ZingerHead

I haven't seen any where the actual cache container is located underwater, but I have seen stages in a multi cache underwater. You had to fish the object out of the water to read the coordinates to the next stage. Most of the boat-required caches I've seen were either traditional caches located on islands, or micros hanging near the shore that could be reached while sitting in a boat. In multis you would go from location to location on a lake, eventually landing your boat to go ashore and find the final stash. Here in CT we've had a lot of fun setting up geocaching events near lakes and rivers to expand the number of caches available during the event. Turns out a lot of cachers are also paddlers. Depending on your location you might consider making water accessible land-based caches winter accessible. In the winter around here you don't need a boat to get to the islands because the lakes are frozen. If the cache remains accessible in snow you can extend its season.

It's fine to go ahead and hide a cache with few or zero finds. Just make sure the basics are covered: it's not buried, it's not on private property, and the coordinates are correct within reason. It's not rocket science! But... With few or zero finds how do you know what constitutes a "good" cache? When I first started out I was absolutely thrilled to find an ammo box under a pile of sticks near a rock, 2/10ths from my parked car. Thrilled! Because I'd never found something like that before. After finding several hundred similar caches, I can admit that the thrill is not gone, but it's not the same. Not that every cache has to be spectacular, but in the rush to get a hide out you can lose sight of the fact that it's not *just* about finding a box - *where* is also important. The second thing I'd consider is hiding technique. If you've never seen a cache in the wild you might think that dumping a few handfuls of leaves on top of your ammo box will disguise it from passing muggles. And it will, until the first breeze exposes the cache for all to see. With a little luck your new cache will be out there for years, so it pays to find a location that will keep it safe. Maybe you were in such a rush to hide a cache that you selected a Gladware container since you had one lying around the kitchen. Sure, they're inexpensive. But in a couple of weeks it'll be cracked and full of water. My point is that with 50 or 100 finds you'll be exposed to a variety of caches, good and bad, which will give you a better idea of how you want to hide your own cache.

EasyGPS is by far the easiest method to transfer coordinates from the website to your GPS. And the easiest method to get the coordinates off the website is via pocket queries, which are available when you sign up for the premium membership. With a Pocket Query you can get up to 500 cache listings in a single file, which is emailed to you. You then open this file using EasyGPS, hit SEND, and you now have 500 caches loaded in your GPS. Simple as that. If you don't have a premium membership you will need to download the .loc files for each cache of interest, open them up in EasyGPS, and download them to your GPS. Same concept, but it takes more time due to the larger number of files. The PDA thing gives you a lot of options - I only have experience with GPXSpinner and Plucker. I agree with you - this is not a simple thing to set up, BUT there are excellent resources on the web to get you going, and the software itself is 100% free. Check out CYBret's Geocaching University for step by step instructions on setting up your PDA to accept GPX data. Note that you will NEED a premium membership in order to get the .gpx files that the PDA programs use. $30 might seem like a lot, but how much are you spending in printer ink and paper to print out all of those cache pages? I bet you'll save the membership and a tank of gas in your first year after going "paperless". The PDA doesn't dissolve in the rain, you don't have to shuffle this big stack of papers, and you'll always have the next cache at your fingertips. I love GSAK, it's a very powerful and feature rich program. But if your goal is simplicity, you can't beat the price of EasyGPS. HTH

Look at this way - the hider didn't necessarily use a Trimble Surveying unit to plant the cache - he probably used a GAR-Mag like the rest of us. If you're lucky, the hider's GPS error matches the error of your own GPS, and you'll find the cache at your feet. On the other hand, if your GPS error is in the opposite direction, you'll be off 30 - 40 feet. So save your money, and when you get within 30 feet of the cache, put the GPS away and start using your eyeballs. Of course if you just cannot resist having all the latest bells and whistles, color screens, and autorouting (and really, who CAN resist?) then go for it. But don't think it's buying you any accuracy advantages

If I had to choose between the PDA and the GPS upgrade, I'd go with the GPS - with the following must-have features: 1. Get one with computer connectivity. No more entering waypoints by hand! 2. Add street mapping - with 86 finds in 11 states you must have realized by now that having the street maps on your GPS would simplify getting from place to place. You can plot driving routes on your computer and download them to the GPS, which will then guide you on the road. If you have the $$, add autorouting to the list of GPS features. This is like having Mapquest in your hand. With autorouting you can plot new driving routes on the fly, and if you have to change your route it will automatically adjust. The routes downloaded from the PC are fixed - once you are on the road you must stick to them. If you still have money left over, get a cheap Palm Pilot from eBay (<$50 I'm told). The applications (free!) for geocaching don't require a high end model with tons of memory. What the PDA will get you is the ability to carry the cache printouts with you on the trail - ALL of the cache printouts you can fit in there (several hundred at least). In addition you can decode the encrypted hints automatically, and if you can master the input technology you can save notes about your finds on the PDA. If you think about all the $35 ink cartridges you are burning through printing out the cache pages, you will see that a PDA will pay for itself in a short time. So get the GPS. Then convince your significant other that you will actually be SAVING money by getting the PDA later, just in ink and paper reduction HTH

