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

[Trisha]

I wanted to chime in and say "DITTO" to Andy's response.

When placing a cache, I do exactly that kind of physical averaging
with the GPS (let it settle, move off, come back and settle, etc)
followed by a quick mental averaging of the readings. I try to take 6
readings from at least 4 different directions, write them down, and
then average the readings approximately. So far, using that method,
the readings of the caches I have hidden have been fairly accurate.
(With one exception....anyone remember my cache up at Goldwater Lake
in Prescott? "All That Glitters....". Those coords were at least 60
feet off due to the messy satellite reception from the trees, but
luckily it was pretty obvious where the cache was hidden since the
actual coords left you standing in the middle of a blank area in the
forest with a pile of branches and trimmings 60 feet away. I moved it
when I realized that was a slash pile for burning....)

I just had a FIRST "FIRST TO NOT FIND" (FTNF) that I am quite proud
of....graldrich's "Cordes Junction" cache. Good luck finding that
sucker!!!

Trisha "Lightning"
Prescott



On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 08:45:37 -0700, "Andrew Ayre" wrote:

> 
> What I do to try and ensure an accurate measurement of where I
placed a
> cache, and hasn't failed on me yet:
> 
> Stand at the cache for a couple of minutes allowing the GPS unit to
> "settle
> down". Mark a waypoint.
> Walk away from the cache anywhere from 20ft - 60ft (as far as the
> vegetation
> will allow) and walk back to the cache. Wait a moment. Mark a
> waypoint. I
> repeat this step three or four times walking away and coming back
from
> different directions.
> I then look at all the waypoints I marked and pick a middle one or
the
> consensus (basically a quick mental averaging).
> 
> A cache that has been messed with could be anyone - kids, someone
with
> a
> gps, dog, etc. IMO if you leave a box with stuff in it lying around,
> expect
> it to be messed with at some point. Just rehide it in a better
> location.
> 
> Andy
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com
> [mailto:az-geocaching-admin@listserv.azgeocaching.com]On Behalf Of
> SquishyGecko
> Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 8:36 AM
> To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
> Subject: [Az-Geocaching] Help! Inaccurate Coordinates & Missing Cache
> 
> 
> 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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