An Introduction to Geocaching in Northern New Jersey

Assembled by NNJC Public Relations

Welcome to Geocaching in Northern New Jersey

A A GREATGREAT Way To: Way To:

• Explore the outdoorsExplore the outdoors

• Get some exerciseGet some exercise

• Make new friendsMake new friends

• See places you neverSee places you never knew existedknew existed

• Satisfy your sense ofSatisfy your sense of adventureadventure

• Play with cool high-Play with cool high- tech gadgetstech gadgets

What You Will Learn In This Presentation

• What is Geocaching?

• How to play the game

• Understanding your GPS

• Geocaching in Northern New Jersey

What is Geocaching?

How It Started

• The idea was born in May 2000, within a week of the Clinton administration’s decision to stop scrambling the signal coordinates beamed to global positioning system (GPS) receivers from an orbiting network of satellites.

• Suddenly, GPS users could pinpoint their exact location on the planet to within 25 feet versus the 330 feet that had previously been possible.

• The increased accuracy spawned geocaching – a global goodwill game of hide and seek.

• On May 3, someone hid a “cache” in Oregon. It was visited twice within 3 days.

Source: Sierra Club

What is Geocaching?

• Geocaching is essentially a high-tech treasure hunt.

• Players hide their “treasure” somewhere out in the world and post the longitude and latitude coordinates on a geocaching website.

• You load these coordinates into your GPS and use them to lead you to the hide location.

“GEO” refers to places on earth.“CACHING” is to find a hidden

treasure

How To Play The Game

Getting Started

To get started, simply visit one of the geocaching websites such as geocaching.com or navicache.com.

Getting Started

A search by zip code will produce a list of caches.

This list will identify the cache name, what type of cache is hidden and the degree of difficulty.

The Cache Description

What Am I Looking For?

Cache containers come in all shapes and sizes to fit their location and blend well into natural surroundings.

Typically, it is a weatherproof and nature-proof container.

What do I do when I find one?

Congratulate yourself! You found it!

1. Take something from the cache

2. Leave something in the cache

3. Write a note about your adventure finding it in the logbook

4. Replace the cache to the hiding spot just as you found it

What’s in a Geocache?

• A visitor’s logbook and pencil

• A “welcome” note

• Prizes for everyone!

• If you’re lucky, you might find:

• Travel bugs

• Geocoins

• Geotokens

Basic Rules of Geocaching

• Anything placed in a cache must be safe and family-friendly.

• Alcohol and fireworks are prohibited

• Food is strongly discouraged since it could spoil or attract animals

• Caches cannot be placed in national parks or forests

• Caches cannot be placed on private land without the owners permission

• Caches cannot be buried.

Geocaching and the Environment

In 2004, geocachers around the world organized 160 clean up events in 10 countries and 41 States. The events have been such a huge success that geocachers are committed to carrying on the tradition.

Goals

1. Actively promote Cache In Trash Out as natural part of geocaching

2. Assist in the maintenance of parks and trail systems

3. Increase public awareness of geocaching

Understanding Your GPS

Top Things a GPS Can DoTop Things a GPS Can Do

1. Tell you where you are – Your GPS can tell you exactly where you are on the face of the planet within a few feet.

2. Tell you where to go next – You can load your destination coordinates and your GPS will tell you which way to go to get there.

3. Tell you where you have been – This is called “tracking” and a process of recording “waypoints”.

4. Enable you to go GEOCACHING!

5. But that’s not all…most GPS can also:• Tell you how far you are from you destination• Calculate how fast you are walking (or driving)• Record how far you have travelled• Display your altitude• Store detailed maps

Source: The GPS Primer

What Is A GPS?

• A GPS (Global Positioning system) unit is an electronic device that can determine your approximate location (within 6-25 feet) almost anywhere on the planet.

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Global Positioning System (GPS)

• GPS is based on a constellation of 24 solar-powered orbital satellites about 12,000 miles above the earth.

• A GPS receiver on the ground seeks tracking signals from at least three satellites, then extrapolates the data to establish latitude and longitude.Source: Department of Defense, IGEB, Smithsonian Institute, Garmin

WHAT???

