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Geocaching In China


Elmsleigh

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I am about to visit China for the first time. Although this is a business trip I may get enough time to hunt down a few caches. I am concerned however having searched on line for information, that it appears that the use of a GPS devices is illegal, or at least mapping is, and the use of the device could be considered as doing so. Can anyone confirm if this is correct, or am I reading old or false information. At the least I would not want my device confiscated and at worst would hate to stay longer at the Chinese governments pleasure. If someone could let me know the current situation I would be most grateful. Thank you.

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I am about to visit China for the first time. Although this is a business trip I may get enough time to hunt down a few caches. I am concerned however having searched on line for information, that it appears that the use of a GPS devices is illegal, or at least mapping is, and the use of the device could be considered as doing so. Can anyone confirm if this is correct, or am I reading old or false information. At the least I would not want my device confiscated and at worst would hate to stay longer at the Chinese governments pleasure. If someone could let me know the current situation I would be most grateful. Thank you.

 

I was in China at Easter and did some caching. I got advice from a few people before I went (and on arrival) and didn't have any problems. I put the GPS into the tray with my phone, camera, liquids etc when I went through airport security and nobody gave it a second glance. I had considered deleting my tracks as I went along so that I didn't have anything stored on the GPS that might be considered 'mapping', but decided not to in the end as I wanted some of the info for later - if I'd been stopped I decided I could offer to delete it then and there. I was careful not to use it openly near police, soldiers, government buildings and military bases, but I used it everywhere else and nobody was the slightest bit interested, even when I went through the security and bag scanner to get onto the metro and Tiananmen Square. I did take with me an explanation of geocaching (English one side, Chinese the other) in case I was stopped or questioned, which I adapted from something I found on another website - I'd be happy to email a copy if you'd like one. Have a good time!

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I did take with me an explanation of geocaching (English one side, Chinese the other) in case I was stopped or questioned, which I adapted from something I found on another website - I'd be happy to email a copy if you'd like one. Have a good time!

 

I've been doing some searching, and cannot find an explanation of Geocaching in Chinese. Do you have a link to that website? I'm headed there next year and have started preparing.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

HistDrew

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I did take with me an explanation of geocaching (English one side, Chinese the other) in case I was stopped or questioned, which I adapted from something I found on another website - I'd be happy to email a copy if you'd like one. Have a good time!

 

I've been doing some searching, and cannot find an explanation of Geocaching in Chinese. Do you have a link to that website? I'm headed there next year and have started preparing.

 

Thanks for any help!

 

HistDrew

 

I'm pretty sure I doctored it from this website: http://www.geocaching.cn

 

It was far from perfect but I hoped it would help if needed. I don't know whether the characters will come up on here correctly (and I'm sure any native Chinese speakers would be horrified by its accuracy!) but I'll try and paste it below.

 

GEOCACHING - PLEASE READ

 

It is part of a worldwide game dedicated to GPS (Global Positioning System) users, called Geocaching. The game basically involves a GPS user hiding "treasure" (this container and its contents), and publishing the exact coordinates so other GPS users can come on a "treasure hunt" to find it. The only rules are: if you take something from the cache, you must leave something for the cache, and you must write about your visit in the logbook. Hopefully, the person that hid this container found a good spot that is not easily found by uninterested parties.

 

IF YOU FOUND THIS CONTAINER BY ACCIDENT:

Great! You are welcome to join us! We ask only that you:

• Please do not move or vandalize the container. The real treasure is just finding the container and sharing your thoughts with everyone else who finds it.

• If you wish, go ahead and take something. But please also leave something of your own for others to find, and write it in the logbook.

• If possible, let us know that you found it, by visiting the web site listed below.

 

Geocaching is open to everyone with a GPS and a sense of adventure. There are similar sites all over the world. The organization has its home on the Internet. Visit our website if you want to learn more, or have any comments:

 

http://www.geocaching.com

 

 

 

 

网页寻宝——敬请查阅

 

他是专门奉献给GPS(全球定位系统)用户的世界性游戏的一部分,叫网上寻宝。这个游戏基本包括GPS用户藏宝(储宝罐和它里面的宝贝),公布它的准确坐标位置,其他GPS 的用户能够通过“寻宝”来找到宝藏。唯一的规则是:如果你从宝藏里取走了任何东西,你必须留下一些东西 ,然后在名册上签名。希望那个藏宝的人能将“宝贝”藏在一个很难被人发现的地方除非他是特别留意的人。

 

如果你偶然发现了这个宝藏:

太棒了!欢迎假如我们寻宝的行列!我们只要求您:

