First Attempt...

October 23, 2004

This was my first REAL attempt at finding a cache... It didn't happen. I made my way to the area while my wife and kid waited on the path. I looked for about 10 minutes, got worried about the family, and attepted to get back. That didn't happen for a while. I got turned around and disoriented (yeah, I know, I have a GPS... how did I manage to get lost?!) and wandered in the woods for 20 minutes while the wife and kid went back to the car to wait for me... I'm bummed. :lol:

I got kinda freaked when I saw a tent in the middle of the forest (this is a forest preserve in Joliet, IL. Not the kind of place to camp). Visions of Deliverance danced through my head.

Oh well, I'll try again.

1.7k · October 23, 2004

Ten minutes isn't very long to look. You may want to read my Beginners Guide before your next try.

Edited October 23, 2004 by Thot

1.8k · October 23, 2004

I did #98 this afternoon. Awesome park, wooded ravines, hike the ridge, but caches are hard to get close to on trails, and can't do much cross-country. So I left at dark without getting close to the second. I was alone, not even the dog, and some "friendly" guys were arriving when I got to the car. I hiked hard. Had a ball. Keep trying. Choose long walks. :lol: GC489D

4.8k · October 23, 2004

Try again on another! It can happen that you will not a find a cache. Sometimes it is gone, other times it is just hard to find, yet other times circumstances (like uncertainty about a tent in a place where it doesn't seem like it should be) will make you wary and keep you from looking as much as you normally might. That can happen.

Bummer when it is the first try though! :lol: Still, you will find one! And hey! sometimes the futile searches can be fun or at least interesting. They give a story to tell, such as what on earth was that tent doing in the preserve? :lol:

Welcome to caching!!!! :lol:

3.8k · October 23, 2004

Lesson number 1: When you get out of the car, mark a waypoint. (If you don't know how to do this, read the manual and practice near home.) Label it "car" or "X" or something. If you get turned around, have your GPSr guide you to the car. You would be surprised how many experienced cachers get disoriented in the woods, especially when they've spent 10 minutes (or half an hour) wondering around in circles looking for Tupperware.

Lesson number 2: Next time you get turned around in the woods, kick yourself for not remembering Lesson number 1.

Voice of experience.

Welcome to the adiction. Your find lots of caches and have a blast. Stick with it. Mark your car as a waypoint!

24.7k · October 23, 2004

You are not alone.

October 23, 2004

What cache did you attempt? I live nearby. perhaps I can help

October 23, 2004

mine either, i don't know if I should log a DNF....

October 23, 2004

What cache did you attempt? I live nearby. perhaps I can help

Ask for help. It seems like someone has already offered. Yes, post a DNF. We posted a DNF a few months back, and we got many e-mails of encouragement, cell phone numbers, and offers to help. I ended taking the help, and finally found the cache. Also, may be the cache is missing. Posting a DNF alerts the owner to watch for a few days to see if the next person finds it. A DNF is not a failure. It shows that you are participating in this hobby/sport, even if you didn't find it. Happy Trails!

2k · October 23, 2004

Welcome,

Marking a waypoint when you get out of the car is a must.

Something I often forget.

If your gps does tracking you can also follow your track back to the car.

Have fun.....

Edited October 23, 2004 by Milbank

5.3k · October 23, 2004

What cache did you attempt? I live nearby. perhaps I can help

I also live close by (Shorewood) and I'm trying to guess which cache it might be by your description, but I'm coming up empty. Drop me a line if you want help.

Edited October 23, 2004 by Stunod

2.6k · October 23, 2004

It is a lot harder to find these little buggers than I expected at first.

You think, "hey, I've got coordinates to the exact spot! How hard can it be?" But you don't...you have coordinates that are probably accurate to around fifty feet or so. And that's after the GPS has settled. If it's still jittering a little, you could be farther out than that. And you probably have a hint in hand that's, like, "next to the tree with the funny trunk" and you're standing in a freaking forest full of them. Pretty common for me to spend half an hour to an hour in the cache area, particularly at first.

Add to that your family unit waiting for you on the trail tweeking your protective instincts. You probably ought to try some benign suburban parks for a start.

38.2k · October 23, 2004

mine either, i don't know if I should log a DNF....

Yes, of course you should.

October 23, 2004

It is a lot harder to find these little buggers than I expected at first.

You think, "hey, I've got coordinates to the exact spot! How hard can it be?" But you don't...you have coordinates that are probably accurate to around fifty feet or so. And that's after the GPS has settled. If it's still jittering a little, you could be farther out than that. And you probably have a hint in hand that's, like, "next to the tree with the funny trunk" and you're standing in a freaking forest full of them. Pretty common for me to spend half an hour to an hour in the cache area, particularly at first.

Add to that your family unit waiting for you on the trail tweeking your protective instincts. You probably ought to try some benign suburban parks for a start.