There are a zillion ways to encrypt coordinates. Some involve actual cryptography, some involve logic, some require specialized knowledge of a certain subject, and most involve a combination of two or more of the above. If absolutely nothing is jumping out at you as you look over the puzzle, set it aside for a while. If something occurs to you, do a Google search to see if you can locate some useful info related to your idea. If all that fails and you find yourself lying awake nights struggling to solve the puzzle - email the hider for hint. With a little luck he'll just just give you enough info to crack open the door to the solution and you'll be on your way. As an example of a puzzle cache the hider posted a picture with a block of letters surrounded by a border. The letters were gibberish - no amount of sorting would give you anything meaningful. Close observation of the border, however, showed that it was Morse Code. If you decoded the Morse Code, you were left with an unfamiliar phrase. Search on Google for that phrase and it turns up some interesting information - which led to a solution for the gibberish in the picture. So it took a combination of special skill (morse code), logic (what does the unusual phrase mean?) and cryptography (to actually decode the gibberish) to finally resolve the coordinates.

I second the idea of attending a geocaching event. This is where cachers can share their <ahem> "off center" obsession with the rest of their adopted community. You can only learn so much from the online posts.

If you have the GARMIN topo maps, you can load them into the Vista right along side the street maps. You can then switch between them in the map Setup screen - so once you drive to a trailhead you can switch from streets to topos to navigate to the cache. Forgive me if I made a bad assumption about the Garmin topos .

You've probably already spent the $$, so let me just add to the praise for the 60CS. I also upgraded from an eTrex Vista, and I am continually impressed by the 60's performance. My 40-something eyeballs really appreciate the larger fonts, and the color screen makes it much easier to pick out a route from the map view. On my Vista the route markings often got lost in the clutter of the roads. FWIW, if you have to choose between topo and street maps, I'd suggest going with the City Select package. The autorouting feature is like having Mapquest in your pocket, and since you spent the money for an autorouting GPS, you might as well take advantage of it. Good luck - and happy caching!

You mentioned having Mapsource street software. The version of street software you own will determine whether you can auto-route or not. The Map60 series will autoroute with City Select, and to a limited extent with Metroguide 4, but not with metroguide 5. Now that I have autorouting (60CS) I am a believer - it is an essential upgrade component. Once you've found most of the caches in a 30 mile radius from your house you will be driving on unfamiliar back roads in pursuit of new finds - autorouting really cuts down on the wrong turns and backtracking.

My eTrex Vista did the same thing, and it had a couple of other charming quirks, like the click stick would only work up and down, but not side to side, and sometimes the screen would go blank or black. There were two reasons: 1. The batteries were loose, as mentioned above. I periodically bend the little metal battery contact tabs out a bit so they push harder on the batteries. I use rechargeables, and some batteries are a bit smaller than others - the smaller ones naturally gave me this shutdown problem more frequently than the bigger ones. 2. The intermittent display and click stick problems were traced to a loose ribbon cable between the LCD module and the main electronics board in the unit. All I did was re-seat the ribbon cable in its connector and all the display and click stick problems disappeared. For 3 years my Vista has been a stable and reliable workhorse aside from these minor problems.

That's not much information to go on. If you want to download waypoints, your only requirement is that the GPS have a serial or USB port for connecting it to a PC. Then you'll want to pick up a copy of EasyGPS to assist in the transfer of data from the gc.com website to the GPS. To download the cache descriptions and such you'll need a PDA and some additional software. Check out some of the other threads in this forum about PDAs. Here are a few things to consider when buying a GPS: 1. Do you want to be able to view maps on the GPS? This feature will run you extra money, but in my opinion it is money well spent. Street maps add a tremendous amount of utility to a GPS well beyond geocaching. Plus, you have to know how to DRIVE to the general location of the cache just to get started looking for it - street maps will help you there. 2. Do you want to auto-route? I went without this feature for 3 years, and just bought a GPS that auto-routes. It's like being blind and suddenly getting my sight back. It's that good. If you have the $$, spring for an autorouting GPS. 3. Do you travel a lot? If so, you might want a GPS with a lot of map memory so that you can store map detail for all the places you'll be visiting. You can also download multiple types of maps, like streets and topos, to cover all the different uses of your GPS. My own top three favorites (can you tell I'm a GARMIN fan? ): 1. eTrex legend - excellent value in a basic mapping GPS. 2. GPS V - autorouting and street software included for less than $300. 3. GPSMAP60C and 60CS - Not cheap, and you have to buy the mapping software, but it does it all. HTH

