Make your TB a QR bug!

[+beauxeault]

The new QR code bugs have a QR code (2 dimensional barcode) on the tag that can be read by a barcode reader (available on many smartphones) to take you directly to the TB's page. This is presumably an attempt to avoid the confusion when an uneducated geocacher finds a TB and follows the directions to log it at geocaching.com, and then finds that the page at geocaching.com doesn't really give a blindingly obvious link to logging a TB (the user has to find and follow the "Find Trackables" link under the "Play" tab). Groundspeak charges an extra dollar for these QR bugs, so maybe they're promoting them as a premium type of bug or maybe they're trying to sell out their remaining inventory of non-QR bugs by selling them at a dollar discount.

 

But you can make any TB a QR bug by adding your own QR code. There are numerous web-based QR code-generating services that will produce a QR barcode that will link directly to the bug's web page. One such (free) service I found by Googling this morning is goqr but there are others if you prefer to use another. To do this, you visit the TB's page and copy the address from the browser's address bar. Insert this in the "Your Text" box on goqr.com,and then download and save the QR 2-dimensional barcode image it generates. The image is in .png format, which may be suitable on its own (MS Powerpoint will insert .png files without conversion, for instance), but can be converted to .jpg or another format if necessary, using any number of format-changing programs you can download, such as Format Factory, which is free.

 

Then, you can print the QR code and attach it to you previously-non-QR bug as you wish. A good idea in a lot of cases would be to include the QR code in a printed sheet that includes information on what a TB is, its mission, and logging instructions (such as the TB passport that some have used), which is laminated and attached to the bug.

 

Another possibility is that you could add a QR code that links to a web page other than the TB's page. I can imagine instances where this could enhance the TB experience, and I can also imagine uses of this that could be abusive.

[+Walts Hunting]

Then, you can print the QR code and attach it to you previously-non-QR bug as you wish.

 

O course that assumes your traveler has not been released or is at least close to home. Doesn't sound well thought to me.

[+beauxeault]

 

O course that assumes your traveler has not been released or is at least close to home. Doesn't sound well thought to me.

 

Yeah I was pretty much thinking about just the people who are still in the process of creating their TB but have a non-QR dog tag to attach to it.

[Andronicus]

This is a great idea. Do you think that it would be more effective to link to the travel bug loging page? Or is the main page so that the user can easyly read the mission etc.?

[+kunarion]

To do this, you visit the TB's page and copy the address from the browser's address bar. Insert this in the "Your Text" box on goqr.com,and then download and save the QR 2-dimensional barcode image it generates.

Just for clarity, are we capturing the actual TB tracking number? Because if not, people will be able to go to the web page, but only make a Note Log. They may save a "QR Code", not knowing that the Tracking Number isn't there. If the QR Code has no tracking Number, extra text instructions will need to be included with the QR Code.

 

The commercial QR Code TBs have the actual Tracking Number in the QR Code, for especially easy logs. If it has the Tracking Number, a cacher may place a TB after taking a snapshot of the QR code, without having to write down the tracking number.

 

Just some considerations. The OP's idea may be just fine, but be sure whatever you're using is the most useful for the purpose. Will you have an additional tag? TB dogtag, plus your printed (laminated?) QR Code tag? Does that have the Mission as well? If so, there's the added complication of securing everything so they can't get separated.

 

[EDIT]: The TB in the Geocaching Shop has the following URL:

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?tracker=T8EYEV

 

(You would substitute your own TB tracking number for the one above, when making your own).

 

GOQR.COM turns it into this (the same code that's on the TB on the shop's page):

 

 

Unless there's a reason to copy only the URL as mentioned in the OP, I'd suggest instead using the URL format that the QR Code TBs use, because cachers can scan it, save it for later, and log it at their convenience. The TB tracking number is part of that QR Code.

Edited August 8, 2014 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

Do you think that it would be more effective to link to the travel bug loging page? Or is the main page so that the user can easyly read the mission etc.?

The TB QR Code that I mentioned does in fact go to the TB's page. If the Geocacher then wishes to type a log, the Tracking Number is automatically placed into the log form. It may be OK that way.

 

Because I've never decided what to put into a "custom QR Code" (never mind that I don't carry anything that could function as a QR Code Reader, AND that it seems like a lot of extra work and extra tags for no added benefit), I've never attempted one. Responsible Geocachers require the Tracking Number (usually 6 characters long), and can do everything necessary with only that. People have lots of excuses for not logging Trackables, and the lack of QR Codes is a really lame one . If the QR Code solves a problem rather than complicating it, that would be good. If it's just a way to play with QR Codes, not so much.