I agree with the weasel. The worst times I have had so far finding caches have been when I have put time constraints on myself. If you are rushing around you will most likely not find it. Particularly until you get used to the little quirks of your handheld unit. You need to alot a bit of time to your hunt, enjoy the scenery, and look for caches that have easy ratings. Sometimes the online logs will give you ideas. The cache can have a low rating but the logs will sometimes indicate otherwise.

Keep trying. It will come to you. Happy caching. <_< :lol: :lol:

38.2k · October 23, 2004

This was my first REAL attempt at finding a cache... It didn't happen. I made my way to the area while my wife and kid waited on the path. I looked for about 10 minutes, got worried about the family, and attepted to get back. That didn't happen for a while. I got turned around and disoriented (yeah, I know, I have a GPS... how did I manage to get lost?!) and wandered in the woods for 20 minutes while the wife and kid went back to the car to wait for me... I'm bummed.

I got kinda freaked when I saw a tent in the middle of the forest (this is a forest preserve in Joliet, IL. Not the kind of place to camp). Visions of Deliverance danced through my head.

Oh well, I'll try again.

First mistake most novices make is relying too much on the GPS and assuming its more accurate than it is. They expect it to lead you right to the cache, when in reality it could be 20, 30 or 40+ feet off when you factor in the innaccuracy of the hider's GPS as well.

Once you get within 40 feet just put the GPS away and use your eyes. If you come up empty after a while, you can pick it up again and move around to see if you can zero in. Walking around the area in a wide circle and seeing where the arrow consistently points can narrow down your search area.

Once there look for somthing out of place. Perhaps an unnatural pile of rocks, sticks or bark. Check hollow tree stumps, crevices and alongside down trees.

Also make sure your fist few tries are easy caches. 1 -2 stars in difficulty. Anything more should be difficult for even veterans to find. Finally give yourself more than 10 minutes and bring the family along for the search. The more eyes the better and they'll be more interested in the sport if they participate in the hunt.

BTW, forest preserve land is the perfect place to camp as long as its legal. I've spent many night under the stars in forest preserve land.

Edited October 23, 2004 by briansnat

October 23, 2004

What cache did you attempt? I live nearby. perhaps I can help

Seeker,

It was HoppyCaching off of Ingalls and Infantry. I had looked at the area before, but was in my work clothes and didn't want to screw them up. The terrain is listed as 1.5, but it was tough traveling through the thickets and briars. Thanks for any help!

Threshold

2k · October 23, 2004

My first few caches were all successful. This is because I went caching with an experienced cacher (Renegade Knight). I learned a lot from those searches. This is something I would suggest to anyone starting out. An experienced cacher can show you what to look for as well as how to use your GPS to its potential, and don't forget to mark your vehicle.

Don't feel bad about gettin misplaced. I can't find the thread but there was one about a new cacher that 1. did not mark his vehicle. Went into a swamp looking for a cache. Got lost. Did not find the cache. 2. Did not use the GPS with its back trail to get him out. 3. Did not use the built in compass on his GPS to go in a straight line. Had a cell phone and called 911. Ended up having to call out the rescue people to get him out. At least you didn't get lost that bad.

<_<

Edited October 23, 2004 by Night Stalker

October 23, 2004

My first few caches were all successful. This is because I went caching with an experienced cacher (Renegade Knight). I learned a lot from those searches. This is something I would suggest to anyone starting out. An experienced cacher can show you what to look for as well as how to use your GPS to its potential, and don't forget to mark your vehicle.

Don't feel bad about gettin misplaced. I can't find the thread but there was one about a new cacher that 1. did not mark his vehicle. Went into a swamp looking for a cache. Got lost. Did not find the cache. 2. Did not use the GPS with its back trail to get him out. 3. Did not use the built in compass on his GPS to go in a straight line. Had a cell phone and called 911. Ended up having to call out the rescue people to get him out. At least you didn't get lost that bad.

WOW!!!!! :lol: :lol:

1.8k · October 23, 2004

My first few caches were all successful. This is because I went caching with an experienced cacher (Renegade Knight). I learned a lot from those searches. This is something I would suggest to anyone starting out. An experienced cacher can show you what to look for as well as how to use your GPS to its potential, and don't forget to mark your vehicle.

I was taken caching by FroggieT, Rawhide1, and Bug NV my first few times. That's a fun and free education. Avoids many pitfalls. At first FroggieT found all the caches first. Now it's a toss-up.

October 23, 2004

I have hunted for caches for over an hour some times. I know what it is like ot have a family of little ones who are waiting on you to finish up your hunting. I really want more caches that designed with little kids in mind. Perhaps that's too easy, but I know my 7, 5, and 4 year olds would enjoy them.

My wife allways nags me about waypointing the car, and she is aboslutely right.

So don't give up and get back in the game.

