First to Find

[+lolynn]

I have recently set a couple of caches. (I am new to caching - since Dec 06) and noticed that the cache finder took the co-ords, found the cache and made a log, which was a day after I set the cache. (Pretty good going I thought), I was quite pleased as I was not expecting anyone to visit my cache so quickly.

 

Is there a way to find new caches using the search facility or is it just a case of having a look for new caches in the area were you are planning to go to?

 

Would be grateul for any advice.

 

Thanks

[+The Bongtwashes]

 

Is there a way to find new caches using the search facility or is it just a case of having a look for new caches in the area were you are planning to go to?

 

Thanks

If you go to your "Account Details" page, On the right hand side, under "Search Options" click on "List Newest in United kingdom", then check through the new caches (and hope you find one close to your home).

Alternatively, if you become a Premium Member, you can set up Instant Notifications of any new caches within a radius (specified by you) of a point chosen by you (eg. your home coordinates). Apparently a lot of people use this method for getting informed of new caches, though I can't see the attraction of getting a FTF myself.

[+Just Roger]

When you do a search on Geocaching.com caches placed within the last 7 days have a "NWE" flag on them. The preferred method, for which you need to be a premium member, is to set up a notification for new caches within X miles of your home coords. This means that you are notified of all new caches by e-mail.

 

My Last cache was first found 20 minutes after being published. In this area that is the sort of speed you need if you want to get FTF's

[+John Stead]

If you subscribe and become a Premium Member of GC.com (well worth it for the PQs and the notifications mentioned already) you can also use a little free program oddly enough called FirsttoFind - http://factsfacts.com/geocachingsoft/FirstToFind.htm - though I often find the email from Groundspeak comes through as quickly.

[+douglasf]

When you do a search on Geocaching.com caches placed within the last 7 days have a "NWE" flag on them.

 

Does this assume that all new caches are North-West by East of the user coords. This is why nobody finds mine I think...

[+lolynn]

Many thanks to you all for your help and answers

[+Sensei TSKC]

When you do a search on Geocaching.com caches placed within the last 7 days have a "NWE" flag on them.

 

Does this assume that all new caches are North-West by East of the user coords. This is why nobody finds mine I think...

No, it just means that it doesn't list those caches in the SOUTH!

 

[Deceangi]

It seems that No one has told you about the special craziness needed for FTF's

 

You have to be prepared to drop whatever your doing, whatever the weather, to rush out as soon as the Notification arrives, or if your a Non premium member, continually scanning the newest listed caches in the UK for any near you. This means being prepared to go without sleep, just in case one of the Reviewers publishes a cache close by at 3am [and if you think Reviewers sleep think again. caches have been known to be published at 4:30am]

 

And if you live in a high FTF Ho area, you'll need fast transport as well

[Edgemaster]

It seems that No one has told you about the special craziness needed for FTF's

This means being prepared to go without sleep, just in case one of the Reviewers publishes a cache close by at 3am [and if you think Reviewers sleep think again. caches have been known to be published at 4:30am]

 

Yes, some people around here have gone for FTFs at 3am before They must be crazy.

[Deceangi]

It seems that No one has told you about the special craziness needed for FTF's

This means being prepared to go without sleep, just in case one of the Reviewers publishes a cache close by at 3am [and if you think Reviewers sleep think again. caches have been known to be published at 4:30am]

 

Yes, some people around here have gone for FTFs at 3am before They must be crazy.

 

I'll have to remember that comment the next time you submit a cache , considering pre-reviewer days I was known to drag my teenage daughter out of the house at all hours of the morning, after a FTF

 

 

[it's alright I'll only delay publishing for all of ...................................................................1 second ]

[+rutson]

...considering pre-reviewer days I was known to drag my teenage daughter out of the house at all hours of the morning, after a FTF

 

Why didn't you take her with you?

[fraggle69]

This is interesting. I had set up a pocket queery to show all 'unfound' caches within X distance of my home. This way when some git publishes a new cache and forgets to input the correct date (I think I did that not so long ago), I am still made aware that the cache is active and unfound.

Ofcourse I don't sit there like a melon refreshing the pocket query page, I sit there like a melon waiting for this to smack up on the screen - http://www.factsfacts.com/geocachingsoft/ThotsUtilities.htm FTF.

I guess this is just one way of doing it, and there's no harm in having two FTF systems running incase one lets you down. I've not actually got an FTF to my name yet, so my advice may be a little lame.

See you guys at 3am at the next FTF/////

 

Aii

[Edgemaster]

It seems that No one has told you about the special craziness needed for FTF's

This means being prepared to go without sleep, just in case one of the Reviewers publishes a cache close by at 3am [and if you think Reviewers sleep think again. caches have been known to be published at 4:30am]

 

Yes, some people around here have gone for FTFs at 3am before They must be crazy.

 

I'll have to remember that comment the next time you submit a cache , considering pre-reviewer days I was known to drag my teenage daughter out of the house at all hours of the morning, after a FTF

 

 

[it's alright I'll only delay publishing for all of ...................................................................1 second ]

 

They don't rush for FTFs that near me. Although, they do rush.

[+The Bongtwashes]

This is interesting. I had set up a pocket queery to show all 'unfound' caches within X distance of my home. This way when some git publishes a new cache and forgets to input the correct date (I think I did that not so long ago), I am still made aware that the cache is active and unfound.

 

After the Insta-Notify, I also use this method. I have set up a pocket query showing all the unfound caches in the UK, which I can then preview in google maps to find any unfound caches within striking distance of anywhere I'm going.

[+drsolly]

I've gotten ladysolly infected with the FTF bug. Today, she surprised me by suggesting we go out after one that was nearby - we weren't planning to go out today. So we went out, and scored. A few days ago, we were under an hour too late for a FTF that we'd gone for - slightly diappointing.

 

I think the thing about FTFs, is that we know we're competing in a race with other cachers; usually we're pitching against the best. I know that when we did our fiirst FTF, (set by fraggle69) we were very conscious of this, and it added spice to the game.

 

Today, I finally managed to connect my Loox PDA to ladysolly's mobile phone (which wasn't easy). So now I can run my "unfound" pq while we're in the field.

 

We're thinking that the key to FTF is to be an early bird, but we have a major handicap there; we seldom get out of the house before 11am.