GPS/Geocashing

[jimmy c]

anyone into this?

For you guys that dont know what this is, its like a scavenger hunt but locally, regional or worldwide using GPS units.

A friend and I have discussed doing this for a year or so now, but has never gone out nor do i know where to start.

heres some details below:
A) I have a Magellan eXplorist 500, 1 or 2 gig save card and basic usage with it.
B) I have ONLY the basic map pack that came with it. Basically it only has major highways on it and airports and the Great Lakes. (my city Oshawa Ontario Canada with 200,000+/- ppl is a small black dot on a screen) NO LOCAL STREETS!!
C) i have only used this to mark a location where I leave my truck when i go sledding so i can find it again. thats it. my GF is mad cuz she paid just over 300$ for this 2 years ago and i only use it in the winter when i go sledding.

anyone know where i can download free maps, geocashing maps/info on how to start or just anything about this subject????

there is so many types of maps i can d/l for this eg: topo maps, street maps etc. any advise what maps to get or can I download them all??

thanks

Jimmy c

 

[weslinte]

ok.... what year are you talking? these days every mobile phone has built-in gps. use that, Nokia smartphone provide free voice navigation also.

 

[meegosh]

I'm not into geocaching at all but I did find a good site a while back that had TONS of spots in my area. I'll try to find the link later if I can and post it here.

 

[thetonyage]

Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site

 

[jimmy c]

thanks for posting that site!! im on it now alot (hence the reason im never on here anymore) and registered and found 4 caches now! even the girlfriend and daughter are into it!!

thanks alot.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Im on that site, same name I think. I do it often and I wont trade any handheld GPS for a phone GPS app.

I dont think a phone has the memory space to hold topo maps to the extent I use them.

I use a garmin legend HCX. topo 100K installed.


PM me what you want jimmy, I can get my hands on maps thru old contacts at work.

 

[jimmy c]

yeah i think a phone app would not be good enough if u wanted to do it long term. the Iphone had what?? 36gig now? but i think a GPS would work way better cuz it was designed for this.

ill send u a pm. thanks!

 

[WhiteDevil]

Some GPS have expandable memory card slots which can go up to 8gb I believe now.

I used to be a crew member for a land surveying company, topos are easier to read then street maps to me.

 

[jimmy c]

yeah i have a 1 or 2 gig in mine but bigger is always better....

 

[WhiteDevil]

1gb is more then enough for an entire 50 state topo map. 2gb will get you all that PLUS all the other maps available.