Travelertags?????

January 14, 2005

I have sent 5 TravelerTags out into the Big Wide World of GeoCaching and NO-ONE EVER LOGS THEM!!!!!!!

What's up with that???? Is it because they have to go on a different site???? (www.travelertags.com)

One is a wooden nickel, Another is a Book , A H-2 Hummer; A school bus ,and a plain ol tag. Everytime that I notice one has been picked up , I check on the site and it never gets logged, I e-mail the cacher and they eventually place it in another cache or it goes missing.....

If you don't want to play the game , Why take it in the first place??? Same thing with Travel Bugs and Yellow Jeeps!!!! :rolleyes: DRIVES ME CRAZY!?!?!?

22k · January 14, 2005

Well, I'm not sure about your travelertags, The nature of the beast should tell you that whatever you put out there will disappear at some point.

Your GC.com travel bug notes that the current holder would release it within a couple months. I think it's time to send them a note.

Your Geocoin? Well, I'm always surprised if they travel further than two caches. They are not an investment in my book, unless you want to cast them into the wind. I think they are better as signature 'trade for keeps' items.

I'm sorry I can't give you a better response. GC.com tracked bugs themselves are a gamble. You just gotta expect the worst and then be happy when it moves.

Non gc.com travelers are even more of a chance.

Edited January 14, 2005 by BlueDeuce

January 14, 2005

The first "travel bug" I ever found was actually a Traveler Tag. It took me a month and several emails to the owner before I was able to successfully log this thing in. The website is difficult to use and the owner had made a mistake with the ID number of the tag, making it impossible for me to log it.

After that experience, I decided to ignore all Traveler Tags for the sake of my sanity.

I would only take a Traveler Tag if it was a geocoin or something especially interesting or meaningful.

Perhaps what is happening with your Traveler Tags is that finders are having similar experiences to my own?

8.8k · January 14, 2005

I'm sorry I can't help you with this. But you can vent all you want. It is the same way with a lot of Where's George $'s. Some people just can't find the time to do all that logging. Yes, I agree if you can't log it don't take it. Not that this is a Groundspeak issue, but did your tags have instructions with them? Is it clearly stated on the tag what is is? They could have been mistaken for an ordinary trade item. If the person who took it logged online that they took it, perhaps you could contact them and explain what it is.

January 15, 2005

Our new geocoin (Geocachers Of West Tennesee-GOWT) are out and have tracking from TT.com. As mentioned above. If you put it on a geocoin-expect it to not be logged. I have several other items I have placed TT.com tracking on and they are moving. I'm guessing your items were just too nice to place in a cache in someone's opinion and are now in a collection. My geocoins are more for trading but would be nice to see if they travel somewhere-I just don't hold my breath.

January 15, 2005

I have the same issue/complaint. It appears that the Travelertags website is just too much trouble for finders to register/log-in and post either a pick-up or drop. I have two out there, one of which I know was picked up from the cache due to the comments in the log. Even sent the finder an email requesting that he log the pick-up and find it another home. Although I have not given up hope that it eventually will be relocated in another cache, I have ordered and received my first 4 travel bugs, that I plan to place shortly.

24.7k · January 15, 2005

Anything that makes Traveler Tags as a site easier to use should be sent to them so they have the benifit of the feedback.

It's only by having that feedback that hey have the opportunity to know what's difficult and get a chance to fix it.

2.5k · January 16, 2005

Honestly, that site sucks.

When you log a drop, you have to know the gc number of the cache, you have to do everything just right. There's no edit feature. I hate the site.

January 17, 2005

I found my first Traveller Tag last week. I'm regretting having picked it up now since 1) the website is not the most friendly one I've encountered and 2) the whole philosophy seems to be one of trying to circumvent paying Groundspeak for TB tags. Given that Groundspeak needs revenue to keep the significant (and hence not cheap) infrastructure going to support our fun hobby I would rather pay for TB tags and support those that do so I can have greater confidence that they will be able to continue to provide the website services they do. I will drop this Traveller Tag somewhere, log it in on that site as best I can, and not pick up any more TTs.

1.7k · January 17, 2005

Found one this weekend. Website was very frustrating to use, I'll pass on any I find in the future.

2.1k · January 17, 2005

semi-OT: I agree with you, that their goal is probably to circumvent paying Groundspeak for travel bugs, but I imagine they would get much less business if Groundspeak would offer to sell just the numbers to people.

