thebadboy Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 just ordered the 60 csx, My question what else am I going to need to start geocashing?? I'm brand new and dont know nothing yet about gps units Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Time, gas for car, a forgiving spouse, trips to a dollar store for trade items......etc.. Basically all you REALLY "need" is the coordinates from a cache listing and you are good to go. Lots easier to download them directly into the GPS to avoid keying errors. Use EasyGPS (free) for that to get started. Quote Link to comment
thebadboy Posted March 13, 2007 Author Share Posted March 13, 2007 Time, gas for car, a forgiving spouse, trips to a dollar store for trade items......etc.. Basically all you REALLY "need" is the coordinates from a cache listing and you are good to go. Lots easier to download them directly into the GPS to avoid keying errors. Use EasyGPS (free) for that to get started. Thanks I cant wait to get lost Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Thanks I cant wait to get lost Mark your home and your car before they get out of sight and you won't ever get lost! Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 StarBrand is right . . . but . . . If you don't have rechargeable batteries yet, I highly recommend the 15-minute Energizer rechargeables. You get four of them with the 15-minute recharger for about $25.00 at Target. (One that includes the cigarette-lighter adapter as well is about $40.00.) I have 12 of those batteries and use them for everything. Also, if you want to use the auto-routing feature of that great GPS unit, so you don't get lost, you will want to purchase the City Navigator maps, although they are not necessary to get started caching. They just make it a lot easier to get to the trailheads and parks in unfamiliar areas. I bought those maps in a combination package with a bean-bag automount and cigarette lighter adapter for a much better price than if I bought everything separately. And, not to overwhelm you with too much information now, but becoming a member of the site for $30.00 is really great because then you can get Pocket Queries, which include up to 500 caches in each file which you can load into your GPSr. That is much better than hand-entering the coordinates. There is very helpful software that facilitates that including EasyGPS, GSAK, and if you already have a Palm or Pocket PC, software like Cachemate that will allow you to "cache paperless." Hope all this helps . . . Welcome to the addiction. Quote Link to comment
+jcblough Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I'd suggest spending some time in a local park you are familiar with to learn your gps. That is a feature rich gps you have. It'd be best to learn how to use it in a friendly area before getting off the beaten path. Quote Link to comment
+wesleykey Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Until you decide if you really like this hobby, I would not invest a great deal of money on it. My first 500 finds were entered into the GPS by hand and I had relatively few items I carried with me. Paperless caching came later. You need pens, a notepad, trade items. I also recommend a small mirror and a flashlight. Add on food and water deoending on the length of your trip. Quote Link to comment
thebadboy Posted March 15, 2007 Author Share Posted March 15, 2007 Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try it out at the state park. I'm not going to just go out and freak out with it. I like fishing and metal detecting and the outdoors. I will put this unit to good use. I like the small flashlite and mirror idea plus a small pack with goodies and yes extra batteries. You dont want to see me on the news, Thanks again and I'm sure you will be hearing from when I get it . I should have it by Monday Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try it out at the state park. I'm not going to just go out and freak out with it. ...That's what we all said. Quote Link to comment
+jcblough Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 (edited) Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try it out at the state park. I'm not going to just go out and freak out with it. ...That's what we all said. Isn't that the truth. I started out with a magellan explorist 200 now I have an extrex vista cx. Down the line, paperless with the pda and a good daypack with the stuff you use most is worth having. I'm sure the 60 csx has the same "find geocache" interface the vista has and I have liked it for keeping track of stuff. Just don't get in over your head. I haven't read it happening here but I'm sure somebody has made their first cache a bushwhacking into unknown territory and spent ALOT of time getting back home. Getting GSAK on your pc is a nice and inexpensive edition to your aresnal that will make loading and managing the caches on your gps easy. The marking your car is VERY important, I goofed on that just last night. Quick cache, I bushwhacked to it (didn't follow a trail) and stayed looking for the cache until well after dark. I hadn't marked the car. Luckily I looked at the trail data on the map and was able to make a good guesstimate as to where I had parked based on the path and got back. Edited March 15, 2007 by jcblough Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.