How to get coordinates to stash a cache?

[WinnetouGp]

I am a newbie! please forgive any mistakes that i am about to make!

 

We would like to place a cache (only fair if we look for them) its all ready to go apart from its actual location.

 

We have found a hiding place but don't know how to find this location's coordinates? We have an iphone with Google Earth, Tom's GPS, Coordinates, Google Maps and the Geocache app.

 

Is it possible to use any of these apps to produce reasonable coordinates for the cache or are we needing something with a little bit more umph?

 

I have tried this afternoon without much luck - the closest I get to the spot is about 200yds!

[jholly]

You need to be able to read the coordinates on your iPhone. The guidelines require the use of a GPS to read the coordinates, so using maps don't cut it. As a side note, unless you have a 4G iPhone the coordinates can be really horrible. Can you borrow a GPS? Even the old yellow eTrex's were pretty good.

[+Lowther Gang]

I was using a smartphone in the beginning but have just bought a Garmin Etrex 20 GPS which is fantastic for

Geocaching.

 

I am also about to hide my first cache and find it very easy with the Etrex 20 to get the coordinates of my position.

 

I just need to find a good location to hide the cache

 

If you are into geocaching and looking at hiding a few caches then you should invest in a handheld GPS.

 

Sorry i cant actually help you with your question but if you do place the cache and get the coordinates with your iPhone they might not be very accurate.

 

You could always ask the first cacher that finds it with a proper GPS to tell you its exact coordinates and then update the cache page with them.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Lowther Gang

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

As jholly said.

 

Don't even (ever) consider Google Earth, Google Maps.

[+Chief301]

Try a free app called Perfect Mark. It will automatically average a reading over a period of time. Never use a single momentary reading and expect it to be accurate, even with a dedicated GPS...the best coordinates are obtained by taking several different readings, preferably on different days and at different times of day, and averaging them out. Your coordinates may not be perfect but they will be much better if you take time and care in obtaining them.

[WinnetouGp]

Ok I have got the app perfect mark! It seems to work! Will let you know how it goes thanks all for the advice

We lead a very busy life as it is so will see how it goes before investing in gps machine!

Fingers crossed our cache can be found

[+Lowther Gang]

Ok I have got the app perfect mark! It seems to work! Will let you know how it goes thanks all for the advice

We lead a very busy life as it is so will see how it goes before investing in gps machine!

Fingers crossed our cache can be found

 

Good luck with the cache

[+oxford comma]

is the gps requirement because it is basically a gps game? why wouldn't it be acceptable to use google maps ( or whatever) to place an urban cache? I have always wondered this.i have perfect mark and always double check my coords via an " enter your lat/long " site.

[+ShaunEM]

Historically iphones are not accurate enough.

 

One way around this is to own up to this during the placement, leave clear directions as to where the cache is hidden (i.e. NW base of second tree in this group of three) and ask for future finders to help make the placement more accurate as they locate it, with their GPSes.

[jholly]

is the gps requirement because it is basically a gps game? why wouldn't it be acceptable to use google maps ( or whatever) to place an urban cache? I have always wondered this.i have perfect mark and always double check my coords via an " enter your lat/long " site.

The simplest and most exact reason is because the use of a GPS is required by the rules of the game. But yes, the first geocache was placed and found with the use of a GPS. The use of a GPS is integral to playing the game. There is nothing wrong with using an online mapping service to sanity check your coordinates and there is nothing wrong with using an online mapping service to find urban caches. But you have to accept the fact that these maps may be off up to a hundred feet or more at some locations.

[+The A-Team]

is the gps requirement because it is basically a gps game? why wouldn't it be acceptable to use google maps ( or whatever) to place an urban cache? I have always wondered this.i have perfect mark and always double check my coords via an " enter your lat/long " site.

Because those maps aren't consistently accurate enough. Here's an example:

Look at this area. We're going to pretend we're hiding a cache at the northernmost corner of the northernmost green tennis court (here). Using a known-accurate local GIS map, I found that the coordinates of that corner are N48 26 48.52 W123 27 45.27. If we plug those coordinates into Google Maps, here's what we get. Using Google Earth (uses the same imagery as Google Maps), I measure this difference at about 10 meters or 32 feet. I just checked another area about 20 km north of this spot, and the imagery is out by 15 feet. Others have reported imagery being out as much as hundreds of feet in some parts of the world.

 

It's fine to use something like Google Maps to check your coordinates when hiding, but only to check that your coordinates aren't way out in left field (ie. hundreds of feet away). Using it to check accuracy on a small scale shouldn't be done.

[+oxford comma]

thanks! I've wondered about that.

[+K13]

I humbly suggest you wait to place a cache until after you commit to purchasing a GPSr. This commitment demonstrates to yourself that you will be more likely to stay in the game and maintain your cache. It is a long-term commitment to own a cache.

