NIGHT CACHES

[+CHRISNSCOTT]

Hey there fellow cachers!! I'm starting this forum to get us united to see how many of you like night caches?? Also that we, as a group, can get Groundspeak to start us a night cache icon. I have emailed them and asked them and the response was that there is a flashlight in the attributes, stating a flashlight is required. BUT the problem arises that not all cachers use the attributes. By having this new icon we could make it a cache "type", like a multi, Wherigo, puzzle, traditional, etc.. Night caches are truly a breed of there own and by having there own icon we could search on them so when we travel to other areas we could search for caches to do afterdark when we are still raring to go. By developing this Cache type it would possibly increase the number of Night Caches out there too.

 

Let me know what you all think and if you like the idea, email Groundspeak and let them know too. Or contact your local Geocachers group and let there people know.

 

Thanks,

Scott of "CHRISNSCOTT"

 

Spokane, WA

[Keystone]

This suggestion is made frequently. I would suggest encouraging the owners of night caches to make use of the available attributes. This will mean more visitors to their cache!

 

- "Flashlight required" (the newest attribute)

- "Not Available 24/7" (i.e., night-only)

- "Recommended at Night"

 

If I saw these three attributes, or ran a pocket query for them, I'd have a good idea this was a night cache before even reading the cache description.

[+Lil Devil]

No need for a new cache type. Just use the appropriate attributes.

[+Cardinal Red]

This suggestion is made frequently. I would suggest encouraging the owners of night caches to make use of the available attributes. This will mean more visitors to their cache!

 

- "Flashlight required" (the newest attribute)

- "Not Available 24/7" (i.e., night-only)

- "Recommended at Night"

 

If I saw these three attributes, or ran a pocket query for them, I'd have a good idea this was a night cache before even reading the cache description.

Actually, I always thought of "Not Available 24/7" to mean NOT available at night. Such as a dawn to dusk only Park.

[+Vater_Araignee]

One issue with creating a Night Cache type:

 

Prove I visited the cache at night without you physically verifying the last logbook entries at dusk and dawn every day.

------

Know that nifty abbreviation (SQ)?

Start using (NC) or better yet (VC) in you tittles and explain on the cache page, along with the previously mentioned attributes.

 

Make it a and your ALR would be From Dusk Till Dawn.

(VC) get it? Vampire Cache!

 

Crap! Now I got another project to work on...

A container that will record date and times it was opened.

[+CHRISNSCOTT]

One issue with creating a Night Cache type:

 

Prove I visited the cache at night without you physically verifying the last logbook entries at dusk and dawn every day.

------

Know that nifty abbreviation (SQ)?

Start using (NC) or better yet (VC) in you tittles and explain on the cache page, along with the previously mentioned attributes.

 

Make it a and your ALR would be From Dusk Till Dawn.

(VC) get it? Vampire Cache!

 

Crap! Now I got another project to work on...

A container that will record date and times it was opened.

 

SQ?? and ALR??......I wouldn't prove that you were there at night just that you did it every now and then look at the log as a true night cache will not be able to be done during the day......TRUST ME I have MANY ideas on how to do this so there is NO way to do it during the day!!

[+Dgwphotos]

This suggestion is made frequently. I would suggest encouraging the owners of night caches to make use of the available attributes. This will mean more visitors to their cache!

 

- "Flashlight required" (the newest attribute)

- "Not Available 24/7" (i.e., night-only)

- "Recommended at Night"

 

If I saw these three attributes, or ran a pocket query for them, I'd have a good idea this was a night cache before even reading the cache description.

 

As far as I know, the attributes function of pocket queries is not working very well, unless it's been fixed and I don't know about it. Attributes are not always provided, either.

[+Xaa]

A multi that can only be done at night is still a multi. A traditional that can only be done at night is still a traditional. How will you distinguish between night multi's and night traditionals? Make even more cache types?

 

As many have said: cache type and cache attributes are orthogonal. Bad thing to mix them.

[+Vater_Araignee]

One issue with creating a Night Cache type:

 

Prove I visited the cache at night without you physically verifying the last logbook entries at dusk and dawn every day.

------

Know that nifty abbreviation (SQ)?

Start using (NC) or better yet (VC) in you tittles and explain on the cache page, along with the previously mentioned attributes.

 

Make it a and your ALR would be From Dusk Till Dawn.

(VC) get it? Vampire Cache!

 

Crap! Now I got another project to work on...

A container that will record date and times it was opened.

 

SQ?? and ALR??......I wouldn't prove that you were there at night just that you did it every now and then look at the log as a true night cache will not be able to be done during the day......TRUST ME I have MANY ideas on how to do this so there is NO way to do it during the day!!

