Newbie needs some help with GPS and more!

[+SwEagle]

Hi I'm SwEagle and new to Geocaching. Oh, what fun I thought this would be. I ordered my first ever GPS, a Magellan Triton 400, mostly to find eagle nests as that is the only location info that is shown. I will be monitoring for the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey this breeding season. So I really need to learn more about using and locating the cords with the GPS, but finding out about GCing, while researching GPSr, just added a bit more excitement to the task, especially after I saw how many caches are hidden around the Treasure Coast.

 

I somewhat learned how to use it, still learning!! Downloaded the local caches, and wrote down the cords rather than print out info as well and away I went to find them.

 

I read all the info, the logs and thought I was starting with easy finds, albeit the small ones. That didn't work so I printed the info and still failed. I did noticed that I could input all the info into the GPS manually, but that takes a lot of time.

 

My first breakdown came at trying to find the exact cords, ex: N 27° 13.059 W 080° 20.726 or whatever was sent to my GPS. I do understand that the cache may or may not be at the exact cords and you have to look around the general area, but when you look and look and look and find nothing, well it is a bit frustrating. Even with following the little arrow on the GPS and checking the distance to reading. And finding that you are at least close to the "spot" and a search still comes up empty.

 

So one question I have is and I found myself in this situation yesterday....I was standing in the exact spot of the posted latitude, but not close to the supposed longitude....so how does that work? Yet I have been in the right area/cords and searched within in 10-12 foot radius to no avail.

 

So sorry for rambling, maybe I just need a mentor!! Any takers out there in the PSL, FL area to show me the ropes?

[+Jeep4two]

I am little confused. You say

 

I was standing in the exact spot of the posted latitude, but not close to the supposed longitude...

 

If this is the case you were in the wrong place. You had the right position north/south (Latitude) but the wrong position east/west (Longitude). If you aren't at the exact coordinates you aren't likely to find anything.

 

When using your navigation arrow the pointer will guide you to the exact point that you entered in (or transfered to) your GPSr.

 

A few things to keep in mind. Geocaches use the WGS84 datum. If you are using a different datum on your GPSr you will have errors unless you first convert the coordinates (don't ask me how - someone else may know - but it's easier to just change your GPSr datum to WGS84).

 

You may want to post in your regional forum if you want to get some guidance. Also check to see if there are any upcoming event caches that you can attend. They usually fall on weekends so you might even catch one in your area this weekend.

 

Also you say:

 

I do understand that the cache may or may not be at the exact cords and you have to look around the general area

 

This is somewhat true, however keep in mind that the coordinates for traditional caches are supposed to be where the cache is hidden - as exact as possible. You will need to expand your search area to 30 - 50 foot radius to account for positional error (accuracy) of the hiders GPSr and your GPSr. However caches should'nt be hundreds of feet away from the coordinates - and typically should be found within 10-20 feet or so (this has been my experience anyway).

[+StarBrand]

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 containers 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 (your error plus hiders error). 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!!

[+SkellyCA]

I have questions for you...

 

When you download the caches, you should be getting all of the info from the cache page accept the size of the cache(hopefully soon to be resolved) and the logs. So my first question is. Are you downloading the .gpx files or the .loc files?

 

You should download the .gpx files, they contain the info on the cache page, which eliminates the need to print out the info(paperless caching). Also, being a premium member, you can search and download up to 500 caches at a time from the website using Pocket Qurries.

 

You can customize the map screen with certain fields at the bottom. I like having the distance to end field. It usually gets me to within 3' of the cache.

 

Make sure your unit is in the Geocache profile. Then you can goto Menu->Goto-Geocaches and then you select one and it points you to where you need to go. It sounds like you're trying to match the coordinates manually rather than using this feature?

Edited August 14, 2009 by SkellyCA

[+SwEagle]

Thanks for the input. Datum on my GPSr is set to WGS84. I did download cache info via GPX exchange on the most recent ones. I do think that before I upgraded to premium that I had to use .LOC with EasyGPS. I use the Vantage Point software to transfer to the GPSr.

 

@ SKellyPA - Make sure your unit is in the Geocache profile. Then you can goto Menu->Goto-Geocaches and then you select one and it points you to where you need to go. It sounds like you're trying to match the coordinates manually rather than using this feature?

 

Yes, I will try this as I do think I was trying to follow the marked caches on the map on the GPSr. Not sure, but will try again.

 

I deleted all my stored caches and will try again using all the info given. I did say, I'm still learning!! Thanks to all for your advice. Off to try again!

[+SkellyCA]

In the geocaching profile you get a line to follow right to the cache and you can add the distance feature to the map screen so you know how far away it is.