There are plenty of reasons for this, which I'm not going to go in to here, but really, would it be so tough?

============

Back on topic.

the first item I ever put in a cache was an old 16M USB flash drive. On the drive were instructions to basically e-mail me with its whereabouts, and i would update a central web page. Then you could add anything you liked to the drive, for the next person to see (when the drive filled up, I asked for the contents to be e-mailed to me).

Stopped by two days later, the drive was gone, nothing in the log book to say who took it, and I never heard from it again. Searched the vicinity, and there was no sign of it. Would they have been less likely to steal it if they say an official looking tag on it? Maybe...

Anyways lesson learned.

January 17, 2005

I received 15 Canadain Geocoins for CHristmas. They are beautiful and trackable at their site. Well I am orignally from Canada and that is the reason I asked for them. I plan to put one in each 100 cache I do, (now at 813) and one in each of my new caches I place. I know that most will be kept by other cachers as a collectable item but I send them out with that knowledge. If one or two get tracked ( you enter the GC waypoint with hte stamped tracking number) that will be a plus.

GA Cacher

January 18, 2005

It's interesting that so many people complain that the site is difficult to use. I gernally maintain a list of what caches I visit and their coordinates. While it is additional work it does offer an alterntive to the traditional method. It also offers the ability to have moving caches and to track yourself.

I'd welcome ideas on how to improve it. With Groundspeak having such restrictive TOS on data it's nearly impossible to really add any integrated process. Microsoft style marketing at it's best!

January 19, 2005

I'd welcome ideas on how to improve it. With Groundspeak having such restrictive TOS on data it's nearly impossible to really add any integrated process. Microsoft style marketing at it's best!

I found travelertags.com 'very' hard to figure out but think I finally figured out the magic incantation to at least enable my coins.

If your coins came with TT identifiers and passwords, you want to use the 'tag setup/edit' feature to make the coin known to the system, and THEN you can edit it, and perhaps even log it to your home coordinates to set the starting point.

One feature missing is the setting of home coords for the user (and automagically for their coins) or for the coins themselves individually. If you had lots of tagged items I could see how it would be a pain to set the home for each. A nice to have though, not a need to have in the least.

Having a 'much' cheaper alternative is certainly a nice thing to have although a buck a piece is still amazingly expensive. I'd say a dime each should be the goal (although I understand things take compute and network and they cost money).

Only by using the system will folks give it enough of a shakedown to identify usability problems. Seems like a nice effort (that's much appreciated) so far.

8.8k · January 19, 2005

It's interesting that so many people complain that the site is difficult to use. I gernally maintain a list of what caches I visit and their coordinates. While it is additional work it does offer an alterntive to the traditional method. It also offers the ability to have moving caches and to track yourself.

I'd welcome ideas on how to improve it. With Groundspeak having such restrictive TOS on data it's nearly impossible to really add any integrated process. Microsoft style marketing at it's best!

Since traveller tags are not a part of Groundspeak, perhaps it would be best if you took this discussion to the Travel Tag forums. Groundspeak hosts travel bugs. Not Traveller Tags, and is not responsible for how they are logged.

January 20, 2005

I made the mistake of picking up a Traveler tag bug a few months ago. I say mistake because the site asks you to create a user id and it just a total pain to use. I said forget it and dropped the traveler tag in the nearest travel bug hotel with a note saying that I had not logged it due to those requirements.

I enjoy travel bugs but I am not going to set up a separate account and mess with another site. Just my preference, and now that I know, I will not pick another one up again.

2.1k · January 20, 2005

Since traveller tags are not a part of Groundspeak, perhaps it would be best if you took this discussion to the Travel Tag forums. Groundspeak hosts travel bugs. Not Traveller Tags, and is not responsible for how they are logged.

Just wondering if there is something other than the index page that indicates what is discussable in this forum. The only thing I can see says:

Here you can discuss the Groundspeak Travel Bug, and any other hitchiker related topics.

Traveler Tags would certainly seem to fall in to the category of "other hitchiker related topics". Obviously though its Groundspeak's forums, so it can be modded all they like. (actually I agree with you, it is probably in traveler tags best interest to discuss problems in a more private area, like their own forums...)

Just wanted to know if there is some other guidelines somewhere that would help...

