So What Part Of Your Meridian Are You Using?

[Warbones]

I am so not having alot of luck finding caches with the gps and I was wondering what map(screen) you all use to find the cache.

[+TotemLake]

I'm not sure I really understand what you're asking but I'll try to answer. When I'm far away, I'll have a zoom out resolution of no more than 0.4 miles so I can still see the streets I need to navigate to my target. Zooming in closer as needed. Once I'm walking, I'll keep it at 250-500' until I'm within about 200 feet, then I'll zoom it to 100' level. Depending on how tough the hide might be, I'll switch to my floating compass to get a better bearing of it's location. Once you're within 20' of it though, all bets are off as the GPS will have you walking in circles if you follow the compass too much. Set it down and let it average and just start a low impact search. You can usually turn it up if you keep sleuthing it.

[Warbones]

That's is what I am confused on but you cleared some stuff up. I have like 9 different screens and wasn't sure which to use. I am still learning though so the more I read and do I should improve.

[+TotemLake]

That's is what I am confused on but you cleared some stuff up. I have like 9 different screens and wasn't sure which to use. I am still learning though so the more I read and do I should improve.

Most of those other screens are informational. Being that you recently started this sport, you might want to start with easy ratings; nothing more than 2 stars just to get your feet wet and allow you to figure out what you're doing with your device. You'll gain better confidence this way.

 

Also, check the version firmware, and see if you need to upgrade. Magellan has 5.12 out for the MeriPlat now, but be sure to follow the instructions! It is critical you do the upgrade the right way or you could hose your unit. It isn't as difficult as this warning makes it appear, but you have to be aware of the hazard.

[+embra]

Last summer I wrote up my settings in this post. I tried to provide my reasoning why I included or excluded various information or settings. You might find it useful for getting oriented on your Meridian.

 

You're probably best off starting with a few essential screens, getting comfortable with those, and then adding others on if you find them useful.

[Warbones]

ok, I set mine up to what you specified however this part I was a little confused on.

 

" COG - other directional-related fields than this use the electronic compass and draw more power"

 

I looked it up and found that COG = Course over ground. I set my meridian to True North is this what I need to do for COG I couldn't find where I could select this.

 

TotemLake Yeah that scares me a bit. I hope I do everything correct. I did update my firmware to 5.12 and all seems to be working fine. I am just really excited to find my first cache using my gps and this really is a challenge.

Edited March 31, 2004 by Warbones

[+JohnnyVegas]

If I am within 500 feet of a cache I just switch over to the compass style screen, I find it much easier to use than the map screen when I am the close to a cache. As totemlake mentioned, withing 20, put the GPS in your pocket.

[+TotemLake]

Cool. Once you get within what the unit tells you is about 100 feet away, start looking for ideas of where you might place a cache, this helps you to sharpen your eye for telltales.

 

When you get to within 20-30 feet away, start looking for a spot where you can safely set your unit down, or just stand and hold and let it settle down for a couple minutes to get a better fix. This will save you a little grief as newbies tend to follow the GPS to the target and get frustrated as their device leads them over a large area of error. Don't depend on it to get you to ground zero. My statistics show about a 40-45% on target to ground zero. In essence, it will get you very very close, but you still have to discreetly sleuth it out.

 

Three important things to remember.

 

1. When you find the cache, try to take it about 15-20 feet away from the location whenever possible before opening it up. Don't let on the true location.

 

2. ALWAYS hide it back exactly as and exactly where you found it. If it looks like it needs more cover because of accidental discovery, it is ok to do so, but make note of it in your web log when you do so.

 

3. Above all else, finds or no finds... have fun out there.

[TeamAv8r]

Here is what I do..... With my Meridian Color and directroute software....

 

1. I download the caches I want to do form GC.com (thank you GC.com)

2. Use GPSbabel to convert the .loc file to a Magellan mapsend file

3. Load the mapsend file into my Directroute software so I can see where all the caches are

4. Up load the cache waypoints to my GPS

5. In the car I select GOTO->Street Route->USER WAYPOINT->and I pick a cache

6. Follow the directions till I can't get any closer with the car (usually the parking lot) while using the map screen and street routing.

