Shoebox

If you want to look for a cache without a gps, www.lostoutdoors.com also has a drop down under the arial photo's to produce a topo map of the area and will put a marker at the cache location.

This site may help you with the Australia datum. There is a comparison of the different settings and which one is equal to others. http://www.boatlicence.au.com/chart_datum.htm Hope that helps.

Once you get to an indicated location, the cache should be within 30 feet or so (assuming the hider was careful in determining the cache location). Generally that is the accuracy of most GPSs. The trick is to think like the hider; where would you hide it? And there are a lot of common tricks in hiding which you begin to understand after you have found a few. It gets easier as you go along. Most caches are hidden under oddly placed rocks, in hollow fallen logs and in the base of trees, under thick brush and branches. But sometimes they get a bit trickier. With 60 finds, I'm still finding new ways to hide a cache, even on 1/1 caches. Stick with it, it get easier.

Make it a multi-cache and hide several boxes in the back yard. Each box would send him to the next (could even do it inside). Put the GPS in the last box with the note suggesting that with the GPS, he could search for the real caches. Maybe including a number of printouts of the nearest caches. Just a thought. What ever you do, don't put the GPS in a place where someone else can discover it, unless you can afford to buy another. Oh, and welcome (in advance) to the madness!

I click on the map on the cache page and zoom in a bit. That helps me deal with the roads to the cache (in Pittsburgh you can't get there from here unless you look at a road map). If it looks like a difficult area I sometimes bring up a topo map on www.lostoutdoors.com and take a copy of it with me. And shop for some trinkets to trade with. Everything else you will figure out as you build some experience. I now probably take too much stuff but it always depends on the type of cache. And welcome to the madness!

I have my home long/lat listed in my account file and that way the caches are listed with the closest ones first. Then I check the nearby caches in the morning and look for the ones with a "new" flag in front of it and nothing in the "latest find" under the cache name. Only takes a minute or two and will give you a chance to be first.

Caches that have 6 or 8 "can't find it" logs and the owner doesn't check it or temporarily archive it until something can be done about it.

You must have some caches in your area that contain only junk by now. In time, only things that no one wants will fill some caches and perhaps you can move your extra things to those trinket poor caches. However, I agree, the best thing would be to start another cache.

There seems to be three different Sportraks. You didn't say which one but if you are getting a mapping model, I noticed the Sportrak Map only has a small database (2mb) and 6mp to download detailed map areas but the Sportrak Pro has a large database (9mb) and a 23mb to download detailed maps. I have a Magellan mapping model (330) and only have 8mb for maps which I'm finding limiting. So if you can afford it and are going for a mapping gps, go for the biggest one you can. If you’re not looking for a mapping model, then most models will do. Owners of the Sportrak will have to advise you as to its quality and use. And welcome to the madness!

Magellan sells a very nice canvas charring case that has a belt loop for about $15. I find that most of the time I leave my 330 in the case and only have to check my direction from time to time, especially when following trails. Most of the caches you will search for will be along some trail or another and you won't want to be carrying your GPS in your hand the whole way to the cache especially on longer hikes. And welcome to the madness!

Try this one: http://neilm.com/whitejeep/convert.mv

I tend to ignore beginning item lists as they will be out of date in no time. Hopefully, in a few months all of the listed items will be gone and replaced by something new. I do enjoy hearing more about the cache area, nearby attractions, parking areas, warnings on mud or poison ivy, history, cache themes or something that makes the cache area interesting. Just my opinion.

I've seen a lot of family logs where they want to search and log as a team but if you all want to have different counts depending on wheather or not each member goes on the hunt, then you will need seperate accouts. This happened to me when my daughter insisted on a seperate geocaching name and her own logs. When she forgets I occationally do a quick "went with my dad and found it" log for her.

I sounds like my revisiting a site I have already found; where's the challange? I could visit the same nearby cache 50 times and it would only run my numbers up. But if you don't care about keeping an accurate cound for yourself, then who will care. For me, when I revisit a cache to drop off travel bugs or checking to see if its there still, I always use the "post a note" option and I can keep a good count of how many new caches I've found.

Is there any way to install it with a chain having a magnet on one end and the cache on the other? That way the cache can be retrieved without removing the magnet and the next finder won't face the same problem. The cache will always be secure. Just a thought.

I think you definitely have to check the cache log before you delete him. Maybe he just has an odd style of logging, but if he didn't log the cache you'll know for sure. Then I would send him a polite note informing him that he found something else. You may not want to dump on a newbie (if he is one) before he understands the game.

I finally came across some permethrin to put on my cloths to protect myself from ticks, but I then came across all the warning on the can. My question is just how dangerous is this stuff? I read that you have to apply it to your cloths outdoors and let it hang a couple of hours to dry but how safe is it then and what do you do if the wind shifts and you get some on your skin? And should I keep the cloths isolated from my other cloths? I'm hoping someone on the list is familiar with the product and give me some advice. Otherwise I'm back to the regular Off repellant. Thanks in advance.

Brad B, shame on you. You forgot the trash bag for Cache In/Trash Out (and we just went through the Earth Day Events).

I've been taking my Visor geocaching with me for decoding and notes and was considering using it for pocket queries. However, I recently fell with it in my back pocket and I'm now out $99 to get the screen replaced. The GPS is much more sturdy but I think the PDA will stay at home when hiking.

You do know that Renegade Knight was just kidding, right? In any case, welcome to the madness.

If my checking is correct, I believe you have only found 4 caches so far. A standard suggestion to beginners is to wait until you have found a dozen or sometimes more before you finally place a cache. You will find in time that you get a better sense of what the good caches (and maybe some bad ones) are like and planning your own cache will benefit. You can start thinking about your cache but take your time and make it a good one.

We also take a bag for picking up trash along the way, print out of the cache, PDA with Hint Decoder, compass, pen, replacement log for ones that are lost, trinkets, walkie talkies so my daughter and I don't loose each other, cell phone (to call home when we forget the print outs and need the hints), bandaids, camera, exta pencil, pencil sharpener (those in the cache always need shapened) and spare batteries. That's all I can think of for now. I was just rudely reminded by my daughter to add my reading glasses. Bummer.

Welcome to the madness! Unless the lid is off, no one would believe anything in the cache would be alive. So don't worry about it. In fact at one of our recent finds, my daughter took a rubber snake over many other items to pick up. Some kids just like that stuff.

I looked Markwell's list over and I didn't see LOL which I see a lot. All I can think of is lots of luck which doesn't seem to apply. Any ideas? Shoebox

Another good thing to do is to check out the logs of caches near you and see what other players take and leave when they visit. You'll find a range of things (and good ideas) and a range of costs. And don't worry too much about it as there is somewhat of a learing curve involved. Just get started and everything will come along in time. Shoebox