Poll: Do you use a GPS for geocaching?

[ssgeo83]

Do you personally use a GPS device for geocaching?

 

Just wanted to see how many people use GPS and how many do not

[+RussellM]

Do is use a GPS; of course. It's one thing to find a light pole cache with google earth, but good luck finding a more difficult cache in the woods.

 

I'm going to make a prediction that 95% (at least) use a GPS

[+Okiebryan]

I could save you some time... There are only one or two people who post here who do not have a GPSr.

[+markewallace]

I could save you some time... There are only one or two people who post here who do not have a GPSr.

 

Next we'll have a poll to see how many people use their feet and hands for geocaching.

[ssgeo83]

Thanks. I just thought that there were more out there that use other methods (google maps, etc.).

[+edscott]

No... hey!! that's 25% so far.....

Edited February 26, 2008 by edscott

[+Knight2000]

Sometimes we use a gps.

 

To challenge us sometimes we use a sextant, astrolabe and compass.

[+Rev Mike]

Some of us just look for good spots to place our own caches and find caches already there.

But even then we use a GPS

 

- Rev Mike

[+Team_CSG]

99% of the time, my GPSr gets me there. The other 1% is a 1/1 rated cache in the middle of a parking lot that I can see in google maps.

Edited February 26, 2008 by arthurat

[+linuxxpert]

99% of the time, my GPDr gets me there. The other 1% is a 1/1 rated cache in the middle of a parking lot that I can see in google maps.

 

Hey, I want a GPDr too!

[+Team_CSG]

99% of the time, my GPDr gets me there. The other 1% is a 1/1 rated cache in the middle of a parking lot that I can see in google maps.

 

Hey, I want a GPDr too!

Darn TYPOS

[+StarBrand]

Yes - I have 7 of them.

 

I have found 4 caches without a GPS ( less than 1% of my finds)

[+doingitoldschool]

We found our first ten without, and the name of our team comes from our initial lack of a GPSr. We have one now, and more coming

[+nekom]

I only know of one person in the area here who caches exclusively WITHOUT a gps. I've found a few without myself, but I can't imagine that working on some of the ones I've done.

[+BlueDeuce]

Usually to get to the general cache site but after that sometimes it's best just to put it away.

Edited February 27, 2008 by BlueDeuce

[Rostropovich]

I check where the site is first for parking directions on google maps. From there I use a GPS unless I find it before I acquire a signal

[+Lacomo]

I have never went geocaching WITHOUT a GPSr.

[+edscott]

99% of the time, my GPSr gets me there. The other 1% is a 1/1 rated cache in the middle of a parking lot that I can see in google maps.

 

99% of the time my map gets me there. The other 1% someone I'm caching with that has a GPS finds it first and I catch 'em in the act.

[+Team Cotati]

Yes.

[+Confucius' Cat]

99% of the time my map gets me there. The other 1% someone I'm caching with that has a GPS finds it first and I catch 'em in the act.

Sacrilege!

 

For someone who's tag line is "don't need no stinkin GPS," isn't "GPS by proxy" oh, I don't know... kinda like.... cheating?

[+Confucius' Cat]

Answering the "poll:"

 

I find many by using my mobile navigation GPS only by measuring on the map the distance and bearing from where i park to the cache. From there i take a Silva compass and go seek.

[+wandering4cache]

Yes, but I have found caches without a GPS too. Not parking lot caches either. Found stages of a multi just by using the "force".

 

The "force" has even led me to a letterbox in a place that there wasn't a cache.

[+keehotee]

You can't go geocaching without a GPS.

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users

- from the Groundspeak FAQ's.

You can certainly find a cache without a GPS - but by definition you aren't geocaching when you do!

 

(I can't help being pedantic -it's in my nature)

[+edscott]

You can't go geocaching without a GPS.

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users

- from the Groundspeak FAQ's.

You can certainly find a cache without a GPS - but by definition you aren't geocaching when you do!

