Poidawg

At first, When I first heard of geocaching, I hated the idea of someone putting something like a tupperware container full of "trinkets" out in the woods...I really thought, great, another way to clutter up the planet. I started geocaching with the thought in the back of mind that if I did not like it, I would just sell my unit and that would be that. I spend enough time in the out of doors anyway, I don't need an "excuse" like geocaching to get my butt out there. The first cache I came across was on private property, maintained by the people whol owned the property. A camp ground. The cache was a hard win, and I almost left without finding it. When I did locate it, instead of taking a little used trail back, I chose to bushwhack out. I'm glad I did, I picked up an entire garbage bag worth of trash in less than 5 minutes. Even tho the cache was on private property, it was in a beautiful forest and I know the positive impact I had by taking the trash out, was much more than the negative impact the cache would have just sitting there or for that matter cachers would have on the environment tromping through the woods. Now that I know caches are maintained, and some actually have a theme of enjoying, appreciating and caring for the environment. An upcoming event will start out with CITO, which would probably never happen at this park without the event being held there...So my experience has changed my mind. Although I think I would freak a bit if I found disacarded batteries or something I could relate to a cacher littering near a cache...but that is just me.

Perfect, exactly what Im looking for!!!

I am new to geocaching and am learning a ton, mostly from this forum. I have an etrex legend and am very happy with it. I would like to find a way of attaching it to my backpack shoulder strap. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there something out there which is durable AND reliable???

I will get my friend and see if it happens again...stay tuned

For detailed information on WAAS check out - gpsinformation.net/waas WAAS and its Relation to Enabled Hand-Held GPS Receivers (26 Feb. 2003) Statement from the FAA WAAS is based on a network of approximately 25 ground reference stations that covers a very large service area. Signals from GPS satellites are received by wide area ground reference stations (WRSs). Each of these precisely surveyed reference stations receive GPS signals and determine if any errors exist. These WRSs are linked to form the U.S. WAAS network. Each WRS in the network relays the data to the wide area master station (WMS) where correction information is computed. The WMS calculates correction algorithms and assesses the integrity of the system. A correction message is prepared and uplinked to a geosynchronous satellite via a ground uplink system (GUS). The message is then broadcast from the satellite on the same frequency as GPS (L1, 1575.42MHz) to receivers on board aircraft (or hand-held receivers) which are within the broadcast coverage area of the WAAS. These communications satellites also act as additional navigation satellites for the aircraft, thus, providing additional navigation signals for position determination. The WAAS will improve basic GPS accuracy to approximately 7 meters vertically and horizontally, improve system availability through the use of geostationary communication satellites (GEOs) carrying navigation payloads, and to provide important integrity information about the entire GPS constellation. If you check out Garmins blurb on WAAS it will advise that WAAS does indeed improve system availablility. I went to pick up a unit for a friend, at the beginning of January and the guy I purchased the unit from was fooling around with it while waiting for me. Turns out he had turned the WAAS off. The unit took longer to lock on the sats and never got more than 4. On the way back to my place I was stuck in traffic, and decided to put both units on the dash to see how well they did. The unit with the WAAS off, had a much harder time locking on to the satellites, and staying locked on. As soon as the WAAS was turned on, the units performed exactly the same way, gathering the satellite information and locking on at exactly the same time. It was a testament to those with the foresight to develop the system to begin with.

Always have your WAAS turned on and make certain the datum is correct for your area of the world. I turned the WAAS off just to see the difference, and it took the unit about 15 minutes to do what it would normally do in about 1 minute. The difference was remarkable!!

I pack depending upon how far I am going, and if I am caching in town or out in the woods. I have had issues with spiders, and some caches have debri on them so a pair of gloves. A small flashlight, some of the cachers are in dark places. A couple of pens to write in the log with. A notepad - I like to make notes. A cell phone - in case I get into trouble. A platypus water bottle (and collapsable water dish for the dog) A couple of zip lock baggies, a little container of trade items. Digital or film camera if you want to take photos. A PDA if you want to auto route or whatever. Extra batteries. I designated one of my backpacks for a geocaching bag, and I leave everything in there so I can just grab it and go...Good luck. Take care.

I purchased a Garmin e trex legend from Craigslist for $120. Check craigslist out if you cant find what you want here.

Another one bites the dust!!!! I love that you found your first cache and you are so excited about it. Dont let the DNFs throw you off your game...I turned my friends on to caching and I cant wait until I hear about their first cache find.

Reading these responses is more entertaining than going to the movies!!! You guys are great.

A playtpus water bottle, collapsable dog drinking bowl, leash, trade items, compass, a couple of pens, cell phone, small flashlight, extra batteries, a granola bar or other snak, some spare change and hopefully in the very near future a PDA...alas it will have to wait til I win the lottery. HARUMPH!

It is also a GREAT way to find out if caches have been archived or are down for maintenance for some reason. I almost went up the steepest hill in our neighborhood to find a cache and found it was taken off the hill because it had been leaking...I am SOOOO happy I checked the internet that day!!

