Where the heck is the help?

[+hawleyj]

Ok, I might as well start out with an admission. I am pissed. I will try to keep my vulgarity to a minimum for the rest of the message.

I wanted to try Geocaching. This seems to be the "go to" site. I came and paid for a premium membership.

First..... Where the <potty language removed> is the help?

I wanted to get the closest 100 caches to my home location. Why is that so <potty language removed> difficult to do?

The only way I can even find to generate a pocket query is to go to the "Map It" area. Why the <potty language removed> is that?

I waded my way though the pocket query several times. So far as I can tell (again, where the <potty language removed> is the help file?) it should generate a file of some sort and email it to me. Well, I haven't received anything.

I'll be <potty language removed> if I am going to go into the "Map It" section and "send to GPS" one cache at a time.

 

I'm serious. So far, this site has been nothing but downright frustrating.

I only want to do the MOST BASIC STUFF. Find some reasonable number of the closest geocaches to my home, download the GSX version info to my GPS, and go try out this geocaching thing. I'm so frustrated at trying to figure out how to do this MOST BASIC stuff that I am about ready to send my GPS back and demand my money back for my Geocaching.com premium membership.

 

I hope I am just missing something very basic here. If you can help me through this I would be very appreciative. Otherwise, I don't have the time or the temperment to deal with this site.

Edited December 28, 2009 by Motorcycle_Mama

[+Pax42]

Step 1. Take chill pill. There are far better things to get stressed over than this.

 

2. On right side of your account page under PREMIUM FEATURES you'll find "Build Pocket Queries"

3. Click on create new query

4. Check the box at the top for today or tomorrow or whatever. If you don't do that you won't get the email.

5. Check the rest of the boxes as you see fit. This step should be rather easy.

6. Submit.

 

The email does not always come right away. Depending on server load it can take a little while, sometimes several hours but most of the time within minutes.

[+Isonzo Karst]

That the site lacks a search box or a site map is a significant weakness.

 

Here's the place where you can enter "pocket query" into a search form and get some answers.

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/Support/index.php

 

Creating Your First Pocket Query

 

and just how the heck would you know that there was a support site? Well, you'd chase the Resources link on the left side of most pages to the Knowledgebase, and there, you'd find a place to search for help. Not on Geocaching.com

 

I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm totally in sympathy with your complaint. I suspect that had my husband not been the techno geek that he is, my own forays in geocaching would have ended some years ago.

Edited December 28, 2009 by Isonzo Karst

[+Annie & PB]

Well, you actually don't need to worry about pocket queries just yet.

 

Just take it one cache at a time.

 

All you can find at a time is one cache.

 

Read the instruction book for your GPS. Learn how to manually enter co-ordinates.

 

Pick one good cache near your home (good cache = a traditional that has been found frequently and recently, has a terrain rating of 1.5 or 2, a difficulty rating of 1 or 2, and is a regular or large sized container (but definately not a micro or nano!!))

 

Enter the co-ordinates into your GPS and go find it!!! (Or not find it - that happens some times too.)

 

Really. That's all you need to do. Forget the pocket queries.

 

If you have a low frustration level, geocaching will not be the hobby for you.

 

Annie

[+StarBrand]

Here is a nice tutorial on pocket queries: http://www.markwell.us/pq.htm

 

What kind of gps do you have and we will help you load up the file and get out to finding them?

[+Night Stalker]

When you create a pocket query make sure that you mark the day of the week you want your query sent to you. You would be surprised how many people forget to do tyhat when they first create a query... Be careful that you don't mark to many options. Some of them when marked at the same time will be contradictory and therefore you wont get anything at all.

[+briansnat]

This forum is part of the help mechanism. The Groundspeak knowledge base is another.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

This forum is part of the help mechanism. The Groundspeak knowledge base is another.

Yep, Here we are!! There is an option to Preview the results of a Pocket Query. That's usually the way I go, and never have it sent via email. On the other hand, I hardly ever use PQs. My preferred way to choose Caches is to look at the map near wher I am, or where I'm going and then pick Caches from the map that I think will be fun. I'm surprised you paid for a PM without even trying the game as a free member first.

 

Good luck, and remember, we are here and ready to help. Try to keep it civil though.

Edited December 28, 2009 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[namiboy]

i hope he/she will return and politely tell us how it all worked out.

[+sydman]

Ok, I might as well start out with an admission. I am pissed. I will try to keep my vulgarity to a minimum for the rest of the message.

I wanted to try Geocaching. This seems to be the "go to" site. I came and paid for a premium membership.

First..... Where the <potty language removed> is the help?

I wanted to get the closest 100 caches to my home location. Why is that so <potty language removed> difficult to do?

The only way I can even find to generate a pocket query is to go to the "Map It" area. Why the <potty language removed> is that?

I waded my way though the pocket query several times. So far as I can tell (again, where the <potty language removed> is the help file?) it should generate a file of some sort and email it to me. Well, I haven't received anything.

I'll be <potty language removed> if I am going to go into the "Map It" section and "send to GPS" one cache at a time.

 

I'm serious. So far, this site has been nothing but downright frustrating.

I only want to do the MOST BASIC STUFF. Find some reasonable number of the closest geocaches to my home, download the GSX version info to my GPS, and go try out this geocaching thing. I'm so frustrated at trying to figure out how to do this MOST BASIC stuff that I am about ready to send my GPS back and demand my money back for my Geocaching.com premium membership.

 

I hope I am just missing something very basic here. If you can help me through this I would be very appreciative. Otherwise, I don't have the time or the temperment to deal with this site.

 

First thing first...there might be one step that makes everything easyer "Home koordinates" did you enter them, if you dont tell the system were you are .....