elrojo14
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Posts posted by elrojo14
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I found another 5 NHLs on Monday in the Sacramento area. I managed to get Yuma in March. 32 left!
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On 4/17/2018 at 7:37 AM, hzoi said:
Personally, imprisonment for up to six months seems a steep penalty, especially when tours are (or at least were) available, but your mileage may vary.
On a more serious note - have you considered asking the CO for a temporary exemption? After all, pages 136 and 137 are exempt. I'd argue that having the one cache on a page virtually (pun intended) unavailable until 2020 is good cause for an exemption.
The CO already has said the page is exempt, so we are good there. I have been to prison before, I am not going back!
The tours are now over. They ended in April. I wonder if and when they will start up again?Also, I went up to the final coordinates listed on the page, that is just a bush outside of the Placer County Courthouse. Don't go looking there for the cache like I did! LOL! No big deal and I enjoyed the area while I was there.
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After a Yuma run last month, I am down to just two Death Valley pages left (three counting the currently closed 89)! If they are taking tours to Scotty's Castle, I wonder if I should just sneak out there when no one is looking? I am sure it is worth vehicle impoundment and huge fines.
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1 hour ago, The A-Team said:
^This
From what I've seen, the trackable loophole appears to have been abused quite a bit. Thankfully (in a way), my trackables have largely gone missing and I didn't get a bunch of spam emails from people gaming the system. There were some locals that did, though, and they didn't appreciate that.
I wouldn't say it was abused. If they allow it, then it was an option we could have all taken had we cared enough. I didn't care that much. However, if there is a way to auto drop off and pick back up without having to do all that work, I might have been more tempted. I say just eliminate that aspect all together.
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Our three local recipients had all stopped Geocaching and the virtual reward brought them back. If that was the goal, then it worked!
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I enjoyed this promotion and I think most of our usual cachers did too. It really wasn't that hard for those of us who like to cache. I earned all 500 points in a day and ended up with over 2500 points. It just so happened a trip I had scheduled to work on Golden State Delorme fell in the time and then I did get motivated to do some other challenge/puzzle/favorite points runs while I was at it. We even made the Planetary Pursuit into a local contest that went over well.
The truth is none of us really care about souvenirs. We rarely go back and look at them. Yet, they still drive caching. We will go out and change our cache habits just to earn them. Probably not because we need them, but because we don't want to miss out. They really are a trivial and silly thing, but they do matter.
My only recommendation is to remove the trackable numbers. I know of a guy that had over 4000 points on about 60 finds. He dropped off and then picked up 17 trackables at every cache he found. SPAMing trackable owners with constant drop offs and pick ups doesn't seem like a good way to earn points. Though, in this contest it was allowable and one way to earn points, so unless Groundspeak removes that ability in the future, it is what it is. That is way too much work for me unless someone knows an easier way to do it.
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So I finally made it out to Death Valley and hit the north end. Page 89 only has one active cache and I think anyone finding it is armchairing it and not making it to the castle. I am a bit of a rebel and would dual sport up to it, but it's going to be clear I am breaking the law. So is it going to be optional until they officially reopen the road?
I got Page 79 done!!! -
I am glad at least the Fat Cats and I actually went up towards the Discovery Site for this one!
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Angel Island is cool. How long are you staying? If it wasn't for that Challenge Cache, it isn't easy to get caches on the tour. Good luck!
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Eagle Rock Rob, are you going to be in San Francisco next week? I will be Thursday the 16th through Sunday the 19th. Plan on picking up the few on the peninsula and maybe the new one in San Jose. Maybe I will see you there!
Also, qbee37, I too was thinking of doing that San Francisco Bay Discovery Site multi too just to be able to mock Eagle Rock Rob. Forget taking the easy way out!!!
To be fair, we have denied one of his multi expansion requests. He doesn't always get his way. But come on, some of them let's not make this challenge any harder than it already is. We will work with you.
And the good news in switching to the forums is skinny.p won't ever read any of this. Nice.
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I didn't want to make a new thread, but I don't like the new "add to list" because I always make notes when I add caches to a list. Now I have to "add to list", refresh the cache page, click on the bookmark list on the right, then CTRL-F for the cache name and then go make my notes. Anyway we can give an option to "add to list" with notes like we used to?
I think this was mentioned upthread, but the easier way to do this is right-click (or control-click) to open the "add to list" form in another tab, and then the page that you open that way is the old form where you can add the explanation before submitted the bookmark. Not as easy as it used to be because you have to open the second tab with a special click, and then you have to close two tabs when you're done, but considerably easier than going to the list and tracking down the vacuous entry you just added so you can edit it.
