jellis

You know, it really bugs me when people say this. What you actually mean is there's a good chance you can guess who is using what device based on either the log content or coordinate accuracy. That's it. Handheld users can be just as bad as the infamous "smartphone user", and plenty of smartphone users have much better generally appreciated caching etiquette than many handheld users. There's no way you can "tell" who used what device when placing or logging a cache. There's no signature or device identifier with the listing or the log. You base your guess on a stereotype. I like to repeat this little story often: I love when caching in a big group looking for a well-hidden forest cache, and I end up finding it; I may look out for a few seconds or a minute to see where everyone else is. Hearing people staring a their device (handheld or smartphone, but mostly the former) and calling out "5 meters over here!" "I've got 15 here!" "I zeroed out over here!" ... And I'm standing on the cache. That situation has happened often since I started caching. And oh man, log content - absolutely zero guarantee that a handheld user will post more interesting, useful, longer log text than a smartphone user. Yes, more "tftc" logs may be posted by app users, but IMO "tftc" is just as bad as multi-paragraph copy/paste logs describing an entire day or trip with no comments about the specific cache, often mass-logged with a desktop app. It goes both ways... It does no one any good to associate specific devices or device classes with certain etiquette. Everyone needs to discover and learn what is great and appreciated for the general geocaching community. Maybe or maybe not. But when they tell me my coords are off I am usually (not always) correct when they tell me what they used.

You are talking about WOW caches?

Someone told me there was a program that can do better then a spreadsheet. I didn't ask who has it

Quite a few cachers actually really enjoy doing geo art series. This spreadsheet can help anyone else interested in taking on the daunting task of creating it. Yes, I know. But I still don't see the point. Making it easier just makes it even more pointless. But doesn't your state have a high number of GeoArt?

I'm all for following the guidelines, But why tattle??? The Cache Police I like "Monkey See, Monkey Do. I know one cacher who buried a 5gal paint bucket. Said He saw other do it.

Nothing shows more involvement and interest in our natural resources than taking a power drill and drilling out a hole in a utility pole ("abandoned" or otherwise) I still have not voted guilty to the "holes in poles" examples. Why? We don't know who did the drilling! In my area there are still some older poles in use that had L-shaped brackets installed every 12 inches or so. Utility workers climbed them. These have since been removed - I suppose because kids would climb them. What remains? HOLES - drilled by the utility company! You said it. An OLD pole, why is there a NEW hole in it?

So, this discussion is not gonna be honest about how much the "not rich" people actually pay into IAP? I'm not rich but I find ways. Like having friends to help cut the costs of traveling. I flew last year on a flight $73 each way from California to SLC for just a day. Some friends came with and we shared in the cost of a car rental and gas (they actually paid the whole thing because I came up with the idea). You don't have to travel far to find more caches. I don't see any competition. It may just be another hobby to fill the time like the Munzees. I go Birding which is silly but I find some comparisons to caching. Except placing. When a rare bird shows up, birders race to refind it. I DNFd many birds. Birders sometimes compete to have a big day or year. So I can do it all. Fish, geocache, bird, and pokemon go all at the same time. It's just another past time

1- download beforehand, just like standalone.... standalone can't check for new caches in the field 2- exactly the same 'coverage', if you're talking about gps satellites... standalone has zero 'coverage' if you're talking about cellular coverage 3- completely wrong. see the differences between cellular triangulation vs gps triangulation... phones are more accurate 4- speakerphone... but this doesn't sound like fun to me. 5- suchas ? 6- bring batteries, no worries. 7- well, ok. I bring both, GPS to load geocaches, find them and log them in field notes so I have time to write something longer then TFTC. More accurate judging by the cachers who log my caches. I can tell who is using a smartphone and who is using a GPS. Only one time I lost reception with my GPS and that was in a tight canyon. I have been using rechargeable batteries lately. My smartphone for checking for new caches, but my 64 can do that too. Phone a friend if I need to, solve a puzzle or confirm cords. Also use it for Wherigos.

I don't know how many times I brought that up. They have it for deleting an image why not for a log? I recently deleted a double log. Both were written up differently but still mentioned the same item. So I deleted one of them figuring when she would check the cache page she would see she still have a found log in place. But no, days later the cacher asked why I deleted their log. I explained and she didn't respond. I have a cache that a couple with separate accounts each signed the log on different days. That is fine but each logged it for their baby too. So I had to delete one of the baby's logs. Same thing, they didn't notice that a found log was still in place.

Though I wish I could delete logs that just say TFTC, found it or nothing, I can't. But I will delete logs that give away too much about a cache. Subtle hints ok. Also if they had duplicate logs, or didn't sign it.

I cut and paste but add something to the ending if I find there is something to write about. This is way better than, TFTC or Found it or nothing at all.

HOA is saying they don't want non residents in that area? I found out by someone from Texas that by Texas law they can't claim that it's theirs if there are no official signs saying it is part of the HOA. Is there signs saying it's part of the HOA there?

