GPS for Dummies.pdf - Engineering Surveyor

120Part II: All About GPSgear, and your biggest investment will be a GPS receiver if you don’t alreadyhave one. (Read Chapter 5 for the lowdown on selecting a receiver.) With thatin mind, here’s a list of basic things you need.I start off with the technology-related items: Cache location: Obviously, you need to know where to look for a cache:a set of latitude and longitude or UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)coordinates. You’ll find tens of thousands of caches freely listed on theInternet. For information on locating a geocache, see the appropriatelynamed section, “Selecting a cache to look for,” later in this chapter. Geocaching alias: Most people who geocache use a registered handle(alias) instead of their real name when they sign cache logs or makeInternet posts. The aliases are cool-sounding names like Navdog, WileyCacher, or Moun10Bike. Be imaginative and come up with an alias thatfits your personality. The aliases are all unique: If you try to register analias on one of the popular geocaching Web sites and someone elsealready has registered the alias, you need to select another name. GPS receiver: You can certainly find caches by using only a map andcompass (my adventure racing team does this to practice our navigationskills), but it’s sure a lot easier when using a GPS receiver. You don’t needan expensive GPS unit with lots of whistles and bells to geocache; a basicmodel around or under $100 will work just fine; receivers that supportWAAS (Wide Area Augmentation Service, as described in Chapter 3) usuallyare more accurate than those that don’t.Don’t forget to bring the GPS receiver user manual, especially if you justpurchased your receiver and are still trying to figure out how to use it.A few other things can make your outing a little more enjoyable: Map and compass: A fair number of geocachers use only their GPSreceiver to get them to a cache, but a good local map of the area canbe very helpful. Although a receiver can lead you directly in a straightline to cache, it’s probably not going to tell you about the river, deepcanyon, or cliffs between you and the cache. Even GPS receivers thatdisplay topographic maps often won’t show enough detail that can helpor hinder you on your way to a cache. Additionally, a map and compassserve as a backup just in case something goes wrong with your GPS.(Just make sure you know how to use them.) Pen or pencil and paper: Carry a small pad of paper and a pen or pencilfor taking notes about your route or things that you see on the way. Somegeocachers keep an ongoing journal of their adventures, and you neverknow — you might turn into a geocaching Hemingway. Something to leave in the cache: When you locate a cache, you’ll find allsorts of swags, which are treasures other people have left. Don’t expectdiamonds, gold bullion, or Super Bowl tickets, though. (You’re far morelikely to find baseball cards, costume jewelry, or corporate marketing