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.
You can find games of geocaches taking place all around the world, in over one hundred countries in fact, including in Antarctica. The internet will display more than 1.2 million geocaches on various websites dedicated solely to this pastime.
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 you purchase a GPS unit for a geocaching expedition it is necessary to determine if the game will be played in a city or somewhere in the world. If the game is to be played within the confines of a city the unit would have to be able to receive a signal no matter where the geocacher may be at that moment, even if they are standing between two twenty-story buildings. Likewise, if they are on a very busy street the unit would have to still be able to operate effectively.
If targeting caches hidden off-shore, a GPS receiver with marine capabilities is advisable for use. For those who prefer trekking to find caches in rivers, bushes and woods, a more durable and waterproof unit is recommended. Casual geocachers are relatively happy with an inexpensive but durable unit. However, hardcore geocachers are more comfortable using a more sophisticated GPS receiver like the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator or other navigational system. But whatever the choice would be, there are still basic features that need to be considered if one joins a game of geocaching.
Besides being lightweight the GPS unit you select for your game needs to be well made and waterproof while also offering you reliability and durability. The screen should have a clear display, there needs to be a good signal and the device must offer the best battery life possible. It does not matter what type of geocacher you are as long as your GPS unit is reliable.
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.
You can find games of geocaches taking place all around the world, in over one hundred countries in fact, including in Antarctica. The internet will display more than 1.2 million geocaches on various websites dedicated solely to this pastime.
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 you purchase a GPS unit for a geocaching expedition it is necessary to determine if the game will be played in a city or somewhere in the world. If the game is to be played within the confines of a city the unit would have to be able to receive a signal no matter where the geocacher may be at that moment, even if they are standing between two twenty-story buildings. Likewise, if they are on a very busy street the unit would have to still be able to operate effectively.
If targeting caches hidden off-shore, a GPS receiver with marine capabilities is advisable for use. For those who prefer trekking to find caches in rivers, bushes and woods, a more durable and waterproof unit is recommended. Casual geocachers are relatively happy with an inexpensive but durable unit. However, hardcore geocachers are more comfortable using a more sophisticated GPS receiver like the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator or other navigational system. But whatever the choice would be, there are still basic features that need to be considered if one joins a game of geocaching.
Besides being lightweight the GPS unit you select for your game needs to be well made and waterproof while also offering you reliability and durability. The screen should have a clear display, there needs to be a good signal and the device must offer the best battery life possible. It does not matter what type of geocacher you are as long as your GPS unit is reliable.
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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