Push in and hold the click stick for a few seconds and the MARK screen will appear. Use the click stick to navigate down to the coordinate display (it will become highlighted, and push in the click stick one more time. This will call up a little on-screen keypad that you can maneuver through with the click stick. Once you update the coordinates, click the OK button on the "virtual keyboard" and then click on the GOTO button to head toward your new waypoint. HTH

I use an m130 without a protective case, but I keep it in my pack, in a plastic bag, or inside my raincoat. Since I only need to refer to it occasionally, this level of protection has kept it safe and sound. The GPS, on the other hand, is constantly out in the elements - thank god it's waterproof!

I've been caching for 3+ years, 700+ finds, and I just got a new GPSMAP 60CS to replace my aging eTrex Vista. It's like falling in love all over again. You already have the City Select software, so you should be able to get a second unlock code - no extra software to buy. For another $320 ($400 on Amazon, -30 if you sign up for their card, -50 for the Garmin rebate if it's still in effect) you can have all that you've come to like about your V (great GPS, by the way) plus these features: 1. Speedier autorouting. I've used a V and found that in a tight sequence of turns you can get "ahead" of the display, so that you have to stop and let it catch up. Never had that happen yet with the '60. 2. Longer battery life - and it only uses 2 AA batteries instead of four. 3. Bigger, color screen - I didn't think it would be a big deal, but this thing really knocked my socks off. I no longer have to squint at the screen trying to make out the tiny characters - they just jump right out at me. GREAT for navigating in the car, and the color lets you determine your route on the map page literally at a glance. 4. More memory (56mB vs 19mB) means you can load more map detail into the unit. 5. USB and serial connectivity. It took me 45 minutes to an hour to download a 24mB map set to my Vista. It takes 5-10 minutes to download 56mB of maps to the '60. 6. Relative to the V, it's lightweight, although a bit heavier than the Vista. 7. You can upload Tide Table information if it's something you'll use. A couple of cons: 1. The Vista could be operated with one gloved hand. The button locations on the 60 are OK, but with winter gloves on it's a two handed operation. 2. The shape of the case fits my hand well, but the rounded bottom means it will NOT stay put on the car dashboard. I wound up buying the GARMIN automobile mount so I wouldn't have to keep chasing it around the car. 3. The firmware is still a little buggy - I get an occasional lockup. But the firmware releases have been coming out pretty quickly and regularly from GARMIN, so this shouldn't last long. As for accuracy, my gut tells me that there is virtually no difference between the 60 and the Vista, although I do think the '60 has an edge in sensitivity. It can keep a lock in situations where the Vista cannot. But as far as telling me where the cache is - they both give similar results when they can see the sats, and they both go useless when they can't. If you buy a modern GPS from a reputable, big name manufacturer you will get about the same accuracy from any unit they offer. The price differences come from the bells and whistles, some of which are useful (I like the electronic compass) and some of which are not (the altimeter in the 60CS is a novelty for me, but not much else). Check out this site for more info on a lot of different GPS units, and a wealth of information on GPS in general.

My Vista was dropped and bumped so many times I lost count, and the dog even tried it out as a chew toy one day. Eventually (over 3 years) it started acting up intermittently (blank display, lines, click stick not working, etc.), which turned out to be bad connections between the display/click stick to the electronics. To fix the problem I opened the case, re-seated the ribbon cable in its clamp, sewed it back up and it's been fine ever since. This is the only vibration-related problem I've had with it.

24 mB of map detail took around 45 minutes to upload to my Vista via serial connection. 56mB of map detail takes around 5 minutes or so with my 60CS via USB. This is exactly right. The bells and whistles only serve to make life a little easier. If the GPS is used only for geocaching, then the simpler the better. But if you plan to use the GPS to follow driving routes in the car then autorouting is a truly useful and amazing technology. It's like having Mapquest in your pocket.

