Rocketsteve
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Posts posted by Rocketsteve
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Upgrade to the Legend HCx for upgradable memory and autorouting.
As a current owner of a Venture HC and a Vista HCx, I can tell you that detailed topographic maps will more than eat up all of the memory on the Venture HC. The better purchase would be the Legend HCx which has the ability to use up to a 4GB microSD card for maps, rather than the fixed internal 24MB offered with the Venture HC. I use a 2GB microSD card in my Vista HCx, and I've loaded topos for the entire state of Florida, 1/3 of Louisiana, all of Las Vegas, and all of the Grand Canyon. Even with all of that, I still haven't used a full 1GB of the memory card. I have plenty of room left for many more maps!
Don't misunderstand me; I love my Venture HC, and I've used it successfully for many years, but I REALLY love the upgradable memory of my Vista HCx.
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Thanks all for the answers, so quickly! Now what do I do with the old listing, as the description, waypoint coodinates etc have changed. Do I just edit it and then activate it for the reviewer?
Yes, but don't feel like you need to rush to get the edits to the reviewer. If you aren't able to get out to reset your cache right away, send your reviewer an email letting him/her know that you're on the job, but you'll need a little more time. When I placed a 3-staged multi, it took me almost two months to get the thing posted, because I had to find all SEVEN (7) stages of another multi in the same area. I kept my reviewer in the loop and she made sure she didn't approve any more caches in the area until mine was finally posted. Keep in touch with your reviewer and they'll be happy to work with you.
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Hi all
I've been out of the geocaching loop for a while because my GPS stopped working and I haven't got around to buying a new one. I'm now looking to get back into it, and wondering what I should do.
I used to have a Garmin eTrex Legend and used a PDA along with it for paperless caching. I used GSAK to download .gpx queries to both devices and Cachemate on the PDA. Now I don't have either device. What I do have is a Samsung Behold 2 phone running Android on the T-Mobile network.
I've been reading up a little bit about caching with a phone and just downloaded Geobeagle. However, when I go geocaching it's usually out in the wilderness away from things like roads and cell phone reception. So my question really is: is the phone going to cut it out of town, or do I really need to get myself a dedicated GPS for the purpose?
My next question is (assuming I need a new GPS): given a budget of around $300 at REI (got some gift cards to use), which GPS would you choose? I don't have any particular need for turn by turn navigation (car has this built in); topo maps would be handy as it's mountain/desert country where I live; and I would like to also be able to use the GPS for caching in Europe.
Any help would really be appreciated
I'd like to suggest that you take a look at the Garmin Vista HCx ($299 suggested retail). I will run up to 25 hours on a fresh set of batteries (although, NiMH batteries will only run the unit for about 20 hours) and it has an expandable memory capability that will allow you to use up to a 4GB microSD card for maps. As far as maps go, you can go to the following website and download as much as you want for FREE:
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/
Specific maps for your area are as follows:
Nevada:
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/86/
Arizona:
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/1/
California:
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/28/
These topo maps can be quite detailed and will eat up a lot of memory, so I would recommend getting at least a 2GB microSD card. I love my Vista HCx and I wouldn't go caching without it.
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I don't really use the compass on my Vista HCx when I'm caching. It does come in very handy during the pre-dawn hours during hunting season. In a couple of places where I hunt, the overhead tree cover is so thick that satellite signal reception is heavily impacted. I usually move into these areas 2 - 3 hours before sunrise to give myself plenty of time to get to my hunting spot and quietly set up. When it's a moonless night, combined with the heavy tree cover, it gets to be pitch black out there, and with only a red-light for illumination, it's quite hard to navigate without a compass. I usually move from the map screen to the compass screen repeatedly to make sure I'm on course, and since I don't have to hold my GPSr, my flashlight, and a REAL COMPASS too, there's no need to fumble around any more.
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Ive been thinking on getting a Vistacsx,just for hiking as my 76csx is just a little bulky.Good to know the odometer is working better.
I think the Vista HCx is a good option for hiking. It took several updates, but I think Garmin has finaly worked out the worst of the kinks. Two things to remember - a gps is no substitute for a map and compass if you are thinking about serious hiking. And, the gps is vulnerable to do strange things when you do not have an unobstructed view of the sky. These caveats apply to all units, not just the Vista HCx (but, if you are hiking with a 76 csx, I suspect you already knew this
)I agree with the value of a real map and a real compass, but my Vista HCx has been an excellent performer and I haven't had the first bit of trouble with it. It's a great GPSr in a nice, compact package.
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PM sent to "hamfolk".
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I received a Garmin vista hcx for Christmas and cannot download geocaches from your website. A window pops up and says I need to download Garmin Communicator plugin. I did this along with Activex control as they required it. Their test page showed that I downloaded successfully. So, I came back to geocaching. com and proceeded to download a geocache and the same little window popped up. Yesterday, geocaching.com was down for maintenance and when the website came back up, I went to download a geocache and a 500 internal server error popped up. Garmin is telling me that it is not them, not my PC, but it came from your end. What needs to be done?
