View Full Version : Using EasyGPS to group load caches



TwoMaineiacs
06-11-2005, 07:23 AM
As a rather organized person (no comment on what Joe calls me!), I'd like to see how others collect and handle their geocache waypoints. This is what I do so far. We're looking forward to the June 18th "Slipping into Summer Cache 2005" gathering and plan on picking some wiser brains.

1. Find interesting geocache locations on www.geocaching.com (http://www.geocaching.com). We also receive a daily email on any new caches.

2. Print out cache paper and a general DeLorme map of the area. Staple those together and keep in a 3-ring binder by area of the state.

3. On my computer I've set up a Geocaching directory with subdirectories by area of the state. Download .loc and store it in its area file. Burn a CD occasionally so I don't lose it all and have to start over!

4. When we know what area we are caching in for that day, use EasyGPS to upload the area caches to the Garmin. I was keeping them ALL in the Garmin but it took forever to find a particular cache even though the Garmin keeps them in alpha order. It's much easier to only have a few in there at one time.

5. Finally you say - where is her question? When I open the area file and load to EasyGPS I cannot figure out how to send ALL of the caches at one time to the Garmin. I have to "send to GPS" one at a time? Is there a group way of doing that?

Thanks for any hints. And you don't have to be gentle if I'm doing this all wrong.

Anne

WhereRWe?
06-11-2005, 08:12 AM
You're asking for a long exlanation (LOL!) but I'll make a couple of comments.

#1. Do you have Delorme Street Atlas or Topo USA on your computer? Sounds like you may from your comment. You could add all the waypoints to the map and see where the caches are.

#2. Do you GSAK - Geocaching Swiss Army Knife? It's a great cache management tool - much better thsan EasyGPS.

#3. Are you a premium member of Gewocaching.com? If you are, you should be downloading "pocket queries" with the waypoints - up to 500 - which you can download to your GPS using either EasyGPS or GSAK.

Here's a start...

Cache'n Jacksons
06-11-2005, 08:21 AM
Cache paper? That is so 2004! ;) I picked up a PalmIII (http://www.palmone.com/us/support/palm3/) on eBay (http://www.ebay.com) for about $30, and registered a copy of the CacheMate (http://www.smittyware.com/palm/cachemate/) software for the Palm for $8. GSAK (http://www.gsak.net/) has a built-in function that exports the cache list to CacheMate, and even with the tiny 2MB of memory in my Palm I can hold ±400 caches. It even stores the 4 most recent logs, which I have found to be very handy when I am stumped. Just as we're about to give up, if I read that the last 4 people found it, that will give us the incentive to press on.

With CacheMate, you can search by name, GC number, and also do a "nearest caches" search by distance and direction. You can put caches in categories for quick searching, and also take notes to keep track of what you took/left. It even notes what Travel Bugs are in the cache. No more carrying around outdated sheets of paper!

If you haven't used GSAK, give it a shot! It has a staggering number of features, yet is very simple to use. You can filter the cache list by any number of parameters, sort the list by distance, date, name, etc. It can export to dozens of other programs and file formats. A cool feature is the Arc/Line Search, where it will list all the caches at a specified distance from a line or arc, which could be a road or trail. It's a meager $20 to register and I consider it a bargain. I consider it an "offline Geocaching.com" which is faster and has more features.

I started out much like yourself with papers for our first 100 or so caches, but after going paperless we will never go back! :D

Haffy
06-11-2005, 08:59 AM
I agree with Cache n Jackson's,paperless is the way to go. I too used paper for about a year or so til I bought myself a Palm and Cachemate and use GSAK(Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) for short.Makes it so much easier. Being a Premium member allows me to get a couple of pocket queries each day(you are allowed up to 5 different ones). I get all Maine unfound caches within a 300 mile radius of my house and all my found caches and just drag them into GSAK where I manage them there. Plus if you forget to update the cache page they could be archived and there is nothing worse to go looking for a cache that is no longer there...lol I know cause I have done that on one occasion before. Anyway that is just one way to organize and manage your cache list and there are a few others but from talking and caching with others this seems to be the ideal way to go. Oh yeah one other thing. Palm uses Cachemate but Pocket PC uses other software for organizing the caches. Hope that is of some help but we will all see you at the event next Saturday I hope. Happy Caching Haffy6 John Hafenecker

