Jump to content

Pet hates when caching?


Recommended Posts

Went back to one the other day with the GPSr claiming 0.75 ft... Was very impressed. Nearly commented in log that co-ordinates were 9 inches out... But didn't want to set a precedence! Old reviewer once commented mine were a foot out... Wore a paper bag on my head for a week!

 

 

But civilian GPS only aims at a 7 metre accuracy - with accuracies possible (but not guaranteed) to the one metre level with WAAS/EGNOS, in perfect conditions. So all you are saying is that your GPS and the reviewer's GPS had the same inherent inaccuracies, on the day you hid the cache and the day the reviewer looked for it. :)

Yes indeed... said reviewer was taking the mouse! Funny thing is the so called "accuracy" reading makes very little difference to my units... one always claims better accuracy... but often they read exactly the same co-ordinates.

Link to comment

Well, not really a pet hete, but I'm sure it's a common problem.

 

we enjoyed caching as a family for all the right reasons,.....until...

OUR BOY!...... who, on the day he turned 14 years of age (in January 2011), overnight, discovered that,

 

- Walking any further than 10 feet from a parked car rendered him incapacitated,

- geocaching was "A complete waste of his life!"

- and was "Invented for losers!"

 

Yes, unfortunately he's contracted the "teen" disorder where, any activity occuring outside a distance of aprox. 100m from a computer console and a curtained room, will cause great distress and anxiety.

 

It will pass................eventually.................sigh!............

 

Yes!!! One of my grandsons is just the same - and he's only 8!! The first thing he says when he comes to stay is "AND I'M NOT COMING GEOCACHING!!"

 

Chris

Link to comment

I always take at least 5 readings when I find a spot... then a few days later, another 5 as it's hidden. Next one will be using 2 GPSr units too.

 

All very commendable, but - unless your finders go to the same lengths and return for another set of readings on a separate day - I wonder if it isn't just a little wasted?

 

The finder is only trying to, well, find the cache. If their GPS has poor reception the one time they are there, then that will affect only them. If they came back a different day with better signal, and the published and true coords are very close, then their units will take them closer.

 

If a cache setter takes only a single waypoint, then if their GPS had poor reception the one time that they were there, every cacher who attempts to find it will have ther unit initially take them elsewhere - and the cache will appear in a slightly different place on the GC.com maps.

 

Granted many will not use their GPS for the last bit, but it can make a difference - e.g. the cache page / GPS map etc. might show a cache on the opposite side of a road/river to where it really is - perhaps in the latter case with no bridges for half a mile etc. - or there could be a multitude of items matching the hint in the vicinity. It's not fair on potential finders if they have to spend several minutes searching in the wrong place - just because the CO couldn't be bothered to come back and get another waypoint.

Edited by RickyB_uk
Link to comment

I always take at least 5 readings when I find a spot... then a few days later, another 5 as it's hidden. Next one will be using 2 GPSr units too.

 

All very commendable, but - unless your finders go to the same lengths and return for another set of readings on a separate day - I wonder if it isn't just a little wasted?

 

The finder is only trying to, well, find the cache. If their GPS has poor reception the one time they are there, then that will affect only them. If they came back a different day with better signal, and the published and true coords are very close, then their units will take them closer.

 

If a cache setter takes only a single waypoint, then if their GPS had poor reception the one time that they were there, every cacher who attempts to find it will have ther unit initially take them elsewhere - and the cache will appear in a slightly different place on the GC.com maps.

 

Granted many will not use their GPS for the last bit, but it can make a difference - e.g. the cache page / GPS map etc. might show a cache on the opposite side of a road/river to where it really is - perhaps in the latter case with no bridges for half a mile etc. - or there could be a multitude of items matching the hint in the vicinity. It's not fair on potential finders if they have to spend several minutes searching in the wrong place - just because the CO couldn't be bothered to come back and get another waypoint.

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for getting as good a set of co-ords as possible when I hide a cache. But coming back a second day to get another set of co-ords is only going to be of any value if that's what you expect a finder to do as well. If satellite reception is so bad that a second visit is needed, then you can't stop at two visits - you have no guarantee that the second set are any more accurate than the first. The average of two bad sets doesn't necessarily equal one half bad set - and you'd need to come back and take a fresh set of readings at every possible satellite configuration to make any meaningful difference....

 

The same applies for using two separate GPSes. For this to improve accuracy, each GPS would have to be out a similar distance, on opposite sides of the cache. If one GPS is good, and one bad, you'll end up with an error towards the bad one. If both are good you gain nothing by using two, and if both are bad, again you get no improvement by using two.

