ZapMe

Thanks... I guess that must be what I saw. What I was concerned with was that I'd posted a multicache and anyone who used GSAK to load the query would be able to see the final coords immediately after it was published. But you've pretty much convinced me that this isn't so. Sorry for the confoozalating! .z

Well - honestly I'm a little confused now. What I did was this. 1 - I posted the cache with the hidden waypoint. The waypoint was marked 'not public' (or whatever that choice is) 2 - The day my cache was published I downloaded a pocket query with all the caches in my area 3 - I loaded the .gpx file into GSAK 4 - I saw my query as a line item in GSAK and double clicked it. This loaded an 'html-like' page which I'm not certain if it came from GC or from the .gpx file itself 5 - When I looked at the details of the cache in GSAK the final waypoint was in there listed as such. I really don't remember this any more clearly and perhaps it would be best if I just left this alone till it arises (if it arises) again. The easiest way to check this would be for a reviewer to set up a dummy multi with the final waypoint in there marked secret, publish it, run a query, load the query in GSAK and see if doubleclicking the item reproduces what I think I saw. There's lots of explanations for what I may have experienced that all reflect perfectly normal behavior - I'm just reporting what I believe happened. .z

I marked it as for the reviewer only so that's not it. And it doesn't happen now that the cache has been published for some time. I can no longer see it from GSAK. It was only there for the first day or two after it was first published. It didn't show up in the GC listing on the web, and indeed even now when I log in and look at the cache as the logged in owner it doesn't show me the waypoint. I think those are only able to be viewed by the reviewers and administrators. It seemed like GSAK was grabbing from a db other than the publicly visible one. I don't see how that can be so but that is how it seemed. I checked to see if it was only visible by the owner because that avenue occurred to me too. To confirm this I created a second login on GC and cleared my login cookies. I then logged in using the new login and ran GSAK. It pulled up the concealed waypoint all the same. Just to be clear - I can't see the waypoint I provided to the reviewer anymore. But when I opened the listing by double clicking it in GSAK I could see it. This was weird and I'll try to confirm it by using GSAK to look at the next multicache that comes up in a pocket query for me. .z

I recently posted a multicache. As part of the posting I put the final coordinates of the cache in as a waypoint for the reviewer. The final coords were not meant for eyes other than those of the reviewer for obvious reasons. I downloaded a pocket query and opened it in GSAK on the day the cache was published. The pocket query included the area where my multicache was placed. GSAK grabbed an 'archival' version of the gc database information when I double clicked on it and lo and behold the final coordinates were in there listed as a waypoint. Is this supposed to happen? .z

I'm going up to the ski hill this weekend and figgered if the weather was bad I could go caching instead. Faced with the prospect of hauling all those pieces of paper with me I opted to try out the 'caches along a route' and then the pocket query features available to premium members. I installed mobipocket on my wife's older ipaq - that was free and took but a few minutes, had the pocket query generated on gc - that took a couple more - the query arrived in my email within a minute or two. I had it email me an ebook format as well as the gpx file. I uploaded the ebook to the ipaq and used easygps to load all the cache coordinates to my etrex legend. Both these steps were very easy and now all the caches in the area are in a nice format for reading off the ipaq complete with hyperlinks to jump to the cache I want plus an appendix with all the hints already decrypted (this is really nice cuz you don't have to see the hints if you don't want to). Not only that - all the caches show on my etrex (I have the topo maps loaded for the area) so everything is just ticky. This was my first go with the PDA but it was really easy and MUCH better than all that soggy paper (imho) .z

I recently asked a similar question in the forum and got a mixed bag of responses - most basically telling me that it's a puzzle and they're not going to help. This seems to be a sensitive topic in the forum for some members, though I'm not sure why. There's always those that forget that pasttimes such as this are supposed to just be for fun and learning. Anyways - I've done a lot of reading and research so pm me if you like and I'll relay what information I've managed to dig up. .z And you can see that people still don't give away the answers. If you want a more in depth hint ask the owner of the cache. I would never think of giving away the answer to a puzzle cache that you created, and all I ask is the same consideration. I have several puzzle caches in this area that I haven't solved. Every now and then I look at one of them again. If I can't figure it out I'll write the owner first. I entirely agree with everything you said. My point was that there is nothing wrong with giving guidance such as 'Try to look for words that seem out of place' or 'Try to determine if there is a theme' or something else of substantive value. The assumption is that you, the person replying, doesn't know the answer anyways but is in a position to give the newbie solver an idea of what may be expected without revealing anything (you likely have nothing to reveal anyways). I would never reveal a puzzle cache either, nor would I want one of mine revealed (were it that I had any). I see nothing wrong, though, with discussing the nature of puzzle caches without discussing or probing any one particular cache in the public forum. .z

