A few questions...

[Vergas]

this si more 2 questions in one...

 

found out about this on wikipedia a few days ago... (i swear ive seen people doing it before, and i just KNOW Ive found a cache before somewhere)

 

thought id give it a shot and went to find 2 caches on saturday (Both failed, couldn't find one and second serach was cut short by a phone call)

 

i plan to try again monday... however.

 

i have no GPS... so, first questions.

 

what Advice would you give to a newbie geocacher attempting to Geocache with no GPS...

 

i have a phone and camera, but thats about it for now...

 

 

and second question, what the CHEAPEST GPS you can buy which can be used for geochaching... (I'm a jobless teenager)

 

i live in Adelaide, Australia if that helps...

 

 

Help is greatly appreciated.

[+cmdrblop]

You can do a certain amount of geocaching with no GPS at all. Search for geocaches in Adelaide and use geocaching.com's map feature with satellite view to browse through them. Look for caches in areas that have unique geographic features you'll be able to identify when you're on the ground.

 

For instance, take a look at this map (which is in Adelaide). The cache in the middle of the map, "Don't drop that cache" seems to be on a bridge. Although it looks like it's in the water, it has a one-star terrain rating, so it's probably on the bridge. And it's certainly not on the train tracks! (Caches are not hidden in dangerous places like on train tracks).

 

So this map, plus the information on the cache page, is probably all you need to go out and find that cache! After you've found a dozen or so caches you can decide whether you want to spend some money on a GPS (and I'll let other people offer advice on those).

 

Good luck!

 

- Joe

Edited September 13, 2009 by cmdrblop

[+BlueDeuce]

You could also see if there's a local club that someone would be willing to have you join them on a cache outing.

[+niraD]

(Caches are not hidden in dangerous places like on train tracks).

Just a minor quibble: some caches (e.g., 5-star terrain that requires special equipment/skills to reach) are in dangerous places. The issue with train tracks is trespassing on the railroad right of way, not danger per se.

[+Fuzzywhip]

this si more 2 questions in one...

 

found out about this on wikipedia a few days ago... (i swear ive seen people doing it before, and i just KNOW Ive found a cache before somewhere)

 

thought id give it a shot and went to find 2 caches on saturday (Both failed, couldn't find one and second serach was cut short by a phone call)

 

 

Welcome Vergas!

 

I would probably post your question in the "Australia" section and ask if any geocachers near you would be willing to help. Most cachers are a helpful bunch, so you should be qble to find help.

 

Otherwise, look for geocache listing that are "Regular" in size, and have Difficulty and Terrain ratings of "2" or less. This should help you find your first few caches and get started in this addictive sport!

[indign8]

this si more 2 questions in one...

 

found out about this on wikipedia a few days ago... (i swear ive seen people doing it before, and i just KNOW Ive found a cache before somewhere)

 

thought id give it a shot and went to find 2 caches on saturday (Both failed, couldn't find one and second serach was cut short by a phone call)

 

i plan to try again monday... however.

 

i have no GPS... so, first questions.

 

what Advice would you give to a newbie geocacher attempting to Geocache with no GPS...

 

i have a phone and camera, but thats about it for now...

 

and second question, what the CHEAPEST GPS you can buy which can be used for geochaching... (I'm a jobless teenager)

 

i live in Adelaide, Australia if that helps...

 

 

Help is greatly appreciated.

 

Edited September 19, 2009 by indign8

[indign8]

this si more 2 questions in one...

 

found out about this on wikipedia a few days ago... (i swear ive seen people doing it before, and i just KNOW Ive found a cache before somewhere)

 

thought id give it a shot and went to find 2 caches on saturday (Both failed, couldn't find one and second serach was cut short by a phone call)

 

i plan to try again monday... however.

 

i have no GPS... so, first questions.

 

what Advice would you give to a newbie geocacher attempting to Geocache with no GPS...

 

i have a phone and camera, but thats about it for now...

 

 

and second question, what the CHEAPEST GPS you can buy which can be used for geochaching... (I'm a jobless teenager)

 

i live in Adelaide, Australia if that helps...

 

 

Help is greatly appreciated.

 

Just started caching myself. I started with no GPS like yourself. Trust me when I tell you that this is addicting and you will want a GPS to do this. I have attemped 3 caches so far and located 1 due to the fact

that I knew the area very well. Many are based on GPS coordinates. Try checking Craigslist or ebay for a gently used older model or put this on your christmas list. I picked up a Garmin etrex legend for under 100.00. Good luck

[Pajaholic]

I've just started myself. I already had a GPS-equipped PDA. However, for two of my three finds to date I had to rely on satellite imagery and triangulation from identifiable landmarks. From my experience, I suspect that a reasonable compass and a printout from Google Maps etc. (with scale included) will be all you need for a good many caches. If you enter the co-ords into the Search box of Google Maps, you can get an aerial view with the co-ords prominently indicated.

