<p>Here are my tips so far... but i"m still learning...</p>
<br>
<u><b><font face="Arial" size="2">Planning</font></b></u>
<ul>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">Some brief planning before your attempt on a
cache can make the whole experience vastly more enjoyable. Especially if your
target cache is in a bush area, plot it on a map and find its general
location... Find the most appropriate entry point and route to the general
location of the cache... Look at different maps to make sure you pick up on
those obscure tracks that may lead you to your eventual goal. 10 minutes of
planning can save you hours of walking coz you didn't notice that river,
ravine or freeway between you and the cache...</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">Use a tool like GSAK (
http://gsak.geocaching.com.au) to categorise, classify and research the caches in your chosen area. Use this and mapping software to identify clusters of caches which can form the basis of a good caching trip.</font></li></ul>
<u><b><font face="Arial" size="2">Finding</font></b></u>
<ul><li>Make sure that your GPS is set up the same way as everyone elses. Choose the coordinate style of DD.MM.mmm and choose the datum of WGS84. If you don't do this, then you are unlikely to find anything and anything you hide will be difficult for others to find.</li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">Don't assume that your GPS will always lead
you straight to the cache... This will be affected by the satellite signals
at the time the cacher placed the cache and the quality of the signals at
the time you are hunting. Occasionally, the coordinates will be completely
off, so feel free to share this in a log in a suitable manner (see logging).</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">Be aware of the number of satellites that your
GPS is tracking... this can be as few as 3 and as many as 12... The more the
merrier, but sometimes you just have a crappy day. Also be aware of the
geometric spread of satellites your unit can see... 4 satellites in a straight
line in the sky won't give you very good accuracy!</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">If you're having trouble getting good reception,
try moving around a bit... cliff faces, buildings and even yourself can block
out that vital bird required to get a good fix. Hold your GPS as high as you
can to give it a reasonably unrestricted view of the horizon. Climb a tree,
scale a cliff, jump out to that rock in the middle of crashing waves - just to
get a good signal...</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">When your GPS tells you that you're within a few
metres, that's <u>usually</u> good enough. Put your backpack and GPS down and
have a good look around the place. Look for semi-obvious hidey holes in the
vicinity and check them thoroughly... If you don't find the cache/waypoint
during this process, have another look at your GPS now that it's had a chance
to settle / average. You might find that it indicates that the cache is
closer, or on the other hand it might have decided that the cache is 15m
away... repeat this process and do the geocachers' spiral dance until you
narrow down the search area and eventually find the cache...</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">If you're in a public area, try very hard not to
give the game away... People are very suspicious these days, so it is wise to
disguise your activities... Look at your GPS subtly and maybe pretend it is a
phone or stick it in your pocket and bring out your camera if you are
attracting too much attention... <br>
Whatever happens don't give any of the non-geocachers (muggles) reason to
believe that there may be something of interest near where you are standing...
If it is too busy, abandon the search and come back another time... <br>
<b>You may get to log a find by being careless, but the cache placer could
lose a cache... <u>And they will know who caused it...</u></b></font></li><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><u><font face="Arial" size="2">Replacing</font></u>
</b>
<ul><li><font face="Arial" size="2">Make sure that you close the container
properly and then replace in <b><u>exactly</u></b> the same position / way
as you found the cache. Be <b><u>even more</u> </b>careful not to be seen
doing this... If you think you may have been spotted, retreat to a safe
distance and keep an eye on the cache location for a reasonable time</font></li></ul>
<b><u><font face="Arial" size="2">Logging</font></u>
</b>
<ul><li><font face="Arial" size="2">Write what you want in the cache logbook,
but when logging your find on the website, be careful not to give too much
away... Don't provide detailed descriptions of the route you took,
descriptions/photos of the type of cache container or the manner in which it
was hidden. Feel free to mislead people, or to provide clever comments that
will only make sense once someone has finally found the cache.</font></li></ul>
<p><b><u><font face="Arial" size="2">Hiding</font></u></b></p>
<ul>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">When hiding a cache, try to think of the
following:</font>
<ul>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">Why am I bringing fellow geocachers here?
Is the location of interest, or is my cache construction / hiding method
interesting enough to make the location worthwhile? Beware of placing
cache-litter just for the sake of it...</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">Is the way in which I have hidden my
waypoints / cache socially acceptable?</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">Will the environment of the cache location
suffer if 10s of geocachers visit it in the coming months... If you can
avoid environmental damage, then do so, either by hiding your cache
sensitively, or providing sufficient clues to ensure that people do not
flatten a 10m radius of vegetation around the cache...</font></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><b><u><font face="Arial" size="2">Cache & Cache Contents</font></u></b></p><ul>
<li> <font face="Arial" size="2">Try to pick a cache container that fits with
the environment / location in which you hide it... Think about the effects of
moisture, sun, sea and sand on your container... Will it last the distance?</font> </li>
<li> <font face="Arial" size="2">Apply common sense to cache contents... Are all
contents kid/animal/muggle friendly (e.g. sharp objects)? Will the contents
decay with age (12 months in a hot location can have funny effects on Chuba
Chups). Could the contents contribute to a bushfire (e.g. matches,
party-poppers, glass)?</font> </li>
<li> <font face="Arial" size="2">Adequately protect your cache contents... place
the log-book (the most important cache item) and writing implements in a
sealed plastic bag.</font> </li>
<li> <font face="Arial" size="2">If your cache is not transparent, mark your
cache externally to ensure that it is not regarded as a suspicious object
(e.g. Geocache - Contents Harmless)</font> </li>
</ul>
<p><u><b><font size="2" face="Arial">What to take with you...</font></b></u></p>
<ul>
<li><font size="2" face="Arial">To earn extra brownie points within the
geocaching community, take a cache repair/replacement kit with you: </font>
<ul>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">duct tape</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">spare geocaching.com cache sheets</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">zip-loc bags</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">spare pens/pencils</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">spare log-books</font></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">A first aid kit for that one time that you
have a nasty fall...</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">A mirror - for searching for those craftily
hidden waypoints</font></li>
<li><font face="Arial" size="2">A camera for recording those unforgettable
moments</font></li>
</ul>
I'll edit this message if I think of any other vital caching secrets...