The Latest Episode: 010 - Geocacher's Creed of the GeoSnippits Reboot Podcast Now Available

Recorded LIVE at the GeoSnippits Studios in Raleigh, NC on March 21, 2013

Tonight's show -- The Geocacher's Creed. Both Andy HeadHardHat Smith and Dave Debaere go over this amazing reminder of geocaching sportsmanship so that the geocaching community can understand the importance of such a creed. They also learn an interesting fact about the geocaching creed and it's tie with Sponsor Cache Advance and their role. Geocachers are encouraged through the creed to take common sense to heart while geocaching and have available answers when the question of "What should I do in this situation?" arises.

It is an episode you do not want to miss.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions for the show you can call our voice-mail at (919) 341-9519 or send a voice-mail for free from anywhere around the world by going to www.geosnippits.com and clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on the right side of the screen.

——————————————————————-

The GeoSnippits Reboot Podcast is a brand new tutorial show designed to educate and entertain geocachers of all experience levels. Each Thursday at 8:30PM ET, Co-host Dave DeBaeremaeker and GeoSnippits founder Andy HeadHardHat Smith discuss interesting aspects of Geocaching in an easy to understand tutorial manner. Giving advice and insights to our game,sport and obsession in ways only they can provide.

GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial videos have over 500,000 views from around the world and have been teaching geocachers since 2008. You can see our live show and dozens of our free archived videos at GeoSnippits.com.

HOT OFF THE DIGITAL PRESSES  - The Latest Episode: 010 - Geocacher's Creed of the GeoSnippits Reboot Podcast Now Available Here:

Videocast

You Tube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/headhardhat
You Tube Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSyBeevfv1MxQ4WJ7CfOvO_G5FOrnM9Ne 

Audio Podcast

GeoSnippits Reboot Webpage: http://geosnippitsreboot.com/
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/geosnippits-reboot/id597296403
Stitcher: http://stitcher.com/s?fid=32231&refid=stpr
Blubrry: http://www.blubrry.com/geosnippitsreboot/

RSS Feed

RSS: http://geosnippitsreboot.com/feed

 -------------------------------------------------------
Our award winning, geocaching based blog:

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/

Get our RSS feed for this blog here:
http://feeds.feedblitz.com/geocacheimnotobsessedright/

Watch our NEW videocast and podcast The GeoSnippits Reboot Podcast
http://www.geosnippits.com

Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Friend me at Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/HeadHardHat/

Google+
http://gplus.to/headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

HeadHardHat's Resin Clump O' Dirt Nano Geocache

I want to thank Seth Jones who sent in a photograph a few weeks ago of a modified version of my bondo Evil Ant Hill geocache. You can see it here: ClickMe where you will note that instead of bondo, a resin was used to create the geocache.

Over the weekend I wanted to see if I could make a geocache that was thinner than my ant hill geocache and use something really small like a nano. Below are the steps I took to make it.

As usual I fully expect my readers to come up with a zillion versions of this and add their own twists. I say go for it but before you do check out my version. FYI - You can get resin at many craft stores near you.

I started out by taking some Styrofoam and scraping out an area that would have a very rocky or dirt clod look to it. About two and a half to three inches in diameter.

When it comes to using resin there are many different ways of making a mold including plastics, Styrofoam and plaster of paris. Try different ways and see what works best for you.

Next, make a small portion of the resin and fill just enough of the very bottom to create a base for the nano to sit upon and yet not fill up the entire mold.

Let the resin harden over night or until it is not tacky to the touch.

Set the nano on the hardened resin base and then fill to just under the lid of the nano with more resin.

Let harden again over night.

Carefully remove the hardened resin from the Styrofoam and pick as much of the mold away from the resin as you would like.

Personally I wasn't sure if I liked how it was looking at this point but the longer I played with it the more it really started looking like a rock, bark, a stone, etc.

Use your favorite combination of base spray paints and stone textured paints to colorize this geocache. I used a green and brown base with grey stone to give it a mold or bark look to it.

Note the bottom of this geocache and the nano cap is sticking out for easy access.

After playing with several different camouflage combinations of paint colors and the nice texture of the Styrofoam for the top section I was amazed how quickly I could closely duplicate a look of tree bark, moss, mold, even old asphalt.

This is a great addition to my Evil Ant Hill collection of geocaches and I hope it inspires you to make all sorts of variations for your geocaching enjoyment.

Have fun!

-HHH

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?

http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Twitter me at
@headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at
http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits An Introduction To Paperless Geocaching

There is one phrase that is on the lips of almost everybody in the geocaching world. It is far and above the most popular search item on my blog and websites and it is Paperless Geocaching.

Many geocachers want to go green either with the intent to help save the planet, make their geocaching experience easier and with that new ease more enjoyable. Many times it is a combination of all of the above.

To help provide information to our viewers we put together our latest GeoSnippits Video entitled "An Introduction To Paperless Geocaching".

This introductory of paperless geocaching goodness gives several prime examples of why you would want to go paperless and some suggestions of which devices may be for you. Note that we do not discuss GPSr units that have paperless functionality. That will be done in a future GeoSnippits. What you do get though is some really good information for geocachers who are trying to decide what works best for them and to bring up interesting discussion. Have fun and please let me know what you think. Most of the videos we create come from viewer suggestions!

GeoSnippits An Introduction To Paperless Geocaching

If you do not see the movie in the viewer above please click on this link here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNpp7mRxeII

Included below are links to several other paperless geocaching videos and posts also made by yours truly. Enjoy this fine assortment of helpful hints.

Solutions for Paperless Geocaching

Paperless Geocaching A Video Tutorial For You To Go Green

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?

http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits: What's In Your Geocaching Pack Video

Geocaching is an amazing, fun filled way to spend time outdoors with friends and family.

As you become more experienced with your finds you realize that many times a special tool, gizmo or thinga-ma-bob is needed at one point or another to help either retrieve the geocache or to obtain the log book. This video helps show you many of those items to help make your geocaching experience even more enjoyable.

If you cannot see the player above then please click the link here to go directly to it's YouTube page:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EBgPJHVsCE

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Twitter me at @headhardhat

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits How To Find A Geocache Using Triangulation

It happens to all geocachers no matter how experienced you are. There you are in a fairly heavy wooded area and you are once again playing the "watch the bouncing arrow" game with your GPS unit. That's when you are searching for a geocache and the arrow that shows where you are starts giving really irregular information how far and which direction your geocache actually is. This makes it extremely difficult to find ground zero or the actual true spot where the geocache is supposed to be.

One second it is slightly to the left and 40 feet away then it is slightly to the right and 20 feet away then it is back to the left and 60 feet away.... Aaaaaaahhhhh! Very frustrating.

So how can you possibly narrow down where the geocache actually is? The answer is to use a technique known as Triangulation. The way geocachers use it is by taking two different paths at right angles towards ground zero. The idea is if you attack ground zero from multiple points it will give you a better average to where ground zero resides. Let's go now to the video to help explain it further.

HHH Note: During the video I sometimes refer to a triangularization experiment and others I refer to triangulation. In this I am referring to the same thing. I hope it does not promote any confusion.

If you cannot see the viewer above click here to see the video itself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_O_CSw04fk

So the next time you find yourself playing follow the bouncing arrow and are having

trouble finding that geocache be sure to try out triangulation. You will be glad you did.

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------
Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits Electronic Bread Crumbs and GPS Tracking

I love making GeoSnippits videos and this one highlights all the reasons I enjoy them so much.

First of all I get to walk around in all sorts of nature. Granted in my neck of the woods it is just that forests and woodlands. Swamps, fields and hills are my norm yet the Oceans and Mountains call to me as well. I consider myself very blessed.

Then top it off by taking hikes with my daughter Miss Geoness who is also our lead photographer and film crew. She loves geocaching as much as I do and even though that usually entails carrying the bulk of the equipment I usually do not get much of a gripe, again blessed.

This adventure we went into the back trails of a nearby park at Benson Lake in Garner, North Carolina. The idea was simple, one of out GeoSnippits viewers had sent in a suggestion to discuss tracking on a couple of GPS units. I decided to use a Garmin 60CSx and a Delorme PN-40. I always used Tracback and other electronic bread crumbs so no problemo. So we packed everything up and headed off into the woods. Though I should note that GeoPuppy Emily was quite upset because she stomps those trails on a weekly basis. Sorry puppy thems the breaks.

Filming went quite smoothly and then a very fortunate bit of luck happened. A biker happened to hear and spot a pair of large barn owls calling to each other. He saw us and showed where they were. I still have not looked up the specifics of this particular owl but I do know they were BIG and only a few feet off of the trails. Just beautiful to watch.