Link to comment

I always take at least 5 readings when I find a spot... then a few days later, another 5 as it's hidden. Next one will be using 2 GPSr units too.

 

All very commendable, but - unless your finders go to the same lengths and return for another set of readings on a separate day - I wonder if it isn't just a little wasted?

 

The finder is only trying to, well, find the cache. If their GPS has poor reception the one time they are there, then that will affect only them. If they came back a different day with better signal, and the published and true coords are very close, then their units will take them closer.

 

If a cache setter takes only a single waypoint, then if their GPS had poor reception the one time that they were there, every cacher who attempts to find it will have ther unit initially take them elsewhere - and the cache will appear in a slightly different place on the GC.com maps.

 

Granted many will not use their GPS for the last bit, but it can make a difference - e.g. the cache page / GPS map etc. might show a cache on the opposite side of a road/river to where it really is - perhaps in the latter case with no bridges for half a mile etc. - or there could be a multitude of items matching the hint in the vicinity. It's not fair on potential finders if they have to spend several minutes searching in the wrong place - just because the CO couldn't be bothered to come back and get another waypoint.

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for getting as good a set of co-ords as possible when I hide a cache. But coming back a second day to get another set of co-ords is only going to be of any value if that's what you expect a finder to do as well. If satellite reception is so bad that a second visit is needed, then you can't stop at two visits - you have no guarantee that the second set are any more accurate than the first. The average of two bad sets doesn't necessarily equal one half bad set - and you'd need to come back and take a fresh set of readings at every possible satellite configuration to make any meaningful difference....

 

The same applies for using two separate GPSes. For this to improve accuracy, each GPS would have to be out a similar distance, on opposite sides of the cache. If one GPS is good, and one bad, you'll end up with an error towards the bad one. If both are good you gain nothing by using two, and if both are bad, again you get no improvement by using two.

The 2 units generally (almost always) show the same co-ordinates despite the "accuracy" readings being very different (which makes sense I guess.) So I'd use them to take less time taking the readings... as long as they are singing from the same hymn sheet at the time.

 

As for going up for the complete set of satellites.. good idea, don't think it would take many visits to do that in reality, I tend to take readings every time I revisit a cache... and I pass one of them several times a week. It would be nice to get hold of a survey standard GPSr and not have to do any of this of course :)

Edited by NattyBooshka
Link to comment

More and more caches these days seem to have no attributes set.

 

It seems a shame to list a cache without using any of the attributes to give people a bit of forewarning what to expect. Even if it's just a question of approximate distance from parking to cache, whether it can be cycled, whether public transport is available, whether there are thorns etc.

Link to comment

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for getting as good a set of co-ords as possible when I hide a cache. But coming back a second day to get another set of co-ords is only going to be of any value if that's what you expect a finder to do as well. If satellite reception is so bad that a second visit is needed, then you can't stop at two visits - you have no guarantee that the second set are any more accurate than the first. The average of two bad sets doesn't necessarily equal one half bad set - and you'd need to come back and take a fresh set of readings at every possible satellite configuration to make any meaningful difference....

 

The finder doesn't need to come back, but the cache owner should take more than just a single waypoint. You cannot guarantee the accuracy of any waypoint, but you can reduce the chance that the cache coords lies more than a significant distance away from where it should be by taking more samples.

 

A single waypoint is a sample of 1 point from, essentially, a random distribution of points, approximately centred on where the unit actually is. If your GPS suggests accuracy of 7m, then that usually means that the chance of a single waypoint being inside 7m from the true coords is approximately 2/3, and that 1 time in 20, the waypoint will lie more than 14m from the true coordinates - and you'll have no idea which at the time. If a cache owner happens to choose that 1 in 20 waypoint, and leads future finders astray by 14 or more metres, that isn't ideal.

 

If, instead, they take a waypoint by averaging over 10 minutes, that is 600 sample points. They're not statistically independent, but taking 600 sample points reduces the chance that the overall averaged point is really far from the true coords.

 

If you come back and repeat on a different day or different time of day, you are minimising the chance that the particular satellite alignment that you had on the first pass is causing your sample points to have a certain bias (e.g. if the points are being reported as too far north).

