Geocaching

[Jantar]

If there are KB's doing it why has nobody else spoken up before - I did a search and it came up completely blank?!

You are right. A search doesn't show up anything, yet this topic has come up before.

There are a few of us on here who do it as a wasy of getting to some out of the way places. Here's a couple in Central Otago placed by KBers for next time you are down this way.

GCRRMV: Stumped in Central (Central Otago)

GC10YTH: Reposted (Central Otago)

[warewolf]

I find it kinda hard reading a map when traveling at speed on a bike though

That's where the GPS shines, if you have your route plotted it will show you which direction to turn as you approach an intersection.

The downside is that you don't stop on the corner and take in your surroundings, or discover really neat places 'by accident'.

The other reasons I'm not a big fan is that they don't work in caves or very well to find cave entrances. They don't work very well against rock walls such as in a gorge, sinkhole or creek bed (when a large portion of the sky is blocked), don't work very well under dense tree cover (like in a sinkhole or creek on an otherwise cleared farm) and they don't have the resolution to reliably take you to a 30cm diameter hole - particularly given all the aforementioned complications - or a particular hole of many within say a 10-15m radius. People do use them to map cave locations, but it's quite hit-and-miss. Grid reference and description are just as good.

[mbazza]

I've been doing 'it' for about four years, on and off the bike. Gives a good reason to get into some interesting country. Cheers.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Ever need an excuse to ride or stop somewhere different, want a reason to travel to areas you never been to before? Have a go at Geocashing - see this site for details. Basically people stash small contains with a logbook and maybe some small trinkets at a location then publish the coordinates and a hint on the site. All you have to do is upload the coords to a GPS unit then go hunting, write your details in the log book, and if you take something then put something back.

My better half does this and enjoys it... I have done a couple as well...

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

GCRRMV: Stumped in Central (Central Otago)

GC10YTH: Reposted (Central Otago)

I believe we will be looking for these on the weekend of the 11th august 07

[Zukin]

Me too

Although I haven't done any for a few months, we enjoy getting to out of the way places.

Cheers Scott

[cooneyr]

Got my first cache yesterday (GCH7F4). Dont have a GPSr yet but put the coords into Topomap and took a punt. Found it first attempt. Did it as part of the Pommie Git ride.

Looking forward to getting the GPSr and getting into it proper.

Cheers R

[Steam]

Thread dredge!

I want to do some Geocaching as I am tramping heaps this year, and as I tramp up a valley I just know there are caches in them thar hills.

So what's the minimum in bargain basement second-hand GPS units that have the accuracy to start out as my first geocaching GPS?

There's heaps of old Garmin GPS-12's and GPS-38's floating around on trademe for about $80, will they do the trick? Or are they too old, should I spend a little more to get something newer, say, $160 or so?

I don't

need an excuse to go

geocaching from a bike

and enjoy it

[cooneyr]

Thread dredge!

I want to do some Geocaching as I am tramping heaps this year, and as I tramp up a valley I just know there are caches in them thar hills.

So what's the minimum in bargain basement second-hand GPS units that have the accuracy to start out as my first geocaching GPS?

There's heaps of old Garmin GPS-12's and GPS-38's floating around on trademe for about $80, will they do the trick? Or are they too old, should I spend a little more to get something newer, say, $160 or so?

As long as you can enter a coordinate (waypoint) you can use it for geocaching. It would be very nice to have usb PC connection and it would be pretty much esential to have a high sensitivity reciever if you are going to be in the bush (you are tramping in the NI right?)

The cheapest unit I'd recommended is the garmin etrex H because of the high sensitivity receiver (H stands for high sensitivity). You would have to get a serial to USB converter if you dont have a serial port and want to connect to a PC though.

Other than H reciever that from what I remember of the old GPS 12 my last work has (about 5 years ago) there is not a huge difference between it and the eTrex.

Cheers R

[Finn]

I was at a function about a month ago and joined in on a conversation with about 8 people talking about Geocaching. Once this guy explained it, there was a moment of silence and I said "What a complete waste of time" and walked off.

[scumdog]

I was at a function about a month ago and joined in on a conversation with about 8 people talking about Geocaching. Once this guy explained it, there was a moment of silence and I said "What a complete waste of time" and walked off.

Felt left out huh??

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I was at a function about a month ago and joined in on a conversation with about 8 people talking about Geocaching. Once this guy explained it, there was a moment of silence and I said "What a complete waste of time" and walked off.

gotta have a hobby... forums a complete waste of time

[Finn]

forums a complete waste of time

I agree but no one else sees me doing it... apart from you guys and probably my IT department.

[Finn]

Felt left out huh??

Don't tell me Scummy is a Geocachisist!

[NordieBoy]

The cheapest unit I'd recommended is the garmin etrex H because of the high sensitivity receiver (H stands for high sensitivity). You would have to get a serial to USB converter if you dont have a serial port and want to connect to a PC though.

The problem there is that with the high sensitivity reciever you know more accuratly where you are you do not know what error margin the GPSd the person who placed the cache had

Just for geocaching an old yellow eTrex is more work but fine and something like the original Legend will let you upload a lot more caches to it and have a bit of mapping for less than $200