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Original poster

Geocaching : chatty thread

209 replies

bumpybecky · 23/03/2012 16:24

hello geocachers :)

there were lots of outdoorsy shite threads, but now we have our new great outdoors forum, I thought I'd start a new thread for us :)

I am (one of) Dave's Piglings and an in Bedfordshire. We've currently got about 140 finds and 9 caches placed :)

OP posts:
LadyUmamiDeMort · 05/04/2012 21:07

With the app, once you've put in a new waypoint, if you go back to the map, you should now see a yellow flag as well as the blue and green markers for where you are/ where you're heading. The yellow flag is the new waypoint. If you tap the flag, it should bring up a box with the waypoint name and blue arrow; press the arrow and it should give you a 'set as target' option, and you should then be navigating towards your final co-ords.

Hope that all makes sense! We've had the same problem several times, and each time forget how to fix it.

lilyfire · 05/04/2012 23:03

Bumpybecky - thanks very much for the link, it looks really useful.

LadyUmamiDeMort - that's very helpful. I have played around with the app and now you told me that I can see how it works, but don't think I would have worked it out for myself. Maybe the explanation is on the groundspeak website but I spent ages looking for it and didn't find it, which seems weird. Am relieved not just me being totally dense. It was described as 'suitable for children' so made me feel worse that failed to find it. Will have another shot at it as have renewed enthusiasm. Thanks a lot.

LadyUmamiDeMort · 06/04/2012 08:51

No, not dense at all! It really isn't very clear. The app could do with updating with specific functionality for multi-caches. It would be nice if you could programme your answers straight into the app as you go along, and then have an 'enter final co-ordinates option'. If you'd been using an older GPSr rather than the app, I'm sure you'd have found it!

Probably suitable for children because they can work the technology much better than we can Grin

Strawbezza · 06/04/2012 21:38

Anyone done (or planning) any Easter caching? I cached today, am caching tomorrow and Sunday too [busmile]

Original poster
bumpybecky · 07/04/2012 19:13

We started slowly....

Thursday we didn't find two! Hmm

Yesterday, we managed a whole one! it was in the middle of a circuit that we did last year. This one was disabled last time and by the time they brought it back the estate had started charging to park, so we've left it for ages. The visitors centre had webcams showing herons nesting with chicks, so very cool :)

Today was better - 14 found, none not found :)

I doubt we'll manage any tomorrow, not sure about plans for Monday yet :)

OP posts:
Ratbagcatbag · 08/04/2012 12:05

Hello all,

Just thought I would drop in, we found our first cache in Scotland on holiday on Friday which was awesome (apart from the Tick I acquired - see my other thread Grin) we are hooked and once iphone is charged I want to increase my number from 1 to a few more before footy is on at 4.

Has anyone got the GPS trackers, we're looking at buying a decent one (aroudn £400 budget) the Garmin GPSMAP 62ST, but I have no idea really what we are looking for.

Cheers

PinkyCheesy · 08/04/2012 12:35

Woohoo! I got my first FTF today! Wasn't planning to go out at all but this new cache 2 miles away popped up in my email so I jumped in the car and grabbed it immediately luckily I don't have much of a lifeGrin

SoupDreggon · 08/04/2012 12:41

I do enjoy caching but I don't get out so much now - mainly because I own most of the local ones Blush

SoupDreggon · 08/04/2012 12:44

I have changed my entire caching ethos though - when I started it was about the numbers, now I realise that is is about the journey. For me, it doesn't matter if I've only found 1 so long as I had fun finding it :)

SoupDreggon · 08/04/2012 12:45

(although I did rush out last month and bag 5 FTFs in the drizzle. Two of which involved climbing trees. :o)

Strawbezza · 08/04/2012 20:12

Bagged my 5000th today [busmile]

Ratbag I have the Oregon 550 (the 450 is the same but without a camera). I've also got 1:50k OS maps loaded. Very pleased with it, it's accurate, easy to use and the field notes can be uploaded back to the geocaching site or GSAK to help with the log-writing.

Check geocaching.com for lots of info on which GPSr would be best for you.

Original poster
bumpybecky · 08/04/2012 20:16

also see this site for more advice on choosing gps units :)

huge congrats on the 5000 finds [busmile] did you take pictures?!

