cache_r_joe

I recently noticed that my PQs collectively were not getting me all the caches for the Province. This likely because of areas with high cache counts. I took the suggestion of another cacher and used dates. I have since worked out the dates for several Provinces (email me if you want to know what they are) and over time am going to get them for the rest of Canada. Obviously you couldn't have PQs set all the time that would update your database (I use GSAK) nor would you want to, but having the numbers set out already will help if I take a trip somewhere. Just in New Brunswick I was over 180 caches short because of the way I was doing it before and cut down the number of PQs by 3. I would say that I'm now going to get everything I want and save on bandwith. Works for me. Joe

Yes... Cachemate will allow you to have all the text from the cache page as well as the hint. It will also help you keep notes on your fund. I have been using it for quite some time and love it. Joe

I have beeing trying out the Arc Builder. Great tool, but I have had a problem. When I build an KML or GPX file GC.com returns an error when I try to use the resulting file to do the cache along a route thing. Also when I use the ARC file to input the coordinates for the filter in GSAK the Long and Lat are reversed from what GSAK wants to see and it too returns an error. This one is not a big problem because I can open the file in Notepad and switch them around. I'm wondering if there is something I'm doing wrong? Joe

You have to put the button on the back of the GPS, same one that you use for the belt clip. You put the gps in the mount bottom first and then the little ring is suppose to clip on the button. Here's the problem, they make them so that they are very hard to get on and off due to the different uses (MTB and ATV). If you look in the little hole, you will see a piece of plastic there. You can file that down to make it easier to secure the GPS and take it out. I have been in contact with RAM and they tell me that this is ok to do and does not do anything to the warranty. I bought on too, but have not installed it yet.... wife wrapped it before I could. Good luck J

I use a blackberry. I have it through work so there is no cost to me. The data plan for unlimited usage is $40CDN through Telus. I get data coverage everywere I have cell coverage. Problem is many places you go caching may not have Cell/Data coverage. When you are talking about WiFi I think you may be confused with the Wireless connections you can find about for Computers/Laptops. Your Blackberry or Smartphone would work just about anywhere you have Cell coverage. I would suggest that either would work fine for you, but if you don't have to have the data package already or are not worried about the price, you may want to look at something like a palm pilot and load the caches to cachemate via GSAK or something else. I do that and it works very well. I only use the Blackberry to check to make sure a cache is up to date on the Palm, if I can't find it. Don't want to look for a while only to find out it was archived and didn't update on my palm. Good Luck. J

On the mounting option, I would suggest looking into the RAM mounts. I just bought one and the wife promptly wrapped it for Chrismas, but in the short time we spent together (I just realized how addicted I am), I found it to be very sturdy and it will ajust to just about any configuration. Price was just over $30 so its a good price also. If you do get one you may find that it's hard to put the unit into the mount, you can file down some of the inside of the mount where the button clip goes. RAM has told me that this is acceptable and does not do anything to harm the warranty. They make it tight like that so that t hose who may have bike (ATV and Motorcycle) mounts can have it tight. You likey won't need it that tight in the car. Good Luck Joe

I might be wrong but looks like it is defaulting to the mass storage setting. Usually the computer won't recognize the GPS as a mass storage device until you select that setting in the GPS. You could use the Micro SD card on your x series gps to transport files, as well store maps, etc. Sounds like for some reason that is becoming active, hence the stop device you are seeing. Joe

I disagree with you. I have a real hard time with someone worrying about the fact that someone might be watching them when they claim not to be doing anything wrong. I agree that these technologies open things up to misuse. I do agree that there should be a stated purpose for the technology that is acceptable, however I have to disagree with one recent decision from the Privacy Commissioner here in Canada. The case centered on a rail yard where a camera had been installed to help the employees see the yard and help direct the movement of the trains. When viewing the yard by camera a supervisor noticed 2 employees sneeking out of work early. The 2 employees were disciplined. The privacy commissioner said that they should not have been disciplined because the purpose of the camera was not to watch for the employees leaving early. I disagree with this because I see that no different than the supervisor seeing them without the aid of a camera, based on this decision they could have been disciplined. If you are not doing anything wrong and have nothing to hide then you shouldn't worry. I do however believe that any misuse should be dealt with harshly. I thing that would provide the balance needed. Joe

I agree. I have seen times where the gps was definately off. And I don't spend my day looking at what they did, but I can tell you when we were suppose to be somewhere to check something and after we did something goes wrong, it can save you loads. The guy that installed our first unit, however said he installed for a company here in Canada that when checking where their vehicles were, couldn't figure out why one was in California, guess the employee forgot there was a GPS on board. Joe

