What Is The Premium Membership Like?

[thekafka]

i looked at the offical descrpition but i dont totally get it. Whats a pocket query, and how muc better are te search options and maps? can someone with the premium mebership give me a comparison please?

[WH]

There are few premium member perks like the Off Topic Forum where you can talk about anything and everything not geocaching related.

 

By far, my most favorite Premium feature is the pocket query or PQ. A PQ allows you to download up to 500 caches in a single file and then display them using GSAK. You can filter your downloads in a number of differents ways:

 

location

distance

cache type

found / unfound

 

GSAK can be loaded either onto a laptop to take with you in the car, or into a Palm Pilot and taken on the trail.

Edited May 18, 2005 by WH

[+sept1c_tank]

It's, like, cool, man!

[+briansnat]

PQs are way cool. The rest of the member perks I can do without.

[+Miragee]

Caching without Pocket Queries?

 

. . . simply can't be done.

[+5¢]

Disney World

[+Mr Lost]

My premium membership

is like

a cool mountain stream

on a hot day.

 

In winter, like

a warm and

cozy

fire.

 

In spring,

it is as

a birds

early morning song

 

In fall,

as a

riot of

color.

[+flask]

not to mention the super cool secret handshake and the members-only hints and the club cars.

[+tls11823]

The ability to pan and zoom the maps is kind of cool, but I don't use it that much anymore, because I have better alternatives (read on).

 

Like others have said, the PQs are the best thing since sliced bread. You can set up to filter by location (lots of options), cache type (hate micros? you'll never see them again), difficulty (get only the ones that are "just right" for you), etc., etc. Then load the PQs into GSAK or a similar product, and go crazy. Filter and sort to your heart's desire. I export from GSAK to my Garmin MapSource software, so I can really play games with maps, which is the reason I don't use the on-line maps very much. I also export the coordiates straight to my GPSr and to Cachemate so I can have all the cache info on my Palm.

 

I suggest you try it for a month. You'll be hooked.

 

Oh yeah - cool mountain stream, cozy fire, and all that stuff, too.

[+El Diablo]

Besides all the perks mentioned above...it's a great way to show support and say thanks to the people that make this all possible.

 

El Diablo

[+HalnJen]

Besides all the perks mentioned above...it's a great way to show support and say thanks to the people that make this all possible.

 

El Diablo

Dito! This is the #1 reason I signed up. #2 is for the PQs for paperless caching.

[+Team Perks]

As far as I'm concerned, the ability to pan the GC.com maps is worth the three bucks a month alone.

 

And the pocket queries are OK too.

[+Westerner]

I got the premium membership mainly to support the geocaching website. I have only done one pocket query so far and loaded it into a pda. Since I normally only go after one or two caches in an outing the PQ doesn't really do much for me. I always research my caches before I head out and take the paper copy with me.

 

If you want to do a bunch in one day I can see where it would be worthwhile though. Certainly the folks with large numbers of finds think its great, and they should know (I only have 28 finds to date in 5 months). Maybe if you are in a high cache density area it would be of greater benefit than I see so far.

 

It is nice to be able to do the member only caches if you want (fortunately there aren't that many of them though, but you get that option).

 

Again, it is good to support this site which we rely upon.

[+briansnat]

If you want to do a bunch in one day I can see where it would be worthwhile though. Certainly the folks with large numbers of finds think its great, and they should know (I only have 28 finds to date in 5 months). Maybe if you are in a high cache density area it would be of greater benefit than I see so far.

 

I'm not a big numbers cacher, but I find PQ's to be extremely useful. I get a weekly PQ of the nearest 500 caches to my home, plus smaller PQs for certain select areas for a total of 700 cache waypoints. I dowload them to my GPS and also to Cachemate on my PDA.

 

This way, when I find myself with a little extra time, I can flick on my GPS and see if there are any caches nearby or along my route. If I remember to bring my PDA along I also have the cache page.

[+StarBrand]

PQ make it worthwhile but the other benefit is that you help keep the site online and full of new caches to search for - worth $3 per month for that alone.

[+Marcie/Eric]

Pocket Queries make is all worth it. The rest of the stuff is just icing.

 

Well worth $33 a year or whatever.

[+Jeep_Dog]

Being a premium member is like being in heaven. There's harmony in premium membership:

 

1) The website is never slow for premium members.