OP posts:
SoupDreggon · 08/04/2012 20:24

I have the Oregon 450 - I have a proper camera and an iPhone camera so decided I didn't need another one :o

topbannana · 09/04/2012 23:04

Hi folks. We are keen cachers, found around 250 and own 4 of our own. Its great for spending time as a family and getting us out to places that we would otherwise never have been (we live in an area of Dorset absolutely JAMMED with caches!)
Its great for holidays as we use the premium membership that allows us to find caches along our route, great for breaking the journey :)
As far as GPS units go, we use the iPhone app (great for those "ooh I wonder if theres a cache nearby" moments) and we have a bright yellow Garmin E-Trex that cost me in the region of £40 second-hand from e-Bay. Having spoken to other cachers about GPS units, the general advice seems to be that the E-Trex is the best of the old style GPS units and is generally more than adequate for the beginner. Its only downside is that your data needs to be entered manually but we cope just fine and would probably not upgrade, even if we had the money Hmm

EssieW · 10/04/2012 18:37

Do you recommend Premium membership? I've been caching for about 9 months - just up to 110 caches. Tend to mostly do on bike rides every weekend.

topbannana · 10/04/2012 20:03

Yes EssieW, its really quite cheap and well worth it even if you only use it a couple of times a year. Apart from that we have an awful lot of "premium member" only caches round by us, might not be worth it if caches are scarce round your way Hmm

EndoplasmicReticulum · 11/04/2012 22:44

I have one of the yellow Garmin things as well, it does the job. Pain in the bum entering the co-ordinates though.
Since getting it, husband has upgraded his phone, and what I like about the app is it will show you nearby caches wherever you are.

For example, last week we were in another county for a family do at a pub we'd never been to before, fire up the app and find a cache just up the road, so left the aunties chatting over coffee and snuck out to get it!

Essie I remain unconvinced on the premium membership as there are very few premium caches near me, maybe when I've run out of all the others....which will take a while!

We went to do one today, am trying to mop up local ones that we haven't got to before.

I agree with previous posters, I don't like the magnetic nanos stuck on the back of a road sign, you end up looking very suspicious.

Do you remember this news story?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-14039229

Because we go with the boys, who are 5 and 7, I like caches to be where I'd expect - you know the obvious hole in a tree sort of thing, because they get very disappointed and sometimes more than a little cross if I've dragged them out in Weather and then we don't even find the cache.

giesabosie · 11/04/2012 23:03

Hello

Can I join in? I've been geocaching with my 2 kids for over a year now. We have found 48 and even managed to get a FTF earlier in the year. I really like the fact that it gets us out of the house and that I've been to lots of places I didn't know existed (I'm not local to the area). The kids really seems to have got into it too.

I have one of the yellow Garmin etrex thingummys (also purchased from ebay) but I'm feeling a bit smug here because I also bought 2 leads which allow me to connect it to the PC and download co-ordinates without all the manual entry.

joanofarchitrave · 11/04/2012 23:08

Ooh, I wonder if someone could help with E-trex advice. We were very excited when we got it and managed to work out how to enter the coordinates (we think) but otherwise we haven't actually managed to, er, use the entered coordinates to find the cache... we have just used local knowledge to work out where the caches are, because the other pages seemed to be sending us off in the wrong direction. Which page should we be on when actually searching?

EndoplasmicReticulum · 11/04/2012 23:16

joan - what I do with mine is press the "Page" button until I get to "Waypoints" - then I will see a list of the co-ords that I've entered, select the right one and then "Go-to" - at which point it has a big arrow on it pointing you in the right direction.

I then hand it over to Son 1 who is in charge of telling us all which direction to go in and how far it is left to go.

ApricotPoodle · 11/04/2012 23:37

Had 4 hours to kill yesterday in a random part of the country so bagged 10 caches. Grin
Was then very disappointed to notice a circular walk that could have yielded 31 Shock
Happy days.

EddiesTeddy · 12/04/2012 20:49

Whereabouts are you all based?

Strawbezza it IS all about the numbers! only addicts in denial claim that it isn't around my area ;)

EssieW · 12/04/2012 21:08

Based in North Herts. will think on premium membership a bit longer. I know that when I get round to doing a couple of areas it will be worth it - e.g. Grafham water is mostly premium.

EddiesTeddy · 12/04/2012 21:13

I am in the West Midlands and there are thousands of caches around here for both premium and non-premium member.

Most premium members only (PMO) caches tend to be that way either due to damage done to the cache by muggles, or due to the extra time/money/effort put in by the cache owner who then obviously want to add a bit of extra protection from bored/destructive muggles.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 12/04/2012 22:16

We got 2 today. I'm in North Yorkshire, there are loads. Have also done a few on the IOW while visiting family.