Link to comment

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for getting as good a set of co-ords as possible when I hide a cache. But coming back a second day to get another set of co-ords is only going to be of any value if that's what you expect a finder to do as well. If satellite reception is so bad that a second visit is needed, then you can't stop at two visits - you have no guarantee that the second set are any more accurate than the first. The average of two bad sets doesn't necessarily equal one half bad set - and you'd need to come back and take a fresh set of readings at every possible satellite configuration to make any meaningful difference....

 

The finder doesn't need to come back, but the cache owner should take more than just a single waypoint. You cannot guarantee the accuracy of any waypoint, but you can reduce the chance that the cache coords lies more than a significant distance away from where it should be by taking more samples.

 

If you come back and repeat on a different day or different time of day, you are minimising the chance that the particular satellite alignment that you had on the first pass is causing your sample points to have a certain bias (e.g. if the points are being reported as too far north).

 

I agree - any waypoint for a hide should be an average of multiple readings, and the best reasonably possible .

 

But I disagree with your second point - if you come back on a second day you are also running the risk that the satellite alignment on the second day is, in fact, giving you less accurate data than the first day. Unless you are privy to some other data that's telling you your co-ords are more accurate the second time you visit???

 

Again - unless you expect a finder to do the same, their GPS (the one they're using to find the cache, at ground zero) is going to be subject to the same local conditions as the hiders was, and if you've taken a decent averaged set the first time around, there is nothing to be gained (in this game) by returning for a second set.

Link to comment

I always take an averaged reading at the GZ, I then walk away at least a 100yds and do a walk back following the GPS. Depending on where the walk back puts me I will settle on that reading/repeat part 1 again. Sometime in the wrong type of location I will repeat up to 4 times to try and get the best reading.

If the area will be bad for reception (tree cover) I will give a good hint.

I suppose I could volunteer to hand hold finders that expect co-ords to be within 3ft of the cache and walk them to the spot and leave them to look <_<

 

I just feel that a little search at the end is all part of the fun so to me +/- 5 metres is ok

Edited by DrDick&Vick
Link to comment

Pet hates when caching?......

Cachers who don't return the cache to its 'proper' hiding place. :mad: I have a short series of traditional caches on a route that I cycle to one of my favourite pubs so they gets a lot of maintenance visits. Every trip I find some of the caches exposed and vulnerable. Why do some folks just apparently chuck them on the ground and carry on their way. Is it shortage of time? It only takes a couple of moments to make sure the boxes aren't visible to casual passers-by.

 

On one of the threads recently, a cacher stated that he takes a photo of the cache because he doesn't have time to open the box and sign the log. If someone is so short of time that they don't sign the log I guess it's highly unlikely that they'll take the time to replace the cache properly either. <_<

Link to comment

If you come back and repeat on a different day or different time of day, you are minimising the chance that the particular satellite alignment that you had on the first pass is causing your sample points to have a certain bias (e.g. if the points are being reported as too far north).

 

But I disagree with your second point - if you come back on a second day you are also running the risk that the satellite alignment on the second day is, in fact, giving you less accurate data than the first day. Unless you are privy to some other data that's telling you your co-ords are more accurate the second time you visit???

 

Of course it *might* give you worse data, because there is some degree of randomness, but on average it will improve your data. Effectively, it gives you an almost independent 2nd sample. It's not quite independent, but let's imagine that it is.

 

Imagine that the 1st day's sample was 6 metres to the north of the true location. If you take your 2nd independent sample, then it could also be 6 metres north, but is equally likely to be 6 metres south, west or east of the true location, or somewhere inbetween. If it is 6 metres out, and anywhere other than exactly north, then your averaged coordinate is better than the first sample alone (e.g. suppose the 2nd is 6 metres east - then your averaged coord is now only about 4.25 metres north-east).

 

I'm not saying that all cachers should take multiple averaged samples, because as you say, most of the time one averaged for a sufficient length of time will usually give very good results.

 

Again - unless you expect a finder to do the same, their GPS (the one they're using to find the cache, at ground zero) is going to be subject to the same local conditions as the hiders was, and if you've taken a decent averaged set the first time around, there is nothing to be gained (in this game) by returning for a second set.

 

Of course they are subject to the same local conditions - but if you publish coords which are out by 15 metres+, that affects all future finders, on every visit. When finding, if your GPS has got poor reception, then that affects you, on that visit alone.

 

All I'm trying to say is that the cache owner ought to make a reasonable stab at getting the best possible coords that they can. I've seen quite a few recently which were out by 15m, 20m, even more sometimes.

