+OKThumper Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I have been reading about logbooks for the cache, but have seen nothing for the cacher. Is there a place to get logbooks for the cache and for your own record of caches found. Are they purchase somewhere or do cachers make their own? If cachers make their own is it possible to share some of those on the site as downloads, maybe in excel fomat or some word processor format? If not can you give me some ideas as to what you have found useful in your logbook. Thanks Thumper Quote Link to comment
+Harrald Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I just copy and paste my online log into Clayjars Watcher program. It keeps everything in order. Quote Link to comment
+Cherokeecacher Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 We are using the "scrapbook" method. Yes it is old fashioned, but fun to create and we can take it to friend’s houses with us, and share with them. Michelle, who is the other half of "Cherokeecacher", loves to write, so she enjoys capturing the hunts with her pen and I add the photos. As far as "keeping score" goes, Michelle is also an excel junkie. I had absolutely no say in that decision. This is what we use in addition to the GC.com tracking system as a "just in case" backup. Quote Link to comment
+OKThumper Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Cherokeecacher: Would it be possible for Michelle to e-mail me her boilerplate for the excel program. it might give me some ideas on what i might want in mine. I guess I need to do some more research to find the GC.com tracking system. My wife, Anita, also is a reader/writer, she keeps a log of all of or RV travels, maybe this logging of the finds will make geocaching more interesting for her, good point thanks for the idea. Thumper Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 A lot of people save their print out from the cache hunt in a book as well. I wish I did that when I started, but had 300 finds before it occured to me that I should of. Something like watcher would be nice if it could keep up with the caches you found as they change, get archived and found. Quote Link to comment
+Team BlackZ Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 My cache log is a HP Ipaq Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 While caching, we carry a field sketch pad. A6 size, and moderately heavyweight paper. This allows us to keep an albeit scrappy record of where we've been along with our letterbox stamps and any stickers we find. We're just about to transfer into nice books which will stay at home. The sketch pad has got pretty damp, cold, hot and everything else, but has still survived. It's good for noting swaps and anything else you want to put in the log when you get back on the intermaweb. Cheers, Stu Quote Link to comment
+Smitherington Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I have kept a log book with me when I cache so what I write in the cache log gets written in my own log book. That way, when I get to the computer, I remember what I did and what I log into the computer is very much like what is in the log book at the cache. Usually 100 logs per notbook. Pocket size spiral, 60 or 80 sheets, written both sides. Quote Link to comment
+bob393 Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I keep a copy of the cache announcement with my notes on the back of the page. I started to keep them in a 3 ring binder but have switched to folders. I keep them in the order I find them with a cover sheet in each. It's old fasion but it works for me and it's free! Quote Link to comment
+vds Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 I have been reading about logbooks for the cache, but have seen nothing for the cacher. Is there a place to get logbooks for the cache and for your own record of caches found. Are they purchase somewhere or do cachers make their own? If cachers make their own is it possible to share some of those on the site as downloads, maybe in excel fomat or some word processor format? If not can you give me some ideas as to what you have found useful in your logbook. Thanks Thumper Couple ways. If you use 'cachemate' it has a nice feature where you can log your notes in a PDA for later use. Personally I use the lowtech way in Excell, way back when it was a trivial cut/paste job from the MyCaches page, now it's a little more work, but not too bad. I catch up every once in a while when I remember to do so. Output file is HERE if you're interested. Pretty simple stuff, write it in Excel, save as a web page. I also do silly stats things with the data like calculating the distance I'd travel caching if I hypothetically started at home and went in sequence from cache to cache. Totals for 2002 and 2003 (407 caches) are on my profile page. Quote Link to comment
+robert Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 http://members.aol.com/geojournal Quote Link to comment
+mrmnjewel Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 I-Cache seems to be a good software package for this purpose. I just downloaded it and am in the process of putting all our previous finds into it. I will be putting all future finds in as well. Quote Link to comment
+OKThumper Posted January 23, 2004 Author Share Posted January 23, 2004 This is what I like, ask a question and get several different ways to attack the solution, y'all are great. I did print out the info page for my first cache (today) and thought of the tree ring floder thing, but i'am a puter geek, sorta, and would like to do it in a manner that is closer to the hi-tech GPS stuff. I'll check out each of your url's and ideas. Thanks Thumper Quote Link to comment
+OKThumper Posted January 23, 2004 Author Share Posted January 23, 2004 Boy talk about hittin the nail on the head. mrmnjewel, you really did good sending me to that link. i-cache is a great program, I can't beleive it is free. I downloaded it put it on the desk top puter, then burned a copy to a cd and installed it on the laptop. Now when I take the laptop into the field, I'll actually leave it in the truck, and make notes about the cache I can backup the info an put it on the desktop. And I really like the ability to put pictures (lots of them) right into the file. Super program, I would suggest that anybody that wants an easy way to log their cache finds look into this program. I give it three thumbs up. Thumper Quote Link to comment
