IN a scrapbook, I have taken some and plan to scrapbook them. I don't always take pictures of the cache. It depends on the cache. Was it in a picturesque location? Was it in plain view and we just missed the flippin' thing? (Had one that took 3 visits to find.) Perhaps it was at an interesting location. This past weekend we found one that was at the grave of the gentleman who wrote "Up on a Housetop". I thought that was interesting, since over the summer we found the one at Johnny Cash's grave. I don't necessarily intend to put the entire discription of the cache in my book, but I'll write my own blurb about what was found at the site and what it was that was so interesting. Hope this gives you some ideas!

Hey there Skyhawk29! I have both the generic PDA (ok, not generic...just old) and the Palm. I only use the Palm for my paperless Geocaching though. I have a Palm Treo 600. I absolutely love it. (It's also my cell phone and my way to keep organized.) I would say it's in the medium price range. There are definitely more expensive options out there. It just depends on how many functions you plan on using with the unit. The only downfall is that it has a bad spot on the LCD and it can cause issues when trying to view the coordinates. I had another Treo that I used strictly for caching, but I let it sit for a month or so, and the LCD cracked. I realize this doesn't happen to all units-I'm thinkiing the change in temperature in our house and it's location didn't help much. It is a unit that you can expand with the SD memory card. Once you've purchased the unit and card, you can download MobiPocket Reader and read the listings on there. I love being able to do that! In fact, I was out enjoying our Indian Summer day today and wanted to find a cache at the local park. For some reason it didn't load when I loaded my PQ into my unit, but there it was in my Treo-so i put the coords in by hand and off I went! Good luck-and once you go paperless-you won't want to go back!

Welcome to the addiction! As you venture out in this hobby, you'll soon find that ammo cans will be your friends. (Really!) I too live in your area (was caching in Akron today, actually) and it's the smaller containers that can get you. Not only can people suspect that something is wrong and up to no good, but they also let the moisture in. (And the last thing you want to do is reach into a container full of pulp. It's not fun! ) Let me know if you have any other ??s about caching in our area. I am still relatively new, but I might be able to help!

I really enjoy cemetery caches. I was able to find 3 really cool places near Nashville when I was visiting my family. 2 were historic cemeteries that had some really awesome stones (I'm a sucker for things like this I suppose) and there was even a walkng tour of the cemetery. I didn't do the tour, but I bought the book so that I could read about the stones when I got home. (I took pics of the stones so I'd remember which one I was reading abuot.) The 3rd was where Johnny Cash and his family was buried. Just a nice cemetery and an interesting find. I always find the way stones are different from the 'north' vs. the 'south' really fascinating. Now, as for placing one in a cemetary. My uncle and I both talked about having one built into our tombstones. Not sure if that will happen, but we did discuss it. Also-who do you need to talk to for permission to place one? I'd love to place one at the cemetery where my mom resides. She was a huge history buff, and knowing the history of the location, I think it would be quite fitting to place one there. Any suggestions? Thanks for this topic-I'm happy to hear that I'm not the only one who loves checking out cemeteries!

That did it! Holy cow-how could I have been so stupid! AUGH! Thanks so much for the help...I was beginning to thing I was doomed! Also, Timpat, thanks for your help too-I tried the USB faqs, and those things definitely didn't work. The driver informed me that it was indeed the newest one. Now I know why I had issues! Thanks again for the help! -Scrappy Chiq

Hi all! So I finally get a family member all excited about geocaching and we're going to head off to do some caches in the area. I go to download a PQ I'd run previously, and suddenly, the USB device is no longer recognized! I've done this 4 or 5 times, last week was the last, and it ran fine. Now it isn't. I've tried deleting the Mag 210 software and reinstalling it, and still, nothing. (I must also mention that I can't hot sync my Palm either, but I can see that the cord is fried on it, so that's not a problem there.) Any suggestions? Thanks!

Thanks everyone! I'll have to try out the compass mode next time we're out. (Had planned on it being today, but massive thunderstorms are rolling though...I'm adventurous, but not that much so! ) Thanks again- I appreciate the responses!

I've been part of this addiction now for about a month. (that is, actually HAVE a gps unit.) Anyway, the unit I have (Explorist 210) only can zoom down on the map level to 100 ft. Are there any other models out there (same price range if possible) that zoom in more? I took my husband out for the first hunt last week and he wasn't thrilled that there was still a 100 foot variable. (I know, switch over to the direct coordinate page...but he likes maps, what can I say?!) Any thoughts on the topic would be most appreciated! -Scrappy_Chiq

Yes, it's 5 minutes every time. I've been taking my sister-in-law with me everytime I'm off caching, and she even commented that if all of the 210s were this slow she'd go with the 300 (the model I had originally) because it was by far faster. I was off on the reading, I'm sorry. I must've been tired when I was reading the numbers. Heck, that's the only thing I seem to be seeing is the distance on the bottom. My arrow to show my tracking just never moves, even if I do! Thanks for your replies. I appreciate them!

It's 5 minutes outside. Inside forget it! I don't even bother at this point in time! As for the scale, I'm usually zoomed in, usually 20 ft or less. Very rarely do I actually have it zoomed out. I usually have a good idea where I'm headed and don't even bother to consult the GPS until I'm in the general area. Thanks for replying-I appreciate your help. I might be returning the unit when I get home...Gander Mountain is going to hate me! lol

Hi all! Ok. So from what I just read on this forum, I'm going to guess that my 210 is defective. It takes at least 5 minutes to get a fix, no matter the location, and with only 3 hours of use, the batteries were dead. Would this sound like a safe bet? Some of you have mentioned speed. Does this mean you don't have to touch the joystick to get the arrow that shows your location to move? It's the only way I can get the screen to update... I just want to check. I hate to think that I spent money (right now I'm broke, so anything over 10 bucks is good money these days) and that I got a bad unit! I was able to find some caches...but I was using a 300-which i exchanged for a 210 thinking I was getting a better deal...

Hi all! I just got involved in Geocaching in the past week, and I must say that I love it! I originally bought a x300 but wanted the advantages of being able to link it to my laptop, so traded it in for an x210. Here's my question. I've used it for total of 3 hours-if that-and the batteries(new at the beginning) are already dead AND it takes 5 minutes or more at a time to get a fix on a satellite. Is this normal? I understand it takes longer the first time it links up to a satellite, but it takes forever to link. AND when I'm trying to track myself on the screen, it takes a minute or two to update. Usually I have to move the little arrow thingy to get the screen to show any change of location. Does this sound normal at all? I purchased it at a Gander Mountain and it wasn't really sealed up-just in a box plain and the box was taped shut. I'm not in my home town and the store is 2 hours a way.I don't really want to drive that distance AGAIN to exchange it. Any help or comments stating that this is normal would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!