I want to be FTF

[+The Cache Trackers]

I've been wishing to one day be the first to find a cache but I'm always to late. Is there any way that I can narrow a search so I can find the nearest unfound caches?

this would be sweet.

[+Chrysalides]

I've been wishing to one day be the first to find a cache but I'm always to late. Is there any way that I can narrow a search so I can find the nearest unfound caches?

this would be sweet.

If you're searching for them, it is unlikely you'll get to be FTF. You need to set up notification so you'll get an e-mail when new caches are published.

 

Then you'll need to plant booby traps for the other FTF hounds in your area

[knowschad]

Excuse me, I'm kind of new here. What is an "FTF"?

 

 

(just kidding... that's my way of saying that FTF doesn't really matter)

 

 

You need to have instant notification set up and will willing and able to leave that meeting with the boss or those vendors or that fight with your wife or girlfriend or that discplinary session with your child. You need the fortitude to deal with bad, or even fat-fingered coordinates that may put you anywhere from 30' to 3 miles from the cache. But most of all, you need to be able to not care when you go to an event or run into other cachers in the field that have no clue that you almost got divorced over your last FTF and they yawn when you try to tell them about it.

 

 

Did I already ask, "what's an FTF"?

[+Knight2000]

I've been wishing to one day be the first to find a cache but I'm always to late.

My question is why?

[+bittsen]

Do a pocket query to select caches that have not been found. I'm sure there are some within a reasonable driving/hiking distance.

I did a PQ near me recently and was surprised how many caches still haven't been found after being in the field (so to speak) for weeks or months.

[+mrbort]

I was driving along a not-so-remote Nebraskan road around a month ago and a little blip popped up from my GPSr... I stopped since I needed a break, found the cache (btw, nebraska seems so idylic in the summer until you get out of your air conditioned car...) and looked for the last cacher.... I couldn't find one so I assumed it was a replacement log. Signed it and moved on. Turned out it was a cache (in a really beautiful spot with a historical marker and nice pulloff where I didn't feel weird poking around in bushes) that was published over a month before without a single find. It was really well done and I'm still the only visitor.

 

I guess if you're serious about finding one first, set up the alerts and have em sent to your cell... otherwise, one will probably fall into your lap before you know it!

[+Mudfrog]

I've been wishing to one day be the first to find a cache but I'm always to late.

My question is why?

 

I'm not positive if you're asking why he or she wants to be first to find or,,, why he or she is always too late getting them.

 

If it's the first, and i have a feeling it is, i can tell from your tone of reply that it's not something you're interested in. For alot of us though, being in on a friendly ftf competetion amongst other cachers is alot of fun.

 

If it's the second, then he or she will have to tell you themselves as i have no idea.

[+paleolith]

Take a hike. Caches which require a hike of an hour or more each way often go for a week or two before the FTF. Or you could come look for this cache of mine which has been sitting there for over five months waiting for a find.

 

Edward

[+StarBrand]

http://www.geocaching.com/notify

[+JJTally]

Set up the notification then get Textmarks so you can get those pesky coordinates without even driving home to your computer. Hasn't really paid off for me yet, but I haven't seen too many new caches lately.

[+kusanagi]

You can set up notifications that will inform you when a cache is published. You will get emails shortly after each cache is published with in a given radius. Another way is to set up a pocket query for caches that have not been found. Once you set up the pocket query don't run it, instead view the results online and book mark the results page. Around here most caches are found with in the first day after it's been published, many are found with in the first hour depending on when they were published. For that reason the notifications can be helpful if your email is time stamped. After a week you may notice that your local reviewer publishes the caches during a certain time period and that would be the time you would most likely get the first to find. The bookmarked pocket query is helpful as well since it allows you to view all unfound caches in your area.

[+dcarbone]

I've been wishing to one day be the first to find a cache but I'm always to late.

My question is why?

 

I'm surprised Knight 2000 didn't find his answer here.

Edited August 28, 2009 by dcarbone

[+Mudfrog]

Set up the notification then get Textmarks so you can get those pesky coordinates without even driving home to your computer. Hasn't really paid off for me yet, but I haven't seen too many new caches lately.

 

We got two ftfs today thanks to this procedure!

[+Sky King 36]

My question is why?

 

Like a lot of other cachers, I really enjoy the "race" for an FTF. Because of my work arrangement, I do some of my caching in the twin cities and most of my caching in Cedar Rapids, IA.

