Is this a normal?

[+chrisnkim2010]

We took our brand new Oregon 450 out today, attempted 6, found 3. Is this a normal success rate?

 

Also, is it normal for GPS's to not be entirely accurate? One that we found, we found it about 50 feet from where it said it would be. I only got it bc of the title suggesting its location. Another one we found today said it was about 15 feet from where we found it. I just don't know if this is normal or not. We upgraded partially bc the accuracy rate on the Magellan Explorist GC is not that great, or at least what we felt was horrible, and it would jump around like crazy. The Oregon is a little better, granted not a ton better.

 

We have been Geocaching every 1-2 months for the past year + and never really seemed to find them all when we go out.

 

Thanks!

[+whh0]

Hi there, I would say it depends on what you are looking for and where you are looking for it. What I mean is, are you looking for micros in dense tree cover in which case probably a good hit rate or large caches in open land, in which case not so good... It is entirely normal for GPS to be slightly inaccurate, so many variables with this game which effect your ability to find caches. Keep going with the GPS but it is only part of it, after finding a good few caches you'll eventually develop a "cachers eye" but even then some are easy to find and others are not...... Don't wait for the GPS to hit 0 when you get close to GZ we always put the GPS down and open our eyes looking for things that look slightly out of place or areas which look like good hiding places.

Edited March 30, 2013 by whh0

[+chrisnkim2010]

Hi there, I would say it depends on what you are looking for and where you are looking for it. What I mean is, are you looking for micros in dense tree cover in which case probably a good hit rate or large caches in open land, in which case not so good... It is entirely normal for GPS to be slightly inaccurate, so many variables with this game which effect your ability to find caches. Keep going with the GPS but it is only part of it, after finding a good few caches you'll eventually develop a "cachers eye" but even then some are easy to find and others are not...... Don't wait for the GPS to hit 0 when you get close to GZ we always put the GPS down and open our eyes looking for things that look slightly out of place or areas which look like good hiding places.

 

The first two that we could not find were micros in a densely tree lined side of the road. The second one was supposed to be a pill bottle, but it sounds like its a difficult find, according to logs. I do tend to look for things that are slightly out of place and good hiding places. The Oregon has a learning curve too. I am still working on figuring it out! I guess it just takes time. We geocache for date days. My son occasionally likes to go too.

 

We have found more than what our stats say. I just realized today that I actually need to compose them on the site before things get published. I'm so bummed, bc we lost logs from MO and the early years of NC. Oh well.

[+kunarion]

Also, is it normal for GPS's to not be entirely accurate? One that we found, we found it about 50 feet from where it said it would be.

That's normal. If the hider was about 25 feet off, and so are you, that's 50 feet. It's usually a lot better than that, depending on the location. In a dense forest, hilly terrain, or near buildings, the accuracy may be reduced.

 

Once you're "50 feet off", you need to begin looking for hiding spots. At that point, use what you know about the cache. You need to know how tough it may be to find.

 

Here are some tips:

 

Look at the star rating for a cache. If both Difficulty and Terrain are less than “2”, it should be good for beginners, and probably fun for the kids, too. Pick a “Traditional Cache” (green icon), “Small” or larger size (save Micros for later). Check the description to see if it's something that seems likely to find. Look for an encrypted “additional hint”, there may be useful info there (for more of a challenge, bring it along encrypted and use it only if necessary). Read a couple of recent logs, so you know others are finding it. You may even look at the “terrain” view on the map, to see where the cache icon is in relation to walls, fences, and other landmarks.

 

When I started Geocaching, if the cache description was very specific, that's one I'd try – I'd basically know exactly where I was going to look when I arrived. You might try a similar system.

[+kunarion]

The Oregon has a learning curve too. I am still working on figuring it out!

Use the Geocaching Profile, and when you're walking and less than 528 feet from the cache, use the Compass screen (with whatever dashboard items you like, they're selectable). I use Distance to cache, Current Lat/Lon, the point I'm navigating to (the current cache or waypoint), and time.