So oh yeah, lets talk video. It goes into detail about how GPS units have what is known as tracking or electronic bread crumbs that do what they sound like. Allow you to walk all over the place and when it is time to go back. Just follow the route on the GPS screen back to where you started. Believe you me it will save you a lot of headache the next time you decide to venture too far fro the parking lot. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it.

See you out on the trails,

-HHH

If the video does not show above you can see it by clicking the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgssWa6pbP4

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits Video - Planning A Geocaching Route - Road Trip To The Ocean

Oh man, there is nothing like a road trip and this one was extra special for me cuz we were going to the ocean. What a great opportunity to do a GeoSnippits episode about Planning a Geocaching Route. That is where you map out a plan of the roads you are going to travel on from your starting point to your destination and if there are any geocaches nearby you can pick them up. Great idea!

We planned a road trip from Raleigh, NC down to the east coast and Kure Beach, NC. This is about a two hour trip. Along the way we did some cool geocaching and ran into some rather interesting things along the way. You will have to check out the video to see what I mean.

If you are interested in a great geocaching phone app you can also see GeocacheNavigator by Trimble in the video. I use it all the time and highly recommend it.

If the player is not available above you can use this link to see the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqIelUSlqNQ

So sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Hope this is a much fun to watch as we had making it.

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

Geocaching CITO Events: Taking Out The Trash

(Photo Above LtoR - Miss Geoness, HeadHardHat, Obxnomad and my bud Andrew)

One of the many cool things about geocaching is the ability to help clean up the environment. Something we call CITO or Cache In Trash Out. For the true geocachers who take this game, sport and obsession to heart will go from geocache to geocache and pick up trash and garbage. It is one of our ways of giving back to the environment which is our game board.

In this latest episode of GeoSnippits we attend two separate CITO events and show you a brief glimpse into how we help take out the trash that litters our parks and cache areas. Usually GeoSnippits is a tutorial where this episode is more of a documentary. So sit back, relax and enjoy the show.




You can also see this GeoSnippits episode on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMKtnb6ydSs


Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com/

GeoSnippits Make Your Own PVC Hydrant Geocache

The latest GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Video went live on You Tube.

This episode entitled "GeoSnippits Make Your Own PVC Hydrant Geocache" is a How To tutorial which gives you step by step instructions on making your own geocache out of some PVC pipe and other knick knacks found at your local hardware store.

Also featured in this episode is the introduction to Emily the GeoPuppy who tests to make sure the hydrant geocache is up to puppy snuff.

You can see the video via YouTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1YCbcphy7E

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com

GeoSnippits - The Introduction to Geocaching

I had been wanting to do an Introduction to Geocaching video for a long time now. The issue of when to actually do it was in direct correlation of how many suggestions we were getting from our GeoSnippits viewers. Which turned out to be more than plenty. So the episode storyboard sat on the shelf, until now.

Now I don't want people to think I make it a habit to put some suggestions to the front of the line but when a movie director of marketing asks to have an episode done..... I can be encouraged to do some shuffling. Yep the people of the up coming geocaching based movie FIND ME asked if we could make a small series of Geosnippits episodes so people who do not know what geocaching is will have enough information to understand the movie. So that is just what we did.

It's basically a 15 minute tutorial broken into three five minute episodes. Combined, all three episodes revolve around two geocaching hunts sprinkled with valuable nuggets of information throughout. When finished you will have a well rounded understanding of what geocaching is all about without being overwhelmed with too much lingo and dry facts.

So lets begin:

Introduction to Geocaching: Part One

Learn where geocaching began and how it works. Find your coordinates on geocaching.com then it's off to our first find of the day with the help of Miss Geoness.



YouTube Direct Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvWBOPxHBnM

Introduction to Geocaching: Part Two

Miss Geoness shows you how it's done finding a micro in the woods. Next, HeadHardHat tells what you should bring while geocaching as he heads off for a regular sized geocache.



YouTube Direct Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRbBjJcErjI


Introduction to Geocaching: Part Three

The final episode of this three part series concludes HeadHardHat's geocache hunt and then gives you a visual explanation about SWAG, Geocoins and Travel Bugs. Plus how to be aware of Muggles and a final wrap up of the entire series. A must see.



You Tube Direct Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqLfH3htBcQ

It is our hope that you find this three part tutorial interesting and fun to watch. Then go to geocaching.com and become a geocaching member. While your at it, keep an eye out for Find Me the movie coming out soon.

If want to learn more about geocaching we have oodles of other GeoSnippits Video Tutorials to look at and enjoy on our GeoSnippits Website or on You Tube. You can also go to the Geocaching.com website for all the indepth information about this amazing game, sport and obsession known as Geocaching..

