Riverwolf
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Posts posted by Riverwolf
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Groundspeak is working on an official geocaching application for the Android OS but it will be some time before it is available for use. There are other applications available now though...Geobeagle is one of them. I'm sure there are others but I'm not familiar with the options.
I downloaded geobeagle but how do you use it??? Help??
Unfortunately, I don't know anything about that application as I have an iPhone. Perhaps a check here (a search in the GPS & Technology section) will be of some assistance to you.
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Groundspeak is working on an official geocaching application for the Android OS but it will be some time before it is available for use. There are other applications available now though...Geobeagle is one of them. I'm sure there are others but I'm not familiar with the options.
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I could totally be wrong here but i believe they develop the app for other platforms already, most of which are losing market share to the iPhone and Android.
List of supported platforms at Trimble Outdoors
The below link shows the current market share per mobile OS. Note this is for August 2009, before the flood of handsets that is supposed to happen later this year and early 2010.
As far as I have read on the forums and the Groundspeak site, Groundspeak is not developing apps for other platforms other than the iPhone. Regardless of "market share," the iPhone is wildly popular at this time and, apparently, Groundspeak doesn't want to put a lot of effort into other platforms that might come and go too quickly.
Don't blame the messenger.
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Since the iPhone is so popular, Groundspeak decided that they were going to put their efforts into developing an app for the iPhone and not worrying about other platforms. Looks like you are going to have to deal with Cachemate.
Your opinion might be that your phone is "better than the iPhone" but that's just your opinion. I might think otherwise.
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DNF is, well, DNF. I say the individual letters. I can't say that I've ever heard someone say it any other way.
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I didn't read anything about GSAK in your post. Importing into Mapsource, from what I read, will not archive or disable your cache list when you get a new PQ from Groundspeak. Gask, on the other hand, will mark the caches as disabled or archived (depending on which has happened) and then you can upload a select few to your GPSr as needed.
I understand using Mapsource as it is shipped with most Garmin units, I just don't use it myself. GSAK with Microsoft Streets & Trips and/or Google Earth seems to work better for me, whereas others might be used to Mapsource with something else. Either way, most people seem to use GSAK as the way to upload waypoints from their computer to their GPSr as the program will mark those unavailable as such.
PQ's are limited and don't seem to be changing anytime soon. Deleting archived caches isn't something that any program I know does. Unfortunately, you seem to be stuck.
Good luck though. Try GSAK though. You get 30 days free and then nagged until you buy. Worth a shot I guess.
While GSAK can make the process easier (even a whole lot easier), it will not automatically mark caches as archived as this information is not included in the .gpx files. If you set-up PQ's to update the whole DB you can check/delete those that don't update as those are probably archived (note: to update 12K caches would take 24 PQ's - about 5 days worth). And no PQ will include info on disabled caches if you have the "Is Active" box checked.
When I do a PQ, I do not put any filter in place for when I want to upload those .gpx files to GSAK. I can perform all of my filters in GSAK and upload those caches that I want to find or are for the area I am going to as needed. GSAK WILL mark those caches as disabled (changes the background color of the GC Code column) or archived (change of color AND a line throuh the GC Code) and you can then filter those particular caches out as needed.
I usually don't run my PQ until the night before or the morning of the day I am going caching for the expressed reason that I want the most updated information to upload to my GPSr and PDA from GSAK. Since the OP has a netbook with wi-fi and an iPhone, thre's no reason why he can't grab a PQ for the area he is headed to on that day, assuring that he has the most recent information possible and uploading the caches that are needed from GSAK. Seems simple enough as long as you aren't filtering your PQs.
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Hello everybody...
I am looking for an easier way to cache. No I am not looking for easy cache's or a way to find caches easier as far as the actual hunt goes.
Equipment used:
Garmin 530hcx GPSr
iPhone with geocaching.com's iPhone app.