[+SwEagle]

In the geocaching profile you get a line to follow right to the cache and you can add the distance feature to the map screen so you know how far away it is.

 

I already had that going for me. Now I am down for about 4 weeks. I got all the caches loaded into my GPSr and checked the info, everything was there except logs. As I turned off the GPSr, the on/off switch broke. The piece inside broke off of the circuit board, so now I have to send it in for repair.....Aaarrrggggggg!!

 

Thank you

[+SkellyCA]

You're welcome

[+mrbort]

Hi I'm SwEagle and new to Geocaching. Oh, what fun I thought this would be. I ordered my first ever GPS, a Magellan Triton 400, mostly to find eagle nests as that is the only location info that is shown. I will be monitoring for the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey this breeding season. So I really need to learn more about using and locating the cords with the GPS, but finding out about GCing, while researching GPSr, just added a bit more excitement to the task, especially after I saw how many caches are hidden around the Treasure Coast.

 

First of all, welcome to the hobby It sounds like you're going to be doing some interesting things with your GPSr in addition to geocaching -- pretty awesome

 

I somewhat learned how to use it, still learning!! Downloaded the local caches, and wrote down the cords rather than print out info as well and away I went to find them.

 

Try sending those cache coordinates to your GPSr directly using the "send to GPS" button on the cache page. I am not positive about the connection with the Triton but at least that gets you away from any possibly transcription errors. There are a lot of people more qualified to answer that one than I am.

 

I read all the info, the logs and thought I was starting with easy finds, albeit the small ones. That didn't work so I printed the info and still failed. I did noticed that I could input all the info into the GPS manually, but that takes a lot of time.

 

Starting out, it's generally a good idea to start with easy hides yes, but also to start with hides that are of a regular size rather than small or micro. That might give you a bit better idea of what you're looking for and the ways people hide these caches before you go out and get frustrated looking for tough ones. Give regular sized caches with fairly easy approaches a go and then branch out

 

My first breakdown came at trying to find the exact cords, ex: N 27° 13.059 W 080° 20.726 or whatever was sent to my GPS. I do understand that the cache may or may not be at the exact cords and you have to look around the general area, but when you look and look and look and find nothing, well it is a bit frustrating. Even with following the little arrow on the GPS and checking the distance to reading. And finding that you are at least close to the "spot" and a search still comes up empty.

 

When you get to that "spot," you should imagine the displayed accuracy of your GPSr and imagine that radius. Then, to make things even more interesting, imagine a similar circle intersecting yours; keep an eye on your GPSr because that will probably lead you closer and closer to where you want to be but that final spot isn't necessarily going to be the spot of the cache. Look around for places where you might imagine hiding something; poke around gently...

 

As a geologist/geophysicst, I was trained to run right up to the rocks and start tasting them and touching them. I'm not advocating that but get up into it and peer down at things and under things and pick up rocks. Be careful to replace them where you found them but don't be afraid to look into things. Tonight I went with my folks to find a geocache in a canyon near here. The GPSr had an accuracy of around 40 feet and the hillside was pretty littered with keen hiding places. My dad was standing there looking around and I asked him if he was searching... to which he replied "yes, quite hard!" My mom and I looked around the other parts of the search area and my dad wandered off. I ended up finding the cache in a hollow log not 5 feet from where my dad was searching quite hard My point is that you've gotta get in there and look. A geocache, well hidden, will by design not be easy to spot from a spot that any random passer by would be.

 

So one question I have is and I found myself in this situation yesterday....I was standing in the exact spot of the posted latitude, but not close to the supposed longitude....so how does that work? Yet I have been in the right area/cords and searched within in 10-12 foot radius to no avail.

 

Forgive me if this is a repetition or lesson unneeded because you seem to have it fairly well figured but: Latitude and Longitude are equally important; you need to be close to both coordinate to be in the correct spot. For instance you can follow a line of longitude from the north pole to the south... Latitude you can circumnavigate the globe at any point keeping the same latitude, never deviating north or south. It's where those specific lines intersect that are the key to the game

 

Good luck caching and I hope that someone in your area will take you under their wing. If not, please post questions here because people are friendly and helpful; don't be afraid to post any question, no matter how silly you think it might be.

 

Happy caching!

[+ltlpink]

Welcome from another newby. I also use a Triton 400 and it has been getting me within 3 feet.

 

It took me a while to get it all figured out but I am getting better.

 

One problem I encountered was having the GPS set to the same reference mode as those listed in the Cache data. Data is mostly shown as DD.DDD MM.MMM or 1/1000's of a degree and minutes. I downloaded an update to my 400 and it switched to DD.DDD of just 1/1000 of a degree.

