ltlpink

We use both. the auto Garvin to get us to the general area then switch to the hand held for close work. If you are looking for caches close to roads and pay attention to the clues, hints and log notes, a lot of times the Garvin will take us close enough that we can spot the logical location for the cache and often go right to it without the hand held. ltlpink

My Go buttpn will NOT bring up any cache. The only way I can get to a list of caches is to go to "Hide and Seek" and go to the Google map Search which brings up Seattle. I can the zoom out and re zoom in anywhere I want. Not a good way to search. ltlpink

Is it just me or is everyone having problems getting to your cache list? I log on and hit the Go button next to my location coord's or zip code and it shows "DONE" but nothing has happenend. ltlpink

I admit at first I was not happy with micros. However I have modified that attitude now and sort of like some of them. I would add, however, That I think a new catagory may be needed. There must be someway to divide nano from just smaller that a small. Small lock and locks are often put in with micros as are pill bottles, film canisters and key holders. These require a different type of hunting than does a bison tube or a nano the size of a jelly bean or smaller. I personally would appreciate having some idea of the actual size of the hide. Maybe a new size catagory under small. ltlpinko

We actually use both pretty regularly. The Auto unit is great for driving directions to the next cache if the are not close together but you need the fine tuning of a hand held when you get close to the Ground Zero. We have found several with the auto Garmin when they are located very close to a road or drive up area. ltlpink

Have one locally with a regular ammo box hidden in an abandoned 60 year old Combine. This sits in a field now populated with two horses and a mule which you must avoid to get to the cache. ltlpink

That is what I am using. I have not had any problems with it yet so I havent had service problems. I am new at this so I had a fairly long learning curve but I now haven it pretty well figured out. One thing I like that others have complained about is that it about 90% of the time takes me to within 3 or 4 feet of the cache. I see others complaining about accuracy of 30 feet with just about any type of GPSr while mine will generally put me right on to of the cache. The only real complaint I have is I can not load Cache info directly from Geocaching.com but have to load from there to my computer and then to the GPSr. ltlpink

I have yet to do my first "HIDE". However I Love finding caches in cemeteries. They are generally well maintained with no poison ivy, tiggers or chicks. And they require very little rock climbing(I am 71 years old) or signal loss on the GPSr caused by heavy foliage. Usually fairly easy access and easy to find. ltlpink

Remember that "Micro" and 'Nano" are not the same thing. A nano can be very small- about the size if your little finger or less. these are easy to hide so look for containers hidden behind, under or on top. A micro can be as large as maybe a Soup can. Much easier to find and harder to hide. I am fairly new at this also and at first hated micros but this was really because the 1st 2 or 3 I went for were really nanos. After I found that the catagory included larger items than i thought I have found several caches listed as micro but were fairly easy because they were larger than i originally thought. Read the descriptions and the logs carefully as they will often give a clue as to the REAL size of the cache. ltlpink

If ou have the Deg/MM.MMM format set correctly it will put the "." in automatically. I use a 300 too and it si tedious to put the coord's in maunally.

Seems to me when I signed up there was either a question, or an option, to use actual coordinates or "Near Coordinates". The purpose being whether you wanted to give your actual location out on an open site for anyone to look at. Anyhow my public coordinates are about a mile st least away from my actual site. Doent really creat any problem. Keeps the crowds away anyway.

I am 71 so I probably belong to the "Older People" group so I will put in my 2 cents worth. I some times wish I had had someone to show me the ropes when I started but I didnt so i had to figure it out myself. i am fairly new at this so i am still working on it but it is getting easier. My wife is 56 and i know I can out walk her so it isnt just older folks who need help. I did quickly learn to go for the 1/1s and the medium size caches.(I still hate micros but will go after one once and a while) but recommend the easier and larger caches for most "Older" cachers or even for most beginners. However I know a couple of ladies my age that love the harder hides so there you go. I also recommend to any one just starting out that the read thru these forums. I generally spend an hour or so here every evening just browsing. I dont know how often I find an answer to a question I didnt ever know I had. ltlpink

