Cache saturation?

[hofhoffs]

I am very excited about placing my first cache. I found a great spot, close to my house, and I researched whether it was far enough from other caches through doing a search for zip code. But the reviewer said that it was too close to the final destination of a puzzle cache. The description seemed like it may be close to a tennis court so I moved another 200 feet away. But on second review I was told it is still too close.

 

Any way I should have known this before I submitted the form? Is there any way - besides hunting down all final destinations for every puzzle, multi, and mystery cache in the area - how I can learn the coordinates so I don't continue to guess? There must be a secret that I'm not getting. Please advise!

 

Thanks very much,

Naomi

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

This is not a new problem. It has been discussed many times and to date no consensus has been reached. Many want an automated system to check coordinates. Those on the other side point out that any such system can be used to "battleship" the final to a puzzle or multi.

 

Find a place to hide a cache. Solve any multi or puzzle caches within about 2 miles and you will almost always be ok. When you think you have a clear location check with your reviewer before getting too far into the process. An average cache container can always be moved to a new location. But if you are considering something custom built for the location definitely check with the reviewer before you go to all that work.

[+Markwell]

Find a place to hide a cache. Solve any multi or puzzle caches within about 2 miles and you will almost always be ok. When you think you have a clear location check with your reviewer before getting too far into the process. An average cache container can always be moved to a new location. But if you are considering something custom built for the location definitely check with the reviewer before you go to all that work.

Sounds like a good consensus process to me.

[+randco]

Find a place to hide a cache. Solve any multi or puzzle caches within about 2 miles and you will almost always be ok. When you think you have a clear location check with your reviewer before getting too far into the process. An average cache container can always be moved to a new location. But if you are considering something custom built for the location definitely check with the reviewer before you go to all that work.

Sounds like a good consensus process to me.

 

I will second that...

[+Quossum]

Will reviewers generally respond to a polite email asking if certain coordinates are "safe" *before* I go out and write the page / place the cache?

 

Yes, solving every puzzle and multi is ideal, BUT...there's a puzzle near my home coordinates (in fact it's listed as my closet cache), which is four-star and completely incomprehensible to me--and I enjoy puzzles! But frankly, I can't solve that one.

 

--Q

[+Markwell]

Will reviewers generally respond to a polite email asking if certain coordinates are "safe" *before* I go out and write the page / place the cache?

Most assuredly. They'll probably respond to rude e-mails asking the same question as well.

 

Remember that reviewers are at their heart geocachers. They go out and FIND caches. The more that are published the more there are for them to find. Also a reviewer will be able to give advice that a computer program won't. For example, "The park has a lot of caches and some final stages of multi caches on the west side, but if you go east of the river and south of the main entrance on the east side, you should have no conflicts." That's a whole lot better than plugging in coordinates to a software program and having it spit out "Yes/No" - especially the "fuzzy" answer that would be needed to not "battleship" a puzzle's answer.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Markwell

[hofhoffs]

"Also a reviewer will be able to give advice that a computer program won't. For example, "The park has a lot of caches and some final stages of multi caches on the west side, but if you go east of the river and south of the main entrance on the east side, you should have no conflicts." That's a whole lot better than plugging in coordinates to a software program and having it spit out "Yes/No" - especially the "fuzzy" answer that would be needed to not "battleship" a puzzle's answer."

 

Yes, I guess that is what I am hoping for - the reviewer to tell me generally if I should avoid the area all together or keep moving my cache a certain direction so that it clears the distance. Can I ask him/her for this info? I asked for the coordinates but, as other posters mentioned above, that is a no-no.

Edited August 20, 2010 by hofhoffs

[hofhoffs]

"Solve any multi or puzzle caches within about 2 miles and you will almost always be ok. "

 

I guess this is what a "real" geocacher does! I'm taking a shortcut to the hiding part since this seems even more fun to me

 

Thanks!

Naomi

Edited August 20, 2010 by hofhoffs

[+Markwell]

Yes, I guess that is what I am hoping for - the reviewer to tell me generally if I should avoid the area all together or keep moving my cache a certain direction so that it clears the distance. Can I ask him/her for this info?

