Man, I haven't started yet & I'm addicted!

[+Mark 42]

I've been involved in a Hare & Hound game called Hashing (done by Hash House Harriers), so this is right up my alley.

 

Today I aciidentally ran into your site & found out that there are at least (probably many more) two caches in the forest I jog & explore 2-3 days a week!

 

I'm only amazed I haven't found any Caches yet (I've seen all sorts of stuff in the forest, and I do sometimes end up trailblazing & bushwhacking).

 

I'm gonna hafta find the "Banner Nanner"!

 

Hukt un fonix werkt fer mee

[+butche]

Yep, your going to have to stop and smell the flowers, eh

 

Close Enough, eh!

[+sept1c_tank]

Met one of your group in Cairns, Queensland, Aus. His handle is Ringpicker. His card says "Grand Master."

 

The International Drinking Club with a Running Problem

 

Seemed like a real nice fellow.

 

WELCOME, Mark, to geocaching...you now have 2 problems!

 

==============="If it feels good...do it"================

 

**(the other 9 out of 10 voices in my head say: "Don't do it.")**

 

.

[+Spzzmoose]

Run...before it's to late!

[+EthicalEgoist]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark 42:

Today I aciidentally ran into your site & found out that there are at least (probably many more) two caches in the forest I jog & explore 2-3 days a week!

 

I'm only amazed I haven't found any Caches yet (I've seen all sorts of stuff in the forest, and I do sometimes end up trailblazing & bushwhacking).

 

I'm gonna hafta find the "Banner Nanner"!

---

You aren't the only one... I stumbled across the site some time ago and want to get started right away, but I don't have a GPS yet... and I've got to wait on my paychecks to catch up (new job, long story)... argh!

[+Mark 42]

My Hashing name is (because I'm an engineer) "Nerd Alert", & they named my dog "Turd Alert" (they like to name families in a theme when they can).

Here's an info website (the thumbnails along the left are sometimes pg rated):

 

http://www.half-mind.com/who.htm

 

I have the (dis?)advantage of already owning a GPS.

 

My dad couldn't use it on his ultralight because he has an all aluminum wing above him & can't get satellite reception.

 

I have also found I have to put my GPS well forward on the dashboard of my truck to get decent reception. It's a Garmin GPS38, and has no provisions for an external antenna.

 

My next GPS will definitely have an external antenna jack.

 

That way, I can carry a lightweight 50 ft telescoping pole to lift my antenna above the trees!

 

I have it with me today, and programmed three cache waypoints in it on my morning commute!

(one of them is a small park with a beach, not far from home, which my wife and kids have been wanting to show me!)

 

I also decided we could let my daughter sit down and decipher the "additional hints"; she has a learning disability which makes it hard for her to concentrate on tasks, & this will be a good way to give her experience in the pleasure of reaching a goal by sticking to the hard tasks that sometimes are required to achieve goals.

 

BTW, I haven't seen this question in the FAQ (tough I may have missed or not encountered it yet):

 

If a waypoint is given as N AA° AA.xyz & W AA° AA.xyz, how far off (in feet or meters) will a person be for every value error of y & z

 

In other words, if it xyz are 435, but I'm at xyz values 436 or 445, how far away am I from the waypoint's correct location.

 

It seems like I could take a reading in the clear, pace off the distance N. & W. from that point to where I place a cache (in poorer coverage area) and extrapolate (translate or re-interpret) that distance into the coordinates of the cache.

 

Is there a FAQ on tips for getting better reception in the trees?

 

Does an external antenna mounted atop a hat help reception? (I'm used to strange looks).

 

Hukt un fonix werkt fer mee

[+Pobre Rico]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark 42:

 

BTW, I haven't seen this question in the FAQ (tough I may have missed or not encountered it yet):

 

If a waypoint is given as N AA° AA.xyz & W AA° AA.xyz, how far off (in feet or meters) will a person be for every value error of y & z

 

In other words, if it xyz are 435, but I'm at xyz values 436 or 445, how far away am I from the waypoint's correct location.

 

---

 

A change in y or z depends on if you're talking latitude or longitude. Theoretically, for latitude, a change of one in y would be 60'9" and a difference of one in z would be 6'1". But, the Earth isn't perfectly round, so it changes depending how far from the 45th parellel you are. A change of one in the z could be anywhere from 6'1/2" to 6'1-1/2".

 

Longitude is a whole different story. At the equator a change of one in y would again be about 60'9" and the same change in z would be 6'1". But, as you approach the poles the meridians get closer together. By the time you reach the pole all the meridians smack into each other and any change in y or z makes no difference at all!

 

At least, I think all that is correct. Any REAL experts out there care to confirm or deny?

[+tozainamboku]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pobre Rico:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mark 42:

 

BTW, I haven't seen this question in the FAQ (tough I may have missed or not encountered it yet):

 

If a waypoint is given as N AA° AA.xyz & W AA° AA.xyz, how far off (in feet or meters) will a person be for every value error of y & z

 

In other words, if it xyz are 435, but I'm at xyz values 436 or 445, how far away am I from the waypoint's correct location.

 

---

 

A change in y or z depends on if you're talking latitude or longitude. Theoretically, for latitude, a change of one in y would be 60'9" and a difference of one in z would be 6'1". But, the Earth isn't perfectly round, so it changes depending how far from the 45th parellel you are. A change of one in the z could be anywhere from 6'1/2" to 6'1-1/2".

 

Longitude is a whole different story. At the equator a change of one in y would again be about 60'9" and the same change in z would be 6'1". But, as you approach the poles the meridians get closer together. By the time you reach the pole all the meridians smack into each other and any change in y or z makes no difference at all!

 

At least, I think all that is correct. Any REAL experts out there care to confirm or deny?

---

 

Markwell's FAQ has a good explaination and this table that gives the number of feet per thousandths of a minute of longitude at different latitudes.

 

東西南北

Why do I always find it in the last place I look?[/i

[+Mark 42]

At first, when I read Poor Richard's response, I was thinking 6'1" meant 6 minutes & 1 second...

 

Then, as I continued to read, habit started making me see 6 foot 1 inch.

 

Funny how ingrained habits can be so hard to overcome.

 

Since I'm in Seattle, once I find out that answer, I can write a table for myself (if the one at the link given isn't specific enough).

 

Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

[+Mark 42]

HOLY BUCKETS!!!

 

I was out jogging yesterday, and I think I was standing on top of the feathers at this one!!!

 

Something told me to look around, but I didn't see anything (but I didn't know I was looking for anything either).

 

It's possible there was another stricken bird too... there were a ton of grey feathers sorta under a bush.

 

I'm gonna hafta teach my dog to help me find these things!

 

Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

[+2dest]

Hi Mark 42,

I have run across instructions somewhere online for making a passive external antenna that helps these units out. Maybe you would want to search for that info. Also, I think it is a great idea for your daughter to decrypt the clues! I find something for kids in most of the caches I see. And about the geoaddiction - many of us don't talk about it much but kind of just flow with it instead of fighting it off.

[+Mark 42]

Passive antenna... here's one on eBay!

 

Submitted purely for comedic value:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3038639185

 

Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee