Best Way To Report A Cache

[Peanut Butters]

I'll be posting my first cache this afternoon, and I'm wondering what's the best way to do this. Here is what I've done/am doing.

 

1) Scout Area to confirm it's good a place and get approx location.

2) Make cache (container + stuff)

3) Submit cache with review UNchecked. Get Waypoint (GCXXXX) to write on cache/log.

4) Hide cache getting exact location and details

5) Fill in details and submit cache for review.

 

I think this is the best way so you can get the waypoint and put it on/in the cache.

[+The Leprechauns]

That is a GREAT way to do it. People who scout their locations in advance usually hide better caches than "impulse hiders," IMHO.

 

And thank you for having the good sense to NOT submit your cache for review until it is hidden. That is what the checkbox is for. The FTF hunters will like you a lot better if the cache is actually there when they arrive for the hunt.

[+JohnnyVegas]

First read the Guidlines for placing a cache.

Download all the caches in the area you want to place a cache, into your GPS

Scout the area making sure you are not with .10 miles of another cache

Place the cache-before you submitt it

Submitt the cache hide for review.

IF you have followed the guidlines there should be no problem and you will not have to remove the cache.

First Read the guidlines for placing a cache

Make sure your GPS is locked on and getting a 3D lock at least 20 minutes before taking a reading. Do not bother with trying to average the coordinates, your GPS will do a better job of this as long as it is lock on to a 3D fix for 20 minutes. Leave WAAS turned on when taking your reading.

Edited May 25, 2006 by JohnnyVegas

[+briansnat]

I'll be posting my first cache this afternoon, and I'm wondering what's the best way to do this. Here is what I've done/am doing.

 

1) Scout Area to confirm it's good a place and get approx location.

2) Make cache (container + stuff)

3) Submit cache with review UNchecked. Get Waypoint (GCXXXX) to write on cache/log.

4) Hide cache getting exact location and details

5) Fill in details and submit cache for review.

 

I think this is the best way so you can get the waypoint and put it on/in the cache.

 

Its pretty much the way I do it. A very good method. Sometimes I forget to do #3 though.

[Peanut Butters]

I've read the guidelines, and I'm assuming that the cache follows all of those guidelines. I'm just interested in the process.

 

The unclear part for me was do I hide the cache, then submit it or should it be done like above where you submit, hide, then submit for review.

 

It seems this is the right way, but the flow of this could be designed better for first timers to follow this method. Possibly removing the checkbox, then forcing you to submit it, tell you to hide it, then giving you the option to submit it for review confirming that it's actually hidden and ready.

 

I guess this is more of a suggestion from someone that is doing the process for the first time.

[+BellsRUs]

I have a question along the same lines. When you report a cache, do the maps automatically get included on your cache page, or does the person submitting the report need to somehow include the maps in html code?

 

Also, once your cache is reported and you have a cache page, how easy is it to make changes to the way the page looks? Would I have direct access to change the page, or do I need to ask the reviewer to make the changes?

 

Thanks!

Patti

[+briansnat]

I have a question along the same lines. When you report a cache, do the maps automatically get included on your cache page, or does the person submitting the report need to somehow include the maps in html code?

 

Also, once your cache is reported and you have a cache page, how easy is it to make changes to the way the page looks? Would I have direct access to change the page, or do I need to ask the reviewer to make the changes?

 

Thanks!

Patti

 

The maps are automatically added. Sometimes instantly, sometimes an hour or a day later

 

You can change anything on the page outside the cache type and coordinates. Well you can change the coordinates a short distance, but anything over 500 feet or so requires help from a reviewer.

[Peanut Butters]

You can change anything on the page outside the cache type and coordinates. Well you can change the coordinates a short distance, but anything over 500 feet or so requires help from a reviewer.

 

Is this true even if you haven't submitted the site for review yet?

[+briansnat]

You can change anything on the page outside the cache type and coordinates. Well you can change the coordinates a short distance, but anything over 500 feet or so requires help from a reviewer.

 

Is this true even if you haven't submitted the site for review yet?

 

Before its been published you can change anything you want.

[bogleman]

I'll be posting my first cache this afternoon, and I'm wondering what's the best way to do this. Here is what I've done/am doing.

 

1) Scout Area to confirm it's good a place and get approx location.

2) Make cache (container + stuff)

3) Submit cache with review UNchecked. Get Waypoint (GCXXXX) to write on cache/log.

4) Hide cache getting exact location and details

5) Fill in details and submit cache for review.

