Found Your GPS

[+Lizzy]

Out running around doing cache maintenance today & ran across a GPS left on top of one of my caches. If you are missing your GPS, contact me. I think I have a way of verifying it's yours. Next time - PLEASE ETCH YOUR INFO ON THE CASE SOMEWHERE!!!!

[jholly]

Out running around doing cache maintenance today & ran across a GPS left on top of one of my caches. If you are missing your GPS, contact me. I think I have a way of verifying it's yours. Next time - PLEASE ETCH YOUR INFO ON THE CASE SOMEWHERE!!!!

Or put it in the startup splash screen. Garmins can, not sure about the others.

[+Dgwphotos]

Out running around doing cache maintenance today & ran across a GPS left on top of one of my caches. If you are missing your GPS, contact me. I think I have a way of verifying it's yours. Next time - PLEASE ETCH YOUR INFO ON THE CASE SOMEWHERE!!!!

Or put it in the startup splash screen. Garmins can, not sure about the others.

I think there was an owner page somewhere in the old Magellans, but it did not show up at start. I don't know about the new ones.

[+Lizzy]

Out running around doing cache maintenance today & ran across a GPS left on top of one of my caches. If you are missing your GPS, contact me. I think I have a way of verifying it's yours. Next time - PLEASE ETCH YOUR INFO ON THE CASE SOMEWHERE!!!!

Or put it in the startup splash screen. Garmins can, not sure about the others.

I think there was an owner page somewhere in the old Magellans, but it did not show up at start. I don't know about the new ones.

Mine has that start-up page, where I have my phone number. This one is a different Garmin - could not find a startup page. Was able to contact the last one who logged the cache where it was found and able to verify ownership thru custom routes they had in their gadget (thank God for that). We're now figuring out how to get together to exchange it.

 

So - OWNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED

[+TotemLake]

Out running around doing cache maintenance today & ran across a GPS left on top of one of my caches. If you are missing your GPS, contact me. I think I have a way of verifying it's yours. Next time - PLEASE ETCH YOUR INFO ON THE CASE SOMEWHERE!!!!

Or put it in the startup splash screen. Garmins can, not sure about the others.

I think there was an owner page somewhere in the old Magellans, but it did not show up at start. I don't know about the new ones.

Yes it did... That's how I got mine back after it was stolen from my Jeep.

[+Dgwphotos]

Out running around doing cache maintenance today & ran across a GPS left on top of one of my caches. If you are missing your GPS, contact me. I think I have a way of verifying it's yours. Next time - PLEASE ETCH YOUR INFO ON THE CASE SOMEWHERE!!!!

Or put it in the startup splash screen. Garmins can, not sure about the others.

I think there was an owner page somewhere in the old Magellans, but it did not show up at start. I don't know about the new ones.

Yes it did... That's how I got mine back after it was stolen from my Jeep.

I also recall hearing about a hack that would enable it to show up at boot.

[+TotemLake]

It was a hack to change the startup screen to be the owner screen. Be that as it may, I also had my alias stickered on the inside.

Edited April 30, 2012 by TotemLake

[+Dgwphotos]

It was a hack to change the startup screen to be the owner screen. Be that as it may, I also had my alias stickered on the inside.

Backups are always good things!

[+W7WT]

We are on a geocaching mini trip down from Bremerton to Lincoln City via Longview, Astoria. Left Saturday from Bremerton and lost my left hearing aid. (they don't give those suckers away) I have insurance on the right one but not sure if my left one is still under warrenty. Anyway, this morning I got an e-mail from a Longview cacher (God bless him) asking if I had lost a hearing aid in a cache as he had found one and noticed I had also logged the cache. He is sending me my hearing aid. Boy isn't that nice of a fellow geocacher. I wanted to send him $100 but he wouldn't accept it. I still think I will send him $30 so he can renew his PM when it becomes due. I lost one once before over in Cashmere under a maple tree and couldn't find it as the maple tree seeds looked just like it. Just wanted to point out Geocachers are a great group. dick

Edited May 1, 2012 by W7WT

[+JesandTodd]

You don't even have to send the money...just clck on their profile and there is a link to send a gift membership!

[+scrapcat]

It was a hack to change the startup screen to be the owner screen. Be that as it may, I also had my alias stickered on the inside.

