Newbie Here Needs Help

[1trueamerican]

ok..need a little help getting started....last week, i thought i would give this a try. i work in the outdoors, have a gps unit available..

tried a local cache..(robin hill park in moon twp, pa.) twice...

1st time i had the gps set at nad27 conus...(we use it for work)

tried to find the cache but no luck.. ...went home, read more on this geocaching thing and realized that i may have to reset my gps to wgs84.

went back...still couldn't find it...

 

so now....a couple of questions...remember...i am new to this and haven't completely figured out this navigation thing yet...thats why i am trying parks with well defined trails...

i looked in the faq and couldn't find all my answers...

 

1.both times into the park...i was led to what appeared to be good cache sites...large blowdowns with plenty of branches and such...close to each other but on different sides of the trail...

i couldn't find anything...now this very easily could be me and maybe i just didn't find it....but i keep thinking that maybe i put the points in wrong...double checked...ok

 

2.how do you not look like you are looking for something!!!

 

3. is it best to use the map page to find the cache or the navigation page....i find myself watching the map page...i guess it's the instant gratification of updates...

 

4. i am using a green venture...mind you i am still learning about this instrument, and i am sure we will figure it out...but want to learn before starting to take my 8 yr old son with me....

 

thanks so much in advance...i am kind of busy so i may not be back to check forum until later so keep the advice coming to this newbie...can't wait to find my first.

 

mike

[+reveritt]

now this very easily could be me and maybe i just didn't find it....

 

Most likely. Don't expect the gadget to get you closer than about 30 feet--maybe not even that close. Read all the recent logs for a cache before you attempt to find it--there may be helpful information. Use the hint.

 

how do you not look like you are looking for something!!!

 

There are LOTS of threads in these forums on that topic. The answer really depends on the location.

 

but want to learn before starting to take my 8 yr old son with me....

 

Bring him along! You can have fun learning together, and kids are really good at finding caches. My 7-year-old granddaughter has found several that I was unable to find on previous visits. This also helps with the "not looking suspicious" problem, as you can stand around looking parental while your son searches in all the hidey-holes.

 

is it best to use the map page to find the cache or the navigation page....

 

It's personal preference. When I get close, I like to use the screen on my Magellan that looks like a compass, and gives me bearing and distance to the waypoint. When hiking to or from the cache, I sometimes use the map screen, and compare my track to a printout of the local topo map to make sure I'm on the right trail, etc.

[+cache_test_dummies]

2.how do you not look like you are looking for something!!! 

 

Bring your 8 year old son with you. Kids make excellent 'cover'.

 

Reveritt is right - don't expect the GPS to bring you to the exact spot. I usually get to about the 50 foot range, then pretty much stop looking at the GPSr altogether.

 

It always helps to know what size container you are looking for. And it should get easier (for the most part) after you have found a few.

 

Have fun, and good luck!

[1trueamerican]

2nd time out...i was looking in trunks...inside fallen trees...will try again next week...can't believe i can't see it...it is fun though...will be better when i find a few...

 

mike

[+Smitherington]

My prediction is that when you find it you will be geeked. I was. You will also say something like 'I was standing right on it' or 'I looked right at it.'

 

Keep looking. Have fun.

[+tirediron]

See if you can hook up with some other 'cachers in your area (Check your regional forums) and get a chance to go out with some experienced 'cachers. What was the difficulty/terrain rating for the 'cache you were after? I would stick with 2/2 or lower for your first few....

[+IVxIV]

Make sure your GPSr coordinate system is set for DD MM.MMM format.

 

Have you looked at the logs from the previous finders? Perhaps they may have mentioned things that become valuable clues in finding the cache. Has anyone else recently found the cache? If not, it could be gone,, you know.

[Keystone]

Hello,

 

Robin Hill Cache was one of my first cache finds, in summer 2002. I remember having quite a bit of difficulty holding a satellite lock under the tree cover on the side of a hill. You might try an easier cache with better conditions. I can recommend Turkeyfoot Creek Cache (GCA420) by MacBWizard201 (1/1) because it involves a fairly level walk, and people have had no problems finding it.

 

It helps when the forum moderator lives just a couple of miles from the cache in question!

[Two Humans and a Dog]

My wife and I are relatively new to geocaching. We had a very serious problem on our first time out. We had the wrong input on our Etrex coordinates. We were only lke 500 yards off!!!! When I changed this to wgs 84 we went right to the cache sight. We were very successful our first year. We found everything we looked for.

Now this year seems to be a different story. So far we are 0 for 2 and very dissapointed. We don't know if it is us, or the persons took the cache in for winter and never put it back out. I would like to see more vigilance on the part of cache owners to keep the cache page up to date and even include coordinates of lawful places to start. We are always worried about where we park and if we might be trespassing.

