Possibly creating my own cache. Where do i start?

[Mollybird79]

Im only a beginner in this amazing world of geocaching. I am hopefully looking to possibly place my own caches in the future. Could anyone help me and tell me how do i go about doing such a thing? Do i need any equipment and how do i keep an eye on it etc

 

Thanks

[+cerberus1]

Geocaching 101 has some good info for Getting Started, and the Help Center has a bunch too.

[+Sol seaker]

Im only a beginner in this amazing world of geocaching. I am hopefully looking to possibly place my own caches in the future. Could anyone help me and tell me how do i go about doing such a thing? Do i need any equipment and how do i keep an eye on it etc

 

Thanks

 

Welcome to geocaching!

 

As far as equipment, a GPS is really a good idea to get accurate coordinates for your cache. If you don't have one you can find another geocacher at a local event (check the search page to find local events) who will be happy to help you get accurate coordinates. They can also show you how to do way point averaging with a GPS to get very accurate coordinates.

As long as you're in a populated area, you should be able to find some cachers to help.

 

As far as keeping an eye on it, when someone logs it you will get an email saying it was logged. Keep an eye on the logs and cachers often let you know if there are problems, such as a full log sheet.

If people start not being able to find it then you'll need to check it to make sure it's still there.

 

In general though, it's a good idea to at least check it every few months or every six months depending on how often it's found. If it's in a more remote area you can probably be okay with checking on it every spring. Usually spring is a good time because winter weather can often damage caches. In the spring we check to make sure the boxes aren't cracked and they're still dry.

 

For the very best way to learn more about hiding good caches that just can't be learned another way, is to find a lot of caches.

A lot of people think once you find 100 you've got a some idea of what makes a good hide. It's good to find some good hides and some not so good hides to be able to know the difference, and create a valued cache.

 

An example of good hides are those that have good containers, waterproof log sheets and are hidden in places of interest.

An example of something that people feel is a bad hide is one that goes against the caching guidelines. Some people feel caches hidden in rock walls aren't the best hides either, for instance.

 

Look for some caches with favorite points to get some ideas for hiding.

 

One more thought:

One of my caches is one that brings smiles to a lot of peoples faces. I've received many cache logs that say that. After I placed that one I thought my other caches just weren't half as fun as reading logs of bringing smiles to the world.

I hope to make more caches that make people smile soon.

[ohgood]

Im only a beginner in this amazing world of geocaching. I am hopefully looking to possibly place my own caches in the future. Could anyone help me and tell me how do i go about doing such a thing? Do i need any equipment and how do i keep an eye on it etc

 

Thanks

 

you can use your smartphone, it's faster and more accurate than standalone devices. see "waypoint averaging" or "gps averaging" to find out how to very very accurately place caches with just a smartphone.

[+MtnMutt-ProDuckShins]

Once you decide what type of Cache you are going to hide by reviewing the various tips in GEO 101, take your time to figure where to place your Cache.

 

Make it a spot very interesting for others to come and see the spot you chose. So many folks just throw something together then just toss in a boring place.

 

Use the Beauty of your land [ i assume Ireland ] and the many wonders to which people & cachers would be fascinated to visit.

 

Good Luck & Welcome to the family.

[+The A-Team]

you can use your smartphone, it's faster and more accurate than standalone devices.

Where did you hear that? There may be scenarios where a smartphone will be as accurate as a dedicated GPSr, but I find it unlikely that it would be more accurate. Certainly as a blanket statement, it's entirely untrue that any smartphone would be more accurate.

 

In the end, though, the accuracy of your coordinates isn't a function of the instantaneous accuracy of your device, but rather how carefully you take the coordinates. Even using an old iPhone 3g, you could get a good set of coordinates if you're careful enough. You just need to take several readings over a period of time (maybe even separate days), and test them out by approaching them from various directions.

[TahoeJoe]

I tend to place caches in places I would enjoy going to and in containers I would enjoy finding for the particular placement. Good luck on your first cache hide!

Edited April 18, 2016 by TahoeJoe

[+fuzziebear3]

Find some first so you get some ideas. There are plenty out there, so you can start with finding and be guilt free.

