Not to be too off topic, but I found Old Speck Spectacle to be very hard to find. We looked a long time.Quote:
Originally Posted by attroll
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Not to be too off topic, but I found Old Speck Spectacle to be very hard to find. We looked a long time.Quote:
Originally Posted by attroll
We looked a very long time for it to. We did not want to walk back down after doing that far up. So we looked real good. The hints said it was right close to the trail there is a arge rock with a hole somewhere arouind it. We looked in every hole and around every rock up and down the trail for 75 feet in each direction. We even went off the trail for a bit. Oh Well maybe I can find someone at the picnic in Sept that has found it and find out if it is missing. I don't want to get into to much detail and have someone give it away here in case it is still there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Geomaineiacs
Anybody using one of these new pda's with the gps built in? Any luck with them?
I saw a HP PDA with a GPS bluetooth logger in action last night. WOW! Double WOW! Very nice set up...it will set you back over $500.00. They had Mapopolis installed and it gave verbal directions which was very cool. In the meantime, my Legend is sitting on the dash still trying to lock a sat or two... :)
Verbal, as in "It's under that pile of sticks over there, dummy!"? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by cameoooooo
Well, not THAT good...but pretty close...Turn here, turn there, turn around, your going the wrong way kinda thing.
Anyone using Street Atlas USA Handheld for paperless caching? I have Street Atlas and Topo USA, and am able to upload waypoints to Topo, but not to Street Atlas.
Any suggestions? Hints?
I have a Palm Zire 71, an eTrex Legend and a laptop that go with me all the time now.
I have the same issue. You can create a waypoints in Street Atlas but not with coordinates. You can only use the GOTO function and then touch the screen and it will be close but not accurate.
Well, there is a way, but you have to also have Topo USA. You can upload a set of waypoints to Topo from the GPS, then to the PDA. They will show up on the map downloaded to the PDA from Street Atlas. But why doesn't Street Atlas use draw layers like Topo does? I thought that would be a "fix" in Street Atlas 2005, but I guess not. Can't really see any improvement in 2005 over 2004...Quote:
Originally Posted by attroll
I am also disapointed in 2005 vise 2004. I also have Topo 5.0. I will have to try what you said. I have the whole state of Maine on my PDA with Topo 5.0. But I do not see any of my waypoints on it. Did you have to save it as a routable map to get the waypoints on it?Quote:
Originally Posted by WhereRWe?
I think you guys have me confused. I can enter coords on my PDA in Street Atlas then mark and name it. I assume this is not what you are trying to do,right? I use this feature when I link the Zire and the Vista together. With a waypoint marked on the map it gives me a map overlay to drive to a cache,or as close to it as roads allow.This is not as effective as doing it on the desktop,but works. As for as SA 2004 vs 2005. I like the fact that the roads (ie interstates) are updated. You can now also have multiple routes on at the same time which may be handy too.I guess we can figure it out next weekend. The weather IS going to be cooperative,RIGHT!!!!!!!!! Talk to you all soon.
So, which progam are you guys reccommending for mapping on the Palm?
-RanMan22
I have been dabbling with this paperless thing for a few weeks. I've been sorta successful but I'm stuck now. Here's what I've got going:
I was able to transfer all my waypoints to my gps using GSAK. (WHOA!)
I have a pocket pc and have been using GPXSonar and I really like it so far. I was able to load all my waypoints in there so I have all the cache pages and info and logs right on the pda. I also have a bluetooth logger GPS thingy...and have mapopolis as my mapping software.
So whalla! I've got it right? But this is what I'm thinking...
Is there a way to enter all my waypoints to the mapping software on the pocket pc so that when I tap it, the cache info page opens up??? I'm just wondering. Maybe it hasn't been invented yet? Maybe I just have the wrong mapping software?
I understand how you can look at the waypoint name, then go look at it in the sonar thing...but I'm lazy and thought if I could just *TAP* it...that would be sweet!
Ok - I am re-energized about paperless caching and am on my way to getting things set up - thanks Steve, Brad, Haffy, Dave, Lee, and everyone for the motivation and support as I maneuver through this process - somewhat frustrating and irritatinig one I might add - LOL!!
My challenge at the moment is that cachemate is not compatible with my iPAQ Pocket PC. Seems I am definitely in the minority here when it comes to handheld model. I see Zires everywhere, but no iPAQ's. I'm looking at a few software options on the internet, but wanted to check here and see if anyone else is using a Pocket PC and also doing paperless caching. If so......help! Which software are you using to download information into your handheld?
Thanks a million for your help!