TwoMaineiacs
06-11-2005, 03:38 PM
Super feedback thanks to all. We use DeLorme Street Atlas 2005 and all my waypoints both found and potential are shown on the DeLorme maps. Had an old laptop that we rigged up for in the truck to have a larger screen showing where we are on the road and where we are going! Pentium II with only 96K of ram so it doesn't update very often but it does work. Newer laptop works slick but would rather have the old one in the truck.

We've only been with other geocachers once (waving hello Forest_Nymph) so really looking forward to seeing how everyone else works. I've not tried GSAK since I thought I remembered someone saying it wouldn't upload waypoints back to the Garmin? Maybe someone will have the patience to show us. We'll have laptop with us.

No geocaching today! Just home from helping feed 120 kids/teenagers at an outdoor event. Old feet won't take anymore today. Tomorrow we'll go up to the "Fiber Frolic" in Windsor and I have all those pesky papers printed off for caches up that way. <G>

Anne

TwoMaineiacs
06-11-2005, 03:40 PM
P.S. - Yes we are premium members and get pocket queries daily. That's how weknew to race over to "Pez's Challenge" near Gorham/Windham to try to get our FTF. Been back twice, no find yet but will before summer is over.

Anne

noreasta
06-11-2005, 05:03 PM
well it took me a couple of years myself, but i was convinced by fellow cachers that paperless was the way to go. Hooray, i too got rid of my 3 ring binder and i too use GSAK for downloading to my GPS and Cachmate for my palm. Doing it this way allows a person to grab his gps and where he/she may be. ( for my settings i have it to show me caches within 100 miles and up to 500.) I get my 500 caches file every friday and then update my gps and palm with the latest and grestest, it takes only a few minutes and i am good to go for any cache with in 100 miles of my home. ( Farther out if i choose to change my settings) Hope to meet you at the summer event next week..

Noreasta

WhereRWe?
06-11-2005, 05:08 PM
Super feedback thanks to all. We use DeLorme Street Atlas 2005 and all my waypoints both found and potential are shown on the DeLorme maps.

Anne

You may want to try and export the waypoints to the GPS using Street Atlas.
Assuming you can connect the GPS to the computer, go to Street Atlas and click on GPS/exchange. Set up the GPS and send a draw file.

But like has been said prevously, GSAK is really the way to go. It is a pretty complex program, but the basic functions are easy. You can get as complicated as you choose. :D

Cache'n Jacksons
06-11-2005, 06:05 PM
I've not tried GSAK since I thought I remembered someone saying it wouldn't upload waypoints back to the Garmin? Maybe someone will have the patience to show us. We'll have laptop with us.
I haven't been able to get it to upload to my Garmin either... so I save my waypoints to a file and bring them into EasyGPS, which talks nice to the Garmin. :) And now that I've discovered the macros in GSAK, I'll be able to skip making a file and go straight to EasyGPS. I just got a macro working that will send all the waypoints in my current filter to USAPhotoMaps, which will be a HUGE help.

TwoMaineiacs
06-11-2005, 07:41 PM
Macros, lisp routines, shudder...... just wrapped up a ten year stint overseeing 83 online tech support forums for Autodesk and I never want to see a lisp again <G> However, sure do know their worth.

I have no problems at all having the Garmin, computer, DeLorme street Atlas and even Mapsource talk to each other. I'd just hoped I'd missed something easy about EasyGPS loading the selected caches to the Garmin with one button push instead of individually. I know, I know - macro and Swiss Army Knife.

Anne - stubborn but willing to learn

WhereRWe?
06-12-2005, 07:24 AM
I have no problems at all having the Garmin, computer, DeLorme street Atlas and even Mapsource talk to each other. I'd just hoped I'd missed something easy about EasyGPS loading the selected caches to the Garmin with one button push instead of individually.

