grandkid44
03-17-2005, 06:03 PM
In the year weve been placing caches , 70 or so now , we have experienced a real learning curve we would like to share with you. Regarding coordinates , I had not appreciated the reality of how a gps works. I thought satellites projected spots , not spheres . I didnt appreciateed the speed necessry for geosynchronos orbit and tha Alberts E=mc2 meant 8 nanosecons time warp with our planet plus another 30 nanoseconds from atmosphere , then factor mountains , trees , buildings , and this could mean 20 meters real quick , both from the hider and the hidee. Now 40 meters and frustration. With the help of WAAS back to 12 meters , till Im on top of a hill and WAAS bounces in from multiple sources if sunspots are acting up . Anyway , now I lnow Im roughly dealing with four balloons on the surface of the planet , trying to get them as close together as I can ..to get them to overlap to a small triangle of a few feet, i.e., my zone. Now I dont get as frustrateed when I take a waypoint , walk 50ft away , return to the cache ,and find Im 37ft off...damn balloons. Soo, take another waypoint after letting the satellites zip a couple hundred miles , and this time approach from a 30degree different heading , moving my balloons , now go out 50 ft , come back, 18ft off, getting em closer, shrinking the triangle, cathcing Albert. Walk away 50 ft , hustle back ,return 40 degree further W heading , zap, take another waypoint. Walk away , come back , now readout is 2ft-4ft..great triangle, got them balloons , and thats the coordinates I post for the cache. Sounds good? Maybe. Depends on the approach used by the person hunting the cache. The easiest way is to triangulate to fool the balloons . See geocaching for idiots. Also , when reaching the desired coordinates dont keep following the gps , look up and look around. The point is , it requires some effort and understanding to post the best possible coordinates....even then , they can be iffy.It also took a while for me to realize that when the highest saellite bars are clumped together my coordinates will be the poorest, if the bars are widely seperated results are better , and I can change the bars by waiting or by making a different approach . After taking the time to put a cache together , hide it , do all that stuff , I didnt realize how important it is to STRESS to cachers in each cache hide the absolute necessity of rehiding the cache as well as possilbe. We are now making the effort to tell folks in each cache the importance of camoflage , how to camoflage , not just piling sticks, make the cache blend in with the background, use leaves, dirt , pine needles, rocks, debris, spend the time and effort to really confuse the next cacher and keep the fun in the game. As we re-name and re-hide most of our caches we see what happens . Caches that begin as a 4 become a 1 or 2 real quick . We ask they cover their path or trail and be sure not to leave a path or trail to the cache. On some caches we are telling them explicitly how to rebuild the cache step by step. We are going to suggest cachers carry some basic items with them; 1. An extra log book to replace one that has become damaged 2. Carry a small towel to dry out a cache that has become wet or damp 3. Carry a preprepared cache to replace one that has been muggled , notify the owner 4. Carry a few small zip lock bags 5. Carry a few small trade items to help supply a cache thats been depleted.....dont complain about caches, help fix em. I suspect all of you have known all of this for a long time but if it is helpful to anyone as slow as us we wanted to share .