The new guy

[GritsAndMolasses]

Hello all!

 

My name is Lex and I kind of just found out about Geocaching. It seems like this has been around for some time and I'd love to get into it. I currently have a Garmin nuvi GPS that I use in the car and for work (simply to find addresses) and I'm not sure if that will suffice. I'm still learning the lingo and reading about how this works, but I am definitely an outdoors-oriented person who loves camping, hiking, and just being outside (I'm an avid bicyclist and kayaker as well). I live in Miami Beach and I work in the Miami Shores/Sunny Isles/Aventura area, so I'm sure I'll be able to cut my teeth geocaching all around both of these areas. I'd love to hear back from some of you and if there are any events or meetings of any kind, I'd love to check them out. Thanks!

 

P.S. I also posted this on the www.soflocachers.com web forums but haven't heard back. Is that forum or group still active?

 

I found my first two caches yesterday and logged my visits in the caches' logbooks and here on this site! Lots of fun and a little bit addicting...lol

[+StarBrand]

While you certainly can use the Nuvi for Geocaching - it just isn't the most suitable device for the task. The Nuvi is designed to give you directions on a road. It is not designed to be held in your hands or to be rugged enough to take a few drops or water. It has a short battery life and an interface that works best in your car.

Again it will work but think of it like using a butter knife to put in a screw - it works but just isn't the best tool for the job.

[+alexan44]

Hello all!

 

My name is Lex and I kind of just found out about Geocaching. It seems like this has been around for some time and I'd love to get into it. I currently have a Garmin nuvi GPS that I use in the car and for work (simply to find addresses) and I'm not sure if that will suffice. I'm still learning the lingo and reading about how this works, but I am definitely an outdoors-oriented person who loves camping, hiking, and just being outside (I'm an avid bicyclist and kayaker as well). I live in Miami Beach and I work in the Miami Shores/Sunny Isles/Aventura area, so I'm sure I'll be able to cut my teeth geocaching all around both of these areas. I'd love to hear back from some of you and if there are any events or meetings of any kind, I'd love to check them out. Thanks!

 

P.S. I also posted this on the www.soflocachers.com web forums but haven't heard back. Is that forum or group still active?

 

I found my first two caches yesterday and logged my visits in the caches' logbooks and here on this site! Lots of fun and a little bit addicting...lol

 

 

Hey Lex! I'm new to this game too and started out with a Garmin Nuvi 855. I worried that my expensive GPS would get wet, or worse, totally trashed while in the woods and I invested in the Garmin E-trex Venture HC ($119 through Bass Pro Shops). I couldn't have made a better investment.

 

Yes, it has become an addiction. I can hardly wait to find my next cache, and the E-trex is the best thing since sliced bread that I could possibly hope for.

 

Use your Nuvi to get you close to GZ and then pull out your handheld (whatever you may choose) to zoom in on the cache.

 

Happy Hunting!

Liz

[+bartrod]

I'd love to hear back from some of you and if there are any events or meetings of any kind, I'd love to check them out. Thanks!

 

Check the Groundspeak forums under the category Geocaching groups by Region/State and click on your State...you may find some events this way. Good luck[]

[+Headhardhat]

Well first off, Welcome to the Obsession.

 

You are going to have a blast with geocaching it's loads of fun.

 

As far as using the Nuvi. My first 100 geocaches or so were found with the same thing. It is a bit cumbersome to use and the Nuvi is not made for outdoor use at all. So things like water and being dropped is going to kill it quick. I highly recommend since you are into so many outdoor activities to get a hand held GPS unit. They are made for the outdoors and will last a whole lot longer. Not to mention the accuracy is greatly improved.

 

Have fun growing with geocaching it is very addictive.

 

-HHH

[knowschad]

A Nuvi is a fantastic geocaching tool, but as others have pointed out... not for actually finding the cache. I load my pocket query into my Nuvi as POIs (Points of Interest ) using PilotSnipe's great macro for GSAK. That both gives me coordinates that get me near the cache (generally), and once I'm there, it gives me much more information about the cache than my handheld (Garmin GPSMap 60CSX) can provide.

[+Sky King 36]

A Nuvi is a fantastic geocaching tool, but as others have pointed out... not for actually finding the cache. I load my pocket query into my Nuvi as POIs (Points of Interest ) using PilotSnipe's great macro for GSAK. That both gives me coordinates that get me near the cache (generally), and once I'm there, it gives me much more information about the cache than my handheld (Garmin GPSMap 60CSX) can provide.

 

I second this--I have pocket queries set up so that I have over 10,000 caches in the area I travel loaded in both my GPSr's. In my Nuvi I use pilotsnipe's amazing macro so that I have the description, logs, hints, etc, for every cache.

 

Then on my 60CSx I have the exact same database of caches but just summary info. In the notes on my 60 it will say "TR1.5-2/FFFN/06-12-2009/*" which means Traditional, Regular, D:1.5 T:2.0, last 3 of 4 logs are finds, last found 6-12-09, and the * = a bug is listed as being on board.

 

But the "big" data about the cache is in my Nuvi thanks to pilotsnipe. This makes the Nuvi an important part of my caching arsenal and I use it constantly while caching. I bring it with me in baggie + padded case if I am going to be away from my car for the day, but just leave it in the car otherwise. But then, I am spoiled because i also have Trimble Navigator on my blackberry too!