Getting Co-ordinates For Your Cache?

[+TheCarterFamily]

I've somewhat worked out a procedure for taking my co-ordinates.

 

1. I put my GPS over the area of the cache. I have an average feature on my GPS. I take ~110 points average.

2. Then I walk away and come back. Take another ~110 points of moving the GPS in a tight circle around the area of the cache. (This way I get readings from different angles over the point)

3. Repeat the steps above till I can get it down to at least 3 metre estimated accuracy.

4. Then hand the GPS to my wife and say "here go find it"

 

I found out, if you take the Garmin GPSMap 60cx's power saver mode off the accuracy jumps from 20 metre - 3 metre.

I usually read 3-6 metre Accuracy (about 10-20 feet) while I'm taking the readings.

 

The people who say the GPS when crazy I ignore. But I still get people reporting my co-ordinates are a "bit off".

 

How does everyone else do it? Anyone got any tips or tricks to share?

[+VegasCacheHounds]

I just take one reading as I throw the film can out the car window.

[+briansnat]

For my first few hides I would mark the cache, walk away, return and mark it again, repeating this about 15-20 times. Then I'd throw away any outliers and average the rest.

 

I soon learned that this was a complete waste of time, so for most of my geocaching life I made sure I had a good sat lock, let the GPS settle at the cache site for about a minute then marked it and that's it. My coords were no better or worse than when I spent over a half hour at the site taking multiple readings.

 

Since I bought my 60CS I figure I may as well use its auto averaging feature so I'll let it average for about 2 minutes, mark it and I'm done. I see even less need for multiple readings with the auto averaging feature in the 60CS.

 

With over 150 hides I've rarely received complaints about my coords and I receive frequent compliments, so I guess I'm doing something right.

[+AtoZ]

I just average 30, a stastically signifinate number, pts using my GPSr and call it good. It really doesn't as the satellite constilation is constantly changing and your always have a differant value on differant days. Remember your GPSr is really only good to about 10m, I know all the WAAS and that may drop it to 3m but blaw. So there isn't much signifinace in doing more then intinal readings. Maybe tweek them at a later day if you feel bad but then again.....

cheers

[+Prime Suspect]

Brian's on the beam. Unless you want to camp out over night, and take readings every few minutes over a 48 hour period, you're not going to have a set of data that's going to be improved much by averaging.

 

Turn off power-save mode (if it's on), set the GPS down and leave it for a few minutes. Take a reading. Go home.

 

The only time I didn't do the above is the only time I've every gotten complaints.

[+Criminal]

I hold the GPSr in the air, average for a minute or two, and go with what I get. I've never had questionable coordinates.

[+Wild Thing 73]

I've somewhat worked out a procedure for taking my co-ordinates.

 

1. I put my GPS over the area of the cache. I have an average feature on my GPS. I take ~110 points average.

2. Then I walk away and come back. Take another ~110 points of moving the GPS in a tight circle around the area of the cache. (This way I get readings from different angles over the point)

3. Repeat the steps above till I can get it down to at least 3 metre estimated accuracy.

4. Then hand the GPS to my wife and say "here go find it"

 

I found out, if you take the Garmin GPSMap 60cx's power saver mode off the accuracy jumps from 20 metre - 3 metre.

I usually read 3-6 metre Accuracy (about 10-20 feet) while I'm taking the readings.

 

The people who say the GPS when crazy I ignore. But I still get people reporting my co-ordinates are a "bit off".

 

How does everyone else do it? Anyone got any tips or tricks to share?

I notice that the only complaints about my coordinates are from DNFs and one cacher that said that he was 10' feet from the cache with my coords I think 10' is outstanding

[+Night Stalker]

I normally put my 60CS down and let it start averaging while I work at hiding the cache and making whatever notes that I want about the cache. This gives it plenty of time to settle down and get good coordinates. I will also use those coordinates to return to the cache on another day to see if there is a problem. A few times i have had to adjust the coordinates, but not very often.

[+TEAM 360]

I am placing my next cache with my old-school Magellan NAV1000:

 

 

No third digit on the coords. I don't wanna hear a bunch of whining that the coords are off.

Any online entry with coords will be deleted.

[+TheCarterFamily]

I just take one reading as I throw the film can out the car window.

 

I love this one. I'll have to try it!!

[+Airmapper]

I have a Lowrance.....need I say more?

 

Seriously, I average about 120 points on the unit with the amplifier antenna on, then walk away and come back. If it reads under 10 feet I leave it.

 

Sometimes I use my Garmin to place the cache, and it works good as well, I use the same procedure with it.

 

I've gotten multiple comments on coords, none bad so far.