ke6n
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Posts
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Posts posted by ke6n
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What is that, about a C-cup?
More like a double E.
OK, I was doing my best without something to reference in the photo.
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What is that, about a C-cup?
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When I started geocaching I had that "secret agent" feeling because just about everything I was going to find was urban. It was fun, but I think I worried too much about "being discovered."
Since that time, I have found that if I go about what I am doing with no real cares or worries, I attract less attention. I find that furtively looking around will more often attract attention than just doing what you're there to do. On the rare occasions that I have been busted by a muggle, I have made an on the spot decision about how I will respond to their questions. If they look like they're "OK", I've told them about the game and asked if they've heard of it before. Some answer "yes", some say "no but that sounds cool. Tell me more!" Depending on the situation, it's a great way to be an ambassador to our game and educate interested people on how to go about getting involved. Of the fairly few caches I've done where I've had a conversation with a muggle about the game, none have gone missing directly after my visit. (Yes, I've checked because I wanted to make sure that my openness about the game didn't backfire.)
Just recently I was searching around the back of a parking lot near a dumpster area and no doubt looking suspicious.
I noticed a police officer parked behind an adjacent business writing a report and occasionally glancing up at me. I eventually made the find (didn't know what a "nalgene" bottle was before this, now I do) and took it over to the hood of my vehicle and emptied it out and signed the log. I glanced over at the officer and caught his eye watching me. Anyway, I went ahead and signed the log and put it back together then took the cache and walked over to the officer. When I was just about at his car, he got out and greeted me. Being completely open, I asked him if he had heard of geocaching and he indicated that he had. In fact, his brother down in Southern California does it quite a bit. (Don't remember his geocaching name.) I asked if he had ever done it before and he said "no". Then I offered him an opportunity to sign the log of his first geocache. 
He declined but I got a big smile out of him. I asked him if he wondered what I was doing over there and he said "well, I wondered a little, but you didn't seem to be doing anything wrong." We had a bit more of a chat and wished each other well. I rehid the cache, he finished his report and we parted ways. Good exchange, I think. -
I honestly can't remember how I first heard about it.
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Yeah. Automatic background music is a bad idea. It was a bad idea in the old days when the web was young but the people just had to do it because they could. Now, it's simply pathetic. (yep, even on Myspace.)
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At least it's an interesting (long) log
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...00-ab518b392b4f
Nice, entertaining read.
Um, did you look by the rock that looks like a log? The petrified wood?
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I am really, truly not a violent person, but that lady in you avator pic makes me want to break her finger.
Listen to her show and you'll wanna break more than that....
Hey, she's great! Dealing with the slime she gets on that show must be something else.
But to keep it somewhat on topic, I like the idea of the big trade requirements where there is no way it will fit in the micro. Ha.
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The idea is good. Personally, I would prefer not just a clone, but if possible a different kind of hide at the same location. Sure, some people have moved on and some have recently arrived. There are still a lot of people who have been there all along. For them, it might be kind of boring to visit an exact clone. For the new people, they have nothing to compare it to, so why not hide a new style or make some part of it different?
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It has certainly changed over the years. More caches, less options (locationless, virtual, traveling, mandatory log, etc.) Some of it is good, some is bad. Certainly the swag factor has diminished. Since there is so much broken McCrap in geocaches these days, I've gotten to not even bothering doing anything but signing the log. I mean there is a LOT of opportunity to trade up, but I know the chain would be broken, so what is the use? I'm not going to treat each geocache like a charity case. I don't have that kind of money, so... I sign the log.
To sum up, it has changed, not necessarly for the worse or better, but it has changed.
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As of when I posted this reply, it looks like you're running 66% or thereabouts for your logging suggestion. I wonder if it will hold up?
Ken
(Oh, edited to say that I usually don't bother writing down that I "TNLNSL"... I just do it.)
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Um, hey... Where'd the OP go?
...that's what I thought.
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Some people might be more concerned about skeletons in their closets...
But yes, I've found skeletons near cache sites. Pretty much just about any time I head out to take a hike somewhere I find the remains of some poor creature.
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In addition to what Keystone said, I would suggest you research the forums on "I accept your apology" to understand why I posted that. Obviously, you don't get it.I accept your apology.
I didn't apologize.
I'd sure like to think that there is some other explanation rather than just being flippant. For those of us "not in the know", it sounds very disrespectful and I would caution against such usage on the assumption that everyone knows what it is about.
Perhaps you could provide a link or two for those of us who don't spend so much of our lives in the forums.
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... vituperation ...
... niggling ..
English major. Right?
Ha. Those don't come up very often in computer science, I'll tell ya...
