Full Logs

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colleda
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Full Logs

Post by colleda » 23 March 12 9:54 am

I am new to this caching activity, being involved since January, and this is my first post.
Lately I have been finding caches with full logs, 3 of the last 15 this week, and more before that.
When I get home to log my finds I see that the previous finder has made no mention or maintenance note that the log needs replacing. Is there is some form of etiquette in these instances?

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Papa Bear_Left
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Re: Full Logs

Post by Papa Bear_Left » 23 March 12 10:03 am

Yes, a "Needs Maintenance" log is the preferred way to bring this to the owner's attention. They then log an "Owner performed maintenance" log when they replace the log, which removes the "red cross" attribute and tells everyone that this is a cache owner who'd doing their job!

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Yurt
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Re: Full Logs

Post by Yurt » 23 March 12 10:59 am

I note that you get an "are you sure????" type message (a la Microsoft!) when you go to post a NM log. It then says something like "this will alert the cache owner" or words to that effect. Don't cache owners get an email every single time someone makes a find? I know I do. If someone had dozens of hides then such a log could get buried in the rest if they only have a spam account for geocaching I guess.

For small or larger caches it's good to carry a spare pad and replace as you see fit, do your bit for caching karma. That way the original log can stay in the cache for posterity. Micros and nanos are tricky as you can't normally replace the log without removing the original. Of course if it's only so much papier mache then there's no loss.

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Big Matt and Shell
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Re: Full Logs

Post by Big Matt and Shell » 23 March 12 2:22 pm

That is what mailbox formatting is for. I get my Owner NM and DNF Logs coloured a different colour to my owner "found it" logs. It makes them stand out. Especially these days as I don't seem to have the time to read all of the logs every day.

That way you can jump on things before they become a NA note and some grumpy reviewer has to jump in. :mrgreen:

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SamCarter
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Re: Full Logs

Post by SamCarter » 23 March 12 3:08 pm

colleda wrote:I am new to this caching activity, being involved since January, and this is my first post.
Lately I have been finding caches with full logs, 3 of the last 15 this week, and more before that.
When I get home to log my finds I see that the previous finder has made no mention or maintenance note that the log needs replacing. Is there is some form of etiquette in these instances?
Also, don't forget to check that the log-book really is full: sometimes there are blank pages PLUS the reverse side of pages that people forget to use. :)

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caughtatwork
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Re: Full Logs

Post by caughtatwork » 23 March 12 3:22 pm

SamCarter wrote:
colleda wrote:I am new to this caching activity, being involved since January, and this is my first post.
Lately I have been finding caches with full logs, 3 of the last 15 this week, and more before that.
When I get home to log my finds I see that the previous finder has made no mention or maintenance note that the log needs replacing. Is there is some form of etiquette in these instances?
Also, don't forget to check that the log-book really is full: sometimes there are blank pages PLUS the reverse side of pages that people forget to use. :)
Also, don''t forget to take a spare along so you can help the cache owner out in the occasional situation.

juc_cacher
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Re: Full Logs

Post by juc_cacher » 23 March 12 4:55 pm

<rant>
Why do people believe that their log is so important it should have a whole page to itself, even on "full sized" notebooks ? Also, why do people never use the reverse side of pages ?
</rant>

Ah...that's better.... =D> =D>

Skippy
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Re: Full Logs

Post by Skippy » 23 March 12 5:31 pm

On one of my caches I had 3 individual logs stating the log book was full and the last person said they JUST managed to write their name in it, so off i go and found 18 empty pages and also most of the written pages had spare lines or two.

I always carry one or 3 spare containers, stash notes and log sheets.

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quiet1_au
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Re: Full Logs

Post by quiet1_au » 23 March 12 9:25 pm

juc_cacher wrote:<rant>
Why do people believe that their log is so important it should have a whole page to itself, even on "full sized" notebooks ? Also, why do people never use the reverse side of pages ?
</rant>

Ah...that's better.... =D> =D>
=D> And not write only initials in nanos...

