Geocaching Jargon

[+Blackjack Bailey]

Hi all,

 

I'm situated in Hilton, KZN and I am very new to geocaching (only got one find so far!).

 

I've noticed that there is whole new language being used by geocachers and I'm struggling to make sense of a lot of it! Can anyone educate this newbie by publishing a list of all the jargon and abbreviations, together with their meanings?

 

Hope to meet some of you soon!

[+Wazat]

Welcome to the mad world of geocaching....

 

Here are some:

 

FTF - First to find a cache

GPSr - Global Positioning System Receiver

TNLNSL - Took Nothing Left Nothing Signed Logbook

TFTC - Thanks For The Cache

TFTH - Thanks For The Hunt

 

Travel bugs are trackable items usually with some sort of mission. Could be anything like a logbook that goes from cache to cache to be signed by the finder eventually returning to the owner.

 

Geocoins are much the same.

 

These items can be tracked on Google Earth.

 

Hope this helps a bit. The older guys may be able to help you on more questions. I'm also still a newbie at this.

[+Blackjack Bailey]

Thanks, Wazat - that's very useful!

 

And I take it that a muggle is any person that is not a geocacher?

[+Discombob]

Yep, thats right. its actually a geomuggle (based on the Harry potter books), but has been shortened.

A cache which is missing (presumably removed by a muggle) is said to be muggled.

 

Then you get those nasty types who wait in bushes with knives and rob you of your GPS. they are called geomuggers

 

A micro is obviously a very small cache, and a nano is a very small micro.

 

there is a list of geocaching terms on the website as well.

[+LeonW]

And the worst is the abbreviations and handle's for names that they use. Not like Neville and Leon, but all types of cryptic names - usually three letters. I just gave up trying to unravel that mystery. Enjoy the addiction.

[+Jors]

Some good info:

 

Meanings of Acronyms and Terms Used in Geocaching

[+Wazat]

I have my own one.

 

WTFITCH - Where the Flip is this cache hidden.

 

I use it all to often. But that is where a little help comes in handy from the owner.

[+batsgonemad and his squirrel]

I have my own one.

 

WTFITCH - Where the Flip is this cache hidden.

 

I use it all to often. But that is where a little help comes in handy from the owner.

 

Hey wazat whats wrong guy you battling to find Talana without a little help. im glad you found it finally it.

It's time you came to durban for a little entertainment

[+QFC]

And the worst is the abbreviations and handle's for names that they use. Not like Neville and Leon, but all types of cryptic names - usually three letters. I just gave up trying to unravel that mystery. Enjoy the addiction.

 

Who are these cachers with cryptic names, we are yet to meet them...

 

Other less friendly acronyms...

ABM - Another bl**dy Micro (happens a lot now-a-days)

OPR - Obvious pile of rocks

 

DNF - Did not find

[+Wazat]

Hey wazat whats wrong guy you battling to find Talana without a little help. im glad you found it finally it.

It's time you came to durban for a little entertainment

 

Man I really did battle with that one at first. It's a big hiding place. It was late both times I went looking and getting dark around the place the cache is hidden. I almost gave up the second time round too but thought about the clue and realized I got the wrong platform.

 

Oh I tried Durban too without much luck. Got the one at Blood River today though so I am happy about that. It was a very easy one despite the size. Man where you get that "container" it is dadgum cool?

[+Wazat]

 

Who are these cachers with cryptic names, we are yet to meet them...

 

Like what does QFC stand for?

 

Other less friendly acronyms...

ABM - Another bl**dy Micro (happens a lot now-a-days)

 

STAM - So that's a Macro

[+LeonW]

Wazat, you are in desparate need of a holiday in Pretoria area for at least a week. Then you should move on to Warmbaths for finding a few more caches, like say two days.

[+Wazat]

Wazat, you are in desparate need of a holiday in Pretoria area for at least a week. Then you should move on to Warmbaths for finding a few more caches, like say two days.

 

I'd say..... But I am starting a new job in August so I won't be taking any leave any time soon......

[+cincol]

Sorry to barge in on your discussion but this might be the best place to ask the question. Firstly, I am new to Geocaching and do not know everything yet. I was in SA last week and found my first 2 caches. In teh one cache there were 3 TB's that had cards attached to them indicating that they were part of a "race" around SA and needed to travel to certain locations before a date that has already passed.

 

As much as I wanted to take them in order to send them on their way here in the Middle East, I did not. I only took the one that had no card attached.

