CookCrew

There is a manual on using BlackStar with bcaching.com on the BlackStar forums. It does a good job on getting you set up through the whole process.http://blackstarnavigation.freeforums.org/user-manual-from-psycada-t163.html#p729 This document does have one issue. It documents uploading field notes from BlackStar. That functionality has not been developed yet.

The objective is to keep bcaching up to date with your frequent geocaching locations. You can automate loading your PQs into bcaching by using your bcaching email id. I have several PQs that I have scheduled weekly that go directly to bcaching. That way when you are in the areas covered by your PQs, you can have access to the nearby caches. If you are in a location that is not covered by your PQs, then you can use the Geocaching.com Closest Caches option. It will open the geocaching website with the closest caches to your current location listed. You can then download individual caches to your sd card and import into blackstar.

The guy who created bcaching has documented approval from Groundspeak to do this. He provides security to ensure each user only has access to caches he has uploaded and they are purged after 45 days of inactivitiy.

I used the Freedom 2000 keychain gps. It performed well for me and it is very convenient to carry. It is the size of a car key fob. The battery life wasn't spectacular at about 4 hours, but you can use you BB car lighter charger (not the new smaller bb connector, but the older bigger one). The only problem is for those park and grabs, you need to take your keys with you, lol. On the down side, sometimes the gps would go to sleep if the app was not keeping a good connection to it.

Handhelds will do the same, just to a much lesser degree. They have their own logic to accomodate this. Even with my Magellan, once I am within 50 ft I go more from the distance decreasing that I do from the arrow. But the arrow does not dance as much as my BB does.

That is something I have struggled with in the past while developing BlackStar. We take the coordinates from the GPS chip and calculate speed and direction using two consecutive coordinates. And as all seasoned GPS users know, the coordinates come with a built in error and will be accurate within xx feet based on number of satellites, etc. So as you are standing still, you may get a gps reading for a coordinate 5 feet to your left, the next could be 3 feet toyour right, the next could be to feet in front. To BlackStar it will look like you are moving in a circle. We have discussed various alternatives, but they all seem to have their own issues. We could average coordinates, but I don't think that would really solve anything and just make it less accurate. We have considered freezing the arrow if your speed is below a threshold, but I am not thrilled with that either. Bottom line, yes it is a problem. no solution I can think of except backtrack a few feet and approach the cache area again.

You can decrypt the hints with BlackStar. In the Waypoint Details page, click the Toggle Hints menu item and the hint will be decrypted. If you primarily cache in areas with cell reception, you can just use bcaching.com Other common options are Cacheberry and Geocache Navigator.

BlackStar requires the file to be unzipped. You CAN request the file not be compressed file when you run the PQ, but it will result in a larger file being sent, more data charges if you do not have an unlimited plan. Or you can unzip it on your computer, then transfer the file with USB cord. But the option I prefer is bcaching.com. You can set up a free account on bcaching, then send all your PQs there and you can always load the 20 closest caches from bcaching with one menu click.

Which browser are you using? I have seen behavior like this on other browsers, but not BB Browser. Try toggling the Support Javascript checkbox in the Browser Configuations. Or possibly change the Browser Emulation.

Unfortunately yes, unless you want to purchase a Bluetooth GPS. You can still store cache information on your phone, but since Verizon blocks the GPS, you will not be able to use it for navigating to the cache.

Interesting dilemma. But I see you now have a found cache, so you should be able to complete the setup. For others who may have the same problem, you can still import your GPX file into BlackStar by storing the file on your SD card. Once you have your first find you can complete the setup. Beyond that, I would refer you to the bcaching forums. The bcaching site owner might be able to provide more info.

Another big difference is that Geocache Navigator requires a cell connection. So if you are out of cell reception range, it will not work. But Cacheberry and BlackStar will continue to work as long as your GPS chip is autonamous.

GPRS is not GPS. It stands for General packet radio service. It is the mobile data service method. 8520 does not have an internal GPS. 8510 has GPS no wifi 8520 has wifi, no GPS 8530 has wifi and gps

Are you meaning an 8520? If so, that is a Curve 2 with wifi, but no GPS. If it is 8250, then I have never heard of that model so I can't be sure of the GPS

Have you tried deleting the GPS bluetooth connection and pairing it again?