 

(I can't help being pedantic -it's in my nature)

 

Doesn't say exclusively for GPS users, the three of us are just allowing y'all to play too...

Edited February 27, 2008 by edscott

[+edscott]

99% of the time my map gets me there. The other 1% someone I'm caching with that has a GPS finds it first and I catch 'em in the act.

Sacrilege!

 

For someone who's tag line is "don't need no stinkin GPS," isn't "GPS by proxy" oh, I don't know... kinda like.... cheating?

 

Yes sometimes I do feel cheated if someone else finds it and either I see it happen or they call out. I really don't cache very often with anyone but my wife and of course she is GPS-less also. I must say that when caching with others that are looking at their GPS instead of studying the terrain... and other signs... we get way over our share of the finds. My little piece of paper gives me more data than your GPS. BTW the 1% figure is quite possibly overstated.. it may be less. Guess I should keep track of that.

[+keehotee]

You can't go geocaching without a GPS.

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users

- from the Groundspeak FAQ's.

You can certainly find a cache without a GPS - but by definition you aren't geocaching when you do!

 

(I can't help being pedantic -it's in my nature)

 

Doesn't say exclusively for GPS users, the three of us are just allowing y'all to play too...

No - and the NFL doesn't say exclusively for users of a football either..........................

[Mr.Yuck]

Thanks. I just thought that there were more out there that use other methods (google maps, etc.).

 

When I started, there was no such thing as Google maps, and parking lots were generally just for parking, so I suspect that, combined with the expoential (or so) increase in the number of users of the website means there are many more than in the past.

 

But still not too many.

[+edscott]

You can't go geocaching without a GPS.

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users

- from the Groundspeak FAQ's.

You can certainly find a cache without a GPS - but by definition you aren't geocaching when you do!

 

(I can't help being pedantic -it's in my nature)

 

Doesn't say exclusively for GPS users, the three of us are just allowing y'all to play too...

No - and the NFL doesn't say exclusively for users of a football either..........................

 

Exactly... Just how often does an offensive tackle use the ball....

[+Too Tall John]

You can't go geocaching without a GPS.

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users

- from the Groundspeak FAQ's.

You can certainly find a cache without a GPS - but by definition you aren't geocaching when you do!

 

(I can't help being pedantic -it's in my nature)

Doesn't say exclusively for GPS users, the three of us are just allowing y'all to play too...

No - and the NFL doesn't say exclusively for users of a football either..........................

In the NFL there are some pretty strict rules about what equipment is used. I seem to remember someone getting in trouble for having the wrong kind of chin strap on their helmet. In geocaching, however, according to the Geocaching FAQ:

Are there any variations in the game?

 

YES! We strongly encourage it, actually. Geocaching is a game that constantly reinvents itself, and the rules are very flexible. If you have a new idea on how to place a cache, or a new game using GPS units, we'd love to hear about it.

... and also...

What are the rules in Geocaching?

 

Geocaching is a relatively new phenomenon. Therefore, the rules are very simple:

1. Take something from the cache

2. Leave something in the cache

3. Write about it in the logbook

Where you place a cache is up to you.

If that's it, I see nothing about GPSr's being required to find a cache. Edited February 27, 2008 by Too Tall John

[+edscott]

Thanks. I just thought that there were more out there that use other methods (google maps, etc.).

 

When I started, there was no such thing as Google maps, and parking lots were generally just for parking, so I suspect that, combined with the expoential (or so) increase in the number of users of the website means there are many more than in the past.

 

But still not too many.

 

I agree there are more people going GPS-less (at least part time) for those reasons, but Google isn't really that good in lots of areas as I found while caching in New Zealand. The images I use have been around since before Google (so lots of parking lot caches are really tougher for me.. finding the right lamp post in the middle of a what I see as a cornfield can be a challenge ) I personally don't select caches because they are easy. Even with the glut of nearby 1/1 caches, my personal number of 3 star + caches is running just under 20%

[+POCrow222]

I always use my GPS to geocache. Even with those light pole caches.

