+greyhounder Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Hi! I'm Becky! I'm so new, I just bought my first GPS a few hours ago. Haven't started it up or anything yet. I got a really inexpensive GPS (Garmin Geko 101). Thought that would be a good place to start. Haven't really figured out how to get my location stuff entered yet, so any help you can offer would be great!! I am a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl and of course haven't really sat down to fully read the instructions yet. I do see that there are a number of caches in my area, so I'm excited! I do a fair amount of travelling too, around parts of the US as well as my home state of Wisconsin. So, what sort of infor can you all give me to get me going in the right direction? What are the secrets? And aren't these guys cute? How many female geocachers do we have out there? Thanks in advance for any help! Quote Link to comment
+Imajika Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Hi there! Welcome to this wonderful addiction! I am a female geocacher as well and I just recently started (Jan 1, 2004...12 finds so far!). It's a wonderful hobby and I know you'll have a blast! If your GPS can be connected to your PC, I would recommend getting EasyGPS, which is a free program to upload waypoints into your GPS (instead of doing it by hand). Welcome again! Quote Link to comment
Cobra100 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 First off I would suggest reading the instr. manual and try to do what it is explaining, as you finish each section. I am very new too, I just got my GPSr about a month ago. A couple of basics that I was overlooking was that the GPSr needs a pretty good view of the sky and that you have to be in motion for it to start guiding you in a direction. As far as entering locations, if it is like my Cobra (also a no frills model) you "page" through to the "waypoint " screen and enter a new waypoint.Once you have a waypoint entered you can "goto" from the same screen. I have only found a few caches so far and learn something new each time I go. Wish you the best of luck and hope you have fun. Quote Link to comment
+Mastifflover Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Hello, welcome to the hobby/sport/game/addiction! First off slow down, I know this may sound funny because you want to run out and find a cache now!! I really suggest that you read that dreaded manual. Not that familiar with a Gecko but if it is anything like my legend you need to first figure out how to mark a waypoint. Then you need to know how to change the numbers in that waypoint to match the numbers on the cache page that you plan on looking for. Then you need to find a goto button that points the way to the cache. You may want to do a search its the little magnifying glass at the top right of this web page for a Gecko and I am sure that you find lots of helpful stuff. Happy Hunting Mastifflover Quote Link to comment
+crzycrzy Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 One other good piece of advice... Make sure you know how to do a goto 1) Create a waypoint 2) Goto the waypoint and most importantly 3) Always get within 500 feet of urban caches... (Or at least start out that way.) (I walked over 7 miles around a neighborhood to get 700 feet once.) Quote Link to comment
phern47 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 This is good stuff. I'm a complete newbie too. I just got my GPS today. A used Garmin 45. Ok....it is old but the original owner only played with it for a day or two and gave up. It's in pristine condition. I couldn't get the thing to "autolocate" today. The owner is in California and I am in Quebec. It was -20, windy, snowing, heavy cloud cover so I quit after 15 or 20 minutes outside. I put the gps on the window sill and got a bunch of satellites on the screen but no signal strong enough for a position. It sat there for a couple of hours....and only one satellite gave a signal strong enough for the screen to show a 1/4 inch black bar. I cleared all the waypoints and routes from the gps (even the ones in the simulation mode) and I manually entered the coordinates for my city "Chicoutimi". I have been fiddling around with it in "simulation" mode but it doesn't help me understand how it works. I guess, the best way would be for the thing to "autolocate" so I could enter the position near my house as "home" and then work from there by walking etc. There are only 2 caches in my area. I plan to add some more next summer. I do a bit of hiking, canoeing and camping (part of the hunting and fishing that I do). I read the manual. Now, I am trying to understand what I have read. How am I doing so far? What do you suggest as my next step? I even e-mailed for some plugs to make PC and power cables. Quote Link to comment
+greyhounder Posted January 17, 2004 Author Share Posted January 17, 2004 Thanks everyone for your great advice (keep it coming!!) I did slow down (a little -- my nature's not to be too slow -- ) and read through the manual -- it's not very big, so it didn't take long. But it also isn't the most informative. I think I've got a general idea though. Not sure if i'm going to try it out today or not (I want to!!) as it's pretty snowy outside. There are a couple of caches really close to me (I'd say within 5 miles) so I really should just give it a whirl. Today is the warmest it's going to be for a while. Might be nice to take one of the dogs with me for a little adventure. Wish me luck! I'm going to turn on my Geko now! Bec Quote Link to comment
+Mastifflover Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Good luck let us know how you made out. Quote Link to comment
