Advice on locating caches

[JKJeeper]

Hi All, I am also new to this, seems like its catching like wild fire. I purchased a used Garmin Etrex Vista C which I know is a discontinued model but it was a good price and came with a few maps and accessories. I have figured out the device pretty good and have looked for about 5 caches so far and only found 2. I am looking usually in conservation areas( heavily wooded). When I am searching, I am following the gps path and it is counting down metres to the target, how close should it get me and when it shows the cache is off the path I sometimes lose the signal once I get into heavy woods. I would just like to know if I am doing something wrong ? Sorry about the long e-mail, one more thing, should I buy "Geocaching for Dummies" or am I on the right track.

Thanks

[+wkmccall]

Hi All, I am also new to this, seems like its catching like wild fire. I purchased a used Garmin Etrex Vista C which I know is a discontinued model but it was a good price and came with a few maps and accessories. I have figured out the device pretty good and have looked for about 5 caches so far and only found 2. I am looking usually in conservation areas( heavily wooded). When I am searching, I am following the gps path and it is counting down metres to the target, how close should it get me and when it shows the cache is off the path I sometimes lose the signal once I get into heavy woods. I would just like to know if I am doing something wrong ? Sorry about the long e-mail, one more thing, should I buy "Geocaching for Dummies" or am I on the right track.

Thanks

 

The model you purchased doesn't have a high sensitivity receiver which is why you find that you are loosing the signal under heavy cover so I don't think you're doing anything wrong

[+Jeep4two]

I had 30 finds of 36 attempts before I upgraded to a high sensitivity GPSr. Only 1 that I can think of was a DNF that could be attributed to the GPS not getting me close enough.

 

I will say this. The older units that are not high sensitivity do require some special handling while using.

 

Before giving up on your GPSr try some of these ideas. When you get close to the cache start holding your GPSr out in front of you at an angle (like it was a book you were trying to read). Keeping it away from your body will help with reception. In addition this will ensure it has a clear upward view for the patch antenna to get better 'view' of the satellites.

 

So how close to the cache do you need to do this? Well that depends on the amount of tree cover. I've found that the heavier the earlier. Usually within 500 feet in normal tree cover works, but sometimes .2 miles works best (heavier tree cover).

 

In addition to how you handle the GPSr you might also slow your approach once you get within about 300-500 feet. This will allow you to focus on making you are getting good reception and also allow the GPSr to adjust to your slower speed and improve accuracy (this is an observed behavior from my eTrex Legend). It helped me quite a bit, but your mileage may vary.

 

That said - there's no doubt that a high sensitivity GPSr will make life easier but it is not a requirement by any means.

 

Try some of my techniques and see if they help you out and keep in mind that even the best GPSr won't navigate you within inches of the cache. Once you are sure you are within 25 feet of a cache it's a good idea to start looking for logical hiding spots.

[+BlueDeuce]

Back in my day we didn't even have a C and we liked it that way!

 

As with any gps, H or otherwise you still have to contend with the limitations of a civilian gps. Under best conditions you still could be searching 30 plus feet from ground zero. Do your best to try to center on the area and then put the gps away and start searching,

 

Heavy tree coverage or cliff walls could increase the search area.

[+Steve&GeoCarolyn]

We have an Oregon with its high sensitivity receiver and we still had a find ratio much like you are describing when we began, especially in wooded areas. In fact, we had a find ratio just like that yesterday. Sometimes it's not what is in your GPS that matters as much as what is going on in your head.

 

I really liked "Geocaching for Dummies". I find it comforting when advice comes out of a book, even though I know that is irrational. It's a good book, but you actually don't need it if you are reading the forums. What will help more than anything is to sit with someone and have them show you what the various kinds of caches look like and the common sorts of hides in your area.

 

Carolyn

Edited May 27, 2009 by Steve&GeoCarolyn

[+raslas]

When we started I was wondering if we were doing things the right way also. I did read a book and experience is definitely the better way of improving your finds. The more caches you find the easier it will become as you will come across various types of cache containers and get more familiar with the different ways people choose to hide a cache. I love to read but in this case nothing is better than experience.

[+briansnat]

First because you don't have a high sensitivity receiver you need to keep your unit flat, face up to the sky at all times when under trees. If you hold it at your side, hang it around your neck, clip it to your belt or hold it in any position other than face up to the sky you WILL lose reception.

