Note or DNF?

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

Looks like a DNF to me

[daveindeal]

a burp from the forum for a postless thread,

 

in my opinion if you started the search (as in put the coordinates into your GPS) then its a DNF

 

if you arrive at the area and befor you start there a big group of muggles or it starts to rain then a note, buit as long as you started then you infact didnt find it

[+ADTCacheur]

OK, it just seemed that since I didn't really look it wasn't a DNF. To me DNF mean it's either a hard cache, or it's missing, not somebody was nearby.

[+StarBrand]

OK, it just seemed that since I didn't really look it wasn't a DNF. To me DNF mean it's either a hard cache, or it's missing, not somebody was nearby.

ummm - your original post is missing - the folks above are sort of guessing what you want......

 

If I translate you correctly - I log a DNF anytime I start out to find a cache and that venture ends with me not finding the cache. Mostly because I Did Not Find it.

[+Chrysalides]

This looks like a Did Not Post

 

Without any more details, all I can say is, log what makes sense to you.

[+Harry Dolphin]

in my opinion if you started the search (as in put the coordinates into your GPS) then its a DNF

 

Oh, dear. I have 10000 sets of coordinates in my GPS. Do I have to log 10000 DNFs?

[BCProspectors]

This looks like a Did Not Post

LOL

 

This topic seems like the classic noob topic asking just what constitutes a DNF.

 

We're never shy of logging a DNF. After planning a caching trip and traveling to GZ, we deserve credit of some sort even if we didn't find the cache.

 

To us, a DNF is logged when we fail to locate and retrieve a cache after making a reasonable effort. No, not simply an effort to locate the cache location, but the cache itself. In one instance my dad wanted to triangulate what part of/how far into a park a cache was. (I don't know why we didn't just go in and look for it, but I'm not in charge of this operation.) We drove around the perimeter of the park, stopping every once in a while to check the GPS to see which way the arrow was pointing and how far away the cache was. Since we were only trying to find what part of the park the cache was in (the cache's location) and never started looking for the cache itself, this was not a DNF.

 

We never returned to that cache, by the way.

[+ADTCacheur]

sorry, others posted so I thought it was only me who couldn't see my first post. I was just asking if I should log as DNF or note if my GPS pointed me to a bench where the cache is supposedly hidden under and there were people sitting on it so I decided not to get it.

[+roziecakes]

I log a DNF if I search and did not find it, for whatever I think the reason is...

 

I log a note if I did not search for it and if I think that the cache owner might like to know why. For example, the road is closed by construction, or there is a homeless camp, or something like that.

[+Chrysalides]

I log a DNF if I search and did not find it, for whatever I think the reason is...

 

I log a note if I did not search for it and if I think that the cache owner might like to know why. For example, the road is closed by construction, or there is a homeless camp, or something like that.

Yeah, that's what I do too, because it makes sense to me. To the OP : just because it makes sense to me doesn't mean it have to make sense to you (the world would be a much easier place for me if that's the case) so feel free to log in whatever way you feel is meaningful. No need to get too obsessed about it.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

sorry, others posted so I thought it was only me who couldn't see my first post. I was just asking if I should log as DNF or note if my GPS pointed me to a bench where the cache is supposedly hidden under and there were people sitting on it so I decided not to get it.

 

What time of day were you there. If, for example, you were searching on a lunch break, the fact that the bench might be in use around lunch time might be useful information to someone else considering looking for that cache. Since you intended to search, but conditions that might be the same for others looking for it prevented you from completing the search, I'd log it as a DNF. It doesn't really matter whether it's a DNF or a Note. Someone looking at the logs is going to see the log entry either way. Neither type of log counts against you in any way.

[+ADTCacheur]

I log a DNF if I search and did not find it, for whatever I think the reason is...

 

I log a note if I did not search for it and if I think that the cache owner might like to know why. For example, the road is closed by construction, or there is a homeless camp, or something like that.

Yeah, that's what I do too, because it makes sense to me. To the OP : just because it makes sense to me doesn't mean it have to make sense to you (the world would be a much easier place for me if that's the case) so feel free to log in whatever way you feel is meaningful. No need to get too obsessed about it.

I think you need a new acronym... The OP is Jumpin' Jack Cache, but the TS (topic starter) is me!

[+ADTCacheur]

sorry, others posted so I thought it was only me who couldn't see my first post. I was just asking if I should log as DNF or note if my GPS pointed me to a bench where the cache is supposedly hidden under and there were people sitting on it so I decided not to get it.