Hope to see you on the trails folks,

-HHH

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com/

GeoSnippits - What NOT To Use As A Geocache

We had so much fun creating our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Video - GeoSnippits - Where Not To Hide A Geocache that we decided to take it to the next step to discuss What NOT To Use As A Geocache.

The idea is simple, if you show examples of what NOT to do then maybe newer geocachers will learn the basics and not repeat them out in the field.

This particular video is quite fun to watch with some great tips and some down right funny slapstick humor. Learn how heat, cold and moisture can effect geocaches and which ones are the worst to hide. Host HeadHardHat shows you the most obnoxious and also demonstrates the "dunk test" to see if the geocache in question is really waterproof.



See On You Tube Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgCzzGu2oHo



Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com/

Where NOT to Hide a Geocache

The latest installment of the GeoSnippits series answers the question: Where NOT to hide a geocache?

We had asked this question on the geocaching.com forum and within two days had over 2000 hits and over 70 suggestions. There were so many in fact we are going to do a multi part series on this very touchy subject.

The idea is simple, if we show newer geocachers where and how NOT to hide geocaches through example then maybe they won't do it as much. Let see what happens.



Direct Link To YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMqaFfeHTKI

Here is the link to all the rules and regulations from geocaching.com:
http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

We will be posting the complete list of all the suggestions from the geocaching.com forum soon. Stay tuned for more details and future GeoSnippits episodes.

Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com/

Tutorial Video on Loading Waypoints and POIs onto a Garmin 60CSx

HeadHardHat got himself a new toy and boy is it fun for Geocaching. I have in my hot little hands a brand spanking new Garmin 60CSx GPS. Some of you with the more up to date GPSs may just go "big deal", but I have done my research and pound for pound I have found that the 60CSx is the work horse's work horse. I know it has been on the market for several years now and there is a reason why it is still the most popular handheld GPS to date.

When discussing what Geocachers like about their 60CSx units the top three faves is accuracy, durability and ease of use. As of this post I have had mine for three weeks and I couldn't agree more.

The shear size of memory for maps and POIs with the addition of an SD card (I upgraded from the factory 256Meg to 2Gig) is quite useful. I currently have my standard 1000 Geocache waypoints and the addition of the 20,000 - yes 20,000 additional geocaches loaded as Points of Interest (POIs). The kicker is that has barely scratched the memory surface and there is tons of room for custom maps.

Okay I just know you are asking yourself why would I bother with keeping 20,000 geocaches on my GPS? Go ahead ask, I'm right here... The reason is it takes almost no time to load and maintain that many when you use an application like GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife). GSAK stores all my .GPX files that I receive from geocaching.com which is also known as Pocket Queries. You simply drag and drop them onto GSAK and it loads them automatically. Then I run a filter to clean up the geocaches the way I want and download them to the Garmin. That's it, and I can do the whole thing in about 15 minutes. Now I can know the whereabouts of pretty much every geocache in my state. Tell me that's not helpful.

So speaking of geocache waypoints and POIs, interested in having multitudes on your GPS? Glad you asked so lets get to it.

GeoSnippits - Load POIs and Waypoints to Garmin 60CSx Part One
Part One shows you how to get the necessary .gpx files via geocaching.com's Pocket Queries. Then how to load them into GSAK which will then load the geocache waypoints onto your Garmin 60CSx GPS.



Go To Video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPgfyX9nArA


GeoSnippits - Load POIs and Waypoints to Garmin 60CSx Part Two
Part Two shows you how to load all those thousands of Points Of Interest (POI)s onto your SD card in the Garmin GPS. One complete you have the latest and greatest information for potentially thousands of geocaches. So what are you waiting for? Lets Get Started...



Go To Video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iyxZDLUOR0

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and feel free to let me know your comments and suggestions. If fact 90% of all the GeoSnippits tutorials we make are from suggestions by geocachers and people like you.

Thanks in advance -HHH


Please don't forget to visit our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Website at http://www.geosnippits.com/

You Ask For It and We Deliver - GeoSnippits Tutorial Videos

I woke up this morning with about ten different ideas for what I wanted to do for my next GeoSnippits Tutorial Video. I reached over and started reading my emails via my blackberry phone. Isn't technology wonderful?