Ever hear of Orienteering? Not quite the same as geocaching in that the events are held only for a limited time, and the general public would not pass by the course controls everyday, but there are few people who are into Orienteering in the US compared with the European public. I think some of the reluctance is the cost of the GPS units, and the other might be that their is directional issues to be solved. Some of us are terrible just at reading maps and following directions. I know at first even though my curiostiy was peaked when I first heard of geocaching, I thought there was alot of math or map reading involved, what little did I know that these little machines do so much FOR the user in the way of figure out so much. I am new to the game/sport but I already love it. I see how some of the cache owners get into a type of cache, and although miles apart, some of the caches look the same, and are hidden in the same way. I really love the caches that have alot of creativity to them, like a pirate themed cache. Or a cache completely hidden but in plain sight. There are caches you have to figure out, and some are really hard, the coordinates given are not the ones where the cache is located...I think most of the people involved in this game/sport are very creative and clever people, and Im happy to be involved with them. I started caching in September of 05 and have already got a friend involved, their family has a gps unit and now she is spending more time than ever with her grandson hunting the county they live in, in search of the prize, even if it is only to log your name in.

You guys make me feel soooooooooooo much better, because if I see a travel bug, I can not keep my hands off of it...

I use my gps unit like a phone with a camera and pretend Im taking pictures. I also cache with my dog, at 85 pounds, he is a great muggle deterant. I have yet to go paperless and try and look like Im doing something offical nearby the cache. If I notice people paying attention I either wait or come back. If it is someone of the homeless type I usually come back or wait in my car. If it is someone out in the woods, usually they are hiking or jogging and wont stay long. Like the previous posters - it all depends on the person. I stopped to talk to one guy, about places to walk our dogs, he noticed the gpsr and asked about it. I found out he was a weatherman from Canada, and he said his kids would love geocaching but he was so sick of computers he could hardly look at one, and was taking a break from anything electronic...

Check craigslist, I got a palm XIIIx for $40. If you dont see one right away, check again in a couple of days. I found the one I got in the third try. Good luck

I sometimes go tracking with a guy who teaches tracking and he has sealed his "teaching aids" with an epoxy. Before sealing it, make certain it is completely dried out, by turning upside down and leaving it in the sun to bake it dry....

No matter what store I am in, I now ALWAYS check the sale shelves. I went into Michaels the other day and found some wonderful cache items at 2 for a dollar. Michaels also has party favor bags, although I like to have a variety of items since caches differ in sizes. I also check Target, the Dollar Store, Big Lots, Ross' - so many of these places have items that did not sell and they want to get rid of. Longs has a dollar sale every spring, and dont forget the gum ball machines. Some of them have some great action figures in them - and of course there is always the MacDonalds Happy Meal toys which are popular with some collectors. Yesterday I went into a hospital gift store to kill time between my x rays and my appointment and found a little basket FULL of dollar items. Small teddy bears etc...I keep a price in mind, since I am on a tight budget as well, and when I see something my price I go for it keeping in mind cache sizes. I put them all in a backpack and when I get to a cache, I figure out which item would be best and trade it. I know some cachers dont trade all the time, and I have seen logs of people trading items from other caches...

I do not have access to a digital camera quite yet. I noticed some of the TB owners request to have their bugs get a photo of where they have been. I feel bad that I don't have the ability to get a shot on the computer, should I stop taking the TB's? I am very aware of the TB's need to travel and have moved two so far, making sure I read where they want to go and being good about trying to get them to their destinations or at least closer to their destinations...does everyone take a photo and post it when you handle a TB? Or just when the TB owner asks? Or what.....Thanks

skreporter - are you are reporter??? I was just wondering....

I know your datum information on your gps must match the datum you are inputting. I think.

I get my Duracell batteries at Costco, I put them in the recycling bin at the library when I'm done.

The supervisor is putting my idea to the board, and I am currently working on geting a web page put up for skeeter cachers to log their work if this is approved.

I think a Corgi is a great idea. The more they run the happier they will be, might want to try checking out a Corgi rescue web site...good luck

I got lost once but it was not while geocaching. I went out at dusk, and the fog came in, I got off the trail due to catching my foot on a chaparral bush, and breaking my toe, I actually kind of tumbled off the trail when my foot caught. Being that I was on the side of a mountain, the trail was too far above me at this point to try and reach it. FORTUNATELY, I ALWAYS bring the dog with me. I just told him to go get in the car we were going for a ride....Off we went straight for the car without hesitation and he was right on track. I awarded him with a huge burger for getting us out of harms way...Two weeks after breaking my toe that night on the mountain, the gas nozzle popped out of my cars gas tank when I was filling it and landed right on that toe, breaking it again...I did not need my dog for that. I was always taught that while hiking in unfamilar territory, turn around while during your walk every 10 minutes or so, or when the path makes a turn in order for you to be able to identify landmarks on the way back. I have yet to get lost since learning this.