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Thread: Using EasyGPS to group load caches

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Durham,Maine
    Posts
    197

    Default Using EasyGPS to group load caches

    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. 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
    TwoMaineiacs / Anne and Joe

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
    Posts
    5,965

    Default

    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...

  3. #3

    Lightbulb Paperless caching rocks!

    Cache paper? That is so 2004! I picked up a PalmIII on eBay for about $30, and registered a copy of the CacheMate software for the Palm for $8. GSAK 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!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Gainesville, Georgia
    Posts
    3,893

    Default

    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
    Just smile it won't crack your face

    The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
    suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best
    friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Durham,Maine
    Posts
    197

    Default

    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 / Anne and Joe

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Durham,Maine
    Posts
    197

    Default

    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
    TwoMaineiacs / Anne and Joe

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Knox, Maine
    Posts
    107

    Default Yes on paperless

    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

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Solon, Maine
    Posts
    5,965

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by TwoMaineiacs
    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.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by TwoMaineiacs
    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.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Durham,Maine
    Posts
    197

    Default

    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
    TwoMaineiacs / Anne and Joe

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