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Find real-time cachers on and around?


4nealalan

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Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s. LOL 

 

I’d love to sign on to the GC app and see where someone else is signed on at. As an example, think of how Waze shows other users in the map. Or how Couchsurfing lets people sign on and post for the next 3 hours they are looking to hang out. 

 

Is there anything out there I could use to find other cachers nearby, without planning two weeks out with an event cache?! LOL (No clue where I will be or what I’ll be doing in 2 weeks!)

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I'm not sure everyone shares your enthusiasm regarding tracking capabilities, but there are third party apps and devices that would allow such functionality with consent of all parties involved.  The intent of the Terms of Use probably impose some restrictions on the site regarding such functionality. 

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I'm grateful that the forums are nothing like a "social" site, but one to discuss topics pertinent to the hobby. 

Every one I've seen, if someone simply disagrees and another has their wittle feelings hurt, a mod steps in and gives that "troublemaker" a time out. 

Forums don't work that way, thankfully.   :)

 

Curious how "I’d love to sign on to the GC app and see where someone else is signed on at" would work with the many who don't feel comfortable that a stranger may be lurking.  We know a few people who had their own stalkers.  Most waited on FTFs.  They don't play that side-game because of that.

I don't know you from Adam.  Why on Earth would you think it's okay to stalk me?

 

I head to the woods to get away from the social carp that has taken over other's lives, and are now slowly filtering into mine. 

Most times I'm not even bringing a phone.

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30 minutes ago, 4nealalan said:

Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s. LOL 

 

I’d love to sign on to the GC app and see where someone else is signed on at. As an example, think of how Waze shows other users in the map. Or how Couchsurfing lets people sign on and post for the next 3 hours they are looking to hang out. 

 

Is there anything out there I could use to find other cachers nearby, without planning two weeks out with an event cache?! LOL (No clue where I will be or what I’ll be doing in 2 weeks!)

 

where's the down-vote button?  They put something like this in play, I quit.

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36 minutes ago, 4nealalan said:

Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s. LOL 

 

I’d love to sign on to the GC app and see where someone else is signed on at. As an example, think of how Waze shows other users in the map. Or how Couchsurfing lets people sign on and post for the next 3 hours they are looking to hang out. 

 

Is there anything out there I could use to find other cachers nearby, without planning two weeks out with an event cache?! LOL (No clue where I will be or what I’ll be doing in 2 weeks!)

But I guess a geocaching app could be created that includes tracking others who are using that same app.  That way, those of us who don't want to be tracked wouldn't use that app.  Maybe you should contact app developers.

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58 minutes ago, 4nealalan said:

Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s. LOL 

 

I’d love to sign on to the GC app and see where someone else is signed on at. As an example, think of how Waze shows other users in the map. Or how Couchsurfing lets people sign on and post for the next 3 hours they are looking to hang out. 

 

Is there anything out there I could use to find other cachers nearby, without planning two weeks out with an event cache?! LOL (No clue where I will be or what I’ll be doing in 2 weeks!)

 

A cache team was once crossing the US, keeping an online journal of travels, and they had the NeonGeo App running, set up so they could be tracked.  I installed the App, and tracked them so I could meet them on the way.

 

One thing you could do is meet people at a local Event, and plan to cache together at times.  If it's a little more spontaneous, and if you have cachers to contact, you can share your location in a message or email.

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2 hours ago, 4nealalan said:

Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s.

Social networking isn't something that's part of this site, and there are many who would prefer that it stay that way.

 

Most regional social networking occurs on the real social networking sites like Facebook. It appears that you live in the greater Chicago area. It's pretty likely that there's a local Facebook group for that area, so you could join that and connect with other local cachers that way.

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Hey I'm doing a small group May 19 at 10am at the Cypress Boardwalk. Its more like an introduction to Geocaching, but we should find at least 4.

 

pin
 
9945 Barker Cypress Rd, Cypress, TX 77433-1260, United States
 
 
I'm trying to introduce people to geocaching.
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2 hours ago, 4nealalan said:

Is there anything out there I could use to find other cachers nearby, without planning two weeks out with an event cache?! LOL (No clue where I will be or what I’ll be doing in 2 weeks!)

 A big net maybe , or some kind of pit trap ,  possibly baited with a chance at a film pot FTF ...  that'll get you a few .

 

1 hour ago, NanCycle said:

 

where's the down-vote button?  They put something like this in play, I quit.

