Guiper

Thank you all for your input, comments, and constructive criticism in this issue. Here's what I'm going to take from this experience: 1. I really do need to get that cache repair kit together, that I've been telling myself to do for some time now. This would probably have eliminated the necessity to post this in the first place. 2. The best and worst thing about Geocaching is that it's open to everyone. Appreciate the good ones and shine the bad ones on. 3. I need to put cache #100 behind me, and look forward to #200 and beyond. 4. This will motivate me to hide some caches of my own, if I can locate some spots that aren't within range of other ones. I'll be sure to monitor comments as to when to replace logsheets, and will welcome maintenance requests when necessary. 5. I reallly need to find a cool avatar and a fitting signature for my posts! Thank you all again for your comments and wish you all a Happy Holiday Season, wherever you are.

Rambler, this experience has taught me a lesson about carrying spare logsheets in the car, instead of my caching bag. The fact remains, though, that the owner mows his lawn around this stop sign, his mailbox is thirty feet away from it, and is twenty feet from where they park their cars. If they're going to plant it, they need to maintain it and not place blame on unprepared cachers. My comments regarding not liking a particular cache style was more a lament to myself and not a comment on their hide. Your comments in closing will be words to live by. Thanks for the input!

Actually, I had found it several days earlier, but dated the logsheet after the upcoming weekend in hopes that I'd find time to go out on the weekend and find one more fitting. Unfortunately, due to prior commitments and weather, I had to leave it at that.

Hello-- long time listener, first time poster. I just want to say I love your show... I recently found my 100th cache. It was a magnetic nano, placed on a stop sign in a front yard of a house at a street corner. It contained a thinner-than-necessary log strip, that was completely full. I was able to write my "G" and date only. After logging it, I issued a separate maintenance request to replace the log. I did mention that I would have preferred a milestone cache to have been a bit more exciting. It must have hurt someone's feelings... Yesterday, I checked out the cache listing (GCNW76) to see what the status was on it. The owner had indeed replaced the logsheet, and also left a nastygram stating that the owners actually lived in that house, and that I should have knocked on the door and said "hello, and by the way the log on your cache is full", or gone ahead and been a sport and replace the logsheet for them. They finished by asking if "I wanted some cheese with my whine?" This raised my blood pressure by 20 points, on Thanksgiving, no less; I don't appreciate getting flamed. Rather than do something I'd probably regret later, I edited my log comments for this cache, placing an addendum stating that I didn't know the owners lived there, tried to avoid muggles rather than knock on doors in the evenings willy-nilly, and mentioned that if the owners of a nano on their property let a logsheet fill up, they should be called out on it. I concluded that I was willing to let this incident slide if they retracted the note, and I'd redact my comments on this cache. My questions are: did I do anything wrong the first time, should I have not issued a maintenance request, or just let the owners' rude behavior slide, and what do you do with a used logsheet afterwards? This couple has established a local reputation for crankiness, despite religious overtones on their site (hence the "WWJD?" in my comments). I'd appreciate any comments you might have...

PM sent...

Spoken like a true Doctoral candidate-- citing his references... I have to chime in here with my personal experience with the eXplorist 400 and Magellan Customer Service. In October, I bought an eX400 on the "Garage Sale" forum. The owner claimed it was a "new" purchase from eBay, but he changed his mind and wanted a color display (eX500), but the eBay seller wouldn't accept returns unless it was DOA. I received it on Halloween and it worked OK for a couple of weeks. Then, suddenly the basemap wouldn't appear. Eventually, nothing worked on it and I had to return it to Magellan's repair center. It was shipped back on Nov. 30th, and worked OK for a few days and it acted up again. Finally, on Dec. 8 it failed completely. I called customer service and received an OK to return it to the repair center. I enclosed a detailed letter chronicling its problems, and a Google page which seemed to indicate a trend of similar problems. On Dec. 26, a package arrived that contained a brand new eX400. So far, it's worked perfectly. In short, I learned that some eX400/500/600s have had some issues with basemaps, SD cards, and an over-sensitivity to low temperatures. I also learned that, with proper documentation, satisfaction is possible with dealing with Magellan's customer service, although followup phone calls, emails, or written documentation are definitely lacking. This Fall, Magellan was sold from Thales, a European conglomerate, to an India-based group. Their willingness to replace my eX400 with a new one seems to me an indication they want to ensure customer satisfaction. My internet research also indicated that the Fort Worth, TX repair center was recently accepting applications for a new Director of Operations. Perhaps any shortcomings with them might also be eliminated soon. In short, I'd probably buy another Magellan, but be sure to save your receipt, be sure to document any problems, and cite your references. Happy New Year!

I 've had recent experiences with Magellan Customer service and repair as well. While the experience I had in November was somewhat troublesome, my more recent experience in December was very positive. They traded out a possessed eX400 with a new unit in the last episode. I'd still like improved email contact and a more interactive web-based customer service program, but hopefully we'll see more changes in the near future. FWIW, the new ownership group is Indian-based, so customer service contacts will likely remain the same.

Believe me, you're not the only one. I don't know what you consider cold temperatures, but Magellan lists its minumum operating temp as 14F or -10C. I recently bought an eX4 from the Garage Sale section, and started to have trouble after a week or so with basemap errors. I returned it to Magellan on Nov. 15th, it was returned on Nov. 30th, and started to act up again on Dec. 3rd, on a near-freezing day. It would shut itself off and I got the common "INVALID BASEMAP" error message. I cleared the problem, and reinserted the SD card. It worked flawlessly for several days. A week later, I turned it on and laid it on my front seat on a 17F morning, scraped my windshield, and drove 15 minutes to work. When I arrived, the unit had shut off, which was the first sign of trouble. After turning it back on, I got either a solid black screen or the "Invalid Basemap" message again. Finally, I got a message showing "Press ENTER to configure NAND, Press ESC to cancel" message that wouldn't go away. After Googling the exact error message and "Explorist", I saw a trend of similar occurences at cold temps that were reported on other forums. After receiving an RMA# from customer service, I enclosed a detailed letter of the eX4's trouble episodes, as well as the Google page to back up my assertion (I also sent a copy of everything to Magellan HQ in California, FWIW). Lo and behold, the package I received from Magellan repair contained a brand new unit. So far, so good. Since Global Warming has kept temperatures unseasonably warm, I haven't had any difficulties with it yet, and I'm reluctant to stick it in the freezer for an hour to see if it acts up again.

If you could send photos to my email, I'd appreciate it... Thanks in advance, Guiper