Buttons Brigade

It's a way for nerds to get away from the computer and outside, therefore geocachine is the anti-nerd. Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

I'd put the last coordinates in the encrypted section... you never know when all the sources of the last coordinates are down all at once OR the wifi connection is down... Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

Maybe there's something I'm not getting: Why would you purposely put the wrong coordinates of a cache, who's sole purpose is to be located by people using a device to help them home in on a set of coordinates you gave them? If you're gonna put the wrong coords then why not just let me leave my GPSr at home and walk around blindly? Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

I've actually used a stapler several times. Usually when closing an ankle fracture or abdominal incisions. I'm not sure I would want to staple anything without the person being under anesthesia. They hurt less than you think when removing the staples and the scar (some times) is actually better (less noticeable) than sutures (stitches). If you have a wound big enough to staple our in the field then you'll probably need medical attention to arrive faster than you can put in all the staples. Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

We don't use any of the members-only features right now. In fact, the caches we like the most are the virtual ones that take us on a tour of somewhere and open our eyes to places we might not have otherwise gone to. Maybe to get more people to sign-up for membership, they should make members-only caches a higher standard of quality or something, even though we don't go for the goodies - we just go to see if we can find the darn thing and to get outdoors. Or when you do a search it can say "XX Members-only caches are not shown. Sign-up to see these caches." I'm guessing some people acutally go to get good stuff from caches. We try to take the kid things but leave good things (like a small radio or something, INCLUDING batteries!). Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

You might not be too happy about the battery life of the whole setup. I have a HP Jornada 568 and the battery life stinks with a low power wifi card. I'd hate to see what happens if I stick a power sucking GPSr on to it. I got an eTrex Vista. If i really want to play with it and my laptop or pocketpc I'll use the cables. You will probably be better off buying a standalone unit. Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

quote:Originally posted by hbrx:It is beyond me to understan why anyone would buy a portable computer with no serial ports Newer machines have less and less legacy ports. The question you should be asking is why do the GPS manfacturers not offer USB instead? It could be used to help power the GPSr if needed and the end is less bulky than a serial port. And I haven't even talked about the speed differences in lowly USB 1.1 compared to a 16500 UART Serial Port. Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

quote:Originally posted by Fox Finder:My first GPSr. I ordered on-line from gpsdiscount.com. Let's see, ordered at about 6PM, go to daughter's swim team banquet, come home. 1-1/2 hours later, my order is in the hands of FedEx! And gpsdiscount didn't charge for shipping! Sent by FedEx Express Saver Package (I figured that would be something like USP 2nd day ground). It's sitting on my living room floor at the NEXT 6PM! I can't wait to check the GPSr out, alas, I must wait for unwrapping frenzy day (that's Boxing Day Eve for those above 42N). For the curious, it's a Garmin Map 76S (not bad for a 1st unit, eh?) Price was the best I found that day too. Did I say free shirt? I could have ordered the instructional video with it and STILL beat somebody else's price sans video. Now the daughter needs some good hiking shoes under the tree, she likes caching too! I got a eTrex Vista from them a few weeks back. Girlfriend likes sleeping in the free t-shirt (The shirts about 2 sizes too big for me to wear!). I put a few things on my wish list from them as they have pretty good prices on accessories compared to the stores here in Houston. Not much of a deal but if you buy a few needed things then you end up saving a good amount of money and no tax. Have fun with your new toy! Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

quote:Originally posted by 0x284C:Given the 20' - 40' GPS accuracy range, how would you ever find the cache if it was burried? Dig a really big hole! Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

1)If the etrex line sucked that bad at reception, Garmin wouldn't be able to sell them. 2)If size matters to you, get the eTrex. I looked at the Vista and SporTrak Pro online - and then I went to outdoorworld and saw what a monster the Pro was. I'm not a "professional" GPS-er. When I find that my Vista has shortcomings, I'll get a new GPSr. And by that time, I'm sure technology will be better anyway and I'll give my Vista to some youngin' to pique his/her interest in the outdoors. 3)Vista is completely useable in 1 hand. I didn't realize how convenient it would be to use the gpsr with 1 hand and hold up a map, or be reading a printout of a geocache, etc.. Unless your hands are huge enough to reach the buttons while holding up the Pro.. sorry.. 4)Vista felt ALOT more rugged. I'm not afraid to drop it (well o.k. i am but that's because it's shiny and new). I definately would be afraid to drop the Pro. Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