[Mr.Yuck]

Thanks. I just thought that there were more out there that use other methods (google maps, etc.).

 

When I started, there was no such thing as Google maps, and parking lots were generally just for parking, so I suspect that, combined with the expoential (or so) increase in the number of users of the website means there are many more than in the past.

 

But still not too many.

 

I agree there are more people going GPS-less (at least part time) for those reasons, but Google isn't really that good in lots of areas as I found while caching in New Zealand. The images I use have been around since before Google (so lots of parking lot caches are really tougher for me.. finding the right lamp post in the middle of a what I see as a cornfield can be a challenge ) I personally don't select caches because they are easy. Even with the glut of nearby 1/1 caches, my personal number of 3 star + caches is running just under 20%

 

I don't know what images you use Ed, but I'm pretty certain we had Microsoft Terraserver images on cache pages in the days before Google maps? Always black and white, and much lower resolution, in my opinion.

 

I never met the guy, but I remember WaldenRun from Masschusetts (who is now retired) says he found about 2,000 caches without a GPS.

[+edscott]

 

I don't know what images you use Ed, but I'm pretty certain we had Microsoft Terraserver images on cache pages in the days before Google maps? Always black and white, and much lower resolution, in my opinion.

 

I never met the guy, but I remember WaldenRun from Masschusetts (who is now retired) says he found about 2,000 caches without a GPS.

 

Yes those Microsoft images were pretty fuzzy. Mine are crisp and clean, some in color and some in black and white. The B/W are often better because they are taken in the winter which exposes the ground instead of the tree tops, but some are a few years old, so in suburban areas they can sometimes be a bit confusing. I think Walden Run also came over from competitive Orienteering, but that's just an assumption based on something I read somewhere. It was said by him, or maybe about him, that he did about 66% GPS less which would be 2000 caches. I'm not quite there yet. ...maybe later this spring.

 

PS Web-ling from Ohio, by my estimation, is also at around the 2000 GPSless mark. Last I checked he had over 2500 and does 70+/-% GPSless. So we're definitely a minority, but we're still having lots of fun!!!

Edited February 27, 2008 by edscott

[+bflentje]

I did not use a GPSr for the cache I found this morning.

[+keehotee]

You can't go geocaching without a GPS.

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users

- from the Groundspeak FAQ's.

You can certainly find a cache without a GPS - but by definition you aren't geocaching when you do!

 

(I can't help being pedantic -it's in my nature)

Doesn't say exclusively for GPS users, the three of us are just allowing y'all to play too...

No - and the NFL doesn't say exclusively for users of a football either..........................

In the NFL there are some pretty strict rules about what equipment is used. I seem to remember someone getting in trouble for having the wrong kind of chin strap on their helmet. In geocaching, however, according to the Geocaching FAQ:

Are there any variations in the game?

 

YES! We strongly encourage it, actually. Geocaching is a game that constantly reinvents itself, and the rules are very flexible. If you have a new idea on how to place a cache, or a new game using GPS units, we'd love to hear about it.

... and also...

What are the rules in Geocaching?

 

Geocaching is a relatively new phenomenon. Therefore, the rules are very simple:

1. Take something from the cache

2. Leave something in the cache

3. Write about it in the logbook

Where you place a cache is up to you.

If that's it, I see nothing about GPSr's being required to find a cache.

What? Apart from the underlined bit in the middle of your quote!

 

Where I live this activity called Letterboxing started up a hundred and fifty or so years ago.

If a couple of letterboxers happened to find a cache while they were looking for their box, would they then be geocachers? Or letterboxers that had found a cache?

Edited February 28, 2008 by keehotee

[+9Key]

I almost always use the GPS.

 

 

I never met the guy, but I remember WaldenRun from Masschusetts (who is now retired) says he found about 2,000 caches without a GPS.

Why would you "retire"? Did he get some kind of Social Security benefit for retiring at that number?

