Placing a new cache

[sd12013]

I wanted to place my first cache today but wasn't allowed to log its location for some reason. The site said it had to be somewhere outside the red circles shown on the map during the submission process which contained three overlapping red circles that encompassed the entire park and trails where I was. I'm trying to figure out why I couldn't place my cache inside any of the red circles but somehow the three existing caches all overlap each other. How did they do it? The place I chose was significantly away from the next nearest cache and I've found caches in the past that were much closer to each other than mine would have been to the next closest. Anyone have some insight?

[+doc73]

NO cache can fall within 528 of another (the red circle is a 528ft radius around the cache). The red circles can overlap because the physical cache container would be at the center of the red circle and is not within the circle of another cache. Does that make sense?

 

EDIT: BTW, welcome aboard.

Edited March 22, 2015 by doc73

[+noncentric]

Just wanted to mention that there are other considerations for the distance rules, besides just the red circles.

 

The red circles are shown around physical caches where the final coordinates are published in the cache listing (ie, traditionals). New caches have to be at least 528 ft from physical caches. If your cache is within one of the red circles, then that means your cache is within 528 ft of another physical cache. If your cache is further than 528 ft, then the red circle around your cache will overlap the other caches nearby, but your cache will not be within a circle from another cache. That's why it's okay for caches to have overlapping circles.

 

The other issue that's more difficult to plan around is that the physical stages of multi and mystery caches are not shown on the 'red circle' map. If you found a location that isn't near a red circle at all, then it may still be denied based on distance rules if it's within 528 ft of a multi or mystery cache...and a single multi cache could have multiple physical stages, in which case a new cache has to be at least 528 ft from each of those physical stages.

 

Below are a couple links that should be useful. It's advisable to read through these before investing a lot of time/money in creating a cache for a specific location. No reason to create a cache for that perfect location if that location isn't available after all. Good luck and welcome to the hobby.

• Geocache Listing Requirements/Guidelines -- Distance rules noted and diagrammed in guideline 1.7
  
• Hiding a Geocache - Help Center -- Saturation discussed in item 1.12
  

[+Touchstone]

....I've found caches in the past that were much closer to each other than mine would have been to the next closest.

 

In the past, some exceptions were made. Nowadays, the exceptions are very rare/non existent. The main thing to keep in mind is...

 

Please be advised that there is no precedent for placing geocaches.

[+NanCycle]

The place I chose was significantly away from the next nearest cache . . . . Anyone have some insight?

 

How far, exactly, is this "significantly" of which you speak? The minimum distance required is 528 ft (161 m). And it applies to the final location of "Mystery" or "Puzzle" caches as well as all physical stages of a "Multi"; all of these will not show up on the map. The only way to know where they are is to solve them/find them.

 

Sounds like you probably need to look somewhere else to find a good spot for your first hide. Meanwhile, enjoy finding a wide variety of caches.

[Keystone]

It's also possible that something about your coordinates got "lost in translation." Did you measure your coordinates, and input them into the cache submission page, in decimal minutes format, rather than degrees/minutes/seconds? That's a frequent mistake. Your cache may indeed be far from others like you said.

[+Pahonex]

Just wanted to mention that there are other considerations for the distance rules, besides just the red circles.

 

The other issue that's more difficult to plan around is that the physical stages of multi and mystery caches are not shown on the 'red circle' map. If you found a location that isn't near a red circle at all, then it may still be denied based on distance rules if it's within 528 ft of a multi or mystery cache...and a single multi cache could have multiple physical stages, in which case a new cache has to be at least 528 ft from each of those physical stages.

 

 

I'm having this exact problem. I check coordinates for proposed new cache locations to make sure they are far enough away from nearby caches, install them, they get denied due to "hidden/secrete" waypoints and I have to go uninstall them. Why don't the waypoints show up on the search? What is a hidden waypoint anyway? The most recent conflicting one is a seven stage multicache. It had coordinates listed for each stage and they are all over 3,000' from my proposed cache location.

[+TriciaG]

The waypoints won't show up in the search because the unscrupulous could use that method to find the final coordinates to puzzle or other caches with hidden waypoints.

 

Hidden waypoints are ones that are not shown, because you have to solve a puzzle or get the coordinates from earlier stages of the multicache. The 7 stage multicache you are referring to probably has a final cache, the coordinates of which are gathered from the containers at the published, visible waypoints.

 

What I do when setting up a new cache is get the coordinates, and set up the cache page *before* putting out a container. Name the cache "Coordinate Check", and once the reviewer says the site is OK, put out the cache and enable the listing. That saves you an extra trip to retrieve your container if the coords are not OK.

[+DarkZen]

 

What I do when setting up a new cache is get the coordinates, and set up the cache page *before* putting out a container. Name the cache "Coordinate Check", and once the reviewer says the site is OK, put out the cache and enable the listing. That saves you an extra trip to retrieve your container if the coords are not OK.

Question: do you submit the cache for publication and after it's approved disable it until you place it? Because I don't see how a reviewer would say its OK otherwise. I'm always looking for a better way to do this.

[+niraD]

What I do when setting up a new cache is get the coordinates, and set up the cache page *before* putting out a container. Name the cache "Coordinate Check", and once the reviewer says the site is OK, put out the cache and enable the listing. That saves you an extra trip to retrieve your container if the coords are not OK.

Question: do you submit the cache for publication and after it's approved disable it until you place it? Because I don't see how a reviewer would say its OK otherwise. I'm always looking for a better way to do this.

When you create the cache listing, let the reviewer know that you're just confirming that the location is free, and that you don't have the cache in place yet. I've done that when the camouflage I planned was specific to the location and couldn't be relocated easily if the location wasn't available.

 

See also the Help Center article Checking for Geocache Saturation.