Home

4-H Geocaching Project - Government of Prince Edward Island

1. Geocaching com Presents there is no container to find The coordinates take you to EarthCaches a specific spot to see something special or to a trailhead EarthCache pages include educational notes To log a find for an EarthCache you are usually required to take a photo of something or to answer some questions about the area which you have to email to the cache owner For more information about EarthCaches visit www earthcache org 52 e Geocaching Resource Guide Rare geocache types If you want to do one of these types of caches you will have to travel these caches are only available in one particular place although the GPS Adventures Maze Exhibit cache does travel Groundspeak Headquarters Cache The Headquarters Cache is located at Groundspeak headquarters HQ in Seattle Washington Anyone can visit HQ to find and log the cache but you should send an email first to contact groundspeak com GPS Adventures Maze Exhibit cr The GPS Adventures Maze Exhibit is a traveling exhibit that goes to museums and similar locations all over Canada and the United States GPS Adventures Mazes are designed to y N teach people of all ages about GPS technology and geocaching through interactive Hien Let science experiences If you go to the exhibit you can log your attendance and it counts toward your total number of caches found You can learn more about it at gpsmaze com Project A P E Cache In 2001 fourteen caches we
2. i i Another popular choice for small size cache Sandwich size lock and lock plastic containers are containers is old vitamin or pill bottles These popular cache containers They seal tightly locking must also be thoroughly washed and bleached closed on all sides so the contents stay dry to remove any odours before you place it as a cache 48 e Geocaching Resource Guide Micro e Less than 100ml Examples a 35 mm film canister or a tiny storage box typically containing only a logbook or a logsheet A nano cache is a common sub type of a micro cache that is less than 10ml and can only hold a small logsheet These metal containers are called bison tubes They can be hidden inside a larger container or they can be hung from a tree or fence etc on their own Other micro containers can be magnetic key holders or fake bolts These tiny containers are actually nano size but they fall under the micro category The one below is magnetic so this type is often used in urban cache hides such as on the underside of park benches Geocaching Resource Guide e 49 Other Hi Sometimes cache owners do not want to reveal the cache size in the listing because they want to surprise finders Below are two examples of other size caches Being large and easy to spot does not necessarily mean that you will be able to find the logbook easily It may be inside a bison tube somewhere behind a trick opening If the cache s
3. HGT Little blue Moose Mobile No Action PCS Lost Lofty No Action GPS Device Features What else can it do After you get used to using a GPS device for loading cache listings and navigating to the cache it is a good time to explore some of the other features of your GPS device Some caches require you to know how to use more advanced features Explore the options on your GPS device if you haven t already Get to know its options Most recent models have the following features though not all Check your user manual if you are not sure Settings Many settings can be changed on your GPS device Here are a few that you should start with e North reference When you use regular compass the needle always points to magnetic north Most often magnetic north is at least a few degrees east or west of true geographic north the North Pole Posted coordinates use true north so you should keep your GPS device set to the same reference Take note however that occasionally a cache listing will tell you to change coordinates to magnetic north e Position format Remember that coordinates can be written in a few different ways Posted coordinates use the format hddd mm mmm so it is a good idea to set your GPS device to the same format e Map Datum This should be set to WGS 84 If you are curious WGS means World Geodetic System e Units Set to metric metres and kilometres or Imperial feet
4. Always report any inappropriate comments or messages if they violate the terms of service for that site Where to Learn More People e Other geocachers are almost always happy to share tips Books and magazines e FTF Geocacher www ftfgeocacher com e Geocaching for Dummies by Joel McNamara Indianapolis Wiley Publishing Inc 2004 Websites blogs or online forums e Geocaching com e Groundspeak Discussion Forum go to geocaching com select Community then Discussion Forums e The Geocaching Blog blog geocaching com e Geocacher u com Geocacher University e Provincial geocaching association websites complete list in Additional Resources e YouTube GoGeocaching channel has many instructional videos in geocaching skills some are listed throughout this book where they are useful to help explain a concept e ACGA Geocaching Articles and Tutorials atlanticgeocaching com index php 2012 03 05 22 43 59 articles a tutorials e Geocaching Wiki geocaching wikia com Geocaching Resource Guide e 5 Organizations e National and provincial park staff can tell you what kinds of plants and animals in the area you should be cautious of e Municipality offices can give you information about land ownership as well as any policies they may have about geocaching on municipal property town parks community pastures etc 6 e Geocaching Resource Guide A Little Background How Geocaching Began Geocaching start
5. CITO events get a cache listing page and are open for anyone who wants to participate Since 2002 geocachers around the world have participated in annual International Cache In Trash Out weekends held around the same time as Earth Day April 22 However a CITO event can be held at any time Many CITO event organizers partner with local conservation authorities or trail associations Success One full garbage bag for each geocacher ffe lt 4 ger ben Dk WS ee es Wi Kl gn n EE VTT FEN rn eee ee eebe Ge Ze Ate LCE me ae de EEN Sse ee Ee In just one morning this large group of geocachers dragged several truckloads of garbage out of a large trail system They found dozens of tires some mattresses a couch and even an antique wringer washer Want to organize a CITO event Visit www geocaching com cito for tips and to download a CITO logo for your cache listing Another helpful website is geocacher u com click on Geocaching 201 The Art of the Hide then click on Organizing a CITO Event 58 e Geocaching Resource Guide Taking Care of the Geocachers Playground In Unit 1 you learned about the Geocachers Creed One of the points in the Creed is When placing or seeking geocaches will minimize my and others impact on the environment In other words geocachers should avoid damaging the environment The Geocachers Creed mentions Leave No Trace principles Leave no Trace is
6. If you know a geocacher who first introduced you to geocaching you can enter their username Be sure that both you and your parent or guardian read the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy If you want to have a basic account click on Create My Account 5 You will see a request to validate your email Click on Validate my email 6 Within a few minutes you will receive an email from Geocaching Two video links are included in the email They are not long but they have great information to help you get started If you can Geocaching Resource Guide e 25 spare six minutes to watch them it is well worth the time When you are finished watching the videos click the Validate now link in the email 7 The Validate now link will take you back to geocaching com and you will have two options to click on Learn how to get started with geocaching or Add information a photo to your profile However before you do that 8 There is one important change that you should make to your profile You will be able to find caches near you more easily if you tell geocaching com where you live e Hover your cursor over Your Profile in the dark green bar at the top of the page e From the menu options that drop down select Account details e In the box labeled Your location click on the word Change e f you know the coordinates of your house or town you can enter them If you don t know then just enter a s
7. Spoilers may be included in the descriptions or links KnivvingK Found it 07 01 2013 A Premium Member Neat little cache tried to convince my little bro to write a letter to the Easter Bunny but he wasn t having it he is 13 after all lol Nevertheless I did walk away with a little car as a tradeable TFTH SL View Log 166 JollyRobin Found it 07 01 2013 eegen Very cool cache will have to be revisited in the future with the little pirate Found with night_owl and KnivvingK TFTH D d View Log 14 night owl Found it ESA SS Love this idea for the kids TFTC View Log MIGHT OWL 182 borealowls Found it AS Member Very Cool cache easy to find yet easy to drive by if your not looking am ee Ge View Log 70 bolerduo Found it Amramu Member Great cache Found it after visiting Wanuskewin park Cloudy no rain ee oa View Log 8 If you have a Garmin Magellan or DeLorme GPS device connect it to your computer with its cable If you do not have one of these models you will have to enter the coordinates by hand Your owner s manual will have instructions for how to do that If you are using a phone be sure that you have data access whether wi fi or a cellular network Open your geocaching navigation app and enter the GC number found in the top right corner of the cache listing page in the online caches list The cache page will open in the app 9 Click on Send t
8. equipment requirements e g a boat a flashlight or tree What are Attributes climbing what kinds of facilities are nearby e g washrooms or public transportation special permissions e g quads snowmobiles or horses and special conditions e g accessible in winter night cache or long hike If you have a premium account you can search for a group of geocaches that include or leave out certain attributes For example you could search for all of the caches near you that allow dogs on the trail 36 e Geocaching Resource Guide Additional waypoints Sometimes the coordinates that are listed for the geocache the posted coordinates are not the only set of coordinates or waypoint you need A cache owner may post additional waypoints to point out where you can park where a trailhead is or scenic spots on the way to the cache Find Find Click on any of the options to find caches hidden or found by the cache owner or to find other caches s Other caches HESE OF mund By ihis user nearby caches of this type that I haven t found All nearby caches that I haven t found Waymarking is an activity much like geocaching e all nearby waymarks on Waymarking com nearby You can also find nearby waymarks with a website run by Groundspeak the company For online maps that runs geocaching com You can learn more about waymarking later in this project e Geocaching com Map MyTopo Maps Goo
9. the equator longitude lines are also about 111 km apart 8 e Geocaching Resource Guide Using this system every place on earth has a unique combination of measurements that show where it is It can be written a few different ways but latitude always comes first Sometimes north south east or west is shown by using N S E or W after or before the degrees In decimal degrees format east and south are sometimes shown with a minus sign The latitude and longitude measurements are separated by just a Space Degrees Minutes Seconds DMS DD MM SS SS N DDD MM SS SS W Degrees Decimal Minutes DDM NDD MM MMM WDD MM MMM Decimal Degrees DD DD DDDDDD DDD DDDDDD For a real life example the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon is at e 52 11 21 35 N 106 40 44 55 W e N52 11 356 W106 40 743 e 52 189264 106 679042 It s a bit confusing isn t it Just remember most of the time in geocaching DDM format is used N52 11 356 W106 40 743 Don t be fooled if you find a cache listing that uses a different format How do Satellites and Imaginary Lines Help me Find Anything A GPS device works like a radio Just as a radio receives signals that are broadcast from many different radio stations a GPS device receives signals that are broadcast from many different satellites A radio can use only one signal at once but a GPS device uses many signals at the same time and the more signals it gets the better
10. 67 67 68 69 69 70 71 Introduction Objectives Upon successful completion of this project members should be able to Use a geocaching website for all tasks related to geocaching Understand how a GPS device works Use the different functions of a handheld GPS device for geocaching Successfully find a variety of geocaches in different types of terrain Understand the six traditional multi unknown CITO earth event most common types of geocaches Understand and use appropriately ten common geocaching abbreviations FTF TFTC TN LN SL STF DNF BYOP GZ CITO Plan and prepare for safe geocaching outings Understand and apply the guidelines for creating and hiding geocaches Participate in geocaching with respect for landowners and the environment Enjoy geocaching and its benefits Resource and Material Requirements At least one GPS device per two members ideally each member will have his her own to use during meetings Use of a desktop or laptop computer or notepad with access to the internet as well as a printer First aid kit plus emergency items appropriate to the needs of the region such as a tick removal tool Geocache creation supplies camouflage tape or paint Geocache stickers not strictly necessary but advised log books or materials to make them paper staples scissors small trinkets for trading natural materials bark pine needles pine cones feathers etc and weather proof
11. Most night caches use reflectors placed on trees or other objects to mark the trail to the cache These are most visible at night if you use a regular flashlight the light from LED flashlights does not reflect as well Geocache Ratings ls this a good cache for me Taking note of the difficulty and terrain ratings for a cache can help make your geocache hunt as successful as possible not to mention ensure your safety When you were selecting your first cache to hunt you learned about the blue stars for difficulty and terrain You might remember that there are up to five stars for each Look at the chart on the next page for more details about what they mean Difficulty and terrain ratings These descriptions are generalizations Some cache owners may interpret the ratings differently so you always have to be prepared for the possibility that the terrain may be more difficult than you were expecting Ratings can include half stars as well 54 e Geocaching Resource Guide Easy Cache is in plain sight or location is fairly obvious Moderate Cache could be in one of several locations Hunter may have to look for a while Challenging Cache may be very well hidden may be multi leg or may use clues to location Difficult Cache likely requires special skills knowledge or in depth preparation to find May require multiple days or trips to find Extreme Finding this cache requires very specialized knowledge
12. STF Second To Find the cache just after it was published TFTC Thanks For The Cache TFTH Thanks For The Hunt or Hide or Hike It shares the same purpose as TFTC but can also be used when the cache was not found but you enjoyed the walk and the search anyway TNLN Took Nothing Left Nothing Used by some geocachers in their cache logs TravelBug A type of trackable item a specially marked ID tag that can be attached to any item Waypoint A set of coordinates latitude and longitude XN Exchanged Nothing Combines TN and LN nothing was removed or added to the cache 72 e Geocaching Resource Guide late CANADA 3830 Thatcher Avenue Saskatoon Saskatchewan S7R 1A5 306 933 7727 e 306 933 7730 fax www 4 h sk ca ev info 4 h sk ca
13. a Trackable by Name Activate Trackable Search Activate 3 Type the tracking code in the box under Enter the Tracking Code of the Item then click on Track 4 The web page for the trackable wil Found it Log it 5 The next screen will give you four but is with a geocacher instead open On the right side of the page you will see this Click on options only three if the trackable is not logged into a cache Select Retrieve from name of the cache Add any comments At the bottom of the page click on Submit Log Entry Trackable Options Found it Loa it Y Watch This Trackable Item Print Info Sheet ee View in Google Earth 40 e Geocaching Resource Guide Geocaching gt Trackables gt Trackable Log Post a New Log In reference to GG by Type of Log Retrieve from Date Logged Grab it from somewhere else Write note Tracking Code Discovered It KT Leg Comments Insert Smilie Logging a trackable after dropping it off in a cache When you log a cache at the bottom of the page you will see a list of any trackables that you have logged in Select Dropped Off for the trackable that you left in the cache that you are logging Dropped off any Trackables ES Tracking Name Action CBZH 47 Der Orca von 73 Dropped Off ACFKE 500 Finds Geo Achievement Geocoin Visited PC43 Antique Gold Pocket Decoder Geocoin No Action