First off I am pretty new at this myself. About 4 weeks. It took me several tries to get the hang of reading the GPSr. In fact I am still working on it. So the first thing you should do is GET OUT OF THE WOODS. Yes the trees will interfere with your GPSr. it like an unobstructed view of the satelites. Look for caches in more open areas and try those. Also pay attention to the ratings on the hide. Look for Meduims-- about the size of a shoe box so they are fairly easy to see if you get close. Maybe the next size down of a small --generally about the size of a pill bottle or a film case. Stay away from the tiny ones called micros. I hate these. You can be standing right on top of it and not find it. Also try 1/1 or 1.5/1.5 rated difficulty and terrain. These will most likely be in more open areas and are hidden less carefully so you can get to them fairly easily and SEE them when you are close. As to coordinates. These are listed in Degrees and 1/1000 of a minute. If you are off by 1/1000 this is a error of about 5 feet. So if you are off by 2-3/1000 and the hider was off 2-3/1000 the other way this as an error of up 30 Feet. Most generally my GPSr has got me to within around 3 feet on most of the caches I have found. Of course I have no idea what difficulty or size cache you were looking for this may all be of no importance. However I started doing this very soon after starting and have pretty good success. Probably some of the more experienced cachers will chime in with some help also. ltlpink

I figured that since I messed it up it was up to me to fix it. I went and picked up the coin todays and now have it in inventory. I will place it somewhere down the road next weekend. I has been logged as grabbed. I did get an email from the owner with the correct tracking code but I had already picked it up. I replied to him with this info. Thanks to all who looked in. ltlpink

I figured that since I messed it up it was up to me to fix it. I went and picked up the coin todays and now have it in inventory. I will place it somewhere down the road next weekend. I has been logged as grabbed. I did get an email from the owner with the correct tracking code but I had already picked it up. I replied to him with this info. Thanks to all who looked in. ltlpink

I never inventoried this as I picked it up and dropped it within about two hours. I emailed the owner for the correct number. Guess Now I wait to see what happens. I guess the worst would be someone will move it again and that will at least get it back on the map.

OK I made a newby mistake. I moved a Geocoin but forgot to write down the tracking number. If I check the coins history it bring up a tracking number but that one comes up as"not Found" I put in my log for the find that I had taken it and again I logged in where I placed it later that I had left it. What do I do now? I cant log the coin as taken without a number. ltlpink

Just a newby at 71 ltlpink

WOW I am thunderstruck by some of these. I have not read all the entries but here is one I found-- GC1M70C Sorry-I havent figured out how to post a link and dont have any photos. However the photo is shown with the listing. This is rated a 1/1 as it is sitting on the front porch of a house on a paved street about 2 blocks off a major Highway and you have permission to park in the driveway. How easy can you get. ltlpink

I was reading a forum note sometime this week end(cant find it now) and they were mentioning the cache swag being kind of poor quality lately. I am fairly new at this and in SE Kansas so what I have been finding is mostly small stuffed animals, key chains, cheap jewelry and an occasional pin back button. I dont know if these would be considered low grade or not since that is about all I am finding in a short time. What would be considered GOOD swag. Also does the type of swag vary from location to location? ltlpink

Welcome from another newby. I also use a Triton 400 and it has been getting me within 3 feet. It took me a while to get it all figured out but I am getting better. One problem I encountered was having the GPS set to the same reference mode as those listed in the Cache data. Data is mostly shown as DD.DDD MM.MMM or 1/1000's of a degree and minutes. I downloaded an update to my 400 and it switched to DD.DDD of just 1/1000 of a degree. Theroretically these should be the same spot but the variance is large when trying to compare what you see on paper to what is being displayed on the GPS. 1/1000 of a minute is 4 or 5 feet but 1/1000 of a Degree is quite large. Be sure your Triton is set to the correct mode. ltlpink By old timers I mean more experienced. Hopefully one of the old timers will give you abetter reply to this.

This is probably a newby question but I was just wondering. How are the code letters and numbers determined when issuing a GC--- code? Is there some information in there that might tell me who set the cache or where they are from? Or other information that might be of interest? ltlpink

I too am a newby. I recently logged a"Didnt Find" on a cache my GPS took me right to. It was right out in the open with nothing close so I am pretty sure the cache was there. It was a large cedar spreader about 10 feet across. And it was dead so the branches were simply waiting to eat my arms off if I investigated very far. The branches hung all the way to the ground so I couldnt peek undernieth. To top it off there was a wasps nest showing on top. Deffenately a no-no for me. I gave it a pass. I later spoke to a fellow cacher I knew had found it and was informed the cache was right under where the Wasp Nest was hanging. I may go back later after the cold weather sends the wasps in to hibernation. ltlpink

Thanks a lot to all who replied. I guess the answer is GO AHEAD which is what I felt was OK. See ya around the Cache Fire. ltlpink

I know it is somewhat taboo to use a cache location for political or religious solicitation. However is it OK to use Religious items, such as crosses or religious pins etc, for trade items? ltlpink[/b]