One of the first was an email from a very fine grandfather known as obxnomad a.k.a. Bob.
He mentioned how his grandson and he loved watching GeoSnippits and reading my blog. He also mentioned how it would be great if I made a tutorial on how to put together and place a geocache. It took me about half a second to think of how I would do it and what a great suggestion that it was. Needless to say thanks to Bob our latest and greatest GeoSnippits is now live on youtube.

Here it is:




I liked the idea so much that I have decided to do an entire series based on the viewpoint of putting out each size of geocache for the first time. In this video we concentrate on 35mm containers. We show how to cammi them up and some great suggestions on where to hide them in the wild. The next video will be on the small size but instead of concentrating more on the making of the geocache (which we will go over) but instead we will focus on finding good places to hide that size geocache. As we progress up through the sizes you will gain more and more information until you are a well informed geocacher.

You can look forward to the future episodes in the weeks to come. Keep checking on our GeoSnippits website at http://www.geosnippits.com, this blog or on youtube.

Hop On Over To My Ingenious Blog To See The Latest GeoSnippits Video

The latest and greatest GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Video shows how to paint ammo boxes. An ammo box is a military based metal box that is frequently used for geocaching.

Though before you use it in it's natural state you need to do some prep work to make it more user friendly. Hop on over to here : VIDEO to see the entire tutorial. Made for geocachers of all experience. Enjoy!



You can see all our GeoSnippits videos here: http://www.geosnippits.com/

GeoSnippits - A Day of Geocaching with HeadHardHat Video

Hosted by HeadHardHat this GeoSnippits is more of an experience in Geocaching. Think of it as advanced tutorial or introduction into the world of geocaching.

If you ever wondered what it would be like to spend a day with an experienced geocacher as you go from one geocache to the next then this is the video for you. Filmed near Raleigh, North Carolina.

HeadHardHat takes you through the Piedmont including the Knightdale area down through Clayton. You will see every known size of geocache and some extra surprises.

So sit back bring the kids and enjoy a little walk in the woods with everybodys favorite Geocaching mentor, HeadHardHat.



Okay, enough with the You Tube descriptions and stuff. The truth is everything you see in this fun video is as it happens. When you see me surprised or joking or dead tired, that's me all over.

Sure there are videos out there with the well polished adventure super hero type who uses X-ray vision to pull finds from thin air or will jump on the nearest snake just so they can pick them up and show them to the camera. Sorry, my biggest task on geocaching day is where the best deal for coffee and donuts is. Oh, and as for jumping on a snake to show it for the camera? I don't think so. I will promise you this and that is if I do come across a snake I promise not to go screaming down the trail like a little girl. Unless of course I do and you will then get good video either way.

I really hope you enjoy this video and judging from the comments we are getting back you are. I love hearing from people how this encouraged them to go out and try geocaching. Then there are the others who for the first time get to see what a true geocache looks like in the wild. That just makes my day like you would not believe.

See you out on the trails folks...

You can see all our GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos at You Tube or our GeoSnippits Home Webpage at http://www.geosnippits.com/

GeoSnippits Geocaching Tutorial Videos Has New Home

That's right. I couldn't stand it anymore and I bought the domain http://www.geosnippits.com/. I really have been having a such a blast making these fun videos and the responses have been outstanding. In fact, I am having a hard time keeping up with the suggestions so getting the domain just made good sense.

Since I am still going to use YouTube as the focal video point. My You Tube Channel HeadHardHat's Geocaching Channel will remain the same but the new website is going to have so much more. Not only will there be all the great tutorial videos but there will be geocaching contests, challenges and content not shown for the general public. Kind of a secret stash of geocaching hints, tips and other goodies you can only find on GeoSnippits.com.

So bookmark the new URL and check back often for geocaching news, updates and the latest and greatest in geocaching tutorial videos.

GeoSnippits - EasyGPS Loading Geocache Waypoints Into Etrex GPS

I spend quite a bit of my forum time in the "Getting Started" threads. It allows me to help out newer geocachers with any questions that may come up. The idea to do my latest GeoSnippits video came from one of these threads. The geocacher wanted to know if there was an inexpensive yet easier way of loading .GPX files into their Etrex GPS. A little light bulb went off and I thought to myself, "I could do a tutorial on that one." Since I already owned an Etrex Vista already this would be a snap.

So I whipped it out (sorry, just saw Blazing Saddles last night) and took some good photos of the Garmin workhorse in many different stages of loading and unloading of geocache waypoints.

