Frustrated, Need Help Newbie

[+Tyger4]

Ok, I have printed out some cache info. I know the location of a couple in my area just due to descriptions. I have Garmin etrex GPSr and Handspring Visor pda. I am waiting the arrival of the data cable for gps. I downloaded EasyGPS, GASK, cachemate. I dont have a darn clue how to work this stuff. I have been reading instructions for 3 days. I really dont want to hunt in another country when I have Never been out of the USA. I would like to start small and local. H E L P ! I am already going out of my mind. My dd and I have been so excited to start this new adventure but I dont know what to do with all this gps, pda stuff. I am technologically challenged as well as athletically challanged. Many of the caches in my area also list Poison Ivy as a threat (dd and I are HIGHLY allergic)...so that also limits our hunting. We are so ready to start this journey but I dont know how to get any of this software stuff going. Lol...I guess I need someone to take me by the hand with this. ARG! I just want to play and have fun. Anyone have suggestions? TIA.

 

ttfn

[Liber-T]

I just started too and also have the Garmin etrex. It's all I have, actually. Maybe forget the other stuff for now and just figure out how to enter the coordinates in your GPS? The instruction book leads you through entering waypoints then finding your way back to them. Enter the coordinates for a cache near you and just use that for now. Read all the logs and the hints associated with the cache you're looking for....they will help you until you get a better idea of how the GPS operates as far as accuracy and you see what it is you're really looking for.

 

Don't stress yourself out with technology you don't need until you're more comfortable.

 

It's really fun...relax, enter a waypoint and GO

 

BTW, I didn't find my first cache and only cried a little. Found my next two and already found a travel bug. It's great!

[+webscouter.]

I just started too and also have the Garmin etrex. It's all I have, actually. Maybe forget the other stuff for now and just figure out how to enter the coordinates in your GPS? The instruction book leads you through entering waypoints then finding your way back to them. Enter the coordinates for a cache near you and just use that for now. Read all the logs and the hints associated with the cache you're looking for....they will help you until you get a better idea of how the GPS operates as far as accuracy and you see what it is you're really looking for.

 

Don't stress yourself out with technology you don't need until you're more comfortable.

 

It's really fun...relax, enter a waypoint and GO

 

BTW, I didn't find my first cache and only cried a little. Found my next two and already found a travel bug. It's great!

I feel like a proud papa!!

 

Way to go on that second cache, and a travel bug to boot. And your already giving great advice to newbies. I could just burst.

[+Pork King]

I had over 400 finds with my trusty eTrex "yeller" before I finally gave in to maps and transfer cables and GSAK (I own a Legend, now). The whole time, I simply entered the waypoints in by hand, and carried a cache page printout with me. Actually, I copied an pasted cache page descriptions to a Word file, so as to save paper/ink...usually 3-4 caches on one page of paper, but I digress...

 

When I first started using EasyGPS (and then GSAK), I just played around with them until I was comfortable with them. I supposed I had an advantage, as I read that you label yourself "technologically challenged". First thing's first...instructions suck and are fro losers... j/k. They do suck though. The best thing would be to find someone that actually uses the program (a geocacher at your next local event, perhaps) to show you and walk you through the steps several times.

 

And I do agree with the above post, just enter a few waypoints by hand (the manual should actually be hable to handle showing you how to do that if you haven't figured it out already), and go for it!

[+Tyger4]

Enter...by hand....It took me an hour (after all the reading) to just get home marked. OMGosh...what have I got myself into?!?!? The cache I know the location of is a Virtual cache...have to email a pic or answer a ?...dd keeps asking 'when are we gonna go hunting treasure?' She is all ready to go and I just wanna figure this goofy box out. I am 'technologically challenged', 'athletically challenged'...I am challenged. Lol...I have been reading geocaching sites all weekend, read posts all day yesterday, spent today trying to figure out GPSr. I even walked up and down the block to see how the GPSr works, and what I was doing. I'd say that maybe in another year or two I might be able to navigate my way in and out of the driveway.

 

BTW, LiberT....like the comment in your post about snakes. I also hope the snakes Passed class and KNOW to get Lost!

 

ttfn

[+webscouter.]

Tyger4,

 

You can't be too technically challenged you posted on the boards.

 

If you got home marked you know how to enter coords by hand. Just Mark your location and then scroll up to the coordinates and edit them.

