First Hide help needed

[+silring]

Hi,

 

I just hit 107 caches found and am ready to hide my own. I can't for the life of me figure out how to use my iphone 4s to figure out the compass coordinates to post for my hide. Do I need to purchase a handheld gps unit that has that option? Is my iphone so old that the coordinates option is not there? Do I need to download a special compass app? Thanks for any help!!

[+kunarion]

Hi,

 

I just hit 107 caches found and am ready to hide my own. I can't for the life of me figure out how to use my iphone 4s to figure out the compass coordinates to post for my hide. Do I need to purchase a handheld gps unit that has that option? Is my iphone so old that the coordinates option is not there? Do I need to download a special compass app? Thanks for any help!!

Download Commander Compass. The free version is great for getting coords in any format you like, and for testing those coords.

 

In the Geocaching App, you can save a waypoint if you are navigating to a cache. So that's a way to do that without another App.

Edited July 19, 2016 by kunarion

[+wmpastor]

As Ku said, the GPSr is in the phone (same with Android), but you need an app or a widget to display it.

[+L0ne.R]

I use several (and my gps unit because I have a gps (a Garmin 62s) - it's a bit of a lemon so I like to compare its results to my app results).

I have an iPhone 6s. Apps I use:

 

Free GPS

Coordinates

Commander

Easy GPS

(all of the above are free)

 

I hear that Perfect Mark is very good. There's a small fee.

 

Use several apps and then compare your coordinates and average them. Then see if you can you return to that averaged set of coordinates

Edited July 19, 2016 by L0ne.R

[+briansnat]

As others mentioned, there are apps, but many phones are find for finding caches, but notoriously terrible with obtaining good coordinates for hiding. You may be better off getting an inexpensive handheld GPS if you think you will be hiding more than a cache or two. A Garmin eTrex 10 is inexpensive and will do the job very well.

[+niraD]

If you don't trust your coordinates, then test them.

 

Enter your coordinates into your device, and then approach the cache location from at least 100ft/30m away. The arrow should point right at the cache location as you approach. Repeat the process, approaching the cache location from various directions, from at least 100ft/30m away each time. No matter which direction you approach from, the arrow should point right at the cache location.

 

If it doesn't, then adjust your coordinates until it does.

 

Bonus points for repeating the test on another day when the GPS satellites are in a different configuration.

 

Also, the Help Center article How to Get Accurate Coordinates should prove useful.

[ohgood]

Hi,

 

I just hit 107 caches found and am ready to hide my own. I can't for the life of me figure out how to use my iphone 4s to figure out the compass coordinates to post for my hide. Do I need to purchase a handheld gps unit that has that option? Is my iphone so old that the coordinates option is not there? Do I need to download a special compass app? Thanks for any help!!

 

use a waypoint averaging (app) to get good coordinates. place the cache, then use the app again, you'll see good results. there is no difference in accuracy between standalone units and smartphones

[+silring]

Thank you everyone!! Some great help from you all!!

[+Lellynelly]

Alternatively, there is a much easier way when you log the hide and it asks for location, if you open another page onto google maps and click on the exact spot it gives the co-ordinates. these can then just be copied and pasted in. My son has done it like that every time, No phone or gps needed

[+silring]

Alternatively, there is a much easier way when you log the hide and it asks for location, if you open another page onto google maps and click on the exact spot it gives the co-ordinates. these can then just be copied and pasted in. My son has done it like that every time, No phone or gps needed

 

Hi, don't I need to hide it first? I am confused, not sure how you log a geocache that isn't LIVE, yet?

[+Mudfrog]

Alternatively, there is a much easier way when you log the hide and it asks for location, if you open another page onto google maps and click on the exact spot it gives the co-ordinates. these can then just be copied and pasted in. My son has done it like that every time, No phone or gps needed

 

Hi, don't I need to hide it first? I am confused, not sure how you log a geocache that isn't LIVE, yet?

