are we doing this wrong?

[+rubberchickenclan]

the boys and i started out on our first trip to find some geocache sites, i picked out six easy ones (i thought) you know the ones that every one has found. but at the end of the day we were 2 for 6. now i understand these things are hidden, but if anyone has some advice for us we would welcome it. trying to keep them interested or at least not have to tell them "sorry guys daddy is just not smart enough to figure this one out"

so heres what we have, ..... a garmin nuvi 350, we can track the gc until the garmin says we are right on top of it and search the woods for an hour and still come up empty handed, what are we doing wrong?

[+Juicepig]

It takes a while to get warmed up

 

I am not sure a Nuvi is the best geocaching tool, it tends to lock onto nearby road so you can only get caches that are near the roadside. The a Garmin handheld unit like a 60CSx, or if you have the spare change, a Colorado

 

If you want to impress your kids you can also go "pre-find" them

[+NOV8TR]

Others will chime in here and suggest that there are better GPSr's for geocaching, and there will be suggestions regarding easier difficulty ratings and larger cache sizes. All these suggestions will be well founded and are worth serious consideration. I will only point out that the more you hunt, the better you will get (like anything else). There have been many days when I have "hunted for 10" and "only came up with 1 or 2". Don't get discouraged! You might want to "prerun" a cache site or two without the youngins. Youngsters are so easly distracted and rapidly become disinterested without instant gratification that hunting for an illusive hidden treasure can turn into a chore very quickly. If you already know where to look, then you can keep it fun for them until they get good enough to truely participate in a game that can drive even the most experianced geocacher mad with frustration!

Hang in there, and cache on!

[+Slug Trails]

Your standard GPS receiver can only have an accuracy of 10 feet at best. If you are in dense woods, this can go up to 30ft or even 40ft. Also when the cacher was placing their cache, their GPS receiver will not have been completely accurate, so you have to bare in mind that when you get to 0ft, there is no guarantee that the cache is right next to you.

 

When you are picking geocaches to find, look at the size, difficulty and terrain ratings. If the size is micro, you will usually be looking for a 35mm film cannister or even smaller. Small and regular are normally variations of tupperware boxes or ammo cans.

As you are new to geocaching, try searching for regular sized caches with a low difficulty/terrain rating. Once you bag a few of these, you will begin to see a pattern of how the caches are hidden and where to look.

 

When you visit the cache location, look for tell-tale signs as to where it might be hidden. Sometimes the ground is worn where people have walked off the path. Look for piles of stones that look out of place, or layers of sticks that could be hiding a cache. It may help if you imagine you are hiding the cache. Where would you hide it so the public won't stumble across it but where geocachers won't have too much of a problem finding it. Under a tree perhaps, covered by a stone and off the main footpath. Or in a hollowed out tree stump covered by a piece of moss?

You could make use of the additional hints given on the cache pages as a lot of cachers do when they can't find it. Some even read the hint before finding the cache - it's completely up to you how you play the game.

 

Good luck

[+rubberchickenclan]

It takes a while to get warmed up

 

that would be "cheating" juice pig ......... but im not above it,

[+StarBrand]

As was stated the Nuvi is not the most suitable tool for Geocaching (unless you have the new 500). Try to get a small handheld for field use and leave the Nuvi in the car where it does an excellent job.

 

As for finding caches: stick with tradtional, regular or small sized caches until you have found a dozen or more. Choose caches with a rating of no more than 2 for difficulty. Look for anything out of place or unusual. Anything too new, too old, too perfect, too rusty etc. Feel where you cannot look. Think vertical - not all caches are on the ground - it could be at or above eye level. Expand your search area up to 50 feet or so of where your GPS says it should be. Look for unusual piles of rock, sticks, grass, leaves sand etc.... Think like hider - where would you hide something. Be prepared to strike out from time to time - I fail to find about 1 in 8 or so that I start out looking for.

[+therealwesty]

I don't know much about the Nuvi series units, but a friend of mine has one and from what I can see it is definitely a car-based unit. These units tend to assume you are sticking to the mapped roads, so they aren't as accurate when you take them into the woods.

