Geocaching merit badge??

[Geokashers]

I think a geocaching merit badge would be a great idea. This 'sport' is very popular around the world now. It teaches navigation skills, gets the scouts outdoors, can be enjoyed by families, etc. Our camporees and local evens feature geocaching skills and events. Our district even had geocaching training. So I think a geocaching merit badge would be a great idea!

I would have thought a geocaching merit badge would have been suggested before. Has anyone heard of this being brought forth before??

[alex gregory]

Geocaching is basically an outdoor treasure hunt with a GPS. It's a lot of fun, but a separate merit badge? Just incorporate geocaching inot your next hike - great diversion for the guys who convincve themselves they need a reason to hike 10 miles.

I suppose geochaching could be added to the Orienteering badge and you could call it Wilderness Navigation, but I'm old-school - I like my trusty compass that weighs practically nothing, does'nt need a battery, does'nt care if it gets wet, and works no matter what part of the mountain I'm on or how dense the tree cover.

Also, a GPS starts in the low $100s, and a good GPS will set you back $300+. Compare that to a $10 to $20 compass.

[Geokashers]

Geocaching is basically an outdoor treasure hunt with a GPS. It's a lot of fun, but a separate merit badge? Just incorporate geocaching inot your next hike - great diversion for the guys who convincve themselves they need a reason to hike 10 miles.

I suppose geochaching could be added to the Orienteering badge and you could call it Wilderness Navigation, but I'm old-school - I like my trusty compass that weighs practically nothing, does'nt need a battery, does'nt care if it gets wet, and works no matter what part of the mountain I'm on or how dense the tree cover.

Also, a GPS starts in the low $100s, and a good GPS will set you back $300+. Compare that to a $10 to $20 compass.

I'd like to keep the separate from the 'old school' stuff just because it's a new beast. I think it should include some sort of travel distance with a bike or a hike (or canoe or kayak). There are so many different ways to do this and places to go to do it too. There are CITOs (Cash in trash out) events and caches that promote a 'leave no trace' kind of attitude. There are even 'Earthcaches' where you have to go to a spot and learn something about that particular area (could be fossils, a very scenic spot, etc).

Many phones are now coming with GPS receivers too so more and more people have access to technology that would allow them to get this merit badge should it ever become one. But the money argument?? Do we think the same way about the costs involved in other merit badges (ie sailing, golf, horsemanship, motorboating, etc)? I think in all these MBs you can find someone who has what you need to get the MB. The same would go for a GPS receiver. Heck, you can even do it without a GPS receiver by using the satellite photos and images on the web!

[alex gregory]

No question geocaching is a great way to diversify the troop program, is a lot of fun, is informative, and easily lends itself to a method of satisifying advancement and MB requirements. But you still have not convinced me that geocaching merits a whole new MB. My guess is you will end up repeating a lot of what happens in other MBs like hiking etc. - only with a GPS and treasure hunt twist.

Cost is always an issue, which is why expensive programs (e.g. horsemanship and sailing) are offered through summer camps because they can be prohibitely expensive for individual scouts, families and troops.

We'll probably just have to agree to disagree on the Geocache MB.

[mt_goodrich]

The problem with proposing a new merit badge is that if it is adopted, it usually means one has to be "done away with".

The below information was copied from http://www.usscouts.org/mb/proposals.asp

* The committee that considers new MBs meets 3 times a year.
* The new MBs need to promote a hobby or career interest and promote the aims of
Scouting.
* When submitting an idea, you need to include the rationale behind the idea, as well as
potential sample requirements for the badge.
* Nearly all of the ideas for new badges are turned down for one reason or another, very
few get tabled for consideration. There are two reasons for this.
o First, it takes around $75,000 to introduce a new MB due to creating the badges
themselves, printing of pamphlets, and updating and printing of the Requirement
book.
o Second, there are currently 121 MBs and instead of growing that number to 200 or
500 they want to keep it around 120, so if a new MB is considered another one is
usually dropped. That total has remained fairly consistent for the past 20 years or
more, ranging from a high of 124 to a low of 116 in that period.

[alex gregory]

[quote="mt_goodrich"]The problem with proposing a new merit badge is that if it is adopted, it usually means one has to be "done away with".

That explains combining related activities into a single MB (e.g. skiing and snow-boarding), and why I think combining Geocaching and Orienteering into a Wilderness NAvigation program would work.

[Geokashers]

The problem with proposing a new merit badge is that if it is adopted, it usually means one has to be "done away with".

That explains combining related activities into a single MB (e.g. skiing and snow-boarding), and why I think combining Geocaching and Orienteering into a Wilderness NAvigation program would work.