 

In Minneapolis, you probably have about 25 minutes to get to an urban cache to have a chance at FTF, but that also depends on time of day it is published. Up in my neck of the woods, you gotta be quick to beat Rebelex. Cedar Rapids has an active core of about 40 very tight-knit cachers, and most of us know each other. When a cache is published, you better have your GPSr in your car and have your boots on. In late afternoon and early evening, if you don't get to the GZ in 11 or 12 minutes you may not have a shot. It has added to the fun, and the camaradarie, in Cedar Rapids. If it is on the north side, the Weasel and I will make you run if you want it.

 

Also, FTFs are the very best chance to meet other cachers, since more than one cacher is usually converging at the same time. I never seem to be in town for events. I have made a lot of caching friends that I met at FTFs.

[+paulbarratt]

I've been wishing to one day be the first to find a cache but I'm always to late. Is there any way that I can narrow a search so I can find the nearest unfound caches?

this would be sweet.

 

I see that you ae a premiuim member. Have you got your notifications set up to email you when a new cache is published??? if so then you just have to figure out how to beat your local FTF hounds which , from my own experience, is incredibly difficult.

 

You also have to watch out for people that give coords to their friends before publication. I disagree with this unless they are purely beta testing.

[+chrisrayn]

I live in a small town, and I only go after the FTFs that are in small towns near me. Otherwise, I doubt I'll get the FTF if I have to drive an hour to the Dallas area.

 

If you're willing to take a 30 min drive, sometimes you can get little small-town caches that people don't want to waste the gas on.

 

Just a thought.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I've been wishing to one day be the first to find a cache but I'm always to late. Is there any way that I can narrow a search so I can find the nearest unfound caches?

this would be sweet.

 

I see that you ae a premiuim member. Have you got your notifications set up to email you when a new cache is published??? if so then you just have to figure out how to beat your local FTF hounds which , from my own experience, is incredibly difficult.

 

You also have to watch out for people that give coords to their friends before publication. I disagree with this unless they are purely beta testing.

 

Yeah, you can always "cheat". Friend up with a local cacher or two, and have them give you a heads up just prior to a new cache placement is published. FTF is a personal thing, and I think manytimes over emphasised (my opinion only).

[+Sky King 36]

You also have to watch out for people that give coords to their friends before publication. I disagree with this unless they are purely beta testing.

 

In your beta-test example... I think most would agree that if you gave the coords to one of your hides out to another cacher, to test the ratings, test out a multi, etc... that the following logic applies:

• If you helped them, gave them additional hints, walked with them... then they shouldn't log it.
  
• If you gave them only the public description and the coords, but gave it early, before publication, then they just wait a few days until others have logged it, so that the FTF was determined "fairly", and then the beta finder logs their find later. They still get credit for having found it, because they did.
  

Yeah, you can always "cheat". Friend up with a local cacher or two, and have them give you a heads up just prior to a new cache placement is published. FTF is a personal thing, and I think manytimes over emphasised (my opinion only).

 

But it is worth noting that both of these would indeed be "cheating" in a way. Per my previous post, if you got caught doing this in Minneapolis, I am not sure the community is tight enough that there'd be much fallout. Do this in Cedar Rapids, where the community is more tight-knit, and both cachers... the one that gave out the coords, and the one who got them, would have a bad reputation for a long time.

[+popokiiti]

The FTF race resulted in a night meeting of hunters (us included) which was fun. Although we weren't the first, I still enjoyed it. Recently had our first joint FTF - along with a fellow cacher....and the children whose cache it was were hovering, asking "Did ya find it yet?" followed a few minutes later by "Did ya find it yet?" We found it....they almost told us where to look, but we asked that they didn't. Nice to see the CO and a fellow cacher at the scene.

[+Minimike2]

I was checking my latest cache listing today, looking to see if a Saturday finder had logged yet. Lo and behold there is a NEW cach listed just below mine, meaning close to my home. I looked, went next door to get the 10 year old cache companion and away we went. We got the FTF! 15 minutes later at home I looked again and it seems the same person had 20 caches published at the same time. W00T! Next door and then away we went. We got 3 more FTFs. I then went over to my son's house and grabbed 3 more FTFs on the way. I gave up then to let some others get the other 13 caches first. I broke no speeding laws.