Has this happend to you?(lost GPS)

[+mchaos]

Today I went caching on my bike, and while I finished sighing a log book and put the cache back, I headed back to my bike, and went to zip up my gps case that I had on my belt, because I usually just slip it in temporarily while signing a log, and it was gone!

 

CRAP! Now where did I drop it. It shouldn't be that hard to spot. Its orange and I know where I had it last.

 

Looked all over.

 

Its not any where, what the heck!

 

Finally I felt my pocket and DUH. I slipped it in my pocket instead of the case.

 

For like 3 minutes I just about lost my mind.

[Clan Riffster]

My most common GPSr misplacement is on the roof of my truck. I realise my mistake when I get up to speed, and I hear the tell tale sound of an object sliding off. A kwick glance in the mirror shows it hitting the blacktop around 45 MPH. Because I'm dumber than a bag of hammers, this has happened more than once. Considerably more. Kudos to Garmin 'cuz my devices have all survived... so far.

[+larryc43230]

Today I went caching on my bike, and while I finished sighing a log book and put the cache back, I headed back to my bike, and went to zip up my gps case that I had on my belt, because I usually just slip it in temporarily while signing a log, and it was gone!

 

CRAP! Now where did I drop it. It shouldn't be that hard to spot. Its orange and I know where I had it last.

 

Looked all over.

 

Its not any where, what the heck!

 

Finally I felt my pocket and DUH. I slipped it in my pocket instead of the case.

 

For like 3 minutes I just about lost my mind.

I've panicked several times when I thought I'd lost my GPSr, only to discover, to my total embarrassment, that I'd stuck it in some pocket I don't normally put it in.

 

I had something much scarier than that happen last February in a park near Pittsburgh. My caching partner and I had spent the better part of a cold, snowy afternoon tracking down the stages of a 7-stage multi. We wanted to find all the stages (and hopefully the final!) because we'd found a great spot in the park to hide a cache of our own and wanted to make sure we wouldn't be breaking the proximity rule.

 

Finding the final stage coordinates involved visiting landmarks scattered around the park and deriving numbers for the coordinates from what we found. Did I mention that there was between 10 and 12 inches of snow on the ground that day? We found all the landmarks, did the necessary calculations, and trudged off to the location of the final. Which turned out to be about 10 feet from the perfect spot we'd found for our cache.

 

Now that we were there, we figured we might as well get credit for the multi, and we spent the next half an hour or so looking all over the area, including digging in the deep snow around a bunch of fallen trees and tree stumps. Sometime during our digging and poking around, I stuffed my Oregon 550t into the pocket of my winter coat and then forgot about it for a while.

 

When I reached into that pocket about 10 minutes later to retrieve the GPSr and double-check the coordinates, it wasn't there. I checked every one of the myriad pockets on that coat, and there was no GPSr to be found. It slowly dawned on me that it had fallen out of the pocket somewhere in the 30-foot-radius area we had been searching, most likely into the deep snow.

 

It also slowly dawned on me how much time, energy, and money I had invested in that gadget. I started to turn as white as the snow when I mentally calculated how much I'd spent for the unit and the maps in it, and how unlikely it was that we'd be able to find it in all that snow. I began to think that no one would find my GPSr until the spring thaw, and it probably wouldn't be me that found it.

 

We searched for well over half an hour, and we were both starting to really feel the cold and damp. Then a near-miracle happened. My partner starting kicking at the snow where she happened to be standing, then turned around with a gleam in her eye that told me she had somehow found the thing. I'm still amazed at our luck. And I still owe her big-time for saving the day for me.

 

Oh, yeah: We never did find that cache. We figure it was buried too deep in the snow that day, and we haven't had a chance yet to return to the park and claim our find.

 

--Larry

[+gesharp]

"Lost" mine between the seats of my car yesterday. Spent longer searching for the GPS than I did for the cache I had just found.

[+larryc43230]

My most common GPSr misplacement is on the roof of my truck. I realise my mistake when I get up to speed, and I hear the tell tale sound of an object sliding off. A kwick glance in the mirror shows it hitting the blacktop around 45 MPH. Because I'm dumber than a bag of hammers, this has happened more than once. Considerably more. Kudos to Garmin 'cuz my devices have all survived... so far.

I've never had that happen with my GPSr (yet), but I almost lost my briefcase that way driving home from work one day. A guy pulled up beside me on the freeway and pointed frantically at the roof my car. I eventually figured out he was pointing at my briefcase that was just about to slide off the car roof. It somehow stayed up there till I was able to pull off the freeway and grab it.

