Hide cache with official app for non-Premium Member

[Lukwok]

Hello all, as i know at official mobile apps (both ios and android), there are some limitation for non-Premium member,

e.g. can't see cache with D/T higher than 1.5, can only see cache type "Traditional" and "Event".

 

Just wonder, if i want to hide a cache, how you guys do it?

Most of my friends are Premium member, they didn't use official apps at all, so if you are non-PM, how do you hide a new cache?

How do you record the coordinate at desired gz?

My friend said, there is an alternate way for non-PM like that,

--> Find any "view-able" cache, and add "way-point" for your new hide.

 

It is feasible, but i guess it is not very convenient.

Also, how can i check the cache is not within 1 mile from other cache?

[Keystone]

Use the planning tool on the website for seeing other caches in the area (other than hidden waypoints of puzzles and multicaches, of course). Plan at home, take coordinate readings in the field.

[Lukwok]

Hello all, as i know at official mobile apps (both ios and android), there are some limitation for non-Premium member,

e.g. can't see cache with D/T higher than 1.5, can only see cache type "Traditional" and "Event".

 

Just wonder, if i want to hide a cache, how you guys do it?

Most of my friends are Premium member, they didn't use official apps at all, so if you are non-PM, how do you hide a new cache?

How do you record the coordinate at desired gz?

My friend said, there is an alternate way for non-PM like that,

--> Find any "view-able" cache, and add "way-point" for your new hide.

 

It is feasible, but i guess it is not very convenient.

Also, how can i check the cache is not within 1 mile from other cache?

 

Thanks for the reply.

Just wonder, by the official apps, how you guys take the coordinate reading?

or use other apps instead?

[+Manville Possum]

Just wonder, by the official apps, how you guys take the coordinate reading?

or use other apps instead?

 

I use an app called Geocache Placer on my Android.

[+kunarion]

Just wonder, by the official apps, how you guys take the coordinate reading?

While navigating to any cache, you can set a waypoint, including the current waypoint. Set some waypoints at the place where you wish to hide the cache (or at a particular spot to test how it works), and then you can navigate to them, and see which one gets you consistently closest. Choose those closest coordinates, and that's the cache location. This way, you can use just the App you have. The particular steps are different depending on whether it's the Android or iPhone App.

 

Look up "Free GPS" in the App store for a list of Apps that are better suited for setting and finding custom waypoints. "Free" Apps are of course not all "Free", you get handy features with payment. But that's a start.

 

Be sure to read the information about how to hide a Geocache, and then read it again.

 

It mentions "Averaging" coordinates, but also mentions that averaging is probably more involved than what you actually need to do (it's quite a process to do it right). I select my coords based on which of my saved waypoints get closest most of the time. I check again when I go there. I'll be visiting the cache spot, anyway, setting everything up. And check where the icon is on a satellite map. Satellite maps may not be quite right, but usually help you see at least where the icon will be for finders. So if you find plenty of caches before hiding one, you get a better idea of what the various Apps and maps are telling you.

 

When you've settled on a particular spot, you can check for cache saturation. Also, by finding caches in the area where you plan to hide yours, you know where other caches are.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 27, 2017 by kunarion

[Lukwok]

Thanks for all reply.

My friend (PM member) showed me how to hide a cache by Locus (by adding a waypoint/POI), everything seems very easy and I can check the 1 mile limitation easily.

 

I also tried to use c:geo, it is easy to check 1 mile limitation as well, for recording coordinate, it is similar to what "kunarion" mentioned, just find any "view-able existing cache", add a waypoint, that's.

 

I understand being a CO is a bit advance in geocaching, learning different apps is the first small step, but seems that official geocaching apps is NOT really user friendly for CO.

Please imagine, if you are a new cacher, non-PM member, the official app is actually "discouraging" you to hide a new cache, and all of you know that, it is not a must to upgrade to PM member if you want to hide a cache.

 

So in conclusion, i would say, if you want to be a CO, give up the official apps, it sounds a bit weird and irony ...

[+kunarion]

learning different apps is the first small step, but seems that official geocaching apps is NOT really user friendly for CO.

The Official App is suitable for finding a cache. So it's useful for measuring distances to other caches, while selecting a cache site, and you can set waypoints if you don't want to mess with more Apps. But as you see, Locus Maps or other mapping Apps are better tools for hiding a cache. Locus Maps is also very nice for finding caches. I use it as a backup database for my Garmin Oregon, and for fancier map functions.

 

Once the coordinates are chosen, you will work mostly on the Geocaching.com website, to set up a new cache. Use a PC and a modern web browser for that, not any App (yet ).

Edited April 27, 2017 by kunarion

[Lukwok]

Yes, i agree, Locus is definitely the King, my PM friend show me how to import thousand cache by Pocket Query, how to check saturation, so and so.

But the drawback is "A bit hard to learn" for novice/beginner.

I will definitely move to Locus soon, just want to clarify my understanding on official apps before i un-install it (yes, my friend say too much bad things on the official apps, i just don't understand it before).

Thanks for all reply again.

[+niraD]

The last time I created a cache, I used the coordinates averaging feature of CacheSense on my Android phone. The coordinates I got were essentially identical to the coordinates produced by my handheld GPS receiver.

[+Sherminator18]

Hello all, as i know at official mobile apps (both ios and android), there are some limitation for non-Premium member,

e.g. can't see cache with D/T higher than 1.5, can only see cache type "Traditional" and "Event".

 

Just wonder, if i want to hide a cache, how you guys do it?

Most of my friends are Premium member, they didn't use official apps at all, so if you are non-PM, how do you hide a new cache?

How do you record the coordinate at desired gz?

My friend said, there is an alternate way for non-PM like that,

--> Find any "view-able" cache, and add "way-point" for your new hide.

 

It is feasible, but i guess it is not very convenient.

Also, how can i check the cache is not within 1 mile from other cache?

 

Thanks for the reply.

Just wonder, by the official apps, how you guys take the coordinate reading?

or use other apps instead?

I would highly suggest that if you plan to take coordinates using a smartphone, you get a GPS averaging app. Don't take the coordinates from one of the geocaching apps.

[Lukwok]

Yes, thanks for the advice.

Currently, i use Locus to check saturation and mark waypoint, and use other GPS averaging apps to fine tune the value.

 

Then official apps seems only useful when i want to message CO, haha.

[+noncentric]

I feel like the all 'geocaching' apps are designed for Finding caches, not for Hiding caches.

 

There are multiple 'GPS' apps available to help find coordinates while at a given location, and some of those apps offer an option to 'average' the waypoint. It takes a bit more time, but isn't necessarily complicated, depending on the GPS app being used.

 

There is a bit of extra knowledge that cachers should have before hiding caches. There are many guidelines associated with cache hiding that CO's should know about. It would be tough to communicate all that info via an app, so pushing cachers to the website before hiding a cache seems appropriate to me.

 

The official app is lacking in several aspects, but GS has been making improvements with each update. Your friend that didn't like the app, and yourself, may want to check how the app has changed after some time to see if it has gotten better.

[+Viajero Perdido]

If you install the GPS Averaging app, and go to mark a waypoint in Locus, you'll see the option to use the averaging app. Start it, stop it, and Locus automatically has the averaged coords.

 

Is that cool, or what?