This is YOUR free magazine, created as a gift to the geocaching community to provide you entertainment and enlightenment. The Online Geocacher is an online medium for geocachers to publish all things geocaching. The Online Geocacher is everything you wish to make it but only what you make of it... submit content and it will thrive!

It is up to you, the geocaching community member, to provide the content!

Who? Me? You talkin' to me?

Yes! We're talking to you! The impetus for this magazine came from a topic on the forums of geocaching.com wherein several geocachers expressed a desire for a geocaching magazine. There have been and still are several attempts to create such a magazine. This magazine is provided to the geocaching community not to compete but to present a free alternative. Choice is good. This is but one.

The basic concept here is that we will provide the magazine structure, editing and management - Geocachers who wish for there to be such a magazine as this will provide the content.

For that to work YOU have to be willing to write something and submit it to this magazine.

Yes, your stories and experiences are important. People want to read them! You do not have to be 'a writer', anyone can tell a story. If you want help with your writing, we will be glad to provide whatever level of help you desire. If you want your story told in your words, that's fine too.

When we say that this is YOUR magazine we mean it literally and personally... without your input we have nothing. Write something, anything, and my bet is that you will enjoy the experience so well that you will continue to do so! Before long you will have a readership eager for your stories... Voila! You ARE a writer!

Well... "Write something" is a pretty broad request, can you be more specific? No. Write about whatever is on your mind! I know that doesn't help much, but it goes to the heart and spirit of what this magazine is all about... geocacher's stories and content. The volunteer staff of The Online Geocacher stands ready to help you develop your content, but we do not want to guide the magazine in our direction... we want you to take it in yours!

By TheAlabamaRambler

TheAlabamaRambler is Ed Manley, husband to GeoRose (Teresa), father of five wonderful humans, grandfather of two more, and an avid geocacher.

Now retired after a decade in the US Navy followed by 28 years of owning and operating Knowledge Management Systems, an IT consultancy specializing in Workflow Analysis and Business Process Improvement, Ed now has the time to pursue his hobbies: Fishing, Geocaching and Ham Radio... the order of importance changes daily!

He is also W4AGA, an Extra-class Amateur Radio Operator with a passion for serving the public through volunteer disaster-relief preparedness and response. Active as a Communicator and Disaster Relief Chaplain in the Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief, American Red Cross (Shelter Manager and ARCHIE Team Lead), the Salvation Army Team Emergency Relief Network (SATERN), Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES AEC - Jefferson County Assistant Emergency Coordinator and OES - Operational Emergency Station) and Assisatant Director of the Zamora Shriners Ham Unit, he can be found on HF daily on 3.965 and on VHF on the Birmingham Amateur Radio Club (BARC) repeater on 146.88.

If you have any interest whatsoever in serving and giving back to your community, saving lives and taking part in the wonderful community of amateur radio please visit http://w4aga.com to learn about the many volunteer opportunities.

Ed is the Editor-In-Chief (sounds high-fallutin, don't it?) of the free online geocaching e-zine The Online Geocacher. He can be contacted via email at mailto:TheAlabamaRambler@gmail.com or by phone at 205-914-6814 from 7 a.m. to Midnight CDT.

73 de W4AGA