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does it matter how a cache is found?


hunky

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I'm new so bear with me, and this might sound stupid but so far when locating caches I just jot down the coordinates and use the gps function that shows the coordinates as to where I am and adjust my postion until I get to the cache, but looking more at this web site it seems that one should download the coordinates into the gps and then use the goto function and get to the cache using the arrow function. Does it matter how one gets to the cache? My gps is a garmin and the terms to define what I am doing may not be clear to all, hell they might not be clear to anyone, in anyevent please advise. Thanks

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Hunky...

 

The method you use is oft-described in these forums from newbies, or veterans recalling their first geocaching trips.

 

I think, however, that if you take the few minutes to learn to use the GOTO function, you'll be amazed. The GPS will not only point you to the cache, but it will tell you how far it is, too. You can even look on a screen and see where you are in relation to it.

 

I strongly urge you to experiment to figure out the simply GOTO function. It's much, much simpler.

 

Jamie

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quote:
Originally posted by hunky:

Does it matter how one gets to the cache? My gps is a garmin and the terms to define what I am doing may not be clear to all, hell they might not be clear to anyone, in anyevent please advise. Thanks


 

I use the goto function to get me in the area. But if what you are doing works for you, then by all means use it.....

 

Mike

 

Gsdvr

Huntsville

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quote:
Originally posted by hunky:

I'm new so bear with me, and this might sound stupid but so far when locating caches I just jot down the coordinates and use the gps function that shows the coordinates as to where I am and adjust my postion until I get to the cache


 

Ma Bell and I found our first 80 or so using the method you speak of. Merely walking around until the coords matched up. Since we were using a Blazer 12 which only has two decimal places, we often spent a good 5-15 minutes finding a cache. Since then I have upgraded to a Vista. Found out about the arrow thingy at around 110 finds. Have come to the conclusion that it sort of takes the fun out of it. So in short if you're finding them and having fun, stick with it. But if you're in a hurry and running out of daylight. Turn that little arrow thingy ON.

 

Also using the arrow thingy (goto feature) is probably a safer conclusion when driving to the area also. I can remember many times when Ma Bell would yell out as I was driving: "STOP the numbers are going the WRONG way" icon_razz.gif

 

micky4.gif

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"Boredom is the state of one's mind"

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Jamie Z said:

 

I think, however, that if you take the few minutes to learn to use the GOTO function, you'll be amazed. The GPS will not only point you to the cache, but it will tell you how far it is, too. You can even look on a screen and see where you are in relation to it.

 

Yes, GOTO will tell you how far it to a cache. But if your GPSr doesn't have all the latest bells and whistles, newbies need to especially remember that distance is as the crow flies and doesn't take into account elevation gains, etc. One of my early searches showed I was .09 miles from the cache. After about 45 minutes of walking on the trail, I came to a break in the trees and could easily see my car on the next ridge... about .09 miles away!

 

"Could be worse...could be raining"

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Is great -- but only as a guide. We have lots of semi-wild parks around here, laced with unofficial networks of trails. We work our way along the trails towards the cache by using the arrow to tell us which fork in the path to take. When we are within 50-100 feet of the cache we start thinking about going off-trail. Crashing cross country for much more than that isn't fun, although I admit I've done it from time to time. Usually just long enough to remind me how cold a swamp can be in the winter.

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Hunky, that's what we did for our first few caches, too. Hubby has a mapping program in his Pilot that shows latitude and longitude. We'd just keep moving until we were at the right coordinates, then look for the cache.

 

If it works for you, great. It worked pretty well for us.

 

We did ultimately get a GPS, and as others have mentioned, it is nice to have the GOTO to follow. Our SporTrak Pro came with nice maps, so we can look at street names, and make sure we are going the right way. That's pretty nice.

 

It's certainly a real find. It takes a lot of skill to find caches by calculating the coordinates like that.

 

Shannah

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I have that function on my gps and never have bothered with it...It sounds cool, but i like bush wacking, mud bogging swomps, and trying to cross that white water untill i line up the cords....

 

As you can tell, I try to turn 1/2 caches into 3/5

maybe when I'm older,I will learn to use the Goto

 

See you in the woods!

Natureboy1376

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