Me too - except , no, hang on a minute, those of us using GPS would be immune to this form of stalking. Should boost GPS sales enormously.

 

1 hour ago, NanCycle said:

But I guess a geocaching app could be created that includes tracking others who are using that same app.  That way, those of us who don't want to be tracked wouldn't use that app.  Maybe you should contact app developers.

 

Wouldl the app users be allowed to get closer to each other than 1/10th of a mile though :back:

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On 5/17/2018 at 11:41 AM, 4nealalan said:

Is there anything out there I could use to find other cachers nearby, without planning two weeks out with an event cache?! LOL (No clue where I will be or what I’ll be doing in 2 weeks!)

 

An event is probably your best bet. Set a day aside that you know you’ll be free and set one up. 

 

It’s a lot of fun and you’ll get a lot of good advice. 

 

Also, I see you’re fairly new. If you ever need help with EarthCaches, just send me a message. I offer help with finding and understanding them as well as developing your own.

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On 5/17/2018 at 2:41 PM, 4nealalan said:

Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s. LOL 

 

Social network applications didn't exist in the 90's.  Facebook was started in 2004,  Twitter in 2006, and even MySpace didn't exist until 2003.  There was some blogging in the late 1990s but that's about as early as it gets.  Geocaching.com was created in 2000 and wasn't intended to be a social networking application.

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Wow... a lot of introverted / tech ignorant / small minded / troll responses.

 

I won't waste my effort on defending additional functional or technical requirements for those who can't think outside of what's handed to them.

 

Keep your non-constructive trollish posts on reddit.

Edited by 4nealalan
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8 minutes ago, 4nealalan said:

I won't waste my effort on defending additional functional or technical requirements for those who can't think outside of what's handed to them.

Feel free to make additional suggestions that you feel may improve or enhance the game. Just don't expect unanimous agreement. This may be news to you, but other people may have different opinions than you do.

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1 minute ago, The A-Team said:

I'm not an Android user, but I seem to remember hearing that NeonGeo is no longer being developed/supported.

Yeah, I was just coming back to mention that I can't find it in the Google Play store, and their website is defunct. So I guess the OP is out of luck.

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37 minutes ago, TriciaG said:
39 minutes ago, The A-Team said:

I'm not an Android user, but I seem to remember hearing that NeonGeo is no longer being developed/supported.

Yeah, I was just coming back to mention that I can't find it in the Google Play store, and their website is defunct. So I guess the OP is out of luck.

Yep. I never used this feature of NeonGeo, but NeonGeo has been defunct for a while. Actually, it has been defunct long enough for me to switch to another Android app, and for that app to become defunct. ;)

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On 5/17/2018 at 11:41 AM, 4nealalan said:

Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s. LOL 

 

 

So true! Also agree on your Troll response. I too had the same experience, try to suggest anything to improve things and you'll get the same response. For a hobby that started as cutting edge techno savvy has turned into don't touch anything as I like it exactly as it is. Glad we have moved on from flip phones and GPS handheld devices. You'll see complaints for each and every change, promotion, even souviners you name it. Bottom line if you want to see this thing keep going they have to constantly fight to improve and update. I agree that up until recently everything was stuck in the 90s and just because it was not part of the original capabilities does not mean that it should be shunned. As capabilities increase new features can and should be developed.  I for one like this idea so keep on suggesting things please!

 

Now let me get back to printing out my web pages and loading the coordinates into my GPSr like the old days. ;) 

 

 

 Ignore the Trolls

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6 hours ago, 4nealalan said:

Wow... a lot of introverted / tech ignorant / small minded / troll responses.

 

I won't waste my effort on defending additional functional or technical requirements for those who can't think outside of what's handed to them.

 

Keep your non-constructive trollish posts on reddit.

What's reddit?

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I read through all the posts prior to the recent bump.  I didn't see any forum guideline violations, just a diversity of opinions.  Some of those opinions disagreed with the OP's idea, which is fine, but none of the posts attacked or criticized the OP as a person.  The OP responded by name-calling.

 

Further personal attacks and name calling will lead to more formal moderator action.

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On 5/17/2018 at 1:41 PM, 4nealalan said:

Is there some way I’m not aware of to find others to geocache with? It seems like social networking with GC is still in the 90s. LOL 

 

I’d love to sign on to the GC app and see where someone else is signed on at. As an example, think of how Waze shows other users in the map. Or how Couchsurfing lets people sign on and post for the next 3 hours they are looking to hang out. 

