My cache or yours?

[Guest Guppy]

Okay, I took six readings and averaged them. Then, after I put them in the GPS I had my son use the GoTo and see where he ended up. He was about 10 ft. away but the GPS would say it's in another direction. Maybe I'm expecting to be "led" closer. Am I expecting too much? We never got especially close to others' caches either. We always ended up just sort of searching visually.

[Guest jxs2151]

You are asking too much. Use a compass for the last fifty feet or so. Keep in mind that the directional arrow on most GPS units only works when you are moving. I approach holding my lensatic compass alongside my GPS. When I am withing .02 of the cache I stop. I then point the compass to the heading indicated on the GPS. I will then walk to that spot and look. If I cannot find it I will walk perpendicular to the original approach and stop about fifty feet away and do the compass thingie again. If you do this enough, you can't help but find it. Anyone else care to detail their search pattern?

 

Jeff

[Guest jeremy]

Someone called the approach to a GPS "the drunken bee" and that's a really good comparison. Many times I walk by a few times to see where the arrow consistantly points to (usually along an existing trail). After several times, I pause and take out my compass, align with north on the GPS (no internal compass for me. I'm cheap.), and voila! Points close to the cache.

 

Jeremy

[Guest Cape Cod Cache]

Definatly asking too much. I use the get a sight from a distance using a separate compass method. I use it to find bouys and and keep away from rocks at night. Even though my GPS has NAVAIDS on the screen, I still want to keep away from bouys, and in the correct direction from them. Bouys look cute, until one is sticking through your hull :-( I have applied the same to Caching now.

[Guest Cybeq]

I never use the pointer anyway. I prefer to use the map screen on my E-Trex in conjunction with the dist. to go feature. When I get to within 20 ft. (or whatever my current estimated position error is) I check the bearing and walk it with my compass. Just make sure your GPS is set up to reference magnetic north or you'll have to figure declination with your compass.

[Guest mfratto]

Agree you are asking too much. It's actually kind of irritating when someone complains if the coordinates do not put you exactly on top of the actual cache. We try to get them within 20' or so. What's the fun without a foot search of some sort? I like the "drunken bee" description...

Mauri

[Guest jefficus]

ach" is also the "toughest" approach.)

Then when I've walked in, I repeat the process when I get within 20 or 30 meters. I walk around the indicated cache and keep an eye on where the indicator arrow keeps pointing. After you've completely circumnavigated the cache zone, there is usually one feature in the local terrain that is consistently 'under the arrow'. This is where I start my search. I have yet to be disappointed with this process.