 

My question - what is the etiquette involved when one encounters a TB with such a card attached?

 

Happy caching.

[+Discombob]

Hope you had a nice visit!

 

well, if you had taken them to the middle east, that would pretty much have put them out of the running for the race, and you would have had some pretty miffed cachers. Although i would have been pleased )

 

that said, thats the thing about a race. The TBs are open to the elements, so to speak, and if they do get sidetracked to middle East . . . . . UNLUCKY for them

 

i myself am quite used to TBs getting muggled, mugged, disappearing etc, so although a bit of a blow, i wouldn't have been to distraught if it was mine.

 

the general theory is if you can help it acheive its goal, take it. If by taking it you would be taking it further from its goal, don't take it, and if you would neither help nor hinder it, feel free to take it.

 

if its got no tag, then its just pot luck!

[+LeonW]

Hi Cincol

 

Welcome to the addiction of Geocaching. Hopefully you will continue in your homeland.

 

The idea when you find a Travelbug with a tag (provided that it does not state a mission on a note attached to it) is to take the TB. When you log your visit to the relevant cache you would mention picking up the TB. After posting your log - View the cache page again, on the right hand side is a list of the inventory that would include the Tb you picked up. Click on it and and now a separate window would allow you to "pick it up" and an area for comments. You would need to enter the number found on the tag also.This TB will now be transferred to your inventory.

 

When you place it in another cache during your logging on the internet you can "Dropped TB" from the bottom listing. It is now removed from your inventory and placed in the cache's inventory. The same applies to Geocoins with activated numbers. A coin with the number not yet activated (check under Trackable's) is a present to the finder, for you would not know that untill you ckeck the computer)

 

When you find a item without a tag it means that the item is actually something you trade for, if you did not trade for this item I believe the geocaching community would support me in forgiving you the oversight, please keep it as a token of your first geocaching experience. You did the right thing firstly in leaving the other real Travel Bugs to complete their race, and secondly to ask the relevant questions.

 

Geocaching is one of those games where your worth and respect by others is gained by what you do when others are not watching.

 

Best wishes and enjoy the game.

 

LeonW

 

Please feel free to ask many more questions, we are all enjoying a wonderful hobby and like to share it.

[+GlobalRat]

These are less often seen, but you may come across them:-

 

ATCF – As The Crow Flies

BYOP – Bring Your Own Pen

GZ - Ground Zero

OCB - Original Can of Beans (every cacher should know what this is about....go read up the history of caching if you don't )

PAF – Phone A Friend

TOTT – Tool Of The Trade

UPS – Unnatural Pile of Sticks

PNG - Park and Grab

DBD - Drunken Bee Dance (those moments when your GPSr sends you this way then that)

[+cincol]

 

well, if you had taken them to the middle east, that would pretty much have put them out of the running for the race, and you would have had some pretty miffed cachers. Although i would have been pleased )

 

 

Discombob

 

Thanks for the reply but I think you misunderstood my comment. The tags attached to the TB's indicated that the "race" was to end in 2006! That date has passed and the tags are still attached. Should they not have been removed by now for "general travel"?

 

The TB that I did remove will be placed in my first cache, which I plan to establish this weekend - somewhere in Qatar.

 

Happy caching.

[+Discombob]

Ah, the 2006 race!

Yes, then you are free to take them anywhere, as the race is over.

I am sure the TB owners would remove the tags if they encountered the TBs, but that doesn't happen too often!

 

Good luck with your first cache hide.

Just remember, you are not allowed to place a cache while on holiday, as you wont be able to maintain the cache, unless you find someone who lives nearby who will be able to do so!

[+cincol]

Ah, the 2006 race!

Yes, then you are free to take them anywhere, as the race is over.

 

dadgum - what a pity!! I could have had at least 3 new TB's for Qatar. One of the tagged TB's was from Peru and I was VERY tempted to take it, but refrained. Anyway, the TB that I took I discovered had been placed in the cache 3 days prior to my visit by cachers from Holland. So, 3 days in SA from Europe and now it is in the Middle East! I wonder if it will make it's way back to SA again in the future? Who knows?

 

I will be in SA again in December and will be looking for TB's to relocate to the Middle East.

 

Happy caching.

[+Metro Nomad]

Original Can of Beans

 

Take a look Here for some info on OCB.

 

Enjoy

Edited July 30, 2007 by Metro Nomad