getting dishearnted

April 30, 2002

This sorta blows.

I was waaaay excited about Geocaching. It got me started on researching GPS and how it works, which eventually led to my purchase of a GPS V.

But i'm getting a little frustrated finding caches. I think i'm going about it in a right way. I find a cache, print out the hints/clues, pop in the right coordinates and go to find the cache. Of the 8 hunts that i've had, i've found 2. I don't know if thats about average, but after all the time that i've spent, it doesn't seem like enough for me.

I know that every time, i'm in the vicinity. But the GPS gives me really really weird readings. Like the last time, the GPS told me that the cache was in the middle of a wide street, where it, of course wasn't. I looked ALL over that area, within at least 500 feet (there were 4 of us looking) -- to no avail. First of all, from what i'm reading about other peoples hunts, people have said they get to within 15 feet or less. I can't even get to within 50. The second cache i found was 350 feet from where the GPS said it was. Isn't that a bit much. This situation repeated itself 6 times.

So i want to know what i'm doing wrong. The experience of finding the two that i did was great and i'd love to do that again, but i seem to suck.

April 30, 2002

Sorry to hear about your luck Visuvius,

THe first hint I can give is as the cache starts to get closer sometimes the GPS isn't entirely accurate. Once I get within 100ft I start looking around thinking if I was the hider where would I put the cache (though I still do pay attention to my GPS), usually, but not always something will stick out.

The fact that once you were 350feet off and have had difficulties finding any (especially with the best GPS out there (IMO)) leads me to believe one of a couple things.

Either the datum or the position format for the coordinates are off (you can check both of those on the GPS just make sure they are the same as the webpage)

Or the unit may be on powersaver (I've gone on a couple hunts were I forgot to take my Venture off Battery Saver when I got near the cache, I ended up walking around some 400 or so feet away from the cache til I realized what was going on and switched over to normal mode)

Or the GPS is bunk

Or your just going after extremely hard caches

Or they've missing. The last two are easy enough to eliminate if their rated as easy and people have found them after you then you know that's not the case. To test your gps you can always mark something, like your house (or get the cordinates off of mapblast) then see how close the GPS will bring you back to it. If that's off and your datum and format are correct then you probably got a bunk unit.

Hope that helps, not sure how coherent that is, I need sleep.

Mike

April 30, 2002

I am not a garmin owner, but it sounds like the stick to street option is still on. I am sure someone (or the manual) will tell you how to disaple it once you get to the site.

Wyatt W.

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.

5k · May 1, 2002

(blank)

5k · May 1, 2002

V,

Mike covered most of the technical stuff, I'm want to cover the hunting aspect.

My first two hunts were unsuccessful. Then I found a couple and went back to find one of the first two. I found it right away.

The problem was that I didn't yet have a concept of where the cache might be hidden. After a while, you can just use the force.

My suggestion is to follow the technical advice given my Mike--make sure the GPS is in the same datum as GC.com, check the setting on the GPS... etc. Then, when you are sure everything is good, go back out and try a few more finds.

Start with "easy" caches, caches that are rated somewhere around or for difficulty and or for terrain. After you (presumably) find a few of those, you'll have a much better sense of where the containers are normally hidden.

Hope this helps.

Jamie

(I needed a white background)

24.7k · May 1, 2002

I have a GPS V. Make sure that when you are looking for the cache (as opposed to driving to it) you are in off-road mode. Make sure (like the prior post said) that you are not locking to roads. The road lock feature is great for using your V to route you around town. It's not what you want when you are on foot looking for a cache.

20.7k · May 1, 2002

Like others have said, you probably just need to verify the settings on your GPSr. I normally use a GPS3+, but had borrowed a friend's GPS5 a few weeks ago. I didn't know about the road lock feature, so I didn't turn it off. This resulted in a similar experience to yours.

Make sure that your settings are right and then dive into the fray. Most problems you experience at the cache site (+-5o ft.) will resolve themselves with experience. Remember, 95% of standard caches are hidden in about 5 ways.

When you arrive at the location, look for the obvious hide spots first. Where would you have hidden it? Next, look for anything that looks disturbed. Are there any piles of sticks or rocks? Check out the bases of trees (and low branches). Check the difficult level on the cache page. This will give you some indication of how hard it should be to find it.

If it's a micro, you're on your own...

May 1, 2002

I have an eTrex Vista from Garmin and can say that I made the foolish mistake of looking for a cache while still navigating the route I had programed.

