Announcing Opencaching in the UK

[Lord Darcy]

I am pleased to announce that Opencaching, until now only available in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic with website languages to match, is now available in the UK.

The site is available at http://opencaching.org.uk/

Opencaching.org.uk fully supports the GAGB cache placement Guidelines and their Geocachers Code of Conduct.

I hope you will find that the site has all the facilities the UK cacher might require - Saved searches, Watchlists, New cache notifications, GPX downloads, Google maps, Ignored caches, etc.

There is also a forum for discussion of opencaching, and caching in general.

regards to all,
Paul

[jacobite]

Excellent! Site looks great with all the goodies you'd expect.....thumbs up!!!! :socool:

[The Hornet]

Well done! You already have at least one registered user! ;)

[jacobite]

Paul, I've registered, but haven't yet recieved my activation email, I'd be grateful for your help?

Cheers.

[Lord Darcy]

Paul, I've registered, but haven't yet recieved my activation email, I'd be grateful for your help?

Cheers.

PM sent.

[Jaz666]

OK, I'll be first to ask the obvious question.

Cross-posting caches that are listed on gc.com appears to be OK with this site, but in doing so would we be risking falling fowl of Groundspeak?

[Icenians]

No is the short answer. You own the cache and GC don't insist you only list your cache on GC.

Of course, you would be best not to try Hornets approach by advertising the fact on your GC cache page :D

[agentmancuso]

There is also a forum for discussion of opencaching, and caching in general.


Well done. But would it not be feasible to use the GAGB forum rather than another bespoke forum? Just a thought.

[keehotee]

Not a criticism, but a query....
On the opening page it says "This is the main UK geocaching site".

In what respect?
Isn't that going to mislead any newbie cachers that come across it?

[GAZ]

I've just registered......and I have the account up and running, but the forums wont recognise my username.......strange! I'll give it a day then try logging in again!

Never mind, the site looks ok!

Gaz

[Icenians]

I had to register seperatly for the forums.

[jacobite]

I had to register seperatly for the forums.

Me too, no hardship though.

[*mouse*]

Shame I couldn't keep the same username I use for all my other accounts -
this site doesn't let my use my **'s :(:(

[StuartP]

Well done. But would it not be feasible to use the GAGB forum rather than another bespoke forum? Just a thought.

We're happy to accommodate all. If there's a requirement that the GAGB could help with for forums drop me a pm. For example we could setup a dedicated 'OpenCaching' forum.

[keehotee]

I notice the opening page statement has now gone?

Also - could you add the ability to click through to a cache's details from the map, rather than having to zoom right in to read the waypoint name, then navigate separately to the cache.
And on profile setup, there is a tick box for PMR channel 2. I noticed on the Groundspeak FAQ that they state that in Europe cachers use Channel 8, but the only other cachers I've met with PMR in this country all use 3/33...

[Lord Darcy]

I notice the opening page statement has now gone?

Also - could you add the ability to click through to a cache's details from the map, rather than having to zoom right in to read the waypoint name, then navigate separately to the cache.
And on profile setup, there is a tick box for PMR channel 2. I noticed on the Groundspeak FAQ that they state that in Europe cachers use Channel 8, but the only other cachers I've met with PMR in this country all use 3/33...

The previous 'opening page statement' was an oversight, a leftover from the translation procedure from the Polish source code.

The facility to click through to the cache page from the map was on the beta site, but it seems to have disappeared now we have gone live. I will investigate where it went.

I am wondering how useful the checkbox is ... do cachers use PMR radio?
If they do I can adjust the channel number accordingly.

[DrDick&Vick]

Registered for both and even used the same name as here and GC. Will sit down on a couple of evenings and publish my caches (from GC) on there.

[Guanajuato]

I'm going to keep an open mind and see how it develops.

I've put two of my caches up there - the ones I think are the better caches that take a bit of effort but are rewarding.

Once (if?) it gets busier, we'll have to see how it handles the server load.

One issue I have is that there doesn't seem to be a way to include additional waypoints. If you compare my two caches with the versions on GC.com, the table of additional waypoints is useful, particularly for puzzle types.

[Bear and Ragged]

I'll give it a go. :)

Would be nice to have the GAGB site on the links page...

[Lord Darcy]

...
Would be nice to have the GAGB site on the links page...

A very good idea. On the 'To Do List'

[Matrix]

do cachers use PMR radio?
If they do I can adjust the channel number accordingly.

It is used quite a lot here in South Wales and we use channel 3/33 :cheers:

[Lord Darcy]

It is used quite a lot here in South Wales and we use channel 3/33 :cheers:

I'll change the channel number, then

[Stokesy]

I'm such a muppet, I've opened an account, and must have fat fingers as I've registered as Stoke3sy, not Stokesy....not sure I can change it....oops.

[Lord Darcy]

I'm such a muppet, I've opened an account, and must have fat fingers as I've registered as Stoke3sy, not Stokesy....not sure I can change it....oops.

Edited!

No problem, I'm sure we've all done that sort of thing. ... regularly!

[Stokesy]

Edited!

No problem, I'm sure we've all done that sort of thing. ... regularly!

Nice one, you can't do that at GC.com :applause::applause::applause:

[Bear and Ragged]

25 posts, 3 suggestions/shouts for help...

3 OK's!/sorted.

What service! :D

[*mouse*]

Great service - thanks Lord Darcy for you're help setting up my username :)

[Graculus]

Nice one, you can't do that at GC.com :applause::applause::applause:
You can.......may take 'em a couple of weeks sometimes but it can be done.

