[Sleepychick]

I don't have a smart phone. Is there a way to get email notifications when there is a new cache in a set area? I'd love to get a "first to find". Thank you for your info.

[The A-Team]

Notifications only work with email addresses. Those that are getting them in text message form are using a conversion process provided by their cell provider called email-to-SMS which converts the emails into texts. If you want them sent to your email address, then you can certainly do so. You can follow the instructions listed here.

[Max and 99]

Sleepychick, on 17 April 2012 - 09:17 PM, said:

I don't have a smart phone. Is there a way to get email notifications when there is a new cache in a set area? I'd love to get a "first to find". Thank you for your info.

You don't need a smart phone. Just set up notifications on your computer at home. That's how we've done it for years.

[StarBrand]

http://geocaching.com/notify

[Sleepychick]

StarBrand, on 18 April 2012 - 07:02 AM, said:

http://geocaching.com/notify

Thanks everyone. Will do as you've advised.

[tdheot]

What are the advantages of being first to find? There are plenty in my area already, so why shouldn't I focus on finding established ones?

Planning to go find my first one tomorrow, so should I go for an already established one or the newest one?

[Pup Patrol]

tdheot, on 27 April 2012 - 01:32 PM, said:

What are the advantages of being first to find? There are plenty in my area already, so why shouldn't I focus on finding established ones?

Planning to go find my first one tomorrow, so should I go for an already established one or the newest one?

"First to find" is a sort of side game / competition that some folks like to play. There's no extra credit, as far as Groundspeak is concerned. As far as your Groundspeak stats go, a find is a find.

The "advantage" of finding newer caches is that they haven't had time to degrade, or wander from their original hiding location.

"Established" caches can get rather shopworn over the years, unless the owner is meticulous about maintenance and upkeep.

It's up to you which you prefer to try and find. Sometimes, trying for FTF is a major disappointment. Cache owner hasn't physically placed the cache yet, or maybe has some bad coords. You could end up being a beta tester.

Me...I prefer to let others go first and see how things go by reading their logs.



B.

[tdheot]

Pup Patrol, on 27 April 2012 - 01:59 PM, said:

tdheot, on 27 April 2012 - 01:32 PM, said:

What are the advantages of being first to find? There are plenty in my area already, so why shouldn't I focus on finding established ones?

Planning to go find my first one tomorrow, so should I go for an already established one or the newest one?

"First to find" is a sort of side game / competition that some folks like to play. There's no extra credit, as far as Groundspeak is concerned. As far as your Groundspeak stats go, a find is a find.

The "advantage" of finding newer caches is that they haven't had time to degrade, or wander from their original hiding location.

"Established" caches can get rather shopworn over the years, unless the owner is meticulous about maintenance and upkeep.

It's up to you which you prefer to try and find. Sometimes, trying for FTF is a major disappointment. Cache owner hasn't physically placed the cache yet, or maybe has some bad coords. You could end up being a beta tester.

Me...I prefer to let others go first and see how things go by reading their logs.



B.

Cool, thanks.

Couldn't a placer be penalized for saying that a cache is there, but "beta testers" finding that it's not?

[The A-Team]

tdheot, on 27 April 2012 - 05:16 PM, said:

Couldn't a placer be penalized for saying that a cache is there, but "beta testers" finding that it's not?

There's no penalty, but you won't look very good in the eyes of other local cachers.