Interested in GeoCache...

CCKJ03 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:09 pm

Other then having a GPS unit...how does one get started in GeoCaching?

pokefan · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:27 pm

Don't use a car GPS is a good start! :lol:

Sorry that's what I'm getting by with for the time being. I'll get a handheld in a couple weeks. check out www.geocaching.com type in your zip code and start having fun!

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:36 pm

Yep, what he said. Join the web site, it's free, then have a lot of fun! Maybe you can find someone close by to take you out and show you the ropes.

Terry

501 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:03 am

If your looking for a cheap but good GPS, get a Garmin Etrex H around 100 bucks. If you want one of the better ones, a Garmin 60csx is the way to go, around 400 to 500 bucks. The 60csx has maps and extra bells & whistles. My wife and I have been caching since Feb 05 and have 2052 cache finds so far and have done them with the Yellow etrex, so you don't have to have the really expensive one to find them. We also bought a cheap, Palm zire 31 for 50 bucks off of Ebay and cachemate software for 8 bucks so we don't have to carry all the cache papers around with us, they are all stored in the palm.

Hope to see you on the trails some time, look us up if you get out and about!

501_Gang

corwyyn · **Posted:** Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:13 am

The e-Trex models are good, and the x-Plorist line by Magellan are probably comparable. I currently use a Garmin GPS V which is nice because it can auto-route on the roads then you can switch to the off-road mode which basically just has a pointer and tells you how far away you are. The 60C series are nice because they use USB to transfer data instead of the clunky old serial cables. And a PDA is soooooo nice - I have an iPaq with GPXSonar on it to display all the info for the caches. Of course if you think you might want to go the PDA route you can also find several brands of those that are GPS enabled which would be the best of both worlds

Inc · **Posted:** Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:06 pm

I have a Garmin Etrex Vista CX handheld it is great. I use it on hunting trips, geocaching and even mount it in my Liberty for driving directions. Geocaching is awesome, my wife and I do it every so often and it is great to get out and it can be good exercise too. So go join geocaching.com, get a GPS and you are pretty much good to go.

wheaties · **Posted:** Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:47 am

Has anyone tried a "blackberry" as a GPS?? Especially in remote, mountain areas.

Inc · **Posted:** Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:13 am

wheaties wrote:

Has anyone tried a "blackberry" as a GPS?? Especially in remote, mountain areas.

My dad has a blackberry, I will have to hit him up and see how it works for him.

501 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:19 am

wheaties wrote:

Has anyone tried a "blackberry" as a GPS?? Especially in remote, mountain areas.

Never tried a blsckbery for caching. Remember, you'll be in all sorts of places that can hurt your BB. I've dropped my GPS many of times and am glad they are built pretty tough, I've also dropped mine in a creek crossing a tree bridge, thank goodness it's waterproof! Not sure how a BB would be after taking a few good drops.

Inc · **Posted:** Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:20 am

501 wrote:

wheaties wrote:

Has anyone tried a "blackberry" as a GPS?? Especially in remote, mountain areas.

Never tried a blsckbery for caching. Remember, you'll be in all sorts of places that can hurt your BB. I've dropped my GPS many of times and am glad they are built pretty tough, I've also dropped mine in a creek crossing a tree bridge, thank goodness it's waterproof! Not sure how a BB would be after taking a few good drops.

X2, that why I am volunteering my old man's for testing.

501 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:11 am

incubusmike wrote:

X2, that why I am volunteering my old man's for testing.

Inc · **Posted:** Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:42 pm

No dice. I talked to my old man and after 26 years he has finally figured me out and wouldn't fall for "I heard Blackberry makes a real good GPS device, we should test it out! Lewis and Clark would have wanted us to. Carry on their exploring tradition!" I don't know maybe I laid it on too thick. :roll:

501 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:06 am

We Dads aren't as dumb as we look!

Inc · **Posted:** Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:09 am

Touché.

DryBones · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:17 am

Just got the DeLorme PN-20 and its very nice! Wife wants a GPS now too so probably will end up with a 60CSX in the near future.
PS: make sure to get the Geocahing Swiss army Knife (GSAK) program too. I run a macro through that program that uploads all the caches and info into my iPod so I can have all the info with me paperless! BTW, The Delorme holds 800 characters from the cache description and notes but most are so long winded you dont get them all, but I get everything on the iPod including logs and it holds 1000 caches.

501 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:02 pm

I use a Dell Axim with cachemate ($8.00) for paperless caching and MS Pocket Streets & Trips which gives me maps of the area that I'm going to.

Inc · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 3:52 pm

I have an iPod touch and it works perfectly for carrying info while caching. It has a notes program where I can type in all neccessay info, it is great. Plus I can listen to some tunes while out and about.

I need to get some street maps for my Garmin Vista CX. I have the entire US trails and offroad maps for it, but it is mostly useless when it comes to street directions. I use it mainly for hunting. My father in law has the street maps and I need to hit him up so I can download them and use it in my jeep around town.

Xodius · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2008 9:36 pm

incubusmike wrote:

I have an iPod touch

That is a darn good idea. So far I just use my eTrex, I don't take any notes, notes are for kids, lol. However, we are fairly new at caching but we just head out with the cords and find the stuff. So far only 1 that we could not find and then one other that was under snow so we were SOL there.

Inc · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2008 9:42 pm

Xodius wrote:

incubusmike wrote:

I have an iPod touch

That is a darn good idea. So far I just use my eTrex, I don't take any notes, notes are for kids, lol. However, we are fairly new at caching but we just head out with the cords and find the stuff. So far only 1 that we could not find and then one other that was under snow so we were SOL there.

The iPod touch really helps when the cache is a multi stage. That way if there are clues that we need during the search, we are set. If all we need is the coordinates, then I just bring the GPS unit.

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