jsuvman

What kind of car GPS do you have? Usually you can always go to some sort of satellite screen and see the coordinates. I used my Tom Tom with a slight software modification, to turn the static navigation off, for the first year or so and it worked great. Anyway, I have a Blackberry Tour 9630 with the Geocaching App and it works great. The font is a little small on the display but the GPS is very accurate. Remember not all Blackberries’ have GPS built in so check before you buy. I also heard that the iPhone works well. Hope that helps.

As I mentioned 200 feet seems like a lot. Mine has been off by 20 - 30 and recalibrating the compass seemed to help? Maybe it was my imagination? I would also check the satellite screen. Right down the coordinates of the cache you are standing on top of when it is says it is 200 ft away and then check the coordinates on the satellite screen and see if they match. They should be really close.

Thanks for the reply. It would probably work the same way with the Tough Case. That is what Groundspeak should do in one of their new versions of their geocaching app. Give you the option to switch to a map, or even use a map installed on you iPod within the geocaching app.

200 feet seems like a lot but you can try re-calibrating the compass. Garmin recommends that whenever you travel long distances you should re-calibrate. They don't say what long is but when I travel more than 200 or so miles I re-calibrate on my Dakota 20.

Now that the problems with the Magellan Tough Case has been resolved with the firmware update and works for Geocaching, is anyone using one with an iPod Touch? If so, I am curious as to what geocaching app you use and what map you might have installed that will let you navigate to a cache using the map? The Geocaching app needs a connection to the internet to get the maps and an iPod Touch only connects to wireless so I figure it would not work out on the road unless a standalone map is installed? Also, I have the geocaching app and it will not let you use a standalone map installed on your iPod Touch. There must be some options for a geocaching app and a map so you can navigate to caches with an iPod Touch using the Tough Case?

You can use the wap.geocaching.com site to find and log caches from what I know. I have played around with it on my wifes Kindle 3 and it looks like it works. What I think we can use it for is as I am navigating to a cache in the car I can give my wife the GC # and she can read about it, logs, hints, etc. while I am driving. Then she can log it for me when I am on the way to the next one.

That is the same thing I noticed, is the XML is being generated slightly different. I wonder how we can go about getting that fixed? I tried posting under Web Site Feedback, Report a problem, but it would not let me post. Maybe I am doing something wrong?

I guess I should have checked this older post first. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=266441&view=findpost&p=4603218 Looks like Magellan is offering a firmware update due to all the complaints. Good for them. Now I wonder if you can still get one for $99?

I'm sure the Toughcase is a good product from what I have read. It was just not made for Geocaching since the SIRF III chip is most likely set on static navigation just like on most car GPSr that use this chip. There is a program from SIRF Technology called SIRF Demo in which you can plug in you GPSr to your computer and change the setting to static navigation "off". I had to do this with my original TomTom One in order to use it for Geocaching. I then found a script that could be loaded on the TomTom so I added buttons on the TomTom to turn it on and off but that is for a different discussion. Anyway, I do not know if the software would work with the Toughcase? I guess the question would be if you plug the toughcase into your computer without the iPod in it, does the computer detect it? I am also supprised that Magellan, or someone, just doesn't make an app to do turn it on and off?

Thanks for the info. You mentioned earlier that you used Geosphere and it works with the off maps app so you can have maps when not online. Do you mind telling what maps you are using? It also sounds like you are using the Groundspeak Geocaching app since you said you only had to use Geosphere once? Is this true?

Thanks. That is what I thought. Now I will just wait and see if the original question gets answered? What is the best app/map to use for an iTouch that would let you navigate to the cache while driving and walking?

I'm confused about the compass comment. The geocaching app has a compass which uses the GPS on the iPhone as far as I know. I have never used it because the iPod Touch uses WiFi and once I leave my house I loose the signal. Also you can get the Dual Cradle for $99.00 now and with a coupon I have I can 20% off at Best Buy.

For the members using an iPod Touch and the Dual GPS Cradle what is the best app that you found that has a map that will let you navigate to a cache whether driving or walking? From what I understand, with the Geocaching app, the maps do not work because you do not have a connection to the internet. That makes sense but I also heard that the compass does not work that well either when using the Dual GPS Cradle? I did read that the Navigon map for the iPod Touch does work well with the Geosphere app and the Dual GPS Cradle XGPS251 (The cradle without the map included). Too bad the Geocaching app does not have an option, in settings, to use a map on your device? Any input would be welcome. Just looking for the best way to set up the iPod Touch for complete Geocaching? Right now we just us it for its paperless functions, along with our GPSr which is great but I get tired of downloading stuff to to devices.

I agree. It is a SiRFstarIII chipset setting. I just posted this same thing ove here. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=266441&view=findpost&p=4580929 I know the command to turn it on and off but do not know how to do it on an iPhone or iTouch? Someone will find out how to turn it off. I am very supprised that Magellan did not turn it off?