I'm not familiar with the iFinder, but here are some things to consider - 1. Whatever GPS you get, make sure it can connect to a PC. Sure, it's not difficult to punch in waypoints manually, but it quickly becomes tedious after the tenth cache. It's also error prone, which means you will eventually spend a long time looking for a cache that is actually .5 miles away due to an entry error. Trust me . 2. Any GPS will suffice for basic "point me to the cache" use. Any one at all. The basic "you are here" functionality is essentially equal whether you spend $60 or $600. I've used an eTrex (patch antenna) and GPSMAP60CS (quad helix antenna) and found a slight advantage to the quad helix antenna, but I can't recall a single cache that I couldn't find due to my eTrex failing to lock on to satellites. Even the most expensive GPS will lose lock under dense tree cover. 3. For plotting routes you MUST have a PC connection, and you will need to purchase additional mapping software (approximately $100) for the GPS of your choice. For those GPS units that do not "auto-route" you will plot your routes ahead of time on the PC and then download the route to the GPS. Even a unit like the Geko or the basic yellow eTrex will allow you to download and follow routes, but their user interface is understandably primitive (no map, no street identification, etc., just an arrow). 4. If you can swing $300, the GARMIN GPSV will give you a mapping GPS with 19mB of memory, the mapping software, and autorouting, all in the same bundle. It is an unequivocal bargain, but a bit outside your budget limit. You'll spend a long time geocaching before you outgrow it, and the autorouting will prove very helpful in navigating while on vacation, or if you take a job in a new city. If you have some time to kill some evening, browse around this website. It has a wealth of impartial information that will probably answer a lot of your questions, plus some head to head comparison reviews of various GPS units from Magellan, GARMIN, and Lowrance.

To some, FTF means EVERYTHING.

My wife hasn't been that interested in geocaching. She and the kids would go with me frequently in the beginning, then once in a while, but eventually I was caching alone. Just recently she decided to give it a try on her own, inheriting my Vista when I got a new GPS. She wanted her own account because she plans to find all the local caches that I've found already, and she wants her own online record of her finds. We've gone on a few finds together since then, and she didn't want me to give away the hiding place if I found the cache before her. So it looks like separate accounts is the way to go for us. Besides, she doesn't like my caching name . Can't blame her there!

You could do a multi with trade items at each stage, but it certainly adds to the maintenance of the cache. Micros are much more common as early stages. Since micros are harder to see, they are less likely to get plundered by non-cachers (aka muggles), whereas a big old ammo box every half mile is an inviting target. But there is no rule preventing you from doing a multi with trading items at each point.

If the caches are related in some way you should make it a multi. If you want more traffic on your cache(s), then keep them separate. Multis see fewer visits simply because they are more difficult. Someone who wouldn't bother with the long walk for the one multi might be tempted by a "two-fer". I know that when I'm traveling far for caches I tend to avoid complex multis just because I want to notch more finds on my trip. Closer to home I have no problem spending hours looking for a single cache. FWIW, most if not all of my all-time favorite caches were multis. A multi gives you a free hand to get creative and make things interesting. This can make a cache located in an otherwise uninspiring location much more enjoyable. In the end, hide what you like. It's your cache, and you can make it just the way you want. You'll know if you're on the right track from the log entries.

I'd second that vote for the GARMIN V, as for less than $300 you get auto-routing, 19MB of memory, and you also get the street mapping software as part of the package. The software alone will set you back $100 if you bought a different GARMIN unit. This is an extraordinary bargain.

For $150 you could get an Etrex Legend which has mapping, tracback capability, 12 channel receive with WAAS, and the ability to download waypoints and tracks to and from your computer. Let's call that the "basic" unit. I just bought a GPSMAP 60CS to replace my aging eTrex Vista, which is very similar to the Legend. Here are the things that jump out at me as making the 60CS worth the extra money: 1. Big bright screen. The eTrex screen is perfectly readable under all lighting conditions, but the print is tiny and it's hard to read while driving. The color screen really helps you see at a glance where you are and where you're headed. 2. 56MB of map memory. The Legend has 8mb. With 56 I can put topos, streets, and tides for CT, most of MA, parts of RI and NY. In other words, a much larger area than I can cache in a day. 3. USB connection to the PC. It took me nearly an hour to load 24mB worth of maps to my Vista. It takes about 5 minutes to load 56MB to the 60CS. 4. Selectable trackback points. On the Vista the trackback feature went back to a few preselected points, and if the track was a long one it would take quite some time to set up. The 60CS lets you choose any point on the track to track back to, and it sets up in the blink of an eye. 5. Auto-routing. I lived without this for a long time, but now that I have it I'll never go back. This gives me all the capability of a $2000 automobile navigation system, except I can use it in any car I'm in, and I didn't spend anywhere near $2000. 6. Faster microprocessor. The 60 redraws maps much more quickly than my Vista. 7. Right now GARMIN has a $50 rebate on their color handhelds, and if you shop around you can find some very good deals. HTH

There are three things you'll need in order to download waypoints from your computer to your GPS. The first is the "PC cable" that GARMIN makes for that unit - here's a picture. The second thing you'll need is the file containing the coordinates from the geocaching.com cache page. Look in the upper left side of the cache page, near the small map. Just above the map you'll see "click icon to download". Click on the box with the red arrow pointing to it and a file will be saved to your computer. Which brings us to the third piece of the downloading puzzle, the software to put that file onto your GPS. EasyGPS is free software that will just that. Download and install the EasyGPS software and follow their instructions to hook up your GPS and download the info. HTH