Should I make it a PMO cache?

[+buzzy_cacher]

I am making a new (pretty difficult) multi and was wondering if I should make it a PMO cache. I spent a lot of time on it and want to protect it from pirates. However, I don't think pirates would bother doing a 6-stage multi that takes a lot of time and effort. I also want as many people to find it as possible. But the audit log feature seems cool.

[+The Jester]

You can always make it a PMO for a time and then 'open' it to all later.

[+Coldgears]

I am making a new (pretty difficult) multi and was wondering if I should make it a PMO cache. I spent a lot of time on it and want to protect it from pirates. However, I don't think pirates would bother doing a 6-stage multi that takes a lot of time and effort. I also want as many people to find it as possible. But the audit log feature seems cool.

It's your decision. You'd make the chances of people stealing your cache lower... BUT, you'd have less people visiting. Plus, it's still possible someone would steal the first or second stage...

[+power69]

I am making a new (pretty difficult) multi and was wondering if I should make it a PMO cache. I spent a lot of time on it and want to protect it from pirates. However, I don't think pirates would bother doing a 6-stage multi that takes a lot of time and effort. I also want as many people to find it as possible. But the audit log feature seems cool.

most cache maggots won't even bother with an easy 3 stage multi let alone a 6 stage hard one.

making it a PMO, you knock out a lot of "innocents" trying to deny a possible maggot.

your cache, your choice.

[+briansnat]

I think most cache theft comes from people who happen on the caches, not from people who get the coordinates from this site and hunt them. And of the latter group, the more dedicated of them become premium members so being a MOC wouldn't matter.

 

So hiding and camouflaging your stages will serve to protect your cache better than a MOC.

[+baloo&bd]

Making it MoC does not offer any additional security. The audit log may be fun for a while, however I have read here it grows old quickly and also really has no practical use. I would leave it open.

[+simpler1773]

I realize there is controversy here about the PMO caches, but when I start placing mine they will all be PMO's. I think it does add security.

[4wheelin_fool]

You could hide 6 caches instead, with 5 being puzzles (to solve you must find cache____ first), and that would bring more traffic. List the first one as Members Only, but then write on the others that you will allow regular members to view it by request. You could write the coords for the next one in each logbook.

 

It won't be guaranteed to stop pirates, but will filter most out, and 6 caches would attract more people than a multi.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Making it a PMO cache will keep it from being preloaded onto GPS units (GeoMate Jr and some new Magellan come to mind) along with hundreds of thousands of others, for an out-of-the-box "find something in the woods" experience.

 

I imagine that many people using these store-bought coordinates will never bother to visit the GC.com website, and won't really learn how the game works. Trading fair? Maybe. Don't expect many online logs from people using store-bought coordinates.

[+SSO JOAT]

Yes, make it PMO for at least the first month. After the first batch of finds by PMs and the cache becomes "established", you can remove the PMO status whenever you want. The traffic level is going to drop off sharply after the FTF is claimed, but that is the nature of a multi-cache.

 

After the "new cache" smell is gone, it is less likely that it will become a maggot target. However, nothing is foolproof on the thievery front. What the PMO status really does is keep less experienced cachers from pilfering your cache or messing up carefully placed stages. That is of course not foolproof either as there are plenty of PMs who don't use great care in visiting caches.

 

Your multi-cache choice is what is actually going to keep all the lazy folks away.

[GOF and Bacall]

Do you have an active maggot in your area? If not what would be the point?

[+ADTCacheur]

Yes, make it PMO for at least the first month. After the first batch of finds by PMs and the cache becomes "established", you can remove the PMO status whenever you want. The traffic level is going to drop off sharply after the FTF is claimed, but that is the nature of a multi-cache.

 

After the "new cache" smell is gone, it is less likely that it will become a maggot target. However, nothing is foolproof on the thievery front. What the PMO status really does is keep less experienced cachers from pilfering your cache or messing up carefully placed stages. That is of course not foolproof either as there are plenty of PMs who don't use great care in visiting caches.

 

Your multi-cache choice is what is actually going to keep all the lazy folks away.

 

What I don't like about that idea is that it essentially says "in order to get an FTF prize, you must pay $30. That seems to go against the spirit of the game.

[+simpjkee]

I wouldn't make it PMO. People think by making a cache a PMO cache then it is safer, but I don't think that is the case at all.

 

If you want your cache to be safe, it's all about how you hide it. Location, cammo, are muggles around?, will muggles see cachers looking for it?, is it easy to put back well concealed or is it likely it would be lazily put back out in the open?

 

All of these things and much more are what influence the "safeness" of your cache, not it's PMO status.

[+simpler1773]

 

What I don't like about that idea is that it essentially says "in order to get an FTF prize, you must pay $30. That seems to go against the spirit of the game.

 

I can see where a person could look at it that way, but I look at it as if you're willing to pay $30 a year ( 8 cents a day!) to support the hobby, then you're more likely to be of the mindset to enhance the game rather than degrade it.