SQ = Spirit Quest IE. Cemeteries, grave yards, memorials and the like.

ALR = Additional Logging Requirements.

 

PM me your ideas, if they are doable I'll use them.

[+Vater_Araignee]

A multi that can only be done at night is still a multi. A traditional that can only be done at night is still a traditional. How will you distinguish between night multi's and night traditionals? Make even more cache types?

 

As many have said: cache type and cache attributes are orthogonal. Bad thing to mix them.

How can they "only be done at night"?

If they are only physically capable of being done at night then that is cool, waaaay cooool.

If the CO requires that they only be done at night then it doesn't matter if the style is Traditional or Multi, they are technically Mystery/Puzzle, but the gist of what you where getting at still holds true.

[+KD7MXI]

[+buttaskotch]

I personally would like to see a night cache category that will come up with its own symbol in Cachemate so I would either go for it or leave it alone.

 

I don't normally have time to troll around the GC.com pages and sit and read pages of cache descriptions,

I run a PQ, and load them in and go.

I am sure there are many individuals out there like myself that don't have a lot of time on their hands that would find this useful!

[+Vater_Araignee]

I personally would like to see a night cache category that will come up with its own symbol in Cachemate so I would either go for it or leave it alone.

 

I don't normally have time to troll around the GC.com pages and sit and read pages of cache descriptions,

I run a PQ, and load them in and go.

I am sure there are many individuals out there like myself that don't have a lot of time on their hands that would find this useful!

I'm almost willing to bet that you could run a filter in in GSAK to change night time caches to a special icon.

[Clan Riffster]

I am also a proponent of the night cache icon idea, however I find that I am in a tiny minority. If these forums are any judge of the overall caching community's views, (Ha!), then it seems the vast majority sees no need for more icons. I wish you luck in your attempt, as I would love to see you succeed, however I won't hold my breath.

[+webscouter.]

.....TRUST ME I have MANY ideas on how to do this so there is NO way to do it during the day!!

 

Man do you under estimate the ability and determination of your fellow cachers.

 

I would love to see you attempt this cache that has NO way to do it during the day. I bet it would be found by a cacher in the daytime in the first three months. Even less if you challenged the caching community to find it in daylight.

Edited January 12, 2009 by webscouter.

[+eigengott]

How can they "only be done at night"?

 

- use coordinates that are deliberately off, then place a small reflector at the real spot

- use coordinates that are deliberately off, then place an alarm clock which goes off at midnight at the real spot

- use an electronic device which only works at night to give the coordinates for the next stage/final cache

- ...

 

Sometimes cachers are still able to do those at daylight, but that means a longish brute force search of a large area.

Edited January 12, 2009 by eigengott

[Skippermark]

One issue with creating a Night Cache type:

 

Prove I visited the cache at night without you physically verifying the last logbook entries at dusk and dawn every day.

 

.....TRUST ME I have MANY ideas on how to do this so there is NO way to do it during the day!!

 

Man do you under estimate the ability and determination of your fellow cachers.

 

I would love to see you attempt this cache that has NO way to do it during the day. I bet it would be found by a cacher in the daytime in the first three months. Even less if you challenged the caching community to find it in daylight.

We have found several night caches in the daytime. It's not easy, but it can be done. They were a mix of reflectors, coordinates and clues where you had to guess where to go from where you were.

[+Vater_Araignee]

How can they "only be done at night"?

 

- use coordinates that are deliberately off, then place a small reflector at the real spot

- use coordinates that are deliberately off, then place an alarm clock which goes off at midnight at the real spot

- use an electronic device which only works at night to give the coordinates for the next stage/final cache

- ...

 

Sometimes cachers are still able to do those at daylight, but that means a longish brute force search of a large area.

The offsets wont work on determined cachers.

Reflectors work during the day if you have a mid range up UBLED flashlight or headlamp or if the sun is at the correct angle.

I can follow stealth fire tack trails during the day unless they have been placed so far apart that one would risk losing the trail at night.

If you get the coords from electronic device and night then came back for the find at noon, you only found the stage at night you still found the cache during the day.

Then you have the problem of people publishing the coords after they make the find.

 

The only way I can see enforcing a night time cache is impractical for most of us.

[+The Jester]

I personally would like to see a night cache category that will come up with its own symbol in Cachemate so I would either go for it or leave it alone.

 

I don't normally have time to troll around the GC.com pages and sit and read pages of cache descriptions,

I run a PQ, and load them in and go.

I am sure there are many individuals out there like myself that don't have a lot of time on their hands that would find this useful!