 

Theroretically these should be the same spot but the variance is large when trying to compare what you see on paper to what is being displayed on the GPS.

 

1/1000 of a minute is 4 or 5 feet but 1/1000 of a Degree is quite large.

 

Be sure your Triton is set to the correct mode.

ltlpink

 

By old timers I mean more experienced.

 

Hopefully one of the old timers will give you abetter reply to this.

Edited August 16, 2009 by ltlpink

[+SwEagle]

Hi I'm SwEagle and new to Geocaching. Oh, what fun I thought this would be. I ordered my first ever GPS, a Magellan Triton 400, mostly to find eagle nests as that is the only location info that is shown. I will be monitoring for the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey this breeding season. So I really need to learn more about using and locating the cords with the GPS, but finding out about GCing, while researching GPSr, just added a bit more excitement to the task, especially after I saw how many caches are hidden around the Treasure Coast.

 

First of all, welcome to the hobby It sounds like you're going to be doing some interesting things with your GPSr in addition to geocaching -- pretty awesome

 

I somewhat learned how to use it, still learning!! Downloaded the local caches, and wrote down the cords rather than print out info as well and away I went to find them.

 

Try sending those cache coordinates to your GPSr directly using the "send to GPS" button on the cache page. I am not positive about the connection with the Triton but at least that gets you away from any possibly transcription errors. There are a lot of people more qualified to answer that one than I am.

 

I read all the info, the logs and thought I was starting with easy finds, albeit the small ones. That didn't work so I printed the info and still failed. I did noticed that I could input all the info into the GPS manually, but that takes a lot of time.

 

Starting out, it's generally a good idea to start with easy hides yes, but also to start with hides that are of a regular size rather than small or micro. That might give you a bit better idea of what you're looking for and the ways people hide these caches before you go out and get frustrated looking for tough ones. Give regular sized caches with fairly easy approaches a go and then branch out

 

My first breakdown came at trying to find the exact cords, ex: N 27° 13.059 W 080° 20.726 or whatever was sent to my GPS. I do understand that the cache may or may not be at the exact cords and you have to look around the general area, but when you look and look and look and find nothing, well it is a bit frustrating. Even with following the little arrow on the GPS and checking the distance to reading. And finding that you are at least close to the "spot" and a search still comes up empty.

 

When you get to that "spot," you should imagine the displayed accuracy of your GPSr and imagine that radius. Then, to make things even more interesting, imagine a similar circle intersecting yours; keep an eye on your GPSr because that will probably lead you closer and closer to where you want to be but that final spot isn't necessarily going to be the spot of the cache. Look around for places where you might imagine hiding something; poke around gently...

 

As a geologist/geophysicst, I was trained to run right up to the rocks and start tasting them and touching them. I'm not advocating that but get up into it and peer down at things and under things and pick up rocks. Be careful to replace them where you found them but don't be afraid to look into things. Tonight I went with my folks to find a geocache in a canyon near here. The GPSr had an accuracy of around 40 feet and the hillside was pretty littered with keen hiding places. My dad was standing there looking around and I asked him if he was searching... to which he replied "yes, quite hard!" My mom and I looked around the other parts of the search area and my dad wandered off. I ended up finding the cache in a hollow log not 5 feet from where my dad was searching quite hard My point is that you've gotta get in there and look. A geocache, well hidden, will by design not be easy to spot from a spot that any random passer by would be.

 

So one question I have is and I found myself in this situation yesterday....I was standing in the exact spot of the posted latitude, but not close to the supposed longitude....so how does that work? Yet I have been in the right area/cords and searched within in 10-12 foot radius to no avail.

 

Forgive me if this is a repetition or lesson unneeded because you seem to have it fairly well figured but: Latitude and Longitude are equally important; you need to be close to both coordinate to be in the correct spot. For instance you can follow a line of longitude from the north pole to the south... Latitude you can circumnavigate the globe at any point keeping the same latitude, never deviating north or south. It's where those specific lines intersect that are the key to the game

 

Good luck caching and I hope that someone in your area will take you under their wing. If not, please post questions here because people are friendly and helpful; don't be afraid to post any question, no matter how silly you think it might be.

 

Happy caching!

 

The "send to GPS" doesn't work with Magellan, I did try it though. I did go back through and downloaded larger cache container ones, plus a few small. I downloaded them and was ready to go when my GPSr broke!! So now I have to wait until it gets repaired. The on/off switch inside broke. Anyway, thanks for the welcome and advice.

 

Cheers