14. and miles as you prefer When you are approaching a cache your GPS device will tell you how close you are using whichever units you choose Geocaching Resource Guide e 41 Mark waypoint A waypoint is a set of coordinates that marks your current location and automatically gives it a title usually something creative like 001 You can edit it by changing the numbers or the title Marking a waypoint is used in a number of ways e Some caches are set up to send you to several spots but you have go to one spot before you can get the information for the next so you have to enter new coordinates on the go e When you hide your own cache marking a waypoint gives you the coordinates of your cache to include with your cache listing e When you head into the forest in an unfamiliar area it s a good idea to waypoint the car If you get disoriented you can set your GPS device to point you back Waypoint averaging This tells the GPS device to keep taking location readings until you tell it to stop When you stop it after dozens of readings the GPS averages all of the readings to give you one set of coordinates This increases the accuracy of any waypoint that you enter as long as you do it while you are at the waypoint itself When you place a cache you should always use waypoint averaging to get the best set of coordinates possible Anyone searching for your cache will appreciate the improved accuracy Track often called bread crumbs When
15. e Geocaching Resource Guide f Login with Facebook English Y Geocaching Premium Spend less time planning and more time playing Download the Official Geocaching App Shop Geocaching Supplies GeoTours Discover New Destinations Give the gift of Premium Membership Michigan United e CNR t208haith f Login with Facebook amp English Geocaching Premium Spend less time planning and more time playing 4 You should now see this page This is where that username that you created is needed Fill in all the required blanks You are not logged in Log in bh a gf e Membership Registration To create your membership please provide your account details in the form below As per our privacy policy we will not sell your information to third parties Username Username must be between 2 and 20 characters ap Password Password must be between 2 and 20 characters Re Enter Password Primary E Mail Address Re Enter E Mail Address First Name Referred By Take special note of the points below Referred By qa If a current member referred you to Geocaching com enter thelr username I want to receive fun and helpful emails from Geocaching com Please note account related emails will be sent to all account holders yYes No I Have Read and Agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Upgrade to Premium or Create My Account
16. for it in the box that opens up e Include a photo as the background for your cache listing it must be available on the Internet somewhere such as a Flickr account or your own web page Include the URL in the box e Add a link to an informational web page include the URL in the box Links to commercial sites are not allowed Click on Continue Select the cache size and the difficulty and terrain rating You can refer to the chart in Unit 4 Hunting Geocaches or better yet click on the link to geocaching com s rating system It is a short questionnaire and you will immediately see the suggested rating for your cache Select any attributes that will be helpful for geocachers doing your cache Click on Continue The next page asks you for any special notes for the reviewer When you are done click Save and Exit You will get a chance to review all your information before it is actually sent to the reviewer On the next page you will see what your cache listing will look like If you need to make any adjustments click on Edit Listing You will see a page that summarizes all the information you entered Make the changes you need to then click Submit Changes A note will appear at the top of the page Your cache has been edited view listing Click on view listing to go back to your cache listing page When you are happy with your cache listing page click in the box beside Yes the cache is in p
17. in a rock wall for example Spray paint green brown or grey tones Gluing bark moss sticks or twigs etc to the top and sides of a container Create or purchase a special container such as a fake rock or big pine cone etc Both of these contain geocaches There are no rules about camouflage Be creative If you think something will work and will stand up to the weather give it a try What should I put in a geocache The size of your container will limit what can be put into it At the very least every container even the nanos must contain a logbook or log sheet Larger containers should also include e Apenor pencil a couple of them are ideal e Asharpener if you ve included a pencil e Enough swag trading items to comfortably fit in the container be sure to include some swag for children Geocaching Resource Guide e 63 e A small prize for the first finder if you like common first to find FTF prizes are 5 coffee cards or other gift cards FTF buttons or pins special lanyards etc e A cache note to tell accidental finders what the container is for A sample note from geocaching com is included in the Resource section Other sizes of the same note are available from Geocacher University geocacher u com on the Downloads and Printables page Publishing Geocaches Once you have a location and a container ready to go you are ready to About mystery puzzle cache listings start the process of creating
18. it works Thirty GPS satellites constantly orbit Earth and each one regularly sends out a signal at light speed about its location latitude and longitude and the exact time that it sent the signal When a GPS device receives signals from at least three different satellites it can read how long it took the signal to reach it and it uses that information to calculate your location This process is called trilateration The picture to the right shows how it works Imagine you are standing anywhere on Earth There are at least three satellites in the sky above you If Geocaching Resource Guide e 9 you know how far away you are from satellite A then you know you must be standing somewhere on the dashed circle If you also know how far away you are from satellites B and C you can figure out where you are by seeing where the three circles come together A GPS device does the same thing except that it uses spheres so it can also calculate your altitude or how high above sea level you are And of course it does it much faster than any human can The more satellites that your GPS device can see all the ones that are above the horizon with no mountains thick trees or tall buildings in the way the more accurate it will be when it calculates where you are The GPS satellites are not the only ones in orbit A network of 24 Russian satellites called Global Navigation Satellite System GLONASS became fully functional in 2012 M
19. log this type of cache you need to first get in front of the camera You ll need a friend to visit the website that displays the camera shot while you Geocaching Resource Guide e 53 are there so that they can save the picture of you You usually have to post the photo of you with your Found it log If you have a smartphone and a data plan you may be able to take your photo yourself if you visit the webcam s website while you are still in front of the webcam Locationless Reverse Cache J The idea of a locationless cache is that it works in the opposite way to a traditional cache Instead of finding a hidden container at posted coordinates you find a specific object and log its coordinates 10 Years Event Cache A 10 Years event cache is a special type that was developed for events held April 30 May 3 40 2010 to celebrate ten years of geocaching Because they were for events only and no new ones are being created it is impossible to find any of this cache type However you may see the icon from time to time in another cacher s profile Geocaching at Night Geocaching after dark is almost unavoidable in Canada unless you skip a few seasons Just be sure to be properly prepared with extra clothing and a flashlight Safety glasses are a good idea too small branches are hard to see at night and many geocachers have been poked in the eye Some caches can be found more easily or even only after dark
20. or puzzle that lets you share one of your other interests You could introduce a lot of people to the fascinating world of iceberg surfing or collecting bread clips P S Those are real things just look them up online 18 e Geocaching Resource Guide Geocaching Rules There are three simple rules for geocaching e f you take something from the geocache leave something of equal or greater value e Write about your find in the cache logbook e Log your experience at www geocaching com That s it that s all But wait There may not be many hard and fast rules but there are some strong guidelines that most geocachers and geocaching com agree on and follow because it helps everyone to enjoy the game And that leads us to the next section geocaching etiquette Geocaching Etiquette Geocachers Creed Etiquette is a set of behaviour guidelines that people choose to follow The type of etiquette that most of us are familiar with is table manners For instance most of us agree that it is rude to spit out half chewed food onto someone else s plate We wouldn t appreciate someone doing it to us and we don t do it to others either The geocaching community also has a code of behaviour that most geocachers choose to follow They are based on the idea that geocaching behaviour must be safe legal and ethical Several years ago a group of geocachers led an internet discussion group with hundreds of other geocachers to creat
21. other times they are closer together Where they are close together you can expect a steep climb If you plan to do any caches on long trails or in backcountry areas you will need a topographic map For other geocaching even in a city topographic maps can save you a long detour around a river that you wouldn t otherwise know was there Geocaching Resource Guide e 43 Hunting geocaches If you enjoyed your first geocache hunt you may be itching to get out to do more Preparation is the key to keeping geocaching fun There are some things you can do to make sure you always have what you need It will also help you to have good idea what to expect from certain kinds of caches The Geobag Picture it you ve spent the last half hour traipsing down a rough trail and then another 10 minutes bushwacking Your GPS device says that you are now only 12 metres from the cache You start looking around eager to find that container and earn another smiley You spot it It s a thin bison tube nestled in a hollowed out dead branch Clever you think but not clever enough to fool me You unscrew the lid and then realize that the logbook is hopelessly jammed in the bottom of the bison tube If only you had a pair of tweezers Oh but wait even if you had tweezers you have no way to sign the logbook anyway because you forgot to bring a pen or pencil Well maybe you could take a photo of the cache to send to the cache owner
22. spot hide it as best you can and tell the owner as soon as possible where you have hidden it Don t collect traveling items meant to stay in the game This is theft because items like that belong to someone else Don t tamper with or involve a game piece in alternate games without the owner s permission 22 e Geocaching Resource Guide Finding your First Geocache Creating a Geocaching Account Before you head outside to find your first cache you first need to do a few things at a computer inside Remember that one of the three rules of geocaching is that you must log your experience online at geocaching com To do that you must first create an account NOTE According to the Terms of Use for geocaching com if you are under 13 your parent or guardian must officially be the account holder There are two levels of geocaching accounts basic and premium A basic account is free and a premium account is about 10 US 3 months or 30 US year A premium account offers features like instant notification having new cache listings sent to you immediately and many other features that allow you to make full use of your GPS device s features More information is available on geocaching com if you are interested Geocaching com is not the only website devoted to caching Other websites are e Opencaching com e Terracaching com e Navicache com However geocaching com is by far the most popular website with the la
23. that you found it by visiting the web site listed below Geocaching is open to everyone with a GPS and a sense of adventure There are similar sites all over the world The organization has its home on the Internet Visit our website if you want to learn more or have any comments http www geocaching com If this container needs to be removed for any reason please let us know We apologize and will be happy to move it 70 e Geocaching Resource Guide Glossary AMIAT A Micro In A Tree A type of cache that many geocachers love to hate Ammo can A metal container that is used to hold ammunition They are strong durable and waterproof so they are often used as cache containers Bushwack Going off trail This usually happens on the way to the cache only after finding the cache do most geocachers then find the nice easy trail that they could have followed BYOP Bring Your Own Pen Pencil Often used in a cache description for a cache that is not big enough to hold a pen or pencil Cache Short form of geocache CITO Cache In Trash Out picking up trash while geocaching Also a type of geocaching event CO Cache Owner That is the person who hid the cache DNF Did Not Find If your search for a cache is not successful you should log a DNF FTF First To Find Geocoin A type of trackable item It is meant to be passed along to another cache not kept as a souvenir or used for trading in other caches Geoname ge
24. the cache owner s so the cache may not be at exactly the O metres point Remembering how big the cache is supposed to be will help your search small is about a sandwich container size regular is about a shoebox size large is about a big bucket size Geocaching Resource Guide e 31 Geocaches are often covered with sticks or hidden in logs and empty tree trunks Sometimes they are even suspended high in a tree Look for piles of sticks or anything that looks a little unnatural You can also check the hint if the cache owner gave one If you have past finder logs with you you can read those to see if there is a hint If you are having trouble a good technique is to follow your GPS arrow until you are at O metres Drop your backpack or something identifiable at that point and then expand your search in a spiral from there Just don t forget it when you leave Do I Have to be Sneaky when I m Geocaching When you re geocaching in a busy area geocachers usually try not to draw too much attention to their activities This helps to keep the cache safely hidden from muggles who may not understand geocaching and think that the container is trash Sometimes a muggle may catch you geocaching If this happens the best thing to do is introduce them to geocaching Explain to them that you are playing a game called geocaching Even better be prepared by having a few muggle cards with you to hand out it saves time explai
25. these will be a good start More are in the glossary Bushwack Going off trail This usually happens on the way to the cache only after finding the cache do most geocachers then find the nice easy trail that they could have followed BYOP Bring Your Own Pen Pencil Often used in a cache description for a cache that is not big enough to hold a pen or pencil Cache Short form of geocache CITO Cache In Trash Out a type of geocaching event more about that later and also refers to picking up trash while geocaching CO Cache Owner That is the person who hid the cache DNF Did not find If your search for a cache is not successful you should log a DNF it is one of the options on the Log your visit page FTF First to find Many geocachers like to race out to see who can be the first one to find a newly published cache Sometimes a cache owner will leave a small prize for the first finder but the real prize for an FTF is the satisfaction Geoswag Items that are placed in a cache or carried by a geocacher for the purpose of trading in caches Log An online entry on geocaching com that tells of the geocacher s experience while searching for a cache Muggle Harry Potter fans will know this word which means anyone who is not magical Geocachers borrowed the word to describe anyone who does not know about geocaching Muggled Describes a cache that has been removed or vandalized by a non geocacher Geocaching Res
