Good Co-ords From Bad?

[+NotThePainter]

I placed a cache about 2 weeks ago. I had awful EPE 30 to 80 feet (thought it was almost always closer to 40) because of tree cover and heavy cloud cover.

 

I took 5 separate 2 minute WAAS readings (but aren't the WAAS sats down in New England now????) and then I took another 3 minute reading about 2 hours later right before the hail hit. (Yes, hail!)

 

I really would like to open up this cache. I have a CITO event in the forest this weekend and I only have 1 support cache in place. I'll likely have another cache in place by then but it is a puzzle and not everyone likes puzzles.

 

And just to make it even more important, yes, it is a micro in the woods so I do think accurate numbers are important, even for this one, which can be seen. You don't have to feel for it.

 

(And to those who cry "why?" well, why not? I'll putting putting about half a dozen lock and locks in these woods, some are fairly big. Why not have some variety?)

 

The forecast is for rain/clouds much of the week here so I'm running out of options also. And yes, I hope to get some more lock and locks placed before Saturday but I'm not sure I can, lots of work pressure this week...

 

So, can I get decent coordinates by averaging my 6 sets of numbers?

 

Paul

[+budd-rdc]

How about sharing the decimal part of your 6 samples (N -- --.XXX, W --- --.YYY) here?

 

If they were within +/- 0.003 then your readings were pretty good.

 

Are there any clearings within visual distance from the hide location?

[+The Leprechauns]

I'd definitely want to see your cache published so it can be enjoyed by the CITO Event attendees. If you're nervous, consider including a series of progressively better hints:

 

[Hint 1 - general area:] West of the bridge.

[Hint 2 - nudge:] At eye level.

[Hint 3 - giveaway] In the oak tree crotch formed by three trunks joining together.

[+wiseye]

If you or a buddy can, use your coords to see how close they get you. Then take a new set. Let them avg. for 10 min. If any of your 6 sets are way out, discard them and avg. the rest. Also good idea to use the hints. Good Luck! Get that bad boy out there!

[+NotThePainter]

Of course I can post the coords!

 

0.292 0.570

0.287 0.569

0.293 0.568

0.295 0.569

0.295 0.567

0.293 0.569

 

which gives me an average of:

 

0.2925 0.5687

 

I guess that isn't too bad, could be better, could be worse!

 

Paul

[+NotThePainter]

Are there any clearings within visual distance from the hide location?

I am 400 feet away from a 3 rod road with forest all around, so basically, no, no clearings.

 

What would you do? Take readings there, then give a bearing with a distance measured with string or paces?

 

Paul

[+Adrenalynn]

If google earth has good coverage in your area, so where your average drops you in relation to the cache. Also, as suggested, get someone to beta-test your coords. That's got to be the best indicator!

[+budd-rdc]

Are there any clearings within visual distance from the hide location?

I am 400 feet away from a 3 rod road with forest all around, so basically, no, no clearings.

 

What would you do? Take readings there, then give a bearing with a distance measured with string or paces?

 

Paul

 

Your 6 samples look really good. I'd throw away the 0.287, and average the other 5, if you can't get better readings than those.

 

If the clearing is within visual distance (typically less than 100' away), I try my luck to see if any of them are directly north/south or east/west from the hide - this is where a compass (electronic or regular) comes in handy. I go to those locations and check to see if lat/lon is close enough to the readings. If the clearing is closer, I let my GPSr acquire lock there, and walk toward the hide to see if the coordinates change with my movement, or stop when I stop at the cache, then check the readings.

[+NotThePainter]

Thanks for your help everybody. I averaged and published, it just went live.

 

Excelsior - Solitaire

 

Paul

[+Prime Suspect]

Thanks for your help everybody. I averaged and published, it just went live.

 

Excelsior - Solitaire

 

Paul

Averaging bad data doesn't make it better. Unless you're going to do it many, many times over an extended period (24 to 48 hours), don't bother. Set the GPS down and leave it for at least 5 minutes, take a reading, and go with it.

[+NotThePainter]

Unless you're going to do it many, many times over an extended period (24 to 48 hours), don't bother. Set the GPS down and leave it for at least 5 minutes, take a reading, and go with it.

I had a total of 13 minutes of data collection time, but I still didn't like the 6 data points I got out of that, but only because of a high EPE.

 

I'll be out a the site later this week once the rains clear and I'll get better numbers. But the good news is that the FTFP cacher thoguht my coords were great. He found it in the dark with light rain.

 

Paul

[+budd-rdc]

Unless you're going to do it many, many times over an extended period (24 to 48 hours), don't bother. Set the GPS down and leave it for at least 5 minutes, take a reading, and go with it.

I had a total of 13 minutes of data collection time, but I still didn't like the 6 data points I got out of that, but only because of a high EPE.

 

I'll be out a the site later this week once the rains clear and I'll get better numbers. But the good news is that the FTFP cacher thoguht my coords were great. He found it in the dark with light rain.

 

Paul

 

I read the FTF log and the coordinates didn't seem to be an issue.

 

I don't know which make and model GPSr you have, but holding it still for more than 5 minutes with "averaging function" turned on (automatic for most Magellans) yields very good results - usually, the EPE goes down during that time.

[+Night Stalker]

Use your coordinates to return to the cache. If you get within a reasonable distance of the cache you know that you don't have a problem.

 

Edited May 3, 2006 by Night Stalker