[+L0ne.R]

Ok I have got the app perfect mark! It seems to work! Will let you know how it goes thanks all for the advice

We lead a very busy life as it is so will see how it goes before investing in gps machine!

Fingers crossed our cache can be found

 

Be prepared to attend to your cache and cache page when necessary and in a timely fashion. It's also a good idea to do regular checks on your cache to clean out debris and fix problems like a cracked lid or worn tabs or full logbook, etc.

 

On average I check our caches about twice a year, more if someone reports a problem. You will also want to see how the location is holding up, i.e. if there's any damage to the area from the frequent visits to the cache.

 

As a CO you'll need to check your email frequently for maintenance needed reports. Also, familiarize yourself with some of the cache page features such as Edit Listing, Edit Attributes, Needs Maintenance, Owner Maintenance, Write a Note, Add/Edit Waypoints, Needs Archive, Disable, Archive Listing. You will likely need to use one or more at some point.

Edited August 29, 2012 by L0ne R

[WinnetouGp]

Ok I have got the app perfect mark! It seems to work! Will let you know how it goes thanks all for the advice

We lead a very busy life as it is so will see how it goes before investing in gps machine!

Fingers crossed our cache can be found

 

Be prepared to attend to your cache and cache page when necessary and in a timely fashion. It's also a good idea to do regular checks on your cache to clean out debris and fix problems like a cracked lid or worn tabs or full logbook, etc.

 

On average I check our caches about twice a year, more if someone reports a problem. You will also want to see how the location is holding up, i.e. if there's any damage to the area from the frequent visits to the cache.

 

As a CO you'll need to check your email frequently for maintenance needed reports. Also, familiarize yourself with some of the cache page features such as Edit Listing, Edit Attributes, Needs Maintenance, Owner Maintenance, Write a Note, Add/Edit Waypoints, Needs Archive, Disable, Archive Listing. You will likely need to use one or more at some point.

[WinnetouGp]

Update!!

Cache placed, coordinates found using perfect mark, cache listed, reviewed and went live!!

FTF within 9 hours! It was live at 11.30pm so a bit dark!!

Has been found now by three separate visits.

Thanks cheif301

It is in a position that is passed by us everyday so no worries about us being able to maintain it.

Thanks to all the answers )

[+Shamenlong]

Hi guys I have the same problem I have an etrex 10 how do I obtain my co ordinates for hiding a cache

Thanks in advance

[Pup Patrol]

Hi guys I have the same problem I have an etrex 10 how do I obtain my co ordinates for hiding a cache

Thanks in advance

 

Do you have the owner's manual?

 

It's online, a free pdf to download...it's the best way to learn how to use the functions of your gps.

 

You're going to want to read the section about waypoints.

 

http://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/eTrex_10-20-30_OM_EN.pdf

 

 

B.

[+Shamenlong]

Thank you I don't but will read the PDF

[Pup Patrol]

Thank you I don't but will read the PDF

 

One of the best ways to get to know how to use your gps is to search for multicaches. The need to input coordinates manually will give you great practice with it.

 

I always think that it's a good idea to search out a variety of cache types before beginning to hide caches. It's not the number of caches you've found that give you experience, it's the variety of types and hiding styles that let you experience a wider caching experience.

 

 

B.

[+SKAMS]

The Topic (etrex10 manual) seems to be "Increasing the Accuracy of a Waypoint Location" -> "Waypoint Averaging".

 

As you may not want to wait repeatedly 90minutes (as proposed in the manual) at the cache location it may often be more convenient to return on another(or multiple) day(s) for acquiring additional coordinate samples.

[GPS-Hermit]

First you need to realize that playing this game correctly requires good knowledge of a GPS and the game itself. I recommend you find 25 caches b4 hiding your first one. You need to take your hiding seriously and find a great spot. The worst words you can utter is " don't expect much this is my first cache".

 

If you don't know how to get co-ords (called Marking) then you need to practice until you are an expert. It will take a while but it is fun and helps everyone else play better. Place a rock somewhere, mark it and find it on multiple days to see how good your signal area is. You should able to find its location easily - how clever you hide it is the variable. What you want to avoid is producing a waypoint that is 100 or more feet from where you intended to put the cache. Averaging can help but averaging a bad signal is junk on junk! Increase your knowledge on what works in the field. You need to see it working rather than have others tell you your signal is way off.

 

So Practice Practice practice! It is fun, get good at it. You are going to find out by using a GPS just what an amazing device it is and how much fun you are going have. Get out there and learn that thing.

To start, learn what a high sensitivity receiver is.

 

Welcome to the game!

Edited September 15, 2012 by GPS-Hermit