 

I think this is the best way so you can get the waypoint and put it on/in the cache.

 

Sounds like you have a good handle on cache placement. I tend to spend more time on #1. I try to find other ways to approach the location and see if there are easier/harder ways in or other issues. My most recent hide took me 4 visits before I was happy with the way things were laid out - 2-3 miles each visit, down the hill, through the stream, up the hill - repeat; THEN pack a 40 pound cache through the woods for others to enjoy.

[+The Leprechauns]

Bear in mind that if your cache is in the review queue, it may get listed by the reviewer at ANY time. Let's say your first three cache hides took 3 days, 2 days and 2.5 days to get published. So, you set up your fourth cache page and figure you've got a day or two to get it looking "just right." You're then surprised by a quick publication, because your reviewer just happens to be working on their review queue at just that time.

 

If the *substance* of your cache is fine when you submit the page for review, there should be no problem. You can go back later after publication, and add parking coordinates, attributes, a background image, a photo of the view from the cache, and other fluffy extra stuff.

 

But if you edit your simple cache page for the micro in the parking lot after it is published, and turn it into a four-paragraph essay on the plight of [insert your favorite social/political cause here], your reviewer will NOT be amused when someone brings it to their attention. Reviewers do not like receiving "how did THIS get published?" messages. They like the cache that is published to be pretty much what they reviewed.

Edited May 25, 2006 by The Leprechauns

[Peanut Butters]

Understandable. I was more concerned that I got an approximate location, but after looking at a map, I wanted to move it and I wasn't sure how far away it was going to be.

 

So, I placed the cache and now I just came back and updated the coordinates and added everything I wanted to the description, THEN I submitted it for review.

 

Hopefully it gets approved and someone fines it this holiday weekend.

[+PastorDIC]

I'll be posting my first cache this afternoon, and I'm wondering what's the best way to do this. Here is what I've done/am doing.

 

1) Scout Area to confirm it's good a place and get approx location.

2) Make cache (container + stuff)

3) Submit cache with review UNchecked. Get Waypoint (GCXXXX) to write on cache/log.

4) Hide cache getting exact location and details

5) Fill in details and submit cache for review.

 

I think this is the best way so you can get the waypoint and put it on/in the cache.

 

If you use your method, you may run into a major problem, and end up taking 3 trips to the cache location.

 

If you know the general area you are going to be scouting for a cache location ahead of time you should look at the geocaching map of the area to make sure there is no other cache within 0.1 mile of the area you are thinking of. Otherwise you may have entered a cache in vain on Geocaching.com. I failed to look at the map once, and found another cache while trying to place mine. I mentioned my error in the cache log of the cache I found. (quoted below).

 

The Owl Call GCN9KF

I have found this cache before on Mar 31 05, so I am writing this note. I don't believe this is the same park! It looks so different than over a year ago.

I came today to place a cache that I had been procrastinating on for a few months. As I got close to the park I noticed For Leroy cache was here. "Oh, no", I thought. Bead Happy and I did that cache, then I noticed the park was much bigger than it looked. Good, I could place the cache somewhere else in the park. I went to place my cache with my GPS, but left the cache container at the car! I got the cache container and went to the location a different way. Oh, No. Eighteen feet from where I was going to place my cache it looked like a cache hide. It *was* a cache hide. What? The cache container looked familiar. Last time I came in from the west instead of the east, and the plants looked very small. Coming a year later and from the east this park does not even look anything like it did before. I can't believe it. I guess I will have to check found caches too the next time I want to place a cache.

 

Since the park was so different - it looks like the cache was moved to an entirely different park now - I just made a note at the cache that I think I had found this cache before, and took the Shnufflopotamus TB (small silver armadillo) in case I hadn't found the cache before. I went to the cache page via the TB page and discovered I HAD found the cache before.

 

Russ (PastorDIC)

[+JohnnyVegas]

I've read the guidelines, and I'm assuming that the cache follows all of those guidelines. I'm just interested in the process.

 

The unclear part for me was do I hide the cache, then submit it or should it be done like above where you submit, hide, then submit for review.

 

It seems this is the right way, but the flow of this could be designed better for first timers to follow this method. Possibly removing the checkbox, then forcing you to submit it, tell you to hide it, then giving you the option to submit it for review confirming that it's actually hidden and ready.

 

I guess this is more of a suggestion from someone that is doing the process for the first time.

You said you read the guidlines, I guess you missed this part

Your cache should be in place and ready to hunt at the time your cache page is submitted for review.