The Geocaching.com website is having trouble just loading the webpages correctly, so that might be part of the problem. Another might be your browser. You need to be running IE6 or later, or you could also use Mozilla Firefox. I also have a Vist HCx and when I went on the site to download a cache to my GPSr, it downloaded with no problem, even though the webpages loaded extremely slow. Hopefully, the techies will finish doing whatever they're doing to the website, and things will get back to normal.
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who does one have to poke or contact or what have you to get my hide in play? i submitted it several days ago, there was one item in the cache i found was not allowed but i removed it and updated to comment to the reviewer but nothing yet. any thoughts?
Did you check the cache is active box? Did the reviewer ask to be notified via email when the problem is corrected? Did you post a note on the cache page that the problem was addressed?
i did make sure that box was checked, must just be that they are behind or something.
Patience, Grasshopper. All things will happen in their own time.
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Hold on... I'm missing something. Because newer cachers are not closing the containers, you need to replace the containers? On a montly basis?[Try $6 per container...it is also a matter of needing "quality" containers because I'm having to maintain them every month, because newer cachers are not closing the containers. Maintenance was running $25 or more per month. I just wanted to reduce that cost.Look, I'm not exactly new at this either, with 5 years and over 100 hides under my belt. We have newer cachers around here, as well. I'm not spending any $25/month, or probably even per year on cache maintenance.
The only way I can see a need to replace a cache container on a monthly basis would be if the container was a cardbord box that was getting wet regularly, and even if that were true, where would "n3prz" go to spend $25 a month on cardboard boxes.
Something smells fishy.
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Personally, I wish they would leave things alone.
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From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
solicit: >to try to obtain by usually urgent requests or pleas <solicited donations>
>to make petition to : entreat b : to approach with a request or plea <solicited Congress for
funding>
If you would like to read for yourself, here is the link:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soliciting
You are in violation of the "Terms of Use" portion of the Geocache.com Agreement, and in accordance with that agreement, you MUST remove the solicitations from your cache pages and from their accompanying caches, or you MUST archive your caches and pull the cache containers.
This situation has nothing to do with other geocachers. YOU made an agreement with Geocache.com, and just because your personal situation has changed in a negative way, doesn't give you the right to pick and choose which parts of the agreement you will follow and which ones you will not.
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RECHARGEABLES! You'll save hundreds of dollars over the life of these batteries vs. buying alkalines to power your 60csx.
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Welcome and Congratulations on Your First Find!
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I recently found a cache that had a 7 to 8 inch length of small guage wire attached to a bison (small capsule-shaped metal tube).
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Welcome to the Addiction! Just remember, "Cache Early and Cache Often".
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Edited to add: all of the people I know with large find counts really have found a lot of caches.
I know of several people with high find counts who have logged many "finds" on caches they didn't find. They claim they found the right spot but the cache was missing. Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't. Either way it's a bogus find.
Personally, I've signed every log on each of my cache finds, with the exception of the virtuals. Since there isn't any CEA (Cache Enforcement Agency), the "honor system" will have to be the prevailing law when it comes to logging cache finds. I can't see why someone would want to log bogus finds, not to mention the fact that there are NO monetary and/or promotional incentives to lie about the number of caches an individual has found. If someone chooses to engage in such an act, the only one being hurt is the person who logged the bogus find. My life, and my enjoyment of caching, will NOT be affected in any way by someone logging bogus finds.
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I mostly stay away from urban caches, so to cache in the woods, here's the gear:
Garmin GPSr
cell phone
camera
Camelbak Back Pack (filled with water)
camo bandana (keeps the sun off my neck)
sun block
insect repellant
first aid kit
leather gloves
flashlight
Leatherman multi-tool
compass and map of the area I'm caching in
extra writing pens and paper (to add to logs that are completely full)
"exchange trinkets"
SNACKS (caching is hard work and I get hungry)
wooden walking stick
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When I take my bike to go caching and stop along the trail, I get quite a few people asking if I need help.
Yeah, generally speaking, people don't approach me when I'm caching, but the site of my bike laying on the ground just off the trail, and me rooting around in the bushes like an armadillo, tends to draw stares, and occassionally someone will come up and ask me what I'm doing. Once I tell them what I'm doing, most give a polite "half smile" and then they go back to whatever they were doing before.
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my wife will fish my wife will camp my wife WILL NOT CACHE!! She thinks it is stupid.....i didn't marry her for her intelligence
If you "didn't marry her for her intelligence", then was is because she owns a Tracker bass boat and a Coleman family-sized dome tent?
