Got the distance & the bearing but what does bearing mean?

[+tweetiepy]

OMG, this is now the 6th time I've tried this multi-cache. It,s a 1.5 difficulty so nothing majorly hard. I went with my son by car and he was really good at navigating to the destination. It,s this one: GCXRXH

 

I get to the first coords and do the calculations and I get a distance & bearing. Now the distance I get but bearing is direction right? how does it know which way I need to head - north, south, east or west? we followed the bearing & distance and get somewhere in between two roads - no paths, it looks like someone's house. Nothing around to get a second set of bar codes. I'm wondering if I need to do something to get the right direction?? Should there be something else to input to get the correct bearing?

 

I'm hoping to actually find this simple cache before I'm on my 10 visit. I'd at least like the satisfaction of knowning I'm not a total lost cause with solving these things.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Bearing is part of the North,South, East, West.

 

It's based on a compass which is divided into 360 degrees. North is 0, go clockwise, East is 90 South is 180

One problem is, is it True or Magnetic? Not too big a problem if it's only a short distance.

 

A handy programme is FizzyCalc by a cacher called FizzyMagic.

 

Caches are always more satisfying if you've put in some work to find them!

 

edit to add.

What GPS? Some have the ability to get the coordinates when you add bearing and distance.

Edited January 13, 2013 by Bear and Ragged

[+tweetiepy]

It's a Magellan 310. It's pretty accurate, the location is smack dab in someone's yard - we didn't see any alleys, and I checked the coords in google maps and it leads to the middle of someone's lot

[+Huntleigh]

It's a Magellan 310. It's pretty accurate, the location is smack dab in someone's yard - we didn't see any alleys, and I checked the coords in google maps and it leads to the middle of someone's lot

 

Not sure how it works on a Magellan but on my Garmin the menu choice is "Project a Waypoint".

 

So you get to the the first stage (waypoint) and you've calculated the distance and bearing (unless they're being sneaky they will probably be giving you the bearing the GPS uses—that is true north). On my Garmin you'd select the 1st stage waypoint and press the Menu button. You'd then select "Project a Waypoint" from the menu; enter the distance and bearing; and press GoTo.

 

You're then on the way to the next stage. If your calcs are sending you to the yard of the junk-yard dog you may have done the calcs wrong. Or the waypoint is on the other side of the junkyard and you have to walk around the yard.

[+tweetiepy]

Instead of projecting a waypoint I created a new waypoint while standing at the first set of coords (this may be the reason it doesn'T work) but I don't think so.

 

The waypoint is smack dab between the two backyards of the houses, to get to it I would have to walk into their yard to get to the second set of bar codes - I can't see myself doing that - which is why I'm thinking that I'm off.

 

I've contacted the CO - who may or may not respond - giving him all the details that I have and my calculations - I may have to return to try the projection of the waypoint instead.

 

I may finally get this before I'm on my 10th try.... hopefully

[+hzoi]

If you create a new waypoint, make sure you're using the given coordinates for the geocache, because it's highly likely that the cache owner used those coordinates to project his or her waypoint. Which may or may not be the coordinates your GPSr detects at ground zero, depending on conditions.

 

Also, from the cache description, you need to multiply the information at stage 1 to get the distance and direction. Make sure you check your math again. I have been foiled more than once by miscalculating in the field.

[+tweetiepy]

If you create a new waypoint, make sure you're using the given coordinates for the geocache, because it's highly likely that the cache owner used those coordinates to project his or her waypoint. Which may or may not be the coordinates your GPSr detects at ground zero, depending on conditions.

 

Also, from the cache description, you need to multiply the information at stage 1 to get the distance and direction. Make sure you check your math again. I have been foiled more than once by miscalculating in the field.

 

I had a calculator on site the second time I tried this BUT it gave me decimals cuz the number was too high for the calculator display. I came home and did it multiple times on the PC calculator to get those new coordinates. I'll see if I can try this again tonite using the projected waypoint instead of a new waypoint. I'm looking forward to logging this one as found. My son shakes an angry fist at the first set of coords everytime we pass by and yells "dadgum you multicache" he won't give up on it either.

[+Lil Devil]

I just looked at that cache and at the distance involved, there will be a significant difference between a magnetic bearing and a true bearing. I'd bet 50 or 60 meters or more. That would easily be the difference between someone's backyard, and the park across the street. Whichever one you used before, change your GPS to use the other, then throw your bearing again.

[+tweetiepy]

I'm going to try this tomorrow night. I have to find this...

[+Huntleigh]

Instead of projecting a waypoint I created a new waypoint while standing at the first set of coords (this may be the reason it doesn'T work) but I don't think so.

 

 

Just curious - how are you taking a bearing/distance and converting it to co-ordinates in the field?

[+tweetiepy]

I have a Magellan 310. I make it a waypoint (and I tried again this time to project a waypoint - same results - this would be try number 9) and it sends me to the same place - I also got the coordinates off this waypoint to see if I did it correctly and then checked in Google maps - it sends me exactly where the waypoint sends me - right in someone's back yard

 

I'll be trying to see if magnetic north & true north make a difference - I don't think that this projected distance brings me to the parc - it should bring me to another two bar codes (the first set came off those "super mailboxes") so I figure another set of mailboxes for the next set - then a calculation should bring me to the final cache.

Edited January 15, 2013 by tweetiepy

[+The A-Team]

I make it a waypoint (and I tried again this time to project a waypoint - same results - this would be try number 9) and it sends me to the same place...

Can you post the exact steps you're taking when doing your projection (omitting the specific numbers)? How exactly are you coming up with the coordinates that are in someone's yard? If we know what you're doing, we might be able to tell you where you might be going wrong.

[+tweetiepy]

I just looked at that cache and at the distance involved, there will be a significant difference between a magnetic bearing and a true bearing. I'd bet 50 or 60 meters or more. That would easily be the difference between someone's backyard, and the park across the street. Whichever one you used before, change your GPS to use the other, then throw your bearing again.

OMG! I changed it to true North and it seems to work. I actually got to the second set of coordinates and I input these into the GPS and... I get a destination 15 miles away in another city! Not good! - so I check google maps and input the coords and it should give me something much closer. I found that on the GPS I need degrees and minutes (I had only degrees) I fixed it and got pretty much the same location as Google maps - so for our 10th try, we'll be heading to this final destination later this week. Hopefully we'll find it - with our luck it will be archived just before we go out!!!

[+niraD]

Woot! Congratulations on sorting it out!

 

Good luck finding the actual cache. You know what they say, tenth time's the charm...