I've never used it, GPXSonar is recommended by the maker of Cachemate.
http://gpxsonar.homeip.net/default.aspx
Judy, I know Tat and Cameo both use Pocket PC. Maybe they can help you.
Holy Smokes - this is going to consume my day - lol - and yours too perhaps if you keep checking the posts!
Question about GSAK and importing info from your PQ. I have numerous pages of caches listed in my PQ that I want to import into GSAK. It is only importing the first 20 (on the first page). I tried establishing each page as a separate file and importing into GSAK that way, essentially leaving existing information in GSAK and adding to it with the new file (page 2 of waypoints from my PQ). It doesn't add them.
It also appears that the PQ only allows you to check the caches to upload waypoints for one page at a time. Is this correct? Seem like there MUST be an easier way!
Thoughts, help, direction appreciated!!
When I get a pq, it is sent in a zip file. If I want the pq to be a new database in gsak, I create that database, say name it Jan23. Then I open the zip file with gsak and my Jan23 database contains all the caches I queried for. When loading a pq into an existing database, gsak will overwrite the existing caches with the new pq unless you tell it not to in the options menu. I hope that helps. I'm not sure I understood what you were doing. :)
BC,
Downloading 20 points at a time:
I think I know what you are doing, I did the same thing at first. When you edit the PQ, you have the choice of running the PQ once or on a certain day. Unless you pick a certain day, you will not receive the email containing all of the caches. Either way, you will see a page of 20 caches. You can download 20 at a time, but there is no need. If you cannot get the site to send the email, post again I'll try a more detailed explaination.
PocketStreets:
If you are using PocketStreets, there is an export feature in GSAK.
Good Luck!
I'm playing with the GPX Sonar software, but am having a tough time figuring out how to import the information from GSAK. I am planning to use Street Atlas and once I have that in place perhaps this will all be more apparent, but I understand that I should be able to transfer the information into my iPAQ without having Street Atlas in there yet.
I did get the full PQ into GSAK though - COOL!! Now just have to get that info into GPX sonar and my GPS.
Ai yi yi - If this keeps up, I'll hold the record for number of posts - lol!
I have in the past if I couldn't find what I was looking for in here was to use the Groundspeak forums. You have to remember they have access to the whole world of caching not just from what membership we have in here. I just did a search of GPX sonar that Beachcomber was looking for and came up with all kinds of hits. Maybe someone else has used those forums as well. I know I have on many occasions and have always gotten great responses. In fact just the other day someone from Missouri was looking for a Maine cacher to help him out with a locationless reverse cache and I obliged him. The waypoint name for that cache is GC3153 if anyone is interested in them. That was pretty cool working with someone from as far away as Missouri. Now I am doing the same thing with my name and a guy in Iowa is helping me out with mine.....way cool. Anyway just to show what benefits forums are and to use them whenever you get a chance, they are very informative. :)
You know what would be a great idea. We should have a cache event just for the purpose of PDA training. Like using cachemate, GSAK and other programs. All we need to do is have a computer there with all the needed software and have someone familar with it give a class on it.
That's a good idea. I've been paperless caching for a while and love it, but I keep hearing about things that are interesting - or done differently than I do - and would welcome the advice.
And if you nitice in the thread listing, this thread has been viewed 1,700 times, so there IS a lot of interest out there... :)
It would be great if we can get a location where we can get internet access of some sort as it will make the instruction a lot better Make it a picnic in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn? :eek:
And don't forget we would have to have people informed with both Palm OS and Pocket PC cause they both use different software applications. Heck of an idea. Maybe Frank can get the use of the school where he taught and use the schools computers or something... Just a thought I know I need all the help I can get. GSAK has so much to offer and I haven't even scratched the surface of how to use that yet,just the basics. :)
Count me in!!
It also saves on our environment by not having to use paper to do all that printing and ink isn't very cheap either. Save a tree if you can I always say. I'm not a tree hugger now mind you but just more environmentally concerned as we all should be. :)
Ipaq and GPX Sonar.
BC, hope this helps...this is how I do it. I am still in the learning stages as far as the mapping goes...so not as good on that category.
I'm not sure how your going about getting your pq together. I go to "my" cache page, click on run pq's. That will bring up a rather detailed checkbox form that I can filter the caches that I want included in my pq that will get emailed to me later. (Doesn't really take that long, but is not immediate.)
Once I get the email from gc.com with my PQ, I unzip it. Then I move that file manually to the SD card of my pda. I do not go through GSAK to move the caches to my pda. Then when I open Sonar, I select the file and it loads the caches. I used brdad's idea of a file for my unfound caches, and a separate file for my found ones. This combination puts 591 (or so) caches on my pda, and it takes me about 30 seconds. :)
I use the GSAK to download my waypoints into my gps only. Not sure if you are at that point yet or not.