Then I remembered the geocacher wanting an inexpensive application to load waypoints into the Etrex. Normally I would use GSAK but there was another useful application that is also FREE. It's name is EasyGPX by Topografix and you can get a copy at http://www.easygps.com/. For an application with a free price tag it does the job and a bit more. So here was the perfect solution.

With all the pieces in place I commenced to doin' my video'n and voice-over'n then the next thing you know: Tada! GeoSnippits Tutorial:

You can see all my GeoSnippits Geocaching Video Tutorials either

on You Tube : http://www.youtube.com/user/headhardhat

or my new GeoSnippits Webpage: http://www.geosnippits.com/

If you have any comments or suggestions about GeoSnippits you can email me

here: headhardhat@gmail.com

______________________________________________
Get The Latest From HeadHardHat's Blogs

GeoCache: I'm NOT Obsessed... Right?
and
HeadHardHat's Ingenious Cache Inventor

New GeoSnippits Video: Make Your Own Geocache With PVC Pipe

Hey all,

Just wanted to let you know that my latest GeoSnippits video just went live on YouTube. It gives step by step instructions on how to make a very clever water pipe geocache out of PVC. You can see this two parter either by going here:
http://ingenious-cache-inventor.blogspot.com/2009/01/geosnippits-tutorial-video-make-your.html

or you can see all my GeoSnippits tutorials on YouTube itself by going here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/headhardhat


FYI - GeoSnippits is a series of tutorial videos exploring all aspects of Geocaching. Hosted by HeadHardHat who gives you his perspective about this fun, adventurous game, sport, obsession.

Paperless Geocaching: A Video Tutorial To Go Green

It was not all that long ago I started straightening some of my "paperwork" from geocaching. It was several months worth and even with that short amount of time I had a stack several reams thick of maps, geocache pages and CacheRaids. I quickly realized that if this continued the pile of paper and ink would be amazingly huge in even a year or two. Was there a better way?

Fortunately the answer is "yes".

Many of the newer GPS units are now allowing geocachers the ability to retrieve geocache information directly from geocaching.com. This means you can read all the information instantly right over the Internet. They also have the functionality to "log" your finds directly into geocaching.com which cuts down on a lot of unnecessarily paperwork as well. This is a tremendous surge in the right direction but not everybody can afford the high end GPSs that do this. It is also not the complete solution we need. Many geocachers like to keep personal notes about our caches that should not be included in a standard log. For example, I would note something like:

"Took me 15 minutes to find this small grey and green colored cami lock n lock box. It was extremely well hidden inside the far end of a log right next to a large bolder. You had to remove the bark on the left side to actually see the cache."

This kind of information would be saved in a personal log book and saved in case someone else called asking for help usually referred to as a Phone A Friend. If we want to keep paperless, where can we store that kind of information?

So here's the deal, you want to go paperless. Great but you are going to need a couple of things. Most are either fairly inexpensive or down right free. Let's make a list and I will explain as we go.

First, you need to get a $30.00 membership at Geocaching.com. Most geocachers have this anyways and you may already but it is necessary to get the Pocket Queries and the geocache information.

Next, you are going to need a PALM PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). In the tutorials I use a PALM TX but there are several versions to choose from. You can learn more at http://www.palm.com/.

The two other applications you are going to need is GSAK, which loads onto your PC and stores all the Pocket Query information http://www.gsak.net/. Then finally Cachemate which is an application that stays on your PALM PDA which you take with you while geocaching http://www.smittyware.com/palm/cachemate/.

Below is a tutorial using two YouTube videos in which I created. They are included in an ever growing series known as GeoSnippits which explores and teaches about Geocaching.

Part One:

The first video goes over the initial basics of how to get the needed information from Geocaching.com. Then to take that information, get it onto your PC and into an application known as GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife).




Part Two:

The second video shows you how to export all that nice information from GSAK and put it onto your Palm PDA. Then we take a quick look at an application on your Palm called Cachemate which you can now read. Bye - bye printed cache papers.




Well I hope you found this tutorial into paperless geocaching informative. It may look like a lot to setup but once done you will find geocaching a whole lot more enjoyable and less paper intensive. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me directly or contact me through my blogs or YouTube videos.

***HHH - Please note that this is the best way that I have found to accomplish Paperless Geocaching. This by no means says this is the only way of accomplishing it. Find what works best for you and go for it...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE - HERE IS A MORE RECENT UPDATE VIDEO INTRODUCTION TO PAPERLESS GEOCACHING !!!

http://headhardhat-geocache.blogspot.com/2010/03/geosnippits-introduction-to-paperless.html