dificulty in finding first cache

[outsidemike]

at this point I'm still trying learn how to use my gps receiver so I picked a fairly easy rated cash about a 400m walk for my home.

 

so I plot the point in the gps unit and go for a walk, get within 8 m of of the location and putt around for an hour before I walk back home. Day two, I take the same rout following my gps and get with 4m of the cache...exept for one probem. Im visually about 50m (150feet) away from where I was looking for the cash the day before. So assuming I make a search within a 50m radious around a given point on my gps. I'm potentially looking for something the size of dime in 2.5 square Km aria?...its enough to make a guy want to quit before he even starts

 

I had thought gps was more accurate than this, or have i just got a crappy unit. its a garmin e-trex venture hc, it is old but Its basically brand new too. A friend of mine bought it, opened the box, and then basically let it collect dust for 5 years

[+RudyN]

I know what you feel like. I looked for four caches today and found none. I have restarted geocaching after a eight year layoff and it is frustating, considering that I have done this before.

[+The Blorenges]

The Garmin E-trex venture HC should get you closer than 50metres...

 

Have you got the map datum set to WGS84 and the Position Format set to Lat/Long HDDD° MM.MMM ?

 

MrsB

Edited September 18, 2012 by The Blorenges

[oliantoine]

How accurate were the GPSr coordinates? I suppose that info is available somewhere on your Etrex.

I am not used to handheld GPSr as I have always cached with a smartphone (nearly 200 finds, never have any accuracy issue).

If you own a GPS-enabled smartphone, maybe it is worth comparing their relative accuracy. Maybe your Etrex is defective (although nearly never used).

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

The Garmin E-trex venture HC should get you closer than 50metres...

 

Have you got the map datum set to WGS84 and the Position Format set to Lat/Long HDDD° MM.MMM ?

 

MrsB

This may well be the problem, if the unit has been unused and sitting in a closet for years.

 

Later GPSr units were more specifically oriented towards geocaching, older ones were not. Now that has little to do with the Datum/Format settings, but as often as not they were not "preset" to WGS84.

 

If I interpret what you said correctly:

I'm potentially looking for something the size of dime in 2.5 square Km aria

You need to look a cache larger than that. Choose a nearby one that is rated as small or regular. Don't look for micro size until you have acquired some expertize in finding -- as of now, you have none! This is a common mistake that new starters don't think of... and it can frustrate the heck out of them.

[outsidemike]

took me a bit to find the settings, but the map datum was set to set to Nad27 Canada, position format is right. I did some reading on the datums, and Im still not sure whats what ....nad27, nad83, wgs84?

 

 

Also how much effect will the waas/eggnos setting have. By default it is turned off in sytem setup

[+The Blorenges]

took me a bit to find the settings, but the map datum was set to set to Nad27 Canada, position format is right. I did some reading on the datums, and Im still not sure whats what ....nad27, nad83, wgs84?

 

 

Also how much effect will the waas/eggnos setting have. By default it is turned off in sytem setup

 

For geocaching you need it set to WGS84.

 

Some more info here -

 

Coordinates and map datums

 

Satellites and accuracy - WAAS and EGNOS explained

 

MrsB