colleda
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Re: Full Logs

Post by colleda » 26 March 12 9:45 am

When I started this thread I perhaps should have mentionrd that the full logs applied mainly (although not exclusively) to nanos. One of the full logs we came across was a 'small' and we left some blank paper in it to last until the owner could replace. We are also now carrying small plastic bags to replace dameged ones. It appears that quite a few plastic log bags get holed when being removed from their container resulting in all the soggy logs we have been finding during these months of very wet weather.
Another thing we have noticed is the way some containers (in particular Eclipse tins) are replaced by finders. We make a point of placing them (where possible) with the lids facing down so that if they do get rained on there is less chance of water finding its way in. These are simple things that don't require a great deal of thought but can make life easier for cache owners and cachers alike.
I agree with a previous poster re taking up a whole log page to record a find, and also skipping pages. Again simple things but something some cachers dont seem to think about.
Hope this doesn't sound like a rant but hopefully others may read this and modify some of their practises for the better of all.

belken
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Re: Full Logs

Post by belken » 26 March 12 3:48 pm

I am sorry to say that I am one of those very ignorant cachers that may take up a page when writing my log. I never knew things had got so bad. Please excuse me. I will attempt to change.

However when ever you find one of our caches please be as verbose as you wish. We enjoy reading the logbooks and do keep old logbooks. Our enjoyment of caching does come from this interaction. We will replace logbooks as necessary. Even though we are on the pension we find we can still afford this.

Although I do admit to a minor burst of irritation when told a log book is full and finding out half the pages are not written on.

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Trigg-A-Nomics
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Re: Full Logs

Post by Trigg-A-Nomics » 26 March 12 3:49 pm

quiet1_au wrote:
juc_cacher wrote:<rant>
Why do people believe that their log is so important it should have a whole page to itself, even on "full sized" notebooks ? Also, why do people never use the reverse side of pages ?
</rant>

Ah...that's better.... =D> =D>
=D> And not write only initials in nanos...
Off-Topic:
We've already had this argument. :)
I like people to write little stories in my logbooks. I'd prefer it if people used a page for each log. That way, when I get the old logbook and go back through it I can have a good read about people's experiences finding the cache. To answer juc_cacher's question: that's why I use a whole page in other people's logbooks.

I also like to know who has logged my cache for double checking later, so I write my full cacher name in nano logs.

On-topic:
There was a request on the old Groundspeak feedback site to make "Needs Maintenance" a flag when logging rather than a separate log type to help with the amount of "TFTC, log was wet" found logs with no follow-up NM log. Hopefully that's still on a wish list somewhere at GS HQ.

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Yurt
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Re: Full Logs

Post by Yurt » 26 March 12 5:04 pm

belken wrote:I am sorry to say that I am one of those very ignorant cachers that may take up a page when writing my log. I never knew things had got so bad. Please excuse me. I will attempt to change.

However when ever you find one of our caches please be as verbose as you wish. We enjoy reading the logbooks and do keep old logbooks. Our enjoyment of caching does come from this interaction. We will replace logbooks as necessary. Even though we are on the pension we find we can still afford this.

Although I do admit to a minor burst of irritation when told a log book is full and finding out half the pages are not written on.
I don't think if it's a notebook that's a problem. If someone signs in large letters with TFTC and takes up an entire page then it's a bit of a waste you'd think. Remote bush caches are not going to be visited as much as suburban caches and there's more of a story in the finding so it's natural to write a decent length log. These don't fill up fast anyway.

My pet hate (let's not go into nano hatred here) is people who sign ALONG nano scrolls so the log is full with about four signatures! Initials will do it.

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Facitman
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Re: Full Logs

Post by Facitman » 26 March 12 8:27 pm

Yurt wrote:Initials will do it.
Hmmm so what is the convention for initialising a caching name??? I get how I can shorten my real name but have always wondered about my caching name?
Is it F. or F.M. (even though my "name" is one word?)

Can you help me Y? #-o

BTW, I try to stay inside a square on a nano log but have always squeezed in as many of the letters in my caching name as possible... I think some of my finds are by Facitman
:D :D

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akkatracker
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Re: Full Logs

Post by akkatracker » 26 March 12 8:43 pm

Facitman wrote:
Yurt wrote:Initials will do it.
Hmmm so what is the convention for initialising a caching name??? I get how I can shorten my real name but have always wondered about my caching name?
Is it F. or F.M. (even though my "name" is one word?)

Can you help me Y? #-o

BTW, I try to stay inside a square on a nano log but have always squeezed in as many of the letters in my caching name as possible... I think some of my finds are by Facitman
:D :D
You could just choose the predominant letters in your name.
I doubt the owners check before it is mush and if they do you can accurately describe the hide

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