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When we first started Geocaching and reading logs we felt like we were reading a whole new language. Between learning some new geo-words and deciphering many many interesting acronyms our heads were whirling. Below is a non-complete list of some words and acronyms that might help you out - don’t see what you are looking for - tell us what words you want to know! We’ll keeping adding to this list as we learn new stuff…

In The Logs

  • FTF - first to find - the first person to find the cache after it has been published
  • DNF - Did not find - when a cacher searches but is not able to find the cache
  • TFTC - Thanks for the cache - always nice to see :)
  • TNLN - Took nothing left nothing (also used separately TN or LN)
  • SL - Signed Log - often used with the above as TNLNSL
  • TB - travel bug - (learn more about Travel bugs here)

Geo-Words

  • Cacher (or Geocacher) - The person(s) participating in geocaching (you!)
  • GPS - Global Positioning System - the satellites in the sky that make all of this possible
  • GPSr - slang term for GPS receiver. It’s the thing you hold in your hand and use to find the cache
  • Coordinates - refers to the numbers that represent the latitude and longitude of where the cache is hidden
  • CITO - Cache In Trash Out - a slogan to remind cachers to pick up the trash they see while out geocaching - hug a tree while you are out there too!
  • Spoiler - information in either the geocache hint or in logs that may give away details of the cache making iteasier to find

Some links we found handy:

2 Comments so far

  1. Karina November 29th, 2007 2:27 pm

    What is the origin of the word ‘geocaching’?

  2. Andy November 30th, 2007 2:20 pm

    Karina-
    Great question!

    The full history of Geocaching can be found online here - but below is a excerpt from the article about the origin of the name;

    Geocaching, first coined by Matt Stum on the “GPS Stash Hunt” mailing list on May 30, 2000, was the joining of two familiar words. The prefix geo, for Earth, was used to describe the global nature of the activity, but also for its use in familiar topics in gps such as geography.

    Caching, from the word cache, has two different meanings, which makes it very appropriate for the activity. A french word invented in 1797, the original definition referred to a hiding place someone would use to temporarily store items. The word cache stirs up visions of pioneers, gold miners, and even pirates. Today the word is still even used in the news to describe hidden weapons locations.

    The second use of cache has more recently been used in technology. Memory cache is computer storage that is used to quickly retrieve frequently used information. Your web browser, for example, stores images on disk so you don’t have to retrieve the same image every time you visit similar pages.

    The combination of Earth, hiding, and technology made geocaching an excellent term for the activity. However the “GPS Stash Hunt” was the original and most widely used term until Mike Teague passed the torch to Jeremy Irish in September 2000.

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