26. this feature you must hold your GPS device level in order for it to get an accurate reading of your location and you must be moving for the device to know which direction you need to go to get to your destination With a 3 axis electronic compass even when you are standing still the GPS device will be able to accurately point you in the right direction Chirp reception A chirp is a small electronic unit a bit bigger than a quarter that wirelessly sends information that has been programmed into it by its owner Only some GPS devices can receive chirp transmissions Some cache owners use them as part of cache set ups but they must also provide another way for geocachers to get the same information So while it may be fun to receive a chirp message it is not necessary to have a GPS device that can do so Wireless data sharing This allows information from one GPS device to be shared with another device that can also send and receive wireless data For example if you are the only one in your geocaching group that downloaded a nearby new cache listing onto your GPS device you could beam it to everyone else Of course it is useful only if other geocachers in your group have a device with the same feature See Chart 1 for information about several GPS device models The eTrex 10 or 20 and the Magellan eXplorist GC or 310 A good website for detailed reviews are often recommended by GPS reviewers as suitable of GPS devices is starter G
27. you want to stay connected to the network while you geocache 1 2 S Select Navigate to Geocache The map will open with your location blue dot shown and a line drawn to the geocache Tap on Compass The compass screen tells you how far away the geocache is and which direction you need to go If you do not want to stay connected to the network while you geocache 1 If you want to navigate to the geocache using just the GPS chip in the phone which uses no data tap on the box in the top right corner of the screen it has three white dots in it From the drop down menu select Save to Offline List Tap on Create New List Enter the name you prefer e g Home Area Geocaches Select what you would like to download with the geocache listing Cache Images could be helpful OpenStreetMap and or OpenCycleMap Neither one is necessary but if you prefer those maps you can download them Select Done The geocache listing page will open again Select Navigate to Geocache The map will open with your location blue dot shown and a line drawn to the geocache Tap on Compass The compass screen tells you how far away the geocache is and which direction you need to go The Hunt Begins Follow the arrow on the compass screen of your GPS device until you are about 10 metres 30 feet from where the cache is supposed to be Remember that GPS device accuracy can vary both yours and
28. your If you are creating a mystery puzzle cache you may cache listing It is helpful to think of a want to consider adding a solution checker to the cache name ahead of time as well as cache listing Visit the website enter the information prepare the description that you want for your puzzle solution and follow the instructions to use for your cache so that you can for placing a link on your cache listing page copy and paste it into the online form www geochecker com at geocaching com 1 Go to geocaching com Under Play click on Hide amp Seek a Cache On the right side of the page you will see this box Hide a Cache To hide a new geocache in your area It is necessary that you read and understand the Cache Click here to begin Listing Requirements and Guidelines prior to placing each filling in the information and every geocache Please make sure to obtain permissio for your cache listing from the landowner or land manager Once you are prepared fill out our online form to report a new cache This is a free service Volunteers review and publish new caches Only caches of a non commercial nature can be posted through this site First time Learn how to hide a geocache If you have difficulties posting your report to the website please check the Groundspeak Help Center for more information Click on one of these links to download and Cache Note Print Out and Place in Container prin
29. A GPS Check the specifications for your model 16 e Geocaching Resource Guide Apps An official Geocaching app is available for both iPhone and Android cell phones but not Blackberry Many other free or paid apps are also available to use instead of the Geocaching app or to help with particular geocaching problems To use your phone for geocaching the following apps are recommended Be sure to check that an app is compatible with your phone s operating system version Finally keep in mind that almost all navigational geocaching apps work best if you have a premium account with geocaching com FF Navigational Geocaching Apps Other Geocaching Apps iPhone Geocaching e Geocaching Tool Kit Geocaching with Geosphere e GC Tools Geo Bucket Geocaching Buddy iGeoknife used alone orin conjunction with a geocaching program called GSAK Geocaching Swiss Army Knife Android Geocaching e Geocaching Tools CacheSense e GeoFormel Lite or Pro c geo Neongeo A DRAKE Benefits of Geocaching By now you have realized that getting started with geocaching means learning new things and maybe buying some equipment It might seem like it is a lot to do to get started with a hobby So why do so many people like it so much The first answer is easy geocaching is FUN in many different ways You can geocache alone or with a group of friends so it s enjoyable for both lone wolves and social butterflies It can be as cooperative or as c
30. Iamenrattion ces Tecnnology North Dak l ta 4 H MOTTO Learn to do by doing 4 H PLEDGE pledge My HEAD to clearer thinking My HEART to greater loyalty My HANDS to larger service My HEALTH to better living For my club my community and my country 4 H GRACE Tune of Auld Lang Syne We thank thee Lord for blessings great On this our own fair land Teach us to serve thee joyfully With head heart health and hand This project was developed through funds provided by the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program CAAP No portion of this manual may be reproduced without written permission from the Saskatchewan 4 H Council phone 306 933 7727 email info 4 H sk ca Developed in July 2013 Writer AnnMarie Nielsen Cover image Signal the Frog is the official Groundspeak mascot Used with permission dls Agriculture and Agriculture et d Agri Food Canada Agroalimentaire Canada AGRICULTURE COUNCIL OF SASKATCHEWAN INC Table of Contents Introduction Oy EE Resource and Material Requirements ccccceeccccssseccccesececeeesececeenececeeescceseusecessuneceeseneeeess Getting the Most from this Project cccccescccccsssccccesseceeeesececseseceseuseceseeneceseeeeceeseeeeesseness Achievement ee EC NEE Ate WEE EE GPS EE CU Tee EE INS a EE E E EN E EE N E E E A S E E Where to Learn More ccscscsssscsceccscscscscctescscsccsescscsceceseessceseseesscsceceseseseeceseecscscesescsesesser
31. PS devices www gpsinformation net If you are looking for a second hand unit there is a good chance that you will come across discontinued models Good models to look for though they can be hard to find are the Garmin eTrex Legend H and Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx Geocaching Resource Guide e 13 Most Commonly Used GPS Devices for Geocaching These are GPS device models that are available as of July 2013 and brief information about any unique features If you are purchasing a new GPS device be sure to check the specifications to be sure that you are getting what you want Photo base model Brand Model Series Notes Garmin eTrex 10 e Base model is just over 100 eTrex 20 Uses both GPS and GLONASS satellite eTrex 30 networks eTrex 30 has electronic compass 2 2 screen Garmin GPSMAP 62 62s and higher models have electronic GPSMAP 62s compass GPSMAP 62st 62 sc and stc models have GPSMAP 62sc a built in digital camera GPSMAP 62stc GPS 72H e Floats Garmin GPSMAP 78 78s and 78sc have electronic compass GPSMAP 78s Floats GPSMAP 78sc Garmin Dakota 10 Touchscreen Dakota 20 Dakota 10 has 3 axis compass Dakota 20 has electronic compass 14 e Geocaching Resource Guide H Forest Ave ig Garmin Magellan Oregon 450 Oregon 450t Oregon 550 Oregon 550t Oregon 600 Oregon 600t Oregon 650 Oregon 650t Montana 600 Montana 650 Montana 650t eXplorist GC eXplorist 310 eXplorist 510 eXplorist 610 eXploris
32. Tcaching com amp BiTcaching com To log this game piece use the URL and password below http coord ch OQU02ES SAMPLE To log this game piece use the URL and password below http coord ch OUO2ES SAMPLE Geocaching Resource Guide e 67 Resources Geocaching Associations and Discussion Forums e Calgary Area Cachers e forums calgarycachers ca Riben e Geocaching Edmonton e geocachingedmonton com forum erta e Geocaching Edmonton e geocachingedmonton com forum e South East Alberta Region Cache Hunters e http searchmh com e British Columbia Geocaching Association http www bcgeocaching com e Geocaching Community of Greater e www gcgv ca Victoria e mvgeocaching com British e Metro Vancouver Geocachers e www migeocaching org Columbia e Mid Island Geocachers e www pgcachers ca e Prince George Cachers e www vigps com e Vancouver Island GPS e Saskatchewan Cachers e www saskcachers com or Saskatchewan e Saskatoon and Area Geocaching www skgeocaching com Association e saskatoongeocachers weebly com e Manitoba Geocaching Association e www mbgeocaching ca e Ontario Geocaching Association e www ontgeocaching com e Canada s Capital Cachers e www canadascapitalcachers ca e Haldimand Norfolk Area Geocachers e www kwic com hnag Ontario e Northern Ontario Geocachers e forum northernontariogeocachers com e Kingston Area Geocachers e kingstongeocaching com e NorWest Ontario Geocachers e www nwogeoc
33. There are now geocaches in Geocache Canada s 1st geocache GCBBA which was placed near Chester Nova Scotia on June 28 2000 is still active Antarctica deep in the ocean and even one orbiting Earth International Space Station GC1BE91 Understanding Latitude and Longitude Latitude and longitude are imaginary lines that go around Earth in two different directions Latitude lines are parallel to the equator Longitude lines are far apart at the equator and get closer together until they meet at the North Pole and the South Pole Longitude lines look like the lines on a basketball Latitude lines measure how far International Date Line opposite Prime aere Pole north or SH a piace is from the Meridian V Bo SS equator Longitude lines measure ee Se ba 7 how far east or west a place is BLT TA Os i 3 from the Prime Meridian a line TTT A that runs through Greenwich England that was chosen to be the starting longitude line Because each of these lines makes a big circle they are measured in degrees Degrees are divided like a clock into 60 aa ER af Ki F minutes and 60 seconds to YG WHF help pinpoint a place between Se each line Latitude starts as O at the equator and ends as 90 at the poles Each line is about 111 km apart Longitude starts at 0 at the Prime Meridian and goes up to 180 at the International Date Line directly opposite the Prime Meridian At their widest point
34. achers com e Toronto Area Geocachers e www torontogeocaching com e Association G ocaching Qu bec e www geocaching qc com e Amicale des G ocacheurs de la Grande e www aggrq com forum index php Quebec R gion de Qu bec e www geocaching montreal com e Geocaching Montr al e www quebecgeocaching ca e Qu bec Geocaching e Cache Up NB e www cacheupnb com New e Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association e www atlanticgeocaching com N B Nfld and Labrador N S and P E I Brunswick 68 e Geocaching Resource Guide Nova Scotia Newfoundland and Labrador Prince Edward Island Nunavut Yukon and North West Territories Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Geocaching Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Nothing as of July 2013 www atlanticgeocaching com www geocachingnewfoundland ca www atlanticgeocaching com www atlanticgeocaching com Canadian Businesses that Sell Geocaching Supplies e Cache at Night Cambridge ON e Cacher s Corner Store Whitby ON e Cacher s Toy Box Peterborough ON e Landsharkz Victoria BC e NL Geocaching Clarke s Beach NL e GeoWyrm s Ge
35. an expensive model signal and it tries to estimate your location by forcing the displayed position back to the nearest road As you can imagine this is a problem if you are trying to find a container in the woods e How good is my eyesight It may seem like a funny question But the screen size on some models is quite small Other models can be difficult to see in bright sunlight It doesn t help to buy a cheaper model if you can t see the screen 10 e Geocaching Resource Guide e Do want to use the device for other purposes Many GPS devices include a built in digital camera If you like to take photos of your geocaching adventures this feature can save the extra baggage of a separate camera One model can also act as a car GPS device Of course you do not have to buy a new GPS device If you prefer to look for something second hand able to find second hand devices privately if you ask around on local geocaching discussion forums Facebook groups for geocachers in your area or the Groundspeak forum GPS Garage Sale thread Whether you buy new or second hand you should learn about the options available Following is a list of features that are most helpful for geocaching High sensitivity receiver Most newer GPS devices are equipped with a receiver that provides better accuracy than older devices With a high sensitivity receiver the GPS device will be accurate up to 3 5 metres Without it most GPS devices are accura
36. an organization that encourages responsible outdoor recreation They created a set of principles general ideas and suggestions to help people understand how they can enjoy outdoor activities without damaging the environment These are some practical suggestions for Leave no Trace geocaching Learn about the special concerns for the area that you will be in For instance are any species of animals or plants endangered Should you do anything special to avoid harming them Stick to established trails as much as possible If you are geoaching with a large group and you are going off trail try to split up into smaller groups so that not everyone is trampling the same area Whatever you carry in with you to a cache you should be carrying out except for swag that you leave in a cache of course If you have to go while in the forest dig a hole for solid waste and cover it back up Used toilet paper should be stored in a Ziploc style bag and carried back out Leave everything as you found it whether it be rocks plants or some kind of historic artifact except If there is trash in the area pick it up on your way out When you place a cache do not harm trees or destroy vegetation If you need to attach something like a tag to a tree use only thumbtacks or very small nails If you have placed a cache and then later lose interest in geocaching be sure to go pick up your container and archive the listing An abandoned cache i
37. anything that has a strong scent even if it s in a sealed bag including snacks and candy toothpaste scented candles or scratch and sniff stickers Strong scents attract both big and small animals Even if no dangerous wildlife are attracted to the cache small animals like mice squirrels skunks or porcupines can damage or destroy the cache container trying to get at whatever they smell inside Observe All Laws and Rules of the Area Never break a law to place or find a cache and never place illegal items in a cache Respect Property Rights and Seek Permission Where Appropriate Landowners rights should always be respected whether the owners are individuals companies or municipalities If No Trespassing signs are posted in an area obey them They may be placed there to prevent people from going into a dangerous area And even if there is no danger to avoid disobeying them gives geocachers a reputation for being disrespectful and that makes it more difficult for all geocachers Check if permission is required before placing a cache on private property and respect the landowner s wishes Some caches are placed in libraries one of the few types of caches found indoors but you must always get permission from the library to place a cache there Check if public land has a geocaching policy and be sure to follow them if they do In national parks for example geocaches are allowed but only with written permission first from Pa
38. as proof that you found it instead of signing the log Darn it no camera with you either Cranky and grumbling you put the lid back on and head back to the trail with nothing to show for your efforts Something like this has happened to many geocachers at some point With a little preparation you do not have to be one of them Keeping a small backpack or bag stocked with helpful items ready to just pick up on your way out the door will help to prevent disappointments while caching Following is a list of items that many geocachers carry with them Use this list as a guideline to creating your own must have list of items for your geobag Your GPS device Small first aid kit Bug spray Toilet paper 44 e Geocaching Resource Guide e Extra batteries e Flashlight e Safety glasses for after dark geocaching in the forest e Weatherproof pen or pencil e Pointy nose tweezers sometimes the log book in a bison tube or a nano cache needs a little extra help e A strong magnet and rubber bands you may need to improvise a picker upper for a metal container e A multi tool e Sandwich sized Ziploc style bags if you find a cache that needs a replacement bag around the logbook you can do it as a kindness to the cache owner e Pencil sharpener or a few so if you come across a cache with only a pencil you can leave the sharpener e A small mirror with an extendible handle you may want to use it in big holes in tr