6.4k · January 20, 2005

Since traveller tags are not a part of Groundspeak, perhaps it would be best if you took this discussion to the Travel Tag forums. Groundspeak hosts travel bugs. Not Traveller Tags, and is not responsible for how they are logged.

Just wondering if there is something other than the index page that indicates what is discussable in this forum. The only thing I can see says:

Here you can discuss the Groundspeak Travel Bug, and any other hitchiker related topics.

Traveler Tags would certainly seem to fall in to the category of "other hitchiker related topics". Obviously though its Groundspeak's forums, so it can be modded all they like. (actually I agree with you, it is probably in traveler tags best interest to discuss problems in a more private area, like their own forums...)

Just wanted to know if there is some other guidelines somewhere that would help...

Well, he didn't lock the topic, so he didn't say you couldnt post about it, but really.... this site has nothing to do with them, and no say in how they are run. If you had a question about your new Ford car, would you call the Chevy dealer? If you have a problem with your X-Box, do you ask the Playstation guys for help? Does Walmart host a site where Target is looking for help on how to inprove their company? Does Groundspeak go to Navicache and ask for suggestions on how to improve GC.com?

If you want tech support for TravelerTags, ask it over on their site.

Edited January 20, 2005 by Mopar

3k · January 20, 2005

This is funny. I read this thread the other day, and then went caching and saw my first traveler tag in the cache. It was a cute little easter bonnet hat pin. I left it in the cache. Before that, I didn't even know about them. I guess I should peruse the forums a little more, but that's asking for angst.

2.1k · January 20, 2005

Well, he didn't lock the topic, so he didn't say you couldnt post about it, but really.... this site has nothing to do with them, and no say in how they are run. If you had a question about your new Ford car, would you call the Chevy dealer? If you have a problem with your X-Box, do you ask the Playstation guys for help? Does Walmart host a site where Target is looking for help on how to inprove their company? Does Groundspeak go to Navicache and ask for suggestions on how to improve GC.com?
If you want tech support for TravelerTags, ask it over on their site.

Not really complaining, (at least not meaning to anyways). It just kind of surprised me to see that post. I think a more apt example would be asking how to use lets say Real player (under windows) in a general Microsoft sponsored forum. Not really the right place to do it, but still marginally on topic.

Or help on installing a non-factory stereo in to your car, in a forum for support about the car. Again, not really the right place to discuss it, but you could make a case for it.

Anyways, don't really care too much, as I've never seen a traveler tag, and don't really plan on buying one. It just seemed that there was some legitimate, and interesting discussion that was going on that was quelled by a post from a moderator.

Anyone care to post a link to where this discussion is still going on (if it is)? I'd like to read it, as I face similar issues in setting up the tracking for the Calgary GeoCoins, and I'd like to know what people do/don't like about an existing system.

January 20, 2005

I originally posted this because it's the forum for:........".Here you can discuss the Groundspeak Travel Bug, and any other hitchiker related topics."

I was looking for a reason why they don't get logged!!! Who would you ask???? Some one on 'The barbie doll forums'????? Isn't this the place to ask GeoCachers why they don't log TravelerTags????

Well anyway...I got my answer before all the nit- pik'n started...

1.3k · January 21, 2005

I originally posted this because it's the forum for:........".Here you can discuss the Groundspeak Travel Bug, and any other hitchiker related topics."
I was looking for a reason why they don't get logged!!! Who would you ask???? Some one on 'The barbie doll forums'????? Isn't this the place to ask GeoCachers why they don't log TravelerTags????

Well anyway...I got my answer before all the nit- pik'n started...

I suppose it would have something to do with the fact that GC.com sells travelbug tags - and TravelerTags is a competing site. They give the first 5 (if they haven't changed that) away - then you have to pay for more. I honestly don't know many people who have more than 5.

In my experience most people don't want to bother with having to log things in more than one place.

southdeltan

8.8k · January 21, 2005

Let me be more succinct. My post was not to quell the topic, it was about SpongeRob's attitude towards the TOS and Groundspeak. You can discuss why they are not being logged all you want. From what I've been reading, it's my understanding that it is not a simple process to log them, and if you read all the questions in here regarding how to log travel bugs, then you'd know why a site that makes it more difficult to log is not utilized. Perhaps it needs to be more user friendly. I don't know, I have never logged a traveler tag.

So, discuss away......

January 31, 2005

Maybe you should complain on the TT website.

Travelertags?????

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