This is VERY interesting. Garmin Chirp

Very interesting...

though a little expensive to just leave in a cache.

If people are willing to steal a $5 travel bug or geocoin... I'm thinking those little chirps wouldn't last too long.

Very interesting, until people start taking them...

Hum, if you take it, with the correct GPS, (specialized equipment) you would know who/where it is.

quote:

Originally posted by LZ33:
Hum, if you take it, with the correct GPS, (specialized equipment) you would know who/where it is.

If you drive through certain counties, the chirps could be deafening.

Jim

Much like Wherigo caches, you must have a Colorado or Oregon to interpret the chirps. To my DeLorme PN-40, it would merely sound like a bunch of chickadees.

Jim

Maybe I misread the article or otherwise am too technically inept to understand how it works, but I derived that it wouldn't chirp unless your compatible device is close enough to it. How would you know who took it unless it was a player with high-dollar equipment (usually not the type to steal stuff from caches - my opinion)?

Yep, that's my take on it. Once gone, it is gone. Wouldn't it be funny if you were at an event and suddenly it chirped to your GPS though! "OK, who is the jerk that stole my chirp!"

I would not put it in the cache based on it's function. The idea of hiding it at a multi waypoint in a cammo case rocks. You don't have to find the cammo case, just get near it. It would be a 5 difficulty rating since special equipment it needed, but I love the idea for a wacky multicache.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: biker64,

Wouldn't it be funny if ...

While driving through a neighborhood, your Garmin suddenly lights up and says "It's up a tree!" ... "Look behind the big black rock!" ... "Go 33 degrees and 111 feet!" ... "No; it's 111 degrees and 33 feet" ... "The cache is within a radius of 10 yards" ... "CHIRP! No it's not! ... "CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP!!! Yes it is!"

I'd want the cache police to examine somebody's sock draw for pilfered chirps.

Jim

Wow fat figures strike again didn't even know I could edit gregs post!

quote:

Originally posted by mtn-man:
Yep, that's my take on it. Once gone, it is gone. Wouldn't it be funny if you were at an event and suddenly it chirped to your GPS though! "OK, who is the jerk that stole my chirp!"

I would not put it in the cache based on it's function. The idea of hiding it at a multi waypoint in a cammo case rocks. You don't have to find the cammo case, just get near it. It would be a 5 difficulty rating since special equipment it needed, but I love the idea for a wacky multicache.

use 5 to make a very exclusive multi puzzle, only garmins can do. Oh that's right we already have wherigo's. guess we don't need it.

quote:

Originally posted by biker64:
Wow fat figures strike again didn't even know I could edit gregs post!

That is neat. We don't have a Garmin so no chirping for us.

Wonder what inventive ways cachers will put these little things to use.

Wonder if the are waterproof and to what depth?

I wonder if a new cache icon is in the works for this?

Doubt it since groundspeak seems to be against new cache icons.

And this statement pretty much makes it a regular cache:

"I’m afraid the new Chirp device is something very exclusive to Garmin, which brings it into conflict with our commercial guidelines. To be publishable, the cache needs to be findable with any type of GPS device, and the Chirp method must be optional. Please come up with an alternative option to do this cache which does not require a Chirp compatible device. After you have done this, please enable your cache and I will look at it again.
Thank you for your understanding,
Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer"

Interesting how WhereiGo is ok but Chirp isn't, oh wait that's a Groundspeak product

I see the new " Did You Hear the Chirp at Going Coastal?" cache conforms to the above statement

I just read this on the groundspeak forums. It was posted by MissJenn and Jeremy concurred in a later post.

Here is the current plan:

1.A new attribute for a "beacon" will be added soon. Any caches that use a Chirp (or any future similar device) should use this attribute.

2.If a cache owner puts a beacon in a traditional cache and geocachers have an alternative method to find it without using the beacon, then OK. I remind you to use the coming attribute.

3.If the cache owner insists on not providing an alternative means of finding the geocache, it must be listed as a mystery with the beacon attribute.

4.Cache descriptions may mention the "Chirp" as long as the text doesn't go on and on with "overtones of advertising, marketing, or promotion" as per our long-standing commercial guidelines.

5.We do not plan to add a new cache type just for this.

It sounds fair to me.

Jim

I'm glad you posted this

Thanks. My info was 3 weeks old so they addressed this recently.

Does sound fair.

quote:

To be publishable, the cache needs to be findable with any type of GPS device, and the Chirp method must be optional. Please come up with an alternative option to do this cache which does not require a Chirp compatible device. After you have done this, please enable your cache and I will look at it again.
Thank you for your understanding,
Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer

quote:

Originally posted by The Waysiders:
I just read this on the groundspeak forums. It was posted by MissJenn and Jeremy concurred in a later post.
Here is the current plan:
... clip...
3.If the cache owner insists on not providing an alternative means of finding the geocache, it must be listed as a mystery with the beacon attribute.

... clip ...

It sounds fair to me.

Jim

Doesn't seem fair to me.
In this case, it would not be findable with any type of GPS device.

quote:

Originally posted by phat.bak:

quote:

To be publishable, the cache needs to be findable with any type of GPS device, and the Chirp method must be optional. Please come up with an alternative option to do this cache which does not require a Chirp compatible device. After you have done this, please enable your cache and I will look at it again.
Thank you for your understanding,
Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer

quote:

Originally posted by The Waysiders:
I just read this on the groundspeak forums. It was posted by MissJenn and Jeremy concurred in a later post.
Here is the current plan:
... clip...
3.If the cache owner insists on not providing an alternative means of finding the geocache, it must be listed as a mystery with the beacon attribute.

... clip ...

It sounds fair to me.

Jim

Doesn't seem fair to me.
In this case, it would not be findable with any type of GPS device.

It's the same for a WhereiGo cache. I can't find them with my 2 GPSr's or my cell phone.

This kinda falls into the ISS cache thing. I can't find that either. I'm not a billionaire and doubt I ever will be even though I'm working 7 days a week