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should i up the difficulty(2) of my cache?


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when i placed it (GC2V6VM), gave it a 1.5 difficulty since it was just hidden behind a rock. It is a micro about the size of a large tic tac container but with soo many no finds, i upped it to a 2. But now i have 9 no finds out of 11 in my last few logs!! I checked up on it a lot of times to make sure its not gone and its right where should be.

 

so, should i just upgrade it a bit? hate getting all the unhappy faces since i really wanted an easy one.

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if your point is ? it is supposed to be easy,

and if normally skilled geocachers do not find it easy, you failed you mission,

ok accept it and fix it,

keep the D/T as easy,

but make a good usefull hint, and maybe even add a spoiler picture

this way people check that instead of naging you about it :-)

 

if there are 100 of rocks similar type and size in this area,

a hint like : behind the rock is compleetly useless.

 

OK you can paint the rock pink, and write: look for pink rock.

but that will be found by random people passing by,

so your task is to make it easy for geocachers, but hard/impossible for mugglers to find it,

good luck

Edited by OZ2CPU
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Maybe add/change the hint to be more precise.

How about just leaving it right where it is, as it is, and letting it ride? You initially rated it what you thought it should be so leave it alone. No need to feel guilty if your cache receives DNFs. Stop catering. If someone wants to find it, they'll work to find it.

+1

 

I found a cache this morning, which has a 1.5 difficulty rating, and the logs before me were showing DNFs.

I didn't hold out much hope on finding it, and after 7/8 minutes I was ready to give up. I stepped back, looked at it from a different angle and suddenly spotted it. The difficulty rating was spot on and the people before me clearly didn't look properly.

If all the info is spot on, don't change a thing. Some people seem to expect the cache to jump into their hands once they arrive at GZ. :)

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>Some people seem to expect the cache to jump into their hands once they arrive at GZ

 

look at the guidelines !

if it is 1.5 or 1.0 rated I surely expect to be able to find it in 1-2 minutes

as I do with all the other rated same way.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

and for the ratings

http://www.geocaching.com/hide/rate.aspx

Edited by OZ2CPU
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>Some people seem to expect the cache to jump into their hands once they arrive at GZ

 

look at the guidelines !

if it is 1.5 or 1.0 rated I surely expect to be able to find it in 1-2 minutes

as I do with all the other rated same way.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

and for the ratings

http://www.geocaching.com/hide/rate.aspx

 

I was talking about that particular cache. If they had of just taken a slight step back, it would have been found within seconds. GZ can be 30ft out, it just seems that people give up after a mere minute or two at the GZ shown on a map, not looking around the area.

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if he got 9 DNF on a 1.5 rated cache, and the DNF'ers are not compleetly dorks ?

then he should fix something..

maybe wrong or bad hint, easy to misunderstand ?

or a too good hide for the rating.

I normally complain/say in my logs when ratings or hints are clearly wrong.

Edited by OZ2CPU
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when i placed it (GC2V6VM), gave it a 1.5 difficulty since it was just hidden behind a rock. It is a micro about the size of a large tic tac container but with soo many no finds, i upped it to a 2. But now i have 9 no finds out of 11 in my last few logs!! I checked up on it a lot of times to make sure its not gone and its right where should be.

 

so, should i just upgrade it a bit? hate getting all the unhappy faces since i really wanted an easy one.

 

Yet it's listed as "small". :blink:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/guide/default.aspx

 

Micro - Less than 100ml. Examples: a 35 mm film canister or a tiny storage box typically containing only a logbook or a logsheet. A nano cache is a common sub-type of a micro cache that is less than 10ml and can only hold a small logsheet.

 

Small - 100ml or larger, but less than 1L. Example: A sandwich-sized plastic container or similar.

 

Obviously, it's not an "easy" find. The last person to log a "found it" left this log:

 

Third time lucky. Needed some fairly explicit instructions from the CO (thanks) and even then, it took a bit. Yes, we looked there many, many times. In fact, once I found and signed it, I put it back, and MrBug STILL couldn't find it!! Tricky hide. Thank you for the hint....we did not want to go home with an upside down smiley on this one after spending so much time there! Our favourite beach

 

So, yes, a Difficulty rating of 1.5 was not accurate.