 

What time of day were you there. If, for example, you were searching on a lunch break, the fact that the bench might be in use around lunch time might be useful information to someone else considering looking for that cache. Since you intended to search, but conditions that might be the same for others looking for it prevented you from completing the search, I'd log it as a DNF. It doesn't really matter whether it's a DNF or a Note. Someone looking at the logs is going to see the log entry either way. Neither type of log counts against you in any way.

I was searching around 4:30, and there weren't many people around who weren't in cars. It just so happens that the few people who weren't in cars were in my way!

[+Setan Meyacha]

If I look for it, for even a few minutes, then I log a DNF. I was just out yesterday and had to log five DNFs out of twelve new caches: "It's not very often that I make a 150 mile round trip just to find a few new caches. But, today was one of those times. I might be making these a little more difficult than they really need to be, but after #2 you've probably made me overthink these. As I mentioned on #4, I don't like sticking my hand into holes I can see into. Don't know if that's where it is, but I didn't spend a lot of time on this one thinking it might be. Might be back again someday to try again. Great hide!" That is an edited version of one of those logs.

If I just drive by a cache location without getting out of the vehicle because of muggles or for whatever reason, I don't even post a note. I only post a note if there is reason to believe the cache is missing, there might be a problem with its location, or some other reason the CO may need to be made aware of.

[+J the Goat]

While I can't say that I log ALL my DNFs, I do log most of them. I would log this as a DNF. DNF logs are partially there to help the CO notice if something is wrong with the cache, but in this instance it would just be for your records. Not logging this one, for those who care about their stats, wouldn't make a difference. I, though, would log it as I looked and was not able to retrieve.

[+debaere]

OK, it just seemed that since I didn't really look it wasn't a DNF. To me DNF mean it's either a hard cache, or it's missing, not somebody was nearby.

 

If it passes the "does anyone else care" test, then I log, otherwise I don't.

 

I go with the thought that if I reached GZ (i.e. I had a chance to search for it, even if its just briefly), or I was thwarted in my attempts to reach GZ for whatever reason (muggles, not comfortable with area, closed park etc.). I will log a DNF. This information is relevant to other cachers.

 

If I didn't reach GZ because of my own actions or situation (normally because I ran out of energy/time), I don't log a DNF. This information is not relevant to other cachers seeking this cache.

 

Basically if I feel my not finding the cache could be useful information to anyone else seeking the cache, then I log a DNF. if I don't have such information, I don't log anything.

 

Some folks say "if you type the coords into your GPS, you should log something" But I disagree with this. As an example, I type in coords to a cache into my GPS and I start the 20 mile drive. One mile down the road my wife calls me saying her car broke down and wants me to go help her, which I do. One thing leads to another and I never end up resuming my quest for that cache. Does any other cacher care? My story is not relevant to that cache, so I may blog about it, or mention it on the forums/irc, but its not log worthy.

[BCProspectors]

POST CORRECTION

To us, a DNF is logged when we fail to locate and retrieve a cache after making a reasonable effort.

Whoops, made a mistake there. I didn't mean to include the words "and retrieve" since if we find a cache but do not retrieve it, that would not count as a DNF. That should have read "To us, a DNF is logged when we fail to locate a cache after making a reasonable effort."

[+simpjkee]

Please Log Your DNF's!

[+ADTCacheur]

Please Log Your DNF's!

I do, I always do. I was just wondering whether or not it actually was a DNF if I didn't actually search.

[+simpjkee]

Please Log Your DNF's!

I do, I always do. I was just wondering whether or not it actually was a DNF if I didn't actually search.

yeah, I know, I was just throwing that in.

[+mwellman]

sorry, others posted so I thought it was only me who couldn't see my first post. I was just asking if I should log as DNF or note if my GPS pointed me to a bench where the cache is supposedly hidden under and there were people sitting on it so I decided not to get it.

 

I use both.

 

I would use a note for the above situation just to let others know that there were muggles around at that time of day. i.e. Got near GZ and saw too muggles. Will be back at a better time" Then I am not giving away any hints about the host.

 

If I actually started to search and someone sat on the bench, then I would DNF. ie "Started to search a host near GZ but a muggle decided to sit nearby and then another and another. So stopped my search and will be back when there is less muggles."

 

Versus "I got to 2 metres of GZ and searched all nearby hosts for 15 metres. "Maybe if it was bright yellow with flashing red lights around it, we would able to find it!" (GC1CHFZ Mission Impossible 4)

 

As a geocacher, knowing bad or good times of day or the week to visit are useful

 

As a cache owner, if I know about a bad or good time to visit, I can include those in my cache description. And the DNF logs let me know if I need to make a trip out to check on my cache. Some of mine are harder and I expect a few DNFS.