The Yellow is a good GPSr. Its arguably the most popular amongst newbies... and it's on geocaching.com's front page Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

What do you like best about Geocaching? I like that it gets me outdoors to places I wouldn't otherwise visit if it weren't for the geocaches. I also like that it's 1 thing that me and my girlfriend like doing together - I like the tech and she likes the finds. Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

I'd highly suggest taking a walk to a nearby field or lake on a nice sunny morning and bringing your GPS and its manual along.. and you can bring your g/f too if she's into the tech. I find that the best way for me to learn what my Vista can do is by going thru the manual and walking around my lake, marking a few waypoints and trying to get back to them or seeing how changing from bearing to course changes how you go about getting to your point. The better you know how to use the GPS the more fun you'll probably have in locating the more challenging geocaches. Good luck... I've owned my Vista for a few weeks and I'm loving it. And by the way.. if your g/f needs hints then do what I did.. http://www.raman-sinha.com/wishlist2002/wishlist2002.html Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

I had a great experience with gpsdiscount.com purchasing my eTrex Vista a few weeks ago. Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

quote:Originally posted by Huga:Gah! You US folks are lucky. Over here in the UK, a basic yellow eTrex will cost between £130 and £160 in the shops (that's roughly $200-$250!). Even after shipping costs, import duty and VAT, it's still cheaper for us brits to buy GPS units from the States. It's not fair -- **Mother is the name of God on the lips of all children** How much of your tax dollars go into building and maintaining GPS satellites owned and maintained by the United States Our GPSr's cost more than you think.. Luckily I'm one of the citizens that actually use it..

Frys (mostly in California and Texas) usually advertises them for $89..

quote:Originally posted by Duke_: quote:Originally posted by enfanta: "This is my hunting spot for 10 years. We know who you are. 5 of us. We have your book. You better find another spot. At least one mile. You better tell your www dot com the same thing." What's ambiguous about that? The writer is threatening to shoot geocachers. Not just the writer but the writer and four others. "We know who you are" in this context is highly threatening. They need to be reported to the proper authorities. Do you know what ambiguous means? Lets take a closer look. **"This is my hunting spot for 10 years." Defense lawyer would say this is a statement of fact, not a threat. **"I would highly advise you to find another spot because bullets will be flying everywhere around you- arrows too." Defense says - A simple recommendation and another statement of fact. Hunting season going on, highly likely that bullets and arrows will be flying in the area. If you are in the area, then they may be flying around you. Note that the note did not say "Flying _AT_ you". **"5 of us. We have your book" Another statement of fact. No threat there. **"At least one mile. You better tell your www dot com the same thing." Again more recommendations, no direct threats. Like I said, I highly doubt that the note in and of itself would be evidence enough to convict this guy of anything, therefore the authorities would probably not act on it. Just my opinion. If you take each statement for what it is you get one thing. If you take all of them and the situation surrounding the statments you can get another. Say "I don't have a bomb." next time youre on an airplane and tell me what happens. Going by your rationale, nothing should. In fact they should thank you for confirming that you don't have one. If it were that cut and dry then why do U.S. judges continually interpret the U.S. Constitution and Laws, Codes, etc?

I ALWAYS back up my documents folder onto CD's on a regular basis. Also, I have my hard drive partitioned so that the D drive contains My Documents folder. I also have my outlook messages and quicken stuff on there. So if my C drive is wiped out, I can FDISK, Format, reinstall - anything without a hitch and have all my docs still there. Of course, well-written virus can wipe it all away easily but it's 1 more hurdle.

Started off with a eTrex yellow and realized I wanted to use it for other things so I stepped up to the Vista.

quote:Originally posted by Team GPSaxophone: quote:Originally posted by Dan Edwards:A = A 1 = 2 One more.. (part 1) Women = Time x Money Time=Money Women=Money x Money Women = Money^2 (part 2) Money=sqrrt(evil) (Money is the root of all evil) Money ^ 2 = Evil (or Money x Money = Evil) a few substitutions and you have.. Women=Evil

quote:Originally posted by geospotter:Here's a quick way to get some idea in less than five minutes. Take a reading of your current position. Go to http://www.lostoutdoors.com and click on MapMaker. Enter your coordinates and look at the resulting aerial photo. Did it put the marker on your location? geospotter Thanks for that awesome link!