Treasure hunts are widely known and widely enjoyed around the world by children and adults alike. Now there is Geocaching. An adventure that is played outdoors and is similar to a treasure hunt. Participants are given a GPS receiver like the Garmin GPSMap 76 Handheld GPS Navigator with which they have to not only hide but seek hidden containers called geocaches which can be hidden anywhere in the world. Derived for the word Geo which means geography and caching which is the space that hikers or campers may use in order to conceal and preserve certain 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.
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.
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.
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 helps with a Sports GPS Review Site that educates consumers about different types of Garmin GPSMap 76 and much more.
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