7. This is a big one. I then hit GOTO again. Select NEW GOTO->POINT to POINT-> USER WAYPOINT->and pick the same cache again.

8. Now I switch to the compass screen and follow the big red arrow. The fields on the top tell me how far away I am and how fast I am going.

9. Do this untill you get within about 25'. Then start looking around.

 

It is the last little bit that is the hardest. Sometimes it helps me to back away about 50' and follow the arrow again. Do this a couple of times and you will get a better "general area" to be looking in. The compass is more acurate when you are moving.

 

Other then that it just takes getting a few under your belt before you know what you are looking for. Soon you will be saying to yourself - "that hollowed out tree would be a good place for a cache" and BANG! There it is!

 

I have had to vist the same cache a couple of times before I finally found it when I first started. But it gets eaiser. Like someone else said, pick some easier ones to start with. Don't feel like you can't use the hints or read the other logs. There are usually some good tips form previous people that have found the cache. After a while you don't need them anymore.

 

Anyway, that is how I do it. Hope that helps. Good Luck!

 

Adam

 

edited cuz I wanted to

Edited March 31, 2004 by TeamAv8r

[+-=(GEO)=-]

Warbones...

 

On my MeriPlat, I've reduced the available displays down to 3 screens:

 

1. The satellite view.

2. The map view (customized to show me the bearing and the distance fields)

3. The Large coordinates screen w/ the odometer (customized to show me the EPE and the distance).

 

That's it. That allows me to switch between the screens quickly using 'ESC' and 'NAV' without wasting time going through the other non-essential screens (at least when caching).

 

The satellite view tells me about the precision (2d / 3d) and the sats in views, the map view lets me drive to and approach the cache area. Finally to locate the cache, I always use the distance and the bearing given by the GPS. I don't use the compass of the GPS, instead I use my own lensatic compass to get highly accurate bearings.

 

As I approach the cache area (100 feet or so), I tend to slow down my pace to let the GPS 'catch up' in order to give me an accurate position. It's easy to overshoot the cache otherwise.

 

Once in the close area of the cache, I look for likely hidding spots. The trick here is to stop looking at the GPS screens and paying attention to the environment It sounds silly but when I first started caching, I recall having the tendency to trust the GPS too much and my eyes not enough.

 

If I can't find the cache, I usually triangulate its position (using bearing and distance from 3 different angles) or I go by its coordinates.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Regards,

Fabien.

[+-=(GEO)=-]

I forgot to mention that I use the SD card in my MeriPlat everytime I go caching to transfer waypoint sets from GpxSonar. In other words, I use the PDA as my SD card reader-writer. It's extremely handy in the field

[+leatherman]

I use the same screens and techniques as -=geo=-. However I stay on the compass screen 'till 30'. Stop to orient myself with north. While doing so the Meridian "catches up". I switch to the coordinates screen to determine how much I have left to go. I find that the map and the compass wander around to much when your very close. I prefer the coords.

Now I can see, for instance, if I have to move .004 west and .002 north as I zoom in. I can also look in the direction I need to move, scanning for "Geo specific" hiding spots.

[+Z_Statman]

I am just getting started and feel really good in that many of my set-ups and GPSr usage follows what I read above ["pat on my back."]

 

Thanks to all for your insights, and happy caching to all.

Edited March 31, 2004 by Z_Statman

[Warbones]

TeamAv8r

 

I looked on the GPSbabel page and am not sure which one to download. What is the file name?

[+embra]

If you're going to try to follow the dataflow suggested by TeamAv8r, I would suggest substituting GSAK for GPSBabel. Actually, GSAK uses GPSBabel to translate file formats, and GLSBabel is included in your GSAK download.

 

A difficulty for many of us is that GPSBabel requires use of a command line to get full use out of it, and it's a little tricky figuring out the syntax when one is not used to that approach. GSAK is menu driven, and makes it considerably easier to send the data where you want in the way you want it. GSAK still doesn't make GPSBabel do everything that the translater is capable of, but it handles everything that most of us seem to want of it.