39. at kind of a cache to hide and where read the tips and suggestions in the next sections You can also visit this web page for more information www geocaching com about hiding aspx Choosing a Location A good location is the most important factor for hiding a good cache Factors to think about include legal issues privacy concerns and safety concerns Certain buildings and locations are not allowed to have caches placed near them or they have rules of their own For example e No caches are allowed on airport properties nor within 50 metres of a railroad track e In Ottawa no caches are allowed near the Parliament buildings e Most federal and provincial government buildings will not allow caches on their property and remember that you need the permission of a the owner to place a cache on their property security guards naturally become suspicious when they see people wandering on the grounds e Parks Canada does allow caches in national parks but only with permission and only if the cache is made and placed a certain way Details are on this web page www pc gc ca eng docs pc guide geocache index aspx e Caches may not be banned on city bridges but they are not a good idea Many such caches have been mistaken for bombs and police have had to be called in to remove them 60 e Geocaching Resource Guide The cache reviewers at geocaching com will not publish cache listings if they do not follow certain guidelines They are li
40. ation from a tag on a tree post or other object Using that information you can figure out where to go next where you will probably find another tag After a few repeats you will get to the cache Tags are small so it helps to know what you can expect to find the first time you try to find one There are different types of tags Here are two examples This is a plastic or dymo tag They can be black blue or These are copper tags They are easier to spot when red The numbers or letters are punched onto the plastic they are new because they are still shiny As they get older their brown colour blends into the tree more and they can become very tricky to find 56 e Geocaching Resource Guide Geocachers and the Environment Fun and safe geocaching depends on a healthy environment When the natural world is functioning normally geocachers have more options for good hiding places for caches as well as safer and more enjoyable travels to find caches Camouflaging containers in a healthy ecosystem whether forest prairies or anywhere else is easier than trying to hide them in a polluted and sickly ecosystem In a forest for example trees with lots of leaves and a rich network of branches are good spots for geocaches Part of a healthy forest ecosystem also includes fallen trees leaving stumps and empty logs that are perfect for a hiding a cache container Undergrowth that is thick and varied helps to hide caches too even thos
41. container with the logbook Most multi caches have a hint to find the second location which has a hint to the third and so on The clues can be in containers or on tags placed on trees or other objects The clues can also come from information available at the location for example on signs already there The posted coordinates may be your starting point or it may be another significant spot for the cache Read the description carefully to find out where to start Mystery or Puzzle Caches This type of cache may involve puzzles whether simple or complicated that you need to solve to determine the coordinates for the final container If a cache set up includes elements of both multi caches and mystery puzzle caches or if the cache set up doesn t properly fit any other type of cache it s generally categorized as a mystery puzzle Most often the cache location is within one kilometer of the posted coordinates but for a few of these cache types mostly older ones the actual cache location can be tens of kilometres away Letterbox Hybrid Letterboxing is another form of treasure hunting that uses clues instead of coordinates It has been around much longer than geocaching In some cases the letterbox owner has made their container both a letterbox and a geocache and posted its coordinates on Geocaching com If you find a stamp inside a Letterbox Hybrid it is not swag for trading every letterbox has a unique stamp that letterboxers us
42. e a set of guidelines that everyone could agree on They called it the Geocachers Creed and they published it on its own website The creed is below but if you want more information about it you can visit the website at www geocreed info Geocachers Creed When placing or seeking geocaches will e Not endanger myself or others Observe all laws and rules of the area Respect property rights and seek permission where appropriate Avoid causing disruptions or public alarm Minimize my and others impact on the environment Be considerate of others Protect the integrity of the game pieces Geocaching Resource Guide e 19 What do you think each of these points mean Read on to see some suggested actions for following the creed Of course there are many more Can you think of any others Not endanger myself or others In the Outdoor Safety section in the Introduction you learned some safety tips such as being prepared for changing weather conditions and avoiding activities that are beyond your physical abilities You also need to be aware of safety for others when you place a cache If there are any possible dangers in the area anything from a steep river bank to old barbed wire fences you should warn people about them on your cache listing since your finders may not know the area as well as you do Never leave anything hazardous in a cache such as batteries or lighters Believe it or not it has happened Do not leave
43. e that might otherwise be visible a long way off Getting to a cache is safer and more enjoyable when there is no litter or pollution along the way Broken glass rusted metal and chemical spills old battery acid paint solvents oil and gasoline for a few examples are hazardous for people and animals alike Chemical spills can give off toxic fumes which can harm you before you even know they re there Even if the fumes are not harmful they can also cause bad odours making for an unpleasant trip to a cache location For these reasons and more geocachers do what they can to reduce litter in natural places They also try to cause as little environmental damage as possible themselves Cache In Trash Out CITO CITO is something that geocachers do regularly while they are geocaching When you are geocaching on a trail you may find food wrappers empty water bottles old tires etc If you are prepared with a plastic bag for garbage you can pick up small items right away and carry it in your pack until you are finished geocaching then dump it into a garbage can Larger items may or may not be easily removed from the trail If you can t take it with you right away you can mark a waypoint for the spot and come prepared if you are back on that trail again soon If there are a lot of large items or a lot of litter generally you may want to consider calling in extra help why not organize a CITO event Geocaching Resource Guide e 57
44. e to stamp in a special booklet that they carry And each letterboxer has their own stamp that they use in the letterbox logbook To learn more about letterboxing visit www letterboxing org Wherigo Cache y Wherigo is a program or app for both GPS devices and smartphones It lets you play GPS om based adventures in the real world a bit like being in your own video adventure game Many Wherigo caches are set up similar to a multi cache but with an extra gaming element added such as interacting with characters on the way to the cache container bor To play a Wherigo you have to first download a cartridge to your GPS device or smartphone remember that not all GPS devices can play Wherigo cartridges Learn more at Wherigo com Geocaching Resource Guide e 51 Container less cache types Some cache types do not require finding a container They are focused on different kinds of experiences A cache page is still created for them and you can log them but you will get Attended as a choice instead of Found it They count toward your total number of caches found Event Cache An event cache is a gathering of local geocachers or geocaching organizations to discuss geocaching Event Etiquette The event cache page specifies a time for the event You should always post a Will attend log for event mega event and CITO caches so that the organizers can plan properly for the right number of at
45. ear busy highways or on slippery riverbanks Those are a lot of don t s so here are some doe Good locations include Those with something special to see like a great view interesting natural features or historically significant structures The crooked trees near Hafford and the War Veterans Memorial in Shell Lake are both good examples Those that take you down a great trail to get to them A place that is special to you for a sentimental reason A place that offers a special challenge to other geocachers such as a rock wall where you can place an especially tricky hide A place that you or a very reliable friend or family member can get to a few times a year for cache maintenance A place that you have permission to use Geocaching Resource Guide e 61 When you have determined the spot where you want to place your cache you need to find the perfect hiding spot Remember geocaches can t be buried If you find a natural hole you can use it but remember that no one will be able to find your cache when there is snow so you will have to disable it during winter Look for natural features that will provide a good hidey hole or will camouflage a container Good spots include holes in trees but be sure you re not disturbing a critter tree elbows where a branch connects to a tree or crotches the point where three or more trees come together fallen trees either the log or the stump rocky outcrops or ev
46. ececeeeeceeeeeeceeeeneceeseeeeeeeas More About Geocache Listing Details teg ege eelere ee What are Trackable Items and What do I do with Themd GPS Device Features What else can it dO essssssssssssssssseeeresssssserrrrsesssssrerreresssssrrreresssseene PREC ell E What is a Topographic Map and do need it ou ccc ceecccseccceseceeensceeenseseeseeseeeceseeceeeneeees Unit 4 Hunting Geocaches Wie GEO EE GEOCAC IS SIZES ee AE e ee ee ek EE ees GEOCachine i TE EE Geocache Ratings Is this a good cache for ME oo ceccccesesccesscccesceceececeecseeececeuecseeneeeeeness Unit 5 Geocachers and the Environment Cache la Ee k re CIMO EE Taking Care of the Geocachers Playground ccscccccsssecccessececeenececeeseceseuaecessueceeseneeeetas Unit 6 Hiding Geocaches ceecccccesecccceseccccensececeesececeusececeeecceseuseceseeeceseenecesseneceesanaesenes Choose Regie TEE Makine a Cacne CONtAlAGN eege PUDIISMINE GE en EE RSNA CON EE Resources Geocaching Associations ANd DISCUSSION FOrUMS ccccceeccceeecccesccceeececeueceseuecsceuecseeneseeeness Canadian Businesses that Sell Geocaching Supplies cccecessccccessececeesececeeeceeeeeseceseeneces Downloadable Cache Notes and Labels cseessscccccccccesssesecccceesaeeeseeeccesessaeaesseeseeeeesaaas Ee Te E Elle EC ANY EE ER 36 37 41 43 43 44 45 50 54 54 56 57 57 59 60 60 62 64 66 67 67
47. ed on May 3 2000 when Dave Ulmer hid the first geocache near Beavercreek Oregon USA However he didn t call it a geocache then and he wasn t even sure that anyone would try to find it To get the full story we have to back up a little bit To be able to geocache you need a GPS device which shows where you are with the help of satellites orbiting Earth The first satellites were launched by the United States and before May 2 2000 the signals from the satellites were meant for American military use only Other GPS devices could receive the satellite signals but they were degraded or weaker than the military signals The accuracy of non military GPS receivers was about 100 meters with an area that big to search in you could not reasonably find anything smaller than a house Mr Ulmer was curious He wanted to know if the Can I still find the first geocache satellite signals and GPS devices were strong enough to allow someone to find something small so he hid a black Mr Ulmer s first geocache is bucket in the woods He filled it with prizes and he added gone but a plaque has been put a notebook and pen so that he could see how many on the site A new geocache people found it He recorded the latitude and longitude Original Stash Tribute Plaque we re getting to that in the next section with his GPS GCGVOP was placed nearby receiver and then he posted that information in an Internet discussion group He cal
48. ees to make sure that no critter is in there before you look more closely for the cache some of these come with a magnetic end as well e A small garden hand shovel even winter accessible caches occasionally need to be dug out of a bit of snow e Rubber or gardening gloves if a hole in a tree looks icky gloves help e Dry socks e A light windbreaker jacket depending on the season e Dry gloves or mittens depending on the season e Plastic grocery bags or garbage bags if you see litter on the way to or from the cache why not pick it up while you re there e Small binoculars good for spotting caches that are high in a tree e Small camera Geocache Sizes Geocachers are a creative bunch of people so new cache set ups and containers are always being created However here are some examples of different types of cache containers for each of the different sizes Remember many containers are not easy to find Most small and micro containers are camouflaged in some way whether tucked inside a stump covered with sticks leaves bark or pine needles or placed somewhere very unexpected Geocaching Resource Guide e 45 Large E These containers are usually not that difficult to spot However because they are difficult to hide they tend to be placed in more remote locations where muggles are less likely to stumble onto them If a container can hold 20 litres or more it is a large cache size ine p sae The contai
49. electronic compasses or voice navigation like a car GPS Some even have built in digital or video cameras Geocaching Resource Guide e 3 Outdoor Safety Geocaching is fun and it is easy to get caught up in hunting for just one more But because you are outdoors whether in the country or a town or city there are a few rules you should always remember Think about the places you might go when geocaching and the possible dangers The following are a few situations that geocachers sometimes find themselves in What could go wrong How could they be handled better Sure the sign says No Trespassing but the shortest way to the cache is through that field won t be long no one will ever know was here It s getting dark and didn t bring my flashlight but if do just two more caches then I ll have found them all in this area I know that there is a bridge further up the trail but the cache is just across this river That log looks pretty solid Why should go all the way to the bridge and back down the other side A new cache was just published If rush out now can be the first one to get it No one is at home and don t want to waste time writing a note And anyway I m sure l Il be right back Situations like these can quickly lead to trouble and even danger It is important to make safe choices and to respect other people s property Here are a few tips Dress app
50. ergreen trees When you are certain of your spot take several readings of the coordinates use average waypoint feature if your GPS device has it Making a Cache Container Once you have a location you are happy with and you are pretty sure that it is not too close to anyone else s cache check out the hiding spots available Look for the biggest spot you can find that is still well hidden from muggles The container you choose should fit in that spot Appropriate containers If you need ideas for cache containers review Unit 4 Hunting Geocaches You probably already have some ideas based on other caches that you have found now A few points to consider are e Be sure that it is weather proof Cache containers in Canada must be not only waterproof but also below freezing proof Most light plastic containers the disposable plastic kind do not last more than one or two seasons Freezing and thawing is hard on the plastic and the lid will warp letting water in to the container e If itis a small to regular size container especially one that will be placed in or near an urban centre some part of it should be transparent the bottom is good even after you have camouflaged it If a muggle should stumble on it they can see that there is nothing dangerous inside e f you use a container that held food such as a peanut butter or mayonnaise jar check to see that it still seals well Then wash and bleach it thoroughly to remove any hi