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YesI assume that a virtual could be used as a step in a multi (i.e., info on a sign can be used to get cordinates to next step and the real cache)? Is this correct?I don't know why the folks who want to bring back virts don't do this. Makes perfect sense to me.
I like virts and encourage this practice!
And, this way, nobody judges your virt for 'wow' or any other factor!
I like virts and encourage their adoption in case current owners are thinking about archiving.
And yes, this is a good way to incorporate something that would otherwise be something one might want to have for a virtual cache into something that is acceptable to be listed.
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What surprises me is the amount of vituperation that I see in these and other forums.
OK, besides me, who had to look up the word?
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Never ran into anything like that yet! But my son and I ran into an area that was full of underwear hanging from the trees, didn't know if it was a hobo camp or a new species of trees we didn't know about.
Yeah, what is it with that? I can't figure out why I run across so much underwear strewn about in the woods. It definitely ain't hobo underwear, I'll tell ya... And sometimes it isn't just the underwear, it's the entire set of clothes. I figure someone had a breezy walk back. (And I'm pretty sure it wasn't NudeCacher unless he wears purple lace bikini underwear.
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I can relate to the OP.
While hunting a place to hide a cache I found someone's pot field, 14 huge plants, and immediately felt as if I was being watched!
I could just 'feel' the cop's camera or doper's rifle crosshairs on me as I drove out that dirt road!
Yeah, me too. Although I wasn't geocaching, but rather "critter caching", as it were. Was wearing full camo and had my AR15. Walking up a dry creekbed, I came around a turn where it opened up somewhat and I found myself just about in the middle of what I estimated to be about 100 "portable" plants in 5 gallon buckets that were covered with gunnysack material. It took a few seconds for it to register what these 4 - 5 foot plants were all about but then... I felt rather, uh, vulnerable, even with a couple of 30 rd. mags. I hauled butt back to my vehicle through a less visible route and got the heck outa Dodge. I didn't want to be shot and I didn't want to be mistaken by the law as one of the responsible parties. I did report it to the SO but never heard anything more after that. Of course, that hasn't scared me out of the backwoods for future critter caches. Sadly, I consider that part of the course nowadays.
And more on the topic of geocaching, I have found a used pipe that someone donated or traded, but since that is on the "forbidden in geocaches" list, I did my part by removing it (yeah, I actually traded, then lost it.) Have never found anything like the OP did and certainly wouldn't let it keep me out of the woods. Like another posted said, take it as an opportunity to launch a discussion and as a father of two (teen and twenties), keep that line of communications open. Neither you or your son will be sorry.
Ken
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how hard is this test?and i have looked and so far for handhelds im looking at the 2m ic-v82 or the 70cm ic-u82 which is better
As TacRat said, it isn't really a big deal to just memorize the questions and answers. Though there are many questions, they all revolve around a smaller number of issues and are variations on the same questions.
Here's one way to do it and depend on your short term memory. Get the question pool from ARRL and edit it so that only the correct answer appears for any one question. If you can find a test session in the afternoon, you can start the day out by reading this question pool over about 5 times or so, start to finish, and immediately take your exam. One of the local guys schedules those study sessions and I have served as one of the volunteer examiners for him many times. It's all legal, but not necessarily what was originally invisioned for the testing -- memorizing the questions and answers.
If you use this method to pass the examine, however, it is very important that you CONTINUE to learn about amateur radio, not just answers to test questions. You can hook up with other more experienced hams in your area (maybe a club or just new friends you meet on the air) and continue your education. You also learn a lot by doing. You'll also find that certain areas of amateur radio will pique your interest, perhaps more than just hanging out on the local 2m repeater and talking with the same old people. (Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with talking with the same old people on the local repeater, but there's certainly more to ham radio than just that!)
Anyway, you can google ham radio and the various operating modes to learn about what kind of fun there is to be had out there. FM and repeaters, VHF/UHF Single Sideband weak signal work, HF, AM, slow scan television, ATV (fast scan "regular" TV), and even (gulp) CW morse code! There is way more stuff but you can find that out online or in a book.
Good luck. I got into ham radio a little over 22 years ago when I got bored with CB. Many of us are old CB converts who wanted something more from radio than CB had to offer.
Ken KE6N (ex-N6MHG, which is what I'm stuck with for my geocaching "handle".)
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It sucks when the up-close vision starts going away. I should probably get some actual prescription glasses one of these days, but I trade low power readers (1.25 for my "looking for the frickin' micro in the bushes") for 3.25 "trying to read the Palm and signing the log" glasses. Often times I just pop the 3.25s over the 1.25s for signing and say the heck with it. Yeah, I no doubt look like a dork, but I can read. Gone are the days when I could read a pocket book in little or no light -- when my mother would come by and ask me how I could see with no light on. Now I ask my kids the same thing... <sigh>
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I won't hunt these front yard caches because they make me uncomfortable and because in the back of my mind I do wonder if my GPS could be off and I'm in someone else's yard.