 

We have found more than what our stats say. I just realized today that I actually need to compose them on the site before things get published. I'm so bummed, bc we lost logs from MO and the early years of NC. Oh well.

Check out some maps, see if you recognize some old caches you found. You can log them!

Edited March 30, 2013 by kunarion

[+NanCycle]

 

Use the Geocaching Profile, and when you're walking and less than 528 feet from the cache, use the Compass screen (with whatever dashboard items you like, they're selectable). I use Distance to cache, Current Lat/Lon, the point I'm navigating to (the current cache or waypoint), and time.

 

 

Hey cool! I didn't know they were selectable. Thanks a bunch! Got to play with it some to determine what I want to use.

[+stijnhommes]

50% can be a nice success rate depending on what you're looking for.

Today, I went out and found 20 caches and missing 1 to 3 others. Your success rate increases the more hiding methods you know. The fact I cached together with a mate helped too: 4 eyes see more than 2.

Coordinates can easily be off. The error on your device and and the cache owner's combined can mean you'll have to look quite some distance away from ground zero.

[+chrisnkim2010]

The Oregon has a learning curve too. I am still working on figuring it out!

Use the Geocaching Profile, and when you're walking and less than 528 feet from the cache, use the Compass screen (with whatever dashboard items you like, they're selectable). I use Distance to cache, Current Lat/Lon, the point I'm navigating to (the current cache or waypoint), and time.

 

We have found more than what our stats say. I just realized today that I actually need to compose them on the site before things get published. I'm so bummed, bc we lost logs from MO and the early years of NC. Oh well.

Check out some maps, see if you recognize some old caches you found. You can log them!

 

Thanks! How do you change the dashboard items? I've been playing with it and found a thread on here that talks about custom recommended settings, but I could not figure out how to tweak some of the things.

 

I wish I remembered the ones we had done. I know there were a few in MO, but that was about 2 years ago actually.... I know there are some here in NC too, but IDK. I need to look at them when I have a few minutes to spare.

 

Oh and believe it or not, all the caches we have found in the past month are micro or smalls. We seem to be ok with them, for some reason...

[+chrisnkim2010]

50% can be a nice success rate depending on what you're looking for.

Today, I went out and found 20 caches and missing 1 to 3 others. Your success rate increases the more hiding methods you know. The fact I cached together with a mate helped too: 4 eyes see more than 2.

Coordinates can easily be off. The error on your device and and the cache owner's combined can mean you'll have to look quite some distance away from ground zero.

 

Thanks. My husband and I go out together. Sometimes my son goes too.

[+kunarion]

How do you change the dashboard items? I've been playing with it and found a thread on here that talks about custom recommended settings, but I could not figure out how to tweak some of the things.

Press any dashboard item you want to change, and select from the list that pops up. The Garmin Oregon Wiki helps a lot.

[B&M_Railroad]

I hear ya! I just started today. Took awhile to find the first one. The next two were busts. Bums me out when I look at the logs and see that the last 300 people found it no problem( "easy" or "park and grab"). I went chasing one today that had me on the edge of a Wal-Mart parking lot (50 or so feet from the edge). People looking at me like I was a nut job because of where I was. Even trying to be non chalant as to not give away the location, it was still a totally RANDOM place for a person to be.

 

Maybe tomorrow I will go out and search for bigger ones as suggested above.

[+Chief301]

I hear ya! I just started today. Took awhile to find the first one. The next two were busts. Bums me out when I look at the logs and see that the last 300 people found it no problem( "easy" or "park and grab"). I went chasing one today that had me on the edge of a Wal-Mart parking lot (50 or so feet from the edge). People looking at me like I was a nut job because of where I was. Even trying to be non chalant as to not give away the location, it was still a totally RANDOM place for a person to be.

 

Maybe tomorrow I will go out and search for bigger ones as suggested above.

 

Y'know, those lamp post skirts....nah, you'll figure it out....😏

[+chrisnkim2010]

How do you change the dashboard items? I've been playing with it and found a thread on here that talks about custom recommended settings, but I could not figure out how to tweak some of the things.