 

The Garmin eTrex and Colorado series are both trail-ready mapping GPSr units. I think all but the cheapest eTrex models are "Geocaching friendly," which means the firmware (unit programming) has a special waypoint icon for caches, and you can send caches to the GPS right from the site using a USB cable. I have an eTrex Venture Cx; it was pretty affordable and it works great. This model has been discontinued, but the Venture HC has all the same features plus a high-sensitivity receiver, so it should be more accurate. If you want to upgrade, the Venture HC gets a lot of recommendations from other posters as well.

 

Without upgrading the GPS it might be tough. No GPS is perfect, but you really need to be as close to the right spot as possible. Usually when we reach a GZ, the cache location can almost become obvious. The best advice is to consider the size and difficulty rating, and think about where you might hide a cache of whatever size. Look for stumps, logs, rocks, or piles of rocks that a container could be in, behind, or under... Get the kids looking, help them identify possible hiding placing. Suggest one or two of them go check "that stump" while you look under "this log."

[+Buggheart]

Hi there! I'm a newbie too having just started geocaching within the last week. My mom and I went our first night looking for 2 and found just the one which was a very easy hide. We did not have a GPS yet so finding the 2nd was like looking for a needle in a haystack (it's hidden somewhere in a large cemetery). But that first one was super easy.

 

I know this is going to sound really basic, but look for the easiest cache listings within your area and don't be afraid to rely on any hints given in the hints section. Parking lot caches may not be the most exciting caches but it helps to get some practice learning how people hide stuff where there are not many places to hide things. Trying to find something in the woods is a lot harder! Also, reading comments left by other finders may help a little. Expect the unexpected and look for things that look out of place (i.e., piles of sticks, rocks, or leaves).

 

Hope that helps! Don't give up, it's really fun once you get the hang of it.

[+Juicepig]

It takes a while to get warmed up

 

that would be "cheating" juice pig ......... but im not above it,

 

warm up as in find more, thats not cheating - You get better as you get more.. or not in my case!

 

you do have to deal with disappointment sometimes

[+therealwesty]

Just something random I thought of, that is helpful though. Bring a flashlight! Even a little AAA powered LED light is better than nothing. But a reasonable little light can save sticking your arm down any number of dark and grimy holes!

[Tonka_Boy]

I don't know how your GPSr works, but I'll bet if you are following it to "zero" feet away, you've probably walked past the cache. If you are under tree cover or around hills, you've probably walked way past the cache.

 

I always stop when my GPSr says that I am 60 feet away. Without turning right or left, I watch the number of feet count down on the display, and the arrow adjust. Nine times out of ten, after a minute or two, the arrow is pointing directly at the hiding spot and displaying the number of feet away.

 

Pretty doggone accurate for me.

 

Your family will get used to working as a team. As you watch the GPSr, they anticipate the point. And when you point to the spot, they'll be on it like a dog on a bone.

[+The Blorenges]

Welcome to the Forums, rheslin2

 

All good advice above but, if you try all those suggestions and you still can't find a cache, here's another idea:

 

You haven't got any indication of your home location showing underneath your avatar but there are lots of regional geocaching forums on this board. Go to your local forum and put up a post saying "Newbie geocacher from <wherever> could do with some help getting started." I'm sure some geocacher local to you will get in touch and perhaps will meet up with you for a couple of hours to give you some practical help.

 

Good luck.

 

MrsB

[+BoggyWoggy]

It takes a while to get warmed up

 

I am not sure a Nuvi is the best geocaching tool, it tends to lock onto nearby road so you can only get caches that are near the roadside. The a Garmin handheld unit like a 60CSx, or if you have the spare change, a Colorado

 

If you want to impress your kids you can also go "pre-find" them

OH, man! If I'm not mistaken, doesn't the Colorado run more than $500? Ugh. I own an $88 Garmin etrex that I bought through Amazon...then upgraded to a Magellan SporTrak Color for about $375. When I accidently broke the Magellan, I replaced it through ebay...for $120!

[CLV3]

the boys and i started out on our first trip to find some geocache sites, i picked out six easy ones (i thought) you know the ones that every one has found. but at the end of the day we were 2 for 6. now i understand these things are hidden, but if anyone has some advice for us we would welcome it. trying to keep them interested or at least not have to tell them "sorry guys daddy is just not smart enough to figure this one out"

so heres what we have, ..... a garmin nuvi 350, we can track the gc until the garmin says we are right on top of it and search the woods for an hour and still come up empty handed, what are we doing wrong?