Netbook with AT&T wireless. (Used only when I am out caching in my truck)
Mapsource software that came with upgraded map software for my Garmin GPSr.
My S&R trained Beagle named Sara.
(Not always used)Currently this is my process...
I download using PQ's the new caches for DFW with the following filters. Within 250 miles, Traditional & Multi, New within the last 48 hours, Active, Not Mine, Not Found by me.
I then import these into a pre-existing mapsource file. This pre-existing mapsource file allready contains all of the geocaches for the DFW area that I had download previously. Minus any geocaches that I have previously found. Once I find them, I delete them from this mapsource file & move them to a new mapsource file I call "Geocaches Found".
Currently in that main mapsource file, I have about 12,000 geocache sites. Obviously including more than just DFW.
Now... My Garmin 530hcx GPSr will currently hold no more than 1000 waypoints. Doesn't matter how big a microSD card I have installed. Currently I have a 16gb microSD card installed. It would be great if my GPSr could hold all 12,000 plus waypoints. But currently it is unable to do so. Who knows maybe in the future Garmin will store the waypoints on the microSD card instead of internal memory.
I use Mapsource to transfer those waypoints/cache sites to my GPS. I also use it to transfer back to Mapsource any "potential cache sites" that I may find & have marked for possibility as a future cache site.
Here is my problem and why I am looking for a better way to do things.
I travel frequently for many different reasons the entire DFW metroplex. For those who have a map, or live in DFW. I travel as far north as Denton, to as far south as Waco, to as far east as Rockwall, to as far west as Weatherford.
Most of the time I am in my Truck, but not all the time. About 20% of time I am in my wife's car. (With or without her)
Now if my GPS held all 12,000 plus waypoints (Cache sites) I wouldn't have a problem. As a result, each day before I leave I quickly download about 850 waypoints/caches to my GPSr for the areas that I might be in for that day. (I leave a space for about 150 waypoints in case I need to mark a location for anything. Geocaching related or not)
One of the problems with Mapsource and importing PQ's to it, is that it adds new cache sites to my database, but it does not delete those cache's/waypoints that have been archived. As a result, when I transfer those 850 waypoints/caches to my GPSr some of them will have been archived or disabled.
Of course I could use my iPhone to check for each cache prior to going, but realize how time consuming that would be to check 850 caches to see if they have been archived or disabled! Same thing applies to using my Netbook with AT&T 3g internet.
So right now... when I see I am near a cache on my GPSr that I think I might want to get. I stop and look at my geocaching iPhone app to check it out. (&/or my netbook as well). I will then take some time for the small area I am using either my iPhone or Netbook to see what I want to get & put them in my GPSr que.
As you can tell a very tedius process sometimes. I would use my iPhone alone, however as we all know it isn't as accurate. Besides that sometimes (especially when I am camping, hunting, or doing some hiking in the unknowns) I don't have 3g access. I am sure anyone with an iPhone or AT&T can relate to that. In which case all I have is my pre-loaded GPSr, hunting for a cache that might be disabled or even worse archived!
Anyone have any ideas of how I could do this in an easier way, using the equipment/software that I allready own so I don't end up looking for non-existant caches?
I was thinking is their a way to get a list of those caches that have been archived in the last "X" days so that I could then delete them from my Mapsource file on a weekly basis?
Or maybe someone who has a Garmin 530hcx knows how to use the microSD card & load more than a 1000 waypoints on the unit?
Another ideal solution I thought of, besides having a GPSr that could hold an infinite amount of waypoints (Based only on the amount of memory available via microSD card) would be to have a program that could load all 830,000+ geocache sites into it, then automatically load all the new cache sites on a daily basis and & the same time remove all the ones that were archived. (Using filters of course) Have it do all this automatically on a daily basis. That way I could quickly & easily download/update my GPSr & know that all the cache sites I updated my GPSr were active and available.