Link to comment

 

On one of the threads recently, a cacher stated that he takes a photo of the cache because he doesn't have time to open the box and sign the log. If someone is so short of time that they don't sign the log I guess it's highly unlikely that they'll take the time to replace the cache properly either. <_<

 

I always take time to put the cache back just as it was .... unless it was too exposed.

Then I will hunt around GZ looking for something to cover it better.

 

But then I am a 'SHE' not a 'HE' and that makes me perfect! :rolleyes:

Link to comment

On one of the threads recently, a cacher stated that he takes a photo of the cache because he doesn't have time to open the box and sign the log. If someone is so short of time that they don't sign the log I guess it's highly unlikely that they'll take the time to replace the cache properly either. <_<

 

Then he's not geocaching. That's one of the required tasks, being able to actually sign the log, it's a fundamental part of the game. Geocaching is very flexible in that you can play the game any way you like, you don't even need a GPS for example - but one of the few 'laws' of geocaching is that you need to sign the log - with the possible exception of the odd one here and there when you've forgotten your pen.

Link to comment

On one of the threads recently, a cacher stated that he takes a photo of the cache because he doesn't have time to open the box and sign the log. If someone is so short of time that they don't sign the log I guess it's highly unlikely that they'll take the time to replace the cache properly either. <_<

 

Then he's not geocaching. That's one of the required tasks, being able to actually sign the log, it's a fundamental part of the game. Geocaching is very flexible in that you can play the game any way you like, you don't even need a GPS for example - but one of the few 'laws' of geocaching is that you need to sign the log - with the possible exception of the odd one here and there when you've forgotten your pen.

 

I have recently received a string of logs saying 'I didn't have a pen', now it is possible the pencil in the box was blunt or missing, but a whole series of new caches? If the stipulation is to sign the log, then is it not wise to carry your own pen/pencil?

 

Now I know it happens, we all forget a pen, it runs out, can't find it in the murky depths of rucksack, but you can implement - tear a corner off, take photo of log book with your GPS/self. All mobile phones have a camera these days. Go to the nearest village shop and BUY a pen?

 

Another thing I have noticed when doing maintenance - the box has been full of calling cards - but their corresponding signature is not on the log book. Is this cacher's in such a rush for numbers that they do not have time to open the bag and sign the book?

Edited by perth pathfinders
Link to comment

WE HATE CALLING CARDS

 

We did a Series recently and in nearly all the containers was a really annoying, and fiddly laminated piece of paper about 1cm by 4 cm.

 

"O also left calling cards to speed up the caching time"

 

"But luckily we had removed one tedious task of our quest and had laminated calling cards with the date of today with mine and *****'s name on".

 

Most of the caches had a film pot containing a log roll, within another larger container. So, as the container was opened or the log unrolled, these darned "cards" would fall out onto the ground and of course had to be picked up.

 

I found 3 of the caches, not with a gps, but because the "calling card" was lying on the ground!

 

Leaving a calling card may make it easy for that person, but it makes it worse for the rest of us.

 

PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE CALLING CARDS

Edited by DizzyPair
Link to comment
I have recently received a string of logs saying 'I didn't have a pen', now it is possible the pencil in the box was blunt or missing, but a whole series of new caches? If the stipulation is to sign the log, then is it not wise to carry your own pen/pencil?

 

Now I know it happens, we all forget a pen, it runs out, can't find it in the murky depths of rucksack, but you can implement - tear a corner off, take photo of log book with your GPS/self. All mobile phones have a camera these days. Go to the nearest village shop and BUY a pen?

 

I always reckon if you can't mark the log then you need to be able to demonstrate you were there and provide some evidence (which may be a photo, or a detailed description).

 

Not all mobile phones have cameras - certainly the overwhelming majority do but my wife's latest phone (which she chose for its simplicity) makes calls, sends texts and does virtually nothing else. No phone, no PDA, no internet, no MP3 player, just a very basic phone. The other advantage is that if she loses it then it's cheap as chips to buy another one.

 

Another thing I have noticed when doing maintenance - the box has been full of calling cards - but their corresponding signature is not on the log book. Is this cacher's in such a rush for numbers that they do not have time to open the bag and sign the book?

 

Even when I'm hunting caches I hate finding huge piles of laminated cards. In a large cache when they all rattle around loose at the bottom it's no big deal but when it's a small cache that's got so many of them in it that getting everything back in feels like a game of Tetris it gets tiresome.

