Luckless Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Normally when I check the distance between existing caches and one I'm thinking about placing I'll download the waypoints for the existing caches in the area then when I arrive at the spot where I want to place a new cache I'll check the distance from that spot to each of the existing caches to be sure that it is at least .1 mile away. The problem is I didn't have the waypoints downloaded when I went to look at a couple of new spots for clues in a multi. So I downloaded the waypoints at each spot and thought maybe I could somehow check the distance once I got home. Is there something that will give me the distance between two waypoints? -GPS (legend Hcx)? _google maps? Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 (edited) Do you have mapping software on your computer? I measure distances between waypoints using Mapsource. You can also measure distances in Google Earth. Since you have an 'x' GPS unit, you can use Garmin's POI loader to load every cache you have ever found into your GPS unit as Custom POIs. That way, when you go caching, you'll have the Unfound caches in your GPS unit, and all the Found caches as POIs in your GPSr. That really helps . . . but doesn't help the problem of Multi-cache waypoints or Puzzle caches. If the distances look close, and you don't have too many locations to check, you could email your local Reviewer. I did that a couple of times. Once when the area was too far from my house to make more than one trip in case there was a waypoint or puzzle where I wanted to put the cache, and another time when I knew two puzzle caches I couldn't figure out were hidden in an area where I wanted to place a cache. My Reviewer was very generous with his time and let me know the locations I proposed were okay. Edit to fix missing words . . . Edited March 9, 2008 by Miragee Quote Link to comment
+Cardinal Red Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Normally when I check the distance between existing caches and one I'm thinking about placing I'll download the waypoints for the existing caches in the area then when I arrive at the spot where I want to place a new cache I'll check the distance from that spot to each of the existing caches to be sure that it is at least .1 mile away. The problem is I didn't have the waypoints downloaded when I went to look at a couple of new spots for clues in a multi. So I downloaded the waypoints at each spot and thought maybe I could somehow check the distance once I got home. Is there something that will give me the distance between two waypoints? -GPS (legend Hcx)? _google maps? Click here on this Advanced Search link. Click the down arrow beside By Postal Code and choose By Coordinate instead. Enter the coords of your intended cache location and click Seek. No calculation necessary. It will list all nearby regular caches, and their distance and direction from your potential new hiding spot. Remember: Puzzle Caches with fake starting points will be wrong, and stages of Multi Caches will not show up. You would have to solve/find those, or run them by a Reviewer. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Normally when I check the distance between existing caches and one I'm thinking about placing I'll download the waypoints for the existing caches in the area then when I arrive at the spot where I want to place a new cache I'll check the distance from that spot to each of the existing caches to be sure that it is at least .1 mile away. The problem is I didn't have the waypoints downloaded when I went to look at a couple of new spots for clues in a multi. So I downloaded the waypoints at each spot and thought maybe I could somehow check the distance once I got home. Is there something that will give me the distance between two waypoints? -GPS (legend Hcx)? _google maps? Click here on this Advanced Search link. Click the down arrow beside By Postal Code and choose By Coordinate instead. Enter the coords of your intended cache location and click Seek. No calculation necessary. It will list all nearby regular caches, and their distance and direction from your potential new hiding spot. Remember: Puzzle Caches with fake starting points will be wrong, and stages of Multi Caches will not show up. You would have to solve/find those, or run them by a Reviewer. I never thought of that. That is by far the easiest way! Quote Link to comment
+Ed56 Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 You do a Google search on "surface distance between two points of latitude and longitude" and you will find several sites where you can enter the coordinates and it will do the calculation for you. The site I use is http://www.wcrl.ars.usda.gov/ccc/java/lat-long.hym That site will also give you the great circle distance between two cities. Or you can use spherical trigonometry to solve your distance problem. Spherical trig isn't as intimidating as it sounds. Try http://www.dynagen.co.za/eugene/where/sphertrg.html I've used sperical trig many times to solve point to point problems and the answers agree quite well with other methods including using my Garmin 12XL to ge the answer. Besides which it will give you some good mental push-ups. Quote Link to comment
+Ed56 Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 I forgot to mention an even simpler method which is one I use to solve distance problems for mountain top to mountain top signaling etc. Just acquire the UTM coordinates of both points and use trig to solve the triangle and find the hypotenuse, which is the distance you're seeking. Quote Link to comment
Luckless Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 I forgot to mention an even simpler method which is one I use to solve distance problems for mountain top to mountain top signaling etc. Just acquire the UTM coordinates of both points and use trig to solve the triangle and find the hypotenuse, which is the distance you're seeking. Math!!! (thanks for the links and help everyone) Quote Link to comment
+stealthedge Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 I use gpsdash2. When I'm on foot or mountain bike after finding a cache, I just go into my waypoints, sort by distance and voi-la, real-time distances relative to your position. Quote Link to comment
+trainlove Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 (edited) I forgot to mention an even simpler method which is one I use to solve distance problems for mountain top to mountain top signaling etc. Just acquire the UTM coordinates of both points and use trig to solve the triangle and find the hypotenuse, which is the distance you're seeking. Ah, but you got the math completely wrong. You only need trig if you want to know the bearings. To find the distance you just need to know pythagoras, d=sqrt[(e1-e2)^2+(n1-n2)^2]. Now don't be a brainless scarecrow and get that wrong too. Edited July 15, 2008 by trainlove Quote Link to comment
Mushtang Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Now don't be a brainless scarecrow and get that wrong too. One of my favorite movie mistakes!!! Quote Link to comment
+wapahani Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 Now don't be a brainless scarecrow and get that wrong too. One of my favorite movie mistakes!!! I log the COORDS then when I am closing in on time to place a cache, I send a email to the local reviewer and get their feedback. Yesterday I didn't do this, turns out I put my cache within feet of a mystery cache (did I say I hate mystery caches!!!!) so I had to pull it. But in the return email I asked the reviewer a quick question that should have answered all I needed to know. Talking with your reviewer will solve a lot of ills in hiding your cache. I use Google Maps to do the distance and go from there. Quote Link to comment
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