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Traditional caches

This page is for players and hiders. It explains the traditional cache: one container at the spot the pin marks. Every other cache type builds on it.

What it is

A traditional cache is one container at a fixed spot. The pin on the map is the spot. The cache sheet shows its coordinates, its grid square, a difficulty and terrain rating, and an optional hint.

How you find it

  1. Open the cache from the map, from Nearby, or from a search.
  2. Tap Navigate to take the coordinates to your maps app.
  3. At the spot, search for the container. Tap Hint if you are stuck.
  4. Sign the paper log in the container if there is one, then log the find in the app.

What "found" means

You were at the pin when you logged. The game checks this against the pin's position: within 150 m, plus the accuracy of your phone's location. Nothing checks that you opened the container.

How it is logged and verified

Tap ✓ Log a find. You can also log Couldn't find it (a DNF) or Add a note. Each callsign logs one find per cache. You can also log from your radio with FOUND AC-1234.

A find reaches one of three tiers:

Tier You get it when
Radio-verified A receiving station the instance trusts, and that is not yours, heard your APRS position within 150 m of the pin. Your position must be from the 30 minutes before you log.
Location-verified Your phone's location, taken when you log, is within 150 m of the pin plus its accuracy.
Logged Nothing independent placed you there. The find is on record but not verified.

A find counts as verified at Location-verified or better. A hider can ask for Radio-verified instead. The cache sheet shows the rule under Verification. How finds are verified explains the tiers.

A disabled or archived cache takes no finds, and an owner does not log their own cache as found (Caches that take no find).

What a hider sets

Tap + Hide a cache (on a phone, Hide) and pick Traditional under Type.

Field Default Notes
The pin your location on a phone Tap the map, tap Use my location, or type coordinates or a locator.
Title none Up to 120 characters.
Difficulty, Terrain 1.5 From 1 to 5, in steps of 0.5. They add to a finder's points.
Hint none Up to 500 characters. Other instances never get it.
Description none Up to 4000 characters.
Drive-in, Country, Tags off, none, none Up to 12 tags.
Who can rate Finders only Or Anyone signed in, or Nobody (disabled).
Federation scope Public Or Unlisted, or Local only.
Radio-verified finds only off Sets this cache's minimum to Radio-verified.

The fields from Hint down are under Advanced, with the Radio-verified finds only switch. After you hide the cache, add photos in its Media section. To change, disable or archive it later, tap Edit (Edit your cache).

Example

AC-1234 · Bench above the lake · Traditional · Difficulty 1.5 · Terrain 2.0 · grid JN76xx. The hint reads "Behind the third post". OE8APR-7 logs at the bench with location allowed. The phone is 12 m from the pin, so the find is Location-verified.

Tips

  • Allow location access when you log. Without it, the find stays Logged unless a receiving station heard you.
  • Beacon your position near the cache before you log. Where the instance trusts a receiver near you, that can make the find Radio-verified.
  • Make an offline pack before you go somewhere without coverage. See Hunting without signal.

Map marker

A pin in green with a filled circle (●). The Phosphor theme shows the same circle.

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