 

HTH,

 

Geoff

[Knight-Errant]

While there are limitations on the caches you can find, we found our first 500 or so without benefit of a GPSr. Google Maps can be your friend. The primary limitations are in more rural areas that don't have identifiable landmarks.

[+ChannelFadge]

Hey,

Ive just started also and have no GPS. So far Ive found 7 and DNF'd 2. Mainly i hunt in areas that I know pretty well already and I always look at the hints/log/photos before setting off.

its kinda fun having no GPS because often ive ended up walking off into completely random places in the wrong direction, ive had some really strange adventures

[+avoloz]

You can do a certain amount of geocaching with no GPS at all. Search for geocaches in Adelaide and use geocaching.com's map feature with satellite view to browse through them. Look for caches in areas that have unique geographic features you'll be able to identify when you're on the ground.

 

For instance, take a look at this map (which is in Adelaide). The cache in the middle of the map, "Don't drop that cache" seems to be on a bridge. Although it looks like it's in the water, it has a one-star terrain rating, so it's probably on the bridge. And it's certainly not on the train tracks! (Caches are not hidden in dangerous places like on train tracks).

 

So this map, plus the information on the cache page, is probably all you need to go out and find that cache! After you've found a dozen or so caches you can decide whether you want to spend some money on a GPS (and I'll let other people offer advice on those).

 

Good luck!

 

- Joe

[+avoloz]

You can do a certain amount of geocaching with no GPS at all. Search for geocaches in Adelaide and use geocaching.com's map feature with satellite view to browse through them. Look for caches in areas that have unique geographic features you'll be able to identify when you're on the ground.

 

For instance, take a look at this map (which is in Adelaide). The cache in the middle of the map, "Don't drop that cache" seems to be on a bridge. Although it looks like it's in the water, it has a one-star terrain rating, so it's probably on the bridge. And it's certainly not on the train tracks! (Caches are not hidden in dangerous places like on train tracks).

 

So this map, plus the information on the cache page, is probably all you need to go out and find that cache! After you've found a dozen or so caches you can decide whether you want to spend some money on a GPS (and I'll let other people offer advice on those).

 

Good luck!

 

- Joe

[+avoloz]

testing testing

[Pajaholic]

While there are limitations on the caches you can find, we found our first 500 or so without benefit of a GPSr. Google Maps can be your friend. The primary limitations are in more rural areas that don't have identifiable landmarks.

Provided there is a trail there are usually identifiable landmarks. For example, my second find was GC136Z9 - Death Corner. My GPSr was completely useless for the last mile and a half and I could have got to where my device lost the signal using a basic road atlas! The cache is in a deep valley in a forest (i.e. a rural area). I got to it by checking bends and junctions in the trail. The final find was by bearing and distance from the nearby junction. This process is much harder if you don't know how distances on the aerial photo relate to distances on the ground - which is why I said to include the scale on printouts.

 

FWIW, even trees and bushes can be identifiable landmarks. For example, my third find was under trees in a park and although my GPSr got me within 100' it lost signal when I got close to the cache. I resorted to triangulation from a pair of bushes and a small tree, which led me to within a couple of feet of the cache.

 

With that said, I've now got 8 finds (all in rural locations except for the above park) and of those only two would have been more difficult with Google Maps than with GPS. From my experience, I suspect that you'll be able to tell from the satellite image itself whether it can get you to the cache - and thus know which ones to leave until you have a GPSr.

 

HTH,

 

Geoff

[Knight-Errant]

While there are limitations on the caches you can find, we found our first 500 or so without benefit of a GPSr. Google Maps can be your friend. The primary limitations are in more rural areas that don't have identifiable landmarks.

Provided there is a trail there are usually identifiable landmarks. For example, my second find was GC136Z9 - Death Corner. My GPSr was completely useless for the last mile and a half and I could have got to where my device lost the signal using a basic road atlas! The cache is in a deep valley in a forest (i.e. a rural area). I got to it by checking bends and junctions in the trail. The final find was by bearing and distance from the nearby junction. This process is much harder if you don't know how distances on the aerial photo relate to distances on the ground - which is why I said to include the scale on printouts.

 

FWIW, even trees and bushes can be identifiable landmarks. For example, my third find was under trees in a park and although my GPSr got me within 100' it lost signal when I got close to the cache. I resorted to triangulation from a pair of bushes and a small tree, which led me to within a couple of feet of the cache.

 

With that said, I've now got 8 finds (all in rural locations except for the above park) and of those only two would have been more difficult with Google Maps than with GPS. From my experience, I suspect that you'll be able to tell from the satellite image itself whether it can get you to the cache - and thus know which ones to leave until you have a GPSr.

 

HTH,

 

Geoff

We didn't mean to imply that you couldn't use Google Maps in rural areas, just that you will frequently find them to be of less help and some times of no help (i.e., 4 square miles of sage brush). However, don't limit yourself to just the satellite maps, often (in other than flat terrain) the terrain feature can be very helpful as well, but it only zooms in so far.