nobby.nobbs Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 i will stress that this is not something i'll do as dn't have the technical knowledge. had an idea. bluetooth pda with solar panel so can be left on constantly. hidden way up in a tree or similar. then to log the cache you have to connect with the pda via bluetooth to upload a log entry. possible, practical, or obvious reason that it wouldn't work? Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 It's a code word cache. However I like it. It's practical and feasible. I've got a few small solar panels laying about from calculators and the like that bit the dust. No bluetooth though. Quote Link to comment
+Geo-Kate Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 i will stress that this is not something i'll do as dn't have the technical knowledge. had an idea. bluetooth pda with solar panel so can be left on constantly. hidden way up in a tree or similar. then to log the cache you have to connect with the pda via bluetooth to upload a log entry. possible, practical, or obvious reason that it wouldn't work? Sounds good, but I'm not sure how feasible it really is. Most PDAs will shut off automatically after jsut a few minutes of inactivity. I dont know if you will be able to overide the auto power off. Also, it will have to withstand not only wind and rain, but the extremes of temperatures. I don't know how or if PDAs work in sub-zero conditions. And then there's ensuring the charge it recieves during the day will be be sufficient to keep the machine on throughout the night. Especially on a cloudy short day in winter when it returns. Remeber, Bluetooth really saps power of any device. If these problems can be addressed or ruled out, it sounds like a great idea. I hope it gets off the ground, so to speak. Quote Link to comment
+Learned Gerbil Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Most can be set to stay on when on external power (otherwise your sat nav would switch of all the time) but as you say the weather problems are immense - however - if the log is to be by Bluetooth there is no needfor the cache to be out in the open. As long as whatever it is in is transparent to Bluetooth signals the PDA can be in a building or sealed or weatherproof box with the solar panels on the outside. I suppose the best setup would be for a large bank of panels to charge batteries and have the batteies run the PDA so that it could continue to operate around the clock. Quote Link to comment
+The HERB5 Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 You could setup your own hotspot (free WiFi) on a wireless router at home, to do a similar thing. Quote Link to comment
+Rebel Alliance Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Most PDA's begin to struggle around 0 degrees Centigrade and below. I have had ours running at around -5 but it was sluggish at best. Quote Link to comment
+Learned Gerbil Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 You could setup your own hotspot (free WiFi) on a wireless router at home, to do a similar thing. I believe that a WiFi connecton has been used to provide the final location of a cache as part of a multi (or was it the answer to a virtual?). I don't think it has been used to log a cache. Quote Link to comment
+rutson Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I've suggested it in the past and it was deemed not to be a 'physical cache'. Quote Link to comment
+The Wombles Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I've been working on this for a while, so far unsuccessfully. Bluetooth has several "profiles" so in order to allow the cacher to receive information, they have to be using the same profile. This was a problem for the Bluetooth USB device that I tried out. Bluetooth has two transmission modes, one for 10 metres and one for 100m. Obviously the transmitter needs to be powered so 100m is better to distance the receive radius from the power location. I bought a Bluetooth router on ebay but couldn't rig it to constantly transmit pairing information (it has a security function to only be visible for a short period). A mobile phone would appear to be the best option, but these all seem to be limited to 10m distance from the pwoer source and you have to keep it on a network to remain it transmit mode. In answer to the earlier point about WiFi, that was done here. Quote Link to comment
+kbootb Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Night time might be a problem for the solar panels and I doubt the standard PDA batteries would last over night. So it would mean a larger battery and large solar panels. Quote Link to comment
+SimonC_Here Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 You could setup your own hotspot (free WiFi) on a wireless router at home, to do a similar thing. I believe that a WiFi connecton has been used to provide the final location of a cache as part of a multi (or was it the answer to a virtual?). I don't think it has been used to log a cache. One of The Phillimore Clan's caches. Wi'ld Fi'nd is a mystery cache with the coords of a box floating through the air! What about an old mobile phone with bluetooth? batteries are longer lasting, solar charging would be easy and it would be a heck of a lot cheaper to replace if it did get wet/damaged. The name of the phone could be set to the final coords or an answer to something and away you go. Simon Quote Link to comment
+stora Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 You could setup your own hotspot (free WiFi) on a wireless router at home, to do a similar thing. I believe that a WiFi connecton has been used to provide the final location of a cache as part of a multi (or was it the answer to a virtual?). I don't think it has been used to log a cache. One of The Phillimore Clan's caches. Wi'ld Fi'nd is a mystery cache with the coords of a box floating through the air! What about an old mobile phone with bluetooth? batteries are longer lasting, solar charging would be easy and it would be a heck of a lot cheaper to replace if it did get wet/damaged. The name of the phone could be set to the final coords or an answer to something and away you go. Simon Have you been reading my mind Simon? those where the same thoughts I had driving into work today. Quote Link to comment
nobby.nobbs Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 some good ideas. like i said i'm not technically minded enough to make even a half decent attempt so if anyone wants to nick the idea feel free as long as i get royalties!!! Quote Link to comment
+Team JSAM Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 kewl idea I would hunt it for sure!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
+The HERB5 Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Night time might be a problem for the solar panels and I doubt the standard PDA batteries would last over night. So it would mean a larger battery and large solar panels. Wouldn't a Palm be better, the batteries last for weeks. Nebias (IpaQ owner) Quote Link to comment
+SimonC_Here Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 How about for the hint, you encode the telephones number. Need to know where it is, give it a call! Simon Quote Link to comment
nobby.nobbs Posted May 6, 2006 Author Share Posted May 6, 2006 how about a remote control to turn the unit on or off? then a small cache nearby which just has the remote in. they then need to switch on the pda etc to be able to log.... battery problem sidestepped? Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted May 7, 2006 Share Posted May 7, 2006 Overall I like the idea, although prefer the thought of the Bluetooth device giving you a stage of a multi via its ID. Having to upload via the bluetooth would mean the device would either have to be checked or have internet access to allow such an upload. Powering Bluetooth and internet access (GPRS or similar) would mean more battery was required and an active working mobile phone or PDA with an active internet connection is more likely to be stolen. Quote Link to comment
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