I recently asked a similar question in the forum and got a mixed bag of responses - most basically telling me that it's a puzzle and they're not going to help. This seems to be a sensitive topic in the forum for some members, though I'm not sure why. There's always those that forget that pasttimes such as this are supposed to just be for fun and learning. Anyways - I've done a lot of reading and research so pm me if you like and I'll relay what information I've managed to dig up. .z

Thanks for that - I didn't realize. I've archived it I understand your point but don't how significant it is here. I live in an area of Canada surrounded by extensive forest land. The ''Crown' owns the land, the logging companies log it under license from the crown. The stumps and slash are left behind subsequent to logging. Many of the stumps are marked by the logging companies using dayglo paint or other methods. I'll see if I can come up with a different technique or in the alternative I'll just leave a small cache at the other points to lead to the final destination. I would never consider nailing something to a tree or such in a park or something like that. .z

Hi, I disabled the Mexico cache. It got removed by workers or muggles. My friends went over to check on it only to find the area all disturbed and the cache gone. Rather than try to reposition it nearby I just disabled the cache listing and informed the dnf. In retrospect it was probably not the best spot and I likely won't replace it. As for the puzzle cache that I asked about (with the UTM coordinates) I've determined it's location but it's quite a distance from my home. When I first thought about looking for it I was up at Mt. Washington - on North Eastern Vancouver Island - about 250km from my home. The coordinates posted were nearby but the cache had nothing to do with those coordinates - they were only there to indicate it was on Vancouver Island in order to provide a UTM zone. The actual location of the cache was on South-Western Vancouver Island - an hour and a half or so on the highway from my home (and over 4 hours from Mt. Washington!) in a direction I seldom travel so I doubt I'll get around to it in the near future. Maybe during the summer. I'll heed the advice about the garbage bag and not use it. They seem to be commonly used here as I've found a few in them now and yes - they WERE rather slimy and disgusting. I think the advice about the pointless-ness of the photo is well taken too and will omit that portion. I don't think there will be an issue with nailing an aluminum plate to a stump or fallen tree but will make sure I place them in such a manner as to be well findable but not 'in your face' so as not to deface anything. .z

I recently found a multicache in my area and enjoyed it so much I decided to set one up for others. I've typed up the description and wanted to see if this was an appropriate posting before submitting it and looking like a dope. Here it is with no coords. This is a multi-cache and the points are separated by a distance that will likely require you to have a car or other transportation. The first point you'll go to is at xxx.xxxxx. There you'll find a tall object with an aluminum tag nailed to it. This tag has 3 lines on it. The top 2 lines are the lat and longitude of the second point you'll go to. The third line is the latitude of the final location of the cache. The longitude will be found at the second point. So make a note of the latitude of the final location and proceed to the second point where you'll find another object with an aluminum tag on it. This tag has the longitudinal component of the final location. Combine the lat and long to get the coords of the final cache location where you'll find yet another aluminum tag. This tag has a compass heading given in degrees true and a number of meters (approximate - I paced it off) to the cache. Cache is in an orange rubbermaid container inside a black garbage bag. It contains an FTF certificate and a pair of new $20 or so binoculars for FTF along with a large carabiner and some dollar store goodies. A log book, pencil, and sharpener are all there as well. If any of the aluminum tags are missing, please email me along with a photo of yourself where you believe the tags should be. If the information checks out I'll email you back the needed info and replace them immediately. Enjoy! Any feedback on this would be appreciated as I plan to post it Monday. The tags I speak of are pieces of aluminum sign material approximately 1.5" high by 5" wide with the numbers punched into it for clarity and permanence. They'll be secured inconspicuously with nails to stumps/poles etc all located on public land. .z