 

--Larry

[+StarBrand]

I've left my GPS on my Jeep's roof a few times. Dang Garmin builds tough stuff!!

 

I've also slipped them into the wrong pocket a few times. My big one is losing it in the car. Spent a lot of time searching for the things in my Jeep. I have a holder - just don't always slip it back in.

 

....and....

 

I've had to hike back to more than 1 cache to get my GPS out of the grass where I sat to sign the log.

 

Never lost one permanently ---- yet.

[+tzipora]

I almost always have mine clipped to me with a carabiner, just in case. It's easy enough to do, and as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

I also have my name and telephone number set to show on my start up screen so if someone finds my GPSr they can arrange for its return, should they be in an honest mood.

[Stompy]

Lost mine once when the strap caught on a tree and dragged it from the case on my belt, now use a carabiner too, to keep it clipped to my case.

[+DragonflyTotem]

Not yet thankfully....but I will say that I now feel a whole lot better about being so picky about ALWAYS sticking it in the same pocket while signing the log, and for vowing to never set it on the ground. Guess that those are real good habits to develop.

[+Mudfrog]

I've left my GPS on my Jeep's roof a few times. Dang Garmin builds tough stuff!!

 

I've also slipped them into the wrong pocket a few times. My big one is losing it in the car. Spent a lot of time searching for the things in my Jeep. I have a holder - just don't always slip it back in.

 

....and....

 

I've had to hike back to more than 1 cache to get my GPS out of the grass where I sat to sign the log.

 

Never lost one permanently ---- yet.

 

Left one of mine (about a week old) on the truck bed siderail. Remembered what i had done about 6 miles down the highway, made the search all the way back to where we had parked, but never was able to find it.

 

Since then, i've ended up leaving it on top of the car, on the hood, and trunk but luckily remembered to grab it before going too far. Like you, i have had to hike back to different caches several times to to get it.

 

Oh well,,, unless it's tethered to me in some way, i do this with just about everything i own.

[+slukster]

I lost my GPSr after a long day of caching and didn't even realize it until I got a phone call from a park worker who had found it and found my number on the welcome page on the unit. Must have left it on the roof and drove off. He said he found it on the side of the road about 300ft from where I was parked. There are nice people out there!!

[+Bear and Ragged]

I almost always have mine clipped to me with a carabiner, just in case.

 

Also keep mine on a strap and carabiner, and have the habit of after replacing the cache, check I have GPS, glasses, wallet, car keys, walking pole, back-pack, hat etc. Move away from the cache and check it's not visible, then re-check GPS, glasses, wallet, car keys, walking pole, back-pack, hat etc. and move on.

 

Swear blind it's taking longer to check I have everything, than it does to find the cache!

[7/11]

Seems like things like that occur much more often after 40.

Hmmm.

.........What were we talking about?

[oakenwood]

I lost my Garmin for real one time, but like tzipora, I put my name and number (and email address) on the startup screen.

 

A couple of weeks later, I got an email-- guess what they found?

[+MrZumma]

I should never have read this thread 'cause now it's going to happen...

[BCProspectors]

There was one time where we left the GPS on the roof of our car, drove home and IT WAS STILL THERE!

[cejs]

On my Delorme PN-40, I have the ability to program the welcome screen when the unit turns on. I program it to display my cell phone #. So when you turn on my GPS, it says "If found, please call 612-xxx-xxxx"

 

Granted, there is only a 50/50 chance that a finder would call me, but it is still a chance.

[+narcissa]

I left my eXplorist 500 on the roof of my car, just off the interstate in North Carolina.

 

I was halfway across Virginia when I realized.

[+tzipora]

On my Delorme PN-40, I have the ability to program the welcome screen when the unit turns on. I program it to display my cell phone #. So when you turn on my GPS, it says "If found, please call 612-xxx-xxxx"

 

Granted, there is only a 50/50 chance that a finder would call me, but it is still a chance.

 

You're right that most people might not call you if they found your GPS lying around. But if you think about it, most of the places *you* go with your GPS are places that other geocachers are likely to visit after you leave.

 

You're most likely to set your GPS down and forget about it in a couple places while caching: at your car and at the cache itself. If it's at the car, then just about anybody might find it, but if you forget it at the cache, it almost certain that the finder will also be a cacher. A cacher will also most likely have their own GPS and therefore would be more inclined to return yours.

