total newbie with etrex question

[+ateam84]

hi. my family is starting geocaching as a christmas present to ourselves. consumer reports suggested the garmin etrex, and we got a venture hc. i'm now trying to locate a close, relatively easy cache for our first try. found one on the site, and am now trying to get the gps to work. just so i don't spend money unnecessarily, do i need to download a map to do pretty much anything besides find a city? thanks for your patience with what is probably a goofy question.

cheryl

[+Prime Suspect]

hi. my family is starting geocaching as a christmas present to ourselves. consumer reports suggested the garmin etrex, and we got a venture hc. i'm now trying to locate a close, relatively easy cache for our first try. found one on the site, and am now trying to get the gps to work. just so i don't spend money unnecessarily, do i need to download a map to do pretty much anything besides find a city? thanks for your patience with what is probably a goofy question.

cheryl

There are numerous map links on the cache page that can assist in getting you to the cache's area. From there, you just follow the arrow (usually). Once you get your feet wet, onboard maps become very handy for doing a day's worth of caching.

[ao318]

Initially you do not need maps if you are caching in areas that you are familiar with like local parks and playgrounds. All you need to do is get to the parking lot and start your hunt.

 

One thing you can do to make it easier for you to get an idea where the cache may be located is to utilize the map on the cache page in the bottom right hand corner. Click on it and then find the cache you want to visit and then in the upper right hand corner change the view from "map" to "satellite" and zoom into the cache and it will give you an idea of where you will might have to hike to or which side of a river or road the cache might be on.

[barnabasbenn]

Also when just starting out try looking for a regular sized cache and not a micro,I made that mistake when I first started and it will drive you bonkers because they are so small,and welcome to the game your gonna love it!!!

[+ladyleo191]

Hi, Cheryl and Welcome!

 

I've been caching since July and I don't use downloaded maps. I just enter the cache's coordinates (and I'm so low-tech I still do it by hand) and go hunting. You can download the coordinates from the site, but since I needed to learn how my GPSr worked anyway, I just entered them by hand and kept doing it. It only takes a minute.

 

One thing I do find helpful is to either print out the cache page, or take a few notes on each one that I am hunting that day, including the hint. I also look at past Find logs, to see if there may be some helpful info in them and make notes of that,too.

 

Barnabus really gave you some good advice, especially if you are not familiar with some of the cache containers. They can be a small as your little fingernail and really take some hunting.

 

Also, try to look for ones that don't require stealth if you are taking kids. Part of the fun for them is being able to laugh and giggle and celebrate when they find the treasure. Those guardrail micros in sight of a busy shopping center don't usually have the same appeal for kids.

 

Once again, Welcome and Happy Hunting!

[+ateam84]

Thanks to everyone!

[+Wintonian]

You don't need maps, although I do find the topo helpfull, I didn't start with maps and you can cache quite wellwith out just by following the compase arrow, but I would reccomend taking an paper Ordeence Servey map with you (or it's equivelent in you country)

 

A tip I have found helpfull: when you are planning a route for example look at the street map of the location and compare it to a paper map that you are going to take with you and in turn also compare with the Google Earth image, so you know that you are in the right area like if there is a wooded area, path or just feild,.and can identify what kind of place the cache might be hidden in before you go