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Welcome to the the New Cachers

Markwell

By Markwell
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Markwell

+Markwell

Posted
Posted (edited)

We did this before back a few years ago, so with the mass purchases of GPS units this year, the moderators we discussed it, and thought it was a good idea to repeat this thread in an updated fashion.

=================

 

First off - Welcome to the new cachers reading this board. It seems that every year around the time that potential cachers start unwrapping Christmas presents and their new GPS, new players to our wonderful hobby/game/sport come to Geocaching.com and these forums - and THEY HAVE QUESTIONS!

 

We're a pretty welcoming group - and we're here to help. Unfortunately, many people skip over those handy "Sticky Threads" at the top, and there's an important thread up there:

 

arrow_left.giftiny_arrow_right.giftiny_arrow_right.giftiny_arrow_right.gifRead First! Geocaching Frequently Asked Questions tiny_arrow_left.giftiny_arrow_left.giftiny_arrow_left.gifarrow_right.gif

In that thread you can find many answers to a bunch of questions, and links to other FAQs around the web (including mine). Here's a sampling of the questions in the "Read First" thread:

GPS Related:

--What GPS Should I Purchase?

--How do I manually enter cache coordinates into my GPSr?

--Can I use a GPS while on an airline?

 

Seeking a Cache:

--How do I find out about new caches hidden near me?

--What Icons Represent the Different Cache Types?

--Locationless, Virtual and Webcam Caches

--Finding Handicapped Accessible Geocaches

 

Logging Your Finds:

--How do I log a cache that I searched for?

--Do I need to wait for confirmation from the owner before logging a virtual cache find?

--What is an "SBA" or "Needs Archived" log?

--Meanings of Acronyms and Terms Used in Geocaching

--Can I log a find on my own cache when I go back to visit?

 

Hiding a Cache:

--How do I Get a Photo to Display on my Cache Page?

--What's the Purpose of a "Note to Reviewer" and How Do They Work?

--How to add HTML to Your Cache Page

--Where do I find the "Stash Note" to put in my cache to explain what it is?

--How do I "average" a waypoint?

--Cache Saturation Guidelines: The "528 foot rule"

--Who's Watching My Cache

--What are "Additional Waypoints" and How Do I Add Them To My Cache Page?

--How do I Adopt Ownership of a Geocache?

 

Other

--How do I change my username?

--All About CITO (Cache In Trash Out)

--Travel Bug and Geocoin FAQ's

--Geocacher University (brochure, tips on Paperless caching with a PDA)

--What's the meaning behind the Geocaching logo?

--Ethical Guidelines for Geocaching

--How do I become a volunteer cache reviewer?

 

Forums:

--Using the Forum Search Feature*

--Forum Posting Guidelines and Forum Moderators

--Adding a Picture to a Forum Post

--Why Can't I Start a Poll?

--Where can I find the Off Topic Forum?

--What is the suggested forum etiquette?

*There over seven YEARS of posts on this board going back to October of 2000, and many of the questions you may have might have been answered already. Be sure to search the forums and FAQs in case there's an answer out there already.

If your answer isn't above in the FAQ sections or if you can't find your answer on the forums, by all means - ASK. We are glad to help.

 

Also - each "region" in the forums (for example: Midwest, Great Plains, West and Southwest) and SOME of the national forums (e.g. Canada, United Kingdom, etc) have pinned topics with posts containing links to regional organizations. If you're interested in finding a local Geocaching organization, look in your area's forums first.

 

Otherwise - WELCOME TO OUR ADDICTION!

 

Periodically, I may post a "bump" to the thread to make sure it stays toward the top of the Getting Started forum, at least until January 15

Edited by Markwell
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kraushad

+kraushad

Posted
Posted

Thanks from a NEWBIE!

 

I just got the Gpsr in the mail yesterday (Wife won't let me play with it until Christmas :) ) but I can't wait to go out ofn my first hunt. I am a middle school teacher so I have the week between Christmas and New Years to get rolling.

 

I have read just about everything on this site that I could find, and I COMPLETELY APPRECIATE the advice and support of the veteran cachers.

Link to comment
Bayou Talker

+Bayou Talker

Posted
Posted

I heard about geocaching a while back on television and thought it would be fun, then I got busy and forgot about it. Last week it was on TV again and I decided to give it a try as I already had a GPS. To make a long story short, a co-worker and myself found 5 on our first day!! I am already trying to decide what my next GPS will be. I can already see that this is going to be addictive!

