Setting my first cache?

[buzzman63]

New to GC and want to set some caches myself. I'm still learning how to use my Garmin Legend HCX and while finding my first few caches, find that I'm off by 20'-40'. I know GPS's are not always that accurate, but when setting a new cache, I want the location as accurate as possible.

Best way? Take waypoints and average?

Stay in that location for a longer period of time to "solidify" the location from the signal? Any other ideas?

 

I think after reading the information here I can set up some good fun locations with history or something unique, so I'm ready to take the plunge. Thanks in advance.

[+SSO JOAT]

I'm still learning how to use my Garmin Legend HCX and while finding my first few caches, find that I'm off by 20'-40'. I know GPS's are not always that accurate...

 

New to GC myself, but I've been running GPS pretty much since public access to the system (GPS 40 was my first Garmin unit). Anyhow, the downside of the eTrex series is lower accuracy, especially under a canopy. To get a good waypoint, you'll first want to make sure you've had the GPS turned on and running for awhile (10 minutes or so). This allows it time to update the almanac data on all available satellites. While you might get a lock within seconds of turning it on, accuracy will generally improve over that first 10-15 minutes. Watch your satellite signal page to see all the bars change from outline to solid. Make sure that Differential is turned on (system menu) and wait until you have a "D" under all signal bars.

 

When you're standing at the waypoint, turn slowly 360° with the GPS on the signal page and watch your signal strengths and the accuracy factor calculated by the GPS. Depending on your surroundings, simply facing a different direction can make a big difference. When you have the best signal, watch the coordinates for a couple minutes to see how it fluctuates. Having an accuracy of ~20' isn't that bad.

 

If your signal is poor, you might leave and come back in a few hours. The sats are moving, so you may have a better constillation to work with at a different time. Mark your original waypoint and when you come back, see how close it is.

 

You can also mark a series of waypoints, leaving the site between each one. Look at how close the previous waypoints are each time you come back. Allow a little time between each visit. You can manually average your cluster of waypoints to a central point for your final one. If you use Mapsource, go home and download your group, zoom in and create a new waypoint in the epicenter of that group, while ignoring anything that is obviously way out of range. Now put that waypoint in your GPS and return to the site using the new waypoint to navigate in. You should be pretty darn close to perfect if you go through all that.

[+D@nim@l]

Under the Main Menu you will find "Mark". He is a little man holding a flag. Press the toggle button to mark the location. At the bottom left of the screen you find "Avg". Select it and press the toggle button. Let it set for a minutes or two as it collects and averages the coords and press "Save". No need to dance around. The receivers in these are very accurate.

[buzzman63]

Under the Main Menu you will find "Mark". He is a little man holding a flag. Press the toggle button to mark the location. At the bottom left of the screen you find "Avg". Select it and press the toggle button. Let it set for a minutes or two as it collects and averages the coords and press "Save". No need to dance around. The receivers in these are very accurate.

Thanks for the help-if I use the "average" method, should I keep repeating the "waypoint" toggle & "average" several times, or does it just average 2 waypoints in a row?

[+D@nim@l]

Under the Main Menu you will find "Mark". He is a little man holding a flag. Press the toggle button to mark the location. At the bottom left of the screen you find "Avg". Select it and press the toggle button. Let it set for a minutes or two as it collects and averages the coords and press "Save". No need to dance around. The receivers in these are very accurate.

Thanks for the help-if I use the "average" method, should I keep repeating the "waypoint" toggle & "average" several times, or does it just average 2 waypoints in a row?

 

No, just set it down and let go for a minute or two. It does it automatically. You will see a little counter that lets you know how many times it has averaged the coords.

[+nekom]

One thing I like to do is once I've got my waypoint marked, go a few hundred feet away and approach the cache a few times to double check your coordinates.

[+nerds5]

Make sure that Differential is turned on (system menu) and wait until you have a "D" under all signal bars.

I have a eTrex Venture HC and some questions.

• Where do I look for the 'Differential' option? On the System Setup page there is a WAAS/EGNOS option, but I don't see a 'Differential' option. Where is it?
  
• Also, is there any way to tell that the WAAS option is actually doing anything?
  
• Where would the "D" appear? I only see the numbers under the bars and no room for another symbol.
  

Thanks.

[+D@nim@l]

Make sure that Differential is turned on (system menu) and wait until you have a "D" under all signal bars.

I have a eTrex Venture HC and some questions.

• Where do I look for the 'Differential' option? On the System Setup page there is a WAAS/EGNOS option, but I don't see a 'Differential' option. Where is it?
  
• Also, is there any way to tell that the WAAS option is actually doing anything?
  
• Where would the "D" appear? I only see the numbers under the bars and no room for another symbol.
  

Thanks.

 

You will see a "D" on the bottom of the bar above the number on the satellite screen. If you are in a WAAS area you see the "D" if not you won't.

[+nerds5]

If you are in a WAAS area you see the "D" if not you won't.

According to the wikipedia WAAS page, N. America is *the* area and I am in Utah. I don't see the "D" you mentioned. Could it be that my unit will not display the "D"? Where would I find out if it should?

[+9Key]

One thing I like to do is once I've got my waypoint marked, go a few hundred feet away and approach the cache a few times to double check your coordinates.

I do the same thing and occassionally use the "Resposition Here" option on the waypoint info screen.

[Tally Dragon]

I have a technique that works well under certain conditions. If your signal strength is poor because the hiding spot is under a canopy of trees, but there is a clearing nearby, try this; Mark the hiding spot somehow so it is visible from the clearing. In the clearing check your signal strength to see if it has improved, then change to the screen that shows your coordinates. Walk in a north south direction in the clearing. Your latitude reading will change while your longitude remains about the same. When you’re abreast (perpendicular) of the hiding spot, write down the latitude. Do this a few times and choose the reading you get most often. Repeat this process walking east/west in the clearing to get the best longitude. If it’s not possible to check both coordinates this way, you may have to settle for doing just one.

 

Of course you can only use this technique when a clearing is near the cache. I have found though, that it is easier to maintain a cache if it’s not too far into the woods. Far enough to be out of sight of muggles is good enough for me.

 

BTW - This technique can also be used when searching for a cache.

Edited July 19, 2008 by Tally Dragon

[+D@nim@l]

If you are in a WAAS area you see the "D" if not you won't.

According to the wikipedia WAAS page, N. America is *the* area and I am in Utah. I don't see the "D" you mentioned. Could it be that my unit will not display the "D"? Where would I find out if it should?

 

It appears like the picture shows above when the WAAS correction is activated.

[+nerds5]

If you are in a WAAS area you see the "D" if not you won't.

According to the wikipedia WAAS page, N. America is *the* area and I am in Utah. I don't see the "D" you mentioned. Could it be that my unit will not display the "D"? Where would I find out if it should?

[image]

 

It appears like the picture shows above when the WAAS correction is activated.

That helps. Thanks for going through the effort to post the picture.

 

I don't always have the WAAS feature on, so I'll leave it on and pay more attention to the Satellite page.