Brian A. Thomas .com » Geocaching

Some Cool Geocache Containers

Brian A. Thomas — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 02:21:00 +0000

As you may know, I like to geocache. Here are some highly creative containers… I haven’t ran across any as innovative as these, but I have seen a few really cool ones.

Reverse Geocaching?

Brian A. Thomas — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 23:08:38 +0000

Geocaching is a really cool hobby where somebody hides a container, sometimes so small it only fits a tiny bit of paper for a log all the way up to ammo cans (sometimes larger). They then post the coordinates of the container on a geocaching website where other people then try to find it.
One would think a hobby using GPS like that would be easy, but it can be a real challenge.
Anyhow, there is a new take on it called Reverse Geocaching. In this case you are given the cache up front, but it has a special device on it to keep it from opening until it is in the correct location.

Okay I Have a G1, but I Could Still Use a Good Handheld GPS

Brian A. Thomas — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:18:11 +0000

I love geocaching with my G1 using GeoBeagle. It is a great phone with GPS abilities, and of course GeoBeagle is the best program out there for the Android platform for geocaching (plus, it’s free). However, there are times when you exceed the ability to use the program, especially if you need a map to find where to drive to and you are in an area not serviced by T-Mobile. Such was the case the other day when at the family reunion in Minerva.
There was an additional problem, I loaded my G1 up with the 500 caches nearest me, and they stopped just outside of Minerva. This was no fault of the phone, the program or anything other than there being too many caches close to me to include Minerva. I have since ran a search for Minerva and will add those to the list soon.
The big issue while there was the lack of a signal. I couldn’t find places on Google Maps as it requires a good signal, and I couldn’t find new caches in the area to add manually as I didn’t have a signal. At the moment, GeoBeagle doesn’t support offline maps, though it is on the feature request list. Of course even if it did, my lack of foresight wouldn’t have solved the problem of not having caches for the area loaded up. Once again we see the value of the lesson of what happens when you assume something. I assumed that the area would be covered in my 100 mile search radius, but it is just the first 500 in that 100 miles that the query pulls, and in this case I wasn’t loaded in from my full database, which probably includes Minerva already.
Anyhow, the offline maps issue and some others show the value of still needing a good handled unit.
To that end here is the list of handheld units I want… I only need one of them, but if somebody wanted to send me one of each for evaluation comparison by all means feel free.
At the cheap end, and yet one of the best units out there for geocaching is the DeLorme Earthmate PN-40

Next up in price is the Garmin Dakota 20, but that won’t be out to July so I can’t provide an Amazon link yet, the Sugested retail will be $349.99, so perhaps $300 or so on the street… or Amazon price anyhow.
Next up in price is the Garmin Oregon 400T

Finally we get to the Garmin Oregon 550t, which isn’t pulling up in Amazon thought I thought it was out. This one has a suggested retail of nearly $600.
In order of preference, I would probably go PN-40 and Dakota tied for first, the two cheapest units on the list, then the 550t, then the 400t.

Using GeoBeagle

Brian A. Thomas — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:51:30 +0000

I made my first Wiki entry/edit today over at Cacheopedia. I made an entry on how to use GeoBeagle. Hopefully others will come along and help fill in what I left out.

Lots of New Caches Found Using My G1 and GeoBeagle

Brian A. Thomas — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:11:30 +0000

I have now found a total of 11 caches, 6 of which have been using my T-Mobile G1, and GeoBeagle that I downloaded off the Android Market. I have to say I find that the G1 does really well in the cover of woods. Far better than I expected. GeoBeagle is my favorite Android app so far, and its free, unlike some of the other geocaching apps for Android devices. GeoBeagle is still fairly early in the beta cycle, but there are no real bugs. A few features would be nice to have, and I put a request for those on the forums for it, and the UI could be made a little easier, but all in all a very good app with a very bright future. I am at a loss as to if features should be added/and current features tweaked first, or upgrade UI. With C#, you start with the UI and work on the back end after. This isn’t so much the case with Java, or so I’ve seen so far from what little I have done with Java. I am going to skip listing all my finds this time, if you want to know, the geocaching icon to the side of the page should take you to my geocaching profile. There are two Did Not Finds on that list, none could be blamed on the G1 or GeoBeagle. The one I got a hint for and forgot one of the obvious things about geocaching, the caches are not always on the ground, as for the other, nobody has found it and logged it yet, so it may be MIA.

