alanfreed
-
Posts
132 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by alanfreed
-
-
Another work-around would be to put the .gpx file in a .zip file, and download it that way.
-
IIIe. I don't believe palm ever made a iie. 2mb of memory is sufficient for cachemate logs. I personally use about 6mb for 500 caches or so. However, I download unlimited past logs which requires much more storage. As long as you can get the unit for under 20 bucks, it sounds like a winner...
Thanks for the info! I couldn't find anything about a IIe anywhere, but that's what it looked like in the photo. I'm sure it's a IIIe. I'll probably hold out for a better deal. The notion of paperless caching is very appealing to me!
-
I'm looking at buying a used Palm IIe... at least I *think* that's what it is by the picture. The picture is just hazy enough that it *could* be a IIIe. I don't have much of any experience with these devices, and I'm wondering if this would be a good choice for a cheap device to store caches...?
-
Yep, I hate it when I go to someone else's cache and it's way off...
One of my biggest caching pet peeves is when a cache log is full of comments saying that the coordinates are off, yet the cache owner never bothers to check up on it. I'm glad you're at least concerned about the problem!
I'd try punching the coordinates into your own unit, and pretend you're hunting for the cache yourself. See if the coordinates actually lead you to the right spot, or if you find that they're as far off as people are suggesting. A little role playing like that can certainly shed light on how people are experiencing your cache.
Like others have said, if your receiver has an averaging feature, go for it! It seems like a great tool to help ensure that the coordinates are as close as you can make them.
-
Keep in mind that the basemaps aren't really meant to be super, super accurate. They're really just a rough map for the sake of having *something* preloaded into the unit. Bear in mind that you're getting the entire country (and much of the rest of the world) crammed into that unit.
The best way to use any of the mapping receivers is to buy the software. You will indeed find instances where the basemaps appear to be off the mark, and you'll notice that highways have rigid lines rather than the smooth curves offered by the better software.
-
Thanks to all for the info -- very helpful! Now if I could find a place to buy the software with PayPal, I'll be set
-
Just got my Garmin 60CS from Santa, and I have a couple questions about the City Select software. I've been using the MetroGuide software to upload maps, and that has been cool, but the autorouting of City Select sounds like a great feature.
First off, I'm a little confused about which version is the best to get for the 60CS. I thought I had read that v7 has larger selectable portions of the map, which I'm not crazy about. Are they huge chunks of maps, like whole states, or simply just a bit bigger than what I'm used to with MetroGuide? I'd really appreciate some guidance from other folks who have experience with the software.
Also, other than eBay, does anyone know where I can get a reasonably priced copy of City Select (whichever version I need...) where I can use PayPal to pay? I was going to get v6 at Amazon, thinking they accepted PayPal, but I guess they don't...
I have something like $112 in my PayPal account, itching to be spent...
-
So if it's a question as to whether or not you should spend the extra difference between City Select and MetroGuide, go for the City Select.
I already have MetroGuide (I have a Garmin Legend)... that's why I'm asking
I'm sure if I were choosing between one or the other, that City Select would certainly be the best choice. -
There's no doubt I'll get City Select sooner or later... I guess it's more a matter of whether I'll rush right out and get it, or if I can actually restrain myself for a little while
Thanks for the info!
-
With metro guide, you will be able to do auto routing but only on major roads and highways. You will also be able to download maps in your GPS. You will be able to see detailed mapping of citys but you won't have auto routing inside the citys compared to City Select.
Thanks for the answer! So let's assume that I don't care too much about the autorouting... is there a compelling reason for me to go out and get City Select since I already have MetroGuide North America?
-
Seems that all of the documentation for the 60CS makes plenty of mention of the City Select mapping software. I'm just wondering if the MetroGuide CD will work at all for uploading maps?
I'm guessing that I can upload the detailed maps, but won't be able to use the autoroute feature. Is there anything else I'd be missing by using just the MetroGuide software, assuming it works at all?
Just ordered the 60CS yesterday -- can't wait for it to get here! Just wondering if I'm going to HAVE to shell out extra $$ for the City Select software.
Thanks!
-
I grabbed a travel bug a few weeks ago in anticipation of a trip I was taking to the Bahamas, with the intention of moving these guys down there for some sun and relaxation.
When I got to the Bahamas, the cache I had hoped to drop these in was pretty much inaccessible, possibly missing. In any case, I wasn't able to find it.
I did do a couple virtuals and what turned out to be a micro (I had hoped it wasn't going to be a micro so I could deposit them there, but the container was too small).
Anyway, I was wondering whether it was a common practice to log that the travel bugs visited these locations, since they did actually "travel" a couple thousand extra miles. I'm just wondering if I should "virtually deposit," and then "pick them up" at the spot of the micro I found...?
Or should I just drop them off in my next cache and call it a day? I'm just not sure whether what I'm describing is a common practice or not. I've seen other logs mentioning a "virtual travel bug drop off" or something like that, which put this thought into my mind...
-
Are you looking for an EXPENSIVE professional result, or a FREE educated guess?
I guess you could say he's looking for a potential "free professional result" only because he knows that the corners of the property are actually marked with wooden markers. These markers aren't likely to be in good condition, but if they exist, he can at least save himself some $$.
-
it is a metes and bounds description. (Sometimes referred to as a legal description) In order to read you need the POB, which is point of beginning. You walk a survey from POB using compass directions, which are set forth on the paper, but much more detailed than your Silva or Brunton handheld. They are set out with a transit, modern transits are laser instruments with computer assist. Surveys also reference back to the Benchmarks and Survey Disk, look in Benchmark hunting. You can only place if you have the full description laying our the filed map and the references. A survey must always close, which means as you walk it , you will come back to the POB. I see no POB on that map. So the answer is no, you can't place corners with what you have there. The directions are compass and the other measurements are in feet.