 

GSAK also is a great way to keep track of your cache waypoints. It's even more useful if you decide to become a premium member and get pocket queries in gpx format.

Edited April 1, 2004 by embra

[+Team GPSaxophone]

So What Part Of Your Meridian Are You Using?

I generally use the screen and the buttons.

 

Oh wait, I have a Garmin. I'm not sure if Magellan units come with those features

 

CO

[+Warriorrider]

Here is what I do..... With my Meridian Color and directroute software....

 

1. I download the caches I want to do form GC.com (thank you GC.com)

2. Use GPSbabel to convert the .loc file to a Magellan mapsend file

3. Load the mapsend file into my Directroute software so I can see where all the caches are

4. Up load the cache waypoints to my GPS

Just out of curiosity ... why go to the extra trouble of converting your cache files when you can just download them into EasyGPS and then upload them to your gps... done? Then you can still look at them in MapSend since your gps is already hooked up to your pc, no extra steps needed using another program to convert.

 

Just curious

 

Edit to add to the original topic:

 

I use the map screen when at about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile and farther away from the cache.

Then switch to either the compass screen or the large 4 data screen with bearing, heading, distance, and epe on it, to close in on the cache.

Edited April 1, 2004 by Warriorrider

[+TotemLake]

Used in conjunction with the other programs such as GSAK and Pocket Query, you can customize your downloads with specific criteria as well as information not otherwise gained through the .loc format. It's easier to keep up to date with the current status of the caches this way rather than surf from page to page to make sure you aren't chasing after any archived or temporarily disabled caches. I've been bitten several times with that while maintaining old information because it is a hassle to go to each of those pages all the time. Pocket Query makes it easier to keep track that way.

 

When Groundspeak begins to take credit cards directly (allegedly in May) I'll be joining up to take advantage of these programs.

[+leatherman]

Oh wait, I have a Garmin.

Trying to provoke me aren't you? You desperately need someone to tell you to stay on topic, don't you?

[TeamAv8r]

Warbones - Sorry, I should have been a little more clear as to where and what to download. On the left of the GpsBabel page click downloads... Then it is the like the 2nd one down. The file name is GPSBabel - 1.2.2.zip near the right it will say it is for windows. Download that and unzip the file where ever you want.

 

In the files that are unziped one is called GPSbabelFront. I made a shortcut to that on my desktop. Doubble click it and a box will show up called "GPSBabel GUI Frontend". The top line of that box is where you put the .loc file you downloaded form GC.com. The second line/pull down menu should say "Geocaching.com .loc" for the input file format. Next line is the output file name. You can type whatever you want for a name. Next is the output file format. You should select "Magellan Mapsend" for this menu. Then hit process. The file that is created is now ready to be loaded into Mapsend DirectRoute and then to your GPS. After they are loaded and saved as a waypoint file in Mapsend you can delete both the .loc file and the new file you created with GPSbabel. This will help next time you do the whole process by not haveing a million .loc and misc files all over the place. (I am kind of dumb and can't keep track of what is what) Anyway, hope that helps a little more. Let me know if there is anything else.

 

As far as why I use GPSbabel vs EasyGPS or some other program about all I can say is that is how I have been doing it form day one. I will agree there are several other programs out there that will let you do the same and even more with your GC.com files. I just like how simple GPSbabel is (once you do it once or twice) and I perfer to use my Mapsend software to keep track of my caches. Both found and not found. Part of the reason is I do not get PQ from GC.com. The small amout of info included in just the normal .loc file is not enough for me to go all out on a fancy program like EasyGPS. Although I have tried it and I do like the program. I just don't have enough caches/information to make it worth doing. So for me that is why I like my GPSbabel.

 

I will also agree that GSAK is a awsome program and will do what GPSbabel will do and more. But, for just starting out I think the more simple the better. After you get the hang of GPSbabel you can switch to something with more bells and whistles like GSAK. For me anyway, it was better to start simple and build on it from there. Just my two cents.

 

Good luck all!

 

Adam