How tricky is too tricky?

[+ClareLouise]

So, here's my wondering...

 

One of the caches I have hidden is a magentic nano, in a busy city centre, near some beautiful old ruins. Being in such a busy place, it needed to be well hidden, but I didn't think it was too difficult, as I had found similar caches in similar locations in different parts of the country... but so far, there have been a few DNFs from quite experienced cachers, and I'm not sure what to do about it. I wanted it to be tricky, but not impossible, and I thought it was. I don't really want to move it as it needs to be somewhere it isn't likely to get dislodged by accident, and I quite like caches that are just a bit tricky!

 

Any thoughts from anyone?

Clare

[+Rose_Thorn]

I reckon that if your co-ordinates are good and you have put a useful clue on the cache page, then leave it be for a while and see how it goes.

[+harrogate hunters]

The main item is make sure the co-ords are spot on...

 

I have been to so many micros or nanos that eventually been 10-20-30 feet away.

 

If the co-ords are spot on the hit rate of finds will go up.

 

I use the nearest function on the gps.

 

Take a reading after standing in the location for 5 mins, then take a series of other readings over the next 5 mins.

 

Then go into waypoints on the gps and select nearest, and wait for the numbers to stop rolling !

 

The waypoint at the top of the list is likely to be the most accurate.

 

Then walk away from the centre point in all directions and approach back again using this reading and see what happens. This eliminates building or other items bounce !

 

If you get the co-ords spot on a cacher should be able to find a pin head ! (now theres a thought ! )

Edited February 29, 2008 by harrogate hunters

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

I reckon that if your co-ordinates are good and you have put a useful clue on the cache page, then leave it be for a while and see how it goes.

 

*Nods in agreement* Sit tight and wait and see a little longer.

 

People can see the DNFs on the cahce page and so can either choose to take up the challenge or pass it by.

[+purple_pineapple]

So, here's my wondering...

 

One of the caches I have hidden is a magentic nano, in a busy city centre, near some beautiful old ruins. Being in such a busy place, it needed to be well hidden, but I didn't think it was too difficult, as I had found similar caches in similar locations in different parts of the country... but so far, there have been a few DNFs from quite experienced cachers, and I'm not sure what to do about it. I wanted it to be tricky, but not impossible, and I thought it was. I don't really want to move it as it needs to be somewhere it isn't likely to get dislodged by accident, and I quite like caches that are just a bit tricky!

 

Any thoughts from anyone?

Clare

 

dfoes it have a good, and fairly explicit hint?

 

It sounds like a perfectly good hide, and the requirement for a nano is fine - but if you imagine an accuracy of 7 metres on your GPS, and the same on another cachers GPS, you have a 14m diametres circle to search in, which is about 150 sq metres! Thats a BIG area to search for a small black (probably) object! Therefore, you generally need an explicit hint.

 

Alternatively, increase the difficulty by a star or 2!

[+Happy Humphrey]

dfoes it have a good, and fairly explicit hint?

 

What PP said (minus the typo) .

For a nano, I'd recommend actually putting a hint to the exact location in the main description, then a really specific one in the hint itself (N.B. I haven't always done that myself!). You might find that some of the cache hunters give up in frustration otherwise.

[+The Lavender Hill Mob]

So, here's my wondering...

 

One of the caches I have hidden is a magentic nano, in a busy city centre, near some beautiful old ruins. Being in such a busy place, it needed to be well hidden, but I didn't think it was too difficult, as I had found similar caches in similar locations in different parts of the country... but so far, there have been a few DNFs from quite experienced cachers, and I'm not sure what to do about it. I wanted it to be tricky, but not impossible, and I thought it was. I don't really want to move it as it needs to be somewhere it isn't likely to get dislodged by accident, and I quite like caches that are just a bit tricky!

 

Any thoughts from anyone?

Clare

I think with caches in busy places it's not just spot on cords and a good hint it's about not looking suspicious while your hunting.

 

Usually with caches like this the best time to do them is early morning, late evening or on a Sunday, having a hi viz waistcoat and a clipboard, camera or stick for picking up rubbish and a bin liner makes one look less suspicious so you can spend more time hunting with less people taking any notice.

 

We're doing one this weekend which is in a busy car park, I'll be dressed as a "Litter Picker Up'er" so I can spend more time searching without feeling like Britains most wanted

[+keehotee]

Then walk away from the centre point in all directions and approach back again using this reading and see what happens. This eliminates building or other items bounce !

 

This would only eliminate bounce for the satelite configuration at that time - to be really sure you should do the same thing a few hours - or days - later... or hope that the sats were in exactly the same positions when you tried to find.

[Moonraker Team]

I like the Harrogate Hunters idea for an accurate location, if then that doesn't work then the clue(s) need to give a reasonable chance of sucess. I do quite alot of 'camp & cache' trips and I do get very frustrated sometimes when only in the area for the day and a DNF results because of lack of clues. Let it run for a while and moniter the results. And even though I don't know where it is TFTC

[+MartyBartfast]

I'd agree with the comments about getting accurate co-ords. I always take several readings over at least two days, I usually eliminate any that seem outside the norm and average the rest; then stick the average reading into Google Earth and see where it comes out, if it doesn't look right go back and take some more readings!

 

You could also contact the ones who have found it and ask them if they thought the co-ords were accurate, although I notice one of the finders said in their log they reckoned it was 20ft out.

[+Mr'D]

I spend a time taking several readings when placing a cache, and usually decide on an average of a few readings over 5 minutes or so... and then I take an average of an average. Then I get home and look at my coords in google earth and fine tune (rightly or wrongly). I apparently have a few caches in the Thames!

 

I know of one prolific cacher who deliberately doesn't post accurate coords on his/her caches

Just makes it more of a challenge I guess.

 

When searching I get to 30-40' of a cache I start looking anyway

Jon

[+The HERB5]

DNF, I dream of a DNF

I placed a 2 stage Multi this week, in a busy area, on a main road. Not even a sniff yet.

[+2202]

I would amend your hint by say making it very cryptic but very specific to where the nano is hidden. It therefore becomes a minor puzzle.

Or remove the hint altogether and add, as I have on my Chiltern Hundreds series, a little rhyme that links the subject with the hiding place.

This from Chiltern Hundreds: Neil Kinnock

 

The Welsh Windbag some would say,

Deserves this lofty windswept way,

From Islwyn to Mountain Ash,

Its bole protects this little cache.

 

The clue is that you need to know your Welsh geography and have an interest in trees.