Link to comment

WE HATE CALLING CARDS

 

We did a Series recently and in nearly all the containers was a really annoying, and fiddly laminated piece of paper about 1cm by 4 cm.

 

"O also left calling cards to speed up the caching time"

 

"But luckily we had removed one tedious task of our quest and had laminated calling cards with the date of today with mine and *****'s name on".

 

Most of the caches had a film pot containing a log roll, within another larger container. So, as the container was opened or the log unrolled, these darned "cards" would fall out onto the ground and of course had to be picked up.

 

I found 3 of the caches, not with a gps, but because the "calling card" was lying on the ground!

 

Leaving a calling card may make it easy for that person, but it makes it worse for the rest of us.

 

PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE CALLING CARDS

 

For less than £10 Staples sell a pocket self inking stamp, 4 lines by 20 pr by 30 characters. I carry the character case and tweezers with me and change the date on one of the lines to todays date. It fits stamping on anything down to film canister sized paper width so really, only nano cant be signed with it. All the speed but none of the downfall amd a darn sight cheaper than these calling cards.

Link to comment

WE HATE CALLING CARDS

 

We did a Series recently and in nearly all the containers was a really annoying, and fiddly laminated piece of paper about 1cm by 4 cm.

 

"O also left calling cards to speed up the caching time"

 

"But luckily we had removed one tedious task of our quest and had laminated calling cards with the date of today with mine and *****'s name on".

 

Most of the caches had a film pot containing a log roll, within another larger container. So, as the container was opened or the log unrolled, these darned "cards" would fall out onto the ground and of course had to be picked up.

 

I found 3 of the caches, not with a gps, but because the "calling card" was lying on the ground!

 

Leaving a calling card may make it easy for that person, but it makes it worse for the rest of us.

 

PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE CALLING CARDS

 

For less than £10 Staples sell a pocket self inking stamp, 4 lines by 20 pr by 30 characters. I carry the character case and tweezers with me and change the date on one of the lines to todays date. It fits stamping on anything down to film canister sized paper width so really, only nano cant be signed with it. All the speed but none of the downfall amd a darn sight cheaper than these calling cards.

Nice... and in order too.. I like to read a log book in order, maybe I'm strange, so I too hate calling cards.

 

Maybe we should all get custom stamps like in the map and compass version of this game... I think I have one somewhere... off to search

Link to comment

On one of the threads recently, a cacher stated that he takes a photo of the cache because he doesn't have time to open the box and sign the log. If someone is so short of time that they don't sign the log I guess it's highly unlikely that they'll take the time to replace the cache properly either. <_<

 

with the possible exception of the odd one here and there when you've forgotten your pen.

 

great excuse that one! ....... I should try that one some time. :lol:

Link to comment

My 3 year old also has her own "stamp", a treasure chest icon. She loves stamping them. In larger log books where stopping my 3 yo from killing herself is not a concern i'll also take some time to write in the log as well as stamp it.

If Letterbox Hybrids were actually what they were supposed to be she'd be a very happy little cacher!

Link to comment

My 3 year old also has her own "stamp", a treasure chest icon. She loves stamping them. In larger log books where stopping my 3 yo from killing herself is not a concern i'll also take some time to write in the log as well as stamp it.

If Letterbox Hybrids were actually what they were supposed to be she'd be a very happy little cacher!

 

Indeed, our first one of these were a little disappointing, but then I realised it was only diappointing to me, she was still over the moon at finding "the treasure"

 

Actually, here is a pet hate when caching: when my daughter finds the cache first and I have not seen where she picked it up. Then she thinks its a funny game to not show me where she found it for 10 minutes!

Link to comment

My 3 year old also has her own "stamp", a treasure chest icon. She loves stamping them. In larger log books where stopping my 3 yo from killing herself is not a concern i'll also take some time to write in the log as well as stamp it.

If Letterbox Hybrids were actually what they were supposed to be she'd be a very happy little cacher!

 

Indeed, our first one of these were a little disappointing, but then I realised it was only diappointing to me, she was still over the moon at finding "the treasure"

 

Actually, here is a pet hate when caching: when my daughter finds the cache first and I have not seen where she picked it up. Then she thinks its a funny game to not show me where she found it for 10 minutes!

 

Look on the bright side, at least with 10 minutes you've got plenty of time to sign the log...

Link to comment

In the past 7 days there has been more than 10 micros (most of which I reckon will be nano's) gone live in my area by a group of friendsw who have clerarly re-discovered caching! Fine to a certain extent, I'm happy for new caches to appear in my local area.