51. es Unit 1 A Little Background How Geocaching BERAT EE Understanding Latitude and Longitude ccccccsscccesseccesececeseceeenecceeseeeeesceeeeeceseeeeeeeetees How do Satellites and Imaginary Lines Help me Find Anything cccccceseeceeeeseeeeeeeeeeees Buying a GPS Device for Ee e TEE Most Commonly Used GPS Devices for Geocaching sssessesesseesesrrresrrrrssrrresrrrrssreresrrereseeree Using a Smartphone as a GPS Device cccccccssseccceesecccceeccceeescceceuneceeseusecesausecessuaeceetanseeets Penone O CEO A E oee E A E E EA EOC MNE RUIS ea E E TE Geocaching Etiquette Geocachers Creed eessssssssserreseerrressrrresrrressrrresrresesrrresrrereerrreeeeee Unit 2 Finding Your First Geocache Creating a Geocaching Account How to Choose Your First Geocache ccccccccssssssssececccecceeessececcceessuaesssecccceesauausseeeseeeesaaas What to Bring with You What I can trade ou eessccccccesseccceeeeesecceceeeeeeceeseeeeneceeetseenesss Setting a goto ON your GPS Device cceeccseccssccescceecceeccescceecesecsseceecceccseeeeesseesseesaeesseeeaes I A BUNS WE Do Have to be Sneaky when I M Geocaching ccccceseecccessececcesececeeescceeausececeuaeceeseeeeees What do do When I Find the Cache AAA Whati 1 00 tind the e L geinge Your FNA ONNE secretes E uana P WN NY PP e Unit 3 Beyond the Basics Learning the Lingo Special Ter cccccccsssecccesececcesececeeesececeu
52. f you make a note of its tracking code Your Discovered it note will be sent to the trackable owner This lets them know that their trackable is safely in a cache This is especially nice for the owner to know when their trackable has not been logged for a long time And of course in the case of a tattooed Travel Bug this is your only option 3 Retrieve it You can take the trackable from the cache When you get home you should log it online right away so that the next cache finder doesn t report the trackable as being missing If you think you will move it to another cache before you can log it online record the tracking code on a notepad As soon as you can get online log it out of the cache where you found it Then immediately log it into the cache where you dropped it off Some owners will include an information sheet with their trackable or they will provide information on the trackable s web page Read the information carefully especially its mission to see how you can help it along When you take a Travel Bug you should place it in another cache within two or three weeks If you can t email the owner to let them know that their trackable is not lost and tell them when you expect that you will be able to move it along Logging a Trackable after Taking it out of a Cache 1 Start by going to geocaching com Do NOT enter the tracking code in your log entry for the cache where you found it The tracking code is meant
53. g activities Waymarking Waymarking is a way to mark unique locations to point them out to other people You use your GPS to mark any interesting locations as a waymark or to go to a waymark created by someone else The locations are sorted into categories so that anyone who is interested in say ghost towns can see all of the ghost town waymarks created by other people Waymarking com is run by Groundspeak the company that runs geocaching com Miunzee You Found Me Scan For Points Munzee is a scavenger hunt game for smartphones only The goal is to find items that other people have marked with a QR code style barcode and capture it by scanning the QR code You earn points by capturing other people s munzees or when other people capture yours You then level up and gain rank based on your score Munzees can be hidden in containers camouflaged or even in plain view They can also be found at businesses OFFICIAL GAME PIECE BIT Caches You found a BIT Cache BIT stands for Bound ID Tag the cache is bound in plastic laminated It m a has no container log sheet or swag BIT caches are actually a type of cache SC Oo on opencaching com A BIT cache is a laminated tag with a password and m other identifying information printed on it including KAUCE E M the password you need to log the cache PLEASE DO NOT MOVE OR VANDALIZE THIS GAME PIECE PLEASE DO NOT MOVE OR VANDALIZE THIS GAME PIECE Bi
54. g with Us Inventory There ore no Trockabies in this cache view D st Trackatlesa What are Treckable Items Bookmark Lists by Sa rt A A Er Zens View all bogkmark lists Geocaching Resource Guide e 29 What to Bring with You What can trade Before you go rushing out to find your first cache take a few minutes to be sure that you have e Weather appropriate clothing e Pen or pencil they often disappear from cache containers e Items to trade These can include small toys Video YouTube GoGeocaching channel collectible pins hair accessories small tools small household items etc All tradeable items should be in good condition ask yourself if you are leaving Finding Your First Geocache something that you would like to get Setting a goto on your GPS device Each brand and model is a little different so you should review your owner s manual Most GPS devices come with quick start instructions that should have you heading out the door quickly The first step is to turn on your GPS device and leave it where it has a clear view of the sky It may need a few minutes to find the satellites and get updated In general if you have loaded the cache listing into your GPS device using the cable you should be able to follow these steps If your GPS device has a Find button 1 Select Find You should see Geocache as one of the options 2 Select Geocache You will see the l
55. gation A Click on Log your visit Log your visit tostart logging your View Gallery co Watch Listing Ignore Listing UN Bookmark Listin cache find online co 1 user s watching this cache Geocaching Resource Guide e 33 3 You will see the page below Click on Found it Then write a little bit about your experience in the Comments box You can add a smiley to your log by clicking on the Insert Smilie link then copying and pasting the characters for the smiley s you want to use When you are done scroll to the very bottom of the page and click on Submit Log Entry Congratulations You have found and logged your first geocache Geocaching gt Hide and Seek A Geocache gt Geocache Log Post a New Log In reference to i The Easter Bunny s Mailbox by Wanuskewin Type of Log d Select Type of Log Found it Date Logged Didn t find it MM dd yyyy Write note Needs Archived Needs Maintenance Comments Insert Smilie Log Options Encrypt this log entry C Add a coordinate to this log _ Add to your Favorites 34 remaining Dropped off any Trackables Vi Tracking Name 34 e Geocaching Resource Guide Beyond the Basics Learning the Lingo Special Terms As you get out geocaching more and read more cache descriptions you will come across a few words and abbreviations that you haven t heard before There are many more than the ones listed below but
56. gle Maps For online maps sen If you would like to see the geocache location in a e Yahoo Maps different version of map just click on one of the Bing Maps OpenCycleMap options and it will open in a new window gt OpenStreetMa What are Trackable Items and What do I do with Them Many geocachers enjoy finding and moving along trackable items These are objects that Videos have a unique tracking code combination of YouTube GoGeocaching channel numbers and letters engraved on them The e Geocaching com Presents code is registered to the owner of the Travel Bugs e Finding a Trackable What to do A Geocaching com Presentation without trading anything for it but your e How to Log a Trackable mission is to move it along not keep it A Geocaching com Presentation trackable When you find one you can take it Trackables are sometimes called hitchhikers since that is how they move from cache to cache Trackables are sometimes a way for their owners to see more of the world they will ask you to take a photo of something in your area for example For others it s another fun way to compete with other geocachers some trackables are in races with others Other owners just enjoy seeing where their trackables end up Geocaching Resource Guide e 37 Types of travelbugs e Geocoin these are custom designed coins and they are often used to celebrate special events important milestones certain ge
57. glue Volunteer drivers on several occasions Getting the Most from this Project Attend club activities regularly Listen and ask questions You will learn from other members as well as your leaders Learn to use your GPS device geocaching is more fun when you can load and use the GPS device yourself Geocaching Resource Guide e 1 e Find a local or provincial geocaching association that has an online discussion forum chances are good that any of your geocaching related questions have already been asked and answered in a discussion forum e Take note of any geocaches that you especially enjoy finding and think about the reasons That knowledge can help you decide what kind of geocaches you would like to place yourself e Learn about local geological features such as bogs forests ravines rivers etc and learn how to get through or around them safely e Learn about local flora and fauna plants and animals especially those that may be harmful such as stinging nettle poison ivy poison sumac giant hogweed ticks bears elk badgers etc and how to recognize and avoid them Achievement Requirements e Acompleted record book e Describe at least three safety habits that geoachers should follow when in the outdoors e Describe one safety habit that geocachers should follow when communicating online e Create a muggle card or pamphlet to explain geocaching e Describe or demonstrate how satellites make geocaching possib
58. h Internet access and e parent or guardian on stand by to help with any information you need 2 In your browser s URL window type in www geocaching com You should see this page e Welcome Visitor Sign In Sign Up Learn Y Join Play Community Shop Partnering Y Videos Follow Us is a free real world outdoor treasure hunt Players try to locate hidden containers called geocaches using a smartphone or GPS and can then share their experiences online Read our Guide to the Game Ei Share Share your experience with other treasure seekers Discover Explore the world as you search for the cache using a GPS device or smartphone Find the cache sign the logbook and see what others have left behind Cache Examples tie Search for interesting postal code country etc Q Find My Location There are 2 128 018 active geocaches and over 5 million geocachers worldwide Recent Activity In the last 30 days there have been 7 093 691 new logs submitted Alaska United States es Iowa United States tA YS madmoose123 Didn t find it yund it r KR CacheDetectives Found it 3 Click on Join Welcome Visitor Sign In Sign Up Community Shop Partnering Videos Follow Us Y is a free real world outdoor treasure hunt Players try to locate hidden containers called geocaches using a smartphone or GPS and can then share their experiences online Read our Guide to the Game 24
59. h out maps Long battery life A GPS device should operate anywhere from 10 to 20 hours on one set of batteries usually two AA s Most GPS devices also have a suspend feature that dims the display if there has been no activity for a set amount of time Breadcrumbs A very handy feature to have is a track log or breadcrumb trail on some GPS devices the track even looks a little like bread crumbs The device records the trail where you have walked If you lose your way you can just turn on your track log and follow your steps back The following features can be nice to have though they are not necessary USB interface All newer GPS devices use USB cables to connect to your computer If you are buying a discontinued model you may want to look for one that uses USB cables instead of serial cables since most computers 12 e Geocaching Resource Guide now have USB ports rather than serial ports If you have no choice but to use a GPS device with a serial cable serial USB adapters are available Colour display Some GPS devices have only a monochrome screen that is only shades of grey A colour display especially transflective colour is easier to see in bright sunlight and can show more detail Photo viewing Some cache listings include photos as part of the description The cache description may not make much sense without seeing the photo but not all GPS devices can display photos 3 axis electronic compass Without
60. ist of the geocache listings that you downloaded 3 Select the cache that you would like to find first and then select Goto 4 You may have to choose Follow Road or Off Road You can choose Follow Road if you want driving directions but remember to switch to Off Road when you are ready to walk to the cache Once you make your selection you will see on your map screen a triangle you and a line leading to a treasure box icon the cache 5 Switch to your compass screen and you will see an arrow pointing in the cache direction as well as the distance to the cache If your GPS device has a series of screens with different icons 1 Select the Geocaches icon 2 Select Find a Geocache You will see a list of the geocache listings that you downloaded 3 Select the cache that would like to find first 30 e Geocaching Resource Guide 5 6 On your screen should be a Go button Select it Once you make your selection you will see on your map screen a triangle you and a line leading to a treasure box icon the cache Close the map screen Select Compass You will see an arrow pointing you to the cache as well as the distance to the cache If you are using a smart phone with geocaching com app i 2 Be sure you have internet access either wi fi or network In the Search by GC code field enter the GC number for the cache The cache listing will open If
61. ize were listed as micro it would be a big clue to finders Types of Geocaches So you have a good idea of what kinds of containers you might be hunting for But there is more to the geocaching experience than just the search for the container For example sometimes you need to go to several different spots for clues see the Tag section below before you get to the container or you have to solve a puzzle to find out where you should look To give geocachers a better idea of what is involved in a certain geocache they are sorted into types In the top Video left corner of a cache listing page just before the title is a YouTube GoGeocaching channel little picture or icon Each icon represents a different type Geocaching com Presents of geocache Cache Types The type of geocache does not affect its size 50 e Geocaching Resource Guide Caches with containers However differently geocaches might be set up most of them have containers that you must find and then sign the log book included in it Traditional Cache ep The coordinates posted on the cache listing page provide the cache s exact location This is the original geocache type It always has at least a container and a log book or logsheet Larger containers usually include a pen or pencil and geoswag items for trading Multi Cache A multi cache multiple takes you to two or more locations The final location is where you will find the
62. k in the container and replace it as you found it Be sure to replace any camouflage that was used sticks bark leaves etc What if Don t Find the Cache Don t worry a lot of geocachers don t find a cache on their first attempt Many beginning geocachers believe that if they didn t find it the first time it must have gone missing This is not usually the case Probably you just need a better idea of what the container looks like It s amazing what you can t see until you know what colour shape or size of container you are looking for To get more help you can e Email the cache owner to ask for more information click on the geoname under the cache title and it will take you to the cache owner s profile page where you can send a message to them e Ask a recent finder for a hint click on the finder s geoname to go to their profile page e Bring in reinforcements The more eyes and hands you have searching the more likely you are to find it e Ask an experienced geocacher to help you Logging Your Find Online Remember that the third rule of geocaching is to write about your experience online So let s get started Video l YouTube 1 When you get home after your cache find go to GoGeocaching channel geocaching com on your computer and open up How to Log a Geocache the cache listing page again on Geocaching com 2 In the top right corner of the page is a box under the word Navigation Navi
