ThePuddles

Guys, thanks for all your help but it would appear that it's actually my fault anyway. The navigation compass is behaving perfectly normal. Normal, that is, if you've accidentally set your GPS compass to a 'Course Compass' and not a 'Bearing Compass'. I was emailed by a member of staff on the Garmin Support Staff who told me why my GPS was doing the strange things it was. The 'Course Compass' will always try to navigate me back to the correct course between two waypoints. So, as I set my 'GOTO' command on my waypoint the GPS would draw the line between the two, ie; my Course. Then, as I drove, or walked, and strayed off this course my GPS would try to navigate me back to the course, hence pointing in a different direction to my actual waypoint. I'm sorry if I've wasted anyones time in posing this question, and too be honest, I feel a little silly now. Had I thoroughly read the manual before turning the GPS on I would've probably found the bit about the two different compasses. Once again, Sorry! ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Its had plenty of time to download the almanac! I did a two hour drive with it plugged into the car last weekend. And then, most of the way it didn't seem to be pointing in the correct direction. I certainly haven't got a heated front windscreen, and definately not got the anti-glare thing. As for the batteries, they are on 75%. I think it might be the venture itself going a little bit potty, I'm going to see if I can do a complete wipe and start again. I had an incident this morning where my waypoint which was about 3 miles to the north, was, according to the compass, in the middle of Poole Harbour. Nice! I'm sure my mother-in-law will be please to know she's moved !!!! ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Nope, the GPS Setting is set to Normal. Not 'Battery Saver'. ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Hello all, I don't know if anyone has experienced the same problem as me, so I'm sort of fielding the knowledge arena if you like I've noticed a few times, whilst walking and driving that my navigation compass (when navigating to a waypoint) tends to point in completely the wrong direction. Example, I'm walking towards a waypoint. My distance from it is going down, say 400 feet, 350 feet, 300 feet, etc. My direction says 'E'ast, the top of my compass is 'E'ast, yet the direction alarrow is still pointing to 'W'est. The GPS is a brand new eTrex Venture. Its been doing it quite a lot, getting more frequent as time goes on. I thought of the batteries, but I have only had the unit a week, and the batteries are only about half gone. Any ideas? ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Count me in please, can I add in my wife and daughter as well... Fil1976, LadyVictoria & Little-Miss-Spohie ! We did our first cache this weekend just gone. A multi-cache at that. Thoroughly enjoyed it!!! A poster to the forum, though not quite as regular as others!!!! ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

As seems to be the case, I shall also respond to this very old topic, and for a very good reason. I've just taken delivery of my nice new eTrex Venture!! Only £158 (inc vat & p+p) from tracklogs.co.uk. I'm currently reading through the manual as there isn't a lot I can do with it at the moment (its far too windy to stay outside for anything more than 2 minutes!) My car charger should arrive tomorrow and I hope that I'll be able to do more with it then. (Drive to work etc.) I've already connected it to the PC using the supplied cable and added waypoints. I shall add some nearby caches in a minute I think, but I thought that I could read the forum whilst listening to Saints vs Sunderland on the wireless. Ho hum. ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Or even Aunt Mables Jam Sponge Cake for that matter.... mmmm.. jam sponge cake... ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Maybe the bear had watched far too many A-Team episodes and was unfortunately locked away in a box that had lots of useful apparatus. In attempting to create a giant cutting machine with which to cut his way through tupperware, he unfortunately cut his head off. Thats my explanation anyway. ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Hey, its nice to know that in this wide world of the internet there are people even more local than you know. I live just west of Bere Regis and both my wife and I work in Poole (Myself by the Quay, overlooking the sunseeker yard, and my wife in Parkstone!) Wow! Maybe we could join you and vice versa on some cache hunts in the near future! ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

That does help a lot, thanks Mike. A walking treasure-hunt may far better than a driving one. And with the lovely countryside here in Briantspuddle I'm sure it'll work well. Thanks again. ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Ah well, at least its not just me, and I'm not going absolutely mad. ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Has anyone in the forum had a problem with topics and there 'read/unread' markings. I've noticed that when I come back to the forums the same old topics are marked as 'New posts since your last visit' and 9 times out of ten the topics are exactly as I left them. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem - but its getting to the stage where nearly every topic has 'New posts since your last visit' and I can't seem to clear them when I read the posts! Help? Anyone? ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'd probably agree now that first one back is probably a bad idea. I like the sound of point scoring with multiple caches but would probably take far too long to organise, and based on Chuffers experience I certainly don't want to experience caching burnout. Having never planned an event like this all your tips, ideas and thoughts from previous events are very gratefully received. Looks like I'm going to have think really hard about this.. (Which could be a problem...) ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

I'm ordering my GPS from www.tracklogs.co.uk I know its a mountain biking site but the Garmin etrex range is priced by far the cheapest I've seen any where else. ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Looks like I've joined this forum a little too late! Oops. Oh, well. Hope you all have a great time! And I look forward to meeting you all at the next geocachers meet-up. ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

I think you'd have to stipulate that keeping within speed limits is a must! But hold that thought of the sand and ammo boxes! Maybe instead of just giving away the co-ordinates to the finishing post we could maybe make it a little more difficult with Aneka Rice style treasure-hunt clues! That way the younger ones may find it harder, whereas the older, wiser geocachers could answer the questions in no time at all. Or maybe we just stick to the sand and ammo boxes !!! ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

I don't want to 'tread' on anyones toes (and I don't want to sound too much like an american TV advert) but I haven't had any problems at all with viruses since I downloaded and installed AVG anti-virus from www.grisoft.com about two years ago. I introduced the very same program to my place of work and to be honest, we haven't had any viruses hit us there either. It does daily updates and daily scans of itself and your PC. Its also FREE! OF TREADING ON TOES> ------------- "I'm really looking forward to finding some geo-cash. Where can I spend it?" - My wife. Bless.

Being a newcomer to the geocacher scene please accept my apologies if this already happens! I've had an idea for a top days entertainment. Five or six completely new caches are hidden on a Saturday night and co-ordinates for these given out at a starting position on a Sunday morning. Each cache contains parts of a co-ordinate for the finishing post (Eg; a pub!). You have to visit each cache to obtain the full 'finishing post' co-ordinate. The winners being the first to the finishing post. Sort of like a treasure hunt but with a geocache twist. Do people already do this? I was thinking of organising one for when the weather gets a little better? PS: I live in Dorset. How many cachers are from this area? And would you attend?

Stul? Did you have a nice time in Dorset?? Being a resident its always interesting to hear of what others thought of our quiet little county! There are plenty of caches in the area, probably far too many for even a long month down here!!! I'm looking forward to losing my geocache cherry and actually finding some caches!

Hey! I'm answering your prayers! As a direct result of Inside Out there are now four new geocachers in this house alone! (Me, my wife, my 13month daughter and my brother in law! Also the family dog!) I'm buying an eTrex Venture (Should come in handy when I go kayaking as well!) next week and we'll be off shortly after to find our first cache. I've spent the past week or so reading up in forums and stuff, and have only just come across this forum off the back of geocaching.com! This forum looks a lot busier than others I've visited and I look forward to becoming part of the furniture!