 

When you are ready, you want to find a good place. Then take good coordinates at the place. While you are in that awesome place, note if there are any other caches within .1 -- if so, you will not be able to place a cache there and will have to find a different place.

 

Once you have a possible place in mind, consider what kind of container you could put there as your geocache. Can you put a big container like an ammo box, or a smaller container like a lock n lock type container? Or will it only fit something very small like a film canister, or a tiny magnetic nano? Do you have some other creative idea? It should be waterproof, and must have the ability to contain the log. Maybe you want to paint or decorate your container if you like.

 

Go back to your place (its a good way to check your coordinates too!) and put your container there as you would like it.

 

Come back to your computer, and do the online side of things. Reread the guidelines, and go through the 'hide a geocache' steps to build your page.

 

All is well? Submit, and wait by your computer to see when it gets published (or if there are any questions from the reviewer) and then who runs out and finds it first!

Edited April 18, 2016 by fuzziebear3

[+Justin Of Terrytown]

 

This video on YouTube gives some good information about hiding a Geocache.

[+briansnat]

This might help

http://www.examiner.com/list/how-to-hide-a-geocache

[+Baardaasvoel]

One thing I do, wherever feasible after finding a potential site, is to first place a "dummy cache". This should be a same or similar container as the actual one you intend to place.

 

Get or make another container of the same kind as you plan to hide (it can even be the exact same container, if all tests out well). Make it up as if it were an actual cache, complete with log. And with a pen or pencil, if it will hold it, preferably both.

 

But do NOT publish or make a page for it!

 

And do not name it with the cache name you intend to use for the real cache. Instead, give it an "insider" name, that will signal to any geocachers that may accidentally find it, that it is a dummy, but which will be meaningless to muggles (I use names that suggest that it is a muggle test, such as "MGL. Test 1", "MGL. Test 2", etc.).

 

I do this for several reasons: to test the suitability of the container, stability of terrain, stability of hide features, the reliability of any retaining systems, such as hangers or magnets, water & other weather resistance, stability & effectiveness of camo, shielding from sunlight, resistance to animals & insects, resistance to displacement or drift, hidden or unexpected hazards or vulnerabilities (such as places the cache could wash, roll, or fall into, where it cannot be retrieved).

 

And in particular, security against muggles.

 

This is especially important if your cache is going to be a special or unique container, or be large enough to host Travel Bugs or Geocoins.

 

Place the dummy in the chosen hide. If it is a hide where the cache CANNOT move except by direct human exposure and handling, I place them in tamper-evident orientations, such as the top of the lid label facing north-east. Do your own orientation scheme, as long as it is not obvious to a finder, and you can positively remember or confirm with before-and-after photos. If on your return, you find that it is facing any other direction, you will know that someone has found it, even if they tried to not show it.

 

Check back on it after a period of time. If it is untouched, dry, camo intact, no water or foreign material inside, and the contents undisturbed, then you probably have a good container/hide setup. If there are problems such as leakage, cracking, falling off or sliding due to weak magnets, then those issues will need to be addressed.

 

But if there is an un-natural realignment, defacing, a non-geocacher's signature or some other mark in the log, any contents damaged or missing, or ANY other evidence of human tampering, then the site is no good.

 

Also, if there is the signature of a legitimate geocacher that can be confirmed via the geocaching.com private messaging system, then it *may* still be a good site, depending upon how the communications go. Admittedly, a long-shot scenario, but it *could* happen.

 

Most of my hides are urban to semi-rural, and in temperate climate, so I usually place dummies for periods of no less than six weeks. If your hide is going to be in an area with pronounced seasons, especially with sub-zero temperatures, it would be good to set out a dummy for no less than an entire year, to see if it can handle all four seasons.

 

You can even place multiple dummies of very different kinds in different kinds of hides at one general site, to see which would work best at that location.

 

As of this writing, I have thirteen current dummies placed, six are camo only, and seven are camo plus container. So far, dummies has proven four sites to be unsuitable; three for moisture intrusion, and one which became a construction zone, with dummy & hide being totally wiped out. The newest dummy hide is about six months old, and the oldest is nearly two years.

 

A dummy placement is no guarantee of a suitable site, but it will greatly increase the chances that it will be.

Edited April 23, 2016 by Baardaasvoel