63. lace and ready to be found then click on Submit for Review Geocaching Resource Guide e 65 Reviewers Before it gets published every cache listing must be reviewed to be sure that it follows the guidelines Over 400 volunteers from about 40 countries take on this job Reviewers are generally assigned to one region SO once you ve seen several new geocaches published for your area you may start to recognize the reviewers geonames Volunteers are fellow geocachers who have a lot of experience with geocaching They are knowledgeable and very enthusiastic They also have regular jobs Because they volunteer during their spare time they can t always review a cache listing right away you may have to wait a few days before you hear anything about your submitted cache listing Be patient The reviewer may have questions for you since he or she may not live in the same area as you and are relying only on what they can see from satellite maps Giving them as much information as you can from the beginning will soeed things along and will be appreciated by the reviewer And when your cache is published be sure to thank your reviewer 66 e Geocaching Resource Guide Other GPS based Activities Geocaching is not the only activity that uses GPS technology and it isn t even the only one that involves hunting for something Depending on what you like about geocaching you might be interested in trying one or more of the followin
64. le e Create a geocaching account Explain your choice of geoname e Describe four types of geocaches At least one must be a type of event e Load at least 10 geocaches onto a GPS device e Use a GPS device to find at least five geocaches and log them online e Create at least three different sizes and styles of geocaches that include the required elements e Hide at least two geocaches in two different ways take photos of the hides when being placed Create cache pages and publish the caches e Explain at least two ways that geocachers can help to protect the environment e Participate in an environmental clean up official CITO if possible What is geocaching al First let s be sure you know how to pronounce the word In most of the world it s gee oh kash ing In Australia however they call it gee oh kay shing Geocaching is often described as a high tech treasure hunt or an Video YouTube GoGeocaching channel outdoor scavenger hunt Both are good comparisons Geocaching is an outdoor mostly game where players use a GPS device to find their way to an area where a container is hidden and then What is Geocaching they try to find the container 2 e Geocaching Resource Guide It sounds simple and easy doesn t it After all how hard can it be to find a container when you have equipment that points an arrow directly to where a geocache often called just cache is hidden Many cache
65. le Make minor repairs if you can to save the owner a trip Some geocachers carry a small cache repair kit for this purpose When you log your find write more than just found it Talk about your experience even if it s just a sentence or two You will appreciate it when others do the same for caches that you hide Geocaching Resource Guide e 21 If you exchange trade items be fair think about the kinds of things you would like to find and leave something equal to or better than what you take If you place a traveling item more about these later into a cache attach a tag that describes its goal so that others can help it along If you pick up a traveling item with a tag describing its goal move the item toward its goal if possible Contact its owner if you have had it for more than a couple of weeks or so If you really like someone else s idea for a cache and you would like to copy it get their permission and give them credit in your cache listing Protect the Integrity of the Game Pieces Always take care to keep a cache in good condition Make sure the container is properly closed to prevent the contents from getting wet or destroyed Avoid attracting attention when you are searching for signing in and replacing a cache Caches are often vandalized by people who don t know about geocaching Put the cache back where you found it and hide it well Don t move a cache if you think that the cache is not in the right
66. led it a GPS stash and he added one rule for anyone who might find it Take some stuff Leave some stuff In only three days two people found his stash and wrote about it online Other people heard about it and they did the same thing The first person to find Mr Ulmer s stash was Mike i Teague He liked the idea so much that started Videos l keeping a list on his own website of all the stashes YouTube GoGeocaching channel i that other people were posting calling it the GPS e Geocaching com Presents Stash Hunt People signed up to have the list emailed A Brief History of Geocaching e This ls Groundspeak to them e Highest amp Lowest Cache More and more stashes were being hidden and soon Mir Teague s home page and email list could not keep Geocaching Resource Guide e 7 up Another early stash hunter Jeremy Irish created a website dedicated to the activity Someone had earlier suggested calling the new activity geocaching instead of stash hunting geo refers to Earth and cache is the French word for hide as well as a word related to computers so Mr Irish called his website www geocaching com It was launched on September 2 2000 just four months after the very first stash was hidden It had 75 geocaches listed from around the world By February 2013 over two million geocaches Canada s first geocache were listed on www geocaching com in 184 countries
67. ner behind this geocacher s head is an emptied and repainted ammo can metal containers used to store ammunition A five gallon bucket was used for the first ever geocache and they are still sometimes used 46 e Geocaching Resource Guide Regular m These containers are between 1 litre and 20 litres Most of them are plastic containers or smaller ammo cans somewhere around the size of a large shoebox Most geocaches in the woods are either regular or small size These two containers are ammo cans A common cache set up is an ammo can in the crook of a few trees Plastic lock and lock containers are also popular cache containers This photo is shows a regular size lock and lock and two small sizes These containers are also often covered with camouflage tape or they are spray painted with camouflage colours SA ha a es Se EA ee EE SG Es TEE BEE ECH poe Geocaching Resource Guide e 47 Small m Small containers are those between 100 millilitres and one litre Most often they are about the size of a sandwich container Because these containers are smaller they are easier to camouflage so they can be more difficult to find Many geocaches are made from empty peanut butter jars thoroughly washed and bleached to remove any food odour The container on the left was created to look like a tornado was inside the container A oe ai A aw e 8 4 re a Ay he z s 1 Fa DS ION
68. ning and gives the muggle something to refer to later You can see a Sample muggle card in Resource section What do I do When I Find the Cache 1 Take note of how it is hidden When you are finished you will need to place it back in the same way 2 Open the container carefully especially if it is raining or the ground it wet You don t want the items inside to scatter on the ground or get wet 3 Take a look at the items inside and if you want to make a trade for something that you brought with you The golden rule is to trade even or trade up leave something worth more than what you took If you see a coin or a metal rectangle attached to another item and they have tiny letters and or numbers printed on them you can take one of those without trading but read about trackable items in Unit 3 These are not items for people to keep 4 Next sign the log book That is write a short note and sign your geoname in the notebook or logbook that you will find in the cache container 5 The logbook note can be short and if space is really limited only your geoname is necessary When you open up the logbook in your first cache take a few minutes to flip through it to see the notes left by other geocachers Geocachers understand that placing a cache takes some effort so a thank you is almost always included in the log entry usually like this TFTC Thanks for the cache 32 e Geocaching Resource Guide 6 Place everything bac
69. not create a cache that could be mistaken for a pipe bomb These types of caches are generally made using PVC plumbing pipes Non geocachers who accidentally spot these are naturally suspicious and tend to call the police who have to send a bomb squad to check into it which is time consuming and expensive Often by the time the police determine that it is not a bomb they don t have much of a sense of humour about it Minimize My and Others Impact on the Environment Whenever possible follow Leave No Trace ethics Basically this means that you disturb as little as possible in the environment You can learn more about Leave no Trace at this website www leavenotrace ca principles When hunting or hiding caches leave the area as you found it or better If there is trash in the area pick it up on your way out Do not abandon a cache If you lose interest in the game remove the cache and archive its listing Be Considerate of Others Treat other geocachers politely whether on the trail or online Don t spoil the hunt for others Let them have the same fun finding a cache as you did and as its owner intended Don t give spoilers in your logs no comments that take away the fun of the challenge for other geocachers If you accidentally post a spoiler and the cache owner asks you to change your log do it right away and don t grumble about it to others If there is a problem with a cache let the cache owner know as soon as possib
70. ns No geocache is worth putting yourself or your geocaching partners in danger 4 e Geocaching Resource Guide Online Safety To participate in geocaching requires going online to download cache listings and to record your finds As well many geocaching associations have websites with discussion forums and social media sites like Facebook or Tumblr have open or private groups for geocachers It can be helpful to chat with other geocachers from other areas for example you can learn about local events but you do need to ensure your own Safety as well as the safety of your fellow club members Use the following guidelines e NEVER give any personal information names addresses phone numbers birthdate what school you attend etc to the questions you post online most geocachers will come to know you by your geocaching name anyway e ALWAYS REMEMBER the person you are talking to in a forum may not be the person they claim to be e When using social networking sites like Facebook or Tumblr set your on line profile to private and never friend anyone whom you don t know or trust That way the only people who will be able to see your profile will be those that you approve Don t give out your passwords to anyone but your parent or guardian And never privately meet anyone that you just met on these sites e f anything happens on line that makes you feel scared uncomfortable or creeped out ALWAYS tell your parent or guardian
71. nt of food smell Animals have sensitive noses and they will chew on containers that smell good to them Containers to avoid e No cache should ever resemble a pipe bomb For example some caches made out of plumbing pipes have caused bomb squads and police to be called out to deal with them because muggles spotted them and became suspicious e Glass containers are not a great choice because they break easily and could hurt someone when they do How do I camouflage a container First every geocache should have a label on it identifying it as a geocache This is especially important if you use an ammo can as a container The label should cover up the markings on the side of the 62 e Geocaching Resource Guide container so that it is not mistaken for still holding ammunition Many styles and sizes of labels are available from geocache suppliers see list in the Resources section or you can make your own Just be sure to allow for a spot for the label when you plan your container s camouflage There is an endless variety of ways that caches can be camouflaged or made to blend in to their hiding spot The best camouflage matches the environment where you are placing the cache Some common ways to camouflage a container include e Hunter s camouflage tape duct tape with a green and brown toned leaves and twig print on it Other kinds of duct tape that are close in colour to where the cache is hidden grey duct tape if the cache is
72. ny phone model and fitted cases tailored to a particular model There are even cases that can make a phone float Prices range from about 10 to 100 e Battery life for a cell phone used as a GPS device is much shorter than the battery life of a regular GPS device You may wish to get an extra battery or if you are driving between caches be sure to plug into a car charger while driving The most widely used phones for geocaching are iPhones and Android phones Blackberry is another option Accuracy Smart phone accuracy varies as it does with other GPS devices In general the more recent a model you have the more accurate it is and the faster its navigation will work You will have the best success with a phone that uses assisted GPS A GPS Remember a GPS device usually needs at least three satellite signals to calculate location and tall buildings or trees can cause lost satellite reception before a phone is finished getting a location fix Then the phone has to start all over again making for a long wait when you are trying to see where you are A phone with A GPS needs to see only two satellites because it can also use cell towers This helps get a location fix faster than waiting for more satellite signals As well being able to receive signals from the GLONASS satellites in addition to the GPS satellites helps to improve accuracy and speed The iPhone 4S and 5 models use both A GPS and GLONASS Several Android models use
73. o my GPS The geocache file will be uploaded onto your GPS device The first time you do this step you may get a pop up message with instructions for installing software for your GPS device This is normal If you have trouble uploading to your GPS device check the manual since every GPS device is a bit different Note If you have a basic account you can download the cache listing as an LOC file which contains only basic information coordinates cache name difficulty rating and terrain rating It is a good idea to print the cache page click on the printer icon and at least the last five logs so that you have the full cache description with you as well as any hints from the cache owner or past finders If you have a premium account the cache listing will be downloaded as a GPX file which also contains the cache description any hints and the 20 most recent logs 28 e Geocaching Resource Guide Below is an example of a cache listing page Type ofcache Difficulty and terrain rating Cache size Cache title gt Geocache Detalls Cache S The Easter Bunny s Mailbox owner 30 Sire 8 Inn sf N 52 13 458 W 106 35 898 In Saskatchewan Canada UTM Lu E 390828 N 5767169 Y NW 2376 7 km from your home location Posted Other Conversions coordinates Print ES No logs Silo 10 Locs d Driving Directions Download Read about waypoint downtoeds LOC waypoint fie GPX file Send to My GPS Send to My Pr
74. ocachers or just to allow a geocacher to share with others something that they enjoy or think is important Geocoins can be any shape Examples e Travel Bug These look like ID tags that people sometimes wear as a necklace They can be attached to anything from toy cars to stuffed toys to tools They are given a mission usually to travel to a certain location or to visit certain kinds of places Examples Unattached Travel Bug Stuffed Toy Travel Bug with a Mission Card usually inside a Ziploc bag Please keep me moving and Do not keep me Take me log me and drop me in another cache z Kei See where I ve been and log meat Ke e Others A trackable code can be added to just about anything Other trackable items include vehicle decals or magnets shirts hats jewellery pens etc Some people even get tattooed with the Travel Bug logo or the geocaching logo and a tracking code turning themselves into one giant trackable Examples Vehicle decal Upper arm tattoo Earrings 38 e Geocaching Resource Guide If you find a trackable you have a few choices 1 Leave it in the cache You do not have to take a trackable If you know that it will be a problem for you to move a trackable along soon you should leave it in the cache for the next finder who will hopefully be able to move it to a new cache 2 Discover it Even if you leave the trackable in the cache you can still log it online later i
75. ocaching Supplies Calgary AB stores geowyrm com StoreFront bok Downloadable Cache Notes and Labels e Geocacher s University Downloads and Printables geocacher u com Geocaching Resource Guide e 69 Cache Note 3 Geocache Site Please Read Congratulations you ve found it Intentionally or not What is this hidden container sitting here for What the heck is this thing doing here with all these things in it It is part of a worldwide game dedicated to GPS Global Positioning System users called Geocaching The game basically involves a GPS user hiding treasure this container and its contents and publishing the exact coordinates so other GPS users can come on a treasure hunt to find it The only rules are if you take something from the cache you must leave something for the cache and you must write about your visit in the logbook Hopefully the person that hid this container found a good spot that is not easily found by uninterested parties Sometimes a good spot turns out to be a bad spot though If you found this container by accident Great You are welcome to join us We ask only that you e Please do not move or vandalize the container The real treasure is just finding the container and sharing your thoughts with everyone else who finds it e If you wish go ahead and take something But please leave something of your own for others to find and write it in the logbook e If possible let us know
