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baloo&bd

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Posts posted by baloo&bd

  1. I run Street Atlas and Topo on my laptop Win 7 and have for years. You can import an entire .gpx pocket query directly into a draw layer. But it is much more functional to run through GSAK and export all the HTML parts onto the hard drive and then export the waypoints as a .txt for import to Street Atlas. You can then click on a push pin and pull up all the cache info offline. Sadly by 2015 when the last update to SA happened it was already out of date and bugs were no longer being fixed so you would be running with less than accurate information. The other downside is that SA is extremely powerful and has lots of options which means you have a long learning curve. On top of that Garmin DELETED years of support on Delorme's forum so all the past wisdom and help is gone forever. Thanks a lot Garmin!!!

     

    On the other hand, I have retired my laptop and moved to Cachly running on an iPad. I can run entirely offline with maps and pocket query and use a bluetooth GPS to provide position information to the iPad. As soon as Cashly ports to Android I will be ditching the iPad and moving to Android tablets. So the need for laptop navigation is slowly becoming extinct. If you just need map and navigation without any Geocaching support I run Mapfactor Navigator free version. Pretty basic OSM maps with basic routing and no .gpx or .kml support. But it is on a laptop. You may need to be good at GPS setup to get a USB puck to work with it.

     

    It may be out there but I don't know of a current Windoze based laptop program with offline maps and good support of Geocaching.

     

    I am not desperate enough to use crapple products just yet, especially since then it would only be good for this one purpose.

     

    With all the salespeople out there using their laptops, I have to think there is something available for computers that won't cost an arm and a leg like Map Point, although if I could find it for a reasonable price that might be what I have to go with.

     

    I may have a line on some old stock of MS S&T 2013, which would be ideal. Seems very short sighted to discontinue it.

  2. Garmin does not offer any software. In the past they had a couple of programs (nroute and Garmin Mobile PC), but they are long since dead. You can get them running, but it is not straightforward.

     

    nRoute is still available. I just have to play with it. I remembered severe shortcomings, bu better than nothing.

  3. Have used Microsoft Streets and Trips for years. Unfortunately, need to upgrade my hard drive and it was downloaded from Amazon, which will not let me re-download it.

     

    Is there any replacement software out there? It obviously needs to load caches via a GPX or similar file and do routing as well as work with a USB puck.

     

    I thought basecamp may work, but it does not. I am going to try nroute but I remember that being somewhat limited.

  4. My guess is that some of the very wealthy are skewing the "average wage" metrics you used. The page you used starts with a statement that "The wage distribution is right-skewed; the majority of people earn less than the average wage."

     

    The "median wage" may be a more realistic metric.

     

    What does it matter? GC is not a utility or necessity. Enjoy the free aspect or don't play. Apparently the majority of users worldwide have no issue.

  5. Premium memberships would not be a bad idea if they offered something really useful, but I'm not seeing something extremely innovative, something that causes extreme server load or anything else justifying a mandatory fee. Even the pictures are displayed on dimensions ridiculously small for today's standards.

     

    Have you ever looked at Premium membership? Just off the top of my head;

     

    - Pocket Queries. This allows downloading up to 10,000 caches a day. I presume technically, if used in conjunction with the app, it may be 16,000

    - Instant Notifications

    - Bookmark Lists

    - Planning routes using Cache Along a Route feature

     

    You also seem to think that Geocaching is totally provided by the users and volunteers. While that is true to the data in the content, try doing it without the site which provides data collation, search featyres, record keeping, etc. You are more than welcome to set-up a web page, or even a Facebook page, and try to recreate GC strictly from users. Don't really see it being successful. nut if it is, please come back and let us know.

     

    Ultimately, GC is US based. They do their best (quite well might add) to accommodate the myriad of differences in technology as well as other countries and cultures.

     

    It was promised early on that GC would always have a free component, and that promise has been kept. Call me elitist, but if you want more, you have to pony up with the $$$.

  6. Like dprovan, I would sign the log, and when the cache is published (assuming it is eventually), I'd log it as found, but be clear I found it before publication, and not use any words to claim I was "First to Find".

     

    Not sure why? They were first to find. FtF is binary, either you were or you weren't, and not dependant on publication. Many give coords to caches out before they are published. Gsrmin did this with cache series in the past as has GC.

  7. As a CO, I can't understand any way in which this feature could be considered "useful". If someone is logging all of their finds with the same log and not saying anything about their experience at any given cache, then it really doesn't matter how much thought you put into your default log message. The log really isn't passing along any useful information specific to that cache. Please, just turn this feature off and log each find with a different message.

