gallahad

Snipe33 started a good list. I'd include a pair of gloves, small flashlight, automatic pencil (pens don't write well if the log book is less than dry) a signaling device (whistle?) and perhaps a granola bar or two. "Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks

Planet asks: "why do I have my finger on my chin or my eyebrow raised in this current avatar" Having read the "secret hand signal" explanation, may I submit that it might also be recognized as a method of notifying your fishing partner of the embarrassing discomfort you might feel for having implanted a fish hook in the wrong fish as the result of a bad cast? Seriously, Planet, thanks for offering the advice on using the "Find" feature on this page. I wasn't familiar with it and accepting your challenge provided an educational opportunity for this old fella. "Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks [This message was edited by gallahad on September 09, 2003 at 10:35 PM.] [This message was edited by gallahad on September 09, 2003 at 10:36 PM.]

Honest, Jeremy, I read all that FAQ stuff - the answer just wasn't there. The glossary lists "FTF" (first to find) but its isn't clear to me whether that refers to first to find a cache or first to find a TB or both. Can somebody help me clear that up please? "Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks

I found the whole thing intimidating at first. The GPSr manual was some 75 pages long. Just taking the machine outside with the manual in hand and playing with the buttons for an hour or so elevated my confidence level and I discovered that I didn’t need to use every feature on the device so get started. Fact is, there’s some featues I don’t expect to ever use. I agree with mrkablooey - his model for getting started seems quite a good idea in my view. "Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks

I've heard that some folks actually set up diversionary routines to distract the uninvited onlooker while they participate in a hide or find. Seems to me that a diversionary tactic might be in order for a find, but for a hide I'd prefer to select a location or time of day when the "muggles" are napping. "Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks

My Magellan Meridian Platinum knows where it is every time I turn it on, regardless of how far I've traveled from the initialization point. You do need to "initialize" the unit prior to using it for the first time, but you don't have to tell it where it is to initialize it. "Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks

I have concluded that entering the coordinates of the cache from the listing only duplicates the reading the author's GPS provided at the time the cache was hidden. That means, assuming his/her equipment is accurate within 3 feet and my Meridian Platinum is accurate to within 3 feet, I should expect an accuracy of nothing better than 6 feet when I reach the approximate cache point. Therefore I don't expect to step on the cache when my GPS device reads "0" - I simply set up a radius of 12 to 15 feet and begin searching, working from my "zero" point and spiraling outward. That technique generally does the trick. "Today's truth remains valid only as long as it withstands the test of tomorrow's discoveries" - George Hicks

Congtrats on the first find!!! And thanks for posting the original question. The responses helped my confidence level (I've only got one logged so far) quite a bit. For other "newbies" like me, I'd suggest you might want to try a virtual cache for the first effort. I spent a couple of hours connecting the clues with what was actually on the site and my "trial and error" experience with Geocaching 101 was real educational experience..

Thanks Kanto - this is a big help to me.

Newbie!! Guidelines for setting up a virtual cache include the condition that they not be identifiable through other sources, such as Internet research. I find that the answers to questions for some of the virtual cache entries on the site are easily obtainable through a simple Internet search (if Google.com can't find it, nobody can) and I wonder how these issues are dealt with?