76. ohandle A geocacher s username on geocaching com Log The online entry that a geocacher submits to tell about their experience while searching for the cache Geoswag Items that are placed in a cache or carried by a geocacher for the purpose of trading in caches GPS Short for Global Positioning System also sometimes used to refer to GPS devices GRC GuardRail Cache A magnetic cache placed on a metal guard rail at the side of a road GZ Ground Zero or Geo zone The spot where your GPS device is at or very near 0 metres from the cache Log An entry on geocaching com that tells of the geocacher s experience while searching for a cache Geocaching Resource Guide e 71 LPC Light Post Cache Also called a skirt lifter A cache hidden under the skirt of a light post usually in a parking lot Another type of cache that many geocachers love to hate MKH Magnetic Key Holder Muggle Anyone who does not know about geocaching Muggled Describes a cache that has been removed or vandalized by a non geocacher PAF Phone A Friend The friend in this case is someone who has already done the cache and you are trying to get a hint Park and cache A type of cache that does not require any kind of walk to the container PLC Parking Lot Cache You won t have to walk far for this cache SL Signed Log Used by some geocachers in their cache logs Smiley A cache find Refers to the smiley face icon attached to Found It logs
77. ompetitive as you want it to be you can work together with a group to solve puzzles and riddles or you can work at it frantically by yourself to try to be the first one to figure it out and find that new cache before anyone else You can stroll leisurely to just one or two caches once in a while or you can run or bike or ski or paddle to dozens of caches in one day Geocaching can be combined with other hobbies like photography cycling hiking running camping canoeing birdwatching etc Geocaching Resource Guide e 17 Other benefits of geocaching include Better health A small number of caches allow you to drive right up to them park and cache but most of them require some walking or other form of exercise such as walking cycling hiking climbing snowshoeing skiing and even swimming or diving Many people even those living in rural areas soend too much time indoors in schools and workplaces Time spent outdoors reduces stress and helps us get more vitamin D needed for healthy bones Exploring local or new tourist areas Many caches are placed in areas that you may not have ever thought of visiting You may find some interesting places that you didn t know about even in your home area Most popular tourist destinations have at least a few caches placed nearby and they will often give you more information than any tourist guidebook A cache could even help you find a location that is not a regular touris
78. one Click bere tO A ci to enter a note k send the cache listing to your eps deuice The Easter Bunny s Mailbox You are looking for The Easter Bunny s Mailbox which is located at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park This cache has been placed especially for those little geocachers who need to send a letter to The Easter Bunny or to The Tooth Fairy The Easter Bunny s Mailbox has been placed with approval from the Wanuskewin Heritage park No park fee will be required to search for this cache This cache will only be available during normal park hours of 9 A M to 4 30 P M daily You may safely park at the visitor drop off if making a quick stop If you wish to visit the park for a longer period please re locate to the visitor parking lot after making the find The cache contains a cache note cache log pen pencil pencil sharpener and some small trade items Easter theme trade items would be especially appreciated Remember to leave the You ve got Mail flag up if there is mail for the Easter Bunny Remember to leave your mailing address on your letter Thank you for visiting hope you all have a Happy Easter and a wonderful summer The first to find prize is a family day pass to Wanuskewin Heritage Park Additional Hints No hints available Additional Waypoints Z You can sometimes get a hint about the cache by clicking here No hint is given for this cache GC number GC25A07 E View Gallery W Attri f Advertisin
79. ost North American GPS devices cannot receive GLONASS satellite signals yet but as GPS device models are updated they will probably include GLONASS More satellites mean more reliable information and speedier GPS devices Buying a GPS Device for Geocaching GPS technology is used for all forms of navigation planes trains boats cars and activities such as Can t I just use the car hiking running mountaineering fishing hunting GPS device that I already have and of course geocaching Different features are Many people have GPS devices for car navigation and some people try to use them for geocaching For most car GPS devices this is not a good idea included with different types of GPS devices depending on what it will be used for For geocaching the type of GPS device you need is a handheld Many options for handheld GPS devices are available so it can be confusing to know which Car GPS devices are meant to be used where it is dry so one to pick if they get even a little bit wet Start by asking yourself they could be ruined e How much am willing to spend New Also many car GPS devices have handheld GPS devices are priced anywhere something called a snap to road between 100 and 700 feature if you take it away from a e How much am going to use this device If road it thinks that something has you plan to use it only occasionally it may not gone wrong with the satellite make sense to buy
80. ource Guide e 35 SL Signed log Used by some geocachers in their cache logs Smiley A cache find Refers to the smiley face icon attached to Found It logs TFTC Thanks for the cache TNLN Took nothing left nothing Used by some geocachers in their cache logs Waypoint A set of coordinates latitude and longitude More About Geocache Listing Details You already know a lot about the sections of a cache listing page the cache title the description the difficulty and terrain ratings cache size and past logs There are a few more sections that can be helpful Attributes An attribute is a characteristic or a quality of something For instance snowy winters are one of Canada s attributes When you are deciding on which geocache s you would like to do it can be helpful to know if for example dogs are allowed on a certain trail if the cache is suitable for young children or if the cache will take a long time to find A set of symbols was created to show geocachers at a glance what they can expect a cache to be like Each attribute that cache owners give their caches are included on the cache listing page on the right hand side Attributes If you don t know what a symbol means you can hover your cursor over it and its title will pop up You can also click on What are Attributes and you will see a long list of symbols and what they mean Attributes include hazard warnings e g poisonous plants or hunting area
81. re placed together with 20th Century Fox to support the movie Planet of the Apes Each cache represented a fictional story in which scientists revealed an Alternative Primate Evolution They were in specially marked ammo cans and each cache had an original prop from the movie Only one Project A P E cache still exists today in Sao Paulo Brazil Mission 4 Southern Bowl GCC67 Grandfathered Cache Types Grandfathered caches were placed before some of the rules changed They are still active and can be logged but geocaching com does not allow any new caches of this type to be created These cache types are all container less For virtual webcam and locationless caches similar categories for them exist on geocaching com s sister website waymarking com Virtual Cache Like an EarthCache a virtual cache is about discovering a location rather than a container The difference is that virtual caches can be any kind of place not just those with interesting geographical or geological features The place can be interesting because of its historical significance the view The requirements for logging a virtual cache vary you may have to answer a question about the location take a picture complete a task etc Whatever it is you must visit the coordinates before you can post your log Webcam Cache These caches use existing web cameras placed by individuals or agencies that monitor various areas like parks or business areas To
82. rgest number of cache listings You can explore these websites as well if you like For this project we will use only geocaching com For beginning geocachers a premium account is not necessary You can always change your mind later if you discover that you are a hard core geocacher Below are the steps to signing up for an account Follow through and read carefully 1 Creativity required You may have been given the name you use every day but for geocaching you get to choose your own name that is your username or geoname or geohandle What name do you want other geocachers to know you by You can choose the name of a superhero or a fictional character cartoon book movie or video game etc like Scooby Doo Princess Peach or Superman You could connect it to your province anyone want to use Sask Cache Wander Kid Or you could choose a name related to another hobby like Karate Kid or Drama Queen or to geocaching itself Sir Cache a lot I m sure you get the idea Come up with several options because with millions of geocachers on the planet someone may have already taken your idea Of course you can adjust your favourite idea by using numbers on the end e g Scooby Doo 2 or substituting numbers for letters e g ScCOOby DOO Geocaching Resource Guide e 23 Once you have a username chosen you can continue on to the next step setting up an account IF you have a e computer handy wit
83. rks Canada and only if the container meets certain requirements you will learn more about those in Unit 6 Hiding a Geocache As long as all geocachers follow these rules we can continue to use national park lands for geocaching If too many geocachers break the rules Parks Canada may not allow geoacaching to continue Remove your cache as soon as possible if the landowner asks Finally NEVER damage or interfere with the function of any buildings or signs 20 e Geocaching Resource Guide Avoid Causing Disruptions or Public Alarm Don t place a cache near schools unless the staff members are fully aware of the placement When searching for caches that are placed in locations like these be sure that you are not searching at a time when you are likely to cause a disruption such as during school hours Use caution near playgrounds and parks where children play Parents are naturally concerned when strangers are near their children Even if you are a young person yourself parents may still be concerned if you are acting strangely and someone who is geocaching may indeed look a little strange to other people Do not place a cache near any building or structure that might be considered a terrorist target such as a bridge or federal government building Police and security guards are extra attentive to areas like this and become very suspicious about people who seem to be lingering too long in one spot for no apparent reason Do
84. ropriately for the weather as it is when you start out as well as for what it is predicted to be later in the day if you re going out for a long time Always tell someone preferably an adult where you re going when you re leaving and when you expect to be back If possible bring a friend with you Respect the power of nature Do not plan for a long trip outside if weather warnings are in effect for storms extreme heat or cold or high winds Geocaching can wait for better weather Respect your own physical limits For example if you have a sprained wrist tree climbing can wait until you are sure you can manage the climb up and back down Remember that trails and natural areas are used for different activities If you are on foot ATV or snowmobile riders may use the trail as you and they may not be watching for hikers During hunting seasons stay away from known popular hunting areas and be sure to wear a bright cap or jacket when you are in any forested area If you plan to be out for a few hours or more bring a filled water bottle and backpack with food and extra clothing a change of dry clothes and a rain jacket are good ideas a first aid kit sunscreen and a cell phone A map of the area would be helpful especially if it s an area that you are not familiar with Always ask permission if you want to go on someone else s land If No Trespassing signs are posted and you don t know who the land owner is obey the sig
85. s are easy to find to be sure However many factors can make it more difficult to find Some caches are very tiny some are placed in a challenging spot such as up a tree some are camouflaged extremely well and some require solving a puzzle or a riddle Geocaches are hidden in all kinds of places from rarely visited backcountry forests and hiking trails to city parks and streets They are hidden by geocachers around the world usually after they have found several geocaches themselves first USE MULTI MILLION DOLLAR SATELLITES TO FIND TUPPERWARE What is a GPS device A GPS device is a piece of electronic equipment that can tell you where you are located and how far you are from your destination It usually shows your location using coordinates given in latitude and longitude you will learn more about that later It works by using a network of satellites called the Global Positioning System GPS Thirty GPS satellites orbit the earth and as long as at least three of them can be seen by a GPS device the device can If use a GPS device can someone track calculate where on earth it is where am GPS technology is used for all forms of navigation planes trains boats Not at all GPS devices only receive signals They do not send any signals out cars and people on foot Different features are included with different types of GPS devices depending on what is needed Some GPS devices have specialized maps
86. s just more litter If you encounter wildlife do not follow or approach them Do not feed them Can you think of any other suggestions The better care we take of the environment now the longer we can continue to enjoy it for geocaching and all other outdoor activities Geocaching Resource Guide e 59 Hiding Geocaches Many new geocachers quickly become excited about geocaching and want to immediately hide a cache of their own The enthusiasm is great but it must be matched by taking the time to learn how to do a good job of hiding a cache It is frustrating and disappointing to hide a cache only to have it muggled or to get negative comments from other geocachers This unit is near the end of this book because you should have lots of practice finding geocaches before you go out to hide one Some people suggest waiting until you have found at least 100 caches If you try to find a variety of types and sizes of caches with a range of difficulty ratings then just a couple dozen caches should be enough experience to hide one as long as you follow the advice in the next few sections Finding that many will give help you learn about Video YouTube GoGeocaching channel different ways to hide a cache and will help you find out what your preferences are If you hide a cache that is something you would enjoy finding chances are good that Basics of Hiding a Geocache other geocachers will like it too Before you decide wh
87. s the geographical features of an area It shows you where there are steep hills rivers swamps and so on When you are trying to figure out the best way to get to a cache in an area that is new to you having that information at your fingertips can save a lot of time and ensure your safety Basic GPS devices have only what is called a base map which does not show detailed information This can be fine if you are not a frequent geocacher and you do not geocache often in unfamiliar areas Some devices come with a topographic map already installed and others have a micro SD card slot so that you can use whichever topographic or street map you choose If it comes with a preloaded map you should check to be sure that it is updatable Paperless geocaching This feature allows you to look at cache page details such as the description hints and past logs directly on the GPS device It also lets you record notes about the cache directly to your device field notes and upload them later which is helpful if you are doing a lot of caches in one day NOTE you need a premium account with geocaching com to be able to make the most use of this feature Memory At least 500MB of memory will ensure that you can add enough cache listings other waypoints and tracks to your GPS device to keep you going for a day of geocaching Many devices also have a memory card slot that allows you to increase the basic memory of the unit and make it easier to switc