I'm almost willing to bet that you could run a filter in in GSAK to change night time caches to a special icon.

Yes you can - once you've identified the night caches. Attributes are NOT included in GPX files (though, they have been promised for a long time), so there is no way that GSAK can sort on them without you knowing which ones you're looking for.

[+Vater_Araignee]

I personally would like to see a night cache category that will come up with its own symbol in Cachemate so I would either go for it or leave it alone.

 

I don't normally have time to troll around the GC.com pages and sit and read pages of cache descriptions,

I run a PQ, and load them in and go.

I am sure there are many individuals out there like myself that don't have a lot of time on their hands that would find this useful!

I'm almost willing to bet that you could run a filter in in GSAK to change night time caches to a special icon.

Yes you can - once you've identified the night caches. Attributes are NOT included in GPX files (though, they have been promised for a long time), so there is no way that GSAK can sort on them without you knowing which ones you're looking for.

That's where your PQ comes into play... when it works right.

[+eigengott]

Reflectors work during the day if you have a mid range up UBLED flashlight or headlamp or if the sun is at the correct angle.

 

You've never seen a reactive light? That little electronic device doesn't even start to show itself during daytime, no matter how hard you try to "trigger" it. And even then you won't see it.

 

Apart from that little technical detail, you are argumenting from an extreme standpoint: cachers willing to "cheat" and willing to spend a lot of effort on it. I don't think that's a sound way to talk about the pro's and con's of a nightcache attribute. Most of us cachers go out to have fun, not to cheat.

 

And just for the record and to be on-topic again: While Keystones list of attributes is a good suggestion in the absence of a dedicated nightcache attribute, I strongly support the introduction of such an attribute.

[+eigengott]

.

Edited January 12, 2009 by eigengott

[+edscott]

 

...

I can follow stealth fire tack trails during the day unless they have been placed so far apart that one would risk losing the trail at night.

....

 

My night cache has the reflectors far apart. It's set up a bit like a maze in that the reflectors are set up to 100 meters past every trail junction, so each choice needs to be explored until the correct path is found. There are over 10 junctions along the route. On the final bushwhack the tacks are placed within sight of each other. The markers are the camouflage pyramids. So far no one has done it in daylight. I have found a couple that used the large thumbtack type reflectors in daylight.

 

As most have said.. the night attribute should be a clear indication that it s a night cache.

[+CHRISNSCOTT]

 

...

I can follow stealth fire tack trails during the day unless they have been placed so far apart that one would risk losing the trail at night.

....

 

My night cache has the reflectors far apart. It's set up a bit like a maze in that the reflectors are set up to 100 meters past every trail junction, so each choice needs to be explored until the correct path is found. There are over 10 junctions along the route. On the final bushwhack the tacks are placed within sight of each other. The markers are the camouflage pyramids. So far no one has done it in daylight. I have found a couple that used the large thumbtack type reflectors in daylight.

 

As most have said.. the night attribute should be a clear indication that it s a night cache.

 

YES, I do agree with most of you on this, an attribute that SPECIFICALLY identifies a night cache would be great BUT the GSAK will not filter those and I personally don't read all of the caches listings that I download to Possibly hit that day/weekend until I'm there to do the caches, but I do search for Multi's, when I have time or nearby caches if there is still daylight while out in the field, but if I knew there was night caches in the area I would stick around and look after my daylight finds....

 

Also to comment on doing them during the day.....well some of my ideas are.....well like was stated put them( the reflectors) OFF of the beaten path and then hide little caches at each reflector area that state where to stand to see the next "Spot", not where they actually are but where to stand....and don't put each marker in the same position as the previous ones.....like not all 6' off the ground at eye level, maybe stand up on a nole and look down into a ravine to spot one on a rock at knee level??? or get climbing gear and place them above the average sight line......and well....you get the picture

 

So YES give us cachers a dedicated Night Cache Attribute, or give us a type of cache icon so that it is filterable while in the field.......PLEASE!!!

 

[+Vater_Araignee]

I think that until a dedicated NightCache attribute is supplied, should add (VC) to all their night caches and explain in the listing what it means and ask any CO the are on good terms with to do the same.

The Reason I say to use VC is to get people to say "What does that mean?" Rather than say "What the heck does North Carolina have to do with (insert state/province/country here)"

[+Vater_Araignee]

I found this official thread...

Suggesting New Attributes

[+Juicepig]

- "Flashlight required" (the newest attribute)

- "Not Available 24/7" (i.e., night-only)

- "Recommended at Night"

 

 

Not a Single night cache I have done has these attributes set

 

Maybe an additional attribute for "NIGHT CACHE"?