 

Now I'm not one of these people that is against nano's per se either. I even have a couple out myself, sometimes there is a place for them.

 

My "pet hate" I suppose, is the location of some of these caches. For example, one is on a main road opposite a (very very average) pub. Absolutely nothing worth seeing at GZ whatsoever. So why bother?

 

I can think of 4 or 5 locations within a 1 mile radius that would at the very least be a pleasent place to walk and grab a cache. Next to one of the busiest roads in town is not one of them!

 

As someone on here keeps saying something along the lines of "If the only reason your bringing someone to a location is for the cache, think of another place to put it" - It's so so true.

 

I'm beginning to see why some of the more experienced cachers get frustrated over issues like this. I can't imagine putting zero thought into a cache location.

 

And one more thing, I hate seeing a lack of effort put into the cache descriptions. If you can't be bothered to write anything of note in the description then why should I make the effort to visit your cache?

 

Anyway, rant over!!!

Link to comment

Dogs off the lead on muddy footpaths. They head straight for me and insist on plastering mud all over my trousers or higher if they can reach. When I remonstrate with the owner and ask for their name and address so I know where to send the laundry/repair bill they get all 'huffy' and tell me I'm "not a nice man". Dam* right I'm not!

You mean you can walk down a muddy footpath and if not accosted by a dog your trousers do not need cleaning when you get home ? :)

 

I only have to climb out of the van on a wet day and I've got mud half way up my trousers. If that doesn't do it then walking behind someone gets it splattered half way up the thigh as it flicks off their boots.

 

If we come home with clean trousers we've been doing too many C&D's B)

 

Um.......I agree, clean trousers and you are not doing it right! Cant wait to meet the 'nice' man with my muddy dog lol!!!!

Link to comment

Another pet hate, is people who don't log trackables properly. There have been times when I've picked up a trackable, and it's still logged as with the person who placed it in the cache. Naturally before jumping the gun, you wait for the person concerned to log their visit to the cache, however once they do log their visit, and don't drop the trackable, I send an e-mail a few days after I see their logged visit to the cache asking if they could register the trackable as dropped off in the cache. I've then never had a reply back, and even seen that they've visited other caches since, so they must be active members, so I just do the grab, then write a note for the cache so that the trackable visits the cache, then off to continue the journey.

 

It'd be nice if more cachers would take that approach. I've just got back off a 4 day holiday. Several bugs were 'grabbed' from me the same day I dropped them in a cache. :mad:

 

So, a pet hate of impatient cachers. If you're going to grab a TB, at least then log it into the cache you found it from to keep mileage up to date. Several of the ones I dropped where in mileage races :(

 

I have to say sometimes u cant be an impatient cacher.....Ive found 3 caches now that had TBs in and didnt even no what to do with them so ive left them. One of the guys who caches in the same area as me dropped a TB about a week ago and i picked it up on thursday (12th) it hadnt been there that long but the description of the TB was to take it to nice places with nice views........So did i do the wrong thing by not leaving it in there long enough.....

 

Im sorry im not trying to be funny or anything....im not overly smart u see and sometimes the things that seem sooo easy to most people are more challenging for me (i think its because im a lefty) I logged it as grabbed so i could move it on to a nice place i take my son....was this the wrong thing to do....Sorry again..

Link to comment

Hi Jady87, what you did was absolutely correct. If you find a TB in a cache then pick it up and move it, don't worry that it hasn't been in the cache very long.

 

What Shiggadi was talking about was: say when you dropped your TB off, someone else came along 10 minutes later and picked it up, then they either log the cache out in the field using their phone, or they go straight home and log it, but you're still out and haven't got to your computer yet; so they 'grab' the TB from you, this means when you get home to log your cache you nolonger have the TB on your account so you can't log that you left it in the cache, this is inconsiderate on the part of the other cacher, and can also mean that the TB loses part of it's journey which can be a problem if the TB owner is interested in following how far the TB has travelled.

 

Remember TBs are meant to travel, so if you see one pick it up and move it on!

Link to comment

I have to say sometimes u cant be an impatient cacher.....Ive found 3 caches now that had TBs in and didnt even no what to do with them so ive left them. One of the guys who caches in the same area as me dropped a TB about a week ago and i picked it up on thursday (12th) it hadnt been there that long but the description of the TB was to take it to nice places with nice views........So did i do the wrong thing by not leaving it in there long enough.....