 

We have found 12 to date. Only been doing this for a few months now. I find that even ones listed as easy sometimes take a while to find. Some I have had to go back a few times. I have felt that as we have been doing this our "geo-sense" has become more tuned. You start looking for certain patterns and objects. Trust me, you'll notice it too.

 

I start looking at around 30-50 feet (generally). You need to remember that it does not just depend on the accuracy of your GPSr, but also the person who hid the cache. How accurate was THEIR GPS. Did they actually use the waypoints for the specific localtion or the general area? There are many factors involved. Within time, you will establish your own way of looking that will work for you, but even veteran cachers do occasionally have to know when to let it go and move on.

Edited August 28, 2008 by CLV3

[+root1657]

So after everything that everyone else said, I'd suggest too that you check your coordinate format settings in your unit. There are a lot of different ways to measure the eath, and if you measure it different than the rest of us, you will be standning in a different part of the field than we are.

 

You should be set to wgs84 hdd mm.mmm

 

Try that out on a couple of 1/1 caches, and see how it goes. It does get easier as you train your eye to see the things that others dont, and in time you will get a feel for your local hides. I have a local in San Diego that is fond of using fake plant pieces appropriate to the spot as attached cammo on her caches. At first they would totally kick my butt, but now that I'm used to them, I can get em quick.

 

Stick to it and teach them boys the value of persistance.

[+CapeDoc]

As was stated the Nuvi is not the most suitable tool for Geocaching (unless you have the new 500). Try to get a small handheld for field use and leave the Nuvi in the car where it does an excellent job.

I have done all my caching either with a Nuvi or my cell and therefore have to disagree. All the caches I have placed have had comments of "coords spot on" and I believe them to be very accurate. There are ways of using them that may help. As stated they can become "road locked" - this can be overcome by switching the unit off, then on again. The mapping is not great, but once you think you are standing on the cache at GZ (ground zero) switch to "my current location" (on my 300 I follow the menus: "where to" > "My locations" > "my current location") and you can see the exact coords you are standing at. Then work with either South/North or East/West. IE Figure out if you are too far South or North, face due S or N (as needed) and walk till you location matches the cache's S or N location. You will then be on the correct line of latitude. Then switch to E/W : Turn 90 degrees in the required direction (due East or West) and correct your longitude. At that point your coords should match the cache coords. From there, put the GPS away and think like a hider, paying particular attention to the cache size, and all the excellent tips above. I find I am usually within 3 or 4 meters (sorry to use the up to date units of measurement!) of the cache. Caches hidden long ago are often a bit off, as the GPS's used many years ago were not as accurate as your Nuvi.

Please post a note to let us all know if the tips you got in this thread helped.

[+Steve838]

I have been Geocaching for about 3 months now and after reading this question concerning the Garmin NUVI 350, I figured I had to add my two cents. I also use a 350 because that is what I had, and find it works fine. Make sure Settings--System--WAAS is on. It increases accuracy. Cape Doc pretty much summed up what I do with my 350. I use the Go function to get as close as possible, then change the Navigation setting to Route Preference-- Off Road. That gets me closer, then I go to My Locations--My Current Location. I then move North/South and East/West to get to the exact coordinates I am looking for. Then, I start looking around as the above posters have said. What doesn't look right? Where would I hid a cache? As of yesterday I have found 36 caches using my 350, so although other GPSr's are no doubt better, I am content with mine for now. Another thing to help is to check out the Google satellite shot before you go. This gives you a better idea of what to expect. Good hunting.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Steve838

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I have been Geocaching for about 3 months now and after reading this question concerning the Garmin NUVI 350, I figured I had to add my two cents. I also use a 350 because that is what I had, and find it works fine. Make sure Settings--System--WAAS is on. It increases accuracy. Cape Doc pretty much summed up what I do with my 350. I use the Go function to get as close as possible, then change the Navigation setting to Route Preference-- Off Road. That gets me closer, then I go to My Locations--My Current Location. I then move North/South and East/West to get to the exact coordinates I am looking for. Then, I start looking around as the above posters have said. What doesn't look right? Where would I hid a cache? As of yesterday I have found 36 caches using my 350, so although other GPSr's are no doubt better, I am content with mine for now. Another thing to help is to check out the Google satellite shot before you go. This gives you a better idea of what to expect. Good hunting.

