Posting coordinates

[+imajeep]

For the last couple of dozen caches or so, I've been posting alternate coordinates if I find a cache more than thirty feet or so from the posted coordinates. It's only come up a couple of times, but it seems to have helped later hunters--one log noted that the hunter found the cache right at the secondary coordinates.

 

So, as a help to all us newbies (who haven't yet developed an inate ability to sniff out a cache by sense of smell ), how about a set of supplemental coordinates when the find is some distance from the original? I read logs all the time where a finder says "Geez--I found the cache sixty feet from the posted coordinates." But who then doen't post the coordinates where the cache was found!

[+Miragee]

I often post alternate coordinates, even if the distance is less than 20 feet, depending on the terrain and the possible hiding places. Just yesterday someone posted in their "Found it" log they had to use my coordinates to find the cache.

[+FireRef]

I often post alternate coordinates, even if the distance is less than 20 feet, depending on the terrain and the possible hiding places. Just yesterday someone posted in their "Found it" log they had to use my coordinates to find the cache.

 

I found several caches in the last couple of days that the posted coords were much better than the owner's. Now, I would assume that some caches drift sometimes, if they're on the ground, but in general, I think I hit a section of the world where people placing caches were not very good with coords. Some, I used with new coords, and some were just pretty far off.

 

In one case, a number of people have used the new coords, and indicated this in the logs. I suggested in my log that the owner consider updating the coords on the cache page.

[+StarBrand]

It is easy enough to post the coordinates as a part of your found log. Just use the provided fields.

 

As for getting them in a download file, the only current way is to convince the owner to update the coords. - Not sure it would be a good thing to get finder coords automatically....

[+Miragee]

After an owner sees a couple of logs stating that a cacher had to use the alternate coords, they might change their coordinates. I have seen cache owners do that voluntarily. If you know the cache owner, a little nudge to encourage a change might be necessary. Since a second cacher had to use my coordinates to find the cache I mentioned in my previous post, I might do some nudging . . .

[+The Jester]

So, as a help to all us newbies (who haven't yet developed an inate ability to sniff out a cache by sense of smell ), how about a set of supplemental coordinates when the find is some distance from the original? I read logs all the time where a finder says "Geez--I found the cache sixty feet from the posted coordinates." But who then doen't post the coordinates where the cache was found!

There have been times I've been guilty of this (not posting co-ords). Generally, there are two reasons - one lazy, one may not help. 1. I don't take the time to take the reading, or I forget I have one when posting the find. 2. The accuracy at the hide site is so bad, I can't be sure my co-ords would be any better; or the drift is so big (distance to the cache varies so much), which set of co-ords do I use?

[+Kit Fox]

Try posting corrected coords to the final stage in a multi. I've seen it done where a cachers said something like this, "add twenty to the North coords, and three to the West coords."

 

On this cache, I posted corrected coords that were over 12,000 feet from the original listed coords.

Edited July 12, 2007 by Kit Fox

[+Isonzo Karst]

I used to post alternate coords more than I do now. I might say something like, found cache well south of coords". If I use the alternate coords posted by someone else, I try to remember to repost them in the coordinate field provided, so they stay on the page. Mostly I think I've gotten lazy about taking a new point.

 

Yeah, I've run into the problem with multi cache coords. I generally go with, "found stage 2 ~ 120 feet ESE of coords" or something to that effect.

 

We once found a cache where the coords were off by ~10 miles, a typo in the longitude seconds. The description placed in the forest, and the latitude coords were correct, so it was guess work to change W 28.16 to W 28.26 - oddly the cache owner archived it after our find....

[+LifeOnEdge!]

I have recently had issues with this exact topic. Cachers in my area appear to be hyper-sensitive to being told *where* their cache was found.

 

I have a friend who said I was the only one to ever "complain" about his coordinates. I told him that I wasn't complaining. I was simply telling him where I found his cache, and hoping it would help other cachers as well as the cache owner, posted the coordinates that I measured in my find post. I was then told by the same cache owner "Oh, I ignore posted coordinates on my caches. You have to e-mail me."

 

I've had area cachers "come out" and tell me that I had made them mad when I mentioned that I found their cache at different coordinates.

 

Another cacher asked me what right I had to believe my numbers were better than theirs, much less post coordinates at all.

 

I reminded these guys that the location of a cache is THE ONE THING that we depend on knowing, in order to find the cache. Of course the reply to that was "A good cacher can find any cache."

 

I could go on and on with examples, but the long and the short of it is that I have evidently shamed local cachers by implying that anyone can make any number of mistakes. These cachers just don't make mistakes or have sloppy numbers regardless of why.

 

Looking further into this (with the one cacher) I found time after time where coordinates just haven't been updated on the cache page. They will move the cache, post coordinates in written note to the cache page (inappropriately, I might add ... not using the add a waypoint feature), or simply ignore suggested coordinate corrections with accompanying comments by subsequent cache finders, DNFs even though the cache is quite easy, and reports of cachers injured being in an area they don't need to be in, all because this cache owner wasn't told in an e-mail that the cache was found 40 feet from the stated coordinates.

 

I have even had forum threads locked for "potential abuse" because I bring up the subject. Its almost like being in a dysfunctional family, and learning that one of the family has a problem that no one can talk about.

 

The bottom line: these cachers don't appreciate posted coordinates that differ from their coordinates or the cachers who post them.

Edited July 13, 2007 by LifeOnEdge!

[+imajeep]

It is easy enough to post the coordinates as a part of your found log. Just use the provided fields.

 

As for getting them in a download file, the only current way is to convince the owner to update the coords. - Not sure it would be a good thing to get finder coords automatically....

 

I duplicate my coords in the log post, so downloaders get them, too.

[+LifeOnEdge!]

It is easy enough to post the coordinates as a part of your found log. Just use the provided fields.

 

As for getting them in a download file, the only current way is to convince the owner to update the coords. - Not sure it would be a good thing to get finder coords automatically....

 

I duplicate my coords in the log post, so downloaders get them, too.

 

I'm not sure what you mean.

 

Are you saying that you use the waypoint field and you type them as a part of your text? I believe that would also duplicate the numbers in whatever information your "downloaders" (whoever they are -- you didn't explain) are getting.