jmbillings

We're moving away from Ely later this week, and I wondered if anyone wanted to take on our 3 caches here? https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4GNPC - Ely Riverside, a popular (95 favourites) cache hidden in plain sight https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4P6DV - Wolsey & Pygot (45 favourites) - located close to the cathedral, but needs the container replaced (a stealth cache, will explain to adopter what's needed) https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4H93K - Ely Pub Crawl (22 favourites) - a multi, with the final a disguised container out on the edge of town. Not often found, but seems okay with the new container (previous plastic tub got muggled regularly) Please DM if interested!

I did some in Italy recently; and they tended to be in Italian and German. The Android Google translate app now lets you store languages offline, and the app I use lets me just tap-and-hold the text and pick "Translate". Easy

Not sure on official guidelines. If I do add a photo I try to compose it so it's not giving away any secrets. Having said that, there's a warning in the header above the logs and "view gallery" link saying spoilers may be present, so I imagine there's no "rule" either way...

Isn't there an iPhone option for offline maps etc?

I'm trying for August too. I'm not fussed about the souvenirs (didn't even know they existed previously...), but as an "occasional" cacher previously (~80 found over a few years!) I like the idea of grabbing at least one a day. So far I've managed it too!

I don't worry too much. A new cache was published near me yesterday- I got to GZ within about 6 minutes, but another family were already there hunting! I found it first, but the other guy got his phone out and logged it while I was there chatting to him. He didn't claim FTF and mentioned he'd found it with me. I just mentioned in my log I happened to spot it before them... But I don't care too much; I'm not a FTF hound though

Just revisiting this, setting it as "missing" may have triggered something, as the current carrier has owned up, apologised for forgetting about it, and placed it in a hide

The way I worked that out places it a little way south of Loughborough. I can't see another way of doing it without getting weird co-ordinates.

Another +1 for Google Earth. The measure tool lets you switch from Line to 'Path', you can then click from one point to another and see the total distance.

I think you should be fine (assuming they are GSM based and not that weird US thing where you don't have a SIM - CDMA?) (yes, I know Canada isn't the US ) Roaming costs are likely to be huge though, so I'd generally want to be using an app that has the ability to cache offline all the geos you want to find that day. You can then grab them all using hotel / cafe wifi. You could also buy a local SIM I guess but if you're going around a few countries, then that's more complex (or not much cheaper)

Thanks for the loc hint! I found this too, trying to check how accurate something was and it kept latching onto a nearby shop!

That's slightly depressing. Just used my secret code to get a further 15% off my purchase of some dog tags. Ordered 16 to get 15% and then added my code. The end result is that including shipping they come out at £2.60 each tag. And was already plotting what to do with my 8. And now I am wondering if its worth it lol. Would disagree strongly that cachers are light fingered. I would say that I know cachers that have and still do pick them up in bulk and hold into them for weeks before even logging them. I've grabbed a couple (even last week) and they were found in a cache miles from where they were supposed to be. Even found one next to a cache and had been there months when we found it. But in our experience by FAR the worst culprits and the ones that make me go - offs - is when I see its been picked up and look and see 12 caches found. 23 caches found. I kind of write it off then. This is wrong. This apathy. These people should be pursued by some sort of authoritative mechanism within geocaching. And education of how TB's and coins are treated and logged etc should be locked into the registration process. I do wonder if some people simply don't know what they are, and assume they are just a "cute swap" like other stuff? For instance, Chilli, the current "probably gone missing" one, has a little card saying where he wants to go, but maybe it needs big red letters "PLEASE DON'T KEEP ME, I'M MEANT TO MOVE FROM CACHE TO CACHE"