     

    Not sure what this has to do with the OP, but thanks for the opinion.

  8. Had the same issue on my first gc run with my new 750T

     

    Do this:

     

    Settings (hammer and screwdriver)

    Geocaching

    Geocaching Live

    Auto Upload Caches

    Off

     

    cache Happy

     

    Yes, I understand I can turn it off, however I was wondering if there was a way to make the feature more useful and utilize it.

  9. After caching the other day, when I walked into my house, my Oregon 700 logged itself into wifi and did me a favor by uploading all my logs.

     

    Problem is, I only mark them "found" or "not found" and do not log in the field. As a result I have 100 or so logs that only say "Submitted via Garmin Oregon 7xx". Is there a way to change the default text, or even add a default log? Either via the unit or GC?

  10. Quick read through the new guidelines and the explanatory notes suggests that a lot of the contentious issues have been eliminated. I predict there will be haggling over Standard 5 point 3:

     

    "A challenge cache needs to appeal to and be attainable by a reasonable number of cachers. Your reviewer may ask for a list of cachers from your area who qualify."

    I don't know if there's any way to remove the subjectivity from this part of the guidelines.

    One way to remove the subjectivity is to delete that particular guideline. Groundspeak doesn't impose a "reasonable number of cachers" guideline on Non-Challenge caches, so why impose it on Challenge caches? Let Challenge caches be challenging!

     

    How exactly would you impose a guideline that a reasonable number of cachers in your area have found your cache if it has not published yet?

  11. I have the most recent version of Streets and Trips. I know it is discontinued however I have several routes done in it and, quite frankly, still superior in most way to Basecamp.

     

    My question is, does anyone know how to transfer routes in S&T to a Garmin GPS, in particular the Montana? Getting the caches in is obviously no problem, it is just the routes.

  12. I delete the GSAK file every fortnight or so and start building it again. That keeps the amount of "dead" caches small and my GGZ is almost up to date considering you can run 70 PQ a week.

     

    So much fail. So little time.

     

    GSAK is a database. To maintain a database, you do not delete it every couple of weeks. You update the records in it.

     

    I still think it would be much easier if I could download a whole country or area, especially if you could adapt the settings like you can do with an ordinary PQ.

     

    So in other words you want geocaching.com to provide you big offline databases. Not gonna happen.

     

    Learn how to use GSAK properly and I believe you will have no trouble maintaining the number of caches you need.

     

    I agree, I maintain a database of about 180 Miles around my home near Chicago. Each query runs once a week. I have a filter set up to show caches that do not have an update from the GPX in the last 7 days, those are the caches that are archived and I delete those and keep the database and log history.

  13. I have searched geocaching how to but cannot find anything on this topic. I found a cache that had been placed 5 months before. Bad cords and in a real out of the way area. The cords were finally corrected and I went and found the cache. Still no finds showing on the cache pages. But there was a name (Geosnakes) on the paper log dated the month before. I could not find this name by searching it. So I have not claimed a first to find on this but was wondering if to claim a find you would have to log it on the site.

     

    Fisrt to find is a binary state, either you are or you are not. It also is no different to the twentieth find. If you're asking should you put a note in your log that you were ftf, you were not.

  14. Although the guidelines for a virtual cache state that posting a photograph may be a requirement, I would hope that you'd be somewhat flexible regarding the content of the photo. Some people might prefer not to have the picture posted on the internet for personal or religious reasons. Some people will use a proxy of some kind (e.g. a stuffed animal or a sign with their geocaching handle) instead. For a lot (if not most) geocachers these days, their camera is also their GPS. As I see it, requiring a photo for a virtual cache is simply a method of proving one was actually at the cache location. Unless you have a pretty compelling reason to suspect that a photo might not be legitimate (e.g. photoshopping) or that the person logging used someone elses picture, being strict about the content just comes across to me as controlling.

     

    I'm sorry, but if any of these things prevent you from a virtual posting requirement, then moved along. Every cache is not for everyone and it is not being controlling. It is no different then a cache 20 feet up a tree and you can't climb.

  15. Slight correction, there are dozens of apps, some free, some with a charge attached.

     

    Whether or not they work with premium features is how your GC account is set up.

    Premium is attached to your ID, not the app.

     

    Pretty much lik the site you cited in the OP.

  16. OK, I'll say it since no one else will.

     

    Based on the OP premise (and responses) it would appear GC is not for you.

     

    There are many injuries, maybe everyday, within caching of varying degrees. We all assume the risk.

     

    If someone comes in with th mentality they can make a buck by not taking responsibility, this will become a problem and ruin the game.

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