A newbie with far too many questions!

[+NennyandNunu]

Hello,

 

after watching Country File yesterday, my husband and I were compelled to secretly go off and look on our seperate computers for information about geocaching without the other knowing, lest we went down in each others estimations. Although, it turns out we both want to be techy geeks (have just realised that this won;t endear either of us to you! Opps)

 

Anyhoooo . . . last night we made our first find, a micro cache hidden very well, but because w eknew the area we found it with not too many problems. Now we want to get a bit more adventourus and are thinking of getting a GPS - to be honest, I am really excited about it and want to have it in my damp and sweaty hands ready for a weekend of geocaching next week.

 

After spending literally hours on t'internet last night, I am still none the wiser. I am thinking of a Garmin eTrex H. From what I can see people seem to recomend it. I will only ever use it for geocaching as when I go hiking I am generally taking groups of children who are learning the old fashioned navigation methods - DofE groups and Guides and Scouts. So, I know I don;t want an all singing all dancing one.

 

Does the eTrex H have what I need for goecaching? I knwo it's at the cheeper end of the spectrum, but I;m a poor teacher and I have a habit of taking up hobbies for a few months and then dropping them so I don;t want to spend a months salary on one!

 

Also, just wondered how many of you come from Beds / Cambs area. There seems to be quite a few caches hidden around the area - I'm amazed I'd never heard of it before the Country File thing!

 

Hope I haven't offended too many of you with my post, I have a habit of doing things like that. Looking forward to some answers.

 

Nunu

[+Longfram Kev]

Hi Nunu welcome to the forums and the hobby,sport, addiction that's caching. If you look on the main UK forum page I've "bumped" an old topic called "adopt a Newbie" look in there and you'll find caches in your area who are willing to help. I think there is also a local forum for your area Beds/Cambs.

 

hope this helps Kev

[+Wintonian]

The Etrex H is fine as a basic geocahing unit and just over £65 on amazon.

 

Oh and welcome.

[+andyfee]

The same GPSr I use. Great Item, I have had no problems with it, well apart from no maps on it.

 

For a starter one it is great, does the job perfectly.

 

Welcome to the great world of geocaching ! !

[+NennyandNunu]

Thanks Kev, I'll go over to the adopt a newbie thread now.

 

Excellent, thanks Hog, Amazon it is then!

 

Nunu

[+NennyandNunu]

Thank you Andy - I';m feeling more confident about buying that GPS now.

[+andyfee]

It's really easy to use, the best thing you can buy for it is a data cable, costs about £8 from ebay. Saves so much time, and mis-entered co-ordinates.

[+Haggis Hunter]

I have a habit of taking up hobbies for a few months and then dropping them

I'll hazard a guess that if you enjoy the outdoors that this is a hobby that will be an exception to that rule? It is really addictive.

 

Welcome to the sport/hobby/pastime/addiction whatever you want to call it.

[+NennyandNunu]

Do you know the really freaky thing Andy, I was literally about to come on here and ask if you thought it would be a good idea to get a data cable, and lo and behold you had already answered the question. Thanks!

 

Haggis, well, I'm hoping so. My dog likes the great outdoors, but my husband doesn't, so I'm hoping this will encourgage him to come out walking with me because it has more of a purpose than just walking!

 

Mind you, any hobby thats going to cost me £70 at the outset had better be one that I keep up. Mind you, I was looking at the list of places there are some and there are loads in the places I normally walk the dog when I am visiting my family in Norfolk anyway and a lot within a very short distance of my house. I want toget a few more finds under my belt and then place a few of my own caches!

[+The Blorenges]

Welcome Nunu

 

I hope you'll enjoy your new interest of geocaching - we've been wondering how many folks would be interested to try it out after watching "Countryfile".

 

There are lots of helpful contributors to this forum, from all parts of the U.K.... Just give them a day of two and they'll all chime in - Remember, some will only look at this forum maybe once a week

 

There is also the Geocaching Association of G.B. which has a lot of information and its own forum.

 

At the top of this forum, in the pinned section you will see "Resources for geocachers in UK and Ireland" which has loads more information you may like to browse through.

 

MrsB

[+Us 4 and Jess]

Almost 1300 finds with my "little yella" can't be wrong

 

Turn back now or be for ever addicted

 

Welcome to the madness

[+Bear and Ragged]

Welcome!

 

300 finds on the older version of the yellow etrex, before upgrading.

 

There's the old adage that "Geocaching takes you to places you may otherwise never have gone, and shows you things you might otherwise never have seen -very useful if you like the outdoors!

Edited March 2, 2009 by Bear and Ragged

[+The Slaughter Family]

Welcome to the hobby, I mean addiction

 

I believe that is the one I have and works fine for us.....200 today

[+seacarrot12]

Hello NennyandNunu, i would suggest you get an Ordinance Survey Map of your area, (the Orange ones), it will show you all the footpaths and places you can walk freely.

 

Mine is invaluable.