Yes you can. You can go into the Geocaching Option and set the icons that you want the GPS to know are Geocaches. Select a cache and click go to. From there it will change the navigation screen. The screen has a pointer and 4 spaces for various settings. You can change was is displayed in the boxes from the context menu when pressing the menu button. You will also notice a found button on the button. This only shows up for Geocaches based on your settings in the Geocaching setup. Once you click that it changes the icon for the cache to whatever you selected to be your found icon in the set up. You can also have it put in a calendar entry for each of the found caches. Hope this helps Joe

Is there a setting to tell the GPS what type of batter you have in it. I know mine if I have it set for Alkaline and put Nickle batteries in it the meter will be off. Check that out, might not be anything wrong with the batteries. J

I use track up that way when I look at the screen the map is orientated to the direction I'm travelling.

I think you should do fine right in the city, and you may find some on the outside of the city that meet with what you like. I'd say go ahead with it. Joe

Assuming you have not already met the waypoint limit of your GPS, all you have to do is upload the additional waypoints. When you upload waypoints you don't delete the one's you already have on there, it just simply adds those waypoings without changing what you already have uploaded. If you have reached your limit (1000 for the 60CSx) then you would have to delete some to make room. If you do have a large amount of waypoints you want to have on there, you may want to look at uploading them as Custom POIs. Joe

If you look at the site it only lists 3 service providers that the service will work for. All appear to be US, none for Canada. I would dump that idea and look at using the WAP site. You can do everything there you want and you are not going to have to pay any more above your web use on the phone and you can get some pretty good plans now. Joe

I can't seem to post a pic here but my CUV (Cache Utility Vehicle) is a '06 Kia Sportage.

I might be wrong but I think the OP was looking to add more than 500 INTO his GPSr. If that's the case you may not be able to do it. Many GPS units have a limit of 500 Caches. Depending on the GPS you have (Garmin x Series for example) you may be able to put them in as Custom POI files. If your GPS has the ability to load over 500 waypoints, you should be able to just do 2 uploads to the GPS. I know all the GPS units I have had did not erase the waypoints on each upload, you could load 500 on one upload and the remainder, up to the limit of the unit on the next upload. Joe

I bought a RAM mount for my new 60CSx. Haven't been able to install it yet, but all the playing I did with it before my wife wrapped it tells me that it's going to be excellent. I'll keep you posted. Joe

I like that site. Our local Association Forums look better and easier to navigate on that site. I'll have to create a bookmark list of sites run through that site. Thanks

We monitor our employees, but I don't see anything wrong with it. If it was someone with the vehicle running for AC while he has lunch, I don't have a problem, but then again that's company gas and and addes expense for the company. As for monitoring speed, etc, I again agree. I recently had an employee who was in an accident. The GPS showed that he was not travelling at an excessive speed, helped him. But for the employee who drives fast on a regular basis he will eventually create an accident whic can cause a companies insurance (Vehicle and WCB) and other related costs. The accident I mentioned above cost my company $5000 out of pocket, not including WCB costs which have not been assessed yet. IMHO if you don't have anything to hide, then you won't have a problem with "Big Brother". J

Garmin took out the realtime navigation from Mapsource. You now have to out nRoute. Nice program, however I find for traveling the maps are not the best, great on the gps though. I use Streets and Trips for any real time navigation I need to do. Joe

All our vehicles at work have GPS trackers in them. We of course tell the driver, but they have saved us several times. Knowing if the driver was driving safely before the accident, knowing if they really visited the customer's site as they were suppose to, was he 3 towns away from where he was suppose to be, did he stop by his house for a power nap when he was suppose to be working. All in all it has lowered the number of accidents and enabled us to give our employees friendly reminders that driving 110km in an 80km zone is not usually a good move. Joe

I have my blackberry with me all the time. I don't always use it, but it has come in handy when a cache goes Archived since my last PQ. Usually when I can't find the cache, I'll go to the actual cache page on my bby and check it out. I also carry a palm with Cachemate, but that's only as up to date as your last PQs that you loaded. I find the WAP site good for logging and quick checking, but the main page, although a little longer to navigate through, is better. I have an unlimited web and email plan so I can surf all I want. I will often check these forums on the bby while on the road also. Its a great rig. I just downloaded Mobipocket. Would be nice to be able to generate an ebook from GSAK, anyone know of a way to do this and get it onto the bby? Joe

Was my first GPS and worked very very well for me. I only upgraded the first time (now on to GPS #4) because I wanted maps. Otherwise I wouldn't have upgraded, and in some cases it is still better than all the others I had. Joe

I've been trying to find a way to get S&T to work with my usb gps for quite some time. I downloaded Spinner and was up and running in a few seconds. Works great. Not sure why Garmin doesn't make this more known. Thanks for the info. Joe