+gallahad Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 (edited) The "take it slow" advice is priceless. The personality (mine included) that wants to start using any new device and then read the instructions when a problem occurs can become frustrated very quickly with the GPSr. I'd suggest that you first learn how to read your GPSr in terms of "where am I", and how to enter that information as a "waypoint". Then, from a good distance away, try to use the GPSr to guide you back to the spot you logged. A couple of exercises in your own neighborhood and you're ready to use the device correctly. Next, learn how to enter a waypoint for a local cache that's rated a 1/1 and hunt it down. Be sure to take your instruction manual with you; cuz you will inevitably find that you have a question that you can't answer without the manual. Next, read the threads as often as possible. Posting questions on the threads is the quick and easy way to get things done, but actually reading current and past threads will get you the answers to your current questions (belive me, they've all been asked before) with the bonus of answrs to questions you never thought to ask. And don't forget to check the FAQ page. Welcome to geocaching - Obsession without Excuse Edited January 17, 2004 by gallahad Quote Link to comment
+greyhounder Posted January 17, 2004 Author Share Posted January 17, 2004 I did my first geocaching experience this morning!! I took Peanut (my crazy little dog) with me and set off for Wild Turkey Roost. I know this area really well (grew up playing around the old train tracks when at a friend's house) and I knew there was no way to get lost (a major highway runs right next to the path.) Of course, it had sleeted (is that a word?) last night and the fact that I had to break sheets of ice off my truck windows should have been a clue, but I barreled ahead, getting a big kick out of the GPS counting down the miles. There were 2 parking options, so I took the further one (dog and I can get some exercise.) My first step onto the path and I slipped and fell on my butt! Ouch! Undetered, I kept going. Met one older couple coming my way (they thought Peanut was a rabbit! ) but after them, we were along (except for the traffic flying by on the highway next to us.) I found it, BUT -- it was down a small slope. Remember the ice and my earlier spill? But I tool the chance and slid down the embankment in a spilt legged fashion (not by choice). Peanut had less trouble coming down after me, but did a little sliding herself. Found a travel bug even! Climbing back up to the path was a challenge (again, not for Peanut) but the walk back to my card was great! I was in such a good mood and excited for my next adventure. Due to the slippery weather and my rear being a little on the sore side, I will wait for slightly better weather to do this again. But what a great time! The Geko worked great! I'm already hooked. I'm going to find all sorts of cool stuff to leave in the caches. I even have some ideas for caches of my own! Quote Link to comment
+Sparky-Watts Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Congrats on your first find! Sounds like you're a quick learner. Enjoy the addiction! Quote Link to comment
+Smitherington Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Yes, Congrats on your first find!! Some people (like me) do not make a first find on a first try. You will always remember your first find, especially with the weather and the fall. Quote Link to comment
+Sparky-Watts Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Greyhounder, I noticed that you only posted a note for the TB you found. If you actually have it in your possession, you need to "Retrieve it" from the cache using the number on the tag. If you need help in doing this, email me, and I'll try to help you! Quote Link to comment
+CDNinCA Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Hi Becky, I'm Karleen (aka CDNinCA)! I am also brand-new at the geocacing stuff, but am hooked already! I got my Garmin eTrex yesterday afternoon, and was out at 6:30 am this morning, tracking down my first cache. Fortunately, there are a lot of caches close by to my home, so I was able to search in areas that were familiar to me. Once I get a few more caches, I'll try something more challenging, but right now I'm just trying to find the caches without getting arrested I'm going to start a new thread with a question in it, but wanted to reply here to your message and say hello to a fellow newbie. It sounds like you're having as mucy fun as I am! Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 If your GPS can be connected to your PC, I would recommend getting EasyGPS, which is a free program to upload waypoints into your GPS (instead of doing it by hand). Sadly, a Geko 101 can't do that. A Geko 201 or a eTrex "yellow" can if she has the option of trading up. Quote Link to comment
+greyhounder Posted January 18, 2004 Author Share Posted January 18, 2004 I wasn't yet looking for a GPS that can connect to a computer. That's down the road. Although I'm quite pleased with the Geko 101 so far. Besides, I have a Mac, and oftentimes, technology is not Mac-compatible. And yes, I'm still trying to figure out how to retreive the TB. It's in my inventory, but it still shows up as at the Turkey Roost too. There were instructions in the baggie the TB was in, but it's not syncing yet. Quote Link to comment
+Sparky-Watts Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 I wasn't yet looking for a GPS that can connect to a computer. That's down the road. Although I'm quite pleased with the Geko 101 so far. Besides, I have a Mac, and oftentimes, technology is not Mac-compatible. And yes, I'm still trying to figure out how to retreive the TB. It's in my inventory, but it still shows up as at the Turkey Roost too. There were instructions in the baggie the TB was in, but it's not syncing yet. Becky, I just sent an email explaining how to retrieve the bug. I hope it works for you. If it doesn't, let me know and we'll work it out, ok? Quote Link to comment
+greyhounder Posted January 18, 2004 Author Share Posted January 18, 2004 Sparky -- got your email and replied. Thank you!!! I actually somehow stuumbled onto doing it right and the travel bug is logged as mine, for now. He's so cute -- sitting on my computer grinning at me! I've been checking out some of the caches in my planned vacations for this year (Kansas and Delaware, and probably Illinois as well.) I just can't wait to get this going in earnest (I'm going to be a bit more cautious in the winter months and stay local.) Bec Quote Link to comment
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