 

2) Premium members get the Off Topic forum where they poke fun at non-premium members.

 

3) Premium Member newly placed caches get approved within 20 minutes.

 

4) Jeremy sends pesonal motivational notes to premium members, and consults with premium members before making changes to the website.

 

Uh, non of the above is true. Well, except for the being a premium member is like being in heaven.

 

Personally, my conscience really is the bane of my existance. I have a deep vein of community spirit and contribution, and feel guilty as anything if I take more than I contribute. Sooooo, my conscience is clean in supporting a website that has provided so much entertainment to me and my family. I'm also a regular contributer to NPR, so perhaps I just have a personality disorder.

 

I think that is an important aspect of my premium membership.

Edited May 18, 2005 by Jeep_Dog

[+Prof_Fate]

I am not a PM, and use the LOC files and GSAK - I see no states, no difficulty levels on caches...is this only in some otehr file type? Is that the GPX file?

[WH]

I am not a PM, and use the LOC files and GSAK - I see no states, no difficulty levels on caches...is this only in some otehr file type? Is that the GPX file?

If you download individual caches as a GPX, you still won't get all the information.

 

PQ's created as GPX files have the cache page in it's entirety including the 5 most recent logs.

[+Husker]

1. PQ are nice except you'll probably have to buy a new piece of software to make it useful.

 

2. Panning on cache maps is nice except sometimes the caches don't show up.

 

3. Members only caches are nice except they aren't really any different than the ones you're finding now.

 

4. Members only forum is nice except it's for off topic stuff.

 

5. Supporting Groudspeak is nice except I've never really felt I a commercial enterprise should run on donations. (I don’t consider my membership a donation but some people seem to)

[+cudlecub]

If you enjoy caching, why not support the site. For supporting it with a premium membership there will surely be many perks that you will love and some that you won't ever use. I like the ability to pan on the maps and also pull a pq.

[+soreyes]

The premium membership was just a darn good feeling for me the first year and a half. The first day I went out caching, I just KNEW I had to contribute so that the site and this amazing activity would keep running. I was actually unemplyed at the time, but nevertheless, the $3 a month seemed very reasonable for such a sweet site. To this day I am still on the $3 a month plan even though the yearly charge is a little less. They deserve that extra 6 bux!

 

The features on the site just keep getting better. As a software tester in a simular industry, I can attest that Jeremy and Elias are pushing out new features at a very decent rate. I am not sure of the size of thier crew, but if its just the two of them and no QA ... amazing!

 

I never really used any of the features aside from the advanced map until about 8 months ago when I went paperless. I couldn't have made that jump without the PQ's which rock. I also love using the PQ's to scope out the new caches in the area without having to wait for my weekly cache notification email. Geocache-U had a good tutorial for setting that up, but in retrospect it should heve been obvious.

[+Doc-Dean]

Its like warm apple pie!

[+rusty_tlc]

It's like sending a check to PBS.

[+badlands]

Add my vote to the list. Value for the money....

[+tabulator32]

Even if you don't use ANY of the premium features (and I DO) its worth it alone just to help maintain the website that allows you to do online searches for caches!

 

My favorite feature, though, is the weekly email that provides all the recently found caches in your area.

 

Every week, when I get that email, its like a bucket of big, juicy apples just waitin' ta be picked!

 

[+IV_Warrior]

1. PQ are nice except you'll probably have to buy a new piece of software to make it useful.

Nope, there's free software out there that works great with PQs.

[+Team Perks]

...there will surely be many perks that you will love...

Well, at least one.

[Deego]

You can also change your name under your avitar.

 

Now how COOL is that :D

[WH]

You also get things like:

 

free roadside assistance

discounts on auto insurance

hotel and restaraunt discounts

 

no wait.....thats AAA

[+BigFurryMonster]

Then load the PQs into GSAK or a similar product, and go crazy.

Which products (software) can deal with Pocket Queries? In what format are the PQ's?

[WH]

Then load the PQs into GSAK or a similar product, and go crazy.

Which products (software) can deal with Pocket Queries? In what format are the PQ's?

There are a few different software packages that can be used with PQ's. My personal favorite is GSAK.

 

The PQ's themselves can be downloaded as either a GPX, LOC or e-book.

[+Milbank]

1) The website is never slow for premium members.

 

I wish....

 

What Is The Premium Membership Like?

 

It's great and for only $3 you can try it for a whole month.