 

I've read a couple different logs where folks have said things like "I lost my sunglasses somewhere in between leaving my car and getting back to it", followed by logs with someone else saying "I found the previous party's sunglasses, will arrange for their return". Letting someone know what you lost nearby will also help ensure that, in case you left it in the box itself, the future finders will know it's not swag.

[+brslk]

Not so much with my GPS but several times with my cell phones.

 

When the Palm Treo first came out I was given several by my employer.

After I lost or crushed the first 3 they made me pay for the next one.

Which I promptly broke when it bounced out of the phone holder mounted on my dash

and landed screen down on my gear shift knob cracking the screen.

 

[+narcissa]

Forgot to mention - before my Magellan took its final leap from the roof of my car, I dropped it and had it returned to me at least three times. Once, a guy who had passed us on a bicycle found it on the path, so he turned around and caught up to us to give it back.

 

Taoiseach recently found a Map 60 while he was checking on one of his caches. He turned it on, and the splash screen said whose it was. The GPS was quickly returned to its owner.

[+CanDMan47]

I can't recall doing it with my GPS while caching, but I do it all the time in my everyday life. I have not been able to find my phone while it was in my pocket often. My keys will be sitting on the table and I look everywhere else (including the refrigerator).

 

I hope this isn't too far off topic, but it is kind of a duh moment I had two times one in one day. First I was using a service elevator at one of my stops. When I closed the door I couldn't figure out why I wasn't moving. Well maybe it would help if I pushed the button. Later, while at a rest area (I'd already found that cache ) I put my money in the vending machine, but my candy bar didn't drop. Duh, I need to press the buttons. I did that again a couple days later.

 

Now back to the regularly scheduled topic.

[+mchaos]

My most common GPSr misplacement is on the roof of my truck. I realise my mistake when I get up to speed, and I hear the tell tale sound of an object sliding off. A kwick glance in the mirror shows it hitting the blacktop around 45 MPH. Because I'm dumber than a bag of hammers, this has happened more than once. Considerably more. Kudos to Garmin 'cuz my devices have all survived... so far.

Never done that with my gpsr but I left my rechargeable batteries I just got on the roof of my truck. They had died after a long day so I switched to alkaline to finish a multi. Gone now

 

I almost always have mine clipped to me with a carabiner, just in case. It's easy enough to do, and as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

I think I might do that. Its a good idea.

 

I lost my GPSr after a long day of caching and didn't even realize it until I got a phone call from a park worker who had found it and found my number on the welcome page on the unit. Must have left it on the roof and drove off. He said he found it on the side of the road about 300ft from where I was parked. There are nice people out there!!

Lucky lucky lucky.

 

 

Luckily for me, I am very aware of my GPS. I constantly check that I have it. That's why I knew so soon that It wasn't in the case. but the tether idea is good.

[+Chrysalides]

There was one time where we left the GPS on the roof of our car, drove home and IT WAS STILL THERE!

You're either one of the most careful drivers in the world, or it might be time to wash your car

[+DragonsWest]

Today I went caching on my bike, and while I finished sighing a log book and put the cache back, I headed back to my bike, and went to zip up my gps case that I had on my belt, because I usually just slip it in temporarily while signing a log, and it was gone!

 

CRAP! Now where did I drop it. It shouldn't be that hard to spot. Its orange and I know where I had it last.

 

Looked all over.

 

Its not any where, what the heck!

 

Finally I felt my pocket and DUH. I slipped it in my pocket instead of the case.

 

For like 3 minutes I just about lost my mind.

 

My one month old Oregon 450 .. put it on the top of my car .. went to look at something .. well, you can figure out the rest.

 

It's only got a little scratch and still works good. Dang, these are built like bricks.

[+Chrysalides]

Dang, these are built like bricks.

They have about the same form factor as one too.

 

Still, I'll take durability over looks any day.

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

I've dropped mine plenty of times while caching, but usually use the GPSr to sign the small logs, so I know where it's at.

 

I've had car key scares before where I stopped for a rural cache or roadside cache and have a minute or 2 of panic where I think I locked the keys in the car.

 

I did lock myself out of the apartment once when I went to find caches in a nearby park. Just ended up finding a few more caches until the friend with my spare key got off work.

[Clan Riffster]

Forgot to add one that I kinda lost... sorta.

After a few years of serious abuse, my Magellan SporTrak Color died.

