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No longer a 'Muggle'


Edgunn

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My family have enjoyed this week Geocaching using the geocache intro app on iphone4. We have had some successes and several DNF but intend to go back. We are considering purchasing a dedicated GPS as the intro app doesn't seem to allow me to use it offline (should I upgrade to the paid app, would this allow offline geocaching?) as a number of times we have been stuck as we loose mobile reception. Also one last question if we purchase a handheld GPS will we have to become premium members of Geocaching?

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My family have enjoyed this week Geocaching using the geocache intro app on iphone4. We have had some successes and several DNF but intend to go back. We are considering purchasing a dedicated GPS as the intro app doesn't seem to allow me to use it offline (should I upgrade to the paid app, would this allow offline geocaching?) as a number of times we have been stuck as we loose mobile reception. Also one last question if we purchase a handheld GPS will we have to become premium members of Geocaching?

 

I'll just answer one of your questions. You do not have to be a premium member of Geocaching to cache with a handheld GPS. If you do get the GPS you can take your time in deciding whether premium membership would be useful to you.

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My family have enjoyed this week Geocaching using the geocache intro app on iphone4. We have had some successes and several DNF but intend to go back. We are considering purchasing a dedicated GPS as the intro app doesn't seem to allow me to use it offline (should I upgrade to the paid app, would this allow offline geocaching?) as a number of times we have been stuck as we loose mobile reception. Also one last question if we purchase a handheld GPS will we have to become premium members of Geocaching?

 

I'll just answer one of your questions. You do not have to be a premium member of Geocaching to cache with a handheld GPS. If you do get the GPS you can take your time in deciding whether premium membership would be useful to you.

 

I'll answer another. The full app does allow for offline caching.

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That about covers the questions, so I'll answer a question that hasn't been asked....Would we be better off purchasing the paid app, a dedicated GPS, Premium membership, or some combination of the three? Glad you asked.

 

I would strongly recommend purchasing the paid app first. It's the least costly of the three options but the one that will afford you the most benefit. You can cache along very happily for quite a while with the app and nothing else.

 

Someday, you may have a long, fun day of caching cut short when your phone battery drains down. Or you may have a close call dropping your expensive smart phone down a rocky slope or into a creek. That's the time you'll start thinking about a dedicated GPS. Or perhaps you're the careful type and get along just fine with the phone. Many thousands of prolific cachers have never used anything but a smart phone and are perfectly content.

 

Likewise, once you read up on the benefits of Premium membership and have gained some caching experience, you will know whether that is right for you. Again, some folks cache along contentedly for years and never feel the need for Premium membership.

 

But I'd suggest the app first.

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Someday, you may have a long, fun day of caching cut short when your phone battery drains down. Or you may have a close call dropping your expensive smart phone down a rocky slope or into a creek.

Or it rains.

 

The other point is that there is more than one app, and it's worth trying others. I would concur with Chief that it might be best to use a phone app for a while until you decide to invest further.

 

I use a combination of things, but primarily GSAK (for maintaining an offline database so that I can download thousands of cache details via Premium Membership then filter and sort easily) and an Etrex 20 (download selected caches to this and not have to worry about battery usage or wetness).

 

I haven't come across the perfect solution yet, but this works best for me.

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Have a look at C:geo first of all it's free and it works very well

 

plus with a work round you can down load cache info to your phone

 

and it works off line too

 

Workaround? It's not really a work around...

Not that I know anything about this appph34r.gif

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Thank you for all your support and advice. Unfortunately GSAK is not free to download on the iPhone although I think I may be able to download version 7 on the PC. Also C:geo is not available on the iPhone.

For now we are going to stick with the Groundspeak paid app as the intro has served us well on our first few caches and will continue to look into handheld GPS, keeping our eye on the car boot sale forum and ask around to borrow one to try them out.

The geocaching bug has bitten and we will continue, my family are now eager to find a trackable. Thank you again for all your advice.

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Thank you for all your support and advice. Unfortunately GSAK is not free to download on the iPhone although I think I may be able to download version 7 on the PC. Also C:geo is not available on the iPhone.

For now we are going to stick with the Groundspeak paid app as the intro has served us well on our first few caches and will continue to look into handheld GPS, keeping our eye on the car boot sale forum and ask around to borrow one to try them out.

The geocaching bug has bitten and we will continue, my family are now eager to find a trackable. Thank you again for all your advice.

 

GSAK. Don't bother with V7. Go for V8.

It's free to download, and you get 21 days 'Nag free' after which a Nag screen asks if you want to register. It will still work, but the nag screens are more frequent, and remain longer! :laughing:

GSAK has a steep learning curve, and to get the best out of it, you really need to be a Premium Member.

 

Often worth attending events. Most cachers are happy to talk 'Kit' and it gives you a chance to see what others use, and hear what they think of it.

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If you do buy a handheld, I'd recommend a Garmin. Maybe not the Etrex 10 which I have, as it's a bit basic and doesn't have mapping software. I like it because I do a lot of caching on foot and it's more of an adventure just following a black arrow, but I would imagine that in a car it might be a bit crap. It's cheap though - think I paid £60 for mine. I've met quite a few people using the Etrex 20, which is the next one up and does have mapping.

 

Whether or not you use a phone app or a dedicated GPS depends on whether you intend to spend more time in urban locations or rural. I'm caching in the East Neuk of Scotland, where most times you can't get a mobile signal for love nor money. But a GPS works fine. Plus even the most basic GPS systems have a trackback system in case you get lost and mine has the advantage of being far tougher and more waterproof than an iPhone will ever be. My GPS has bounced down cliffs, fallen into burns and run out of power numerous times. Usually a quick wipe with a towel, a new set of batteries and we are good to go. Can't say that about most smartphones!

 

I bought a GPS first, then bought Premium membership once I'd exhausted all the regular caches and wanted access to the Premium only ones.

Edited by fallen121
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I did it the other way round. Bought a GPS on ebay and pressed the button "Geocaches" saying "What's that?" and became hooked. I was an ordinary member for 2 weeks before realising that it made sense to become a premium member.

 

Add to that the GC.com and GC Buddy apps on the iPhone which I usually work in tandem with the GPS (although occasionally use without it), and that's me set.

 

Over the years, it's been interesting when caching with others to see other methods employed. More than one road to Rome.

 

:)

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