New To Geocaching

[nat@ally]

My family and I are new to Geocaching. We live in an area where there aren't a lot of Caches around, however there are a few. We've gone out a couple of times looking only to come back disappointed. Every time we are out my GPS says we're there, but can't find them and according to the website they were easy ones to find.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on what we could do?

[Sliver & Lucy]

Look in every little nook and cranny that looks like a spot where the container could be hidden.. In stumps, under logs, holes in the trees , hanging in the trees, Between rocks, etc etc etc..

 

Good Luck with your searching... Don't give up

Edited February 20, 2006 by Sliver & Lucy

[+The Blue Quasar]

Well, you could try contacting the owner of one and asking them to join you for the search. Or maybe a recent finder by their profile page.

 

I would recommend avoiding a micro till you get comfortable with caching.

 

See if there are pictures in the finder logs... they may help.

 

Can you put up the GC number of the caches you are having trouble with?

 

Unlikely as this option might be, maybe you need to change the settings of your GPS back to default... I've never experienced this as a problem, but it might be.

 

Keep us posted...

 

The Blue Quasar

[+dogbreathcanada]

Make sure your GPSr is set to WGS84 reference system. Some of the GPSr units default to NAD83, which will generally put you 50 - 100 metres off from WGS84 (which is what geocaching.com uses).

[+ibycus]

Just to echo what everyone else is saying...

 

1. Avoid micros for now. Micro Caches are very small (normally ~ film canister size) and until you're used to it, there are hundreds of places they can hide.

2. Make sure all your settings on your GPS are at their default settings (there should be a way to reset the GPS to defaults, if you list your make/model of GPS here I'm sure someone can dig up the process for you)

 

Good Luck!

[+TeddyR]

One thing I do is I get a bearing on the area from 70-100 yards away. Once in close the needle gets rather jumpy. I keep an eye on the accuracy, then when in the neighborhood of the cache I just start looking where I first had a bearing from 70-100 yards away. Think as to where you might hide the cache. Also look for signs from other cachers, tracks, broken branches etc. Read the logs carefully, as there are some very clever clues written in some of them.

[+JDandDD]

Don't expect your GPSr to take you right to the spot. Even when it is saying you are right on top of it with normal error in the GPS system 5 to 10m off is normal.

 

It gets worse, when the cacher place the cache they also have error on their GPSr and its likely different than what you experiencing because you probably have a different satellite mix than they did. Bottom line, there's lots of error in the GPS system and sometimes you'll walk right up but more often than not you'll be off at least a little bit.

 

I agree with Sliver & Lucy look at everything and then ask yourself, if I was hiding something here where would I put it. That's usually where it is.

 

JDandDD

[+hidnseek]

When I started I found I had to go back 2-3 times, coming home reading former post for hints and looking at photos. Once you find a few it becomes easier. You may want to contact a cacher in your area and set up a day to cache together. I have met other cachers and they are very helpful and ful of hints and lessons for newbies, without giving it all away.

[+Amazon Annie]

I agree - find a local that is willing to show you the ropes. That's how I started - I saw a local event and wandered in with GPS in hand and started asking questions. I found out that I was using the wrong screen on my GPS to do the searching (it was a wonder that I had found one!). Comparing GPS coords with another GPS might highlight any problems (try to compare a Magellan with a Magellan and Garmin/Garmin.)

 

I would suggest you turn on your GPS while standing still out in the open- and let it settle for a good while and get a good satellite lock before you venture out. There are resets that can be done if the GPS is way out of wack compared to another one but I don't think that's necessary.

 

The other thing that needs 'training' was my way of searching. I now go out and say "If I were to hide a cache, where would I put it?" Look for "1" difficulty caches rather than anything in the other end of the spectrum. Hopefully the cache hiders have rated their caches properly. If you see "great hide" in the logs then maybe find another. (Of course I've had troubles with "quick easy finds" but we won't talk about those. )

 

Good luck on your hunt!

[+Linsco]

My family and I are new to Geocaching. We live in an area where there aren't a lot of Caches around, however there are a few. We've gone out a couple of times looking only to come back disappointed. Every time we are out my GPS says we're there, but can't find them and according to the website they were easy ones to find.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on what we could do?

 

I am relatively new to this also, I had borrowed an older GPS from a friend which didn't have an eletronic compass. I could not find a thing with it. Went out and got a GPS with an eletronic compass and it works so much better/easier.

[+northernpenguin]

I am relatively new to this also, I had borrowed an older GPS from a friend which didn't have an eletronic compass. I could not find a thing with it. Went out and got a GPS with an eletronic compass and it works so much better/easier.

Ah yes, the good old inertial compass. Those models require that you walk a distance (typically 10 feet) before they know what direction you are facing/walking. I noticed a similar increase in 'pointer accuracy' when I got my GPS with the electronic compass but there is a caveat: you will want to turn that feature off from time to time.

 

For example, magnetic (/electronic) compasses will give erroneous readings when you are caching near high voltage transmission lines.

 

- northernpenguin

[+Algonquin Bound]

If you are in Camrose Alberta, this search should help you. You can also look at some of the people who have hidden or found the nearest caches and e-mail them for some direct help, or to go for an outing with them.

[+jaktar]

Check this podcast link to podcacher.com on finding a cache.

 

http://archive2.libsyn.com/podcasts/podcac...acher050908.mp3

 

faire winds

jaktar

[+Stonebreaker73]

What kind of GPS do you have? My old 315 is not good for finding caches. It would get you out of the woods, but for caches it just didn't cut it. It was always about .050 to.10 degrees off on the longitude. Inputing corrections and all the other tricks did not work. Hold it side by side with other GPSr's and you see the difference. I am not saying that is your problem but sometimes it is the unit and not you.

[+Belfrypotters]

I have to echo Dogbreathcanada's suggestion, since that was what happened to us. Check under "preferences" (I think) to see if your GPSr map datum is set for WGS84. We found our first four caches only by using the hints, because our GPSr was putting us consistently about 30 meters west of where the hide was. That's a long way in the geocaching world! Then we hid our first cache, which miraculously someone actually managed to find, and politely corrected our coordinates. He was the one who suggested we check our map datum setting, and he was right.