First, a bit about “podcasting”: I got into podcasting (listening to them) in June. Basically, podcasting is a way to listen to “radio-like” programs on a portable MP3 player. This is an exploding “techy” field right now, especially since the release of a new version of Apple’s iTunes that makes listening and subscribing to podcasts very easy. For more info on podcasting see the article in Wikipedia.org.

I was chatting with my wife about podcasting (I love all things techy and geeky) and we were talking about how fun it would be to create a podcast ourselves. It didn’t take long for us to decide that if we were going to do a podcast, we should do it about a subject we enjoyed and knew a little something about: Geocaching!

I began to do research on the tools and skills I would need in order to produce our own geocaching podcast. First, we needed a dot-com site. What to call it? Cachecasting? Geocaster? We finally ended up with the name PodCacher. A podcast for Geocachers! Our site is www.podcacher.com. We knew we wanted to create a quality “show” that would appeal to geocachers. We also thought it would be a good fit. Geocachers are adventurous, use computers, and are very mobile; also a good description for podcasters! So we designed a program that delivers news, tips and tricks, tools of the trade, caching stories, interviews and, most importantly, “PodCaches.” A PodCache is a hidden cache that you find by listening to a series of audio clues or directions on an MP3 file. Cache seekers would load the sound file onto a portable player, listen to directions and follow a route that the original hiders took to place the cache.

Sandy and I have already placed, recorded and released what we believe is the world’s first PodCache. It is show No. 2 in our podcast. It was approved on geocaching.com as cache GCPNWV. The PodCache was a blast to make! Essentially we took a small container and hid it in an urban area (Escondido, California). We then walked a route and decided upon what clues we would record. After one trial run “rehearsal” we did the whole route again, this time while recording. For this particular cache we recorded in “real time”. We wanted to give our listeners the feeling that we were “with them” on the stroll through Escondido. We have already gotten some great suggestions for future PodCaches using slightly different formats.

Recording is pretty easy actually. We use a portable mini-disc recorder out in the field, and do a bit of post-production work using “Garage Band” on a Mac. There is also a free piece of software out there called Audacity that runs on both Mac and PC that works great too. We’re hoping other people record PodCaches in their local area that they are willing to share with us.

We’ve also just recorded our second PodCache. We’ve already hidden it and it should be ready for show No. 4. This one is GREAT! It actually combines aspects of … well actually I’ll let you listen to it and hear for yourself.

Drop by www.podcacher.com for more information and “Keep on Cachin’!”