? Placing first cache?

[+Team Pixos]

Can I use a portable vehicle GPS to get the coordinates of the place I want the cache to be? Everything I've read says not to use my iPhone 4.

 

I've done three readings separately using both units, and they are really close to each other.

[AZcachemeister]

Can I use a portable vehicle GPS to get the coordinates of the place I want the cache to be? Everything I've read says not to use my iPhone 4.

 

I've done three readings separately using both units, and they are really close to each other.

 

If you get good results on different days, you are good-to-go.

 

Mark the waypoint, come back a day or two later and try to navigate to the same place. Does the unit take you to the right location?

[+Hurricane Luke]

Can I use a portable vehicle GPS to get the coordinates of the place I want the cache to be? Everything I've read says not to use my iPhone 4.

 

I've done three readings separately using both units, and they are really close to each other.

 

When we placed our first cache, we used an iPhone 3G - but we were lucky as it was on top of a hill and there was great satellite reception, and we visited the spot and took coordinates twice. Finders commented on the good accuracy of the coordinates. We were lucky! I upgraded to an iPhone 4 when it came out, but at the same time, we also purchased a Garmin Oregon. Now, 72 cache placements later, we are using the Oregon exclusively without any errors.

 

Of course, you'll get the best accuracy with a GPS that's designed for outdoor handheld use as the software written for it and the antenna included will most likely be best at detecting small changes in the position of the device, whilst a car unit may have differently designed software and use a different antenna. I can't say with 100% certainty as we don't own a in-car GPS, but I would expect a handheld unit to *generally* be more accurate than a car unit.

 

Good luck!

[+Chief301]

There's nothing wrong with using the iPhone for cache placement...the iPhone 4 is far more accurate than the older models and is every bit as accurate as my Garmin Legend. Use an app like Perfect Mark (free) to average the waypoint, and like others said, get readings on two or three different days if possible and you should be good to go.

[+power69]

Can I use a portable vehicle GPS to get the coordinates of the place I want the cache to be? Everything I've read says not to use my iPhone 4.

 

I've done three readings separately using both units, and they are really close to each other.

Pleeeeeeeeease don't use iphone to take coords!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Can I use a portable vehicle GPS to get the coordinates of the place I want the cache to be? Everything I've read says not to use my iPhone 4.

 

I've done three readings separately using both units, and they are really close to each other.

 

One of the common practices for capturing a waypoint is to mark the waypoint, walk away from the location, then navigate back to the waypoint to make sure it takes you to the cache. Make sure that you have your vehicle GPS set to off road or pedestrian mode when you do this, otherwise it will try to route you to the nearest road.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I think Groundspeak " rules " state that a cache must be hidden using a dedicated GPS handheld.

[Pup Patrol]

I think Groundspeak " rules " state that a cache must be hidden using a dedicated GPS handheld.

 

Not exactly.

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=307

 

1. Technical Requirements

 

1. Listings must contain accurate GPS coordinates. You must visit the geocache site and obtain all the coordinates with a GPS device. GPS usage is an integral and essential element of both hiding and finding geocaches and must be demonstrated for all cache submissions. Projecting waypoints from locations defined by coordinates is permissible. For geocaches that include Additional Waypoints, see the guidelines specific to those cache types.

 

"A GPS device"...

[+niraD]

If you aren't certain of your coordinates, then test them. Enter the coordinates into your device and approach the cache location from at least 100' away. The arrow should point at the cache. Repeat the process, approaching the cache location from different directions. If the arrow points at the cache no matter which direction you approach from, then you've got good coordinates. If not, then adjust the coordinates until they pass the test.

 

For bonus points, you can repeat the test on a different day, when the GPS satellites are in a different configuration.

[+Notlich]

I hid my first cache with an iPhone 4. On 2 occasions I visited the spot and each time took multiple readings having walked 20m away and come back. The readings had quite a spread but I went with the average. I got a reviewer not to check the co-ords as the map did not align with the description.

I repeated the exercise with a garmin GPS. The readings were much closer packed and on a map looked ot be in the right place.

In future I'll be using the Garmin to get co-ords for hides.