 

There are other reason why a GPS for auto navigation is less suitable than a hand held unit. I've turned WAAS off and on with my Garmin 76Cx and haven't noticed a significant difference, especially in heavy tree cover and

in deep gullies. WAAS uses ground reference stations thus you're not going to benefit from it unless you have an unobstructed view of the horizon. Also, from the Garmin site:

 

"Currently, WAAS satellite coverage is only available in North America. There are no ground reference stations in South America, so even though GPS users there can receive WAAS, the signal has not been corrected and thus would not improve the accuracy of their unit."

 

The only time I've tried to get to the N/S (or E/W) coordinate first then follow that path until it intersects with the other was when I was finding a puzzle cache in which one of the coordinates wasn't working out. I typically use "Find Geocache", select a waypoint, then "Go To". Then I can either use a directional arrow or the map view to show the direct path toward the waypoint. On both screens it will show "distance to waypoint", which for me is probably *more* important than the direction. When the GPS tells me I'm 100' from the waypoint I'll start looking 100' out (after awhile you get pretty good at estimating distances) for a likely hiding spot and proceed directly to that location. Otherwise you might wander back and forth trying to get to the "exact location" only to discover that once you're there (assuming reception is good enough that you can ever get there) there is a large tree stump 30' away that would be a very likely spot to hide a cache.

 

The primary reason why a auto navigation GPS is less suitable is that it's not really intended to be used outdoors. They're not designed to be carried in hand and thus could more easily be dropped and if it is dropped less likely to withstand the impact. Almost all hand held GPS units are water resistant to some degree and many can withstand total immersion. Try geocaching with an auto navigation in the rain or drop it in a stream and your expensive piece of equipment.

 

Since a auto navigation unit is meant to be used in a vehicle it's typically connected to a continuous power source and thus the battery life may be significantly less than in a handheld unit.

[+JATurtle]

As said before, lots of good advice. When I started, my teenage kids got tired of driving around looking aimlessly for the park.

 

Read the logs. When a cache is not where the coordinates say, frequently the finders will make remarks about the accuracy of the coordinates, or, they will provide alterative coordinates that are better. In urban areas, small caches can be relatively easy finds, but with small children try to select the regular size caches. Also, check out the cache attributes and see if they suggest a kid friendly cache.

 

I did a small cache with five DNFs. Finally, someone reported that it was actually located 90 feet from the CZ coordinates. I went back, marked the CZ spot, and walked 90 feet down river. There it was, hanging in a tree. Regular caches are more likely to be on the ground (or close to it). Smaller caches can be anywhere. Unfortunately, small kids don't necessarily have the same reach or vision you. Micros and small caches can be in stone walls (a favorite in CT), fence posts, tree holes, hanging from branches, magnetic under benches, stuck to signs... you get the idea. Good luck and good caching.

Edited August 30, 2008 by JATurtle

[+The Lone Sapper]

A friend of ours has one of those and he finds that if you stop when it is says 18ft accuracy and 18ft to target he finds most of his. I agree though, a high sensitivity GPSr is the only way to go, or you will spend a lot more time looking rather than finding. I have still yet to see a GPSr that can beat a 60cxs or 530HCx Rhino.

Edited August 30, 2008 by The Lone Sapper

[+kohldad]

Found 2 of 6 on your first outing? That's outstanding!!!!!!!!!! Even after 1300+ finds, I somtimes have days worse than that. If I found everyone I looked for, I think it wouldn't be a s much fun.

 

Lots of good advice above. One thing that I didn't see mentioned was to find a local event so you can meet fellow geocachers. This can be a social, meeting, group hunt, cache run, etc. I'm sure there are one or two in your area that would love to take you and the young ones out to find a few local caches. Have them take you to a variety of caches so you get a better understanding of different ways to hide them. You may even luck up and find a geocacher that has kids too.