 

Thanks for the welcome and I look forward to meeting some of you in the near future.

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angevine

+angevine

Posted
Posted

Markwell, this is terrific information! Thanks so much for guiding people again to the wisdom of all our years ...

 

And I'd like to add a welcome to new geocachers. You're going to *love* this hobby! Take your time, be patient, be careful, and before you know it, your life will be transformed!

 

Happy 2008 caching --

 

Jeannette

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Miragee

+Miragee

Posted
Posted

I would like to add my voice to the Welcome! ;)

 

angevine offers excellent advice: "Take your time, be patient, be careful, and before you know it, your life will be transformed!"

 

The last part of that sentence if very true . . . at least it was for me. My life has been transformed by that little "Go To" arrow on my GPS unit and the wonderful and challenging places it has taken me. B)

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Miragee

+Miragee

Posted
Posted

I got a new GPSr yesterday too! I broke down and bought a Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx. My old one was working fine but this one is so much better. It only took a few minutes to find my first cache with this one.

 

Merry Christmas to everyone!!

Whooo Hoo! Congratulations on your new purchase, and the easy find on the cache!

 

Merry Christmas right back at you! :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Wintertime

Wintertime

Posted
Posted

Hi, new cachers!!

 

There are so many fun things you can do with your new GPS units. I'll put in a plug for hunting survey marks. (Called here on Geocaching.com by the general term "benchmarks.") You can look for them by themselves or ones that are in the vicinity of geocaches. It can be a lot of fun to find one that hasn't been reported in decades. Once you get more familiar with doing it, you can even file official reports with the National Geodetic Survey or the U.S. Geological Survey. There are also some benchmark categories on Waymarking.com.

 

Anyway, take a gander at the Benchmark FAQ on Geocaching.com, and feel free to hop over to the Benchmark Hunting forum if you have any questions.

 

Patty

Link to comment
davesgroup

davesgroup

Posted
Posted

We did this before back a few years ago, so with the mass purchases of GPS units this year, the moderators we discussed it, and thought it was a good idea to repeat this thread in an updated fashion.

=================

 

First off - Welcome to the new cachers reading this board. It seems that every year around the time that potential cachers start unwrapping Christmas presents and their new GPS, new players to our wonderful hobby/game/sport come to Geocaching.com and these forums - and THEY HAVE QUESTIONS!

 

We're a pretty welcoming group - and we're here to help. Unfortunately, many people skip over those handy "Sticky Threads" at the top, and there's an important thread up there:

 

arrow_left.giftiny_arrow_right.giftiny_arrow_right.giftiny_arrow_right.gifRead First! Geocaching Frequently Asked Questions tiny_arrow_left.giftiny_arrow_left.giftiny_arrow_left.gifarrow_right.gif

In that thread you can find many answers to a bunch of questions, and links to other FAQs around the web (including mine). Here's a sampling of the questions in the "Read First" thread:

GPS Related:

--What GPS Should I Purchase?

--How do I manually enter cache coordinates into my GPSr?

--Can I use a GPS while on an airline?

 

Seeking a Cache:

--How do I find out about new caches hidden near me?

--What Icons Represent the Different Cache Types?

--Locationless, Virtual and Webcam Caches

--Finding Handicapped Accessible Geocaches

 

Logging Your Finds:

--How do I log a cache that I searched for?

--Do I need to wait for confirmation from the owner before logging a virtual cache find?

--What is an "SBA" or "Needs Archived" log?

--Meanings of Acronyms and Terms Used in Geocaching

--Can I log a find on my own cache when I go back to visit?

 

Hiding a Cache:

--How do I Get a Photo to Display on my Cache Page?

--What's the Purpose of a "Note to Reviewer" and How Do They Work?

--How to add HTML to Your Cache Page

--Where do I find the "Stash Note" to put in my cache to explain what it is?

--How do I "average" a waypoint?

--Cache Saturation Guidelines: The "528 foot rule"

--Who's Watching My Cache

--What are "Additional Waypoints" and How Do I Add Them To My Cache Page?

--How do I Adopt Ownership of a Geocache?

 

Other

--How do I change my username?

--All About CITO (Cache In Trash Out)

--Travel Bug and Geocoin FAQ's

--Geocacher University (brochure, tips on Paperless caching with a PDA)

--What's the meaning behind the Geocaching logo?

--Ethical Guidelines for Geocaching

--How do I become a volunteer cache reviewer?

 

Forums:

--Using the Forum Search Feature*

--Forum Posting Guidelines and Forum Moderators

--Adding a Picture to a Forum Post

--Why Can't I Start a Poll?