 

I think Lellynelly is saying to hide your cache then use the map to find the location during the submission process. While doing it this way can work, i don't think it's the way to routinely hide caches. Using that method, there are more variables that can lead to bad coordinates. Imo, i think you need to obtain your own coordinates using your own device. A lot of people are using phones to hide these days and are doing ok but, again my opinion, a dedicated handheld gpsr may be easier to use and more accurate.

 

I don't know about the newer official geocaching app but if it's like the older paid version, the process to obtain new coordinates is not intuitive at all. I tried to use it in a pinch a while back and after fighting with it for half an hour, googled to see if it could be done. It can, in a round about way. As said above, you have to already be navigating to a cache, then hit your phone options button to find the "destination" tab. Here you can tick the "use your current location" button to bring up coordinates. I don't think there is any way to average so i'd bet you have to trial and error it to get good results. Again, this is using the older app so anything newer may have different steps.

[+silring]

Alternatively, there is a much easier way when you log the hide and it asks for location, if you open another page onto google maps and click on the exact spot it gives the co-ordinates. these can then just be copied and pasted in. My son has done it like that every time, No phone or gps needed

 

Hi, don't I need to hide it first? I am confused, not sure how you log a geocache that isn't LIVE, yet?

 

I think Lellynelly is saying to hide your cache then use the map to find the location during the submission process. While doing it this way can work, i don't think it's the way to routinely hide caches. Using that method, there are more variables that can lead to bad coordinates. Imo, i think you need to obtain your own coordinates using your own device. A lot of people are using phones to hide these days and are doing ok but, again my opinion, a dedicated handheld gpsr may be easier to use and more accurate.

 

I don't know about the newer official geocaching app but if it's like the older paid version, the process to obtain new coordinates is not intuitive at all. I tried to use it in a pinch a while back and after fighting with it for half an hour, googled to see if it could be done. It can, in a round about way. As said above, you have to already be navigating to a cache, then hit your phone options button to find the "destination" tab. Here you can tick the "use your current location" button to bring up coordinates. I don't think there is any way to average so i'd bet you have to trial and error it to get good results. Again, this is using the older app so anything newer may have different steps.

 

Thank you!

[+Lellynelly]

Sorry I may not have made myself clear. First I decide where I want to hide it and I go on the geocaching map to check there are none nearby, then I go out and hide it. While I am at the location I check the co-ords on my phone and do the 'walk away and then back' thing just to double/triple check and I write them down. Once home I log the hide and submit it putting in the co-ords my phone has given me. My son will do the same but he doesn't have the phone app so when he is submitting his he goes on to google, clicks on the spot, and gets the co-ords from there to submit.

Yes you do have to hide it first before submitting it, because it obviously needs to be in place when it goes live.

 

Everyone has their preference about phone vs gps, but I have never had any problems with either.

 

Lellynelly

Edited July 21, 2016 by Lellynelly

[+NanCycle]

Sorry I may not have made myself clear. First I decide where I want to hide it and I go on the geocaching map to check there are none nearby, then I go out and hide it. While I am at the location I check the co-ords on my phone and do the 'walk away and then back' thing just to double/triple check and I write them down. Once home I log the hide and submit it putting in the co-ords my phone has given me. My son will do the same but he doesn't have the phone app so when he is submitting his he goes on to google, clicks on the spot, and gets the co-ords from there to submit.

Yes you do have to hide it first before submitting it, because it obviously needs to be in place when it goes live.

 

Everyone has their preference about phone vs gps, but I have never had any problems with either.

 

Lellynelly

 

Good, except for one thing. If your son doesn't have the phone app or a GPS, let him use yours. Never, ever, rely on Google Maps to get the coordinates. You might get lucky and get accurate coordinates, but you might be pretty far off and if so you will have a lot of angry cache seekers.

[+coman123]

Another option is to contact another local geocacher with a GPS and have them BETA test your cache before submitting it for review, and by BETA testing I mean give them the Lat/Long of your cache and have them goto the location.

 

When I BETA test caches for others I usually sign the back page of the log and write (beta tested) beside my name. I never take a FTF

 

If for some reason your coordinates are off, they can mark them with their GPS