 

That should address your reception problem most of the time.

 

As far as searching, the most common mistake novices make is relying too much on the GPS and concentrating their search were the GPS says the cache is. You need to realize that consumer grade GPS units are only accurate from about 10 to 30 feet. So when you combine the inaccuracy of your unit and the inaccuracy of the hider's unit, the cache could be 40, 50 or more feet from where your GPS says it is. So if you don't find it right away you need to expand your search area.

[JKJeeper]

Thanks All, sounds like I am on the right track. I just was not sure how close GPS was going to get me. What about the bearing/course pointer? is it the same as the target with the GPS. Thanks again.

[+StarBrand]

I found my first 150 caches or so with a very similar unit. Take Briansnat's advice to heart and the unit works much better.

 

Here are some general hints:

 

Look for caches with a difficulty of 2 or less for your fist few caches. Stick with regular sized caches for your first few. Micros can be quite hard to find sometimes. Stick to areas you are familiar with. Look for anything out of place or unusual. Look for unusual piles of sticks, grass, leaves, rocks, sand, etc. Feel where you cannot look. Think vertical, not all caches are on the ground. Look up or at eye level. Look for traces of previous searches to zero in on the spot. Think like the hider - where would you put a container in this location? Look for things too new, too old, too perfect, not like the others, too many, too few. Change your perspective - a shift in lighting can sometimes reveal a cache. Keep in mind that many micros are magnetic or attached to something (via string, wire etc). Slowly expand your search area to about 40 feet from where your GPS says ground zero is. Bring garden gloves and a flashlight - they help! Be prepared to not find the cache more often then you think.

 

Most of all - have fun!!

[JKJeeper]

When I was considering purchasing this unit I read all the info I could and of course the model info says high sensitive receiver so I didn't know any difference. What kind of units do you all use?

[+WebChimp]

I purchased a used Garmin Etrex Vista C which I know is a discontinued model but it was a good price and came with a few maps and accessories. I have figured out the device pretty good and have looked for about 5 caches so far and only found 2.

 

Having a big deal, high dollar, loaded-up GPS is nice, but finding caches is more dependent on your ability to look at your surroundings and your ability to learn than which GPS you own.

 

With a some practice the Etrex will do as good a job of finding caches as any GPS. It won't hold cache listings, make a phone call, or make a cup of coffee, but it will do a good job of what you're out there form, and that's finding caches.

 

Keeping the unit flat is important, but just as important, once you think you're at the cache location, put the GPS away, and look. Forget being at two feet versus being at eight feet. In caching, those are basically the same distance, sure to the inherent inaccuracy of all GPS units.

 

Once at the cache location (what some call "ground zero") you've still got a 30' circle to look in. Check the obvious places first (the fork of trees, obvious holes, etc.) Then use logic and persistence to find the container. The best question you can ask is, "If I was hiding it, where would I put it?".

 

Good luck, have fun, and remember that experience (and caching with a partner) is the best teacher.

[+StarBrand]

When I was considering purchasing this unit I read all the info I could and of course the model info says high sensitive receiver so I didn't know any difference. What kind of units do you all use?

 

Depends on the day of the week and my mood and the weather.

 

Well ok, to be perfectly honest - it depends mostly on which one has batteries in it. I have a Garmin Oregon 200, A garmin Colorado 300, 2 Garmin legend HCx's, A Garmin 60C, a Garmin Venture Cx, A good old standby Garmin Legend (old blue), 2 Garmin Rino 120's and an eTrex camo that I found a long time ago. The new Lowrance Out&Back will arrive next month sometime. My wife says I have a sickness..........

[+jeanne123]

 

Well ok, to be perfectly honest - it depends mostly on which one has batteries in it. I have a Garmin Oregon 200, A garmin Colorado 300, 2 Garmin legend HCx's, A Garmin 60C, a Garmin Venture Cx, A good old standby Garmin Legend (old blue), 2 Garmin Rino 120's and an eTrex camo that I found a long time ago. The new Lowrance Out&Back will arrive next month sometime. My wife says I have a sickness..........

 

Yikes! Your wife could be right! If you get bored with any of those, feel free to drop one of them my way!

[+Allanon]

When I was considering purchasing this unit I read all the info I could and of course the model info says high sensitive receiver so I didn't know any difference. What kind of units do you all use?

