Compass vs GPS

[TamaraChapman]

Hello veterans,

 

I have just found your site and been introduced to Geocaching. It's funny, I had never heard of it before and heard about it twice today! My one question is, I do not own a GPS. Is it possible to participate with a compass? I am an avid backpacker, love the concept of a treasure hunt enroute, am good with a compass but do not own a GPS.

 

Please don't consider this a stupid question. I would be willing to bet someone else is wondering the same thing.

 

Thanks for sharing the site and the concept and happy hunting.

 

TJC

[+edscott]

Yes, caching using a good map or aerial photograph.. and compass if you need it, is possible. It is harder than using a GPS, but if you like a challenge and don't mind not finding every one you search for the first time go for it. I'd start with caches in small parks or close to trails until you get the hang of it, but as soon as you feel comfortable with those then go for anything.

[+mpilchfamily]

Wasn't very good with a map and compass in my Scouting days. But your not alone in caching with a map and compass. Many people do it for the pure challenge of it.

[+dfx]

It's certainly possible. You get a set of lat/long coordinates in the WGS84 datum and you need to be able to determine where those are with a certain accuracy. The more accurate you can pinpoint them the better, but any method that gets you within +- 10 meters (30 feet) or so should be good enough. Now you need to ask yourself: are you able to do that? Or, from a different point of view: what's the accuracy that you think you'll be able to pinpoint given coordinates, and do you think that's gonna be good enough to find a hidden container?

[+StarBrand]

Some folks have found many thousands with just map and compass. It is a bit harder and not always as successful but certainly can be done and done well.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Your question is valid. It is asked often enough here in the forums.

 

Answer: Yes you can. There are a number of geocachers that do -- however, I believe they do carry a GPSr as a backup.

 

Long and short of it... break down and give in, 'cuz sooner or later you are gonna discover that a good, quality GPSr can even be a godsend while hiking only. Not saying that you should throw the compass away, not at all (it's batteries never die).

[mgTIM]

I am a newbie here myself, and I always print out the location map. GPS can be 5 - 10 meters out (last week it indicated one cache as being about three foot into a pond - map clearly showed it at the edge, but on dry land :-))

[+A & J Tooling]

I've 20 logged finds and about 200 unlogged (waiting to take the kids to 'find' these). Never used a gps yet. May not be a lot of finds but it's a lot of fun.

[+edscott]

Your question is valid. It is asked often enough here in the forums.

 

Answer: Yes you can. There are a number of geocachers that do -- however, I believe they do carry a GPSr as a backup.

 

Long and short of it... break down and give in, 'cuz sooner or later you are gonna discover that a good, quality GPSr can even be a godsend while hiking only. Not saying that you should throw the compass away, not at all (it's batteries never die).

 

Usually don't carry one, but I do have a Nuvi in the car to get me from one parking spot to another. It's OK to wander about in the woods but less OK to be wandering about in traffic.

[Carms Cache]

Read the hints and pick ones that are more explicit as to the location (e.g. under stump of ivy covered tree). Use you compass to get you to the area and your eyes and the hint will do the rest.