I got readings all over the place since one second it would lead me to the cache and the next second to a waypoint to turn into the parking lot and the next second to the parking lot itself and so on and so forth.

I disabled the navigation and all went well after that. After finding the cache, I reloaded the route and turned navigation back on and it picked right up.

The best things in life are not things...

[This message was edited by Ride Bent on May 01, 2002 at 10:11 AM.]

May 1, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Visuvius:
Like the last time, the GPS told me that the cache was in the middle of a wide street, where it, of course wasn't.

I'll have to try hiding a cache in a sewer sometime! That'll drive people nuts!

May 1, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Visuvius:
Like the last time, the GPS told me that the cache was in the middle of a wide street, where it, of course wasn't.

I'll have to try hiding a cache in a sewer sometime! That'll drive people nuts!

May 1, 2002

I have the V and its an excellent unit. I would recommend that once you are near the cache make sure you are in the goto/ off road mode, page until you get the map presentation with the line pointing toward the cache. Also be properly zoomed in. If you dont find the cache on the first walk in, walk away from the cache in a different direction. Now turn around and walk toward the cache. If you do this a few times you will tend to triangulate where the cache is located.

Also make sure track is up when you are close to the cache, its less confusing as norht up.

2.6k · May 1, 2002

If everything checks out alright with the gps

you might try this when you get about 100 or 150 feet from the cache take a compass reading and use that as a heading, also when you get close look for anything that doesn't look natural rocks normally aren't in a pile look for things that have been disturbed about 75% of the time you can spot where the cache is just by being observant. The more caches you find they better you get at it

2.6k · May 1, 2002

If everything checks out alright with the gps

you might try this when you get about 100 or 150 feet from the cache take a compass reading and use that as a heading, also when you get close look for anything that doesn't look natural rocks normally aren't in a pile look for things that have been disturbed about 75% of the time you can spot where the cache is just by being observant. The more caches you find they better you get at it

May 1, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by vagabond:
look for anything that doesn't look natural rocks normally aren't in a pile look for things that have been disturbed about 75% of the time you can spot where the cache is just by being observant. The more caches you find they better you get at it

As Vagabond, Jamie, and several others have pointed out using the "force" is definately helpful. I rarely have to check my gps once I'm within a couple hundered feet I just head in the right direction and the site will often stick out like a sore thumb. I recently did a cache with one of my buddies whose relatively new at caching, found around 10. Anyway it was a couple mile hike in, at which point the trail went down by a stream and there was a large rock formation there. I'd told him this one was his to find but as we were heading down the trail I figured i knew exactly where it was, in fact I even saw the white top of it from several hundered yars off (but I'd been scanning areas like I always do) he just kept following is GPS and while I sat down on a log and tried not to laugh to hard he spent 5 minutes trying to cross the high stream, got a little wet, finally made it across then spent 15 minutes searching a good ways away before I finally let him know that he was at least on the wrong side. The GPS will get you close, and oftern after you find the cache and check your gps it will say 15 or 20ft but often it doesn't, plus as you slow down the gps has a hard time figuring out which way your facing (and therefor which direction the cache is in)

May 1, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by vagabond:
look for anything that doesn't look natural rocks normally aren't in a pile look for things that have been disturbed about 75% of the time you can spot where the cache is just by being observant. The more caches you find they better you get at it

As Vagabond, Jamie, and several others have pointed out using the "force" is definately helpful. I rarely have to check my gps once I'm within a couple hundered feet I just head in the right direction and the site will often stick out like a sore thumb. I recently did a cache with one of my buddies whose relatively new at caching, found around 10. Anyway it was a couple mile hike in, at which point the trail went down by a stream and there was a large rock formation there. I'd told him this one was his to find but as we were heading down the trail I figured i knew exactly where it was, in fact I even saw the white top of it from several hundered yars off (but I'd been scanning areas like I always do) he just kept following is GPS and while I sat down on a log and tried not to laugh to hard he spent 5 minutes trying to cross the high stream, got a little wet, finally made it across then spent 15 minutes searching a good ways away before I finally let him know that he was at least on the wrong side. The GPS will get you close, and oftern after you find the cache and check your gps it will say 15 or 20ft but often it doesn't, plus as you slow down the gps has a hard time figuring out which way your facing (and therefor which direction the cache is in)

1.3k · May 1, 2002

Another thing to remember is that if your GPSr has an accuracy rating of 15-30 feet and the hider's unit is about the same that gives you a real wide search area. It may sound hokey but the Force is the way to go. Once you get to the general area you have to put your gps down and say, 'If I were a cache where would I be hiding?'.