I'm hoping to leave my neighbor's juvenile delinquent children in the next cache I find. I just have to figger out how to cut them up small enough to fit into a regular cache. Or better yet - into a microcache. Maybe one of those Blendtec blenders - they seem to chop up just about anything. .z

Thanks for the link, and thanks for the welcome! I've been enjoying looking around and especially the learning portion of it - datums, grids.... never knew much about any of that. Oh... and Renegade Knight... missed replying to you about UTM assuming a round world. My answer would have to be that UTM starts with a round world and then deals with the issue by flattening it. Flattening the whole world would result in tremendous distortion in some areas so the world is cut into smaller 1/60ths which distort much less making it more usable. While there is still distortion there appears to be little one can do about it as every system seems to have some. The only method I've surmised for dealing with a truly round world (not that the world is even round for that matter) is by using great circle calculations from geodetic markers. .z

I imagine she signed up not realizing that there was a free membership available as well. It took me a bit to decide if I wanted to pay for a membership. I did a fair bit of reading about the history of this site and the politics that led to it becoming the dominant web presence as well as some looking into its finances and profitability. In the end I decided to pay for the premium membership in the hope that it truly does advance the sport. .z

LOL - I think you answered your own mystery with the 'when I snowshoed in there Feb. 25th' part.

CD's seem to be popular around here. I found a cache with a deck of cards this weekend - not a good idea methinks - cards+moisture=mess I like the idea of the $2 bills or just plain unusual coins. I might hit the bank for some of those or maybe someplace that sells inexpensive collectable coins. My son loves to save each and every piece of crap and puts in in a dedicated display site. He was pretty appalled the other day when we found a rock in a cache. Some people are so rude. .z

Thanks for the help! I've actually tracked down a few different online calculators plus one at download.com that's shareware (30 days of free use then you have to pay). I've been reading a bunch of the Team kfwb (might not be exactly right) caches just for fun. They're far too complex for me at this point but there's a lot to be learned by following through them. There's a very good page right here at http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...69-da8de40c9b81 that explains a fair bit and a good bit of information on UTM here http://maps.nrcan.gc.ca/topo101/utm_e.php Again, thanks for your help .z

I'm not going to dwell on it. I was just looking for a bit of guidance and I got it through a pm. I wasn't asking for a solution - just for a little knowledge to pursue the solution in the right direction. As this was my first post here, and I'm certainly no stranger to forums, I'd kinda hoped that I'd find a bit more of a friendly, inviting atmosphere. Even if I were to have been pursuing a solution to a puzzle cache I hardly see why anyone would give a darn. The only loser in 'cheating' would have been myself - having been deprived of the fun of finding it on my own. I'll just go back to lurking and post only if I absolutely need to. .z

I've been searching here and on vigps.com as well as on google for an explanation for this and can't seem to find one. I'm sure some veteranly types will know this one right off. How is it that some cachers can afford to put cash (lots of it in some instances) and gps units (these ain't cheap neither) in caches for others to find? Is this just generosity? or is there something else afoot? Some of the Team KFWB caches I've seen have had like a thousand bucks in them. What gives? .z

I administer 1 other forum and am a moderator on 2. The simple fact of web forums is encapsulated in an old cliche' Arguing on the web is like racing in the special olympics. Even if you win you still look retarded. Too bad we can't all remember this. Now don't flame me over special olympics bashing... .z

I'm not really sure why you felt obliged to post this. I rather assumed all the information I needed was on the cache page. I simply didn't understand what the numbers meant. I wasn't asking anyone to calculate anything for me or reveal any secrets. Another user has been kind enough to pm me about the UTM system and how to use it. That's gotten me going in the right direction now. It's unfortunate that I could post a newbie style question in the 'getting started' forum and get a response like this. Not only did it not help me to 'get started' but it set the tone for others to not help me in the public forum. Thanks .z

I just checked on a cache that's near where I am spending the weekend. The cache description says .............. IGNORE THE ABOVE POSITION. IT ONLY TELLS YOU THIS CACHE IS LOCATED ON VANCOUVER ISLAND. THIS CACHE IS LOCATED 16.7894 MILES DUE NORTH OF 437475.390 EAST - 5353160.232 NORTH (PRESUMING A ROUND WORLD). ........ I don't understand what this means. The numbers don't jive with the standard degrees, minutes, seconds format I'm used to. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks