PamD

This has been very interesting andf I have learned a lot. You are all right about ammo cans but the only ones I have seen are way too large for the places I can hide. I never thought Rubbermaid would be a problem because...yeah...in the freezer....I've never had a problem with freezer burn. Or a problem with leakage when I'm out on a boat though that is a pretty short term experience. I did have a problem wit one type of larger Rubbermaid that was difficult to close and I replaced that one. I'll look into getting another type of container. I appreciate the feedback.

I have put out 23 caches for people tpo enjoy over the past 2 years. And I have enjoyed reading about the pleasure they bring. However, I just received news that the contents of yet 2 more caches are soaked so I am temporarily shutting them down and re-thinking whether I want to continue to provide caches at all. I have had way too many caches ruined and needing maintainence because the lids on the Rubbermaids weren't replaced. We pride ourselves on taking care of the environment, right? We also need to take responsibility for taking care of the caches we find. Closing them securely. And...putting them back where we found them. As usual, it's just a few people who don't take the time to act responsibily. But caches don't magically appear at the base of a leprechaun tree. Caches take time, work and money to provide entertainment for you all. So please...a little respect, okay?

This forum is so helpful...and SO active. Thank you to everyone. I'll be checking out the Garmins and hope I get one for my birthday. I'll bet most of the people around here already have the high sensitivity...most people have been nice and polite about the discrepancies but it would be more fun for everyone if we sort of talked the same language. Thanks again..........

I have a used Magellan that seems to be 40-60 feet off in the woods as according to many cachers. But it is usually dead on in open spaces. I like to hide caches more than find them and this discrepancy is causing heartache to many GPSrs in the area, many of whom use different types of Garmin units. I would think that a lat long position would be lat long position. Period. But I am obviously wrong about that.....can someone explain why one unit should be so different from another in one area but not at all different in another area? I'd like to buy a new unit so I can continue to place caches...but I don't want to spend a lot for it and I don't want to encounter the same type of problems. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.......thank you all.........

I appreciate the info you all have shared. I do average and sometimes it seems better than others. So, since there doesn't seem to be a better way, I will continue to average and give clues. I guess people who want the 'pure' experience of finding a cache via coordinates wouldn't look at the clues anyway . Thanks for all the help.........PamD

I have created several caches and sometimes I get feedback that the coordinates are off. One cacher in particular is very serious about caching and I think has the best equipment available. Although I know there is some variablilty inherent in the sport, I have tried to improve the accuracy of my (admittedly old) gps unit by using coordinates on google earth to verify the difference between what google gives compared to what my unit comes up with (it worked out to +00 00.013N and -00 00.013W). So I updated coordinates on my recent caches to reflect google's version. And was subsequently told that google is off too so I shouldn't rely on it to calibrate my gps. So my question is, with such a vast array of gps units of differing qualities, is there anything I can reference that is considered to be THE authority? I don't want coordinates to be so far off that they ruin the game for some. Neither am I going to spend mega bucks for a state of the art gps (which will throw off the coordinates for the lesser units). Sometimes my coordinates are off by 5 ft. Sometimes (I've been told) by 100 ft. It is discouraging to me to place a cache that isn't pleasing and the posted notes about the coordinates being off will scare people away from my cache...and subsequently, all of my caches. I would like to be able to add a note to my decriptions that references a standard that everyone can use if they want to...that's what I thought I was doing with google earth. Suggestions anybody?

I want to thank everybody for taking the time to respond to my question. All the info was helpful. As a matter of fact, the forum and all the people who went looking for the cache were very helpful and gracious with their time. I've learned a lot. This cache...naturally!...is in a park with an entrance fee. The woods are hot, humid, buggy and sticky...of course. That doesn't sound to me like a recipe for fun (though I was assured the hunters knew what they were getting in for) and I want this to be fun. And interesting. I think the cache is going to meet my goals now and my problems should be solved. Plus, I now know a couple different ways to double check my coordinates that I didn't know before so that bodes well for the future. Again, many thanks to all of you......PamD

I recently placed a cache in a wooded area. Two very experienced GPSrs could not find the cache so I went back and refigured the coordinates. The first lat/longs were 53 feet away from the second set. A couple of days later, after having a chance to check out my GPS, I went back and verified that the second set of coordinates were unchanged with 6 satellites in 'view'. My FTF posted that the coordinates were off 11.5 feet. So...is there a general rule on what constitutes accurate enough? I know there is some inherent variation but at what point do I say I either don't know how to use my GPS correctly or I need a better model? Thanks for any thoughts on this......

I agree with Sabletaurus....I really liked the virtual caches. I'd like to see them re-instated too.

I don't know how others feel...and I am pretty new at geocaching but....I thought I had an original idea a couple of weeks ago. Put a cache right at a highway rest stop. Just for travel bugs. Give them a jump start. Since then I've learned that my idea was NOT very original after all. But I followed thru anyhow and have been very pleased. I asked that only trackable items be placed in this cache. It is a place to drop off or pick up....or drop off and pick up. The idea is to help keep them moving. So it wouldn't bother me a bit if there was no quid pro quo.

Thank you....between the 2 replies I received, I was able to grab my own travel bug and drop it where it belonged, but I was also able to drop a travel bug I've carried 3000 miles for a little boy into a cache...I was late logging into that site and the TB was already on his way to a new home. Super...thanks again for the help.

I recently placed a travel bug in a cache....I activated the travel bug but it isn't showing up in the cache's description. What do I need to do? Thanks....