SpongeRob

I've tested the custom maps through created by GPS mapper and they seem to run fine as well. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Smoked by Markwell again! I've really got to try and spend 3-4 days looking for this stuff before I post. Seriously, thanks for the feedback. I decided to go the route of the pocket queries. I considered that ones that were potential stops had to be difficulty 2 or below. So I built a query for Regular caches or Virtual with a difficulty of 2 or below in both terrain and overall difficulty. I then take the queries and throw them into mapsource and follow my route down. Was able to select only the ones that were visually near the road. I'm going to then take all of them (regardless of location) and throw them on my PDA. Should be able to give me all the hints and such on my way down. Thanks for the feedback! -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

The keys search was easy I did that by lat/lon. The expressway searchs are much more difficult. I was afraid I was going to find out there was no good way to do it. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

I'm sure somone has tried this but I couldnt find anything specific to it. Hopefully I can get some useful input. I'm going to be traveling from Illinois down to Key West, FL over the following week. I would like to hit any/all caches that are right of the I-65, I-24 or I-75 going down to Florida. I've done some searches like "I-65" and found a few, however I know from my own experience in Illinois there are quite a few "Travler" caches always near the expressway. The problem is without going mile by mile and doing a lot of reasearch I don't see an easy way to find caches on my way down. Has anyone else been able to plan a trip and see caches all along the way? -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

quote: Im betting someone is gonna say the word "pocket queries". Hey SpongeRob !!!! ....... ----Copy and Paste to URL bar ---- http://www.geocities.com/johntrotto/images/spongebob.jpg Sorry, I couldn't resist. If I was anything other than a sponge that might have hurt too! -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Spring is upon us! -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

I bought a used legend unit which worked great for about a month and then had the same problem you speak of with the "Enter" function. My other Legend works fine and has for over 75 caches now. I think garmin has some manufaturing problems reading the threads through out the site. Garmin will refurbish your unit to new for $99. That's a deal if you ask me. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

If you are online already why not use the Geocaching.com maps that allow you to click and see which ones are in the area? -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Ron, I wanted to do the same thing. Bottom line you can't. You can search if you know the name of something but you can't search if you want to look for like "Resturants" in the area in Mapsource. I complained to Garmin about it, they basically brushed me off. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

I don't own it personally but my father does. When I visted him in the Florida Keys he uses Bluechart for fishing and navigation on his boat. There was a lot of information in it. Water depth, restricted areas, ports, locations of reefs, wrecks, mangroves, etc. Since I was more of a tourist and looking at it from the point of view of "wow that looks neat", I can't tell you about any high end usability of the product. I can tell you that it had a lot of information on the waterways near the keys. Hope that helps some. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

I personally like the program. It's price is considerably cheaper than ExpertGPS if you already have some mapping software such as Mapsource, etc... I think the best feature is that you can take your waypoints and then scout out your way around marshes and such with the photo maps. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

I guess in some rainy weather it can be also be used to ground the brain stem from a lightning strike. Just kidding -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

quote: The functionality is generally contained in the MapSource program. MapSource upgrades have always been FREE. You're right. That does make sense. Once again though I think my largest complaint with the product is the "Mapsource" program. The cartography itself seems to be fine for what I need it for it's the mapsource software itself that blows. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Enough complaining about the lousy $30 rebate. Has the software itself improved any? I'm interested in better functionality and maps in the software than the lousy $70 it's going to cost to buy it (with the coupon). -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

A few other things it will clear out that you can't back up... o Any user settings you have made (map/screen layout, etc) o Unit Identification (if you have set it up with your name, address, etc) o Calendar Notes o Alamanac Data When you do this upgrade you basically have a new off the shelf unit with most regards. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

When they go to .NET does that mean all Caches must maintain the microsoft "one degree of seperation"? Ok, so I'm a computer geek. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Does anyone know of any Team/Point software available? What I'm looking for is something similar to what they use in Golf for keeping track of league points and at the end the team wins/loses. I was thinking of making it web based so it's easy to use. Comments? -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Does anyone know of any Team/Point software available? What I'm looking for is something similar to what they use in Golf for keeping track of league points and at the end the team wins/loses. I was thinking of making it web based so it's easy to use. Comments? -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

quote: The statement I made in the earliest thread still holds true: "Would I drive an hour to find a cache like this? And if I did, would I be pleasantly surprised?" That's a great statement. I agree completely however I also like caches that show you new areas of interest. Not every cache is going to be worth driving an hour to go visit (I can't think of any micro I'd drive an hour to go visit). The best part of caching I have found (and I've only been doing this about 3 months) is that there is such a diversity in the cahces you can always find one youre interested in. My suggestion is to put your heart and effort into a cache and it is most surely going to be a good one... -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Improve Them! I keep a bag full of assorted goodies in my backpack. Take it to all the caches. Mostly nickle/dime store stuff that my kids pick out. Party stores have great little games and such that Kids LOVE. I let the kids pick and trade up for the little things they take. When I come to a cache that is in need of some help I always toss in a few extra goodies. I have keychains and all sorts of things to help improve rather than degrade the cache I visit. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Tsunami has her own cache (she was just dieing to place one with dog toys in it). Tsunami's Doggie Cache for Dog lovers! (Illinois) Tsu at the cache! -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

I think this qualifies for "No Motor Vehicles" posted at just about all preserves, parks, etc. Electric is still a motor. Before you head off in a "it's not a gasoline motor" frenzy, remember there are electric cars now too. Save it for the sidewalk. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

I usually will mark a cache so long as my accuracy is below 22 feet. That seems to be about the best I can obtain in normal tree cover. I have been able to get as low as 8 using my Legend with WAAS enabled, a clear sky and nothing really obstructing my view of it. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

quote: I seem to be having a problem here. I downloaded the program with no problem. I downloaded to EasyGPS OK and then I open the GPI and then file -> convert -> pick the correct file (waypoints xxxxxxxxxx) but when I go to import them in Mapsource I get the box that asks me about the waypoints and I pick the one that has the more than 16 waypionts and then nothing shows up on the map. I am using XP. Any thoughts. You should select the "More than 16 waypoints". You should get something or an error. Make sure youre using the latest version of mapsource (downloadable from Garmin) which I believe at the moment is 4.13. If you send me the .GPX or .LOC file you were using I can take a look at it. Thanks -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers

Depending on how much time you have. No visit to the area could not be complete without a visit to Beverly (GC28) Illinois first Geocache. About 6 or so caches now available in this area. Not a huge concentration but with some historic value. -- SpongeRob rwmech@keenpeople.com www.keenpeople.com WPWU826 Cache'n Retrievers