This "slick" new way doesn't help me at all for exactly the reason you say: I always want to add a description, so the "quick add" is never useful. Originally I thought I might find the ease of adding outweighed the need for a description, but it turns out that's never the case: there's always additional information I want attached to the list entry.
SWEET! Thanks for the pro tip!!! That satisfies me completely. Right click and new tab doesn't bother me at all.
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I didn't want to make a new thread, but I don't like the new "add to list" because I always make notes when I add caches to a list. Now I have to "add to list", refresh the cache page, click on the bookmark list on the right, then CTRL-F for the cache name and then go make my notes. Anyway we can give an option to "add to list" with notes like we used to?
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I like the newsfeed idea too. I think it will be neat to see what my friends are logging. It is rare, but I am looking forward to the changes.
And who knows, maybe they will let you turn that part off.
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I was going to watch it in Kentucky, but changed my plans to Oregon. I was going to watch it from I-5, but I might have to look at a further east viewing just in case. Either way I have to be back to Portland Airport by 1:00 PM so I am on a tight schedule!
Madras looks promising, but what will traffic on the 26 be like that day? I just hope the Willamette Valley will be clear.
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Sorry, but I don't think geocachers are responsible enough for Groundspeak to promote/allow Drone Caches. I've seen the "Scorched Earth" cachers and how they tear stuff up to find a geocache.
Now make a cache that requires drones? No, I don't think it's a good idea. 
The classic elitist view that since there are a few bad apples, no one should be allowed to do something.
Because crashing your $400+ drone is fun. And breaking the law is fun. And anyone that has a drone must be a criminal or wants to be one.
So much for liberty and personal responsibility.
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Within the US, I don't see drone caching as something that would gain any kind of popularity. (Assuming you follow the rules to the letter.)
I did a little research, because I might be leading a 4-H drone project, and my grandson has a drone.
Looking at the FAA website, there is only one regulation that concerned me. It is, "Provide prior notification to the airport and air traffic control tower, if one is present, when flying within 5 miles of an airport." Well, that does not seem too bad. There is only one airport in my area, the Coeur d'Alene Airport. The FAA conveniently provides an app (B4UFLY) that will let you know if you are within the 5 miles radius of an airport. So, I downloaded the app, and took a look. (By the way, the airport cannot prevent you from flying a drone within the 5 mile radius, they can only object.)
The FAA and I have a difference of opinion on what constitutes an airport. According to the app, there are around a dozen airports in the Coeur d'Alene, ID area. The helipad at the hospital is an airport. So is the seaplane launch area on the lake. I looked at one that was right near my house. I didn't know it was there. Turns out, yes there was an airstrip in the past, and has been abandoned for years. It's still in the FAA database. Every little airstrip registered by a farmer or rancher is listed. These are all considered airports, and they are all over the place. I would estimate that within 30 miles of my house, at least half of that area is within 5 miles of an airport.
So, if I plan to drive around caching, and plan on using a drone at each cache, technically I would need to use the app to determine if there is a nearby airport. If there is one, I would have to try and find it in the FAA database (the app does not give you an ID, just a name) to get the contact information. I might need to call directory assistance for a phone number. For an airport with an ATC, this might require multiple calls to find the right number. All this before I can make that 15 minutes of flying to retrieve the cache. That's assuming a traditional, imagine a multi-cache.
I was going to post all of the relevant information for contacting for notification on the cache page. The multi was going to be easy and could be flown to in a matter of probably three minutes. I have no problems doing work on my cache pages to let people know what they need to know. I just need to be given the opportunity.
And if drone caching isn't your cup of tea, no big deal. I don't want to find PowerTrails. That doesn't mean I don't mind if you do it.
I think there is a stronger mindset of drone hate out there than I realize. I don't see what the big deal is of flying a drone around in public.
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I post my goals on my profile. I stole that idea from someone else. I like doing it that way.
See my sample here: www.elrojo14.com
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It really isn't that complex. If within 5 miles of an airport, you just need to notify the airport and the tower (if they have one). If your drone is over weight, then it needs to be registered. And my idea was not to lift anything, just view clues to find a multi. And I would design the cache page to be fully inform pilots of FAA and local laws so there would be zero excuses.
While that may be true where you live it's certainly not true here.
Unless a drone is a toy (1Kg max) you can only fly on private property (your own or where you have permission). A second class needs a license, registration, insurance and fly no closer than 30m to "objects". You also need to keep a logbook.
Remember that geocaching is a global activity.