 

Hmmm... I have my name on my Start up screen (but it's not very noticeable). Like the idea of stickering my alias.. I don't normally carry it in a case but maybe sticker it in the battery compartment? Hadn't thought of that!

[+TotemLake]

Just don't use your home phone to call you. Use your cell phone.

Edited May 2, 2012 by TotemLake

[+uxorious]

Just don't use your home phone to call you. Use your cell phone.

 

I'm curious, why your cell phone and not your home phone?

[+TotemLake]

Just don't use your home phone to call you. Use your cell phone.

 

I'm curious, why your cell phone and not your home phone?

There's more than one way of losing a GPS. It can be stolen out of your car from your driveway.

 

How many hours of the day is the average home devoid of people? Most people answer their phones when they're home.

Edited May 2, 2012 by TotemLake

[+uxorious]

Just don't use your home phone to call you. Use your cell phone.

 

I'm curious, why your cell phone and not your home phone?

There's more than one way of losing a GPS. It can be stolen out of your car from your driveway.

 

How many hours of the day is the average home devoid of people? Most people answer their phones when they're home.

 

My wife and I have gotten so irritated with political calls, we always screen the calls. Once a day we will play back the answer machine and delete everything.

 

Frends and family call me on the cell phone. But I don't give out my cell phone number to anyone I don't know.

 

I wish they would add political, and charity calls to the do not call list.

 

Not sure how we got on the lists, but we get more call of this kind than almost anybody we talk with.

 

However, I see your point, and for most people it sounds like your right.

Edited May 2, 2012 by uxorious

[+hydnsek]

Just don't use your home phone to call you. Use your cell phone.

 

I'm curious, why your cell phone and not your home phone?

There's more than one way of losing a GPS. It can be stolen out of your car from your driveway.

 

How many hours of the day is the average home devoid of people? Most people answer their phones when they're home.

 

My wife and I have gotten so irritated with political calls, we always screen the calls. Once a day we will play back the answer machine and delete everything.

 

Frends and family call me on the cell phone. But I don't give out my cell phone number to anyone I don't know.

 

I wish they would add political, and charity calls to the do not call list.

 

Not sure how we got on the lists, but we get more call of this kind than almost anybody we talk with.

 

However, I see your point, and for most people it sounds like your right.

+1. I always screen calls on my home phone, too, so I guess it could be construed I'm not there if I don't pick up.

[+TotemLake]

But it only takes a knock on the door with a false story of why they are there. But that phone call IS the first step to determine if someone is there or not. If you're there, no loss, if you aren't... They're already inconspicuously at your door.

 

We filter our calls too, but when my GPS was stolen out of my Jeep from the driveway back in 2007, it made me that much more paranoid about leaving home and made me wish my cell number was on it when the call came through for recovery. It doesn't happen to eveyrone, but it only has to happen once for you to realize how vulnerable you become waiting and wondering.

 

Are you home 24x7?

Edited May 2, 2012 by TotemLake

[+The Jester]

After reading this thread, and thinking about it for a while, I just don't buy it. Having my phone number on my GPSr doesn't put me at any more risk than I already am. My number can be found many places - easiest is the phone book (where my address is also). So I don't think it's anymore likely that a stranger that finds my lost GPSr (it's happened once in the 14-15 years I've had one) will be targeting me, then a stranger paging thru the phone book will pick my number. The chances of either are slim, so I'm not going to buy into the 'fear' that my GPSr will make my house a burglery target. Just my opinion, YMMV.

 

Oh, a stray thought, what number do you put on your cell phone if it's lost?

[+TotemLake]

After reading this thread, and thinking about it for a while, I just don't buy it. Having my phone number on my GPSr doesn't put me at any more risk than I already am. My number can be found many places - easiest is the phone book (where my address is also). So I don't think it's anymore likely that a stranger that finds my lost GPSr (it's happened once in the 14-15 years I've had one) will be targeting me, then a stranger paging thru the phone book will pick my number. The chances of either are slim, so I'm not going to buy into the 'fear' that my GPSr will make my house a burglery target. Just my opinion, YMMV.

 

Oh, a stray thought, what number do you put on your cell phone if it's lost?

