# Amateur Radio / Geocaching / Motorcycling



## Mason296 (Dec 1, 2008)

Well, as you can see I have a variety of interests, only a few of which are mentioned here. 

I have been involved in Amateur Radio for about 12 years. I enjoy a little of all of it. I have played with the digital modes alot and maintain a couple of Telpac nodes and digipeaters in the Southeast Texas area. I also enjoy voice "Ragchewing" as well as a little DXing and Emergency Communications. At present I am the District Emergency Coordinator (DEC) for ARES District 9 and the District Radio Officer (DRO) for RACES District 22, as well as Regional Radio Officer (RRO) for RACES Region 2.

I have been into geocaching for about two years. This is a hobby where you, or others can hide things and post the coordinates on the internet, so others can find them using a GPS. Geocaching.com is the main website if you are interested.

I also just recently bought a 2003 Anniversary Edition Harley Davidson Road King Classic. I am really enjoying it and want to get into some distance riding.


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## Wingnut (Dec 1, 2008)

If you up around the dallas area and you find some geocaches that have a clear plexiglass coin with a S&C on it... its one I planted or one I visited or taken from one I visited.  You should also lookinto the FreeMasons Riding Club!!!


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## Blake Bowden (Dec 2, 2008)

I've always wanted to participate in geocaching. I hear it's fun as heck!


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## cmoreno85tx (Dec 2, 2008)

I had never heard of that but Blake is right, sounds awesome.


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## Mason296 (Dec 2, 2008)

It's alot of fun. You should try it. There are probably alot more around you than you realize.


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## Wingnut (Dec 2, 2008)

It can be fun for sure.  I do hate the small camo film cartridges buried under a rock inside the edge of a swampy area in August however!!!  I still remember finding my first one, in a crook of a tree in a cemetery.  And then there was the smart ass that got a big rubber rat, hollowed out the back and put a small canister in it.  Hid it under a HUGE bush you had to craw under to get to.  Liked to have scared the crap out of me!


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## JTM (Dec 2, 2008)

i've heard geochaching is pretty f-in awesome.


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## Mason296 (Dec 2, 2008)

Yeah, it amazing how interesting things get when you put one rubber snake in there with it.


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## Nate C. (Dec 5, 2008)

You guys really should think about marking your containers very carefully and clearly if you are geocaching in an urban setting. In today's hypersensitive age, an uninformed person finding an odd tube or box bolted to a park bench/water fountain/road sign could result in the bomb squad getting called out...

Just a thought.


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## Brother Secretary (Jan 4, 2009)

Hey Mason 296 what's involved in getting a ham ticket these days? 73's from the son of K4WPY


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## Mason296 (Jan 4, 2009)

No code anymore. Just the theory tests. Easier than ever. You ought to check into it.

Brian
KC5YSM


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## gortex6 (Jan 7, 2009)

Brother Secretary said:


> Hey Mason 296 what's involved in getting a ham ticket these days? 73's from the son of K4WPY



Only three classes of licenses therefore three exams.  Code was reduced to 5 wpm exam for general and extra class; however, I hear there is no longer a morse code requirement.


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## gipper2005 (Jan 27, 2009)

Which handheld gps would you recommend for a newbie wanting to get into geocaching?


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## Mason296 (Jan 27, 2009)

You can do it with a fairly inexpensive GPS. I used an Etrex Venture for quite a while. I wanted one with bells and whistles so I bought a 60CSX, but aside from having a couple of features that are designed for geocaching, I am not sure it does much, if any better than the Etrex. I would start off with that, then if you really get into it, go for something with color and features.


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## Bro Mike (Feb 16, 2009)

I just bought the Garmin etrex Venture HC on Amazon for $134 shipped.  Now I have to wait all week for it to get here since I went cheap and chose to use slow-boat shipping.

Question for you, Mason 296, did you buy upgraded topo maps for your Venture?


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## Mason296 (Feb 16, 2009)

Mine was the old etrex venture. It didn't have enough memory to support detailed maps. It only showed waypoints.

By the way, you should be proud of your police department. Several of them volunteered to come down here and work after Ike hit. Police and dispatchers. They are good people.

Brian


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## Blake Bowden (Mar 23, 2009)

Masonic Geo-Caching, sounds interesting.

http://www.scottishrite.org/pdfs/finnell-geocaching.pdf


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