 

Depends on the day of the week and my mood and the weather.

 

Well ok, to be perfectly honest - it depends mostly on which one has batteries in it. I have a Garmin Oregon 200, A garmin Colorado 300, 2 Garmin legend HCx's, A Garmin 60C, a Garmin Venture Cx, A good old standby Garmin Legend (old blue), 2 Garmin Rino 120's and an eTrex camo that I found a long time ago. The new Lowrance Out&Back will arrive next month sometime. My wife says I have a sickness..........

 

 

[+briansnat]

When I was considering purchasing this unit I read all the info I could and of course the model info says high sensitive receiver so I didn't know any difference. What kind of units do you all use?

 

Depends on the day of the week and my mood and the weather.

 

Well ok, to be perfectly honest - it depends mostly on which one has batteries in it. I have a Garmin Oregon 200, A garmin Colorado 300, 2 Garmin legend HCx's, A Garmin 60C, a Garmin Venture Cx, A good old standby Garmin Legend (old blue), 2 Garmin Rino 120's and an eTrex camo that I found a long time ago. The new Lowrance Out&Back will arrive next month sometime. My wife says I have a sickness..........

 

Funny post. Before I started geocaching I had no interest in GPS technology. I read about it, and thought that a compass and map would do me just fine thank you. Since I started geocaching I've owned a Garmin Legend, Garmin Vista, Magellan Meridian,Garmin Geko, Garmin 60CSX, Garmin 60CS, DeLorme PN40 and had the long term use of a Lowrance iFinder H20 and Lowrance iFinder Go2.

 

I've yet to find a better all around unit than the 60CSX. There are may units that do one thing or another better, but no GPS unit today that has the whole package like the 60CSX

 

.

[+BareFeat]

Also humidity plays a major part in the offset of a gps signal. With an older model i would imagine it may even run havoc on it. The newer units or "high sensitivity" units are also complemented by newer gps technology. You can actually get gps indoors in some cases now, depending the structure of the building, and the unit your using.

 

[+Curioddity]

Having a big deal, high dollar, loaded-up GPS is nice, but finding caches is more dependent on your ability to look at your surroundings and your ability to learn than which GPS you own.

Yup. I actually have 3 GPSr units; a nuvi 500 for the car, an Oregon 400t hand-held, and an old GPS 12 hand-held (all Garmin). I typically do my caching via bicycle so I use the Oregon the most, but last sunday I punched some cache coordinates into my old GPS 12 and used it for nostalga (and comparison) sake.

 

Using the old unit didn't seem to handicap me in any way, at least not in regards to homing in on the caches. The only downside was more of an inconvenience than a handicap: I had to print out the cache descriptions and carry them as hard copy rather than simply viewing them on the GPSr. Yeah, I felt like a caveman carrying a fossil but I found all the caches and I had a legitimate excuse to let my imagination run amok.

 

Like many have already said, the GPSr is only going to get you close and then your "geosense" has to kick in. My success ratio went up substantially once I started putting the GPSr away once I was confident that I was at the published coordinates. I'm still relatively new at this so I'm still learning how to think like a geocacher and to that end, my GPSr units have proven to be a more of a distraction than a benefit.

 

Pete

[+Cachers of the Rose]

When I first started I expected the GPS to point to the cache too.

I've learned these techniques by trial and error.

 

When I reach the GPS's location, I visually plot a circle of maybe 10-20 feet and search that area and increase it as needed. If that fails I walk off the opposite direction 50-100 feet and approach again with the GPS to see where the GPS leads me, sometimes I repeat this from a third different direction an triangulate the results.

 

Trial and error also taught me it's easiest to find the cache when you are "not looking for it." I scan the area as a whole (sort of look through it not at it) and let my eyes catch anything out of place. Nature does not have straight lines or right angles, plastic, metal, certain colors etc. So when I look at the natural environment as a whole, these anomalies seem to jump out and are quite often the cache. My technique reminds me of those optical illusions where you have to relax your eyes and look through the random designed background and suddenly a 3-D scene pops out.

 

Good luck! Practice does make perfect!

 

FYI: I have a simple cheap GPS, my daughter's boyfriend has an elaborate expensive unit. They can rarely find caches unless they are with me. My daughter told him size does not mater!

Edited May 29, 2009 by Cachers of the Rose