Scouting event

[Nitrobug]

I have a scout group that I would like to set some caches for, it is exclusively for our group but I would like them to be able to have them be able to use the GPS to find the caches and move through them to activities tied to the caches. Its a one day event meant for having fun and introducing them to geocaching. The caches are temporary for the event.

[+ChileHead]

Don't list them on geocaching.com. Hide the caches, print out information about them including coordinates, and let the kids plug the coordinates into the GPSs. If you are using smart phones, you can't use the geocaching.com app to find the caches as they won't be listed, but you should still be able to manually enter coordinates into an app.

 

Caches listed on geocaching.com are open to everybody, so this doesn't seem appropriate for what you want to do.

 

I've taken scouts out 5-6 times in the past, and always hide caches of my own and never submit them to geocaching.com.

[Nitrobug]

Thanks

[+KK112]

We are organising a couple of geocaching introduction events for our local council. It's our intention to place unlisted temporary caches for the duration of the event. Since most of the attendees will be new to our hobby they will most likely manually input coordinates into a GPS enabled smartphone rather than a GPSr. Some of our caches will be in areas with poor cell reception, can anyone please advise if a GPS enabled smartphone needs a cell phone signal when used as a GPSr? Thanks.

[+Tassie_Boy]

Reception is not required for use of GPS. They will be able to pull up a compass type app and have the arrow point to GZ. They will need reception though if they want to use mapping software that pulls the maps off the net as it goes.

[+KK112]

Thanks for the swift reply Tassie Boy, your answer puts our minds to rest.

Edited June 2, 2015 by KK112

[+niraD]

I've had mixed results getting inexperienced people to enter GPS coordinates into their phones. A lot of them will enter the coordinates into a driving-oriented app, which will show them the nearest street address, rather than the actual location of the coordinates.

 

For introducing new people to geocaching, I find that it works well to hand them a preprogrammed GPSr, so all they have to do is select a cache and press GO. It also works well to take them to a location where you've hidden temporary caches, with no GPS involved. Getting people to download a new app and enter coordinates (or to download a new app, register on geocaching.com, then download cache data to the app) is a bit much.

 

Also, while the GPS antenna on a smart phone works just fine in areas with no cell/data signal, a lot of smartphone apps are designed around the assumption that there is always a data connection. Geocaching apps generally work fine if you preload cache data and/or map data before going offline, but a lot of the apps that people are likely to have on their phones will struggle when they're offline.

Edited June 2, 2015 by niraD

[+Zepp914]

My wife used geocaching as a class project. Nobody in the class had a GPSr, but everyone had a smartphone. She had everyone download the free App before going to the class. She created 1 new geocache in walking distance and asked the reviewer to publish it when the class started. Everyone then learned how to use the phone app to find the newly published geocache, how to log it, and they could see how it affected their profile page. She then brought a bunch of our extra containers from home (fake rock, birdhouse, bison tube, ammo can) and had them "hidden" (unpublished) at seperate stations so the students could practice just finding the caches and seeing various hide methods. Of course if cell reception is poor, you will have to publish the cache earlier and have the students browse it ahead of time...

 

Two of the students loved it and have picked up the hobby.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Zepp914

[+KK112]

I've had mixed results getting inexperienced people to enter GPS coordinates into their phones. A lot of them will enter the coordinates into a driving-oriented app, which will show them the nearest street address, rather than the actual location of the coordinates.

 

For introducing new people to geocaching, I find that it works well to hand them a preprogrammed GPSr, so all they have to do is select a cache and press GO. It also works well to take them to a location where you've hidden temporary caches, with no GPS involved. Getting people to download a new app and enter coordinates (or to download a new app, register on geocaching.com, then download cache data to the app) is a bit much.

 

Also, while the GPS antenna on a smart phone works just fine in areas with no cell/data signal, a lot of smartphone apps are designed around the assumption that there is always a data connection. Geocaching apps generally work fine if you preload cache data and/or map data before going offline, but a lot of the apps that people are likely to have on their phones will struggle when they're offline.

 

Thanks niraD. We won't have enough GPSr's go round. Do the driver orientated apps have a 'lock on road' function to toggle off to solve the problem you mention? Have you found any particular app that works well or do you advise that we ask the participants to download the free app before they arrive on site?

 

John

Edited June 3, 2015 by KK112

[+KK112]

My wife used geocaching as a class project. Nobody in the class had a GPSr, but everyone had a smartphone. She had everyone download the free App before going to the class. She created 1 new geocache in walking distance and asked the reviewer to publish it when the class started. Everyone then learned how to use the phone app to find the newly published geocache, how to log it, and they could see how it affected their profile page. She then brought a bunch of our extra containers from home (fake rock, birdhouse, bison tube, ammo can) and had them "hidden" (unpublished) at seperate stations so the students could practice just finding the caches and seeing various hide methods. Of course if cell reception is poor, you will have to publish the cache earlier and have the students browse it ahead of time...

 

Two of the students loved it and have picked up the hobby.

 

Thanks Zepp914. Your wife planned it very well and I'm pleased that her class project was a success. Both of the locations that we have been asked to organise the events already have existing geocaches. Not all are beginner type caches and none are wheelchair accessible - we are including an accessible route. Placing our own temporary caches lets us get round the minimum spacing requirements. I think we need to download the free App and test it for ourselves!