I opened it up, inserted a TB tag behind the glass and dropped it in a cache.

It bounced around about a year and a half, covering 4K miles before vanishing into the ether.

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=772525

[+Viajero Perdido]

A local cacher left his GPS on the hood.

 

It destroyed the GPS, but he created a great cache idea out of it. Check out the funeral pictures.

 

Murder on the EY&P Express

[+JJball]

 

I've panicked several times when I thought I'd lost my GPSr, only to discover, to my total embarrassment, that I'd stuck it in some pocket I don't normally put it in.

 

I do this ALL the time. Not just with my GPSr, but my wallet, my iPhone, my keys, my pocket knife, my credit card , my sunglasses, my pen and just about anything else important. Constant state of panic I tell you! Everything has a place but apparently I can never put them there. I don't know how I sleep at night.

 

Edited June 8, 2010 by JJball

[+The Jester]

I once left my GPSr at the cache site, and didn't realize it until the train was pulling out of the station (the cache was across the street from the train station). I was trying to figure out how to get back there from the next station, but the conductor contacted the station and someone from the ticket counter walked over and found it for me.

[+DENelson83]

I also have my name and telephone number set to show on my start up screen so if someone finds my GPSr they can arrange for its return, should they be in an honest mood.

By all means, that is the very first thing you need to do after turning your GPSr on for the first time after purchasing it or getting it as a gift. It might not seem like much but it will most likely save your bacon. The probability of you getting your GPSr back after losing it also increases if you mark your home waypoint on it.

Edited June 9, 2010 by DENelson83

[+Still_Avatar]

My first eXplorist 400 survived the first two falls off the roof before the third impact cracked the case and it wouldn't maintain battery contact. Attempted amateur repair and while the power problems were fixed, the buttons never worked well after that.

 

The second eXplorist 400 was either lost off the roof or left at a cache on a bike trail and never returned.

 

The third eXplorist 400 remains with me to this day although the rubber over the joystick is completely worn away.

 

My PN-30 came with a lanyard and I now never put the unit down anywhere but on the car dash. So far, so good.

[BCProspectors]

A local cacher left his GPS on the hood.

 

It destroyed the GPS, but he created a great cache idea out of it. Check out the funeral pictures.

 

Murder on the EY&P Express

How does someone manage to drive away with objects on the hood of the car? Wouldn't they see it through the windshield?

[+Chrysalides]

How does someone manage to drive away with objects on the hood of the car? Wouldn't they see it through the windshield?

Because your eyes are focused on the road in front, and your mind is thinking about the next cache? Not that I *cough* would do something so dumb, you know *cough* just, erm, you know, theorizing here.

 

By the way, what do you call that depression between the hood and the front windscreen? The one with the cabin air intake and where the wiper arms are attached to. If your GPSr is left there, unless you're accelerating or turning fast, it actually stays on pretty well. Again, you know, just a random observation

[+Team PacketStorm]

Add Some reflective tape to the side of the GPS,

Makes it easier to find at night!

Yes im speaking from experience!

[+Take A Hike!]

Left mine behind twice. First time had to hike back to cache a mile away. Second time was back in the cachemobile, went to load next next stop and oh,oh, where's my GPS'r!! Could not turn around on the highway for 10 miles. Made it back to cache I had just found 30 minutes later, and there it was laying on the ground. Now I MAKE myself attach it to myself one way or another. It's a panicky feeling to lose it!

[+JJball]

I also have my name and telephone number set to show on my start up screen so if someone finds my GPSr they can arrange for its return, should they be in an honest mood.

By all means, that is the very first thing you need to do after turning your GPSr on for the first time after purchasing it or getting it as a gift. It might not seem like much but it will most likely save your bacon. The probability of you getting your GPSr back after losing it also increases if you mark your home waypoint on it.

 

Yep, I have my name, physical address, phone number and e-mail address set to show on start-up. I just know it is going to come in handy one day!

[+mchaos]

I really don't want to loose or bream my GPS. I really Like it and would rather not dish out the clams for another, beside this was a Christmas gift and I would feel really bad if I lost it. I did think about getting that new explorist GC because it's specifically for Geocaching until I read that's all it does. I wish they would just add an option for cache found, because there is an icon on it, but you have to use VP to set it to that Icon after making an icon with the corrct name. But that defeats the point. For now I just change it to something else and delete it after logging on the website. Also, if GASK would work with it, that would be hot.