 

And Yes, we are proud DNFers, 170 DNFS and over 650 finds. The above mentioned cache took six tries. Some of our best stories are the DNFs.

 

Enjoy your geocaching adventures!

[+SSO JOAT]

From a CO's perspective... someone posting a DNF who didn't actually search for the cache is extremely annoying. A DNF means nothing to the searcher as it's not a tracked stat or anything. It does mean something to the CO as when I see a DNF I now have to consider making a maintenance run to see if the cache is OK. I only want to see a DNF if you got out of the car and actually put hands on GZ to search for the cache. If you did a drive-by and there were muggles around the area so you didn't do any searching, then you could post a note stating that or better yet, if you're going to try again within a day or two, don't log anything until you've actually conducted a GZ search.

 

For me, a DNF log means I actually Got Out And Looked (G.O.A.L. principle).

 

A NOTE means I worked part of a multi, but didn't get to the final yet, or I made a re-visit for some reason (TB pick/drop), or there is something else that the CO and any cachers need to know in reference to the cache (e.g. "arrived at the access point to find that DOT is doing road work and you can't get to the cache area this week", etc).

[+Setan Meyacha]

From a CO's perspective... someone posting a DNF who didn't actually search for the cache is extremely annoying. A DNF means nothing to the searcher as it's not a tracked stat or anything. It does mean something to the CO as when I see a DNF I now have to consider making a maintenance run to see if the cache is OK. I only want to see a DNF if you got out of the car and actually put hands on GZ to search for the cache. If you did a drive-by and there were muggles around the area so you didn't do any searching, then you could post a note stating that or better yet, if you're going to try again within a day or two, don't log anything until you've actually conducted a GZ search.

 

For me, a DNF log means I actually Got Out And Looked (G.O.A.L. principle).

 

A NOTE means I worked part of a multi, but didn't get to the final yet, or I made a re-visit for some reason (TB pick/drop), or there is something else that the CO and any cachers need to know in reference to the cache (e.g. "arrived at the access point to find that DOT is doing road work and you can't get to the cache area this week", etc).

 

I agree. If you didn't search for it, don't log a DNF! If you want to post a note as to why you didn't search for it, great! I don't have to be concerned about the possibility the cache might be missing. Another problem with unwarranted DNFs is when someone else looks at that page and they see a number of DNFs (assumign unwarranted), they may not even look for it believing it might be missing...why waste my time. So, if you're going to DNF a cache, just be sure you gave it an honest effort in finding it before you do.

[+wolfslady]

From a CO's perspective... someone posting a DNF who didn't actually search for the cache is extremely annoying. A DNF means nothing to the searcher as it's not a tracked stat or anything. It does mean something to the CO as when I see a DNF I now have to consider making a maintenance run to see if the cache is OK. I only want to see a DNF if you got out of the car and actually put hands on GZ to search for the cache. If you did a drive-by and there were muggles around the area so you didn't do any searching, then you could post a note stating that or better yet, if you're going to try again within a day or two, don't log anything until you've actually conducted a GZ search.

 

For me, a DNF log means I actually Got Out And Looked (G.O.A.L. principle).

 

A NOTE means I worked part of a multi, but didn't get to the final yet, or I made a re-visit for some reason (TB pick/drop), or there is something else that the CO and any cachers need to know in reference to the cache (e.g. "arrived at the access point to find that DOT is doing road work and you can't get to the cache area this week", etc).

 

 

 

I agree with this. There have been a few times I've gone planning to look for a cache only to run into a problem that kept me from searching. In my opinion a DNF because I missed that the park closes early or there were too many muggles too search and I was in a hurry is misleading. Heck I could log dozens on micros I am pretty sure were there but I was just to lazy to get. I'm certainly not going to waste my time on even a note if I didn't care enough to lift a skirt 50-200 feet away. DNF says to me I searched and couldn't find it, you might want to check. I alway log a DNF if I search. Although I do owe a cache 1 and I need to finish it. There is one cache I wish I'd done a second DNF on. I thought I did, but I guess that instead I sent a message the CO. They chose to tell me they required 3 DNF's from different people before they would check it. I was new and figured they would come soon enough. It ended up taking about 4 months for 2 more people to log 1 and since it was an easy and oft found cache before my first DNF I have to wonder how many more didn't log it in those months. The ones where you search are the ones you should always log. But a drve by or foiled by muggles a note is enough.