Mark+Karen

Regarding cache GC324QD I'm not the only person who went to the cache coordinates to then load up the description to find that I needed to go and get other information first elsewhere. There are notes in the logs saying that as the coordinates given are the coordinates of the cache location then it's a traditional. However I have to say I disagree, in my opinion a traditional cache is one which is self contained, go to the coordinates, find the cache, sign the log. Anything else is a puzzle cache or a multi-cache. There are other traditional caches (not this one) where the description is "Go to this location, turn East and walk 100 paces", which I'd consider to be a multi cache too. Is this being listed as a traditional as puzzle and multi caches attract less visits?

But it does seem that a lot of cache owners have a zero maintenance policy. That they put caches out and then once a few people have DNF'd it they archive.

See this thread http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=291102 on how to fix the maps.

This is vital. If you put it into the bottom bit the log will unroll itself. You'll be unable to put the top on, and secondly it'll get caught on the threads so you won't be able to get it out either!

Of course to go Geocaching properly you really do need a GPS unit. Chances are your phone will already have one.

I like many others don't care about swag at all. I don't think I've ever once done any swaps. I'm only interested in signing the log book and that's it. All the other stuff just gets in the way and stops me closing the lid again.

Problem with OS maps is that it brings you to just too large an area compared with a GPS unit or smartphone, when usually it'll be within a few metres.

Hehe, senior moment from me. Ignore me - everyone else does

0.1 miles is really not that far, it takes 2-3 minutes to walk that distance!

EEh the youth of today, no manners. It wasn't like that in my day, if you didn't say your please and thank you, you'd get a clip round the ear, and you'd be thankful for it too!

While we're about it can "Northeast England" be changed to "North East England" please! It just looks so untidy!

I used to find it useful to submit a draft listing which would be assigned a GC code, but mark it as not ready for review yet. Has this feature been removed?

To me a 5/5 difficulty should be either almost impossible to find or almost impossible to open. Maximum 1 of every 10 people should be able to find it and sign the log on the first try. But that's just my personal opinion.

Premier Inn. "Secure parking" will be pretty much impossible in most places, it'll just be a car park

I'm surprised the cacher wasn't arrested for handling a weapon without a licence.

You don't have to include that. The requirement is you have a bit of paper people can sign, and that's it

Nah, GPS signals can only be received from GPS satellites, mobile signals, 3G or otherwise won't help you. - At least not to the accuracy required for geocaching.

If you have Android then you could do worse than the official Geocaching app!

WOW. This has to be the most awesome thing in the world ever! Not only brings Google maps back but OS maps too.

Yes they do, the signals are beamed from the GPS sats and picked up by ground units including GPS receivers and iPhones. You don't need a phone signal for GPS to work, however this is a slight confusion in here, in that your phone will use a phone signal to get a first approximation of it's location, and it will use a phone signal to download the current satellite locations, knowing your rough location and current status of the satellites helps massively speed up the time it takes to get a 'first fix' on your position. You can get it without these, it'll just take a little longer. There is also the consideration that the iPhone app requires a phone connection to download cache descriptions, maps, etc, but you don't need the signal to be maintained all the way to the cache site. In my experience with caching with an iPhone 4 it's perfectly fine for the purpose of both finding and setting; however a new dedicated unit will likely always beat a new smartphone, I personally don't think it's necessary to have both; others will disagree.

The specifications for my iPhone 4S say "Assisted GPS and GLONASS". Whereas the iPhone 4 is just listed as "Assisted GPS". I have no idea if this makes any difference in practice, however it couldn't hurt I guess

If Northern Ireland is not included then it must be Great Britiain. I know they don't want to be political but United Kingdom is a political construct and it includes Northern Ireland. If you just had Great Britiain and (island of) Ireland there would be no problem.

Each stage in a series is still a valid cache and so should be treated as such. You can still find them without doing the others. Multis are useful as they allow non-physical stages, and this is all they should be used for IMO. I enjoyed doing multis when I started but it's too much like hard work. Myself I have a multi cache in Chester-le-Street and it's not very popular, one log every 4 months if I'm lucky which is a shame as more work went into setting that up than any of my other hides.

Usually there is no problem. However if a member of the aircrew tells you to turn it off then do it, no arguments.

Well if you think a particular area or place needs a cache then put one there! Tis what I did with Penshaw Monument, which I may add that together with the neighbouring Herrington Park is an excellent geocaching area, should keep you going all day!