What Type of Podcast Are You Running?

[tabulator32]

I noticed recently that feedburner boasts having 29,953 podcasts running through their system. This is almost triple the amount they had just three months ago (just over 10,200).

With the popularity of podcast production proliferating so promptly, I was wondering the consensus of the various "types" of podcast.

Who's out there and who are you doing it for?

[ElNacho]

i'm doin it for me

podcastin's a special thing where i get to put my rambles and otherwise

sux wen i have to meet a deadline tho and im not dun...thas no fun

[loganrapp]

A hobby, for now.

Our podcast is for a very limited "market" - ergo, probably not going to be getting any sponsorship dollars for a while.

[WildeGeek]

Who's out there and who are you doing it for?

My show (http://www.wildebeat.net/) is a weekly 10-minute documentary or educational piece about wilderness recreation.

I'm advocating for people who enjoy recreation in land areas protected as wilderness (http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisAct&error=404), and for the responsible care of those areas. As such, I think of my show as a public service. It would be nice if the time I put into it could be compensated through some kind of non-profit organization, but my main goal is to present a message that I think needs to be heard.

[tabulator32]

Cool!

Hey...I know its not generally allowed in protected areas, however, I take it for granted that you're also a general outdoors type...anyway, I'm sure you're familiar with geocaching.

Are you a geocacher?

http://www.geocaching.com

(Never mess with a geocacher. We know all the best places to hide a body.)

edit: Well, whadaya know?! That turned out to be my 100th post!

[ElNacho]

what is geocaching?
ive heard it before...and the site didnt explain much

[tabulator32]

Water-tight containers from military ammo cans to 35 mm film canisters hidden in over 200 countries on six continents. The geograhical location (latitude and longiude) of each container is listed on the website for registered members (geocachers).

A geocacher can log in, print out a cache description sheet (or just write the coordinates down, or even download them into their GPS receiver or PDA) and go out into the world and hunt down that particular geocache.

They are hidden in parks, cities, towns, deserts, mountains, neighborhoods...anywhere.

They can be disguised in lamp posts, trees, rocks, fake dog poo (I've actually found and logged a fake dog poo cache once) a piece of wood, or as pretty much anything.

If you like road trips, if you like to hike, if you like puzzles and treks and getting out doors...buy a cheap GPS receiver from Ebay or your local wal-mart, sign up for a free account at geocaching.com and start caching!

I've logged over 80 caches. Some people have thousands.

Once you've found a few, you can try hiding your own and submitting it for approval on the website for others to find.

These things are all over the US, In Canada, Europe, Iraq and at the North Pole.

Sometine you have to scuba dive and/or kayak to get to them, depending on the terrain level of the cache. Sometines you just have to walk down the street.

Its a load of fun.

[tabulator32]

If you get a chance, go to http://www.geocaching.com and click on "Hide or Seek a cache. Put in your zip code and you might be surprised at what you find.

"Geocaching can best be described as using a $12 billion satellite system to find tuperware hidden in the woods!"

[ElNacho]

hahah!

geochaching sounds like a ton of fun to just pass the time away

the closest to my zip code is 1.1 miles away, dunno how far from me that is

whoa dude! these things are everywhere!

[alexkillby]

hahah!

geochaching sounds like a ton of fun to just pass the time away

the closest to my zip code is 1.1 miles away, dunno how far from me that is

whoa dude! these things are everywhere!

Geo caching does sound like fun, but I don't think I could find the time, it seems like it would require alot of time and dedication. I hooked an abandoned GPS while fishing once (which didn't work to my dismay), but I've never found my way to purchasing a GPS, is there a paid service plan that is required, I would think so...?

[WildeGeek]

I hooked an abandoned GPS while fishing once (which didn't work to my dismay), but I've never found my way to purchasing a GPS, is there a paid service plan that is required, I would think so...?
No paid service plan required. (But don't give the U.S. government any ideas on that!)

A GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) receiver receives (hence the name) clock and identification signals from a collection of satellites, and uses that information to calculate your position on the globe.

It's a way cool technology. It was one of the U.S.'s major advantages in Iraq war #1. Now, of course, anybody can buy one. If you know how to use it, you can find your way almost anywhere.

But it doesn't always work. If you listen to edition #16 of my show (http://www.wildebeat.net/index.cgi/2005/10/27#E016), you'll hear about a county sheriff's search and rescue party, whose GPS receivers wouldn't work through the thick couds of a major snow storm, delaying their ability to rescue backpackers stranded in an unexpected early snow storm.

So back to the original topic...
Who else is out there, and who are YOU doing it for?

[alexkillby]

I hooked an abandoned GPS while fishing once (which didn't work to my dismay), but I've never found my way to purchasing a GPS, is there a paid service plan that is required, I would think so...?
No paid service plan required. (But don't give the U.S. government any ideas on that!)

A GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) receiver receives (hence the name) clock and identification signals from a collection of satellites, and uses that information to calculate your position on the globe.

It's a way cool technology. It was one of the U.S.'s major advantages in Iraq war #1. Now, of course, anybody can buy one. If you know how to use it, you can find your way almost anywhere.

But it doesn't always work. If you listen to edition #16 of my show (http://www.wildebeat.net/index.cgi/2005/10/27#E016), you'll hear about a county sheriff's search and rescue party, whose GPS receivers wouldn't work through the thick couds of a major snow storm, delaying their ability to rescue backpackers stranded in an unexpected early snow storm.

So back to the original topic...
Who else is out there, and who are YOU doing it for?

hmm, so the u.s. government regulates all these devices? Is it kinda like the us controlling domain name management on the internet?
One of the main reasons for me not purchasing a GPS to date is because I was pretty sure there was a service plan, I might just happen to buy one in the near future! :D

[docsnavely]

you have a tech podcast, and didn't know what GPS is?

[ElNacho]

hahahah oh sweet irony
i think that's irony...gway!

[tabulator32]

The purpose of the network of military satellites is to track and locate troop movements, missiles and anything else the military can think of. Since it is a passive system (meaning it does not require the satellite to interact with the GPS, only transmit a generic signalto everything in its path) the person holding the GPS is not "tracked" by the satellite. The GPS receiver simply uses the signals of three or more satellites to triangulate its position without tying up the resources of the satellite, since its passive, and the government is kind enough to let us use it. Well, actually, since our tax dollars pay for it, we should have access to it. You DO pay a yearly access fee...via federal taxes. You may as well buy a GPS and start using it!

The receivers can track a dozen or more satellites and I typically get at least eight or nine at once. The more birds (sats), the more accurate the reading.

[tabulator32]

hahah!

geochaching sounds like a ton of fun to just pass the time away

the closest to my zip code is 1.1 miles away, dunno how far from me that is

whoa dude! these things are everywhere!

Geo caching does sound like fun, but I don't think I could find the time, it seems like it would require alot of time and dedication. I hooked an abandoned GPS while fishing once (which didn't work to my dismay), but I've never found my way to purchasing a GPS, is there a paid service plan that is required, I would think so...?

You only take as much or as little time as you like. Sometimes I don't cache for weeks and then I get a few days off and find half a dozen or so in several hours or a couple days.

A lot of those GPS are completely waterproof. It may just need new batteries.

[radiofilibuster]

More than 300 cache finds here, and more than 40 caches planted.

When I'm asked to sum up geocaching in a sentence, I say "on-demand hide-and-seek with an element of treasure hunting". If I'm asked to sum it up in two words, I say "controlled littering".

Little known fact: military troop and missile guidance was actually only a secondary purpose of GPS satellites. The primary purpose was a little more grisly: to detect nuclear detonations and assess damage during what was perceived (at the time of initial launch) as an eventual and inevitable World War III.

As mentioned earlier, GPS does not always work. One of the skill factors in geocaching involves canopy issues (trees and the like) blocking the line-of-sight signal required for an accurate reading. A GPS receiver relies on microwave transmissions from up to twelve satellites at any given time to create as accurate a reading as possible. Many people don't realize the GPS built into their cellphone for emergency location will generally not work inside a house, because of a lack of line-of-sight with the satellites.

Geocaching is one of those things most people either really like or really do not like. You really don't know, either way, until you've hunted and found your first cache... so find someone with a GPS receiver and give it a try!

TNLNSL


Kevin

[tabulator32]

Definitely!

If you like the outdoors, if you like puzzles, if you like hide & seek as a kid, you'll love geocaching.

There are various kinds of caches to hunt. You can just find the type you like or you can hunt all of them (like I do).

8)

[radiofilibuster]

If you like doom... if you like despair... if you like carefully removing a tupperware cache balanced precariously on the trigger of a steel jaw bear trap...

Oh, wait. Those are MY caches (smirk).

One of my dream caches to plan is tentatively named "Along Came A Spider": a small lightweight cache clinging upside down from its hiding place with a big hairy fake spider hanging from it with fishing line.

Oh... and to stay in-topic, we podcast for the same reason we geocache: pure hobby. :wink:

[womengrow]

With the popularity of podcast production proliferating so promptly, I was wondering the consensus of the various "types" of podcast.

Who's out there and who are you doing it for?
Hello boys, I think we may have gotten a tad of topic?

I am producing a podcast to help promote a nonprofit I started. Since the nonprofit is dedicated to helping single mothers, the podcast is heavy on parenting and early childhood education.

Now back to Geocaching: Rob at Podcast411 interviewed the folks who host the geocaching podcast. It sounded like a fun idea, so I checked out the host's claim that "there are literally dozens of caches near anyone in the US". To my surprise he was right: in less than 5 minutes of driving time, my house was within the range of 3 active caches. If you are at all curious about this, check out Rob's interview (which only goes to show that there isn't a hobby obscure enough not to have someone podcasting about it at this point).

[tabulator32]

Thanks for commenting and voting, WG!

About the caching pod, there are at least two I am aware of and I'm sure there are more. One is a video podcast called Icenrye's Geocaching Videozine. He takes people on video tours of different caches he hunts. He doesn't reveal the final location, of course.

8)

[radiofilibuster]

Hello boys, I think we may have gotten a tad of topic?

[...] in less than 5 minutes of driving time, my house was within the range of 3 active caches.

Just a tad. :wink:

It's amazing how many geocaches most of us drive by on a regular basis without knowing they're there.

There are a few caching podcasts. One was called GeoRadio, but they were sporadically released and haven't had a new episode in months. Most of the existing cachecasts appear to be sponsored by localized geocaching groups.

They're good listening for the drive in-between caches... though nothing matches the actual hands-on experience, IMHO.

I'm glad to see podcasts such as Erikas, as well as the geocaching podcasts: good examples of informative programming produced by organizations without having a loud (actual or implied) "cha-ching!" sound in the background. :D

[WildeGeek]

Hello boys, I think we may have gotten a tad of topic?No kidding!

I'm glad to see podcasts such as Erikas, as well as the geocaching podcasts: good examples of informative programming produced by organizations without having a loud (actual or implied) "cha-ching!" sound in the background. :D
I'm certainly happy to see more informative and educational podcasts, rather than the rambling, "whatever I feel like," shows, or the Howard Stern wannabe shows, or the, "I've always wanted to be a DJ," shows.

Though I'm not the target audience for Eriks's topic, I've listened to her show and like that it's concise and unstrayingly on-topic.

[womengrow]

I'm glad to see podcasts such as Erikas, as well as the geocaching podcasts: good examples of informative programming produced by organizations without having a loud (actual or implied) "cha-ching!" sound in the background. :D
Thanks! However as a nonprofit, it would be nice to use podcasting for the "cha-ching!" at some point. Conceivable one could keep uploading a podcast that just states "unless we raise $1,000" via PayPal, there will be no more informative shows", or the kind of subtle guilt trip Public Radio offers once a year.
At this point, we use podcasting to promote programs and events of GROW in the announcements portion before I go to the main content. It still helps me raise awareness about GROW, which may lead to support down the road.
Will podcasting ever work as a true pitch or solicitation vehicle like an infomercial? I don't think that's likely to happen.

[smcminn]

To keep this thread going . . .

I'm doig this for fun and to experiment with storytelling in a new medium. Plus, I like superheroes.

My podcast is a mix of stroytelling and DJing, I guess. Someone in another forum compared it to a musical story, which it kind of is. You know, the music adds to the story and the story adds to the music. It's fun.

[Diggersstory]

To keep this thread going . . .

I'm doig this for fun and to experiment with storytelling in a new medium. Plus, I like superheroes.

My podcast is a mix of stroytelling and DJing, I guess. Someone in another forum compared it to a musical story, which it kind of is. You know, the music adds to the story and the story adds to the music. It's fun.

Very much like Dismay "Diggers Story" is all about different ways to approach storytelling. The longer a person sticks around and listens/views info the more the story unfolds. First impressions are not always the core of what goes on/Truth.

Podcasting is a wonderful storytelling medium. I am especially interested in using music and extreme sound fx. On my wish list is an mAudio recorder so I can scarf boocoo FXs in my world. At present I download free sound fx and experiment. Some mistakes are my best discoveries! For someone who use to hate their voice and be soooo shy I am doing well. Last week I made #1 on replay-video dirrectory. Don't ask me how but I find it extremely hard to know what to do to get seen with thousands and thousands of podcasts. I need several lives to check them out.

My main focus is how and what makes the audience come back or in a nutshell how not to annoy them (audience.)

I use audacity editing software (free) and a laptop. That's it for now.

[smcminn]

I recommend checking Diggerstory out. It's worth it folks.

[cswdc]

We produce a hard news show on politics. I am sure some people find it dry and and maybe too fast but Dan is a punk and we do not care about the people who do not understand the issues we bring up.

One of our intros says "perspective so deep you'll need a life jacket"

we are very politically independent IE Dan slams republicans and democrats not only in the same show but sometimes in the same sentence of a show. for instance he will complain the dems are trying to take the 2nd amendment away while the repubs want to take the 4th away. Dan talks about liberals who want to control what you eat ie fat police and conservatives who do not want you to know who they are spying on. Also, why should every time one of these congressman or senators gets on tv, the station puts a D or and R next to their name? Just give a name and the state they represent and I will figure the rest out myself.

This has been a fun project