 

It would depend on how you word it. First, I would remember when asking that 528 is a bare minimum, not a goal. Then word it in such a way that it looks like you're trying to save the reviewer effort. I would think they'd love something they could publish right away instead of back-and-forth conversations.

 

Dear Reviewer:

 

I'm considering placing a cache in the Alameda Naval Complex somewhere close to N 37° 47.215 W 122° 18.286. I've scoped out the area and have permission for the cache, but I noticed there is a multi-cache about a quarter mile to the northwest. Can you let me know if the location I've chosen would have a problem with the final stage of that multi (or other multi/puzzle caches)? I hate to waste your reviewing time if it won't work. If that area isn't good, can you nudge me to a general area that MIGHT be good for that spot?

 

Thanks for all of the hard volunteering you do!

 

Yours,

 

hofhoffs

[hofhoffs]

Yes, I guess that is what I am hoping for - the reviewer to tell me generally if I should avoid the area all together or keep moving my cache a certain direction so that it clears the distance. Can I ask him/her for this info?

 

It would depend on how you word it. First, I would remember when asking that 528 is a bare minimum, not a goal. Then word it in such a way that it looks like you're trying to save the reviewer effort. I would think they'd love something they could publish right away instead of back-and-forth conversations.

 

Dear Reviewer:

 

I'm considering placing a cache in the Alameda Naval Complex somewhere close to N 37° 47.215 W 122° 18.286. I've scoped out the area and have permission for the cache, but I noticed there is a multi-cache about a quarter mile to the northwest. Can you let me know if the location I've chosen would have a problem with the final stage of that multi (or other multi/puzzle caches)? I hate to waste your reviewing time if it won't work. If that area isn't good, can you nudge me to a general area that MIGHT be good for that spot?

 

Thanks for all of the hard volunteering you do!

 

Yours,

 

hofhoffs

 

Great suggestion - thanks!

[Keystone]

I'm writing to make another suggestion on how to check a location with your reviewer.

 

If you send an email, your reviewer then has to take the coordinates provided, and input them into a cache listing. (I have a few "test caches" for this and related purposes.) That is extra work, especially when the coordinates come to me in a non-standard format that can't easily be copied and pasted. On a busy day (like when the forums are being attacked by trolls, or there are 100 caches awaiting review in my territory), I might put off such an email to answer it later.

 

To avoid this, set up a cache page. Give it a name like "Coordinate Check Only" and post a nice note like the one Markwell wrote. With the location already input onto a cache listing, all I need to do is press a few buttons to access the uber-secret database where I can see the hidden waypoints for puzzles and multicaches. Click, click, click, and I have my answer. I can then write a response in the form of a "disable listing" note, that reads like this:

 

N39 45.678 W084 12.345

 

Hello,

 

I checked this location for proximity to hidden waypoints for multicaches and mystery/unknown/puzzle caches. You are clear of any conflicting hidden waypoints for a radius of .34 miles.

 

Of course, all other listing guidelines apply. I am disabling your cache page at this time while you are working on your submission. When it's ready for review, just check the "yes, this cache is active" box on the edit page, or enter an "enable listing" log, to return your listing to the review queue where I will see it automatically.

 

Regards,

Keystone

Geocaching.com Volunteer Cache Reviewer

[+Quossum]

Very good suggestions! Thank you, all!

 

--Q

[Andronicus]

Will reviewers generally respond to a polite email asking if certain coordinates are "safe" *before* I go out and write the page / place the cache?

Here is how I have done it, and it seems to work well.

 

Make up a quick cache page with your desired coordinates. Make sure to un-select the "cache is placed and ready to go". Then submit it. It will not actualy be submitted because you unselected the "cache is ready...". Then, I e-mail my reviewer and ask if he can check my new proposed cache for proximity issues.

 

So far, worked well.

 

Edit: I see Keystone beat me to this suggestion.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Andronicus