[+DaveA]

The cache I know the location of is a Virtual cache...have to email a pic or answer a ?...dd keeps asking 'when are we gonna go hunting treasure?'

I would recommend a traditional cache for your first cache while trying to get used to the technology. Choose one that the cache listing rates a 1/1 which means it is the easiest to get to and find.

[Liber-T]

Tyger....I am emailing step by step instructions for entering waypoints. Stand by...my "a" key sticks and it slows me down LOL

[Liber-T]

I just started too and also have the Garmin etrex.  It's all I have, actually.  Maybe forget the other stuff for now and just figure out how to enter the coordinates in your GPS?  The instruction book leads you through entering waypoints then finding your way back to them.  Enter the coordinates for a cache near you and just use that for now.  Read all the logs and the hints associated with the cache you're looking for....they will help you until you get a better idea of how the GPS operates as far as accuracy and you see what it is you're really looking for. 

 

Don't stress yourself out with technology you don't need until you're more comfortable.

 

It's really fun...relax, enter a waypoint and GO

 

BTW, I didn't find my first cache and only cried a little.  Found my next two and already found a travel bug.  It's great!

I feel like a proud papa!!

 

Way to go on that second cache, and a travel bug to boot. And your already giving great advice to newbies. I could just burst.

LOL You are a good and patient teacher. An encouraging word goes a long ways!

[+Tyger4]

Thanks to LiberT, I have several cache in my gps....now to go a hunting. I know exactly where the virtual cache is that I spoke of. The cache description was enough that my dd (age 9) even figured it out. I have to email a pic or answer to questions in order to call that one mine....just wanted to use it to work with my gps. I thought since I know that one, I cant mess up. You know, a great way to try out my gps.

 

Thanks for the help. I will take any help, advice, suggestions I can get. I already have gear: gps, survival kit (has compass, light, mirror, whistle, swiss army knife, lighter, etc), 1st aid kit, baggies, pda (for future use), water bottles with carrier, bug spray, stick (although I will be looking at getting a BIG one), work gloves. All of this is stuff I already had. Lol...I am a scrapbooker, teacher, and soccer mom.

 

Hopefully I will be posting about my finds soon. I just wanted to start small, simple (if there is such a thing), and close to home. A small success is better than a big failure. I figure that I will get better as I go...maybe not smarter but I will learn. Ok, I will become a good student before I am done...lol. TIA.

 

ttfn

[+hidnseek]

Another mom! I have two children 3 and 1 that I take caching. On the weekends it may just be the 3yr old and me. It gets easier to figure out. iI am still a newbie too but after finding the first cache you get a feel and it gets eaislier. stick with tradtional 1st they are a little easier to get an idea of the whole thing. I am a stay at home mom but use to work in daycare so crayons and glue are more my speed too. After 2 months of this I am up to 40 finds and have figured out the PDA thing. (worth it). I have a sportrak so can not help you with the legend. Good luck

[+luvhockey]

Hello, Tyger. You'll be an old pro before I get my gps. Giving to husband for his birthday. That's a good one huh, get him something I want. That's what he gets for giving me the electric skillet for my birthday. At least he can go out and have fun with his present (if he can pry it out of my hands)

 

Just posted on the other addictive hobby mb. Make sure you take pictures so you can scrapbook these

 

Have fun, hope you make it out of the driveway.

Luvhockey

[+Christineincali]

Hi there, another newbie cacher here!

 

I'm more of a "fly by the seat of my pants" sort. I had my first find within an hour of getting my secondhand gps. (adopted the gps from my ex-husband when he told me it had been sitting at his house for a year unused!)

 

I think that learning by doing is much more my style. I agree with the poster above who said just enter a waypoint and go. It's also nice to mark your car as a waypoint when you get there if you don't know how to use the trackback feature on your garmin.

 

For me, part of the "adventure" is just loading the kids in the car and heading out. We take minimal equipment, but so far all of our caches found have been within a mile of our car so we're not up to big distance hikes yet.

 

And yep, I'm another mom caching with kids. my 10 and 7 year olds have been my companions so far, and my 16 year old stepson who doesn't seem to show interest in ANYTHING has asked to go on hunts with us, yippee!

 

I also had a Handspring Visor sitting around not getting much use and I downloaded Cachemate for it at the suggestion of many on this board. So far it's been a pretty intuitive program.

 

Good luck!

