Anyone geocaching around here using just an iPhone?

[dancetoday]

I went out to make my first attempt at geocaching today with the groundspeak software in my iPhone 3G. On their web site some people say that's all you need and other people use it just to locate a cache and then they put the coordinates into a GPS. I was looking for one that is supposed to be easy and as we got closer and I zoomed in on my screen it looked like we were right next to it. So we looked around the bush near us and didn't see anything. Then the app screen started jumping around so suddenly it was locating us outside of town and then we'd be back where we were. It was strange but it made me lose confidence in using the software. Maybe if I knew more what I was doing, it would help! javascript:emoticon(':?')

[HikerRon]

I have used my iPhone 3G to find caches but it amounts to an additional star of difficulty. It will get you to the cache if you are patient. The GPS feature of the iphone doesnt update very fast so you just have to wait.
I use the geocaching app a lot, to find caches near me and read about them.
But then i also punch the coords into my gps to actually zero-in on the cache.

[dancetoday]

OK, thanks. I feel better now. It seemed so close and then suddenly looked like we were halfway across town from it...then close again. So something strange was going on. Once you are close, how accurate is it once it does zoom in (if it is working right, which I think mine wasn't part of the time)? Like will it give you the location within 10-20-30-40-50 feet or what? Say it shows you are right on the dot. What might be the radius of its actual location, in your experience?

[HikerRon]

Depends on how strong the signal is. I have had the iphone take me to within 10 ft of a cache. And sometimes, 50 ft is the best it can do.
Do you have a GPS other than the iPhone? I would reccommend using it to geocache and keep the iphone for reference and as a backup.

[MathSeeker]

Dancetoday, what area do you live in? If you are close to the Jacksonville area, I would be glad to meet up with you to go geocaching.

[Ashallond]

You've got to also check out the accuracy number as well. If it's within 50 feet, then I can usually find it, if the cache has a decent clue. There's a GPS app (GPSLite from Motion-X) that actually goes off the GPS sattelites and the cell phone triangulation. See if that helps you as well.

[chadbishop]

a couple of months ago my iphone was all i was using. its still what i get out of the truck with in hand. if its cloudy or there is any tree cover whatsoever, i grab my gps. i bought one of the iphone 3g s a few weeks ago. i think the gps in it is actually poorer than the 3g gps. a friend of mine asked me what i thought and figuring what he would say i pretended to think it was better, he had the same complaints i did. ive also not used the digital compass one time in the 3g s. hope that helps.

[Thatsit]

Absolutly the iphone 3G S is a great back up but it is nothing like having a good GPSr. My Garmin 60cx is the way to go. With the iphone compass you actually have to be moving in order for it to be any kind of accurate.

[Ashallond]

With the iphone compass you actually have to be moving in order for it to be any kind of accurate.

This is why I've tried to get a grant through my school to get 4-6 GPS's to use for my classes...that I might have to borrow when I go out.

If I fail on the grant request.....my wife knows what I want. :) Sad thing is we have to wait until Sept. to see if I get the grant or not.