Chris (MrB)

[Lord Darcy]

You can.......may take 'em a couple of weeks sometimes but it can be done.

Chris (MrB)

Yes, I second that. Lets not 'do down' GC, it can be done on GC.com ... I changed from Paulluap to Lord Darcy back in 2007.

[JollyJax]

Opened account as others have done ... took a look around ... found no caches near to me ... closed the page ... maybe in time but for now there doesnt appear anything there that cant be found at navicaching or terracaching or geocaching.com ...

Is it me?

[Lime Candy]

Can I ask a really stupid question? Why is there a need for an alternative to geocaching.com?

That said, I have registered simply because the site isn't banned from work (geocaching.com is classed as a sport and is therefore banned). :lol:

[agentmancuso]

Why is there a need for an alternative to geocaching.com?

For me, the fact that Groundspeak is run as a business would be reason enough.

[Icenians]

Can I ask a really stupid question? Why is there a need for an alternative to geocaching.com?

That said, I have registered simply because the site isn't banned from work (geocaching.com is classed as a sport and is therefore banned). :lol:

How about choice.

[agentmancuso]

(smuggly)

The first Open Cache (http://opencaching.org.uk/viewcache.php?cacheid=80) logging in Scotland occurred yesterday! :applause:

[jacobite]

(smuggly)

The first Open Cache (http://opencaching.org.uk/viewcache.php?cacheid=80) logging in Scotland occurred yesterday! :applause:

Well done! Aly and I wondered who would be FTF on the cougar gates, we never go FTF on each others caches, so there should be a few more for you in the near future.

[agentmancuso]

I'll keep an eye out, thanks.

[The Hornet]

I'm getting timeout errors trying to connect. Is there a problem?

[agentmancuso]

Same here.

[Lord Darcy]

Hi Guys,

Sorry about the problems, the entire area of Torquay has been suffering from a loss of internet. All I can get from my ISP is "expect to effect repairs within 4 hours" ... unfortunately this has stayed the same for the past 19 hours.:mad:

(Posted from work)

Update from http://help.btinternet.com/yahoo/help/servicestatus
09 September 2009
04:49 PM
Problem in the Chelston area
We're aware of a temporary problem in the Chelston area that's causing some people trouble accessing the Internet. We're sorry if you've been affected. Our engineers are working to fix the problem, but unfortunately it's taking them longer than expected. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. We hope to have your service back to normal shortly. Dialling code affected: 01803 Ongoing
Updated on:
10 September 2009
12:00 PM

(p.s. from Lord Darcy) When exactly is 12:00 PM?

[Bear and Ragged]

Hi Guys,
(p.s. from Lord Darcy) When exactly is 12:00 PM?

Somewhere between 11.59.59 and 12.00.01

[Lord Darcy]

Finally, internet has been restored to Opencaching.org.uk after a break in service amounting to some 30 hours :(.


(Isn't 12pm = 12 hours post meridian = 12 hours past midday)

[Bear and Ragged]

(Isn't 12pm = 12 hours post meridian = 12 hours past midday)

12 hours past midday would be midnight in my book. :blink:

12.00 pm = noon or midday
12.00 am = midnight

[Mrs Blorenge]

I just found this




Terms 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. cause confusion and should not be used as neither the "12 am" nor the "12 pm" designation is technically correct.
It advisable to use 12 noon and 12 midnight where clarity is required.
To avoid ambiguity, airlines, railroads, and insurance companies use 12:01am for an event beginning the day, 11:59pm for ending it.


Taken from the World Time Zone site. (http://www.worldtimezone.com/wtz-names/wtz-am-pm.html)

[Bear and Ragged]

Or use the 24 hour clock...

00.00 hrs and 12.00 hrs

[Team Sieni]

Interesting.

My first question is: How are caches reviewed?

Apart from that, I wish you well, but ...

I'm struggling to see what its USP is over Navicache, Terracache and GC. Terracache has its own arcane mysteries of its scoring system and weird admission rites. Navicache has ... I dunno what really ... I've not been there for ages, and GC has weight of numbers of caches, trackables, members etc. In terms of features do you have anything to grab people?

Now, I'm not saying that choice is a bad thing, just that to survive and (more importantly) thrive it will probably need to differentiate itself from its competitors. A different kind of cache? Some really cool features? Different kinds of stats? A different kind of community? A new gizmo like trackables. I doubt that just not being Groundspeak will be enough.

I'll be keeping an eye on it but as I have hardly any time for hobbies at the moment, I won't be joining in. I'll stick with GS (I have no beef with them - I don't see anything wrong with their being run as a business) and anyway I do more Waymarking than caching in what little time I have these days.

[agentmancuso]

I'll stick with GS (I have no beef with them - I don't see anything wrong with their being run as a business)

Neither do I. But in business as anything else, monopoly is bad, and choice is good.

One valid USP for Opencaching is its UK base. Another is its relation to the whole Open/Wiki project, which could give a it stability otherwise lacking.

Navicaching has never appealed to me in any way - I gather it is almost moribund now. Terracaching has an intriguing crypto-Masonic system of initiation, which is highly entertaining, but it has been cursed (at least round these parts) by an abundance of virtual and dearth of traditional caches (which, incidentally, seems to me to be the biggest potential risk to Opencaching too.)

As for 'thriving', it depends what is meant. Rivaling GS? Hardly. As far as I'm concerned, the only criterion of success is that the participants continue to enjoy setting & finding decent caches.

[Team Sieni]

As far as I'm concerned, the only criterion of success is that the participants continue to enjoy setting & finding decent caches.

Amen to that

:cheers: Maybe I'll see you when I have a bit more time!