Yes - you can do them ALL with a "one button push" in EasyGPS.

When you open your file of waypoints in EasyGPS, they should all be listed. Click on the "send" icon, and it should transfer ALL of the waypoints to your GPS. If this doesn't happen, you need to tell us what DOES happen! LOL!

:D :D :D

TwoMaineiacs
06-12-2005, 07:45 AM
Let's say I have ten caches listed in my subdirectory for Augusta and want to transfer/load them to the Garmin.

1. Start EasyGPS. Click on Open and then on my subdirectory named Augusta. Highlight first cache and use Shift click on last to highlight them all. Click open on Windows file box.

2. All caches are now in EasyGPS but they are on their own "layer" so to speak. One appears directly on the screen, the rest show as tabs on the bottom of the GPS screen. Or I can get them to "tile" so they are more visible.

3. I have to go to each one to load to the GPS. There does not appear to be a way to load them all at one time???? For example, highlight one cache, click on "send" and a smaller box comes up showing "Send to GPS" with a check mark beside "Waypoints 1/1000". It's not THAT time consuming to click on each single one and send to GPS, I just want to do it all with one send click.

Off to Fiber Frolic and a few caches up and back.

Anne - the stubborn old coot

Cache'n Jacksons
06-12-2005, 08:49 AM
Oohh! Ooohh!! I know the answer to this one! :) First, you will want to right-click on a tab and pick "Restore"... this will show each tab in a window. From here, you can drag the waypoint out of that window and into another window. This will combine the waypoints so two are listed in the window. Keep dragging the remaining waypoints into this window until you have all of them.

As you might expect, GSAK eliminates the need to do this because every waypoint is stored in one database.

WhereRWe?
06-12-2005, 09:25 AM
I'll admit that I haven't used EasyGPS too much lately - again, GSAK is SOOOOO much better, LOL! - but this is interesting and I've been trying to duplicate the problem with no luck. I don't understand why, when you open the file "Augusta", you don't have all the waypoints listed in the box.

I just created a file called "me.gpx" and opened it in EasyGPS. I now have a list of waypoints in the TOP box.

I click on "send" and get a little box that says "send to GPS waypoints (289/500)".

I don't have to do anything else. What am I missing? LOL!

TwoMaineiacs
06-12-2005, 06:15 PM
Cache'n's tip works. I could just see him/her jumping up and down yelling "I know, I know". Thank you.

Maybe it's because I'm using LOC instead of GPX files? Will drop for now as this coming week won't be geocaching during the week days. Looking forward to a demo (I hope) of GSAK at "Slipping into summer".

4 of 5 successful caches today with our FTF. We were getting in the truck when BlueGrass Gyrl showed up. 5 minutes later we wouldn't have our FTF <G>. Nice to say hello BGG. Went up to Augusta to the Arboretum and did our usual wading through the swampy trails. Note to self - NEVER leave the truck to cache without wearing your hiking boots even though the trails look dry.

Did two more over by UMA and then tried for the fifth one near UMA. "Turkey Buzzard" GCP3Y7. We're both in pretty decent shape for 60 but this one is one tough climb. At times it is 45 degrees up and the ground was wet and slippery. Turned into our second did not find after at least 45 minutes looking. GPS was bouncing like mad and even though we are positive we were standing on the coordinates, nada.

I would NOT suggest this to anyone with children, elderly or not in shape folk along. Not sure we'll go back for another try. We will try for out other not found "Pez" in Gorham. <G>

Anne

Trezurs*-R-*Fun
06-12-2005, 06:56 PM
OK I've been following the thread and am ready to go paperless. My biggest obstacle is that I do not have a data cord for the GPS. SO....should I buy a GPS to palm or GPS to Computer?

I have subscribed to geocaching.com and have purchased cachemate for my PALM.