+Team Heather-Kat Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 This may seem waaaay overdone (ie: ANAL which I am known to be...)or way too easy but....when I am on a cache's page I do this: Click the watch this cache button. Copy the name of the cache and download the loc file, naming it the cache name, I place all the caches in a "current caches" folder on my hard drive, within that folder I have a folder for location files. a folder for maps, and in the root of the folder I do this: I make the page printer friendly SHOWING LOGS and usually decrypting the hints(don't have to read 'em but sometimes they are nice.) Then ( I use Internet Exploder)I click on File>>Save As>>Web Page - HTML only, then save it to the root of the above mentioned folder. Then I copy the entire folder to my CF card and pop that into my Zaurus, I can view the web page for the cache, look at any MapPoint or other maps I may have made for the caches, make notes and etc. then when I am back home, copy it all back to the computer that maintains all the data. Simplifying this, just having the trimmed down pages makes a nice log. One could even save the page again after loggin their find or DNF. I'ts late and I am a little tired, if this does not make sense let me know and I will try again ! Quote Link to comment
+OKThumper Posted January 23, 2004 Author Share Posted January 23, 2004 Sorry, way to confusing for the puter turd that I am, think i'll stick with i-cache. Thanks Thumper Quote Link to comment
+DomHeknows Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 couldn't you just look at the logs of your found caches on geocaching.com/my? Quote Link to comment
+Team Heather-Kat Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 Sorry, way to confusing for the puter turd that I am, think i'll stick with i-cache. Thanks Thumper I think I made it sound tougher than it really is LOL ! I downloaded ICache last night after reading the post. It's OK. I wish I knew a little VB, it would be nice to have something like ICache, not quite so cutsie maybe, that would also update the GC website. I do alot of scripting with AutoIt and WSH, looking into doing it that way. Following the procedure I described last night, I can get all I need for a cache in about 1-2 minutes, that includes copying the loc file, saving the cache page and dropping a pin in MapPoint. I did about 130 caches the other day in about an hour, so we're stocked up for when the weather gets a little better - our 6 month old daughter accompanies us on the forays so we have to have reasonably warm weather and little wind before we are comfortable enough to take her. Quote Link to comment
ghOzt Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 One could even save the page again after loggin their find or DNF. I have been printing out the cache page after each cache is logged online... since our very first find. We don't have many finds yet, but I've already filled a small binder with these pages. Paper and ink aren't free! I've been reducing the output size to conserve paper, but I'm really not sure how long I'll continue this practice. One of the main reasons that I started doing this is so that we'll always have a record of the coordinates for each cache. If one day we feel like revisiting that really nice park that that one cache was in, we'll be able to find the park instantly. Quote Link to comment
+Team Heather-Kat Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 (edited) Paper and ink aren't free! I've been reducing the output size to conserve paper, but I'm really not sure how long I'll continue this practice. One of the main reasons that I started doing this is so that we'll always have a record of the coordinates for each cache. If one day we feel like revisiting that really nice park that that one cache was in, we'll be able to find the park instantly. These are the exact reasons that we started doing it also. I don't print them unless there is a need. I just keep them on the hard drive. This way we can just store them and print only when needed. ICache has promise, but it seems a little cludgy to me....but I am biased as I work in the IT industry and have little regard for that cutesy interface, going to go look for a skin that just makes it a regular window...I'm blabbing...Later ! D. Edited January 23, 2004 by DonandKerry Quote Link to comment
+programmer64 Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 I use my Mapsource soft ware to mark all the caches I've found, onto a map. and carry a log book w/me to keep track of what I take and what I leave,and travel bugs and stuff! but i'm still pretty new to this. Quote Link to comment
+Logscaler and Red Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 You might want to look at this geo-Journal for something to pack around with you. they are reworking things once and awhile to improve the item. I am on my third book sofar. Other then this, I use the Watcher program on the laptop and log a lot of information to the cache page when I get back to the rig. And yes, we have several hundred of those cache pages in three ring binders as well as a couple notebooks and just loose sheets of paper. Around here somewhere. logscaler. Quote Link to comment
ghOzt Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 You might want to look at this geo-Journal for something to pack around with you. How exactly are the pages pre-formatted? There really isn't much info on the site and pictures of only the covers. I assume there're different blanks for the cache title, coords, comments, etc. Quote Link to comment
Ted's Trekkers Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 the geo-journal sounds interesting, but website only show cover-what is on the inside? Quote Link to comment
ghOzt Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 Yeah, what he said. Quote Link to comment
+robert Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 the geo-journal sounds interesting, but website only show cover-what is on the inside? Answer one of their survey questions and get a free 10-cache sample. Quote Link to comment
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