I Found My First Geocache Using My G1

Brian A. Thomas — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:54:38 +0000

I got a G1 recently. Great phone with a built in GPS. So now I can go geocaching.
First I got GeoBeagle (available on the Android Market) and it’s required application Radar. Then I had a moment to run accross the street from work… well okay, I drived across the bridge to the other side of the freeway… and went looking for the 77 Cemetery cache. I found it all right. Along the way I saw a baby bunny right next to the cache location, but I didn’t change to camera mode quick enough before he scampered off.
I have to say GeoBeagle works really well. Can’t compare it to the paid apps, but it does the job admirable.
Now to take Sara out with me soon.

Rethinking Which GPSr to Get and Garmin and DeLorme Announce New GPSrs

Brian A. Thomas — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:22:37 +0000

I have decided to either go for a DeLorme (yes, the same company that makes the large street atlas you may have in your car or elsewhere) PN-40 (noted below) or the PN-20

$349.99 at Amazon (link above), but that includes topographic maps of the country, which can be used for full road routing. 1GB SC card and the usual complement of other stuff.
However… Factory refurbished units can be had for $199.99 from places like Tiger GPS and a few others. I have read the forums, and it seems factory refurbished units are just as good as (sometimes better than) new units. (May be better as the factory tests them more than new units.)
This makes it cheaper than the $234.09 Garmen Vista HCx (which by most accounts isn’t nearly as good)

and far cheaper than the equal model on the Garmin side, the one I would like to have of the Garmin’s the $299.99 60CSx (price dropped from last time I looked, perhaps due to the fact Garmin has a new GPS coming out soon)

But… there is always a “but.” But, there is a new DeLorme coming out called the PN-40, which by the looks of things is amazing… This is the one I would most want to have… but given economic realities, I’ll probably have to take the PN-20.

Meanwhile, beyond the news of the DeLorme PN-40… drool…
Okay, beyond that there is the new Garmin Oregon, which seems to be a touchscreen version of the Colorado series.
The $499.99 300 is probably the best starting point (there is a 200 as well… but it drops a few features that I would think one would want once they start spending this kind of money and doesn’t seem cheap enough compared to the 300 IMHO to bother)

Of course, just like the Colorado’s, there is a full line of 400′s, including the one that would be most helpful to my sort of situation, the 400t, which comes with topo maps pre-loaded at $599.99.

Of course, the touchscreen may be the problem with the Oregons. Depending on the sensitivity, will rain falling on it make the screen respond. How well will it respond if you have gloves, and the like?
Until I saw solid reviews, I would likely stick with the Colorados, though they still have firmware and software issues for many users. Of course that is just a personal preference, and I am sure many would prefer the touch screen of the Oregon over the wheel of the Colorado.
Just in case you want to check them out, the Colorado 300:

And the 400t:

In the end, I would likely wait to see the reviews on the PN-40 if I had the money to buy it… I am guessing, that since the PN-20, new is $349.99 (Amazon’s cheap, below suggested retail price…. which I think is $419.99), the new PN-40 is likely to go for much more… There haven’t been any rumors that I have seen yet about price, but I am going to guess suggested retail will be between $450/$500 (the suggested retail of Garmin’s 60CSx looks to be about $430) to $600/$650 (the suggested retail of the Colorado 400t is $640, so I am guessing that would be the upper range they would go at)… but that isn’t really an educated guess, just a wild guess.