You are free to do the same and let those who enjoy these caches hunt them. We don't need another rule.
Exactly!
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Yea and what about nanos? A code may make sense for those. You can't even fully sign those...
Oh, but you can't do that! If you suggest such a thing, like I did above a little ways where it might make sense for nanos, someone out of the blue pops up and calls the nano-cache something it isn't and kills the thoughtfull discussion.
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This could be made optional, to allow for the 'classic' logging without verification. Do you agree? I suggested this to Groundspeak, but they would like to see a public discussion first.
I'm of the opinion that an option for micros, as an alternative to a log book that is too small (think about those little magnetic nano flasher dealies), a code would be nice to allow the cache to be logged. Yes, there are dishonest people with no integrity who will share and use shared codes, but then they have to live with themselves.
So, requirement no, option yes.
Ken
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First, let me say that I think it is a little too hard to believe your hypothesis that the only reason that virts went away is because they don't sell stickers and logs for them. That being said, you should check out the Groundspeak store. Many things could still be sold even if there were nothing but virts.
Not if the poster had remained on topic, like a moderator should. I notice in many different threads how the moderators jump right on it if someone posts off topic of the thread. As such, one expects these moderators to set an example and not jump into the very same thing they admonish others for doing.
You ask a question, don't like the answer, then slam the person nice enough to give you the answer to your question?Hey, you don't suppose one of the reasons the virtual has gone away is because Groundspeak can't sell any write in the rain logbooks, micro cache containers or geocaching game piece stickers for them, do you? Sheesh.
Stick to the OPs original topic of virtuals. Don't continue to introduce information from another website and try to pass it off as being on topic when it isn't. I asked the question as semi-serious. Groundspeak stands to make NO money selling things that can be used for virtuals, so I wondered if that was why "they" are so against them. ...<multiple links snipped>
Whoa, dude. I never hypothesized that the ONLY reason virts went away is because of the lack of profit to be made in supporting them. (Critical reading skills, man. Or is it falacy inducing skills?) I merely suggested that there could be a possibility that ONE of the reasons might be profit motivated. And yes, I know that there are many other things that Groundspeak sells. I pointed out specific items that are useless with virts.
And anyway, I suggested it in the form of a question, again, as ONE of the possibilities.
Markwell... I know, I know, virtuals aren't coming back no matter how much anybody wants them to. <sigh> Some people's sacred calves, huh?
I noticed a police officer parked behind an adjacent business writing a report and occasionally glancing up at me. I eventually made the find (didn't know what a "nalgene" bottle was before this, now I do) and took it over to the hood of my vehicle and emptied it out and signed the log. I glanced over at the officer and caught his eye watching me. Anyway, I went ahead and signed the log and put it back together then took the cache and walked over to the officer. When I was just about at his car, he got out and greeted me. Being completely open, I asked him if he had heard of geocaching and he indicated that he had. In fact, his brother down in Southern California does it quite a bit. (Don't remember his geocaching name.) I asked if he had ever done it before and he said "no". Then I offered him an opportunity to sign the log of his first geocache. 
He declined but I got a big smile out of him. I asked him if he wondered what I was doing over there and he said "well, I wondered a little, but you didn't seem to be doing anything wrong." We had a bit more of a chat and wished each other well. I rehid the cache, he finished his report and we parted ways. Good exchange, I think.
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Stick to the OPs original topic of virtuals. Don't continue to introduce information from another website and try to pass it off as being on topic when it isn't. I asked the question as semi-serious. Groundspeak stands to make NO money selling things that can be used for virtuals, so I wondered if that was why "they" are so against them. ...
Premium Member Only Caches
in General geocaching topics
Posted
OK, in spite of all the "justification" for PMO caches, the OP has a point.
Can you remember back to the first geocache you found? Were you a paying member at that time? I would venture a guess that most geocachers found a cache or two first before they coughed up money to join the site and take advantages of premium services. If there were only PMO caches around, do you think you'd have coughed up the money first to try it out? Maybe, but then again, maybe not.
My theory is that being able to find a cache without having to pay the money up front will net more new premium members for Groundspeak than the ridiculous idea of requiring people to pay money up front in order to find a cache, which is what those who hide PMO caches think they are doing; helping Groundspeak out by requiring such payment up front.
Anyway, that's my theory. I was a non-paying member for many years. I discovered that I liked the idea of the premium features - paperless geocaching and the pocket queries. I will never hide a PMO cache, myself. I understand some of the reasons why some people hide a PMO cache, but the idea that they are helping Groundspeak out by not allowing new people to try out geocaching on their PMO caches is simply shortsighted.
Ken