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Today, here in central Florida, my caching day started out at a brisk 38* F, with wind gusts around 5 to 7 knots. In the late summer, I've been caching when it was 97* F and the humidity was 100%!! So, who's ready to come to Florida for some hot & steamy summer-time geocaching? AAAAAAAHHHHHHH.
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While I was out caching today, it was cold, windy, and overcast. Now, I'm not sure if one thing had anything to do with the other, but the signals coming into my GPSr had my map pointer jumping all over the screen by 20 to 30 feet. If I had been placing a cache today, there's a VERY strong possibility that the coordinates would have been WAY off. Knowing of the problem and from my experience, I would come back another day to place the cache, but newer geocachers, suffering from a lack of experience, might go ahead and place the cache, reguardless of what their GPSr was doing. Rather than get upset, I try to find the cache, and if I do, I'll get a more precise set of coordinates for the CO and send it to them in an email.
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I am still fairly new to GeoCaching and have hidden a few over the days and now I would like to create a Multi-Cache. I have three caches that are ready for deployment and would like to know how to properly set this up.
Thanks in advance!
-Creativeone
My advice is to wait a little bit an see how others placed their multi-caches. Usually the idea is to show different locations, especially where there is something interesting to see but no place for a container. (Question to answer). Please make the multi fun and interesting and not a punishment geocache, like counting endless numbers. A no-go as well is not to mention what equipment or knowledge is necessary.
GermanSailor
I agree. With only seven caches under your belt, you most likely haven't seen enough caches to let you know what makes a good cache location and what doesn't. Like GermanSailor said, you want your multi-cache to at least be interesting, if not fun, so you need to look for those types of places for each stage of your cache. In addition to that, there are minimum distance requirements that each stage of your cache MUST meet: NO stage of your multi-cache can be closer than 0.1 mile (or 528 feet) from another person's geocache or from one of YOUR previously placed geocaches, but your stages can be as close together as you want them to be. So there could be times when you want to place a multi-cache in a specific area, but the high density of caches in that area will prohibit that placement.
If you find an area where you would like to place a multi, you can check the distances to single-stage caches with no problem, even if you haven't found them yet. If there are other multis in the area, you will have to find those multis, and all their stages, to be sure none of your multi's stages are too close (minimum 0.1 mile or 528 feet). I placed a three-stage multi in early 2009, and the reason I didn't place it in late 2008 was because I had to find all "SEVEN" stages of a multi that had already been placed in the area. After completing that multi, I was able to shift the locations of my first two stages, and my multi was listed on the website.
Don't give up the idea of doing a multi, because they are fun, be they can also be a challenge to get started. Give yourself a little more time and some more cache-finds, and try a couple of multis to see how others have done theirs. When the time is right, you'll know it.
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I'm waiting for Garmin to publish their Northeast topo in DVD, for the trail info, seems they have great trail detail.
I wouldn't be so sure that Garmin's Northeast Topo is more detailed or more accurate than the FREE maps you can get on gpsfiledepot.com. Topo 2008 came bundled with my Venture HC and as I used it, I noticed that the trails, roads, and land features never quite lined up with the location I was standing at. I went to gpsfiledepot.com and found "Florida Topo Map", installed it, and when I opened Mapsource, I was blown away with the amount of detail as you zoomed in. This link, http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/123/ , will take you to the Florida Topo info page, and about half-way down the page, you will see screen shot comparisons of Florida Topo, Garmin Topo East, and Garmin Topo 2008. From my personal experience, the comparisons are correct. Florida Topo is much more detailed, and land features, road, and trail placement are more accurate than either Garmin product.
With detail also comes the consumption of memory, and with Topo 2008, I loaded topos for half of Florida, half of Louisiana, all of Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and a small parcel in upstate New York. In order to load just "4" blocks of Florida Topo maps for the Tallahassee, Florida area, I had to dump all the Topo 2008 maps from my GPSr. The detail is very good, trails and land features are where they're supposed to be, but a lot of memory is used.
I would suggest that you delay your purchase of Garmin's Northeast Topo until others have had a chance to use and review it. Until then, I recommend that you go to gpsfiledepot.com and find the map for your state and try it out for yourself. If you don't like it, you've lost nothing and you just uninstall it from your computer. Good Luck!
P.S.
When I looked-up your profile, I noticed you're caching in New Jersey, so here's the link for that info and download page: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/114/
The Great Garmin Rip-Off
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
I'm in complete agreement. In an earlier post, the OP stated that he didn't read parts of the agreement from Garmin, so Garmin is NOT at fault. If the OP had read the entire agreement prior to downloading the update, he could have decided whether or not Gamin's "1 Free Update" policy was palatable, and if it wasn't, he could have returned the Nuvi and gotten something else. The OP's failure to fully read the agreement from Garmin doesn't entitle him to any special consideration when the newer sofware version is posted on Garmin's website 2 days after he updates his Nuvi with the older software version. Garmin is following the terms of their agreement, and for that, I can find no fault.