Plrease Help a Newbie!!

[+Trailwalker2]

I am getting really frusturated! I have hunted for four caches and cant seem to find them! I'll set the coordinates and follow them but as soon as I get with in 8-20 feet of it the thing changes direction and says I need to go the other way! I didnt know caches + coordinates could grow legs!!!

 

Thanks

 

-Jared

[+RichardMoore]

Don't worry, everything's fine. The GPSr is not pinpoint accurate. If you find the cache within 20 feet of where your unit says it is, that's about average. Look around the area, you'll find it.

Shameless Self-promotion: Go to my website (see the link below my name) and click on 'Geocaching with Jeeps'.

 

RichardMoore

 

www.geocities.com/richardsrunaway

[+Rusty O Junk]

If you are using a Magellan they have a lag factor. I find mine to usually be about 80 to 90 feet behind me. If you walk until it says 2 or 3 feet then you have bone by the cache by close to 100 feet. What I do is when I get to within 150 feet I stop and wait for the gps to catch up. At that point just watch the distance to way-point and the numbers will continue to go down as you stand there. Once I get to within 100 feet I start looking for likely places for it to be hidden.

Where abouts do you live? If you are near me I'll go on a hunt with you and help get you started.

[+Markwell]

Ah, the definition of "loose bearnings". I mention that on my FAQ question on needing a compass.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

[+briansnat]

You should be moving for the directional needle to work. What might be happening is that you are slowing down as you approach the cache site. What I do in this case is walk back about 50 yards and walk brisky towards the cache again.

 

But if you're within 8-20 feet it's time to put down the GPS and start looking. I'm usually done with the GPS when I get under 40 feet.

 

You have to remember that your GPS is only accurate to within 20-25 feet, as was was the

GPS of the placer. So it's possible the cache may be as much as 50 feet from what your GPS says is ground zero (and sometimes more).

 

When you get to within 40 feet, or so it's time to stop looking at your GPS and look for possible hiding spots. Keep an eye out for hollow stumps, crevices in rocks, or something that looks out of place. Perhaps a neatly arranged pile of sticks, bark or stones.

 

"You can only protect your liberties in this world, by protecting the other man's freedom. "You can only be free if I am" -Clarence Darrow

[+flask]

when you get to within about 50 feet, start working intuitively.

 

check the most obvious hiding places first, because sometimes they're there, and it's simple to check the obvious places.

 

then check the likely places.

 

then the twisted places. my friends and i like to place side bets on where it will be when we get over there.

 

when all else fails, check the impossible locations, and then start the search over.

 

anyone who has ever spent 3 days looking for a large tupperware that wasn't really hidden knows what i'm talking about.

 

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

[+Renegade Knight]

What's happening is that your GPS is only accurate to about 20' normally. When the waypoint is that close or closer where the GPS think you are relative to the waypoint changes and so the arrow points a new direction.

 

Like others have said. When you get to within 20' start looking. It helps to put down the GPS or at least quit looking at it.

 

Of course if you can't quite put it down until you read that "0 ft" on the screen then you will come to learn either the Hula Wave or the Drunken Bee Dance.

 

Hula's seem to be a Garmin thing, and Drunken Bee's a Magellan thing. But not always. Individual technique varies. However if you are with a group one of those annoying non GPS uses will find the cache while you are still doing the dance trying to find 0.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[Team Ritty]

I only have two finds so take this with a grain of salt. Both times I was within 10 to 15 feet of the cache and could not find it, so after alot of searching I opted to use the clue from the cache page. Somewhat like kissing your sister, but it kept me from going home with my tail tucked! I might have to do this a few times until I gain experience on different ways they can be hidden. It's amazing that by coming home with a McToy, my wife thinks I am only a moron, and not a complete moron! Yippee!

[+sbukosky]

ROAD LOCK! Remember to check to see if it is on or off. If it is on, it will be causing some problems. Of course, if you don't have a road map type of GPS, then it is just a matter of holding it up high to see the most sattelites and giving it time to settle down.