[+DAS&SAS]

Using the official GeoCaching.com SUV to find caches was the big push for me... Oh yeah, and the free hotel stays are really nice.

 

But my favorite feature as a member is the $1000 signing bonus.

 

For $30 bucks you just can't find a better deal.

[+C&C+COMPANY]

Using the official GeoCaching.com SUV to find caches was the big push for me... Oh yeah, and the free hotel stays are really nice.

 

But my favorite feature as a member is the $1000 signing bonus.

 

For $30 bucks you just can't find a better deal.

ya and the free food at the Premium banquets every month

[+teepeeayy]

Its like PBS, you don't have to pay to watch, but it feels better knowing the non-commercial, higher quality "programs" are receiving the support of the viewers. GC.com is not making anyone a millionaire (well, I guess if El Diablo sells enough walking sticks....) so as membership increases and server power needs beefing up, I know where my 3 bucks are going.

 

Oh yeah, there's that pocket query thing too.

[+BillsBayou]

The Premium Membership gives you the priviledge of slapping yourself in the head for spending $3/month when the servers go down.

 

Actually, I enjoy my PM. I also enjoy a good BM in the AM, but that's a different matter.

 

I'm a Pocket Query maniac. My GSAK is juiced.

 

(i need mo coffee'n'chicory)

[+nfa]

Premium Membership is like:

• a warm puppy
  
• a big cup of hot coffee when it's freezing cold outside
  
• payday
  
• velvet boxers
  
• beer
  
• new-car smell
  
• Saturday morning before the rest of my house is awake
  

nfa-jamie

[+sept1c_tank]

Premium membership is like having geopedia?

[+kent1915]

Count me in for the donation to geocaching. Well worth the cache, err, cash. Get PQ twice a week and am trying to become a paperless cacher with PDA. Worth the money.

[+DaveA]

OK so I got a premium membership yesterday and it took effect on the main site this morning. I don't show as a premium member here, can't see the off topic forum etc. Do I just wait longer or is there something I have to do?

[Jeremy]

OK so I got a premium membership yesterday and it took effect on the main site this morning. I don't show as a premium member here, can't see the off topic forum etc. Do I just wait longer or is there something I have to do?

Click "discuss geocaching" on geocaching.com when you are logged in there. It makes the magical switch to PM here.

[+DaveA]

OK so I got a premium membership yesterday and it took effect on the main site this morning.  I don't show as a premium member here, can't see the off topic forum etc.  Do I just wait longer or is there something I have to do?

Click "discuss geocaching" on geocaching.com when you are logged in there. It makes the magical switch to PM here.

That did it, thanks!

[+BadAndy]

"and on the next day my premium membership went active. Pocket Queries filled my inbox, MOC's magically appeared and the birds began to sing. As the dark clouds withered away and the sun shone through, my heart lifted, as I had reason to proclaim...Life is Good!!!"

[+Tharagleb]

not to mention the super cool secret handshake and the members-only hints and the club cars.

Yeah, the members-only hints really helped when I did Rupert's. Mostly I just give the actual coords for my members-only hint (on puzzle caches). Oh, and the monthly GC.com magazine is nice.

Edited June 15, 2005 by Tharagleb

[+VegasCacheHounds]

Yeah, all the above stuff is nifty, but its all about the Off Topic area. Its always great to have an area to retreat to when the angst levels get too high here in the main forums. To any new Premium Members, feel free to jump into any of the topics there, all are welcomed

[+dkwolf]

Don't forget the free GPS software upgrade that enables sub-meter accuracy on your GPSr and access to the secret GC.com satellites!

 

 

(whoops, did I say that out loud?)

[+fly46]

1. PQ are nice except you'll probably have to buy a new piece of software to make it useful.

Nope, there's free software out there that works great with PQs.

Yeah.. I use EasyGPS, which is completely free, and the most basic software you can get. It serves all my needs.

You can still do whatever without PQs, but their best feature is the search options... You can chose to only view caches you've never found or have been updated in the last seven days or have TBs in them.

[+EleriandBlade]

my $3 month is well worth getting to pan through the maps. I almost never use PQs. Couple times, to see what was in 2 and 5 mile radius' of us, but other than that, havn't needed them. *shrug*

 

But panning the map? *bliss*

[+treasure_hunter]

It's, like, cool, man!

I have to agree!