I agree with Jamie Z, start with a couple of 1/1's until you are more comfortable with your GPS.

Why be normal!!!!

May 1, 2002

Thank you everyone for all of your replies. I didn't even know about the road lock feature. I'm defintely going to go out again this weekend and take into account all of the advice that has been given. Hopefully, i'll have a bit more luck.

thanks again.

May 1, 2002

Hello visuvius and welcome. I have two of the GPS V's and I think they are about the best unit out there for geocaching. Let's make sure your settings are correct first. With your navigation screen visible on your unit, press "menu" once. Highlight "Setup Map" and press enter. Highlight "Map". Set the orientation to "Track Up"., Auto zoom on, and Lock on Road Off. Then press the quit button once and press the menu button twice and highlight "Setup" and press enter. Under the System tab, for the System mode, select "Normal". Under the Guidance tab, set Off-Route Recalculation to "automatic". Under the Routing tab, set Route Preference to "Off Road", and "Ask My Preference" to Yes. Under the Units tab, set "Distance and Speed" to Statute, and the Heading to True. the next tab is very important. Under the "Location" tab, set the Location Format to hddd°mm.mmm' and the Map Datum to WGS 84. Then under the Interface tab,set the "Format" to Garmin. Last, go to the GPS satellite screen and press the "Menu" button once. Make sure the second line down in the pop-up window says, "North Up". When north up is showing on this screen, your unit is set for "Track Up" which will keep the direction you are walking to the top of your navigation screen. Hope this helps and if I can be of any other assistance, you can send me an email. Good luck, Ranger Rick

May 1, 2002

I went from a 3+ to a V. TURN OFF STICK TO ROAD & WAAS!! Also, there is about a 60' diff on points plotted between the two units! Haven't figured that one out yet!

May 1, 2002

I went from a 3+ to a V. TURN OFF STICK TO ROAD & WAAS!! Also, there is about a 60' diff on points plotted between the two units! Haven't figured that one out yet!

20.7k · May 2, 2002

Two GPSVs, you must be rich!

May 2, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:
Two GPSVs, you must be rich!

For the record, I also have 2 Streetpilot III's. Not rich, I just don't like getting lost. LOL

May 2, 2002

Visuvius: I was very upset when I took my 11 year old out, a ocuple of weeks ago, down a trail that we're very familior with, close to my house. I had no idea what I was looking for. I had a new Garmin Legend, which I love. I let it lead me clear through mud and junk, down an old creek, till, guess what? The map read 0.0 feet, but I couldn't find it. I went home, got mad, and emailed the person who hid it. He emailed me back, and it was right where I thought is was, but didn't have any working gloves to open it. It happened to be in a trash bag between two trees.

I haven't been able to go back to the site cause it's been rainging in torrents! I don't happen to enjoy muddy hikes if I can avoid it. Anyway, the next one, I went right to it, the GPS read 0.0. It was easy. It was pretty cool finding it, too. The third, the other day, we looked for over two hours for it, and never did find it. I found out yesterday, tht it'd been moved 1471 feet away.

It rain too much yesterday to go back to look for it.

Well, I know this didn't help much, but, I just wanted to know you're not alone. Don't dispair or quit the sport....(I ought to hide one in the Boy Scout camp, they'd have fun with it. Or, maybe, in the vacant woods near my home down the sledding hill. But hiding it in the sewer, for whoever mentioned it, is funny).

--Rhonda Straw

May 3, 2002

quote:
For the record, I also have 2 Streetpilot III's. Not rich, I just don't like getting lost. LOL

If you don't know where you are going, you can never get lost.

- Herb Cohen

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

unclerojelio

May 3, 2002

quote:
For the record, I also have 2 Streetpilot III's. Not rich, I just don't like getting lost. LOL

If you don't know where you are going, you can never get lost.

- Herb Cohen

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

unclerojelio

May 3, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by unclerojelio:

quote:
For the record, I also have 2 Streetpilot III's. Not rich, I just don't like getting lost. LOL

If you don't know where you are going, you can never get lost.

- Herb Cohen

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

http://www.arlut.utexas.edu/~banks/geocache.html

If you don't know where you are going, you are lost!

