[Az-Geocaching] Help! Inaccurate Coordinates & Missing Cache

[Robert & Linda Smith]

Dear SquishyGecko,

I just love that user name!!  I can not comment on the missing stuff as 
I have not placed a cache yet, nor have I found one that was plundered.

My wife and I use Garmin 12 GPS's which read the same on each one when 
we are approaching a cache.  We have found that the accuracy between 
where the cache is located, the coordinates listed and the actual cache 
can be 15 to 30 feet different.  We have also found some caches where 
the reading is dead on.  Some of the discrepancies could be due to the 
signal strength of the satellites you are receiving and/or fad and 
bounce from buildings, rocks, trees, metal structures, etc.  I remember 
a cache up here by me, Prescott, that I swore I was standing on top of 
it by the readings.  It turned out that I was about 25 to 30 feet away 
and I blame it on the pine trees around me.  My wife actually found this 
very cleverly hidden cache.  I trust my GPS to get me close and try to 
use my hunting sense to find some of the better hides.  Another test you 
can try is to go back, if you have time, to your cache, approach it from 
a different angle if possible and a couple of times during the day or 
evening.  Take an average of your readings and see if you haven't come 
in a little closer to coordinates you have posted.  If not then a small 
change in the posted coordinates might be in order.  I tend to believe 
some of the people who have been caching a lot longer than I have if 
they suggest a reading is off a bit.  On the other hand, the time of 
day, surrounding buildings, nearby trees, over passes, etc. etc. can and 
will affect reading in our receivers.

Bottom line, in my opinion, you may or may not have a problem with the 
posted coordinates.

Best to you and yours,  Bob Smith, 1/2 of Team Petite Elite

SquishyGecko wrote:

>Recently Brian from Team A.I. posted a log entry to Gecko's Urban Adventure
>in which he wrote that the coordinates were approximately thirty feet off
>from what I had posted on the listing.  Along with this, yesterday evening I
>went venturing around checking some of my other caches, and noticed that the
>coordinates, while close on some, where not so close on others.  Using a
>Magellan Meridian Gold now, is there any reason at all why this would be
>happening, and how do I make it stop happening?
>
>Also, I located one of my caches with the top hanging open and everything
>removed yesterday.  I recall some discussion about a pirate stealing from
>caches, however I thought that individual had been stopped.  Anyone have any
>thoughts on this?  For the moment I've removed the cache, temporarily
>disabled it, and may put it back later.
>
>Thanks!
>
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