That's what I was looking for -- thanks a lot for the information!
-
Hello! My neighbor is buying some property in West Virginia where he's planning to build a cabin. He has been given a rather crude drawing that gives property line details, and he's hoping to locate the property markers with this information and a GPSr, if it's possible from what's here.
The markings on the drawing resemble coordinates, but they don't make a lot of sense to us. Obviously we know nothing about surveying... but I thought I'd post a note to see whether someone could shed some light on what's on this paper.
Is it possible to find the corners of the property with a GPSr based on what we have here? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
-
I gone mine at Gander Mountain... not sure if they're out your way or not...
-
Thanks for the ideas! I didn't realize I could export the track file from MapSource... the whole Excel thing worked great! Thanks again for the ideas... this worked out really well.
-
I highly doubt that this can be done, but I thought I'd ask in case anyone has come up with something...
It would be really handy to be able to import *tracks* into Microsoft Streets & Trips. I have a few tracks (bike rides, mainly) that would be really slick if they were overlayed on this program.
I can do this with the maps in MapSource easy enough, but it would be much more visually appealing with the mapping of S&T.
Anyone?
-
I don't want to sound like I'm exaggerating or anything, but this is the greatest program in the history of mankind!
Several months ago I had wanted to be able to easily import cache coordinates into Microsoft Streets & Maps, and I had a really long, complex method that I could use... but it involved using a combination of MapSource, Excel, Notepad, and a lot of time.
GSAK makes this a snap, and is an awesome tool all around. Kudos for your efforts!
-
Hmph... do you have any other software that you have been able to use successfully with it? (Can you get EasyGPS to work, etc.)? If so, I'd double check those settings. I don't know how you can kick the computer into recognizing a different COM port if that one isn't responding.
I'd probably start troubleshooting by trying a different program that communicates with your receiver to see if you can get that to work first.
-
Be sure that Streets & Trips is set properly to look for your GPS on the right serial port. I use the exact set-up you're describing (a laptop with Legend, using Streets & Maps) -- you'll be amazed at how accurate this combination is! I have been very impressed at how many tiny little streets are represented in this software, not to compliment Bill Gates, or anything.
Anyway -- the problem is most likely that the program is looking for the GPS on the wrong Comm port. Try changing that setting (by going to TOOLS -> CONFIGURE GPS) until it locates it.
Good luck!
-
quote:
Originally posted by The Leprechauns:My beef is not with the fact that he discovered the map, but rather that he failed to report the problem with the cache being on private property.
I've been resisting the temptation of posting here again for fear of re-opening a can of worms, but I see that the can is already open...
First, let me apologize to Quest Master for my previous, rather childish post. I had a bad day in the first place, and I didn't appreciate the comments aimed at me, but I should have let it alone. I'm honestly not a bad guy, and I'm sincerely sorry that I lashed back.
It seems that I'm repeatedly coming under fire because "I didn't report the fact that the coordinates pointed to private property." But this isn't the truth at all. I did indeed report this to the police immediately, which I said in my first posts in this thread.
I provided the North Fayette Township police with a map, the URL, my contact information, and I INSISTED to them that this would be a continuing problem. They told me they'd take care of it.
Now if I had this whole experience to live over again, yes, I would have indeed contacted Magellan to notify them of the error as soon as I was aware of it.
I don't know what the case was for Magellan, but have you ever tried to get through to the right person at a major company? I absolutely hate wading through voice mail systems, pushing '1' for this and '2' for that in a vain attempt to contact a human being. I admit that I didn't want to even attempt to try contacting them directly for that reason, AND because the police had told me they'd take care of it.
If I hadn't thought that the situation was going to be resolved before the coordinates were released, I wouldn't have been sitting in the middle of Settler's Cabin Park with everyone else that Saturday morning...
-
quote:
I'm not going to let this stand.Good Lord... BOO HOO. I hope you feel much more holy and righteous after all that. So sorry to hear you're out of the race.
-
quote:
I am glad to see that you're getting into the "regular" geocaching game, and I hope you'll agree that it's ENTIRELY different from the Magellan Treasure Hunt mentality!I can definitely agree that the mentality for regular Geocaching is much different, and a lot of people were firmly shaking their fingers at me with the expectation that the mentality should be the same.
For Geocaching, the "thrill of the hunt" is truly the name of the game. For a regular cache, I enjoy the experience by setting aside a couple hours, and I'll enjoy a hike through the woods with my 5-year-old, and we'll take time to enjoy nature along the way. And I certainly wouldn't go stomping around in someone's yard.
But the Magellan game is a LOT different. The stakes are high for the FTF. Sorry, but I don't really care if I win a hat -- I want one of the big prizes! This is not something I'd attempt for the thrill of the hunt -- I'm in it for the big prizes, and I'm not afraid to admit that.
And I'm not ashamed to be resourceful in attempting to win, either. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Pittsburgh caches wind up -- I'm sure that with your help they'll finally be able to post them accurately!
I'm sure if I were choosing between one or the other, that City Select would certainly be the best choice.
Paperless Caching How?
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
With the PDA or laptop, you can upload the entire description, hints, recent logs, etc., etc., where you can only upload the waypoint and perhaps a little extra info into the GPS.
I just started paperless caching myself, with a cheap old Palm I bought on eBay in conjunction with GSAK and Cachemate. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to upload a couple thousand caches into the Palm and have all of the information handy all the time! It's great to be able to have the full descriptions with me all the time... If I see a cache coming up that I had pre-loaded into the GPS, I can look up all of its details, with suggested parking and whatever other helpful information might be in the description. I won't be going back to printing all this stuff out any time soon!