Press any dashboard item you want to change, and select from the list that pops up. The Garmin Oregon Wiki helps a lot.

 

SWEET!!! Thank you!!!

[+chrisnkim2010]

I hear ya! I just started today. Took awhile to find the first one. The next two were busts. Bums me out when I look at the logs and see that the last 300 people found it no problem( "easy" or "park and grab"). I went chasing one today that had me on the edge of a Wal-Mart parking lot (50 or so feet from the edge). People looking at me like I was a nut job because of where I was. Even trying to be non chalant as to not give away the location, it was still a totally RANDOM place for a person to be.

 

Maybe tomorrow I will go out and search for bigger ones as suggested above.

 

Go for the bigger ones and the ones with the lowest difficulty rating. I usually search for ones that have only been found in the last month or so, for now, until I get used to finding them easier if they are out of place, and to build confidence.

[+chrisnkim2010]

I hear ya! I just started today. Took awhile to find the first one. The next two were busts. Bums me out when I look at the logs and see that the last 300 people found it no problem( "easy" or "park and grab"). I went chasing one today that had me on the edge of a Wal-Mart parking lot (50 or so feet from the edge). People looking at me like I was a nut job because of where I was. Even trying to be non chalant as to not give away the location, it was still a totally RANDOM place for a person to be.

 

Maybe tomorrow I will go out and search for bigger ones as suggested above.

 

Y'know, those lamp post skirts....nah, you'll figure it out....😏

 

LOL! I remember back in January we hit one out in the woods and there was this tiny micro magnetized on a sign, where there are basically all dirt roads. Of course we didn't notice it right away and looked all around it and nearly gave up. It was so small, that you could pretty much swallow it.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Also, is it normal for GPS's to not be entirely accurate? One that we found, we found it about 50 feet from where it said it would be.

I think you may be forgetting something, or perhaps haven't thought of it yet. The GPSr is only going to take you to the listed coordinates that it is working with -- not the cache.

Cache placements are supposed to be at those coordinates, but for a great many differing reasons, they may not be AT the listed coordinates.

 

Two things can sum it up --

Who's GPSr was more accurate, yours or the CO's? You never know for sure.

Has the cache "migrated" since it was placed? Again, you never know for sure.

 

Another untouched aspect: Consumer-grade units are not built to tolerances that can guarantee 100% accuracy. They can guarantee only "close enough" accuracy.

If you want 100% accuracy, you are gonna have to dig deeper into your bank account. Why do you think the U.S. Federal Deficit is so humongous? Because they buy units that will give 100% accuracy.

 

Even if you did acquire one of those super-duper units, it would do you little good, as it still only takes you to the coordinates, not the cache.

Edited March 31, 2013 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+CacheHownds]

We took our brand new Oregon 450 out today, attempted 6, found 3. Is this a normal success rate?

 

Also, is it normal for GPS's to not be entirely accurate? One that we found, we found it about 50 feet from where it said it would be. I only got it bc of the title suggesting its location. Another one we found today said it was about 15 feet from where we found it. I just don't know if this is normal or not. We upgraded partially bc the accuracy rate on the Magellan Explorist GC is not that great, or at least what we felt was horrible, and it would jump around like crazy. The Oregon is a little better, granted not a ton better.

 

We have been Geocaching every 1-2 months for the past year + and never really seemed to find them all when we go out.

 

Thanks!

 

No hide is perfect and not every GPS is going to drop you on top of the cache. The hide could also depend on the accuracy of the GPS of the cache owner (why smart phone should NOT be used for hides!). No, youre not going to find every cache that you go out and try to find. That's just part fo the game.

 

That being said... I've recently gone through two Oregon 450's and went back to my Dakota 20. I found the accuracy on the 450's to be terrible and unreliable. That Dakota put me on caches far more reliably than the Oregon's did. i still have to search, and there's always a margin of error, but at least i'm not being told to travel another 20m to ground zero when I'm standing over the cache!