[abcdmCachers]

quote:

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Originally posted by Opossum:
1.) Is there software that does a better job that this, given I hit about 5 caches/week?

2.) Is there software that runs on my PDA that decrypts the hints via cut/paste?

Thanks for your help,
Opossum

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I use GpxSonar which works well for me. I set up a PocketQuery which runs once a week and gives me a .gpx file for all the caches in the area. GpxSonar does have features like sorting, shows distance from a given center point, etc. When you click on a cache it creates a web page on the fly and brings it up in internet explorer. The hint is decrypted but shown in white text so to see the hint, just drag your stylus over the hints area to highlight it. Links to this and others can be found here: http://www.geocaching.com/waypoints/default.aspx

Hope this helps,
Doug

[abcdmCachers]

I use a PocketPC with a Teletype compact flash card. It’s definitely a love/hate relationship. Many pluses – large color screen, excellent reception, waypoints include cache descriptions and hints, waypoint icons that distinguish kind as well as size of cache, door to door routing, memory card holds maps for entire states, recharges in the car, etc. The big minuses – fragile (but so far not a problem), and it requires external antenna, although this apparently is a problem with my particular PDA. If they are interested in learning more, feel free to have them contact me. Check out the waypoint generation software that I wrote for it at http://www.logicweave.com/waypointgen.html. The next version of the software will extract parking coordinates from the cache descprition and generate waypoints. Is this possible with any other software?

Having said this, I am in the market for a dedicated unit, but I am worried I’m going to have to give up some features.

[abcdmCachers]

OK, I feel like an idiot. I really do know how to use a computer! I promise I won’t repost this message if it doesn’t show up.

[abcdmCachers]

For some reason my reply doesn’t seem to be getting through. Apologies if this eventually ends up being posted multiple times.

Just a stab in the dark, but are you using ZoneAlarm? I seem to remember something similar happening to me where attachments were renamed as a protection against the evil that might be lurking. It might be worthwhile to check your firewall and/or anti-virus settings to see if they are the cause.

[abcdmCachers]

Just a stab in the dark, but are you using ZoneAlarm? I seem to remember something similar happening to me where attachments were renamed as a protection against the evil that might be lurking. It might be worthwhile to check your firewall and/or anti-virus settings to see if they are the cause.

[abcdmCachers]

Just a stab in the dark, but are you using ZoneAlarm? I seem to remember something similar happening to me where attachments were renamed as a protection against the evil that might be lurking. It might be worthwhile to check your firewall and/or anti-virus settings to see if they are the cause.

[abcdmCachers]

We had an obligation on Saturday so were unable to make it. But we had a great day today in that we found the very difficult hotel and spa 9.0. (Almost had another DNF but C saves the day). Maybe next year and hopefully we’ll see everyone at the picnic this year.

[abcdmCachers]

Here’s another site that lists all the locationlesses: http://www.brillig.com/geocaching/special.shtml

While perusing, I noticed another one that looks fun that I hadn’t seen before: International Space Station, especially if you have a camera that can do a timed exposure.

[abcdmCachers]

The hat is Carrie’s (C of ABCDMCachers). Looks like the original forum topic has been deleted – too bad, it was hilarious. We posted a note indicating the hat was ours, but it wasn’t until the topic had lost its steam, so most people probably didn’t notice it. Here’s a “picture” from the picnic showing where we left the hat. You can see why we lost it. Hint: haqre gur cvpavp gnoyr.

We also found one of the “have you seen this hat” cards in a State of Mind cache. We couldn’t believe it when we found it. Click here to see.

Doug (D of ABCDM)

[abcdmCachers]

I’ve been using google maps for a month or so now and even though it’s still in beta I’d have to say it blows away all other online maps. It’s fast, no ads (yet), allows pan via mouse drag, and combines it’s search engine with maps (try typing “thai milwaukee” to see where the Thai restaurants are, or “wifi wauwatosa” to see wifi hotspots.) Give it a try if you haven’t already.

Doug

[abcdmCachers]

Hi, we had a great time in Utah over spring break. Please add one to our previous total:
ABCDMCachers – 4 (WI,MI,IL,CO)

[abcdmCachers]

Here’s my $.02 if anyone is interested: I felt funny logging temporaries for the few events we’ve attended, but I did it anyway because that seemed to be the norm (at least in our area). Here are my thoughts:

– Yes, most of the temporary caches are challenging, of high quality, and meet or exceed standards for permanent caches, but there are a few important differences:
1) It’s hard not to see people at the cache as you are approaching. Even if we stand back 100 or 200 feet waiting for them to finish, it’s too late, the cache is no longer as challenging. We’ve even had people watch us as we start our search and give us clues, like “think magnet” or “turn around”. Arrggh, thanks for the help, but you just ruined the hunt!
2) Along the same lines, sometimes there are 3 or 4 teams simultaneously searching for the same cache. Only 1 person actually finds it, but everyone gets credit. I’m not saying it’s wrong for people to log a find (they walked the walk and did the search), rather it’s just another reason event temporaries are a different breed.
3) Like it or not, part of the challenge of caching is just getting to the general area. Who hasn’t parked on the wrong side of a river or a fence? (Remember SOM Illinois? Easy, just 20 feet from the road, until you get there – doh!) Having all caches in the same general area reduces their difficulty IMO.

– For the statistics lovers, being able to log event tempoaries causes 2 problems:
1) Not everyone logs them, making apples to apples comparison of stats more difficult.
2) It obscures what I think is an interesting statistic – how many events have you attended? This to me seems like such an obvious thing, yet I haven’t heard anyone mention it yet. Does anyone else think this would be an interesting statistic? Seems at least as interesting as how many letterbox combo’s you’ve found.

One solution that many people propose, let everyone do their own thing, whatever they feel comfortable with, doesn’t solve either of these statistical issues and in fact, makes them worse.

I think the ideal would be if groundspeak added a new log type to event caches called “found temporary”. These would count in people’s total count, but not under the event caches, rather under a new “temporary” category for caches. Problem solved, no more controversy, no more questions on how to log events. What do others think?

To me the fun of events is talking with people and putting faces to the names. Sometimes I think having so many temporaries takes away from this because people are out hunting, but that’s a separate topic I think.

Thanks for reading,
Doug (D of ABCDM)

[abcdmCachers]

We’re still wondering what happened/will happen to the hat. It would be pretty funny to make it a TB, but we’ll also probably be at the March On Washington DC event so we could pick it up there.

[abcdmCachers]

Who was the genius who started the “Have you seen this hat” calling card? It’s hilarious! We found one today and plan to show it to C, the owner of the hat.

Here is the card:

It got a little wet so it’s kind of hard to read. It says: “Have you seen this hat? Be on the lookout! Hat has been chasing geocachers around the state of Wisconsin since August 19, 2004. Hat may appear pleasant but has been causing havoc wherever it goes. If found stay clear and contact http://wi-geocaching.com/ Immidiately!”

This makes me wonder where the hat really is right now.

[This message has been edited by abcdmCachers (edited 10-09-2004).]

[abcdmCachers]

WI, MI, IL, CO

Interesting that in this day and age this list has to be manually created and updated. It would be pretty cool if gc.com opened their databases to general purpose queries, but I suppose that would slow their servers down even more. Thanks for doing this.

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