 

Plus, you could put the 6-character Tracking Number in a good old-fashioned bar code (or just print it bigger on a piece of paper as many people already do), and avoid extra confusion with "Geocachink-like games" that require QR Codes.

Edited August 8, 2014 by kunarion

[Andronicus]

Thanks kunarion for all that great info!

 

There was a thread a few years ago with really cool custom QR codes with cool artwork etc. One of those could be a trackable all by itself!

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=255320&view=findpost&p=4409191

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=255320&view=findpost&p=5005961

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=255320&view=findpost&p=5007061

Edited August 11, 2014 by Andronicus

[Andronicus]

I know it has been posted earlyer in this thread, but Chrysalides, can you give us a refresher on how to build a URL that has will open the log page with the "Found" log type pre-selected?

I think dfx posted this some time ago. Basically, if you add "&LogType=2" to the end of the logging URL, the "Log Type" dropdown will be set to "Found".

 

Example :

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?ID=156997&LogType=4
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?WP=GCK25B&LogType=4
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?GUID=1827cb76-52a8-4c4e-8081-782a6e14c00b&LogType=4

 

Note that you can use ID to refer to the numeric cache ID, WP for the GC code, and GUID if you really like long strings of hexadecimal numbers Above example is for Groundspeak HQ, and log type is for "Write Note".

 

LogType values :

 

2 - Found It

3 - Did Not Find

4 - Write Note

7 - Needs Archived

45 - Needs Maintenance

 

(And for the sake of completeness)

 

For generating your own QR code, there are multiple free online sources. Google Charts API is one way of doing it, a search should turn up many others.

Combineing this post with kunarion's,

You can create a link to the TB's logging page with both the log type and code pre-selected.

 

A: Go to your TB's log page, copy the URL, past that into notepad

B: add "&logtype=##" to the end of the URL in notepad

Where ##

4 = Write Note

13 = Retrieved from geocache

19 = Grabbed from somewhere else or current holder

C: add "&c=XXXXX"

Where XXXXX is the TB's tracking number

 

The result should look something like this:

http://www.geocaching.com/track/log.aspx?wid=cbe34be0-6f91-4b23-929e-6290a90599a9&logtype=13&c=T8EYEV

This is one of my TB, but I changed the tracking number so it won't work. Put that into goo.gl or another URL shortener, then make a Level H QR (for the best error correction, there are several webpages that you can use, but I use This one), then add some cool graphics to the QR code and off you go....

 

However, this techniqu dosn't link to the TB main page, so the person who scannes it may not see the trackables goal.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Andronicus

[+kunarion]

this techniqu dosn't link to the TB main page, so the person who scannes it may not see the trackables goal.

My computer printer can print on PVC plastic cards the size of credit cards. These then must be sealed with acrylic coating, and then probably placed into a plastic sleeve for protection in caches. But I could print a QR code on one. I guess the info on the card should be similar to the QR Code TBs, for uniformity. It would be good to know how well the QR Code TBs are faring, since the premise is they are pretty much foolproof to log.

 

Which brings up an issue. Supposing that the QR TB is correctly logged into its cache, the finder simply snaps the QR Code and logs the Retrieval, no problem. Next he simply snaps the QR Code again and places it into another cache, and now the logs are messed up. It will be super easy to log a Retrieval using the QR Code. It will be impossible to log a Drop using the QR Code.

 

So with QR Codes on tags, it's much simpler to mess up the TB logs.

 

There's my dilemma. People will expect that the QR Code TB is easy, but not understand that it's only easy upon Retrieval. Is there something I can print on the card to help smooth out the process? What if the TB is currently in one of the various states of limbo and can't be logged as expected (needs to be Grabbed first or the finder simply needs to wait for other logs to catch up, or whatever)? I don't have a lot of space for a lot of text, and that seems to be un-simplifying things that the QR Code was supposed to simplify.

 

Ignoring all of the above complications, here's what I'm planning for the card:

 

It is just the card. Nothing attached. Perhaps there's a small photo of the original attachment.

 

One side has a QR Code occupying half the card. It may be a tiny URL as mentioned, so it has a nice readable code that links to a larger URL. It includes the separate printed Tracking Number.

 

It has my logo (yet to be devised, it's just for my own use, to designate it as my specialized QR Code TB), and has the text "This is a revived Travel Bug. Track me at Geocaching.com."