 

 

B.

Edited by Pup Patrol
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when i placed it (GC2V6VM), gave it a 1.5 difficulty since it was just hidden behind a rock. It is a micro about the size of a large tic tac container but with soo many no finds, i upped it to a 2. But now i have 9 no finds out of 11 in my last few logs!! I checked up on it a lot of times to make sure its not gone and its right where should be.

 

so, should i just upgrade it a bit? hate getting all the unhappy faces since i really wanted an easy one.

your listing says small lock n lock. here you say it's a micro tic tac container. Make sure you have the right one picked.

Have you checked and rechecked the coordinates with a GPSr?? one wrong # and you could be sending cachers to another area.

 

Take someone with you, maybe a DNF cacher, have them try to find it while you watch, that will tell you where the problem is.

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if he got 9 DNF on a 1.5 rated cache, and the DNF'ers are not compleetly dorks ?

then he should fix something..

maybe wrong or bad hint, easy to misunderstand ?

or a too good hide for the rating.

I normally complain/say in my logs when ratings or hints are clearly wrong.

Or maybe some people are being lazy.

CO said they think the rating is right. A good hide doesn't necessarily mean the ratings need to go up.

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when i placed it (GC2V6VM), gave it a 1.5 difficulty since it was just hidden behind a rock. It is a micro about the size of a large tic tac container but with soo many no finds, i upped it to a 2. But now i have 9 no finds out of 11 in my last few logs!! I checked up on it a lot of times to make sure its not gone and its right where should be.

 

so, should i just upgrade it a bit? hate getting all the unhappy faces since i really wanted an easy one.

 

1. Are you certain about the coordinates for the cache? If these are off by 30-40' or so, it could greatly increase the search difficulty for a micro cache.

2. Yes, I think you need to up the difficulty (if you are happy with the hide), or provide a more explicit hint (if you want it to be easier)- there are a lot of DNF's for a D1.5 to D2 cache.

 

BTW, your location looks spectacular. :)

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your listing says small lock n lock. here you say it's a micro tic tac container. Make sure you have the right one picked.

This could be a significant reason why people are having problems finding it. Your description (and size rating) say that it's a small lock 'n' lock. Cachers will be searching places where you can hide a small lock 'n' lock, and wouldn't bother checking smaller places where you couldn't hide one.

 

Scrabblers' idea of going along with a DNFer is an excellent idea. You'd probably find searchers are doing something you would never have expected and searching in spots you wouldn't have though of. It would become very clear very quickly where searchers are going wrong.

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your listing says small lock n lock. here you say it's a micro tic tac container. Make sure you have the right one picked.

This could be a significant reason why people are having problems finding it. Your description (and size rating) say that it's a small lock 'n' lock. Cachers will be searching places where you can hide a small lock 'n' lock, and wouldn't bother checking smaller places where you couldn't hide one.

 

Scrabblers' idea of going along with a DNFer is an excellent idea. You'd probably find searchers are doing something you would never have expected and searching in spots you wouldn't have though of. It would become very clear very quickly where searchers are going wrong.

 

Not cool to describe it as something it isn't and misrepresent the container size!

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We found this cache, though from the hint I believe the hide has been changed since then. We would have rated the cache we found a 2.5 or 3 star. Back then it was listed as 'magnetic' which was technically true, though the container was stuck to magnetic tape affixed to the ceiling of a small rock cave, as opposed to any of the metallic objects nearby. I haven't found the current hide, but seems like it is equally tricky

 

As I remember the coordinates are fine.

 

The other issue with this cache is actually the terrain rating; you have to climb a short way down the breakwater rocks to reach the cache. And while this can be done in slippahs, we've had a few tourists as us for help on this hide: some of them had refrained from going down where the cache is because it didn't look like a 1.5 terrain to them.