--Where can I find the Off Topic Forum?

--What is the suggested forum etiquette?

*There over seven YEARS of posts on this board going back to October of 2000, and many of the questions you may have might have been answered already. Be sure to search the forums and FAQs in case there's an answer out there already.

If your answer isn't above in the FAQ sections or if you can't find your answer on the forums, by all means - ASK. We are glad to help.

 

Also - each "region" in the forums (for example: Midwest, Great Plains, West and Southwest) and SOME of the national forums (e.g. Canada, United Kingdom, etc) have pinned topics with posts containing links to regional organizations. If you're interested in finding a local Geocaching organization, look in your area's forums first.

 

Otherwise - WELCOME TO OUR ADDICTION!

 

Periodically, I may post a "bump" to the thread to make sure it stays toward the top of the Getting Started forum, at least until January 15

Link to comment
davesgroup

davesgroup

Posted
Posted

While returning from Tallahasse, Florida, we stopped by the side of the road for an interesting photo. We happened upon a CACHE, opened it, read it, we were so impressed by the contents and your game's philosophy, that we left a pair of reading glasses, removed a trash bag, picked up trash in the area and were on our way.

 

Perhaps we will purchase a GPS!

 

dave

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Miragee

+Miragee

Posted
Posted

got a Vista HCX and found 3 caches around the neighborhood park. I think I found a new addiction. Might have quite a few Noob questions for you seasoned guys/gals so please be patient. Hope I enjoy my stay.

Welcome to the Forums! Since you are from San Diego, check out all our San Diego Threads in the West and Southwest Regional Forums. We often have "Events" going on and anyone is welcome to join in on our adventures! :unsure:

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TheAlabamaRambler

+TheAlabamaRambler

Posted
Posted

Welcome!

 

This international forum is a wonderful place for help and answers, but there are also many regional and local geocaching groups and associations that have the additional benefit of getting to know cachers close to you.

 

See 'Geocaching Groups by Region / State' on this forum's home page for groups near you. I am retired and get to travel quite a bit to cache, so I belong to 10 or 11 of these groups and have had the great fortune of making GeoPals in all of them! To me the expanded socialization is the main part of the game!

 

We hunt each other's caches and attend each other's events, creating a true geocaching community.

 

If you are in the SE US come join us (free) at the Alabama Geocachers Association at www.dixiecachers.com

 

Particularly for Alabama cachers to interact, but we have members from all over the country as well.

 

Most of us in the AGA are open to phone-a-friend calls, so when you have a question or need a clue and don't have access or time to post an email or forum question you can always call one of us!

 

We have weekly get-togethers and monthly events which are open to all cachers, so come join us anytime you see one listed on the geocaching.com event calander or in the dixicachers.com forum - if it's posted it's an open invitation and you will be warmly welcomed!

 

Ed

205-914-6814 (6 a.m. till midnight CDT)

TheAlabamaRambler@gmail.com

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Markwell

+Markwell

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Wow - this one's moving down the page quickly...

 

bump1.gif

 

 

According to Forbes

Amazon's figures also point to a happy holiday season for Nintendo, Apple and global positioning system (GPS) specialist Garmin. Amazon said it sold 17 Nintendo Wii gaming systems a second--when it had them in stock.

 

The Nintendo Wii and Garmin GPS systems were among the company's "Hot Holiday Best Sellers" from November through Dec. 19.

...

While long on trivia, Amazon's statement was short on specifics, noting that all the GPS units it sold this season would make a trail from New York to Philadelphia, which would be a terrible way to use satellite navigation systems to find one's way around.

Edited by Markwell
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MissJenn

+MissJenn

Posted
Posted
Thanks from a NEWBIE!

 

I just got the Gpsr in the mail yesterday (Wife won't let me play with it until Christmas B) ) but I can't wait to go out ofn my first hunt.

My guess is that there are lots of others with a story similar to yours. (I happily see that you've logged 4 "Found It's" already. Cool!)

 

Welcome to you and all the others!

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Tydirium

Tydirium

Posted
Posted

Well I'm one of those lucky souls that received a GPS unit for Christmas and 3 days later myself, my wife and 3 kids all went on our first cache hunt. We went 3 for 3 in our finds, so we're off to a great start! I can see how this can become addictive! I love it though as it gets all 5 of us together outside doing something!

 

Thanks for the great welcome from all the veteran cachers out there.

 

Happy hunting.