Problem with PQ's is that they are only limited to 500 caches, You only get 5 PQ downloads per 24 hours. As far as I can tell PQ's won't give you a list of archived/disabled caches & even if it does. Mapsource &/or the GPSr can't use that list to automactically delete those waypoint/caches.
Anyways... any ideas?
TGC
I didn't read anything about GSAK in your post. Importing into Mapsource, from what I read, will not archive or disable your cache list when you get a new PQ from Groundspeak. Gask, on the other hand, will mark the caches as disabled or archived (depending on which has happened) and then you can upload a select few to your GPSr as needed.
I understand using Mapsource as it is shipped with most Garmin units, I just don't use it myself. GSAK with Microsoft Streets & Trips and/or Google Earth seems to work better for me, whereas others might be used to Mapsource with something else. Either way, most people seem to use GSAK as the way to upload waypoints from their computer to their GPSr as the program will mark those unavailable as such.
PQ's are limited and don't seem to be changing anytime soon. Deleting archived caches isn't something that any program I know does. Unfortunately, you seem to be stuck.
Good luck though. Try GSAK though. You get 30 days free and then nagged until you buy. Worth a shot I guess.
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Heck yeah I webwhack. You have to in the PNW. Especially around this time of year when the little vampires have bodies grown to the size of thimbles. I usually pick up the nearest stick before I get started on a trail and wave it around in front of me as I walk along. I am sure I look like an idiot, but I don't care. It beats getting a snoot full of web and worrying whether or not I have a spider in my hair or down my back.
That's exactly what I do except I use the hiking staff I bought for my geocaching adventures. My wife uses her hiking staff to beat the ground and scare away the snakes.
Hiking staffs - not just for helping you up and down the hills anymore!
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There already is a rss feed, I have it on my igoogle, it's how I view what the hot in geocaching
Hey, I like that! Can you tell me the name of the gadget and the who created it so I can find it?
Thanks!
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I generally tuck mine under my arm while I'm signing the log. Interestingly enough, it loses its GPS lock while under my arm.
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Lets not add religious beliefs to this.
I could go on for days about what is wrong (or contradictory) in most religions.
I could too...I was just using it as an example of why not to become a vigilante concerning this particular issue with caching. -
The police don't enforce certain laws below a certain threshold. They also won't spend time to solve a crime below a certain level. When I had my window shot out by a bb gun one night, the entire police responce was "look they got the street light too, you can see the bb on the sidewalk, did you need a copy of the report for insurance?" Knowing this opens certain forms of small scale justice since the system doesn't care at this low of a level.
So, you are condoning a crime because the cops just won't get involved? Hardly seems to be in the same spirit of geocaching, IMO.
Edited to add:
Also, it seems to go against the basic tenet of Christianity of "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" or, as is my choice, the Law of Three in Pagan religion - "What you put forth, comes back to thee times three."
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Use a third party application like GSAK.
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I'm a member of a different site that offers 6 month, 12 month and a lifetime option at $15, $30 and $150 respectively. Unless Groundspeak offers something comparible to those numbers, I doubt I'd go for it.
I'm one fo the people that geezfools mentioned: anything over that amount and it's a little much. I'll stick to the $30 a year option.
Thank you for your interest though.
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I download my coordinates on my Garmin legend HCX and then write down on a notepad the geocache info( hints, names,cache infor, container size, etc...) How do I download this info instead of always writing on a notepad? Do I have to purchase a new unit or PDA? Any help would be nice. I would like to keep it simple too.
Thanks
A separate PDA or an updated GPS that has paperless capability is probably going to be the best solution for your requirement. Unless, of course, you have a smartphone that someone has developed a caching application for use as a paperless caching device. Otherwise, you are going to be writing things down for a long time to come.
Good luck.
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I have to agree with the majority of posts that have been put up here. Unfortunately, against the wishes of the OP, I think that it's dang funny and laughed when I first read the post. You may not think it's funny, but really, it is.
