How Accurate Do You Want Your Gps To Be?

[+HummerH1]

With all the excitement about the newest GPS getting down to a accuracy of less than 10ft it makes me wonder if this is not taking all the fun out of it. Why not just give the excate location in the description. I suppose if your goal is to log as many finds as possible this is a good thing, but boy do the kids like the final search, I do as well for that matter.

 

I suggest that maybe the last decimal point is left off the waypoint to make it more of a challange, it might also stop everyone buying the latest, more accurate GPS as soon as it's announced.

 

Just my 2cent's worth.

 

Bazzer

[+EraSeek]

Why not just give the excate location in the description.

 

The increase in technology is part of the thrill. I suggest with increased accuacy what is needed to make it fun is less discription of the location.

[+Renegade Knight]

I want my GPS to be Gnatts a** accurate. I can always step back 10' when taking a coordinate.

[+budd-rdc]

There are cachers in my area who hunt caches with coordinates only, or try to find caches by "brute-force" which means figuring out where they are without GPSr (mainly for difficult puzzle caches).

 

Why blame technology if people don't want to exercise self-discipline to create their own challenges?

[+LiveStrong]

If you like the person 5-10 feet, if you dont like them 10-15

[+two left feet]

One of my friends is an engineer at FAA working on the equipment in the aircraft that certify approach systems and GPS approaches. His aircraft have a differential system to augment their GPS signal that gives them 4 centimeter accuracy!!! I want one of those! Of course that would make Geocaching a VERY expensive hobby.

[+Pablo Mac]

The sub-centimeter accuracy of the Trimble Land Surveying GPS system I used on my previous job was great, and someday I believe handhelds will be there. I don't think it will take any fun away from our (will somebody please decide if this is a sport/hobby/activity!?) obsession, because there will always be a number of cache hiders who can't or don't do what it takes to place accurate waypoints.

[+stormcloud]

I had an old megellan that only had two decimal accuracy. I almost gave up geocaching after only finding 5 or 6 caches. With my new megellan (explorist 100) i have found that i am any where from 3 to 10 Metres (yards) from any cache i find. Most days up in my area if i get an accuracy of under 10 metres i am pleased. That being said my megellan will not give the exact same coodinates as my friends garmin even when coodinates are taken at the same place at the same time.

 

Since getting the explorist i have become a little bit of an addict. Its taken some of the frustration out of the hunt for me. Now most times i only have to search 40 or 50 possible hiding spots instead of potentially 100s.

 

My last 20 caches have been found in the snow so if i could have a true 3 metre accuracy i would settle for that. Snow adds at least a one or two to the difficulty rating of any cache.

Edited February 24, 2006 by stormcloud

[+Snoogans]

I wish my Megellan Color would give me the correct lottery numbers whenever I decide to play. Is that too much to ask?

[+edscott]

It should make for what I consider better caches... Those that test your route finding skill rather than your searching persistance.

[+Cow Spots]

There's always this cache.

 

How Accurate is YOUR GPS?

[+sept1c_tank]

I want my GPS to be Gnatts a** accurate. I can always step back 10' when taking a coordinate.

Agreed, but you can't always get what you want. And we have to remember that no matter how accurate the technology becomes, the user's expertise must be factored in (on two levels; the hider and the seeker). In RK's case, the user's deviant attitude must also be considered.

[+culp686]

i just did a cache the other night with my 2 year old merrigold. it put me within 1 foot of the cache. this has happened quite a few times with us.

[+Mastifflover]

As accurate as possible. Lately I've needed all the help I can get.