●不要搬走或捣毁储宝罐。其实真正的“宝贝“是找到藏宝罐并和其他的得宝者分享各自的想法。

●如果您愿意的话,赶快行动来取宝。但是请留下您的“宝贝”以便其他人来掘宝,然后再名册上作记录。

●如果可能的话您可以通过访问下面的网站让我们知道您已经发现了宝藏。

 

宝藏网站对所有具有冒险精神的GPS 用户开放,且在全世界都有相似的网站。负责组织的人在因特网上设有“母版”网站。如果您想了解得更多或者有任何建议,请访问我们的网站。

 

http://www.geocaching.com http://www.geocaching.cn

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That was fast! Thanks!

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure I doctored it from this website: http://www.geocaching.cn

 

It was far from perfect but I hoped it would help if needed. I don't know whether the characters will come up on here correctly (and I'm sure any native Chinese speakers would be horrified by its accuracy!) but I'll try and paste it below.

 

GEOCACHING - PLEASE READ

 

It is part of a worldwide game dedicated to GPS (Global Positioning System) users, called Geocaching. The game basically involves a GPS user hiding "treasure" (this container and its contents), and publishing the exact coordinates so other GPS users can come on a "treasure hunt" to find it. The only rules are: if you take something from the cache, you must leave something for the cache, and you must write about your visit in the logbook. Hopefully, the person that hid this container found a good spot that is not easily found by uninterested parties.

 

IF YOU FOUND THIS CONTAINER BY ACCIDENT:

Great! You are welcome to join us! We ask only that you:

• Please do not move or vandalize the container. The real treasure is just finding the container and sharing your thoughts with everyone else who finds it.

• If you wish, go ahead and take something. But please also leave something of your own for others to find, and write it in the logbook.

• If possible, let us know that you found it, by visiting the web site listed below.

 

Geocaching is open to everyone with a GPS and a sense of adventure. There are similar sites all over the world. The organization has its home on the Internet. Visit our website if you want to learn more, or have any comments:

 

http://www.geocaching.com

 

 

 

 

网页寻宝——敬请查阅

 

他是专门奉献给GPS(全球定位系统)用户的世界性游戏的一部分,叫网上寻宝。这个游戏基本包括GPS用户藏宝(储宝罐和它里面的宝贝),公布它的准确坐标位置,其他GPS 的用户能够通过“寻宝”来找到宝藏。唯一的规则是:如果你从宝藏里取走了任何东西,你必须留下一些东西 ,然后在名册上签名。希望那个藏宝的人能将“宝贝”藏在一个很难被人发现的地方除非他是特别留意的人。

 

如果你偶然发现了这个宝藏:

太棒了!欢迎假如我们寻宝的行列!我们只要求您:

●不要搬走或捣毁储宝罐。其实真正的“宝贝“是找到藏宝罐并和其他的得宝者分享各自的想法。

●如果您愿意的话,赶快行动来取宝。但是请留下您的“宝贝”以便其他人来掘宝,然后再名册上作记录。

●如果可能的话您可以通过访问下面的网站让我们知道您已经发现了宝藏。

 

宝藏网站对所有具有冒险精神的GPS 用户开放,且在全世界都有相似的网站。负责组织的人在因特网上设有“母版”网站。如果您想了解得更多或者有任何建议,请访问我们的网站。

 

http://www.geocaching.com http://www.geocaching.cn

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Garmin has a service center in Beijing; they loaded my eTrex 30 with a China Map just today. GPS is no problem in China. But, I am having difficulty placing a Cache because it appears the waypoints my eTrex is giving me are WAAY off from what the map in Geocaching.com is saying. This is a little troublesome. Anyway, so far, found about seven caches in and around Beijing. The program is immature here so I hope that more people will hide more caches. Not even sure if the one I wanted to hide tonight will be reviewed. But we'll see. If anyone can offer counsel about the coordinates issue, please weigh in..

MDW

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Maps in China are inaccurate (by design). Trust your GPS and you'll be fine.

 

Interesting though that in my favourite Android geocaching app different maps show different positions: the default map shows I am standing in the middle of the Huangpu River, the Thunderforest Transport Map shows the right position (at the waterfront, with dry feet) ;-)

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Perfectly true- try this for fun- try using different maps on your PC and then toggle between the satellite and terrain view. This then becomes one of the best metaphors for this place- a land of contradictions where what you see depends on how you look at it :). One reason I'm still dismayed there are no China, (or Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao...) soy inert badges. We earn them here I wonder why they don't exist?

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