-Christine

[+Tyger4]

I have no clue how to use Easy GPS (but waing on data cable for gps), GASK, or cachemate. I have them on my puter. I opened and tried to just learn my way around. I still have NO clue what I am doing.

 

ttfn

[+Faith the Aquariaqueen]

A mom here as well, and a scrapbooker.....Just a great group of people here!!

Used to be a soccer mom. I am also a Webelo Scout leader.

 

I really need to figure out how to make all this tax-deductible.

[kamer cachers]

Tyger - we're a whole family of cachers me (dad), mom, and 3 kids age 11, 7, 3. We never went the high tech route. Probably because we were too excited to get our first find. We didn't even know you could enter coordinates into the GPS! We just printed the cache page and headed out with the GPS and matched up the coordinates. Found some great hiking and landed every find we went after. Just head out and wing it we say!

 

Of course now that I've found this forum, we're learning to enter waypoints and that PDA thing . . . hmmm. . . maybe next.

 

Going from Kentucky to Outer Banks, NC, for vacation next week. Already found several caches on the islands!

[+Sputnik 57]

You'll get lots of good advice from friendly people around here. Some cachers have gone to the trouble of making websites specifically to help noobies get started.

 

My favorites are:

Thot's Beginner's Guide

Markwell's Update to the FAQ and

CyBret's Geocacher University.

 

Lot's of great advice there for beginners.

 

Welcome to the recreational activity/sport/hobby!

 

Edit: HAVE to learn to take off my mittens before I start typing.

Edited July 8, 2005 by Sputnik 57

[+Tyger4]

Well...I already had gps (still in package and new), pda (been using that a while now). I just figured that since I already have the gadgets that I might as well use them.

 

Thanks for the welcome. Wow...so many scrapbookers that are also geocachers. That is just too much fun! I do plan to scrapbook each and every adventure. I also plan to take pics and log it all. I just havent figured out exactly how I want to log it all (other than online logs).

 

ttfn

[+Sputnik 57]

By the way, I strongly encourage new cachers, especially those with young children, to take a look at the Geocacher's Creed, a voluntary set of guidelines designed to help orient new players to the ethos of the geocaching community and to guide experienced players in questionable situations, so that everyone can enjoy geocaching!

Edited July 8, 2005 by Sputnik 57

[+the hermit crabs]

I wonder whatever became of the "Adopt a Newbie" local mentoring idea?

[+Night Stalker]

Easy GPS, is just that it is the easiest program to trasnfer files from your computer to your GPS. If you become a premium member you can load a file containing as many as 500 caches into your GPS at one time. When you get the software loaded the only thing you need to do to get the program ready is to make sure you select your GPS model. If you are not a premium member you can go to the hide and seek page, put in your zip code or coordinates of your home to get the caches closest to your home. Select the caches you want to download by putting checkmark next to them. Then click on download paypoints. On my computer when I do this it will automatically open Easy GPS and put the files in there ready to upload to your GPS. If you already have your GPS connected all you have to do is click on the icon for uploading to the gps. It should show your gps model in the window so all you have to do is click send(I think since I am not at my personal computer). It will immediately load those caches to your gps.

 

GSAK will do a lot more depending on your knowledge and the GPS you are using.

 

I also suggest that you find someone locally to go caching with you a few times. That person will be able to give you a lot of helpful hints on hunting caches. You will find that there are many great people involved in this hobby.

 

[Jihadacadien]

And don't forget to bring water bottle.

I heard that you can be after a cache for a while...

And walking with kids you need water( or walking by urself for that matter)

and have fun!!

[+pscreem]

wow that sounds like my future LOL

I have been out twice with out my gps (still hasnt come in the mail :-( )

but I did find a micro cache and I also found a letterbox

so not to bad for just winging it

so I'm thinking when the thing does show up I will use the cords of a bench mark right around the corner from my house to practice putting cords in the gps and going and finding it LOL sounds silly but if it works !

 

 

on another note I to am a scrapbooker I have taken some great photos the 2 times we have been out the notes in my scrapbook will be great finding the letterbox we were being eating alive by mosquitoes LOL

so we skipped finding the cache for another time

learned first lesson bring off

 

second time out had daughter stand in a lot had her hand pointing the air

with benchmark right a her fingertip in the background

(wethervane atop our cityhall) she has nicely told

"oh no you are not posting that online"

LOL cant wait till next time out !

 

jen