 

Im sorry im not trying to be funny or anything....im not overly smart u see and sometimes the things that seem sooo easy to most people are more challenging for me (i think its because im a lefty) I logged it as grabbed so i could move it on to a nice place i take my son....was this the wrong thing to do....Sorry again..

Your log on the TB says you retrieved the TB. That is the correct way.

It's always best to allow whoever dropped the TB in to a cache the chance to log it as Dropped.

 

A Grab is used if you are handed the TB by a fellow cacher, or you find it in a cache it isn't logged into - Having given time for it to be logged in to that cache, which could be up to two weeks to allow for a cacher being on holiday and unable to log...

 

If you Grab from a cache, it's best to Dip/Visit the TB in the cache you found the TB in.

Link to comment

Hey marty thankyou for the reply....I was scared to pick the first 2 up because if im not sure what im doing then i dont like to move things incase i mess it up for the TB Owner........One question in thicko terms if u may - Are the Geocoins the same as TBs???

 

I still have the TB in my bag (well sons toystory one but i use it for caching) Will the owner be annoyed at me for not bein able to drop it off within a day or so....weve had rubbish weather and didnt want to trek my little boy out in the rain and wind (we have no car u see) but i plan to get it to my selected location in the next few days :)

Link to comment

.One question in thicko terms if u may - Are the Geocoins the same as TBs???

 

Will the owner be annoyed at me for not bein able to drop it off within a day or so....

 

Yes Coins are treated in the same way as TBs.

 

No the owner shouldn't be annoyed if you hang onto it for a few days, we've all got a life outside geocaching (well I can think of a few who don't). Anyway hanging onto it is fine for a week maybe two, if you're going to keep it longer than that then write a note on the TB page explaining when you intend to drop it off and most TB owners should be OK with that.

Link to comment

Hey marty thankyou for the reply....I was scared to pick the first 2 up because if im not sure what im doing then i dont like to move things incase i mess it up for the TB Owner........One question in thicko terms if u may - Are the Geocoins the same as TBs???

 

I still have the TB in my bag (well sons toystory one but i use it for caching) Will the owner be annoyed at me for not bein able to drop it off within a day or so....weve had rubbish weather and didnt want to trek my little boy out in the rain and wind (we have no car u see) but i plan to get it to my selected location in the next few days :)

Yes, geocoins are handled just like TBs.

 

It's generally considered perfectly acceptable to not move it on for a couple of weeks - I don't mean hang on to it unnecessarily, but a couple of weeks is quite normal. Longer isn't wrong, but generally I'd say not to pick one up if you knew in advance you wouldn't be able to drop it off for more than 2 weeks.

 

Rgds, Andy

Link to comment

Dont worry guys im not planning on messing up my firs TB Find :) At least i no that the coins are the same aswell because i have come across them aswell!

 

ANYHOO MY PET HATE - having to climb into bushes on side of paths....then be alerted by my dog or son that a muggle is on their way down and i have to think of an excuse incase they think (weirdo) women in the bushes so i use the same line all the time.... "oh aaron where did you throw ur ball now?" tends to work quite well unless im on my own and i say " dont mind me....i think i just heard an injured bird somewhere in this grass" hahaha mental i no!!!!

 

AND LAST BUT DEFO NOT LEAST......NETTLES.....TAKE A LOOK AT MY PIC AND ULL SEE WHAT I MEAN....LIL BUGGERS :)

Link to comment

New pet hate... Nano's with "other" selected for cache size... it's tiny, select the smallest one.

 

OK, sometime's the cache size is a surprise... but when the "other" is followed by "this is a nano so don't forget your pen" in the description, then it's plain to see one should have selected micro.

 

Maybe the powers that be need to put a new size of "it's another tiny magnet" on there so we can all ignore them on our PQs :ph34r:

 

Had a horrible day in falling wet stuff being taken to uninteresting places to find magnets and film canisters... two of the places needed CITO badly, but the magnet one couldn't be cleared out as:

 

i) was in place that was locked off but cache was reachable (by design it seems)

 

ii) pretty obvious that landowner/dump owner had not been consulted.

 

Sadly... round the corner and under a bridge a decent place exists (maybe a minute's walk) where one could hide a real cache.

 

Off now to place a cache in the middle of a landfill and hope this guy tries to be FTF!

Edited by NattyBooshka
Link to comment

Calling cards!! Yes I agree with most of you

 

I finding annoying when you open a cache and have to sort through all the junk (20+ calling cards) before you can find the logbook or any goodies!!!