And that is fine. What are your rules for driving? For being out past curfew? Who can own a cell phone? And on and on. Stating, "Please follow all local laws when Geocaching." pretty much takes care of that. And then local reviewers just need to be aware of their drone rules, which should be easy to figure out if you put it back on the cache owners to prove what they want to do is legal and safe.
It seems to me, that this post answers your original questions. Groundspeak doesn't make rules for driving or whether geocachers need be home before the street lights go on. It doesn't need to make any special rules regarding drones either. The "Please follow all local laws when Geocaching." rule covers it. If you or someone else wants to create a cache that requires a drone to read a set of coordinates or grab a container, then "requires special equipment" and a T5 rating would apply. If I don't have a drone, but have a Jetpack, can I still find your cache?
Except Groundspeak has stated no drone caches.
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It really isn't that complex. If within 5 miles of an airport, you just need to notify the airport and the tower (if they have one). If your drone is over weight, then it needs to be registered. And my idea was not to lift anything, just view clues to find a multi. And I would design the cache page to be fully inform pilots of FAA and local laws so there would be zero excuses.
While that may be true where you live it's certainly not true here.
Unless a drone is a toy (1Kg max) you can only fly on private property (your own or where you have permission). A second class needs a license, registration, insurance and fly no closer than 30m to "objects". You also need to keep a logbook.
Remember that geocaching is a global activity.
And that is fine. What are your rules for driving? For being out past curfew? Who can own a cell phone? And on and on. Stating, "Please follow all local laws when Geocaching." pretty much takes care of that. And then local reviewers just need to be aware of their drone rules, which should be easy to figure out if you put it back on the cache owners to prove what they want to do is legal and safe.
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Hmmm....my sense is never. FAQ link for reference, just to demonstrate how complex the issue is, and how impossible it would be for Groundspeak to assure regulators that people are in compliance with current law:
It really isn't that complex. If within 5 miles of an airport, you just need to notify the airport and the tower (if they have one). If your drone is over weight, then it needs to be registered. And my idea was not to lift anything, just view clues to find a multi. And I would design the cache page to be fully inform pilots of FAA and local laws so there would be zero excuses.
At what point is Groundspeak liable? If you know a cache is in a location that you must drive to retrieve it, are we worried about whether drivers are properly licensed and know all of the rules of the road?
I'm not sure that GC needs to be carry the burden of rules around drones. It's a tool that the operator/cacher should take responsibility for just as a cacher is responsible for driving an automobile, using kayak, climbing a tree, etc. There are no "restrictions" that GC needs to impose on drivers or kayakers, etc. Whether you use a drone to get coords at the top of a tree/cliff or you climb/repel, the operator understands and assumes the risk and does so in accordance with the rules/regulations of their country/state/area. Why force GC to do anything different from drones?
You were typing as I was too! Exactly.
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The wife got me a Parrot Bebop 2 for Christmas and I have been using it for Geocaching quite a bit. I use it to document finds and Geocaching takes me out to some nice places to fly. I even found a missing boat today that I was using as a container that floated away!
So I wanted to make a multi-cache that required a drone to find the numbers to the coordinates, but the local reviewer said there has been a stop on all drone caches while legal reviews drones and Geocaching. Just an FYI for yall and if things change hopefully we can get a lackey update here. What a bummer. I was looking forward to doing some fun things with it.
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There's more to it.
Is it the competitive "game" aspect that can make it painful to have a post denied or a visit deleted?
It is the time spent filling out logs to have them deleted that makes it painful for me. I could care less about my stats. Oh well. If people are just going to delete my Waymarks and hardly anyone finds them anyway, this game/interest/hobby isn't for me.
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When someone deletes your log in geocaching, you receive an email, it could be nice to have the same treatment in Waymarking.
Yeah I wouldn't have known if I hadn't looked back at the list of Waymarks and noticed some I had logged were showing I hadn't.
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Maybe this was just a mistake. With over 1000 categories with individual visit requirements and waymark owners owning thousands of waymarks mistakes can happen. We are all humans.
Did you ask him directly using the message link on his profile?
I did. He said he is deleting logs without photos. Well, no photo was required. Sorry, I am done with Waymarking. This owner has ruined it. I am not going to risk spending anymore time making logs to have them arbitrarily deleted.
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Now make a cache that requires drones? No, I don't think it's a good idea. 
drone
in General geocaching topics
Posted
That is a great idea! I might have to do that.
I was going to make a drone cache. A multi where the North coordinates were on top of one building with permission and the West coordinates on top of another building with permission. Groundspeak said no way!
Maybe I will revive that idea and make it where you can see the coordinates with a spotting scope or a drone.
Let's do this!