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WookieTravs

+WookieTravs

Posted
Posted

I love it though as it gets all 5 of us together outside doing something!

 

Boy, truer words have never been spoken. My husband and I used to practically live in the woods, either mountain biking, running with our dogs or just enjoying the peace. That was pre-children. I love that geocaching energizes my children and gives them a reason to want to spend time with us wandering around on the trails!

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PeachyPA

+PeachyPA

Posted
Posted

We got our first cache today, it was fun but cold. As soon as the snow melts, we're heading out for more.

B) My 100th cache was in a February in 20° and ten inches of new snow at a terrain 3 cache where we had to cross a stream to get the cache container! This was in western PA. We don't let a little cold weather or snow stop us here. :)

 

Welcome new cachers! If you need assistance with your new GPS units, look on the GPS forum or look for a nearby caching event. Most cachers are happy to help new folk learn to use their GPSrs. :)

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87laker

87laker

Posted
Posted

I'm busting at the seams to find a cache. I have been all around my house in Minneasota looking to the caches; the problem is we have had a lot of snow. Maybe someone from the great white north can tell me if anyone gecaches in deep snow. Most of the logs for the cahes near me have no entries since the end of November.

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Tonka_Boy

Tonka_Boy

Posted
Posted

I'm busting at the seams to find a cache. I have been all around my house in Minneasota looking to the caches; the problem is we have had a lot of snow. Maybe someone from the great white north can tell me if anyone gecaches in deep snow. Most of the logs for the cahes near me have no entries since the end of November.

 

Hey, my wife and I are from Minnesota and got 3 for 3 yesterday - our 200th find

 

There are a lot of "winter friendly" caches around, just check the attributes on the cache page. They should be identified.

 

Welcome to the addiction!

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87laker

87laker

Posted
Posted

Hey, my wife and I are from Minnesota and got 3 for 3 yesterday - our 200th find

 

There are a lot of "winter friendly" caches around, just check the attributes on the cache page. They should be identified.

 

Welcome to the addiction!

 

Thanks for the reply. Congrats on #200. What do you mean by attributes? Perhaps what other people write on website log?

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Belfrypotters

+Belfrypotters

Posted
Posted
What do you mean by attributes? Perhaps what other people write on website log?

Attributes are the little symbols on the right side of the cache page that cache owners can add if they wish. There is one that looks like a snowflake that means "available in winter". However the definition of "available" varies - some people take it mean easy to find in the winter (usually above ground level), while others mean that the area is still open in winter. We've found quite a few caches with the snowflake attribute that were buried under deep snow. We've also NOT found quite a few caches with the snowflake attribute that were buried under deep snow. Other cachers' logs are probably more reliable indicators of winter-friendly caches, because people often will say something about it being a nice winter cache, or mention how much digging they had to do to find it.

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Mike and Mitya

+Mike and Mitya

Posted
Posted

I was introduced to Geocaching pre-Christmas on Dec 1st and found my first cache less than an hour later. Needless to say, I was fascinated with this and more than a little hooked. We managed to get 39 caches in December and already a good start for January. Got 10 Jan 1st.

 

We are already working on our first hide but we are taking our time because we want it to be a well thought out one. This site has been very helpful to us and we have enjoyed reading all the knowlege contained in these forums.

 

Thanks for the welcome.

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Tonka_Boy

Tonka_Boy

Posted
Posted

If you are a premium member, you can do a pocket query - and one of the attributes to choose is winter accessible. We are out in west metro (Twin Cities) and there are bunches to be found out here. With the temps in the 40s this weekend, don't stay in the house. Get out there and get some of those finds. Like Belfrypotters mentioned (and like we experienced) not all those with the winter attribute are easy. But a couple of those we got on New Year's Day had foot prints in the snow that made the finds a bit easier.

 

And very often, the more difficult the find, the greater the bragging rites!

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msrubble

+msrubble

Posted
Posted (edited)
Maybe someone from the great white north can tell me if anyone gecaches in deep snow.

 

Yep, they do.

 

Looking near you for caches that have been found recently is a good idea. You may have to expand your search area a little.

 

If you can make it out to Elk River next Saturday morning, there's going to be a get-together called Cup of Joe. You'd be welcome, and I'm sure you could go out geocaching with someone afterwards.

 

Or if you ever have Wednesday evenings free, almost every week there is an informal event in the Twin Cities. They pick a few caches to look for together, then go to a restaurant or bar. Look in the Minnesota Geocaching Association Events forum for "WeekNIGHT Caching."

Edited by msrubble
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