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A Lock-N-Lock container available on amazon.com sounds like it would fit the bill. Airtight, watertight and can be submerged if you so desire.
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I wouldn't. It's and outdated unit.
It may be "outdated," but it's still a viable option for those that want to geocache. And not a bad price at $220 with shipping. I'd recommend it over the "M" word GPS any day.
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The cache appears to be in the Selway-Bitterroot Designated Wilderness area.
Here's a map page of designated Wilderness areas on Wilderness.net.
After doing the comparison between the cache location on gc.com's Google map and the map link you provided here, the location of the cache is debateable on whether or not is was on wilderness land, IMO. As for the USFS Ranger removing the cache, IF it was on wilderness land, the ranger had the right to remove it. Otherwise, I'd write to the ranger, get my cache and replace it after explaining to the ranger that the location is not under the ranger's pervue.
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According to the map that I was looking at, I don't see that this area is protected by local, city, state or federal mandate. Any particular reason they took the cache other than the fact that they can?
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Interesting concept for sure, but you'd end up losing a netbook and all the accouterments that you've put out to catch some muggling a, at most, $10 container when they took the ammo can and then saw the webcam and followed the wiring.
Proof yes, but the loss of $500-600 worth of equipment isn't worth it, IMO.
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The iphone could never, and will never be an "amazing outdoor GPS", end of story.
That may be true, but your prediction based on your bias against the iPhone doesn't make this a definitive statement, "end of story." Since you seem to know the future, can you provide me with the winning numbers of the next 250 million dollar Powerball?
Sealed battery? Maps that need cell service to load? A 5 second update rate (or thereabouts)?!
You have to be kidding me if you think the iphone would make the perfect outdoor gps. If this is the direction GPS units will be going in the fuure, I will never be buying another one again! Sealed rechargeables are where I draw the line.
Those may be the features that currently encompass the iPhone but I personally am not looking to replace my Garmin 60CSx with it's replaceable batteries, quick update rate and maps that I can load from a secondary program onto the MicroSD card that remains in my GPSr. However, the iPhone with this TomTom apps seems to work as a vehicular GPS quite well from the demonstration and the fact that TomTom has taken a stand alone unit and made it available into the iPhone is just awesome. Previously, you had to rely on Google Maps and an arrow that displayed where you were...and no driving directions. Yes, yes, I know there were some other GPS apps with turn-by-turn directions available, but TomTom seems to be a more trusted name. I'm not all that thrilled about the price of the app and the car kit together - I saw that an online store in the UK was offering presales for the car kit for almost $200 but included the app - but I can tell you that when I upgrade to the iPhone next month, the TomTom app and the car kit will be one of the first purchases I make for my iPhone.
And you shouldn't "draw the line" at sealed rechargeable batteries. It may very well be that the GPS's of the future will only have those 5 years from now. I don't see it happening, but the possibility exists.
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I don't see anyting where the OP is touting the iPhone as the beat all, end all of GPS receivers. It seems that the OP was pointing out that TomTom was putting out this new app with a GPS enhancement through a car kit and thought that maybe something might come through in the future to make this "pocketable" eventually. Seems reasonable to me.
As for caching using jut an iPhone, I personally know of one person that uses it exclusively as their GPS and have heard of many others. Seems they are getting it done with something that is inferior to a PN-20.
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Deleting Duplicate Post.
(Not always used)
I could too...I was just using it as an example of why not to become a vigilante concerning this particular issue with caching.
Geosphere questions
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
Essentially, yes. However, importing your GPX files into GSAK keeps a secondary database that is easy to maintain, filter and modify (for puzzle caches). A full size keyboard with a full size screen makes it a little easier.
You can use the on-board GPS in Geosphere to create a PQ for your immediate area if you find yourself in caching area that you weren't expecting. Although, I have heard the gc.com app is easier in this respect it can be done with Geosphere.
Hope that helps.