 

It also has the text "Please Post No Photos Of This Side".

 

On the other side is the Reference Number that is OK to post, TB Name, TB Owner's name, and the photo of the original TB attachment, maybe.

 

It says this:

1: Retrieve and log it.

2: Place it into a cache and log it (make a Drop log).

This is a Trackable Item.

Edited August 12, 2014 by kunarion

[Andronicus]

this techniqu dosn't link to the TB main page, so the person who scannes it may not see the trackables goal.

My computer printer can print on PVC plastic cards the size of credit cards. These then must be sealed with acrylic coating, and then probably placed into a plastic sleeve for protection in caches. But I could print a QR code on one. I guess the info on the card should be similar to the QR Code TBs, for uniformity. It would be good to know how well the QR Code TBs are faring, since the premise is they are pretty much foolproof to log.

 

Which brings up an issue. Supposing that the QR TB is correctly logged into its cache, the finder simply snaps the QR Code and logs the Retrieval, no problem. Next he simply snaps the QR Code again and places it into another cache, and now the logs are messed up. It will be super easy to log a Retrieval using the QR Code. It will be impossible to log a Drop using the QR Code.

...

It says this:

1: Retrieve and log it.

2: Place it into a cache and log it (make a Drop log).

This is a Trackable Item.

Here is what I am planning. A QR just like the official ones (but shrunk by goo.gl) that will take you to the main TB page, but with the tracking code pre-set (as mentioned in your earlyer post). To make it cooler, I have added a TB scarab crawling onto the QR code, partialy covering the lower right corner of the QR code (make sure to test it so that you know it still works, use a Level H QR code to insure the most error corretion). The the tracking code is in big bold numbers below the QR code, and the workds "trackable on geocaching.com" above the QR code. On the back of the tag, will be a condensed version of the TB's goal.

 

I am just printing this on paper, then laminating it. I think I may add a metal washer inside the lamination for extra strength at the attachment point. I like your idea of using an ID card. I should check if either of my printers can do that...

[+kunarion]

To make it cooler, I have added a TB scarab crawling onto the QR code, partialy covering the lower right corner of the QR code (make sure to test it so that you know it still works, use a Level H QR code to insure the most error corretion).

Sounds good. I do think the images with embedded QR codes are pretty cool! That's a fun idea.

 

I am just printing this on paper, then laminating it. I think I may add a metal washer inside the lamination for extra strength at the attachment point. I like your idea of using an ID card. I should check if either of my printers can do that...

I have one card outdoors in a tree. It has faded, and the text has changed color, after 2 months. This one had no UV coating (the acrylic spray coat that I will use), so there's more testing to do.

 

One other thing I can do with a plastic card: Since it's exactly like a blank credit card, I can punch the Tracking Number into it just like a credit card (with an expensive punch I don't have, but I can dream ).

[Andronicus]

Something like this?

Edited August 12, 2014 by Andronicus

[Andronicus]

This is the style I am planning....

[+kunarion]

Here's my QR Code travel bug with the main things I intend to include. This design is only for my own previously lost TBs that I revive and put back into play. But cachers may use this basic format in their own QR Code TBs, or start from scratch. Be warned that if I need more space on my card, the QR Code will be the first thing to go. But what ya gonna do.

 

The QR Code is readable by my iPad at a distance of 12 inches, and the two Apps I used both immediately went to the correct URL once detected.

 

It has a tiny URL, and is at Level H error correction. I can increase the size of the QR Code image a little.

I punched a hole so an item can be attached.

All of the tracking info in this prototype is from the QR TB in the Geocaching Shop (seems pretty safe to post that tracking number since it's already in plain view in the Shop). But the "real" card will have all references for my actual TB, of course.

I'll probably add a couple more things, and make it a little more colorful and fancy, and add a photo, but this is the basic idea.

This one is coated with artists' UV protective spray. I'll hang this in a tree in my back yard to see how much it fades.

 

This is a PVC card, the size and thickness of a credit card. It has a thin layer of computer printable material that, if it gets wet, gets temporarily sticky and while wet will scratch off with a fingernail. It must be coated with layers of lacquer or acrylic spray, and then should be placed into a plastic sleeve for even more protection. There are also laminating pouches available for these cards. It may hold up better than laminated paper. Although some colors will still fade, I have not seen them bleed like they do with paper.

 

Edited August 13, 2014 by kunarion

[Andronicus]

That is super cool! I may try to find somewhere where I can have that printed for me.