 

Is there anything out there I could use to find other cachers nearby, without planning two weeks out with an event cache?! LOL (No clue where I will be or what I’ll be doing in 2 weeks!)

I do not want other geocachers to know where I am. Or track me. 

If I want to meet up with geocaching friends I'll send them a personal message. 

Edited by Max and 99
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If someone wants to be tracked, fine, do it. If someone want to track others, no way. At best, this should be opt-in for the few who are in favor of this.

Things like this are being done for ages, I used to use APRS (licensed radio amateurs only) in the early 1990's which is done by radio + GPS + modem and later GPS capable radios). This would send a location every xx seconds/minutes including speed/heading in real time or at least a delay not greater than the time it takes to send/receive/repeat the datapackets over the radio network (at 1200/9600 baud). It's still used and connected worldwide via internet.

There are apps (for licensed radio amateurs) now doing the same thing via internet only and I know of one radio-amateur/geocacher who uses this on his bike. I occasionally look at the website where these things are tracked to see where he's been.

In these times I wouldn't use the system anymore as it allows others to see where you are and eventually see your exact home location (the point where you always start/end trips). It's also a way to locate mysteries/multi's. :ph34r:

 

Anyone wanting more "social" can go arrange to meet up with other cachers during events or online, no need to "spy" on other people's location to surprise them when out finding caches.

 

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The OP was on the right track with "Waze".  The feature would likely be on a separate App.

Use These Six Apps to Track Friends and Family on a Map

 

But as for the Official App, I did once join friends who were in a park, having trouble finding one of my caches.  I could tell by the cache log where they were, and sent a message.

 

Edited by kunarion
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15 hours ago, 4nealalan said:

Wow... a lot of introverted / tech ignorant / small minded / troll responses.

 

‘Wow’s right! ;-)

 

I’m all for pushing the technology - keen to try out some of these new AR caches, for example - but like others, I’ve no desire to be tracked by random strangers, however cutting edge that may.

 

Maybe I am “tech ignorant” because I have no idea how Waze or Couchsurfing work.  I think we’re all imagining something like the Marauder’s Map from Harry Potter. ;-)  Maybe you’re suggesting something that’s a little less intrusive.  Let us know.

 

3 hours ago, on4bam said:

It's also a way to locate mysteries/multi's.

 

If it is a ‘Marauder’s Map’ you’re after (even if it’s made ‘opt in’) then on4bams point here would be the killer for me.

 

Local FB groups (as well as Geocaching events) are a good way to meet people, and arrange caching trips.  I’ve no problem with allowing the App to arrange meet ups too.  But tracking?  Let’s tread very carefully.

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53 minutes ago, GeoTrekker26 said:

 

Even Waze doesn't provide current info about the location of other Waze users.  Instead they delay the location data of nearby users by 2 to 5 minutes.

 

I'm sure that's by design.  GPS coordinates can be determined by many devices almost instantly.  The locations in Waze are displayed not so that you can locate people to cache with (or drive with), but to show if "Wazers" are in a general area. If nobody's there, you may not be certain that traffic reports are current.  If everyone's excited to meet each other, even a 5 minute drive is that big a problem.  They're by definition mobile, but you see they are in the general area, you contact them in some way and meet up at some designated place. But that was just an example.  I also posted a link to several real-time Apps, which somehow didn't make it into the reply. :ph34r:

 

When I tried "Neon Geo", I had no data subscription.  So even with pretty accurate location updates in the App, it was tricky to meet the group passing through, because they were in a hurry with a route, and didn't have plans to deviate to a mutual place to meet.  I was at a Hotspot 5 minutes away.

 

As mentioned, one simple way to provide a current location to other Geocachers using The App would be to make a Found log like "I've just now found GC561MJ and I'm in this area, would anyone like to meet up and cache together?"  This and many other way-cool-ideas can be done right now without any special App updates.  Go ahead and demonstrate it. :P

 

 

Edited by kunarion
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20 hours ago, GeoTrekker26 said:

 

Even Waze doesn't provide current info about the location of other Waze users.  Instead they delay the location data of nearby users by 2 to 5 minutes.

 

I  know this, yet when I'm traveling down the highway and see the little icons which show another wazer traveling in the other direction I still wave some times. 

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