WHAT???

How Does It Work??

• OK, let’s say you don’t know where you are but a passerby tells you that you’re 238 miles from Cleveland.

• That puts you anywhere on the perimeter of the circle around Cleveland.

Cleveland

Source: Geocaching.com

How Does It Work??

• Now another passerby stops and tells you you’re 340 miles from Chicago.

• So not only are you on the circle around Cleveland but around Chicago too.

• There are now only two possible locations.

Cleveland

Source: Geocaching.com

Chicago

How Does It Work??

• Finally, someone stops and tells you that you’re 157 miles from Indianapolis.

• You now know exactly where you are!

Cleveland

Source: Geocaching.com

Chicago

Indianapolis

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesThe eTrex SummitThe eTrex Summit

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesThe Power ButtonThe Power Button

•Press the power button and hold for 1 second to turn it on.

•Press again to turn the backlight on

•Press again to turn the backlight off

•Press and hold to turn the unit off

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesThe Satellite PageThe Satellite Page

•After powering it up, the unit will attempt to ‘lock’ onto the satellites.

•You must be outdoors with a clear view of the sky to get a signal.

•Once locked on, you’re ready to navigate!

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesMark A WaypointMark A Waypoint

•Use the Up/Down buttons to move to the various fields. Then press Enter when you’re at the OK field.

•The first thing you want to do is to mark your starting location.

•Press and hold the Enter button till the Mark Waypoint window appears.

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesReview Waypoint / GoToReview Waypoint / GoTo

• To locate a previously stored waypoint, use the Page button to get to the Menu page.

• Use the Up/Down buttons to move down to the Waypoints category and press Enter.

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesReview Waypoint / GoToReview Waypoint / GoTo

• Then, using the Up/Down buttons, move down to the desired Waypoint Group and press Enter.

• Now move down to the desired Waypoint and press Enter.

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesReview Waypoint / GoToReview Waypoint / GoTo

• Now you can either use the selected waypoint or you can edit it.

• To go to the waypoint, move down to the GOTO selection and press Enter.

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Basic GPS FeaturesBasic GPS FeaturesThe Compass / Pointer PageThe Compass / Pointer Page

•The GPS unit now displays the basic Pointer Page

•This page is used to navigate to the chosen waypoint by following the pointer arrow.

Source: Michael A Gallagher

I’m Lost!!!

• If you get lost, don’t forget that you marked (or should have marked) your location when you started.

• Search for the Waypoint you marked, select GOTO, and head back to civilization!

• Don’t forget to take extra batteries with you!

Source: Michael A Gallagher

Top Things That Surprise or Confuse Top Things That Surprise or Confuse New GPS OwnersNew GPS Owners

1. Man, does this thing eat batteries – What cool electronic gadget doesn’t? Just be prepared..

2. If I stand still, it doesn’t seem to work right – For most GPS receivers, you must be moving to get the navigation features to work..

3. So many menu options, so little time! – To make sense of the GPS you own or are thinking of buying, you will have to spend some time reviewing it’s essential information and capabilities.

Source: The GPS Primer

Geocaching in Northern New Jersey

Novel New Jersey

• The caching community in northern New Jersey is one of the tightest in the country.

• We enjoy the challenges and creativity of our fellow cachers as well as some healthy ribbing and good humor.

• Our cache hides will take you to spectacular and unique locations you likely could not find on your own.

New Jersey Wilderness

• Hard to imagine, being so close to one of the largest cities in the world, that northern New Jersey has such great wildness.

• Don’t underestimate how dense and vast some of our areas can be.

• Remember to mark your starting location on your GPS.

• Always bring an extra set of batteries, basic first aid, a cell phone, a flashlight and plenty of drinking water.

• Always let someone know where you are going.

Mind Our Natives

• Northern New Jersey is home to an amazing collection of wildlife.

• Bears, bobcats, coyote and poisonous snakes all call this area home.

• Know how to behave if you have an encounter and it will be a rare and memorable event.

That’s It

LET’S GOLET’S GO

CACHING!CACHING!

An Introduction to Geocaching in Northern New Jersey

Assembled by NNJC Public Relations