 

I have a Change

 

Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS, it has a Geo cache Icon you can use and a find your nearest Geo cache feature, most importantly it has a cable which you can upload co ords from the PC .

 

£50 cheaper than RRP on Amazon.

[+NennyandNunu]

Right, I have now commited myself. I have ordered a etrex H from amazon!

 

I can't wait til it turns up!! Yay

[+Yorkie30]

Right, I have now commited myself. I have ordered a etrex H from amazon!

 

I can't wait til it turns up!! Yay

 

You can get a data cable from Maplins on the high street if you need one. My Etrex H found my 1st 350 caches and now my wife uses it. Welcome to Geocaching, its great fun and remember it is not just about how many you find, its about enjoying the places it takes you.

[andynelaine]

Hi Nunu and welcome

 

Just a thought............While doing DofE it would be a good idea to take the Etrex with you, It would come in very handy in the event of thick fog/snow/other problem ,if you needed to contact the emergency services, You could say where you are too the nearest 15ft , How useful is that !!

 

AND there are then the sneaky caches to be found on route

 

All the best Andy

[+Haggis Hunter]

Hi Nunu and welcome

 

Just a thought............While doing DofE it would be a good idea to take the Etrex with you, It would come in very handy in the event of thick fog/snow/other problem ,if you needed to contact the emergency services, You could say where you are too the nearest 15ft , How useful is that !!

 

AND there are then the sneaky caches to be found on route

 

All the best Andy

I have to echo this. When I am out in the hills, I always use the map & compass to navigate. But there is nothing wrong with having a GPS as a back up. Such as your map get's blown away or you are in a white out and are totally disorientated, if you have certain waypoints already in your GPS, it could save your life.

[andynelaine]

Like being able to tell the ranger's where you are ,Thus speeding up the airlift of Snowdon

 

Yes I have that Tee shirt

[+NennyandNunu]

You make a fair point, and I guess, once I've spent that kind of money on it (I'm not sure why I;m complaining, my cooking stove cost more than that!!!!) I will certainly find other uses for it.

 

I won't be going any further than the local tescos without it

[+Bear and Ragged]

I won't be going any further than the local tescos without it

 

Mark the car, useful for finding it again in big car parks!

[+Munkeh]

I won't be going any further than the local tescos without it

 

Mark the car, useful for finding it again in big car parks!

 

or off your trolley caches

[+NennyandNunu]

Went out today for our first day out - I didn;t realise how unfit I'd got. We only went a 1/4 of the way I'd plan and it wasn;t exactly tough terrain!

 

Not doing too well! Out of 8 we managed to find 4, which had they have been difficult, wouldn;thave been too embarassing, however, as they are all listed as easy, and two groups of people went through before we did and then found them, I have to hang my head in shame!

 

Still, it was our first time ever using a GPS and only one of us could look at a time because the other had to be holding the bike with the baby in the seat!!!

 

So, not too disapointed and still keen to go out and do it again!

[nortyshaz]

Hey,

 

Me and my other half saw the contry file thing last weekend by chance really we wee flicking through and found it! we both have looked online (although i think i'm more eager than he is at the moment)

 

There aren't many near me from what i can see, but we gonna try giving it a go on our next full day off together!

 

Are there many about Hertfordshire do people know?

 

*over to look through the ther post about newbies!*

[+NennyandNunu]

Nortyshaz, it's great fun and good excersise too!

 

Definately check out the newbie post, if you want to give it a try but not sure about buying a gps to have a go, then there will probably be someone on there willing to go out with you guys so you can have a go at it!

[+andyfee]

NennyandNunu you found 4 that is the main thing. Many people may have there stories, heres mine. I went out to get a simple cache with my wife, nice drive out, great walk, even better location. 1 hour later of hunting around from the two of us still nothing.

 

In total 2 hours lost looking for a single cache, and still not found.

 

Then I went back a few days later and found in a matter of min.

 

Some you win some you lose, after a while you will work out all the little hidey holes and tricks that other cachers play.

 

My most total hours on a cache was around 6 hours, 1st time( 2 of us for and hour) 2nd time (4 for an hour). When I did find it was a great feeling, also had about a 50% find rating from people looking for it.

 

Happy caching guys.

[+NennyandNunu]

Thanks Andy, that makes me feel a lot better.

[+Grizzly Pair]

Hi Nenny and Nunu. I think we followed you around Cambourne yesterday , we met two other teams also doing the circuit. This is quite a challenging series with a variety of different hiding methods employed, we also had to devise our own route fo the circuit wheresas often a route setter would suggest a sequence or give directions . So you shouldn't feel too bad about only finding 4 of the 8 you attempted , on your first time out this is not the easiest introduction.

[+NennyandNunu]

LOL

 

I it was us following you actually, I think tehre were about 4 groups out looking for them yesterday. But everyone we came to already had your sig in from earlier in the day! In fact, it took me ages to replace your camo back round the one which isn;t in that group but on the trail!

 

It was a nice couple of hours out though, and we are not going to let it defeat us, we will be back (especially now you have reasured me it's not so embarrasing!).