So we should then combine Fishing and Fly Fishing?? Bugling and Music? Small Boat Sailing and Motorboating?Doc Care and Pets? Collections and Stamp Collecting and Coin Collecting? I'm sure there are even more that could be combined!

There are lots of current MBs that could be combined....but why do it?!

It just seems like geocaching is really taking off. Some districts are holding geocaching education sessions. Some districts are now doing geocaching at Camporees, Jamborees, etc. In fact....and this may be sad...at this last Spring's Camporee that my son attended...they spent far more time doing geocaching than compass work or pretty mush any other activity. And....that was also most of the scouts' favorite activity! Even more so than lighting fires!

[lifescoutforlife]

geocaching is really taking off in my area, 6 or 7 years ago thier was only 6 geocaches in our county here in Pa. Now there close to 1000. This is a great sport to do to keep in shape and you see a lot of neat places that you would never see. I don't know if it will ever become a MB or not but if it does I will sign up to be a councilor for it because it is something that I truly enjoy doing.

[WeeWillie]

BSA can not just create a Geocaching MB. The following appears at the bottom of the Geocaching Home Page.

Geocaching, a Groundspeak Project.
Copyright © 2000-2008 Groundspeak Inc. All Rights Reserved.
About Groundspeak | Contact Us
Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Groundspeak Terms of Use.
Read our Geocaching Logo Usage Guidelines.


BSA would need Groundspeak’s permission to use their product. That would require some legal documentation.

Creating a Geocaching MB would effectively be endorsing Geocaching. There are no other MBs that endorse a specific commercial product.

Creating a Geocaching MB would be effectively tying BSA advancement requirements to Groundspeak policies and business decisions. For example, Virtual Caches and Web Cam Caches are no longer cache types. Whereigo caches are tied to whereigo.com.

There are probably a host of other issues involved.

That does not mean we can’t or shouldn’t use Geocaching in our programs if it keeps our Scouts involved in Scouting. Likewise, everything we do doesn’t have to be linked to an advancement requirement other than “Participation.” We are suposed to be teaching life skills. One skill that is sorely needing development is having fun for fun's sake!

I am a Premium Member. WeeWillie of course!

[wagionvigil]

Me Too Mike!
zigadabuzz

[lifescoutforlife]

My geo name is yeswrestling, yes stands for Younsville Elem School were I have been the wrestling coach the last 14 years. We are at 799 caches as of now. Hope to break 1000 soon.

[Geokashers]

My caching name is Geokashers. I know....pretty silly. We're at 1600+ and counting!

[wagionvigil]

I am not Addicted I take my yorkie and we do several a year. If I am going on Vacation or a Business Trip I try to do a couple on those. AT the 2005 NJ they had Geocaching in each subcamp. I was out yesterday and did one and today I did two. AM going camping over Labor Day weekend and have 4 lined up.

[smtroop168]

How many caches in the Cave?

My guys want to try this but I'm concerned about getting enough and the right equipment. Any helpful hints?

[wagionvigil]

I had two on property was was asked to remove them by the Cave owner due to liability issues

[smtroop168]

I asked the Powers That Be and here's the response:

Geocaching – It’s an activity or game done with a GPS instrument. Merit badge proposals were received in the years 2002 and 2007 and denied as such by the National Advancement Committee. However, a new Geographical Information Systems (GIS) merit badge is under study and is a possibility, which if it happens, would include a geocaching activity.

[Geokashers]

I asked the Powers That Be and here's the response:

Geocaching – It’s an activity or game done with a GPS instrument. Merit badge proposals were received in the years 2002 and 2007 and denied as such by the National Advancement Committee. However, a new Geographical Information Systems (GIS) merit badge is under study and is a possibility, which if it happens, would include a geocaching activity.

Would we happen to know what the proposed Geocaching badge requirements were?? Would love to see what was proposed! Do we know what the GIS requirements are?? Sounds cool....or at least a start! We can still have GIS AND Geocaching! Some day! Thanks for the update!

[kwildman]

I would rather see them finalize the GIS merit badge. Supposedly, there is a group working on this and it is yet to be determined if it will be replacing an existing merit badge or added to another one. GIS combines GPS locations with map production and spatial data analysis. If they dont finish the GIS merit badge, i would rather see one of the other merit badges updated to include more details on GPS. How they operate, what are datums, projections, coordinate systems, what is dilution of percision and other sources of errors, etc.

Geocaching is a hobby and it is fun (i have done it) but it is catching a lot of flack from the LNT crowd as there are now thousands of caches located in our park systems. Most of these caches are not on existing trails and people are causing a lot of damage in locating them because they are more interested in honing in on the cache in a straight line as opposed to seeing if the trail they are on will get them closer. I suspect that you will see more park systems banning these activities because of the problems associated with LNT.