 

That is NOT to say that I feel someone who ISN'T paying the $30 a year is degrading the caches...I hope it doesn't sound like that. Just that those people who ARE degrading the caches are probably not paying $30 a year to do so. Did that make sense? I'm probably digging a hole...LOL

[GOF and Bacall]

Yes, make it PMO for at least the first month. After the first batch of finds by PMs and the cache becomes "established", you can remove the PMO status whenever you want. The traffic level is going to drop off sharply after the FTF is claimed, but that is the nature of a multi-cache.

 

After the "new cache" smell is gone, it is less likely that it will become a maggot target. However, nothing is foolproof on the thievery front. What the PMO status really does is keep less experienced cachers from pilfering your cache or messing up carefully placed stages. That is of course not foolproof either as there are plenty of PMs who don't use great care in visiting caches.

 

Your multi-cache choice is what is actually going to keep all the lazy folks away.

 

What I don't like about that idea is that it essentially says "in order to get an FTF prize, you must pay $30. That seems to go against the spirit of the game.

 

Somehow pandering to the FTF crowd seems like it should have nothing to do with this problem.

[GOF and Bacall]

I wouldn't make it PMO. People think by making a cache a PMO cache then it is safer, but I don't think that is the case at all.

 

If you want your cache to be safe, it's all about how you hide it. Location, cammo, are muggles around?, will muggles see cachers looking for it?, is it easy to put back well concealed or is it likely it would be lazily put back out in the open?

 

All of these things and much more are what influence the "safeness" of your cache, not it's PMO status.

 

I don't think the OP meant that PMO status would protect a cache from casual or careless causes of cache disappearance. The question was about cache "pirates". I take that to mean those lowlife individuals who have nothing better to do that look up cache with the express purpose of stealing them. It seems like making it PMO would help deter at least some percentage of that bunch. As long as you don't have an active pirate opperating in the area I see no advantage to making a cache PMO to protect it.

[+simpler1773]

 

... As long as you don't have an active pirate opperating in the area I see no advantage to making a cache PMO to protect it.

 

Because no one knows if they have an active pirate in their area until AFTER they lose a cache I imagine new pirates emerge all the time, unfortunately.

[+SSO JOAT]

The maggots/pirates/thieves or whatever you want to call them also have the ability to get PM accounts if they are that dedicated to screwing up the game for everyone else. Been there, dealt with it. The advantage of using PMO for new caches is that the audit log will out the maggots if you use a community effort to identify and rat out the maggot accounts. It works very well for that.

 

As for the FTF stuff, I see no reason at all to lower my cache listing standards for the non-contributing members who want to be FTF hounds. Any true FTF hound would pay up so they can access all the advanced tools to make their FTF chases much easier anyway.

 

I see PMO as a Thank You to the contributing members who make this listing service possible.

[+buzzy_cacher]

I am probably not going to make it a PMO. Audit Log vs More visitors?? Hmmm... Well, I would go with the latter. As for security, a pirate isn't going to do a 6-stage multi.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I am making a new (pretty difficult) multi and was wondering if I should make it a PMO cache.

 

Only if you're planning on placing it near bittsens house.

 

Yes, make it PMO for at least the first month. After the first batch of finds by PMs and the cache becomes "established", you can remove the PMO status whenever you want. The traffic level is going to drop off sharply after the FTF is claimed, but that is the nature of a multi-cache.

 

After the "new cache" smell is gone, it is less likely that it will become a maggot target. However, nothing is foolproof on the thievery front. What the PMO status really does is keep less experienced cachers from pilfering your cache or messing up carefully placed stages. That is of course not foolproof either as there are plenty of PMs who don't use great care in visiting caches.

 

Your multi-cache choice is what is actually going to keep all the lazy folks away.

 

What I don't like about that idea is that it essentially says "in order to get an FTF prize, you must pay $30. That seems to go against the spirit of the game.

 

I just renrewed my premium membership for the third time and I never even considered the a benefit of a PM was that it might allow me to get a FTF prize. Theoretically a PMO cache is suppose to provide an incentive to basic members to buy a premium membership but there are certainly plenty of other caches to be found. We have a couple of COs around here that place quite a few PMO caches but I"ve never asked them their motivation for doing so. Being able to find PMO caches is benefit of premium membership pretty far down the list for me.

[+ADTCacheur]

I am probably not going to make it a PMO. Audit Log vs More visitors?? Hmmm... Well, I would go with the latter. As for security, a pirate isn't going to do a 6-stage multi.

No, a pirate probably won't do a 6-stage multi, but they might swipe the first stage or 2...

[+hukilaulau]

What I don't like about that idea is that it essentially says "in order to get an FTF prize, you must pay $30. That seems to go against the spirit of the game.

Actually, seeking "an FTF prize" is what goes against the spirit of the game.