[+Knight2000]

When I started, there was no such thing as Google maps

Google maps is the best. Just ask Andy and Chris:

 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4663910085219139603

 

True 'dat - Double True!

 

[+edscott]

There are three "Rules" quoted several times above. Micros already break two of them. Make sure you sign the log.

[+edscott]

I almost always use the GPS.

 

 

I never met the guy, but I remember WaldenRun from Masschusetts (who is now retired) says he found about 2,000 caches without a GPS.

Why would you "retire"? Did he get some kind of Social Security benefit for retiring at that number?

 

You don't retire from geocaching... you get archived.

Edited February 29, 2008 by edscott

[+Keruso]

53 finds, half found without a GPS, the other third with my caching partners, 3 or 4 with a newly bought garmin etrex H

[+UncleJimbo]

Do you personally use a GPS device for geocaching?

 

Just wanted to see how many people use GPS and how many do not

Of course I use a GPSr to Geocache.

 

Do you use a tennis racket to play tennis?

[+edscott]

 

Where I live this activity called Letterboxing started up a hundred and fifty or so years ago.

If a couple of letterboxers happened to find a cache while they were looking for their box, would they then be geocachers? Or letterboxers that had found a cache?

 

As far as I know letterboxers do not use coordinates to find a cache. We both do. We're both geocachers.

[+FireRef]

Yes, but I know several people who have found several caches each who didn't use a GPS - eventually, they will likely get one when they have the money, if they still have the interest.

[+keehotee]

As far as I know letterboxers do not use coordinates to find a cache. We both do. We're both geocachers.

They do here occassionally....they just use a map and compass when they've got the co-ords (or a GPS nowadays)

My point is, finding a geocache doesn't make you a geocacher (ask a muggle).

Using a GPS to find a cache makes you a geocacher....

Edited February 29, 2008 by keehotee

[+edscott]

As far as I know letterboxers do not use coordinates to find a cache. We both do. We're both geocachers.

They do here occassionally....they just use a map and compass when they've got the co-ords (or a GPS nowadays)

My point is, finding a geocache doesn't make you a geocacher (ask a muggle).

Using a GPS to find a cache makes you a geocacher....

 

Perhaps Jeremy should be made aware of your rule.

[CacheNCarryMA]

I almost always use the GPS.

 

 

I never met the guy, but I remember WaldenRun from Masschusetts (who is now retired) says he found about 2,000 caches without a GPS.

Why would you "retire"? Did he get some kind of Social Security benefit for retiring at that number?

 

You don't retire from geocaching... you get archived.

 

The name "Walden Run" is retired (at 3,000 finds), but the cacher formerly known as Walden Run is not. He still caches and turns up at events, primarily in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, under a different name, protected by the Geocachers' Relocation Protection Act.

[+edscott]

Yes, but I know several people who have found several caches each who didn't use a GPS - eventually, they will likely get one when they have the money, if they still have the interest.

 

If the reason for not getting a GPS is money, and you plan on doing a lot of caches, take out a small loan and buy the GPS. Over the the long haul the time and ink involved in preparing for a bunch of caching days can be more expensive than the GPS.

 

addendum: A Quicken calculation shows I spend over a dollar a day for ink. Probably 90% for caching related printing.

Edited February 29, 2008 by edscott

[+Y2KOTA]

I've found my 1st dozen or so without a GPSr.

[+cdrdbw]

I found my first without a GPS. The next three I used an old $19.00 add on to my old handspring visor. I decided to finally break down and pick up an iFinder Go2 from Lowrance. It is probably one of the best investments I have made. Very accurate, even in the trees. Also has good waterway maps. Streets are off by a few yards north. Other than that it is a great GPS.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I could save you some time... There are only one or two people who post here who do not have a GPSr.

 

Next we'll have a poll to see how many people use their feet and hands for geocaching.

This was almost as bad as his other question

Are geocaching containers safe for the environent?