Navigating the Geocaching.com website

In this Blog, we will discuss how to navigate around the Geocaching.com website.

For any of you who have gone to the Geocaching website and surfed around some, you may have found it a little intimidating. However, after you get used to navigating the pages, it will become very easy to find all kinds of interesting things available for you try.

Let’s start on the Home Page

In the center of the page, you will see a box with the heading, “Create or Upgrade your Membership”. In this box, there are 2 paragraphs. The first one has a brief explanation of a Basic Membership. The 2nd has a link to click if you want to sign up for a Premium Membership.

Let me stop right here and tell you that you are not required to pay for a Membership on Geocaching.com in order to play the game. A Free Basic Membership will do most people just fine. But, in order to see anything, other than the cache page descriptions, you will have to sign up for at least a Basic account.

Once you decide you would like to become more active in the sport, a Premium Membership will cost you $30 per year, if you decide to take advantage of that feature.

Now let’s break down the 2 different memberships so you can decide which fits you best.

In the box where the “Create of Upgrade” part is, click on Create an account now.There you will find a box with blanks in it where you will need to fill in your:

• First and Last Name
• Email address
• How do you want to receive emails
• Choose a User Name
• Enter a Password
• Re-enter your Password

As the instructions tell you, it is VERY important to enter a REAL email address. After you sign up for an account, they will send you a confirmation email that will give you a link to click on to validate you account. If you do not give a valid email at sign up, you will not be given an account.

Choosing a User Name can be a little tricky. As with most places on the Internet these days, it seems the really good user names are all taken. If you don’t get the first one you enter, try changing the spelling or something similar, and re-submit.

For example when I first signed up, I really wanted the User Name “Fluffy”, but it was already taken. After many revisions, I ended up with “Old Fluffy”. At the time, you could periodically go in and change your User Name. (that feature is no longer available) Once my husband decided he wanted to be included, I went in and changed our User Name to “fluffy&itchy”.

After you have submitted the above information, click on “Create My Account”, the validation email will be sent. On reception of that email, click the link they send you to validate, and you Ta. Da.. Congratulations… you are now a Member of one of the fastest growing, most interesting hobbies in the world!

Now, let’s go back to the Homepage and click on “Become a Premium Member Today“. This link will take you to the Premium Member sign up page.

What is a Groundspeak Premium Membership?

A Groundspeak Premium Membership provides you with additional features that a basic membership does not provide. Whether you go geocaching every day or only occasionally, many useful tools are available to enhance your geocaching experience.The following is a list of some of the Premium Member features available. In the future newer and better features will probably be added, yet you will always be locked in at the current rate as long as you continue to renew.

Why should I pay for a membership?

• Pocket Queries
  Hand-entering geocache coordinates is tedious, and you run the risk of developing repetitive motion injuries if you hunt more than a few caches in a day. With a Pocket Query you can download up to 500 specifically defined geocache waypoints directly to your GPS in a flash!
• Caches along a Route
  Caches Along A Route Your GPS will tell you the direction of a cache as the crow flies, which is great, if you’re a crow. The rest of us, however, are hopelessly bound to the roads. The Caches Along a Route feature allows you to find caches on either side of specified route for a quick and easy geocaching diversion on your next road trip.
• Google Maps (Groundspeak Enhanced)
  If you have a few finds under your belt, chances are you’ve made good use of Google’s superior maps to plan your geocaching expeditions. Premium Membership greatly enhances this tool by showing which caches have already been found by you, as well as allowing you to add caches to a bookmark list on the fly for later download as a Pocket Query.
• Paperless Caching
  Printer ink is more expensive than Chanel No. 5. If you have a Palm or Pocket PC handheld device you will never have to print another cache page again! You can download the cache coordinates, full description, hint, and the last 5 logs posted to the cache page using one of the many available free applications and your handheld device. Also known as “paperless geocaching”, this Premium Member feature saves you time, money, and effort in your caching preparations. With your GPS, handheld device, and the latest Pocket Query you’ll be ready to go at a moment’s notice.
• Instant Log Notifications
  For some geocachers, the weekly cache notification email is just not enough. If you absolutely must be the first to find a newly published geocache, you cannot do better than to be instantly notified by email when a new cache becomes available. You can choose to have the notification sent to any email address you like, or even your email-enabled mobile phone! With several log options to choose from, including “Found it”, “Didn’t Find It”, and “Enabled” you’ll be constantly updated on geocache happenings in any area you choose.
• Unlimited (well, 5000) Watchlist items
  Basic members are limited in the number of items they can have on their watchlist. With a Premium Membership you’ll be instantly updated on up to 5000 caches and/or Travel Bugs.
• Bookmark and Ignore Lists
  Bookmark lists can be used to group cache listings in whatever way you like. You may want a bookmark list of caches you intend to hunt, or perhaps an “all-time greatest hits” list you can share with friends. A “first to find” list is an excellent opportunity to brag about your achievements as well.
  The Ignore List is a great way to personalize the Geocaching.com website. Are you sick of seeing that impossible puzzle cache in your search results? You can “Ignore” the listing and poof!, it’s gone.
• Geocaching Maps
  With the ability to pan, zoom, and identify caches on a map you can quickly pinpoint an area of interest and visualize your caching route. In addition, caches you have already found will appear with a checkmark, and the Travel Bug icon will display for any caches containing a hitchhiker.
• Member Only Caches
  Some caches are only available to Premium Members. This has been a request of many geocachers who want to put more energy into designing a cache for dedicated geocachers. As the cache owner, you can make any of your caches “subscriber only” so folks will need a subscription to seek it out. (Note: Member Only caches may not be any better than public geocaches. Each cache is managed by its cache owner.)
• Be the *first* to see new feature enhancements
  From time to time, Groundspeak will be releasing new features to Premium Members before they are publicly announced. Sign up and don’t miss an opportunity to participate in future Groundspeak innovations!

Do I have to pay to go Geocaching now?

Never! The traditional (Basic Accounts) geocaching game will always be free. Subscriptions (Premium Accounts) help the site add new enhancements and new games. It takes development time and resources in order to make these ideas come to life, as well as hardware upgrades to keep up with the ever-increasing traffic.

Once you are signed up for an account, you are ready to start navigating the website to find out where the cache are in your area.

Again, we start at the Homepage. On the left hand side, click on My account. This link will take you to your Membership Account page. On the right hand corner of the page, you will see a small box similar to this one:

Clicking on this box will take you to your “Profile” page. This is where you may enter information about yourself, such as where you live, a short biography, a picture, and various other stuff, it you’re so inclined.

Here is the link to Our Geocaching Profile Page.

Next, go back to the “My Account” page, and look on the right side. There will be a clickable link in the list that says, “Update Home Coordinates”. (the first time after you have just signed on to a new account, this may say something a bit different, but it has the same function) Click on this link, then enter your Home coordinates. (or whatever coordinates you wish the site to do most of its searching around)

Your home coordinates will be used for quick searches, weekly cache notifications, and pocket queries. It’s not a requirement but it can greatly enhance the functionality of the web site.

Now you can go back to your “My Account” page, click on “Search for the nearest caches from your home coordinates”, and up will pop all kinds of caches you never knew you walked by everyday!

So now you should be able to set up at least a Basic Account on the site. If you go back to your “My Account” page, there are many more features to click on and play around with. If you have more specific questions about these features, feel free to email me or post your question in the comments section of this blog, and I’ll be happy to help explain.

Next time, let’s leave all this boring administrative stuff behind and go on a cache hunt…

Cache on!