I like GSAK because you can filter out caches that may have a lot of dnfs, or pick and chose which ones you want or don't want to do.

Virtual waypoints last longer as there is no physical cache to hide or go missing. Virtuals will only have problems if the there has been changes in the location, such as plaque or statue missing or removed, trees cut down,etc.

I had some reply they would go back and some re-logged saying the next time they are there they would out of curiosity on what they missed. This is a very historical location and many stop to see the stops and eat there. I understand those who only visited the location from far away. That is why I gave them the option.

Of course that can happen but I still see no reason why a cache owner should regularly visit a cache without any evidence that there might be an issue. In what I wrote above I stressed the part where I talked about the non-exceptional cases. In the case you describe below It would suffice to temporarily disable the cache and go have a look when it fits. What you experienced can always happen and I do not see it as an issue that needs to be avoided upfront. What some people here seem to suggest is that they wish that cache owners regularly check their caches just to reduce the risk that someone will fail as much as possible. In my opinion, failures are part of geocaching. I am not suggesting regular visits but if it had a dnf it shouldn't matter if it was a beginner or not. I would suggest maybe too contact the cacher who dnf'd it and ask if there is a problem with the location. I don't always run after every dnf, but there are times when I may want to see why my cache is having a problem.

I posted on the cache page and the logs about the throw down, the cache was rated 2 which I just upped to 2.5. I didn't rate it too high because many experienced cachers seen this type before but some have not. I would not want to archive it due to the location. I don't visit often because it's a long drive. I happened to go through to cache and to see if any needed new log sheets. Yes I deleted the logs that were not on my cache. I gave those an option to re-log saying they have my permission cause they logged a fake cache or try again and find the real one. I am not meaning to punish those who signed the wrong one but as a CO they didn't sign the real cache.

I have seen many get disabled even with few finds and dnfs by inexperienced cachers. But think of nature. Weather, fires, animals and natural changes can make a cache disappear or be more hidden. I went for a cache once in Washington. It was suppose to be near a waterfall with a nice path taking you there. But when I got there, there had been a super storm the year before. Which caused a very large amount trees to have been weakened and fell like matchsticks over miles of wilderness. The road I was suppose to take was no longer there and I had to take another road for another 9 miles to get close enough. Some loggers were blasting trees in the area. I had to climb over big fallen trees. No path left to go on, and I could hear the falls but couldn't see it through the avalanche of trees. I got to what might be a drop off into emptiness but I was still about 50ft to go. If the cache was there still, it would be impossible to get to it let alone find it through that many trees. My suggestion is, if you put the cache out there, then you shouldn't have a problem checking on it and sometimes you will need to check on it if it was sitting for that long. You just don't know if it is there or not.

The CO shouldn't be holding the coordinates hostage, they should be on the cache page or derivable without you needing to contact the cache owner. Precisely what was enacted with the new challenge guidelines (and maybe just a bit before). Good to see Groundspeak is listening to its customers concerns. Might be time to Archive it if the cache owner is unresponsive. Basically sounds like an unfindable cache unless you're part of the clique of prior finders. Would it be just as easy to post the cords in the logs?

Did you log any traveling caches?

Not everyone is getting the messages. The first Mission GC I didn't get. Someone told me to check the tips and tricks. So I did. The second Mission GC still didn't come. I guess it took time because I finally got it this time but I don't remember anything about a Duck Dash

I am getting really tired of someone putting throwdowns at my cache sites just because they couldn't find mine and not contacting me to see if they have permission. Latest one I was watching how my evil hide was getting easier to find. So on a maintenance run I photographed logsheets and looked at the cache pages to compare. I noticed over a year between logs but cachers were logging them. Most are cachers I know and ones that are veterans. So the only thing I can figure out is someone left a cache because they couldn't find it. This isn't the first time. What would you do about all those logs who didn't find my real cache?

To me this one was the easiest one to solve. add: I didn't need the hint since I solved many puzzles using this code.

This happened to the Colorado GeoArt. Cachers were finding feces and urine in some of the containers most likely by the workers of the fields (not the owners) that didn't want the caches in the fields even though the CO got permission to place them. Recently I have been finding nasty notes left at caches and one someone put a cache container near my actual container which was well hidden. There was note inside saying something I won't repeat. I removed that container, compared logs on mine with the name on the note and so far no one claimed a found on it.

Ah, I see you're right. So it's not just premium members but there's an additional requirement not mentioned in the announcement. I guess we have to wait. Perhaps I did not get it for that reason, too. I am not surprised that Groundspeak announced that we would receive emails but neglected to mention that they required tips and tricks to receive. Oh well. I ignore most puzzles, do not participate in Facebook where it seems that hints are being discussed, and hide souvenirs as soon as I get them. But I was curious and am disappointed with the way this was handled, even if I have come to expect it. I may have gotten the original one but I did not get the 1st secret message email today. Thanks to a kind friend who sent it asking if I could help them. I followed the crumb trail to the hints and comments on my own and then from there it reminds me on this one puzzle cacher near us that has puzzles you scream at only to find out it was really easy.