My GPS doesn't support maps (or WAAS for that matter) so was wondering if there was a recommended mapping software for the PALM. I do have Delorme Maps though even if I don't have it installed.

attroll
06-12-2005, 09:37 PM
OK I've been following the thread and am ready to go paperless. My biggest obstacle is that I do not have a data cord for the GPS. SO....should I buy a GPS to palm or GPS to Computer?

I have subscribed to geocaching.com and have purchased cachemate for my PALM.

My GPS doesn't support maps (or WAAS for that matter) so was wondering if there was a recommended mapping software for the PALM. I do have Delorme Maps though even if I don't have it installed.
You do not need to have a cord to connect GPS to Palm unless you are going to us the Delorme mapping software with your GPS. I do but I don't think there are a lot of people that do.

You don't really need a GPS to conputer cable either. But I highly recommend it unless you want to manually keep putting the coordinates in the GPS yourself.

If you coming to the event cache this weekend I will show you what I do with my Palm and GPS.

Which Palm do you have?

Cache'n Jacksons
06-12-2005, 09:39 PM
SO....should I buy a GPS to palm or GPS to Computer?
I would suggest the computer cord. I have both and never had good luck getting the GPS to talk to the Palm. Plus the computer is faster, and does not need batteries.

That said, I really only use the computer cord to send large batches of waypoints to the GPS. If there are one or 2 new caches I need to input for a day of caching, I'll upload them to the Palm and toss the GPS and Palm to the kids in the backseat and have them put the coords in the GPS as I drive. They are getting quite good at it! :cool:

WhereRWe?
06-13-2005, 08:00 AM
OK I've been following the thread and am ready to go paperless. My biggest obstacle is that I do not have a data cord for the GPS. SO....should I buy a GPS to palm or GPS to Computer?

I have subscribed to geocaching.com and have purchased cachemate for my PALM.

My GPS doesn't support maps (or WAAS for that matter) so was wondering if there was a recommended mapping software for the PALM. I do have Delorme Maps though even if I don't have it installed.

I would agree with ATtroll - get a GPS/Computer cable. You should already have a "Hotsync" cradle to hook your PDA to the computer.

What you do after that depends on how much money you want to spend. If you're at the event this weekend, you'll be able to see several different hookups. I have a power cable for the car that hooks my GPS and Palm Zire together, so I have interactive maps (Delorme Street Atlas for
Handheld) on my PDA. :D

Trezurs*-R-*Fun
06-13-2005, 08:03 AM
You do not need to have a cord to connect GPS to Palm unless you are going to us the Delorme mapping software with your GPS.

Which Palm do you have?

I Have a PALM M515. Its a hand me down from my wife so I'm not that familiar with it although I'm gradually becoming more proficient.

I am going to load Delorme on the desktop and see what that is all about today.

I chatted with Brdad who has the same make and model GPS I'm using and he has put me in contact with someone who sells the connectors for the eTrex. I'll be attempting to make both a computer to GPS and PALM to gps cord.

I'm still not sure on this weekends event, I'm not that far away so I'll make every attempt to at least stop and say hi. Hate to commit then not show...


Thanks for the advice

Steve

Haffy
06-13-2005, 12:13 PM
Hey Steve,I have a Palm to GPS and also a GPS to computer cable. I have a combo that I havent used as of yet that talks between the Palm and GPS and hooks into the cigarette lighter but it only charges the Palm while in the car. I bought that from www.bluehillsinnovations.com and there is a link to other suppliers in the software links section of this site. Hope that helps

TwoMaineiacs
06-13-2005, 04:33 PM
Is this the type of hardware you are all talking about? Palm Pilot M515 Color Pda Organizer

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?viewItem&category=38331&item=5781334237 (watch word/URL wrap)

Is there a model number that has known good use interfacing with a Garmin ?

Anne - picking your collective brain again

Haffy
06-13-2005, 05:38 PM
Yes,that's what we are talking about. I myself have the Palm Zire 71 which also includes a digital camera and plenty of memory plus an expansion slot for more memory which I have a 1 Gig SD card. That's enough memory for maps for the whole country I think....lol