 

Steve Bukosky N9BGH

Waukesha Wisconsin

[+zoltig]

This stage of the game is when savvy has to come into play. You will develop it more and more as you continue playing. Start looking at what seams a little out of place or re-arranged.

It may not real noticable to the casual passer-by, but the cacher that is on a "mission' that is there to intentionally look for something hidden, will pick this slight detail up.

i.e. What little stack of wood or cluster of rocks doesn't look like it would happen naturally. Don't forget that at some point, the cache may be hidden up off the ground.

Fear not. You'll start seeing these little clues. Say to yourself, "where would I hide something" when you get in close to your coordinates. Some caches may be micros. All the harder to locate.

Hope this helps a little

[+Tradboy]

I have a Garmin 12 that I bought new about four years ago. It is *always* within fifteen feet, never lags, and I haven't lost a signal yet. I has almost no bells and whistles, but it's fun reading about the problems the newer fancier models have.

 

Knowing me and my early adapter, more-expensive-is-better attitude, I'll end up with a nicer one. But it probably won't work as good.

[WDP]

The toughest parts of Geocaching is finding a suitable parking spot. and the last 50 feet. Many times I have walked up to the "spot" and then the GPSr says 50 feet that a way, then 50 feet this a way. Rule number 1, stay on the path, rule number 2, 50 feet or less, you are on your own. No magic here, just detective work.

 

WDP

[+aka Monkey]

Just as an aside, make sure your GPS is set to WGS 84 map datum.

[Captain Chaoss]

after alot of searching I opted to use the clue from the cache page. Somewhat like kissing your sister, but it kept me from going home with my tail tucked!

 

Man, that has to be the funniest log I've read yet. Thanks for the laugh RITTY. But, I agree. I do bring the hint in case I cant find it. My Magellan has put me right on top of caches, and other times I cant get the signal to quit bouncing me around an area 100 yards across.

There are many factors which effect your gps accuracy. Battery strenth is one of the worst on my particular unit. Topography, cloud cover, large structures, alien invasions, etc. Be sure to hold the unit pointing straight up, if you allow the antennae to drop horizontal, it REALLY messes up your reading. Someone else mentioned the lag in their Magellan reading location as well, signal strength again comes into play. As you move, you lose one satellite and aquire different ones. If you have a screen for satellite ID, you can watch this happen. Each time satellite signal changes, the unit has to re-align. this can cause drastic, but temporary mis-location.

The suggestion of temporarily stopping while unit re-aligns your position is the best advice.

When near the cache, approach the general area several times, from several directions. Look for the general "center' of the area your led to.

 

happy caching

 

Two roads diverged in the woods and I,

I took the one less traveled,

and that is how I found the cache.

[briancm]

I didn't find my first cache the first time, and I'm still working on the second cache. Found #3, #4, #5. Still no #2.

 

Sometimes the cache is deviously hidden. Once you are in the area, make sure that you have searched 100yds from the center.

 

"Geocaching: the perfect sport for introverts!"

[+Mike&Laura]

We are using an older (about 7-8 yrs) Eagle Expedition II. It has proven to be suprisingly accurate.

 

We tend to notice that when we get to within 20-30 feet, the numbers start to bounce around. Even standing still, we can be within 3 feet one second, and 40 feet the next. It is true that the faster you are moving, the better.

 

Usually, when we get to within 20 feet or so, I just turn the GPS off to save batteries.

 

After the first few finds, it starts becoming more and more obvious as to where the cache might be. (Still have a few we can't find.)

 

Just don't give up!

[Team BooneDog]

I'm pretty new at this too so I know what you are talking about. My first few caches i had a really hard time finding, after a few more I started to get the idea. Now when my gps gets me close I put it away and start looking for that "obvious" place that caches seem to hide under. Keep at it, you'll get it. You are starting out with a 1/1 right? Just checking

 

When you see the light at the end of the tunnel, make sure it's not a train coming at you