Mt. Agamenticus has a lodge that is available starting the last week of April. The York Rec Dept manages the room, and charges $0, $100 or $300, depending on the use. If I could get this, for this year's Mt. Agamenticus Event, would there be enough interest? Like Haffy said, we would need to have several people to cover the topics.
I went to a seminar last year where they covered:
1. GSAK
2. Palm/CacheMate
3. PocketPC
They did not discuss mapping or all the other software procucts such as Sonar, Spinner, etc.
I know GSAK fairly well and can (probably) supply a couple of PDAs.
I don't think we would really need an internet connection, since the only thing that is needed from in the internet is the PQ files, which can easily be downloaded in advance. And, the three items listed alone would take longer than most attention spans.
GSAK has an export feature "HTML Files".
Export the files to a directory on your PC. Then, use windows explorer to drop and drag the files to your PDA.
If you use the "Search", "Filter" you can organize the caches any way you want. Keep in mind that sorting by found and not found is a little redundant becacuse GSAK lists found caches in bold.
I just got GPSr. Having only done this for a month, I can attest to the amount of paper we've accumulated. I would like to know what to buy and how to use it. Count me in too. Besides I have an 11 year old to help me when I faulter. Where are the best sources for a PDA?
eBay!!! (Although I bought my Palm Zire 71 as an "open box" item from PalmOne (http://store.palmone.com/shop/index....goryId=1309886)Quote:
Originally Posted by Team2hunt
I know lots of people like to shop through eBay. Me...I'm more of an instant gratification shopper and want to leave with the technology in hand so I bought mine at Circuit City. Any store like that will give you a variety of good choices.
The big decision will be whether you want the traditional palm pilot technology or the pocket pc format. They both have their pros and cons.
I picked the iPAQ because it was most like the Microsoft format that I am familiar with. Easy to use - very intuitive - if you are used to the Microsoft Office programs it will be an easy transition. I can't really tell you how it compares to the palm world with brands like Zire as I am not really familiar with them. Perhaps others who have made a handheld purchase can tell you why they chose palm over pocket pc or vice versa. What I can tell you is there seem to be many more people who are using the palm format for paperless caching as compared to those of us using pocket pc.
Perhaps you would want to be brave and join the smaller group of us - LOL - or maybe not. I'll let you make that call ;)
After much direction from fellow cachers, a bit of time researching GPX Sonar on geocaching.com, and a bunch of hours playing, I am finally paperless!! Yippeeeee! Now, all I have to do is get out there and try it out.
I can't wait to install Street Atlas and play with that as well!
Thanks to all who helped me - this looks like it is going to be great!!
It appears I am talking to myself - LOL! Oh well, that won't stop me - hehehe
Wanted to share a great resource I found while working on the paperless caching project. This is from the Maryland Geocaching Society. I have also added the link to the "Links" section of this website.
http://www.mdgps.org/modules.php?name=pocketcaching
Wait until you've done a few caches the "paperless way". Then you'll REALLY appreciate it. :D
I've been home sick today. I spent somtime surfing. Came across a few web sites and I find there are alot of different ways to do this. Thanks for the help and directions.:D Geocaching University had a list of printable directions.Welcome to Geocacher University!
I use GSAK but just for the basics like storing all my PQ's and sending to my GPS. I was wondering how I can just send my unfound caches to my GPS in stead of everything that I have in GSAK? I know there must be a way but I haven't figured that part out yet. Help!!!
Why not just use EasyGPS, Haffy? I didn't mention that option last night...
Haffy -Quote:
Originally Posted by Haffy6
Create a filter in GSAK. Go to Search, Filter, and then set the parameters for whatever you want. I do this all the time forwhatever area I'm going to be caching in. Yuo can cave this filtered list and download it to your PDA.
Thanks Bruce that's what I was looking for.The one problem I had was if to check archived/unavailable or not,so I unchecked it and it sent me the unarchived ones too which I didn't want. Guess I'll have to play around with it to understand it a little more. But at least I have all my unfound ones and not everyone of them now. Thanks again. Any more lessons on GSAK?
Between the filters on the PQ's and the filters on GSAK you can pretty much control whatever you want to view. I have created databases for various caches such as: found, not found, Rochester area, NH, VT, etc. I can combine the databases, update them, filter them to upload to my pda, my mapsource maps, or gps...it's a great program to fit most of your needs. Play around with it.