“Find your own cache”

[Dik:]

Here's some strategies I use:
These are tools on my GPSr
1. Look at the estimated accuracy on the read out. If it is saying +/- 7m you aren't getting a good signal. I like to see +/-3m
2. Look at the page with the satellite locations. They should be plentiful and spread evenly over the display. 3 birds in a straight line isn't going to give you an accurate reading.
3. Use the averaging tool. I will leave it to average over at least 100 readings, and if you are going to be at GZ for some time, let the averaging function keep going.

And when the signal is badly shaded, I have been known to take an offset waypoint and used a bearing and 100m tape measure to calculate the actual GZ co-ordinates (and anyone going straight to GZ co-ordinates without first visiting the previous waypoint will be several meters above the cache )

[pprass]

Dik - after doing all of those excellent steps, do you then test your co-ord by "finding your own cache"?

[Dik:]

Dik - after doing all of those excellent steps, do you then test your co-ord by "finding your own cache"?

Of course.

Once I have done all of that, go home, build the container and contents and return to site to hide it using the co-ordinates I have previously saved.

[RebornCyclist]

I've placed one cache, and I "marked" standing right over the hide, then walked away 20m north(ish), came back, marked again, walked away a different direction, came back, marked agin, etc.
After I had 5 readings, I turned the GPSr off, turned it on again and repeated. The whole thing took about 6 minutes.
Back home, I used the median latitude and median longitude for the cache.
The next day, I gave the GPSr to my 8 year old, and let her find the cache.
I've been happy to have comments about "spot on coords" in the finders' logs!

On the worst inaccuracy topic, there's a recent puzzle cache in Tassie which ends as a magnetice nano. The coords for me (and every other finder), have been 20-25m out, and on the wrong side of the road. Try finding that!

[Yurt]

Sometimes it's fun to place a cache in an area of poor satellite reception. I'm sure that's what some people must be thinking with the city caches!
I've got one in mind that will be quite hard in an area with poor reception but the clue in the waypoint (rather than on the cache page) will point them in the right direction. Mind you this isn't in the city but a narrow gorge.

There was a comment above how there is no real process to lead new cache placers through in order to get it all right. I've noticed that while I may spend hours making sure everything is right including spelling and typos, I still come across caches with virtually no description, and the little that's there is illiterate looking no capitals letters rot, no attributes and no real reason given to visit apart from a number. It would be good if there were some way to ensure a process is followed. Our hard working reviewers have enough to do with the mountains of caches that must come through every day.

[pprass]

....I've been happy to have comments about "spot on coords" in the finders' logs!

With that amount of co-ord checking you should be getting a lot of positive comments. We enjoy those type of comments as well.

[If]

I use the 'averaging' function on my GPS.

Place the GPS on top of the newly hidden cache and leave it for half an hour while you have lunch, nip off to the pub across the road, pick the leeches out of your socks or wait for the thunderstorm to pass over.
The resultant coords should be accurate to within at least 3 or 4 metres epe

"epe ?" I hear you ask
Another wonderful function of the GPS that tells you how accurate your coords probably are


To find a cache in a dodgy location the same process works (assuming the coords you seek are accurate).
Leave your GPS lying nearby 'averaging' it's location while you unsuccessfully seek the cache in the jungle.
After a few minutes of cacheless searching the GPS will have found it's location with some accuracy and enable you to determine with some confidence which way and how far to head to GZ

Well that's my theory


PS: Don't forget to retrieve your GPS before you leave

[Yurt]

When I first saw the thread title I thought it was going to be about logging a find on your own cache. I didn't think it was possible but I've seen a couple lately. I think people have meant to write notes but have logged it as a find accidentally.

And back OT the Etrex lacks the averaging function! Although I've been to caches that have been averaged and the GPSr has taken me to the same place twice, some 7-8 metres from the GZ so it all depends on conditions on the day I guess.