Good Geocaching Day

Brian A. Thomas — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:05:46 +0000

Ari and I went geocaching Saturday (Sara decided to stay home and have some Sara time) and Ari played a bit in the park.
We still don’t have a GPS, so I still rely on Google Maps or Google Earth to locate things before I leave the house.
First we went for and got, The “Price” is Right! #2, GCWD82. This is a fun micro cache, where the stealth is more about timing and looking smooth. There was at least one more name from that day on the log.
Then we went for The “Price” is Right! #3, GCWD8C, but there were too many Muggles in the area to search too much, so Ari played for a while on the playground, looked at the ducks and geese, then we came back. Despite a bunch of Muggles were still at a picnic pavilion nearby, we managed to snag it. The log was too wet to sign.
I didn’t go for any of the others in Price Park.
Next we went and found Park Sandwich, GCXJ5Y. Not too hard, but required some forethought. We tried finding Rotary Rooter, GCVYCF, but without a good GPSr, this one will be really hard to find. Google Maps/Earth will only take you so far when it is deep in the woods of a park.
We also techinically tried to get BOOMERS LITE BRITE, GC13GNZ, but I didn’t mark it as an official attempt since I didn’t remember which pole it was at (it is a light pole cache). I looked at one, but didn’t look too closely (when I got home, turns out that was the one I should have checked better), then tried another pole but a Muggle was parked next to it as well and taking his sweat time. I waited for a while, but eventually had to go into the store. When Ari and I came back out, the dude was still there. So we putzed around some more, but the guy never left, so we didn’t get to try (which is just as well since it was the wrong pole anyhow).

Pick Me…Pick Me At The Travel Bug Tree (GCXW4Z)

Brian A. Thomas — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:14:27 +0000

I found my first geocache! I specifically picked Pick Me…Pick Me At The Travel Bug Tree (GCXW4Z) first because it was supposed to have a Travel Bug in it, and when we go camping here soon, there will be a gathering of geocachers who will trade Travel Bugs. Also, based on it’s location on Google Maps, I figured I could find it before I got a GPS. Good on both counts!
The Travel Bug, is Buzz (TB121WH). As I said, I’ll be taking him camping with me, where on some day and time at some location on the campgrounds, some geocachers will gather for fun, talking, and trading of Travel Bugs. Since I won’t have time to get my own Travel Bug ready (I plan on getting one with the goal of sending him to New Zealand and then all over New Zealand, spending some time in the Nelson area if it can), I figured finding a local one would do, and I would do what I can to help it travel. Buzz’s goal is to visit all 50 states. He’s been in 7 states that I see off hand. Hopefully I can send him towards the West, or at least to a state he hasn’t been to yet. Once traded and we are back, I’ll drop the new Travel Bug off at the same location.
The cache itself was a fun find. I think when I go back to take the new Travel Bug, I’ll practice a little cache in, trash out since there seemed to be a few beer bottles lying around. Sara and Ari were with me, but I left them in the van while I ran for a quick search since we were on our way to her parent’s house and didn’t want to dedicate too much time looking for it. I was about to give up before I stumbled upon a likely spot and found it.
Just in case the pictures may spoil (though I tried to make sure I didn’t show too much) I’ll bury them below the break… of course if somebody got here via Google anyhow, they are probably looking at the full post, in which case advert your eyes.

Here some pictures:
I deleted a couple of pictures since they looked like they may show too much… They are still on Flickr, so following the pictures below should bring you to more… Doesn’t really show much more than the two below, but I figured I’ll play it safe…
Contents of the cache.

This is Buzz. He’ll soon be on his way on an important mission.

Father’s Day GPS Deals

Brian A. Thomas — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:17:37 +0000

Amazon has some Father’s Day GPS Deals. Unfortunately none of the GPSrs that I am looking at are part of the deal… as a matter of fact, none of the ones that they have a deal on would work for much of any of the stuff I want a GPS for aside from road navigation, none of them would work for geotagging photos, though a couple would work as very basic geocaching units, but aren’t really meant to be taken on a hike as they aren’t rugged enough. So I am still looking at the Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Color High-Sensitivity Mapping Handheld GPS as the unit of choice (at the low end, or the Garmin 010-00422-00 GPSMap 60CSx 2.6-Inch Mapping Handheld GPS at the high end since I decided against a Garmin Colorado 300 Bilingual Handheld GPS Unit with North American Maps for now due to firmware issues… though those will be cleaned up… probably soonish). I detailed everything in my last post, Locked Down on a GPS Choice.