 

Which brings me to the fact that this cache is very close to Waikiki and as such most of the seekers (now that all the locals have found it) are visitors. Folks from other places may have differing ideas of terrain ratings. I'd say any terrain from 1.5-2.5 is acceptable for this cache, but to encourage visitors off the grass you might want to increase it. We tend to give pretty explicit hints for our caches near Waikiki (mostly because we travel too and know how frustrating it can be not to be able to find a 1 star cache with no hint!). :rolleyes:

 

jrr

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when i placed it (GC2V6VM), gave it a 1.5 difficulty since it was just hidden behind a rock. It is a micro about the size of a large tic tac container but with soo many no finds, i upped it to a 2. But now i have 9 no finds out of 11 in my last few logs!! I checked up on it a lot of times to make sure its not gone and its right where should be.

 

so, should i just upgrade it a bit? hate getting all the unhappy faces since i really wanted an easy one.

did you take coord readings with a phone by any chance?

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your listing says small lock n lock. here you say it's a micro tic tac container. Make sure you have the right one picked.

This could be a significant reason why people are having problems finding it. Your description (and size rating) say that it's a small lock 'n' lock. Cachers will be searching places where you can hide a small lock 'n' lock, and wouldn't bother checking smaller places where you couldn't hide one.

 

Scrabblers' idea of going along with a DNFer is an excellent idea. You'd probably find searchers are doing something you would never have expected and searching in spots you wouldn't have though of. It would become very clear very quickly where searchers are going wrong.

 

Not cool to describe it as something it isn't and misrepresent the container size!

We have a local who has put out 53 caches, 28 of those has size (not chosen) and I have yet to see a hint on any of his. The one I found last week took 2 tries because the coords were off by more than 40' Hint from the CO was the only way it was found. This one in particular is like one I had out for years, mine was slightly bigger, about the size of a bison tube and I sized it as micro. His was a little more stubby but I don't understand the no size given.

 

No size, no hint and bad coords does not make for a satisfying caching experience.

 

Can you randomly not choose a size?

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If you have it listed as a small yet it is a micro I would probably DNF it as well. Size is a huge help when searching for a cache. A small lock n lock will be hidden differently than a micro breath mint holder. I know I need to search much more for a micro than a small. It sounds like the description mismatch has thrown off more people than the Difficulty rating.

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sorry for late reply! and many thanks for all the hints. the container is a small lock n lock thats 3 and 1/2 by 2 inches in size covered in camo duct tape. Coordinates were taken with my Garmin 60CSx averaged to 100. If you're ever there at the coords, you can tell there's is only one place for it to be (general location).

I used to have it with magnets holding it up but couldnt find a glue that would keep my magnets attached to the vinyl/plastic the case is made out of. So changed to just regular "hide behind rock" type.

 

think maybe a spoiler picture might help but I dont want to put it so it ruins it for the people who dont want hints, how do u make spoiler picture w/out it spoiling the cache? just post up a link to it?

again many thx and mahalo for all the tips

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sorry for late reply! and many thanks for all the hints. the container is a small lock n lock thats 3 and 1/2 by 2 inches in size covered in camo duct tape. Coordinates were taken with my Garmin 60CSx averaged to 100. If you're ever there at the coords, you can tell there's is only one place for it to be (general location).

I used to have it with magnets holding it up but couldnt find a glue that would keep my magnets attached to the vinyl/plastic the case is made out of. So changed to just regular "hide behind rock" type.

 

think maybe a spoiler picture might help but I dont want to put it so it ruins it for the people who dont want hints, how do u make spoiler picture w/out it spoiling the cache? just post up a link to it?

again many thx and mahalo for all the tips

Gorilla glue.

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I used to have it with magnets holding it up but couldnt find a glue that would keep my magnets attached to the vinyl/plastic the case is made out of. So changed to just regular "hide behind rock" type.

Gorilla glue.

Have strong magnets inside the case, not outside, is another method.

 

i glued 2 super magnets to a rock, then duct taped it to make sure dont fall off. then i put 2 more inside the case and tried to hot glue it down, then covered with duct tape. after short time, the inside ones came loose and stuck together so they wouldnt grab the ones on the rock correctly (pos/neg didnt align right way).

 

ill have to try give gorilla glue a try.

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