Deanster

quote:Originally posted by BajaTaco:Hey Deanster - I love your Frazetta avatar Thanks BajaTaco, Frazetta was the main reason I bought Molly Hatchet albums!!

We use GPSr's for a 'kind of' verification on motorcycle speed runs. If you want to brag how fast your scooter is... post a pic of your max speed etc. Sure would like to know how to make my eTrex max speed read 193 mph!!! (without a airplane ride)

Scott, That's a top secret code still in use by the CIA today!! You might be getting a visit from some straight face guys in black suits, ties and mirror sunglasses. Oh BTW...decyphered she typed, "Daddy isn't as smart as he thinks he is."

Thank you all again for your responses. So calibration is OUT! I got that. Alan2, thank you for the 'Benchmark Cache' report page. That mainly answered my question. There is a place to test the accuracy of your GPSr unit is you so desire. Moe could tell Larry & Curly to put their dime on the 'Benchmark Cache'. Moe wouldn't need any instrument but a tape measure to tell the winner.

I agree with you 100% Alan2 with your last post. On the same lines at what I'm getting at, are GPSrs calibrated somehow at the factory. If so, could some be 'better' calibrated that others of the same make and model. I know I sound like I know nothing about GPS and that's is wrong... I know less than nothing.

Thanks for all the answers so far. My GPS'rs, if they have the birds locked, work just like the manufacturer said they would. This is all fine and good. BUT.... Say, if Larry said his unit X is better than Curly's unit Z, how is Larry going to test them to prove he is right? Now cache hunting isn't fair because Curly is just plain better at the hunting with any unit. So, a third person.. Moe, gives both a set of coords and tells them to place a dime on the ground where their units say it should be. The dime that is placed nearest the coords is the winner. Now here's the question... what means would Moe use to 'officially' say Larry or Curly is the winner?

geospotter, I have used the Mapmaker feature of that website many times and you're right, it's very good. MTU_Cache_Spot, I guess what you are saying is that not all benchmarks listed is a true accurate coord. What I'm looking for is an KNOWN object that... how can I say this... that is 'certified' to be true down to the last digit of the coords at this exact spot. Something you could use to calibrate with.. example- like a measuring device that you can set to exact zero because you KNOW it's a true zero. I hope I'm making myself clear here, but maybe I'm not

What would you recommend to check the accuracy of your GPSr without getting into any kind of hi-tech measurement debacle, which I wouldn’t understand anyway? Could I use a benchmark? Aren’t benchmarks supposed to have accurate coords.? I really don’t have to do this; it’s just something I would like to do. Thanks Deanster

Valrico, FL (little southeast of Tampa)

I rather beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.

I guess I better remove the bear traps I put around my caches. Somebody might try to convince a lawyer I was out to hurt them for just shear evil when they SHOULD know it was just part of the plan to make finding the cache a little more fun.

There's something about, pullin' stickers off my shirts and pants, huge spiders blocking my path, snakes hangin' in the trees, wet feet, acting like a spy looking for the worlds best kept secret that's keeps me wanting to do more of it.

I wouldn't be asking the question which one to buy, I would be more interested in which one NOT to buy. That would be the shorter list. I can't help you with that because I don't have enough experience with any of them to 'bad' mouth'em. But give me some time... I'll grow some strong opinion.

I have it 57.1 miles south (a little west) of Colorado Springs near Hwy S-78 with a 8486' elev. This Florida boy wouldn't mind seeing a picture from there!

sorry, wrong door.... I'll leave now thank you.

It's just progress for progress sake. A few years from now, we will all be getting a brain implant that will be our cellphone, fax, TV, GPSr, IDENTITY, money and whatever they can think of and our grandkids will laugh when we tell them that back in the old days... we had to 'carry' that old fashion stuff around with us!

I read you 5 by 5..... over

I bought the yellow eTrex strictly for the 'max speed' feature for speed runs on a motorcycle. Well.... I seen a TV show about geocaching and as you ALL KNOW... one thing led to another and before I knew it... I started HUNTING cache! Last week, the wife and I went looking for a local cache with the yellow eTrex. I have already found 3 without any problem. This time, we got within 50' of the cache and the eTrex lost the sats. I did all the tricks, I even went to a large open space... no sats! After about 20 mins of that, we left. The eTrex didn't get a sat lock till about a mile down the road from the park, about 40 mins later. I don't have a clue why it did that. It worked just fine on the next hunt that same day and is working fine now. I went back to the same place with my Meridian and it took me within 2' of the cache. I'm not slamming the eTrex or comparing it to the more expensive Meridian. I'm just wondering what happen to the eTrex to render it totally inoperable in that area!!??

If I got a good lock on the waypoint, I'll just walk over anybody (or thing) in my way. While I'm looking at my GPSr, I might say something like.. "The lethal dose of radiation is coming from this direction!!!"

Here's a DOS program from the U.S. Coast Guard that will change Loran-C Time Difference measurements to Latitude and Longitude and vice versa. http://www.rdc.uscg.gov/rdcpages/soft-posaid2.html [This message was edited by Deanster on October 25, 2002 at 02:01 PM.]

I only use the arrow till I get close (-100'). Then I look at the cords, side stepping.. one step at a time, till they match. Gets me closer the first time. (That's from my old Loran days. )