Which BB model do you have? Not all have internal GPS. Also if you are Verizon, they lock down the GPS and only allow Storm and Tour to use internal GPS.

Have not heard of this problem from anyone else. Do you have a bluetooth GPS? With BlackStar off, go to the BB Options icon (wrench icon) an select Advanced Options/GPS. Then click the menu button and select Refresh GPS. Does this also try to connect to your bluetooth devices? If so it may be an OS bug. I say that because I recently had problems accessing my GPS and the errors in the logs indicated a bluetooth error. Same error prevented me from opening media, or turning on bluetooth. I reinstalled the OS and that fixed the problem.

I am one of the developers of BlackStar and would be happy to try to help you. Groundspeak has its public API locked down so that only certain vendors can use it. That is why BlackStar relies on GPX and LOC files. But there are a couple of ways you can get caches on the fly. My preferred method is to use bcaching.com. bcaching.com is a website that allows you to upload your pocket query results and has a mobile browser friendly interface. You can use the email address they supply to send you PQs automatically. I have several PQs running weekly and loading automatically to bcaching so it is always available and is only a few days out of date. Once the PQ is in bcaching, you can import the 20 closest caches from bcaching into blackstar. All you need to do is go to the List Waypoints screen and click the Get Closest bcaching GPX and it will extract the caches from bcaching and load them into BlackStar. bcaching membership is free, but you must be a premium geocaching.com member because of the reliance on PQs. It may sound complicated, but once it is set up, you can get your closest caches within seconds. For better information on how to use bcaching and BlackStar, see the user guide on the BlackStar forums: http://blackstarnavigation.freeforums.org/...ycada-t163.html Another option is more manual for free geocaching.com members and for areas you do not have GPX files created. First you must already have logged into the geocaching.com website on the BB Browser and selected the Remember Me checkbox. From the main BlackStar screen, select the Geocaching.com Closest Caches menu item. THis will open the gc search page with your current position. You can go to the bottom of the page and click the Check All button, then Download Waypoints button. Save the LOC file to your SD card. Note older BB OS will try to save the file as nearest.aspx, just rename the file to something with a .loc as the file extension. Then import the saved loc file in the List Waypoints screen. Sure this method still uses loc and gpx files. But you can still geocache on the fly and get the caches closest to your current position. Hope this helps. Also there is a BlackStar support forum at http://blackstarnavigation.freeforums.org/

You do not need to be a premium member to use BlackStar. As a non-premium member, you can still create LOC files in place of GPX files. The LOC file will contain coordinates and cache name. GPX files contain the cache description, hint, and 5 logs. So it is better with the GPX, but you can get by with the LOC. Not to mention, once you can create GPX files, you can get started on bcaching.com. Even with the LOC, you can still with the click of a button, be brought to the cache page in geocaching.com to get the rest of the cache information, but it just takes the extra time to load the page and you need to be within cell service. But definitely, if you are just wanting to TRY geocaching with no investment, give it a try. I think you will have fun.

It could be the final stage of a multi.

Use your USB cable to transfer your GPX/LOC files to your SD card. Then disconnect the USB and open BlackStar and import the files.

BlackStar does not have a field notes export yet. But it is on the list of future enhancements

You do not need a premium membership to use BlackStar. It can accept LOC files which Basic (free) members can create.

OUCH, $10 per month just to use the chip on your phone??? It is amazing the things some of these wireless companies are getting away with. If you just want to be able to view cache details on you blackberry and are not interested in the GPS functionality, then I recommend bcaching.com. You must be a premium geocaching.com member to use bcaching because it stores pocket query results online. It provides a mobile-browser-friendly web interface. It is very weill done and loads quickly on your BB browser. Thanks, I'll check that out. I am a premium member and have been downloading PQ's for a while now. I tried having one sent to my Blackberry address as the alternate e-mail and it never came in. Is this normal? When I changed the e-mail to a hotmail address, it came in no problem... I use my gmail and it comes to my BB no problem. The email address you are using may have size limitations on it which prevent the email from going through.

I recommend calling your service provider and asking them. I am not aware of AT&T charging for the use of the GPS, but since I don't have that carrier, it is an uninformed answer.