 

So...should a CO remove these?

Link to comment

Calling cards!! Yes I agree with most of you

 

So...should a CO remove these?

 

YES!! If the CO doesn't want them in his box he can remove.

 

Stickers on micro/nano logs - found a nano yesterday, with a sticker on, yes I did say nano - have you tried rolling the log book back up to fit into a magnetic nano when it has an extra layer on? not to mention how unfair it is taking up lots of log space. It may also prevent the container getting fully fastened and let the damp in.

 

Stamps - yes you all like your rubber stamps, but we have recently done a series of micro caches following such a stamp - which took up 6 log spaces - again unfair taking up so much space.

Link to comment

Calling cards!! Yes I agree with most of you

 

I finding annoying when you open a cache and have to sort through all the junk (20+ calling cards) before you can find the logbook or any goodies!!!

 

So...should a CO remove these?

 

Well this CO does. I don't object to people leaving calling cards in my caches, providing they don't object to me clearing them all out and disposing of them in the nearest rubbish bin when I call by on a maintenance visit.

Link to comment

Increasing frustration of mine: Ignorant and thoughtless cache seekers who blindly follow the arrow, prepared to destroy all before them. With the growth of the hobby, it seems to be a more common occurrence, ie. getting logs where people describe how they have climbed walls, trespassed, or whatever on the way to the cache - often ignoring clear advice and instructions on the cache page. "The GPS says that way, so off I go." Not to mention those who don't record their "adventures" in the logs but cause havoc, as we discover when visiting the cache.

 

I'm afraid I snapped the other day and wrote this log on one of my cache pages - a drive-by, roadside cache, no hint of needing to enter any fields or climb any walls, in fact clear that you don't. Even if you don't read the page, it should be blindingly obvious that if a wall is in your way, you don't start climbing over it. So, I thought I'd log a note:

 

2nd recent log suggesting entering the field or climbing the wall - please note:

---------- IT IS NOT IN THE FIELD!!!!!! --------------

 

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU WANT TO SCALE A WALL? NEVER CLIMB OVER A DRY-STONE WALL AS YOU WILL PROBABLY DAMAGE IT - YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A CACHER NOT A VANDAL.

 

As for the bench - try reading the cache page: perhaps the phrase "Further south along the road, after the farm" might be a clue.

 

Sorry for the rant and the shouting - but please THINK about what you're doing.

 

Oh, yes, agree with calling cards being annoying!

Link to comment

Problem here recently - http://coord.info/GCABED where cacher on 6 May 2011 admitted climbing over several fences. As I'm a ranger at park, on duty that weekend, I went to checkfence locations and discovered he could have reached trig point by passing just one strand of electric fence wire. Photos are not spoilers, as it's impossible to read plaque numbers. Cache owner had previously added my tips to cachers.

Link to comment

Stamps - yes you all like your rubber stamps, but we have recently done a series of micro caches following such a stamp - which took up 6 log spaces - again unfair taking up so much space.

I'm feeling self-righteous now! I've a stamp but only use it when it won't take up more than a signature would i.e. not on a 'nano type' micro :)

Link to comment

Can we have a things we love about caches thread as well?

 

Please, this is Groundspeak Forum we're talking about. Even if you started a 'things we love about caching' thread it would turn into "things we hate about geocaching" thread within three posts :P

 

My pet-peeve is carefully mapping out a long series of caches along a walk Im going to do, writing down all the coords and clues, going out, walking miles and getting logging them... then getting home and realising that I missed one out for some unknown reason.

Link to comment

Can we have a things we love about caches thread as well?

 

Please, this is Groundspeak Forum we're talking about. Even if you started a 'things we love about caching' thread it would turn into "things we hate about geocaching" thread within three posts :P

 

My pet-peeve is carefully mapping out a long series of caches along a walk Im going to do, writing down all the coords and clues, going out, walking miles and getting logging them... then getting home and realising that I missed one out for some unknown reason.

 

Yep agree with that one....was doing a mini series even though i didnt no it and then got home looked on my c:geo and saw there wa a cache at the other side of this football field that i walked straight past.....gutted i wa!!

Link to comment

Thought of another one.

 

Cachers who don't understand or follow the Difficulty/Terrain ratings.

 

Found one cache recently that was rated a 3* difficulty and 2* terrain. It was one of the most straight forward caches I've done (once you took into account the fact the coords were about 40 feet out :lol:)

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...