Geocaching is taking the world by storm! More and more people are joining in on the fun by playing this high-tech version of the old hide and seek game we all grew up playing. Like a treasure hunt geocaching involves hiding and seeking using a GPS receiver such as the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator that participants use in order to hide and seek containers (called caches). These containers can be hidden anywhere in the world. The word geocache comes from combining geo for geography, and cache which is a space that is used by people who enjoy camping and hiking in which to store some kinds of provisions.
Geocaching is essentially a high-tech game of hide-and-seek and shares several features with trigpointing, treasure-hunting, benchmarking, letterboxing, waymarking and orienteering. A standard cache is a waterproof small container that contains a logbook where a geocacher logs in the date he located it. Large plastic containers (ammo boxes) can contain objects for exchange. These objects may be trinkets or toys with little value.
Geocaches are, at present, positioned in more than 100 countries all over the world and on every continent, counting Antarctica. There are more than 1.2 million geocaches actively published on different websites that are dedicated solely to this particular activity.
In order to participate in this sport a geocacher must be in possession of a GPS unit. By utilizing this device they can determine with impressive accuracy their exact location and that of the cache. The system is accurate to about twenty feet no matter where it is on the planet. In order to navigate from one place to another this device is used. Certain devices like the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator come equipped with their own electronic devices that enable them to download maps and images as need, as well as a voice navigation system. Not all GPS units offer these features however. When you use the GPS it is important to remember that it does not signal the user's location to anyone but the use of the unit because it is designed as a receiver, receiving signals from many satellites that are orbiting the earth. The more signals it receives the greater the accuracy it provides. Using a process called trilateration the unit is able to pinpoint the location.
Before buying any GPS unit for the geocaching expedition, one has to decide whether to limit his geocaching activity in the city or to go after caches hidden everywhere in the world and in various types of topography. Geocaching within city limits would require units that would continuously receive signal even if the geocacher is standing between two twenty-story buildings or walking down a very busy street.
Sometimes the cacher has to find a target that is not hidden on land but is hidden offshore. In such a scenario the unit that is used will need marine capabilities. Some people prefer to track caches that are hidden on land, meaning anything from in a river to up a tree. Because of this the GPS receiver you use will need to be not only waterproof but also very durable. Some geocaches are more serious about the game than others. Those that don't take it all that seriously and play mostly for fun is usually content to use a GPS unit that is durable but not that expensive. More hardcore geocaches prefer using a more advanced GPS receiver like the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator. Whatever your choice of unit there are features that you should look for and considerations to make before you join a game in order to get the most out of it.
The unit that you ultimately select needs to be reliable, highly durable, lightweight, and of course, waterproof. Make sure that the screen display is clear and that it has a good signal. Also take note of the battery life and choose one that offers the most and fits in with your budget.
Geocaching is essentially a high-tech game of hide-and-seek and shares several features with trigpointing, treasure-hunting, benchmarking, letterboxing, waymarking and orienteering. A standard cache is a waterproof small container that contains a logbook where a geocacher logs in the date he located it. Large plastic containers (ammo boxes) can contain objects for exchange. These objects may be trinkets or toys with little value.
Geocaches are, at present, positioned in more than 100 countries all over the world and on every continent, counting Antarctica. There are more than 1.2 million geocaches actively published on different websites that are dedicated solely to this particular activity.
In order to participate in this sport a geocacher must be in possession of a GPS unit. By utilizing this device they can determine with impressive accuracy their exact location and that of the cache. The system is accurate to about twenty feet no matter where it is on the planet. In order to navigate from one place to another this device is used. Certain devices like the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator come equipped with their own electronic devices that enable them to download maps and images as need, as well as a voice navigation system. Not all GPS units offer these features however. When you use the GPS it is important to remember that it does not signal the user's location to anyone but the use of the unit because it is designed as a receiver, receiving signals from many satellites that are orbiting the earth. The more signals it receives the greater the accuracy it provides. Using a process called trilateration the unit is able to pinpoint the location.
Before buying any GPS unit for the geocaching expedition, one has to decide whether to limit his geocaching activity in the city or to go after caches hidden everywhere in the world and in various types of topography. Geocaching within city limits would require units that would continuously receive signal even if the geocacher is standing between two twenty-story buildings or walking down a very busy street.
Sometimes the cacher has to find a target that is not hidden on land but is hidden offshore. In such a scenario the unit that is used will need marine capabilities. Some people prefer to track caches that are hidden on land, meaning anything from in a river to up a tree. Because of this the GPS receiver you use will need to be not only waterproof but also very durable. Some geocaches are more serious about the game than others. Those that don't take it all that seriously and play mostly for fun is usually content to use a GPS unit that is durable but not that expensive. More hardcore geocaches prefer using a more advanced GPS receiver like the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator. Whatever your choice of unit there are features that you should look for and considerations to make before you join a game in order to get the most out of it.
The unit that you ultimately select needs to be reliable, highly durable, lightweight, and of course, waterproof. Make sure that the screen display is clear and that it has a good signal. Also take note of the battery life and choose one that offers the most and fits in with your budget.
About the Author:
Jashua Moses volunteers with a Sports GPS Review Site that informs consumers about the different kinds of Garmin GPSMap 76 and much more.
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