2.5k · October 24, 2004

My first few caches were all successful. This is because I went caching with an experienced cacher (Renegade Knight). I learned a lot from those searches. This is something I would suggest to anyone starting out. An experienced cacher can show you what to look for as well as how to use your GPS to its potential, and don't forget to mark your vehicle.

This is pretty much what I would say.

An experienced cacher got me started on the hobby by taking me to three caches that he had done before.

I learned a lot from him, even though he didn't say much.

Take a day, find someone to go out with you (you have an offer already, use it), and learn. Then go out on your own.

October 24, 2004

We have agreed to carry both of our cell phones in case the same thing ever happens to us. We haven't needed them yet..but it doe smake me feel safer.

Christine of Airedale Aliens

5.3k · October 25, 2004

What cache did you attempt? I live nearby. perhaps I can help

Seeker,

It was HoppyCaching off of Ingalls and Infantry. I had looked at the area before, but was in my work clothes and didn't want to screw them up. The terrain is listed as 1.5, but it was tough traveling through the thickets and briars. Thanks for any help!

Threshold

Hey Threshold...I went out at lunch and found Hoppy Caching. I admit it was pretty tough for a 1.5/1.5, but it is there. And those briers and burrs were horrible!

Good luck on your next try!

October 26, 2004

Hey Threshold...I went out at lunch and found Hoppy Caching. I admit it was pretty tough for a 1.5/1.5, but it is there. And those briers and burrs were horrible!

Good luck on your next try!

I'll try it again soon... I think I got a buddy pretty interested in the sport, so we're going to hit a handful one of these weekends. Thanks for all the support, everybody! I love you's, guys!

October 26, 2004

First mistake most novices make is relying too much on the GPS and assuming its more accurate than it is.

If the unit gives an estimate of its own inaccuracy at each particular moment, is that estimate also unreliable?

October 26, 2004

We took three attempts to find the second leg of our second multicache. We probably spent three hours in total looking for the film cannister. It wound up being quite the adventure for us. The cache owner actually went to check on the cache and assured us it was there, but we kept running into a similar cannister that had nothing in it.

See our log of this multicache, it will probably be an encouargement to you and leave you chuckling: :blink:

10SNE1

October 26, 2004

We did not find our first cache on the first attempt, started with a multi and made a math error. Took a lot of searching the second trip the next day with the corrected coords, didn't help we were using a borrowed Magellan GPS 2000 with 2 digits after the decimal in the minutes and a 0.1 to 0.0 Km display that would get you to within 100 meters sort of. We did find our first dozen caches with it and it got us started. Also did not find some caches due to it, which reminds me, I have to go through my DNFs for a cache list to go and try to find again.

October 26, 2004

First mistake most novices make is relying too much on the GPS and assuming its more accurate than it is.

If the unit gives an estimate of its own inaccuracy at each particular moment, is that estimate also unreliable?

The receiver is giving you a guess based on the information it has. If it actually knew where you are then it could tell you how far off it is. There's about a 50% chance the location specified is within the EPE value given.

If the EPE value is 15 feet, you could be 30 ft. away but it's not likely. If the EPE value is 50 ft., you could be right on the spot but that's not likely either.

In general the EPE = HDOP * UERE plus whatever the receiver manufacturer incorporates. The algorithm used varies with the model and firmware version (and is a manufacturer secret). An eTrex Legend with firmware version x won't give the same EPE as version y at the same place and time for some early versions when they were "playing" with the algorithm.

See:

http://www.edu-observatory.org/gps/gps_accuracy.html

For a look at dilution of precision (DOP) try playing with the positions of satellites in this java applet "DOP" here:

http://www.ualberta.ca/~norris/gps/

About a year ago (IIRC) there was a major solar storm. It changed the propagation characteristics of the atmosphere. I was out hiking and recording waypoints along the way. Everything was normal in the morning and then I started getting marks that were around 100 ft. off. The EPE remained at a typical value (probably in the 20 ft. range). The receiver didn't "know" about the changes.

October 27, 2004

Thanks for the detailed response. I've been operating on the assumption that if it gives the accuracy as 8m then I'm probably within around 8m of where it says I am.

Edited October 27, 2004 by Wooden Bystander

October 27, 2004

Thanks for the detailed response. I've been operating on the assumption that if it gives the accuracy as 8m then I'm probably within around 8m of where it says I am.

Depends on what statistical probability you want to give to the word "probable". I would tend to add about 50% more to the EPE value. So for an EPE of 8m I would say you are probably within about 12m. You have about a 95% chance of being within twice the EPE value. In casual usage it will probably seem better.

I've recorded some samples at a benchmark. The last two using a GPS 76 at "Gold Camp Road" also list what the EPE was at the time. Note that the eastings and northings are in meters whereas the EPE is in feet.

http://www.gpsmap.net/BenchMarks.html

First Attempt...

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