Welcome to Geocaching!

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(No Transcript)
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Welcome to Geocaching!

• The sport where YOU are the search engineTM
• www.geocaching.com

The Groundspeak Geocaching Logo is a trademark of
Groundspeak, Inc. (Used with permission)
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What is Geocaching?

• Geocaching is an entertaining outdoor adventure
  game for GPS users of all ages.

• The basic idea is to set up caches (hidden
  prizes) all over the world and share the
  locations (Latitude / Longitude) of these caches
  on the internet.

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What is Geocaching?

• Using the Geocaching Website, www.geocaching.com,
  you can search for caches by
• By Postal Code
• By Coordinate
• By State/Country
• By Keyword
• By Username (Found)/(Hidden)
• By Waypoint Name, and
• By Address (US Only)

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What is Geocaching?
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What is Geocaching?

• GPS users can then use the coordinates to find
  the caches.

• Once found, the visitor may take something from
  the cache, leave something, and/or sign the
  logbook.

• The find is then logged onto the Internet
  website where statistics about found and hidden
  caches are maintained.

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Geocaching and the Environment

• In 2003, geocachers around the world organized 67
  cleanup events in 5 countries and 28 States. The
  events were such a huge success that Groundspeak
  (corporate owner of Geocaching.com) is committed
  to carrying on the tradition.

• Goals
• Actively promote the Cache In Trash Out program.
• Assist in the maintenance of parks trail
  systems.
• Increase public awareness of Geocaching.

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How Did It Get Started?

• On May 1, 2000, the GPS signal degradation called
  Select Availability (SA) was removed.

• The change allowed GPS units owned by civilians
  to now be accurate to within as close as 6 feet.

• On May 3rd, someone hid a cache in Oregon. It
  was visited twice within 3 days and logged in the
  log book once.

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How Did It Get Started?

• Mike Teague, the first to find it, built a web
  page to document the caches.

• Jeremy Irish, the current operator of the
  Geocaching website, expanded the idea and used
  the name geocaching.

• On September 6th, four months after the first
  hide, the official torch was passed to Jeremy.
  Geocaching is now in all 50 states and in over
  200 countries.

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What is a GPS?

• A GPS (Global Positioning System) unit is an
  electronic device that can determine your
  approximate location (within 6-20 feet) almost
  anywhere on the planet.

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What is a GPS?

• A GPS uses a system of 27 satellites (24 active,
  3 reserve) to calculate your position.

• The GPS receiver can see at most 12 of the 24
  satellites at any one time.

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What is a GPS?

• Since the GPS unit knows your position and
  tracks time, it can calculate distance, speed,
  direction, and even elevation.

• You can use the unit to navigate from your
  current location to another location.

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What is a GPS?

• Some units have their own maps, built-in
  electronic compasses, altimeters, and even voice
  navigation.

• Dont worry though, a GPS device doesnt send
  signals, it only receives them. So . . . no one
  can track your location!

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How do GPS devices work?

• Lets say you dont know where you are but a
  passerby tells you that youre 238 miles from
  Cleveland.

• That puts you anywhere on the perimeter of a
  circle around Cleveland!

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How do GPS devices work?

• Another passerby stops and tells you youre 340
  miles from Boston.

• So not only are you on the perimeter of the
  circle around Cleveland, but around Boston too.
• There are now only two possible locations!

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How do GPS devices work?

• Finally, someone stops and tells you that youre
  272 miles from Baltimore.

• You now know right where you are!

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GPS options to consider

• 12 channel receiver
• Waterproof
• Altimeter
• Electronic compass
• Basemap
• Optional maps
• Memory size
• Rocker keypad

• WAAS/DGPS
• Computer interface
• Power source
• Color screen
• Backlit screen
• External antenna jack
• Screen size

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How much will I pay?
GPS Unit Offroute GPS Now The GPS Store
eTrex Basic Unit 90 100 100
eTrex Summit Intermediate Unit 160 180 180
eTrex Legend Intermediate Unit 120 150 150
GPSMAP 76CSx Advanced Unit 439 439 465
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Basic GPS FeaturesThe eTrex Summit
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Basic GPS FeaturesThe Power Button

• Press the power button and hold for 1 second to
  turn it on.

• Press again to turn the backlight on

• Press again to turn the backlight off

• Press and hold to turn the unit off

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Basic GPS FeaturesThe Satellite Page

• After powering it up, the unit will attempt to
  lock onto the satellites.

• You must be outdoors with a clear view of the sky
  to get a signal.
• Once locked on, youre ready to navigate!

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Basic GPS FeaturesMark A Waypoint

• The first thing you want to do is to mark your
  starting location.

• Press and hold the Enter button till the Mark
  Waypoint window appears.

• Use the Up/Down buttons to move to the various
  fields. Then press Enter when youre at the OK
  field.

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Basic GPS FeaturesReview Waypoint / GoTo

• To locate a previously stored waypoint, use the
  Page button to get to the Menu page.

• Use the Up/Down buttons to move down to the
  Waypoints category and press Enter.

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Basic GPS FeaturesReview Waypoint / GoTo

• Then, using the Up/Down buttons, move down to the
  desired Waypoint Group and press Enter.

• Now move down to the desired Waypoint and press
  Enter.

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Basic GPS FeaturesReview Waypoint / GoTo

• Now you can either use the selected waypoint or
  you can edit it.

• To go to the waypoint, move down to the GOTO
  selection and press Enter.

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Basic GPS FeaturesThe Compass / Pointer Page

• The GPS unit now displays the basic Pointer Page

• This page is used to navigate to the chosen
  waypoint by following the pointer arrow.

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Im Lost!!!

• If you get lost, dont forget that you marked (or
  should have marked) your location when you
  started.

• Search for the waypoint you marked, select GOTO,
  and head back to civilization!
• Dont forget to take extra batteries and a
  compass with you!

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Some GPS links
How a GPS works electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps.htm/printable
GPS Now www.gpsnow.com/
The GPS Store www.thegpsstore.net/
GPS World Supply gpsworldsupply.com/
OffRoute.com www.offroute.com/
Garmin www.garmin.com
Magellan www.magellangps.com/en/
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Lets Go Find A Geocache!