I'd agree with some of this- *definitely* avoid buying a phone off ebay. I used to sell old ones on there but the hassle was unbelievable (usually the winning bidder wanted me to post it to Nigeria and was scamming me) Battery life of a phone, if you're using it a lot, will definitely be a problem (at least in my experience; the screen and GPS being worst offenders). I tend to get close to GZ just by common sense/old fashioned navigation, then use the device for the last part. Signal doesn't matter too much as most smartphones will have WiFi so you can download all the caches for the area you will visit before leaving the house. Then you can work offline and not worry about data costs. I've not tried the official GS app, but the (free) one I use lets you search by place name as well so you don't have to scroll around a map. You mentioned you didn't know what Android is- it's just another smartphone system. iPhones use iOS, lots of other phones use Android. A quick google shows something like this - it's got GPS and WiFi which is what you'd need, and seems about within budget. The other advantage of a smartphone is in muggle heavy areas, you can look like you're just texting or looking on the internet instead of faffing with a real GPS device. Look for one that'll take an extra battery - as Seaglass said, battery running out is worse, and something like an iPhone is a sealed unit (as is my HTC One) but many other Android phones let you swap out the battery for a spare (which you can get dirt cheap on ebay safely) Personal choice though- looks like there's some good recommendations for handheld GPS units in this thread too, depends what you feel most comfortable with.

Depends on your budget - a smartphone (it doesn't have to be an iPhone, Android works too) is generally more versatile and will let you easily download caches on the move - the internet access can be handy if you need to google something for a puzzle clue, you can take photos and so on. A "proper" GPS device like in the post above is useful - the battery will last longer for one thing, and it's less likely to suffer from being dropped. You can get much cheaper ones (I used to use an eTrex Legend) but entering stuff is a pain unless you plug it into a computer and play with software.

Thanks - certainly my "current" (just lost!) one had a big gap where I thought it had gone - a few months - then reappeared. I wonder if people just keep them, or maybe lose them between grabbing one and then not getting around to going caching again... We pick them up fairly infrequently as we don't get chance to do much caching- if there's a local one I can pick up and I know I'm going on holiday (and likely to find at least one while away) I might take it though.

We've launched 3 TBs, but they always vanish in the end. Our most recent actually lasted 18 months or so, but does look like it's gone now (comments saying there's no TBs in the cache even though 2 or 3 listed). Is that usual? I'd probably feel better about it if a typical lifespan was a year or so

A, of course. Not that that's the right thing to do. I don't know why they insist on locking the API to people they like/approve. But then twitter have recently started restricting their API too. I guess it's all control / advertising / meh. Shame really.

It's probably within the rules, as it's your own property- I guess it's how comfortable you feel with people hovering around the front of your house potentially at any time of the day. I'd say if you're in a quiet street in a fairly large town it could be not the /best/ idea- your neighbours may mistake people poking around as potential burglars for example. If you're pretty remote and get on well with the locals to explain it, perhaps not so bad.

Thanks! Mrs B. didn't like the idea, but only because it was "too geeky"

Which are these then? And which app- official one? Or a free 3rd party one?

Thanks guys, seems a reasonable idea then... NFC I hadn't thought of- my phone has it, and I even have some tags to play with. I think that's one to wait for iThings to support though...

I was thinking of coming up with a multi where you need a smartphone to complete it, by either scanning a QR code to get the next clue / co-ordinates or perhaps even have an app just for the purposes of the cache... But I'm wondering what proportion of cachers will have such a device with them when caching (even if they use a real GPS device for the actual game?) If it's less than, say, 75% it's perhaps not worth it.

Thanks for all the pointers folks; sounds like it may be a go-er but I'll definitely look up our local reviewer and check before doing anything!

We'd like to do a multi around our little town, and the wife had the idea of one where you went around a few of the pubs to get clues for the next co-ords - so basically the initial co-ordinates would take you to Pub #1 and you'd have to solve a clue to get the digits for the next. Before we plan this though, what are the rules? - could we use clues from *inside* pubs? (for instance, pub 'x' claims to have 5 ghosts haunting its basement) - I saw reference to names not being allowed? - point 1 would reduce potential audience (some pubs don't allow kids after 6), or aren't open early morning, but that would be ok... We'd hate to come up with a great series and the reviewer say no!

We've moved away so cannot now look after the Nene valley "derailed" caches. Two have already been archived as going missing, but two remain and still seem to get found, so did anyone want to take them over? You can even replace the missing one and create a new bonus to get the series back up to strength. The remaining ones are GC15ZGR and GC15VD8