88. skills or equipment This is a serious mental or physical challenge Stars Difficulty Wheelchair accessible Paved pathways asphalt concrete or boardwalks Only slight elevation changes Easy to do in a wheelchair stroller bike etc No trail overgrowth Moderate terrain Trail is well packed dirt You could ride a regular bicycle or push a stroller on this trail without too much effort Elevation changes slight enough that someone could ride a bike up such a slope Light overgrowth that an adult could step over Challenging terrain Trail could be gravel sand mud etc or just an animal trail If you re riding a bike it had better be a mountain bike Elevation changes are so steep that you probably could not ride a bike up this slope but could push it up Overgrowth could be waist high and could include thorny or poisonous plants Experienced outdoor enthusiasts There is no real trail though you could be following a stream bed Severe elevation changes The only way up the slope is to use your hands Going down may require the use of your backside Very heavy overgrowth almost certain to include thorny or poisonous plants Special equipment required You may need a canoe kayak or equipment for diving mountain climbing ice climbing or caving spelunking for a few examples Geocaching Resource Guide e 55 Tags Some caches multi caches require you to go to a first location and get inform
89. sted below but you can get more detailed information about them on this web page www geocaching com about guidelines aspx Geocaching com s Geocache Placement Guidelines All local laws and documented land management policies apply You assure us that you have the landowner s and or land manager s permission before you hide any geocache whether placed on private or public property Geocaches are never buried neither partially nor completely Geocache placements do not damage deface or destroy public or private property Wildlife and the natural environment are not harmed in the pursuit of geocaching Geocaches are not placed in restricted prohibited or otherwise inappropriate locations Physical elements of different geocaches should be at least 0 10 miles 528 ft or 161 m apart Geocaches are allowed in space on other planets and in spacecraft Even if a location is legal it may not be a good choice if it causes concern about privacy and safety Caches should not be placed near someone s private property if it is likely to upset them or cause a disturbance some geocachers may come searching at night with flashlights as well if there is a dog in someone s yard it likely will not keep quiet if people are rustling in shrubs nearby Caches in or very near playgrounds or schools are especially awkward for adult geocachers who are geocaching alone As well do not place a cache in a dangerous spot such as n
90. t 710 Touchscreen Electronic compass The 600 and up models use both GPS and GLONASS satellite networks 450 and higher models have electronic compass 3 0 screen 550 and up models have a built in digital camera 650t model floats Touchscreen Electronic compass Can also be mounted horizontally in a car Gives spoken turn by turn voice directions 4 0 screen 650 and 650t models have a built in digital camera Touchscreen 510 and up 510 has built in camera 3 axis electronic compass 610 and 710 Built in camera microphone and speaker 610 and 710 3 axis electronic compass 2 2 screen Delorme Earthmate PN 60 Earthmate PN 60w Lowrance Endura Out amp Back Endura Safari This brand cannot load geocache files directly from geocaching com Geocaching Resource Guide e 15 Using a Smartphone as a GPS Device An option that is gaining in popularity is using a smart phone as a GPS device There are a few benefits and of course a few drawbacks Some benefits e f you have a generous enough data plan you can always have an up to date list of geocaches with you without having to download anything before you leave your house e If you are geocaching away from home you always have access to local caches and street maps Some drawbacks e Cell phones are not built for rugged outdoor use A waterproof case is a wise purchase Many styles are available including ziplock style plastic bags that can fit a
91. t a cache note English doc text Po Micro Cache doc 132 logs doc 64 e Geocaching Resource Guide 10 11 12 Click on online form Enter the name of your cache your geoname under Cache Placed By if it isn t already in the field Select which type of cache you are placing Check the boxes at the bottom to show that you have read and agree to the Terms of Use Agreement do read them first and that you have read and understand the Cache Listing Requirements and Guidelines Enter your cache coordinates then click on Check coordinates on map Once you are sure that the location is correct click on Continue If you have additional waypoints to include enter them Suggested parking or trailhead coordinates are always nice to include if there is any question about either To save any additional waypoints click on the little disk icon under Actions Once you are finished on this page click Continue The next page has boxes for a cache summary and cache description Under Cache Summary type in a short description of what geocachers can expect from your cache For instance This traditional cache will take you to the best lake sunset view in northern Saskatchewan Under Cache Description enter the longer description that you prepared earlier If you would like to e Include a hint select Yes after Include a hint Then enter the text
92. t spot but is every bit as beautiful or interesting Increased confidence Geocaching is fun but you do need to learn new skills to be successful at it Mastering the skills needed for geocaching will help increase your self confidence Meeting new people Geocaching events are regularly held in most large centres If you attend even one event every now and then you can meet a lot of other geocachers quickly As well you may bump into other geocachers in your area from time to time while heading to or from a cache And most geocachers are fun people to hang out with Family time Geocaching is an activity that a family can do together Young children often like to find the treasure in a cache and make exchanges for toys that they bring along Older family members can enjoy the time together to chat while heading to a cache or may like to combine geocaching with other hobbies New knowledge or skills Some caches require solving a puzzle before you can look for it To solve the puzzle you may have to look up information about a topic that is new to you or you may have to use a math formula or computer skill If you choose to do these types of caches and you don t have to you can increase your knowledge in areas that you wouldn t normally know a lot about Sharing your own knowledge When you place your own caches you can use it to bring other people to interesting areas that you know about You can also create your cache with a theme
93. te up to about 15 metres The less accurate the GPS device is the larger the area is that you will have to search for the cache Look for a GPS device that has a high sensitivity receiver is WAAS enabled or that tracks both GPS and GLONASS satellites Accuracy The two circles show the search areas with 5 metres and 15 metres accuracy Try standing in a parking lot and ask someone to measure 5 metres all around eee you and then 15 metres all around you accuracy to see the real world difference 15 metres accuracy Waterproof Your GPS device has to be able to work in all types of weather including rain and snow After all you don t want to have to turn around and go back if you are halfway to a cache when it starts to rain And accidents can happen to anyone whether it be dropping a GPS device into a puddle or falling into a creek geocachers call that getting a soaker Most newer GPS devices as well as many older models are waterproof to IPX 7 standard This means that they can stay under water to a depth of one meter for up to 30 minutes long enough in most cases to let you scoop it up before it is damaged Geocaching Resource Guide e 11 A few models are also buoyant they will float on top of the water If you plan to travel often to caches by water you may want to look for a GPS device with this feature but they are more expensive Topographic maps A topographic map is one that show
94. tell you the coordinates for the cache location 42 e Geocaching Resource Guide Routes This is like a connect the dots game for a GPS device You can create a route or path between several waypoints or caches This feature is sometimes used to create a giant X or other shape with the cache being at the centre Different models of GPS devices all work a little differently from the other ones To get directions for how to use a feature on your GPS device check the user manual Recalibrating To keep your GPS device as accurate as it can be every now and then it needs to be re adjusted or recalibrated Your user manual will have instructions You should recalibrate e After a battery change e After traveling a large distance quickly with the GPS device turned off such as a plane trip or e Anytime the compass is misbehaving for example pointing behind you when you know that the cache is ahead of you or when the accuracy is not as good as usual What is a Topographic Map and do I need it A topographic map has special markings that show you more detail about terrain than you see on normal road maps They show elevations how high above sea level an area is how steep or flat the land is where there are bodies of water vegetation and more They may also show public land Topographic maps use contour lines to show elevations When you look at a topographic map you will notice that sometimes the lines are far apart and
95. tendees If your plans change be sure to update or delete your log After the event remember to post an Attended log to get your smiley and provides coordinates to its location Event caches are often held at restaurants or community centres There is a logbook to sign and trackables are often exchanged After the event the cache is archived Mega Event Cache A mega event cache is an event cache that is attended by at least 500 people Mega events must offer at least one day of planned activities but there are often several days of additional activities Some mega events attract geocachers from all over the world and are held annually or bi annually Cache In Trash Out Event Cache In Trash Out CITO is an activity that recognizes the importance of the environment for geocaching anytime while searching for caches geocachers are encouraged to collect litter along the way and properly dispose of it Cache In Trash Out events are larger gatherings of geocachers that focus on cleaning up garbage removing invasive species planting new vegetation or building trails Often new caches are placed in an area where a CITO event is being held so that geocachers can hunt caches while they are working EarthCache An EarthCache is a location people can i peop Video YouTube GoGeocaching channel visit to learn about a unique geological feature The coordinates for an EarthCache are not for a container in fact
96. tion box will pop up Map Satellite ei The Easter Bunny s Mailbox GC25A07 Created by Wanuskewin Date Hidden 3 20 2010 Difficulty THH Terrain Cache Size Favorite Points As LB Bookmark H Send to GPS Ej Loa Visit Wsuuskewm _ Heritage Park Si The information box gives you quick information about the geocache Look to see how many blue stars come after the words Difficulty and Terrain Signs of a good first cache are e Difficulty only one blue star e Terrain no more than two blue stars e Cache Size red X in the second to fourth box it will be easier to find a regular or large size cache your first time e Favourite Points if it has a few favourite points that s great but don t worry if it has none it could be a newer geocache that hasn t had many visitors yet Now click on the cache title In the example it is The Easter Bunny s Mailbox The cache description page will load giving you more information about the cache On the next page you can see what the cache description looks like Read the description to find out any special instructions or detailed information you should know Geocaching Resource Guide e 27 7 The last point to check is the recent logs If they are all smileys Found it logs then the cache is likely where it should be ready for the next finder hopefully you 62 Logged Visits Sen Pi Q Decrypt 6 View Logbook View the Image Gallery Warning
97. to be shared with only the people who have actually seen the trackable that it belongs to 2 Hover your mouse over Play then select Find Trackables from the drop down menu This is the page that you will see Geocaching Resource Guide e 39 You can click here for instruct Geocaching gt Trackables Trackables Geocoins Collectible Geocoins comp in all shapi and sizes and can be tracked in the same way as Travel Bug Trackables Here you can log a geqroin you found activate a new geocoin locate geocoins near you ang find out how to create your own Geocoin Home Geocoin FAQ How to Log a Geocoin Geocoin Forums Retrieve an activation code Enter the Tracking Code of the Item ions Promotionals Travel Bug From time to time Groundspeak hosts promotions involving Trackables See some of the past and present promotions involving Geocaching com Trackables A Travel Bug is a Trackable that moves from place to place picking up stories along the way Here you can add your own story or live vicariously through each bug s adventures Garmin UK Geocoin Campaign GEICO Find the Gecko Sweepstakes Jeep 4 X 4 Geocaching Challenge Superchips Explore the Trails and Win See More Travel Bug Home Visit Travel Bug Gallery Travel Bug Forums Enter the tracking code here a The Tracking Code is the unique series of letters and numbers that appears on each item Search for
98. treet address or the name of your town or city e Once you have it adjusted click on Save changes 9 You can now make whatever other changes you wish to your profile remember online safety guidelines In the Your preferences box you may wish to change your time zone distance units and date format 10 And now for the fun part hover your cursor over Play and then click View geocache map It will be centred on your home location so you can see right away how close the nearest cache is Let the games begin How to Choose Your First Geocache Now that you have a geocaching account and you have Video told it where your home area is you are ready to find the YouTube caches that are nearby and choose a few that look good GoGeocaching channel to start with Selecting Your First Geocache 1 From the menu bar hover your mouse over Play then click on View Geocache Map Learn Your Profile Play Community T Shop T Partnering Videos Follow U Hide amp Seek a Cachy is a free ree Log a Cache locate hidden containers called ge using a smartphone or GPS Read our Guide to the Game View Geocache Map Find Trackables Help Center vg We wW 26 e Geocaching Resource Guide A map will open up that will be centred on your home coordinates You will see all the caches that are nearby To find a good starter cache look for this symbol on the map Click once on the symbol and an informa
99. you use this feature the GPS device tracks everywhere you go just like in the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel when Hansel drops the bread crumbs behind them to give them a trail to follow back home You can choose to have it always visible or you can choose to see it only when you need to Measure distance It can be hard to judge distance on a small GPS device screen If you need to know how far you are from the car for example if you marked a waypoint at the car you can just measure the distance It is useful to know how much farther you need to go if you are tired or have limited time Some advanced caches may also require you to measure distance and do some calculations to find the final coordinates Proximity circles proximity alarms or geofencing With this feature you can tell the GPS device to mark a circle or other shape in the case of geofencing around a certain waypoint or cache at whatever distance you choose The GPS device can display more than one proximity circle at a time so you can see where the circles overlap Some caches make use of this feature Projections From a geocache or waypoint you can create a new waypoint that is a certain distance at a certain bearing from a known waypoint For example you may know that the final cache coordinates are 175 metres from the huge rock you re standing next to at a bearing of 100 When you enter the distance and bearing into the projection function the GPS device will

4-H Geocaching Project - Government of Prince Edward Island

Contents

Download Pdf Manuals

Related Search

Related Contents