May 3, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by unclerojelio:

quote:
For the record, I also have 2 Streetpilot III's. Not rich, I just don't like getting lost. LOL

If you don't know where you are going, you can never get lost.

- Herb Cohen

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, ...

http://www.arlut.utexas.edu/~banks/geocache.html

If you don't know where you are going, you are lost!

May 3, 2002

If you don't know where you are going, you are lost!

May 3, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Ranger Rick:
If you don't know where you are going, you are lost!

Actually, no...

If you don't know where you are, you're lost, and
If you don't know where you've been, you're really lost, but
If you don't know where you're going, you're on walkabout.

Actually, you could say that knowing where you're going is orthogonal to lostness. (In other words, they're not related.) You can know precisely where you are without having a destination, and you can be completely lost while knowing precisely where you're going, the latter being the case in the vast majority of instances of lostness in common conversation.

May 3, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Ranger Rick:
If you don't know where you are going, you are lost!

Actually, no...

If you don't know where you are, you're lost, and
If you don't know where you've been, you're really lost, but
If you don't know where you're going, you're on walkabout.

Actually, you could say that knowing where you're going is orthogonal to lostness. (In other words, they're not related.) You can know precisely where you are without having a destination, and you can be completely lost while knowing precisely where you're going, the latter being the case in the vast majority of instances of lostness in common conversation.

May 3, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Ranger Rick:

quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:
Two GPSVs, you must be rich!

For the record, I also have 2 Streetpilot III's. Not rich, I just don't like getting lost. LOL

Rich? I'm so poor I can't even pay attention!

BUT, by the end of the fall(Garmin willing) I will have 3. The e-trex I already have, the legend or vista I will buy next and the Rino 120 I have on order that should be released in Sept.

inceptor

the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys

May 3, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by Ranger Rick:

quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:
Two GPSVs, you must be rich!

For the record, I also have 2 Streetpilot III's. Not rich, I just don't like getting lost. LOL

Rich? I'm so poor I can't even pay attention!

BUT, by the end of the fall(Garmin willing) I will have 3. The e-trex I already have, the legend or vista I will buy next and the Rino 120 I have on order that should be released in Sept.

inceptor

the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys

May 3, 2002

Here's another tip.

I learned two of the lessons mentioned here the hard way; turn off WAAS and 'lock to roads' was a pretty easy lesson, thought I was clever reading the manual and figuring that one out. Using (or NOT using, rather) the navigation feature to hunt a cache took me about 2 hours and 5 km of aimless wandering to figure out.

Now the tip. I've had great luck using the compass in my Vista and a simple triangulation technique to home in on a cache. The Vista has a patch antenna, so it's not terribly sensitive in the bush. I've found that I can stand on top of a cache and watch the little icon move around in circles as the satellite geometry changes. And the distance will also change, from .3M to 20M while I'm standing at the cache.

Anyway, what I do now, is as I get within about 100 ft (30M), take a bearing, and eyeball a landmark at what I figure is the likely spot. Then continue on a bearing that takes me a little past the cache but at a right angle, and take another bearing. I can usually spot where my two bearings cross, and so far, that's always been within inches of the cache location. Seems like the feature that draws my eye as I take these bearings turns out to be the feature the hider has used to locate the site as well.

This has been a bit tough in dense bush (two caches like that so far) but has worked on the 8 caches I've found since first trying it.

May 4, 2002

2.02 upgrade switches lock on road off when off road searching. The newest upgrade (2.03) came out 5/3/02 and also fixes the same problem. Unfortunately, Easy and Expert GPS lock up now after the latest upgrade on my V. I think they will work around this soon.

nscaler

"Anyone not here, raise your hand!".

May 6, 2002

YES. Victory is mine. I went out today and conquered a cache. It was nice and easy once i configured the GPS the way it was supposed to be. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

The GPS led me right to it, it was great.

May 7, 2002

And doesn't that first successful find feel wonderful?

Some comfort to take - I read this thread before my partner and I went on our first hunt, so turned WAAS and lock on road off before going out - so you aren't the only one to have learned from your experience!

May 15, 2002

quote:
Originally posted by TKCollective:
Some comfort to take - I read this thread before my partner and I went on our first hunt, so turned WAAS and lock on road off ...

I have WAAS on the Magellan platinum. Why would you turn it off? I thought WAAS made the GPS more accurate? Only been working with GPS and geocaching for a couple of months. Thanks.

"Where ever you go, there you are"

getting dishearnted

Recommended Posts

Join the conversation