At least someone else agrees that there is something wrong with the "Send To GPS" button. That it sends a different file. I do not know where the Garmin plugin gets it's file from or how it is created but I would think that since the .gpx file already exists and it works that the plugin would just use that file? It would be nice for someone from Groundspeak to answer this question on why the two different .gpx files. Is it a Garmin problem or a Groundspeak problem. If we knew we would know who to ask to adress the issue?

Still struggling with this problem! I just published a cache using html. If I use the “Send to My GPS” button the description is all garbled with the code on my Garmin Dakota 20. If I use the “GPX file” button and save the file and then copy it to my Garmin Dakota 20 it displays perfect. I still do not understand why the very slight difference noted above, in the code, with the two files? I am still curious on why that one file, Send to My GPS is adding "amp;" in the code?

Sorry, this reply went in twice. The first time it timed out so did not think it posted so I went back and hit post again. I do not know how to delete it? Go to Your Profile Page and then click on Member Features at the top. Then go down to Instant Log Notification Feature and set it up. See this page for info on how to set it up. http://www.geocaching.com/about/premium.aspx#anchorNotify This will send the notifications to you email. What I did is then set up a filter in my email to send a text to my phone since my phone is always with me. Most email services let you set up filters. Some are a little involved, like Yahoo mail, as you have to add a mobile device first in order for the option to show up in the filters.

Go to Your Profile Page and then click on Member Features at the top. Then go down to Instant Log Notification Feature and set it up. See this page for info on how to set it up. http://www.geocaching.com/about/premium.aspx#anchorNotify This will send the notifications to you email. What I did is then set up a filter in my email to send a text to my phone since my phone is always with me. Most email services let you set up filters. Some are a little involved, like Yahoo mail, as you have to add a mobile device first in order for the option to show up in the filters.

Thanks for the quick response. It says that Garmin does not support html. But from what I can tell it does, at least on the newer Garmins, because both the "Send to My GPS" and "GPX file" are almost the same execpt that one tag and as I mentioned the "Send to My GPS" file will not even display correctly as an actual .xml document. It appears to me that something is creating the "Send to My GPS" file the wrong way because one appears to work and one doesn't. This also confuses me? Why two slightly different .gpx files that have all the same information?

I’m sure this might have been asked before but I have searched everywhere on the Forums and could not find it. Anyway, I have notice that more and more people are using “html” type code to put their descriptions in. When I “Send” the .gpx file to my Dakota 20 a lot of them the description is all garbled with the code. I did find on one web site that said if you use the “GPX file” button and save the file and copy it to your device instead of using the “Send to My GPS” button that they will be corrected. This does work on the ones I tried so this is a fix but now requires two steps to get them on the device. Not a big deal. I looked at the difference in the two files by renaming them .xml and/or .txt. They are different files. They are even different sizes. Not sure why the site would “Send” a different file than when you “Save” it? The one that works, “GPX file” button, uses “<” as the < sign and “>” as the > sign in the code when displayed as a .txt file. The one that doesn’t work, Send to My GPS”, uses “&lt;” as the < sign and “&gt;” as the > sign in the code when displayed as a .txt file. This one will not even display correctly as an .xml file! My question is does anyone know where this problem is coming from? Is it something we need to bring up with Groundspeak, is this a Garmin Communicator problem, is it a problem with the html code because people are generating the code differently, etc? Thanks in advance for any information.

I put City Navigator North America NT on my Dakota 20 and it was well worth it. I can now easily drive from cache to cache. I bought the SD Card. It was $72.00 on Amazon. There are a lot of people selling these so make sure you are getting the most recent version by checking the version number on Garmin's web site before you buy.

I have a Dakota 20 and have been trying to figure out the same thing. I can not even figure out how to upload the found ones to the geocaching web site. Do you mind providing us with the directions on how to upload the file to geocaching? Thanks for your time. Sorry I posted so soon. I found another thread with the directions. I will try it. Thanks.

I have a Dakota 20 and have been trying to figure out the same thing. I can not even figure out how to upload the found ones to the geocaching web site. Do you mind providing us with the directions on how to upload the file to geocaching? Thanks for your time.

Thanks for all the quick replies. I did open the file in a program I remembered I had and the wpts.gpx appears empty. I put both onto my Dakota for now since this will be the first time we are using it. Again, thanks for the quick reply. Happy Geocaching!

Just got a Premium Membership and ran my first Pocket Query for a road trip I have to take. Query ran fine and I received the .zip file. Wife has already downloaded it to her iTouch and that worked great. Here is my question. There are two .gpx files in the .zip file. 1234567.gpx 1234567-wpts.gpx Do I need to copy both files to my Garmin Dakota 20? I searched the forum about Pocket Queries but could not find anything about it anywhere? All posts just say “Copy the file to your device” or something similar. I assume the one with the extension .wpts.gps is some sort of waypoint file? I guess I could copy one at a time to the Dakota and see what happens but thought I would check here first. Thanks in advance for any replies.