One thing to mention about GeoCaching and GPS use - you don't *have* to own one.

[osu_trav]

Greetigns all and potential GeoCachers.

 

I stumbled on this site, rather by accident today. I was searching on the specs of a GPS software update on my Magellan Companion GPS unit that I purchased recently, and I'd like to take a moment to speak on a couple things regarding GeoCaching.

 

Though I'm a NooB in terms of this community, I'm familiar with this concept, and it can be a very rewarding pastime, or something to wast a Sunday afternoon if you've got nothing better to do...however, GPS ownership isn't necessarily a requirement. Though it DOES help, and make things easier, you can also do it "the Hard Way", and use a map, (topographic or otherwise), which can also prove quite rewarding.

 

Having or not having a GPS can make this a fun hobby either way. You can look up the coordinates, or do it the old fashioned way, and plan ahead.

 

One thing to mention about using a map. If you've got an old set of topographic maps, chances are you'll have to look/work harder. Reason?....the older maps can (and often are) off by several degrees due usually to human error, but it can still be a fun and rewarding pastime, all the same.

 

-Osu_Trav

[+clatmandu]

All been said in several threads in the past if any browsing had been done.

[+ClayJar]

quote:

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Originally posted by clatmandu:

All been said in several threads in the past if any browsing had been done.

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True, but this is the "Getting Started" forum. Redundancies are expected here. (If you don't like them, help us update the FAQ more frequently. )

[+ClayJar]

quote:

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Originally posted by clatmandu:

All been said in several threads in the past if any browsing had been done.

---

True, but this is the "Getting Started" forum. Redundancies are expected here. (If you don't like them, help us update the FAQ more frequently. )

[+Renegade Knight]

My first cache was GPS'less. It took two tries and I wasn't yet aware of some of the online mapping tools that would have helped. I'm still a neophite for the online mapping junk and mapping junk in general but we all learn.

[+Web-ling]

Several of us have been doing most of our caches GPS-less for some time. I haven't counted them up lately, but I think I've done close to 100 out of 148 without the GPSr. It really makes the 1/1 and 2/2 caches a whole lot more interesting.

 

[+jeremyp]

quote:

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Originally posted by osu_trav:

Greetigns all and potential GeoCachers.

 

One thing to mention about using a map. If you've got an old set of topographic maps, chances are you'll have to look/work harder. Reason?....the older maps can (and often are) off by several degrees due usually to human error, but it can still be a fun and rewarding pastime, all the same.

 

-Osu_Trav

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Off by several degrees? How old are your maps? Bear in mind that a minute of arc of latitude is one nautical mile, so several degrees could be an error of a multiple of 60 nautical miles. If you only know your cache is within 60 miles, I'd say that is quite a challenge

If OTOH you mean off by a fraction of a minute so that the cache is really located a few hundred metres from the position shown on the map, then I'd say the problem is probably the map's datum. The datum basically says where is the prime meridian, where is the equator and the poles, what shape do I approximate the Earth to. All the coordinates on geocaching.com are published in the WGS84 datum. Maps might use older ones like NAD27 or here in the UK OSGB36.

 

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jeremyp

We're going to need a bigger boat!

[+jeremyp]

quote:

---

Originally posted by osu_trav:

Greetigns all and potential GeoCachers.

 

One thing to mention about using a map. If you've got an old set of topographic maps, chances are you'll have to look/work harder. Reason?....the older maps can (and often are) off by several degrees due usually to human error, but it can still be a fun and rewarding pastime, all the same.

 

-Osu_Trav

---

 

Off by several degrees? How old are your maps? Bear in mind that a minute of arc of latitude is one nautical mile, so several degrees could be an error of a multiple of 60 nautical miles. If you only know your cache is within 60 miles, I'd say that is quite a challenge

If OTOH you mean off by a fraction of a minute so that the cache is really located a few hundred metres from the position shown on the map, then I'd say the problem is probably the map's datum. The datum basically says where is the prime meridian, where is the equator and the poles, what shape do I approximate the Earth to. All the coordinates on geocaching.com are published in the WGS84 datum. Maps might use older ones like NAD27 or here in the UK OSGB36.

 

-------

jeremyp

We're going to need a bigger boat!