The Hungry Caterpillars

Interesting and out in Nov at a cost of £129 for National Parks at 1:25000- but not sure if that is for just one National Park or the lot? I am getting a bit leary of all the different but very costly platforms and gps devices each one of which is incompatiblel with anything else. The cost is really now getting over the top. For instance why is there not a decent gps that integrates fully with MM? At every turn there seems to be need to duplicate maps you already have under an OS licence? i believe that OS themselves are partly responsible for this. I notice that they are fighting very quietly but very hard to make sure the price of their digital data is kept as costly as possible- and to make the licencing as restrictive as possible Added to that there seems an incapability of gps manufacturers to provide at a small cost a gps that does what it says on the box. I have just bought a small laptop for well under £300 that is alot more complex than any normal GPS and does what it says on the box. I can only come to the conclusion that as Garmin have little competition they are taking the mickey. I also think that applies to OS as well at least for mapping data for this country . And from what I understand OS was until fairly recently in public hands so in effect we are paying twice firstly as the public for the majority of the data to be collected and secondly now privately. I also believe that OS managed to secure a fifty year!! right to the data. Not much chance for any competition there then?

Agree with boda about seeing for yourself. Unfortunately sun makes only rare appearances where I am which does not help.

Have personally used the Colorado along with a 60csx and have played for some little time with an Oregon. The 60csx has the brightest screen by some way , then the Colorado and finally the Oregon in most light conditions. I feel the difference between the 60csx and the Colorado to be a lot more than the difference between the Colorado and the Oregon in general readability in most light conditions.

Thats a lot better shot blown up. My partner thinks that its about time we had another one!

As two cat lovers we note your cat does not look too happy. Or perhaps its just a bad image?

Especially in walls?

I do feel Garmin are living dangerously at least in the outdoor market. One good well supported product from another company could well take over the role Garmin claims for itself. There are a lot of very disgruntled customers out there just waiting to jump ship and after the Colorado who can blame them?

Good grief, Please meet some other geocachers in the flesh and take a long look at what there is on the market. Also check on the main site before buying. The Colorado in particular needs careful investigation before splashing the cash. Consider carefully what you require and what suits your needs before buying.

"I joined because I stumbled upon a geocache hidden in a wall" Hmmm.

I would like to make it quite plain I have NOT suggested that anybody do anything illegal. I also have NOT sent any pms to anybody about this. I would imagine the cost of providing the whole country at 1:25,000 LEGALLY without photos would be circa £5,000+? Well beyond my pocket.

I am a little suprised? Some time ago I think I typed in memory map 2004? and got a few hits?

If that is true and Garmin as you say are aware of it that does explain a lot about their attitude towards the outdoor market. In effect no competiton that leads to complacency and products that are released on an unsuspecting public whilst still in beta testing or worse. They need some proper competition obviously which should sharpen them up a little if not a lot. You do get the feeling that one part of Garmin may well be letting the side down. Time to get it sorted.

Actually there is some still out there!

Interesting but perhaps you could tell us how? I actually have mm 2004 with aerial photos and some down to 1:25,000 but by no means all and 1:10,000 well no way. I am now incredibly jealous-but very interested!

I seem to think there is some misunderstanding here. I believe all the British Isles is covered by MM at 1:25000 by its use of its "selections" idea. The British Isles is also wholly covered at 1:25000 but as Explorer maps by Anquet. Even using the "selections" I would personally find it prohibitively expensive to buy the whole of GB at the 1:25000 scale from either. You are a lucky man melmur

Am not sure that is correct for Memory map? Perhaps Anquet?. I believe they do all the landrangers? However the cost is quite high I believe, about £30 for one of the 400 + maps ie £12000 for the whole country? Think that mm do a number of national parks and trails along with "selections" that allow you to pick your own area but is still pretty costly.

Just why any of the comments on here would put off anybody who plays the game as it is now and enjoys it as it is now is frankly beyond me. The plain fact is that some people remember the game as it was some few years back and can directly compare from experience. Very obviously the newer members cant so wheres the beef?

Instead of the theoretical take on this why not try your idea in practice as I have done? And then comment.

Tell that to somebody searching a clitter field.

Thanks for the reminders of a time when Geocaching was really in its infancy. Just what have we lost? Too much in my opinion. To Alex thanks for the bus stops, motorway "items" and signs that so tormenteded us. To the "Cat" thanks so belatedly for so much support and help and of course the tins of sardines that may still be lurking in at least one cache that I am aware of. And of course the Kit Kats so beloved by rampaging mammals (rats, badgers, foxes, hippos? and all the other vertebrates (or otherwise) capable of opening and reclosing tupperware boxes that seemingly frequent these shores. However on a more serious note I feel that we had the best of it. Would anybody who was involved at that time seriously disagree with that sentiment? I think not.

Interesting to see the replies on this thread. Even more interesting to note the "careful" postings that followed mine. I am amused by the attempts of people to avoid seeing the elephant in the room whilst spotting the fly on the lampshade.

We were not into this until 2003 but even then there was a feeling of geocaching being a little esoteric linked to the fact there were not too many geocaches and geocachers out there- in effect a small group with an unusual interest. That to me started disappearing perhaps over two years ago. Linked to that is the loss of decent and good moderators who understood the quirks that applied to this country in particular. I do not like the feeling of belonging to some form of homogenised and "hygenic" game played by "rules " that seem to change on a whim. I do expect to see at some time in the future to see spinoffs from geocaching in this country. After all the people with the knowhow are there and the technology has advanced immensely. Perhaps that would rekindle so called "oldtimers" interest again?

I have. However it means using a workround to persuade Memory map to be used with a Colorado.

I personally run Memory map on a mio P560. However battery life coupled with relative fragility are downsides I find. Satmap I have looked at already (and perhaps now unfortunately) owning a good few hundred pounds worth of Memory map does not make me wish to go for it. Other problems with it are that accuracy it seems to offer and also the battery life which is not (at the last time of checking) very good along with other problems. As for the comments about beta testing and software I am not aware of any other Garmin that has had the same number of problems as the Colorado.

Perhaps avisit to the fora on this particular subject is worth a visit before splashing the cash. The Garmin Colorado 300 in particular has problems and seems to be depending on customers to do its beta testing. The Oregon may possibly be better but that also has problems. I have had several Garmins and prefer the 6OCSX to the Colorado. The one thing the Colorado has going for it is the chance of paperless geocaching. In my mind the Colorado is a good idea badly implemented.