 

Keep looking and look at past logs on that cache to see if it was found recently. If not..it could be lost, stolen or not monitored very well.

Edited April 2, 2005 by Two Humans and a Dog

[+Torry]

Don't sweat being caught looking... the key is to not look as though you found anything ... and so far you've succeeded at that so you have some valuable skills already.

 

Welcome to the addiction.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Did you input or download the waypoint in NAD27 and then change to WGS84? This stuff makes my brain hurt, but I know I've gotten in trouble shifting from one datum to another. I'd try clearing the unit, setting it to WGS84 (the standard for geocaching), and then doing a nice, clean download or input of the waypoints you want. The irritating thing about switching datums (it is datums in this case, not data, isn't it?) is that two different ones are often close enough you're sure it should be right, but not close enough to get you there for real.

 

And even the right one will only get you close

[+Team Benhamtroll]

I remember my first cache being tough one, too. Tree cover is hard until you get used to how your GPS works, and the ways people hide caches. I'm only up to 14 after a year, but part of the problem for me is moving to Wyoming and being buried under snow for half the year. Keep plugging away, do some easy ones to start, and don't let anyone tell you that you're doing it wrong. Enjoy the time with your kid. That's the best part in my book . . .

[LeighandMom]

I'm new too. I'm a Grannie, and have only been doing this for four Months.

I'm hooked, to save face, if others are around, I hold my GPS up to my ear and

talk into it. Yep, I do that. We are so used to People with their Cell Phones, no

one pays attention. When I am close to a site, I stop and look around and think

" if I were placing this Cache, where would I put it? " I found two Caches today,

doing just this! This Hobby, makes me feel like a kid again, finding buried treasure!

[+Puppyman]

I heard about Geocaching on the tv one day, I came to the site and did a search by zip code and found 5-6 caches very near me.

I did not have a gps at the time so I printed out a topo map and read all the logs.

I then went out and found 3 caches that day just comparing my location to the "X" on the map. Yes! It was time consuming, but I found them.

[+Team Wampus]

This is all good advice, especially about taking your son along. My 8 year old is getting really good at finding caches...he found all 3 that we were able to log as smileys yesterday. As for not finding caches, we had a big slice of humble pie this weekend. We had about 40 straight successful hunts, then 4 DNF's this weekend...ouch! Some days you find 'em, some days you don't...just be sure and keep it fun!

[1trueamerican]

thanks all for the help...found my first one yesterday..off the forest grove trail...i now see that a good walking stick for poking around logs and rocks would be a good idea...warm day...was watching for snakes!!!

 

thanks for everyones help and will be posting more as i go..

 

mike

Edited April 5, 2005 by 1trueamerican

[Keystone]

Yikes, that is a *hard* first find! "Off the trail in Forest Grove" is on the side of an overgrown hill, littered with boulders and downed trees. Congratulations! How were the trail conditions on the Montour Trail? I have a multicache on another section of the trail that's disabled because of last fall's terrible flooding in the area.

[+PeachyPA]

I heard about Geocaching on the tv one day, I came to the site and did a search by zip code and found 5-6 caches very near me.

I did not have a gps at the time so I printed out a topo map and read all the logs.

I then went out and found 3 caches that day just comparing my location to the "X" on the map. Yes! It was time consuming, but I found them.

That was how I found my first seven caches; then I borrowed a GPS unit to see how much easier it was. It was!!! Take the advice from Keystone Approver, he is a well experienced cacher (as well as a nice guy). Trying various difficulty levels will show you a wide variety of caches; but, the lower numbered ones will be easier to find.

 

Good luck from another western PA resident!

[1trueamerican]

Yikes, that is a *hard* first find!  "Off the trail in Forest Grove" is on the side of an overgrown hill, littered with boulders and downed trees.  Congratulations!  How were the trail conditions on the Montour Trail?  I have a multicache on another section of the trail that's disabled because of last fall's terrible flooding in the area.

 

thanks...i seem to be able to navigate to the areas ok....it's seeing how these caches are hidden that is now starting to make things a little easier...

 

keystone approver...i live real close to the montour trail off hassam and was able to run down to it when i had an hour free time...i also found the one in bell acres today...the turkey foot creek cache

 

the montour trail is in pretty good shape from below the old brothers grimm bar to the coraopolis sportsmans club...columbia gas just fixed the access at hassam rd...

 

couple of pics from ivan...

 

thanks again for the help...

 

mike

Edited April 5, 2005 by 1trueamerican