[+JATurtle]

This thread has some good recommendations and your Moderator Keystone provided some information as to the cache disposition. Question: are you going to make an effort to reactivate this ache? Also, Keystone noted that you “self-archived” this cache, and, that he is not inclined to un-archive the cache for certain reasons. Question 2: why did you originally archive this cache? Question 3: are you attempting to un-archive this cache, or are you just enjoying the dialog (just curious, nothing wrong with either)?

 

Summarizing what I see in the above:

 

1 - To un-archive this cache, you need to send Keystone a written statement of permission from the Town and/or the School District giving you permission to place the cache. This would be similar to that done by other nearby cache owner’s sharing the park. If you had questions as to what they provided, contact them and ask.

 

2 - As an aside to item 1 above, you might email Keystone and ask him the details of the complaint he is referencing. Don’t ask him who made it. Ask him what their issue was so that you may address it and solve the problem. Also, whatever the complaint is, arguing with the moderator is typically not productive. You have a greater ability to fix the problem than to change his opinion by arguing.

 

3 - An email from an administrative assistant does not typically constitute permission. I would think that minimally, you need something sent to you “on behalf of” a Superintendent, Parks Manager; whatever the ruling office is. The email or letter should at least indicate that the correspondence was sent to you with Town Official’s knowledge and consent.

 

4 - It’s your cache, and you are creating the experience. Where should people start, exactly? Perhaps in addition to a parking suggestion, you want to tell searcher’s where the recommended (or necessary) trail head is located.

 

5 - In situations like this cache, I would provide a suggested parking location and ask cacher’s not to park in the school or other sensitive locations. After all, stealth is part of the game. It is hard to go unnoticed when muggles are upset or complaining about the unauthorized cars parked in their lot.

 

6 - You can easily add additional waypoints to your page, and I would make the effort in this case. Also, the last time I did this, the current format asks you to prove the moderator with an explanation. This may also help you address an issue raised by complaint.

 

7 - As for Keystone, once you have made an honest effort to address his issues, ask him politely to acknowledge receipt of your information. He may be willing to send you a quick email, without committing to any particular action until he has the time to review all that you have provided.

I hope that you are trying to re-open your cache. Please let us know, and good luck.

Edited September 6, 2008 by JATurtle

[monkey710]

We have also only been at this for a month or so.

 

The normal sized caches don't present us with too much difficulty (but I do have to admit I looked at the hints too early on the first few caches).

 

The micros are harder for us though. A member on this site who found one that I couldn't gave me this advice and was instantly helpful:

 

"It's common on many of the "Micros" and worse yet, the "Nanos" that the hide may appear to be something that belongs in the area. We have found chunks of cement with the cache hidden inside the cement, caches that appear to be logs, and even nuts and bolts that will unscrew and have the cache hidden within the device. In addition, sometimes what appears to be a sprinkler head will unscrew and have the cache contained within. I would walk across the bridge towards the paved path and search around the end of the bridge. Remember to touch, move and even try to unscrew anything that looks like it could be removed."

 

Good Luck

[monkey710]

We have also only been at this for a month or so.

 

The normal sized caches don't present us with too much difficulty (but I do have to admit I looked at the hints too early on the first few caches).

 

The micros are harder for us though. A member on this site who found one that I couldn't gave me this advice and was instantly helpful:

 

"It's common on many of the "Micros" and worse yet, the "Nanos" that the hide may appear to be something that belongs in the area. We have found chunks of cement with the cache hidden inside the cement, caches that appear to be logs, and even nuts and bolts that will unscrew and have the cache hidden within the device. In addition, sometimes what appears to be a sprinkler head will unscrew and have the cache contained within. I would walk across the bridge towards the paved path and search around the end of the bridge. Remember to touch, move and even try to unscrew anything that looks like it could be removed."

 

Good Luck

[+Wild Thing 73]

If you "think" you are "hooked", get the GPS Map 60CSx...it will save you money in the log run and it is a super GPSr that all will enjoy....it can take a beating. I have dropped my in the rocks, water (retrieved quickly)...it is rugged and reliable, warms up almost immediately and is ready to go. Shop on the web, eBay, etc....There prices are coming down... Happy trails

[+rubberchickenclan]

thanx to all for the advice.... sapper wish i could have been there, and i will look up the gps map 600