kunarion
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Everything posted by kunarion
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I remember that functionality. I don't remember what exactly happened when you do that and it's an unpublished cache... wasn't it then "Dropped" in an invisible place? Or it showed the cache code (revealing that a new cache is coming), yet inaccessible? Whatever, I could never do that, because I tend to submit caches that are wrong. A TB inside a cache that can never exist is a problem. But everyone else seemed to Drop TBs just fine, so I can see the feature had value.
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If it's a cacherfriend who is cool with me replacing a log sheet in his trail of leaky little pill bottles (and he's still active), I may place the new log. I have them in my pack, ready to go. For a really special exception. Yes, nuances. But for a lonely, broken, unmaintained cache, maybe allow it to go. You may be surprised by the cool, big, maintained cache that would be placed there if people didn't keep stuffing paper into that thing.
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Are GPS's more accurate than phones?
kunarion replied to majordude's topic in General geocaching topics
Yes! I just report my readings. That doesn't mean I think that the CO doesn't know what he's doing. Certainly not! -
If it's mine, please never maintain my cache. Pretty please. Some of mine are a challenge to keep alive, for various reasons, and I have a new plan for when I need to overhaul it. Even if you were just adding more paper or a log book you brought, I had one ready to go already. Frankly, I'm gonna toss that community maintenance log book, and place mine in my cache. And now I get to not step on your toes while doing it. Sure, you may not have the instant gratification of a cache find, unless you create the Find out of that non-maintained non-cache. There are many threads about cache etiquette. And there's a Help Center Page all about this. One of the best things you can do is to make suitable logs. And if it's still pretty much Findable, but kind of wet or kind of broken, mention that, before it becomes complete trash.
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Are GPS's more accurate than phones?
kunarion replied to majordude's topic in General geocaching topics
I post in my log how far off I was, and in which direction. And I'll mention how much work I put in to get the reading. Like, maybe I didn't give it time to settle down. Unless it never settles down and keeps bee-dancing all over the place. Then I just say it didn't settle on any spot. -
Are GPS's more accurate than phones?
kunarion replied to majordude's topic in General geocaching topics
You asked two very different questions there. GPS coordinates are what either device uses to find a particular spot. Even with a phone, you might use the coordinates in various ways, while hunting a cache. The coordinates are the whole ballgame. And iPhones, for example, use a combination of things, which are called "Location Services", to guide you to places. I had an iThing that had no GPS circuits at all, and another that would wander 300 feet or more while I watched it. And the device won't reveal if it has any satellite lock, nor even if it's using "GPS", or what signal it may be using instead. So it may be "accurate" or not. None of these things are necessarily surveyor's instruments, and you can't expect to be dropped directly on top of every Geocache. They just guide you to a place, and you use descriptions, hints, and "Geosense" to find it. -
What do you do with a trackable that has fulfilled its mission?
kunarion replied to Carpincha's topic in Trackables
If you take it out of the cache, plan to make the proper logs and to Drop it in a cache promptly. Yes, if you have doubts about the possibility of placing it, maybe just do a Discover log. I know of a few big local caches that aren't routinely muggled, caches that are safe, where I can expect the item to be there when some cacher shows up to Retrieve it. That's where I Drop it. If the mission is over, you may continue moving it as if there's no mission. It might be good to make a log (even a Note) asking if there's a new mission. Many TOs were at first excited, anticipating all the cool travel, but became disillusioned by all the mishandling of the item, and eventually stopped paying much attention to it. But Trackables should travel just fine regardless of the attentiveness of the Trackable Owners. -
What's the appeal of logging a trackable as discovered?
kunarion replied to Carpincha's topic in Trackables
For a traveling Trackable in a cache, a Discover log can be a way to get the good news to the Trackable Owner that it's still alive. If I see just one log on mine, I may still wonder, but after two or more cachers log it, that tells me it's still out there and doing OK. When I Discover someone's Trackable, I also post photos, even themed photos or logs (if there's a "theme" to the item), and some info about the discovery. These things don't have much of a life expectancy, and many TOs receive very few nice logs with a story and photos, and then it's lost. But post no photos that show the Tracking Code. If I don't have time to research a Trackable, I make a Discover and leave it there, instead of taking it and intending to do a Retrieve or whatever. If the logs are scrambled, it can be a lot of work getting it back in play properly. And especially, I don't take it unless I have a safe, big cache in mind, and accept the extra work of Dropping it there. Discover is suitable in most cases. One fun benefit of "Discovering" a Trackable (which applies to other log types) is, you get the new icon in your Profile if it's a unique one that you didn't have. But you may leave it in its cache and not log anything at all about it. Same with those "online" codes where you never even held the item. -
Any geocacher can move a collectible trackable to their Collection. Trackables in your collection do not show in your Inventory. https://www.geocaching.com/help/index.php?pg=kb.chapter&id=41&pgid=250 Is this what you need? Or are you asking for more features to the Collection function?
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Magnets that are strong for mint tins
kunarion replied to eriicamurphy's topic in General geocaching topics
I love-love my 50ml tubes. I also bought themed vinyl stickers for them. -
That is what I've seen most commonly for similar caches. I had a "doorbell" cache, where you press a button and the wireless bell chimes 30 feet away. And I was required to submit the hidden waypoint of the Final in addition to posting the starting "Cache Page" coordinates. A Final cache box placed at a distance will be subject to cache separation guidelines.
