GPS Co-Ordinates for a hide

[+SophiaMabel2013]

Hello

 

Planning on our first hide this weekend. What is the best way to get the co-ordinates when at location. Google Earth is only giving minutes to two decimal places not 3.

 

Cheers

[RuideAlmeida]

9 minutes ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

What is the best way to get the co-ordinates when at location.

 

Probably you already own a smartphone... if so, just create a waypoint when navigating to any cache you select over the map, with the official app, by instance.

When you arrive to the desired location, save the coordinates has an waypoint. Later use them for your hide.

Edited May 22, 2020 by RuideAlmeida

[+SophiaMabel2013]

Sorry, i don't mean to navigate to a cache. I mean to find the co-ordinates of the location of my hide.

[+Max and 99]

8 minutes ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

Hello

 

Planning on our first hide this weekend. What is the best way to get the co-ordinates when at location. Google Earth is only giving minutes to two decimal places not 3.

 

Cheers

How are you finding geocaches? What device?

[+SophiaMabel2013]

On our smartphones, using the app. This request is for finding the co-ordinates of where we will hide our cache.

[RuideAlmeida]

1 minute ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

Sorry, i don't mean to navigate to a cache. I mean to find the co-ordinates of the location of my hide.

 

That's the way to create waypoints with the official app.

[RuideAlmeida]

1 minute ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

On our smartphones, using the app. This request is for finding the co-ordinates of where we will hide our cache.

 

Start to navigate to any cache over the map... but instead go to the place where you want to hide your cache.

When you arrive to the desired location, save the coordinates has an waypoint. Later use them for your hide.

[+SophiaMabel2013]

Brilliant, that makes sense. Thank you

[+on4bam]

Thing to consider, you only joined a month ago, you might try to get a bit more experience before hiding your own.

 

[+niraD]

Once you have coordinates, be sure to test them to make sure they're accurate.

 

Enter your coordinates into your device, and then approach the cache location from at least 100ft/30m away. The arrow should point right at the cache location as you approach. Repeat the process, approaching the cache location from various directions, from at least 100ft/30m away each time. No matter which direction you approach from, the arrow should point right at the cache location.

 

If it doesn't, then adjust your coordinates until it does.

 

Bonus points for repeating the test on another day when the GPS satellites are in a different configuration.

 

Also, the Help Center article How to Get Accurate Coordinates should prove useful.
 

[+Max and 99]

41 minutes ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

Sorry, i don't mean to navigate to a cache. I mean to find the co-ordinates of the location of my hide.

That's how I get coordinates to my hides and waymarks. Navigate to a geocache. 

[+NYPaddleCacher]

37 minutes ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

On our smartphones, using the app. This request is for finding the co-ordinates of where we will hide our cache.

 

It's understandably confusing.    The official app doesn't have a simple way to just capture a waypoint (there are many other free apps that do though).  Instead, if you select a cache in the app, then scroll down to "Waypoints", tap the + sign next to My Waypoints and you'll see coordinates for your current location.  Depending on what kind of phone you us you may be able to find a "gps waypoint averaging" app that will help obtain an accurate set of coordinates

[+SophiaMabel2013]

1 hour ago, on4bam said:

Thing to consider, you only joined a month ago, you might try to get a bit more experience before hiding your own.

 

Started this account a month ago, been doing it for over a year on my old account just can't access it due  to closing down my old email because of hacking. To be honnest the app isn't great at all but figured it out with guidance of some helpful comments here.

[+SophiaMabel2013]

1 hour ago, NYPaddleCacher said:

 

It's understandably confusing.    The official app doesn't have a simple way to just capture a waypoint (there are many other free apps that do though).  Instead, if you select a cache in the app, then scroll down to "Waypoints", tap the + sign next to My Waypoints and you'll see coordinates for your current location.  Depending on what kind of phone you us you may be able to find a "gps waypoint averaging" app that will help obtain an accurate set of coordinates

It is isn't it. I think the app is pretty awful. All sorted now. Thanks for the help.

[+SophiaMabel2013]

The compass also displays current location co-ordinates

[+Max and 99]

17 minutes ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

To be honnest the app isn't great at all

It works great for me. 

[+niraD]

2 hours ago, SophiaMabel2013 said:

I think the app is pretty awful.

That's why I think one of the main benefits of premium membership is full access to the API, to allow the full capabilities of third-party geocaching apps.

[+ecanderson]

On 5/22/2020 at 1:49 PM, SophiaMabel2013 said:

It is isn't it. I think the app is pretty awful. All sorted now. Thanks for the help.

Agreed.  Groundspeak knows what best practices are for hiding caches, but their app lacks even basic waypoint averaging functions.  Sad.

As suggested above by Darin, do NOT just take a single snapshot set of coordinates and assume they are accurate enough.  I think that's one of the reasons that 'phone caches' are often as problematic as they re coordinates, especially for new members.  Rinse and repeat!