seesthru Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 I don't have one of the devices you're talking about.. am I barred from playing? I wanted one, but unfortunately I am err. POOR and it would be a luxury I could not justify right now, as I need a printer and a new windshield, etc... but I have things I could swap if I found a cache, and it seems like fun that doesn't wear on a budget at all.... However if having one of the dvices is a must, can i at least look and find one and not touch it or anything? If the answer is no, I can respect and honor that. I still enjoy reading about all the caches and the people that find them,a nd items swapped. I hope that is okay. I think, since my older bro can afford the device, I MAY, get him interested so he will buy one, and maybe allow me to tag along... NO we aren't kids, we're kinda old, but I still think it would be good clean fun! Quote Link to comment
+Brian - Team A.I. Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 No, you don't NEED a GPSr, but it certainly makes the hunt easier! If you're very good with paper navigation, you can figure out an approximate location on a topo map (with tools), and locate the cache manually. Brian Team A.I. Quote Link to comment
seesthru Posted March 14, 2003 Author Share Posted March 14, 2003 know it would be harder without the GPS thing, but it looks like fun. If I am ever nearby where one is supposed to be, it might be fun to look and see if I can find it. [This message was edited by seesthru on March 14, 2003 at 12:42 AM.] Quote Link to comment
mad_monkey Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 Hiking around with a GPS is just that, hiking. When you use GPS you know EXACTLY where the destination is and EXACTLY where you are. You hike to that location and after you get there you search an area the size of a small back yard for the hidden cache. If you do it with a map and compass you develop real skill and, with practice, be able to narrow the search down to almost the same area as a GPS. I found my first couple of caches with a GPS and it was loads of fun, but after the batteries died (I'm too cheap to replace them) I tried searching with a compass and some topo maps I had stored away, you have no idea how much better it feels to find something using knowledge and skill instead of technology. I would, however, suggest a GPS for use in hunting some of the more remote terrain where getting lost can cause you your life. Quote Link to comment
+brad.32 Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 Letterboxing is similar to geocaching without a GPS and you may find it interesting. http://www.letterboxing.org Quote Link to comment
+Windrose Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 I found my first 15 caches without a GPS. I hunted for 1/1 caches in open areas (urban parks, etc) and used the cache hints, topo maps, aerial photos, and a compass. I know that Webling has found several hundred caches without a GPS. Windrose "A mind stretched by a new idea can never go back to its original dimensions." Oliver Wendell Holmes Quote Link to comment
+erik88l-r Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 It is asked that you use a GPS if you're going to post a cache though. If MapQuest or TopoZone is "off" (as they often are) when you're hunting a cache you're only in danger of not finding the cache. If you post coords that are off you may unwittingly lead a family into danger though. I looked for my first cache w/o a GPS, and bought a GPS the following weekend. erik - geocaching.com admin Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 quote:Originally posted by mad_monkey:Hiking around with a GPS is just that, hiking. When you use GPS you know EXACTLY where the destination is and EXACTLY where you are. Really? How is this different from orienteering? I know where I am well enough to get where I'm going and how to get back to where I want to be when I'm done. A GPS is nothing more than a tool, and should you lose your way a dadgum nice one to have. At least if you remembered to mark your car as a waypoint. Wherever you go there you are. Quote Link to comment
mad_monkey Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 the orienteering courses that I have done have you move from waypoint to waypoint taking a bearing at each location and moving a certain distance to the next. It's great practice for moving from a KNOWN location to a close second location. When using a GPS unit you enter the location and walk in the direction of the arrow till it tells you to stop. Using your compass and some basic geometry skills gets the same results but you use your MIND to get there. For geocacheing I normally start out with a topo map, a real topo map (I've found that the internet printouts are not accurate to my likeing) a compass and a protractor. Using land marks (the ones on your map) you can move into the general location of the cache. At this point, or at any point, identify two land marks and use the simple geometric process called resection to find your exact location. Take a bearing on the cache, pace off the distance and BAM you're there. sometimes I have to calculate my location again to move into the exact location of the cache, do this as many times as necessary. As complicated as this might sound, it gets really easy after you try it a couple of times. If you ever feel you're off course, calculate your position once again and head back on track. If you feel you are getting off course and are not sure where you are, always move back to the previous location you were sure about. Pressing on with hopes that you will happen along your course again will only get you lost. Be sure to mark your vehicle and other safe spots on your map before you begin. This really is simple folks, using a map, protractor and your trusty compass can have enormous rewards. oh one last thing ALWAYS ADJUST FOR TRUE NORTH your map's north points to the north pole, the axis the earth rotates on, the compass points to a location in Canada(magnetic north), you MUST adjust for true north in order for any of this to work. If you know what your are doing and you use quality equipment this process can be just as accurate as a GPS, and if you use really high quality equipment it can be more accurate, but I doubt any of you will make that investment. Happy hunting and give it a try the way your fathers did it, can be far more rewarding and you can always carry the GPS along and use that method if you get lost or can't figure it out. Happy Hunting!! [This message was edited by mad_monkey on March 14, 2003 at 12:20 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+Newenglandah Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 New England Star!!!! I don't belive he uses a Gps Walden Run Found the cache but where is that damm GPS? See You In the Woods!!! Natureboy1376 Quote Link to comment
lomd Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 Really? How is this different from orienteering? Not a whole lot, really. AFAIK, orienteering relies more on technical skill and visible waypoints, while GPS hunting relies on the equipment. And that is it. The way I see it, lacking a GPS makes one less likely to find a cache, but certainly no less entitled to make notes on its log or exchange items with it. IIRC, the suggested cache message even addresses people who might stumble into the cache by accident, and makes a point of welcoming them to participate. So I really do not see how or why actually having a GPS would be a requirement. It is a tool, a convenience, and that is it. Best, Luis. Quote Link to comment
seesthru Posted March 14, 2003 Author Share Posted March 14, 2003 I dont' have a compass, but I know they are fairly cheap... I'm not familiar with how to use them either, LOL! I just like an excuse to be out and about. I'll stick to the ones in urban areas that I am familiar with, so that I dont' get lost and have to rely on my rusty survival skills! Maybe one day, when I'm better at this kind of thing, I'll try a more remote area, but I prefer safety! Quote Link to comment
seesthru Posted March 14, 2003 Author Share Posted March 14, 2003 that one sounds interesting too! None near me though, from the clue page I saw. I guess I could figure out how to do one and put one here. I know there are GPS caches near here, I checked... I like the idea of leaving gifts and things, but the rubber stamp thing is cool too! Quote Link to comment
+Web-ling Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 To date, I've done almost 2/3 of my finds without a GPS (346 out of 532 non-locationless caches). A GPS makes it a lot easier. Which is why I prefer GPS-less, especially on those 1/1 and 2/2 park-and-grab caches. I prefer www.lostoutdoors.com for my maps and aerials. Quote Link to comment
+Web-ling Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 Grrrr.....double-post Quote Link to comment
+hoovman Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 quote:Originally posted by seesthru:I don't have one of the devices you're talking about.. Another thing to try is benchmarking. Often the descriptions are things like: "75 feet northeast from the northwest corner of..." But they are not all easy, so it can be a fun challenge. Quote Link to comment
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