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Here's one that's similar to your idea: https://coord.info/GCJ9XT The blinking light is at the top of a tree. The coordinates lead to a spot where you may see the light at a distance as you scan the forest. The container is at the bottom of that tree. I guess that one is a successful cache, but I couldn't find it. The idea of that cache was that you hike to a particular elevated point on Stone Mountain, sit and wait til dark, then look around. The cache description doesn't say what to look for, but it's a battery powered, blinking dim red light. When it fails (as it had when I was there), you can see the distant city lights blinking though the trees in the distance, millions of lights. And if the blinking light was working perfectly, same thing, but it's another blinking light, I guess. The light is strapped to a tree, the container is at that same tree. Next you have to survive the hike down in the dark from a slippery granite mountain. So it's definitely advised to hunt it as a group, not alone. It's listed as Mystery/Puzzle which is a good way to list the cache.
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Trackables aren't always logged promptly, nor properly. The good news is... it's always a surprise! Hope you like surprises! You could try asking the Cache Owner if there's any TB news. I've been to a bunch of Events that have a "Table For Trackables", and often there were Trackables remaining after it was over. One time, there was an announcement, asking for people to take them all. I retrieved 12 of them, and immediately regretted that decision. Can't just dump them all into one cache. How many safe, big caches are there around here? Not many that I'd expect a TB to survive in. The unfortunate that ended up with yours may be overwhelmed by the thought of placing even the 4 from that Event. One of my TBs is coming up to its 10 year anniversary of being in limbo after being dropped at an Event. So I tend to get nervous when I see mine getting near an Event. Lately, local Events are devoid of the black hole "Trackable Table". That's better.
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Magnets that are strong for mint tins
kunarion replied to eriicamurphy's topic in General geocaching topics
Stack rare earth magnets, or as you've tried, spread them out. "0.9cm" is tiny for this application. If a magnet is inside a magnetic box, it will need to be a much stronger magnet. Ferrous plates are how magnets are shipped because the metal dampens the magnetic field. I've only ever found one "mint tin" Micro outdoors, and it was rusted shut and full of water. You have your work cut out for you, if you plan to maintain a viable cache. Good luck! -
Magnets that are strong for mint tins
kunarion replied to eriicamurphy's topic in General geocaching topics
+1 That's my preferred size. It's great for a lot of cache hide applications, and just one magnet can be strong enough for a Micro. Maybe try gluing one inside and outside a Small lock-n-lock. Or inside and outside the cap of a 50ml centrifuge tube. The magnets hold each other well, and a little gorilla glue or something like it keeps them from sliding around. -
Magnets that are strong for mint tins
kunarion replied to eriicamurphy's topic in General geocaching topics
I've bought from there and from Temu. You may find a pack of 20 round magnets for what a magnet specialty store charges for just one. But it's not always clear what size they are. The photo shows a huge magnet photoshopped onto a small hand. I've also found small packs of magnets at hardware stores. In a limited supply. And now I'm trying a pack of "magnetic phone holder replacement disks" from one of those shops. When I can secure the magnet to a structure, a box with an attached magnetic mount can be placed in many creative places. -
There's no programming reason why sending the Cache Owner a photo should require 2 clicks. So if you can sell the idea, go for it. Maybe make your premise a little less specific. Change it to just "Sometimes I want to send a photo with just with one click".
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Don't unilaterally replace cache logs except in special cases. There are whole threads on that subject, unrelated to the OP. When it's that bad and unmaintained, your added piece of paper makes it still bad and unmaintained, with a piece of paper. If you don't care about finds and badges, you don't need a new App or a new process or photos or anything. Lots of Geocachers don't make online logs, they just do what they do and have fun and find things, with and without dogma. And lots of Geocachers do in fact say they signed the log even when they didn't.
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One way is to look at "Geocaches Owned" in your public profile. In some cases, there may be some Event categories to look through. I found a CITO Event in your profile: https://coord.info/GC7BFCQ
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+1 I'm a Sifter. And when the past 20 logs are mostly about how wet and unsignable the log sheet is, it's a simple sift. Pass. Instead, the cool, findable, signable caches are where it's at. Look at bookmark lists. Ask around. Run searches and PQs. Read the cache info before you arrive. Spontaneous caching means it will be a surprise. Not all surprises are pleasant surprises. As for the OP, I post a lot of photos when I find a cache. Not spoilers, and absolutely not to prove I found it. It's to show how much I appreciate a fun, cool cache. But in many cases, photos are welcome. In addition to bringing a pen and signing the log.
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There are also GPS game Apps that use "codes" to scan and log. Not as well known as Geocaching, because people just plain don't stay engaged when it's just Scan and Go. When the Geocache has a log in poor condition and you can't even get it out, then having Scanning available perpetuates the problem of poorly maintained caches. Caches will only become worse until there's nothing left to Scan. Then someone will start a new thread about "Why Do I Need To Scan A Code!! Code Is In Bad Shape And Unscannable".
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There is a perfectly good App that requires no work to get a log out and no pen, and doesn't even require a photo. Done. Enjoy! But the main thing that is Geocaching is to Find The Cache, and Sign The Log. Many of my caches are designed around that premise. My logs are also easy to get out and in, and they are NOT in bad shape. Why are you even bothering with poorly maintained caches? If I can't/won't sign it, I make a DNF and an NM and come back later when it's fixed. If it won't get fixed, it can be replaced by a better cache by a better Cache Owner. If I won't return, it wasn't all that amazing a place anyway.
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This year's Kunarion's Cache Zipper theme is "The Year Of The Dragon". No two are the same, each is numbered, and each is a signature item, Swag for trade. 2024 is a year of the Wood Dragon, starting on February 10th, 2024 (Chinese New Year) and ending on January 28th, 2025.