My wife's cell phone. and I have the ability to remote wipe my phone if I lose it.

 

Btw, I never stated the risk was high. I did caution against the use and gave my real life reason. You don't have to buy it. But now that you're aware of the possibility, its your call.

 

My car was stolen from a quiet cul-de-sac in a Kirkland suburb by 4 teens from Everett. What are the odds of that? Pretty low. I don't know what they look like, but they knew for a time where I live. I lived with that for over a year before I found out they were finally nailed on a three strikes felony. You don't get over a theft out of your driveway that easily. All kinds of thoughts stray in and out and there were countless sleepless nights. You have a home phone number and likely a waypoint saved in the GPS for easy routing back to home from a strange location to help you get back out to a familiar highway. I'm not saying live in fear. I'm saying be smart about what you willingly give out on a device you may lose to a stranger you know nothing about. My GPS has a cell number and a waypoint location called Home a couple miles away from the house... The center of Totem Lake to be exact. I won't have that worry in my house again if I lose my device for any reason.

 

Let me put it this way. The chances of me getting hit by a drunk driver is higher than my house getting targeted by a lost GPS. Three totalled vehicles at our corner versus one stolen in the past ten years. But I'll be hanged if I'm going to show them how to get to me without my input.

Edited May 3, 2012 by TotemLake

[+WeightMan]

The other reason for using your cell phone number is in case the GPS is found shortly after you lose it, the finder can get in touch with you more reliably. You may well be in the same area instead of miles away at home.

[+The Jester]

If your GPSr doesn't have your home co-ords, how can the phone number then lead to your house?

 

We've had a couple of break-ins, had stuff stolen from the car in the driveway, but it's still not going to keep me awake at night worried about it. Life happens, some good, some bad. As the Bible says who by worrying has added one day to his life? You've brought it up, I've thought about it and decided "meh", it's not a blip on my worry radar. One GPSr with number and co-ords vs. thousands of phone books with name, number and address - nope, neither one bothers me.

[+TotemLake]

Craig, the stolen GPS had my home coordinates to my house and my home number. I changed the way I do things as a result. That's fine you can let go so easily. Not everyone can.

[+JesandTodd]

I don't have home coords on my gps or a phone #. If I lose it, it would really suck, but it was only $200. I'd stop drinking Starbucks for a month and it would cover a replacement (I wouldn't stop drinking Starbucks, who am I kidding!)

 

I don't have a home phone either! And living in Az I learned never to leave anything of value in my car! Course, I've had my car broken into before. It really, really, really,really sucks! Especially when it's your parked at your home.

 

Now, I left my iPhone at the gym once and had an all-out-full-on-panic-attack. Now that little device has my life story on it. Luckily, I find it just as someone was putting it into their gym bag.

 

I remedied that situation by never going to the gym again!

[+B+L]

Craig, the stolen GPS had my home coordinates to my house and my home number. I changed the way I do things as a result. That's fine you can let go so easily. Not everyone can.

I'm confused. If your GPS was stolen from your Jeep while it was parked in your driveway, wouldn't the thief already have enough information to know where your house is?

 

Unless you live in a bunker hidden deep in the woods, where no one will ever find you ... aw, forget it.

 

I don't worry too much about stuff like this, but if I did, there are other ways to be contacted other than telephones and if I was paranoid about entering home coordinates, I'd use something relatively close like a freeway exit, a local business, a park, or a school.

 

I heard recently that someone local has a page or something where they are matching caching names to real names. Most people have enough of an online presence that they can be tracked down rather easily with that information alone.

[+JesandTodd]

 

I'm confused. If your GPS was stolen from your Jeep while it was parked in your driveway, wouldn't the thief already have enough information to know where your house is?

 

But now they also know how to get back to your house, and armed with the phone number, they can guess when you are gone.

 

Unless you live in a bunker hidden deep in the woods, where no one will ever find you ... aw, forget it.

 

[+B+L]

I'm confused. If your GPS was stolen from your Jeep while it was parked in your driveway, wouldn't the thief already have enough information to know where your house is?

But now they also know how to get back to your house, and armed with the phone number, they can guess when you are gone.

If they are so dumb that they can't return to my house without a GPS, they'll probably fail to notice that my "home" phone number rings at the local Sheriff's office.