achtung6

This is good stuff! You can't be too connected you know!

I haven't tried CR yet and am not against the idea of buying it. From what I've read on the forums, it would seem CR is not friendly to devices running firmware 2.7 I feel that the real value of my tutorial is showing others how to use 2.7 to load as many .gpx files on their device as they want and this may or may not be possible with CR at the moment. In any case, what 2.7 brings to the device is extremely valuable IMHO. I only ran 2.6 on it for about 1/2 a day and it seemed crazy to take the time to build Pocket Queries only to have all the data all mixed up on the PN internal memory and on top of that, limited to 1000 entries. I'm still learning so any input or clarification regarding the viability of doing this same thing under 2.7 using CR or any other method that is simpler would be appreciated by all of us here.

Glad to help out. I spent most of Christmas day and a few hours yesterday figuring things out and getting everything to work as it should. I'd get things to work and then realize that my process needed tweaking to make things work exactly right. I'm fairly computer literate so I can appreciate what it must be like for someone who is not as big a fan of electronics as I. So it seemed only right to put together a step by step guide for this step which is what we all want to do as soon as we get our PN device! It's actually not hard at all if you know the steps. So follow the steps mate!

If you are like me and just got a PN-40 for Christmas and was a little overwhelmed with getting Pocket Query data you wanted on the device, I've put together this quick quide to try and help. 1) Receive PQs via email from GC.com 2) Download them, unzip them into a dedicated folder I've created for them. I also rename the file at this time to give them a meaningful name for ease of management. 3) With Topo 8, open the files (the GC and Waypoint files) I just unzipped by going to the Draw tab, then file, then import. 4) Now, you'll see your files in the list in Topo 8 as well as view the waypoints/Geocaches on the map. 5) Click on the PN Exchange Dialog button or use the ALT + E Shorcut to send the two files to the PN. 6) The files will now be visible on your PN device and can be used for finding caches! **This works fine if you don't need to exceed the 1000 cache limit on the PN-40. If you do need to exceed this limit then you'll need to update the device to the 2.7 firmware which will allow you to transfer data between your computer and the PNs SD card which will increase the limit of data to the capacity of your SD card. You'll still be limited to 1,000 waypoints per file but you can have as many of these 1,000 waypoint files as your SD card will handle. I have a 16gb card and as it turns out, this will handle many more caches than I have use for :-) So if you want/need more than 1000 caches/waypoints on your PN device you will need firmware 2.7 which you can obtain here: http://forum.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?f=1...mp;hilit=pn+pro So now, under firmware 2.7, after step 6 you've transferred the files to the PN and you can see your caches and their associated waypoints by toggling between their respective screens on the PN. Assuming you had nothing else loaded on there previously, the Geocache and Waypoint data set you loaded is the only thing on the device. I would suggest starting out this way since this will make for Geocache/Waypoint file sets that contain only the info that you originally intended for them to have when you setup your PQ. Here is where it gets good. You can save the data to the SD card from the Waypoint menu and give it a name. At this moment, the PN "combines" the GC and Waypoint data which was originally separate into one .gpx file. This is nice because from here on out, when you load the data from the SD card after that, you will be loading the combined GC and Waypoint data set for that PQ and will be able to view them both by toggling between the screens as was intended. Further, I would suggest that at this point you use the data transfer feature and save this combined file to your computer for safe keeping. This file can then be removed (or accidentally deleted :-) from the SD card and then restored from the backup you have on your computer to the SD card whenever you need it in the future without having to go through all these steps again. Once you've transferred your new combined data set to your computer you can feel free to delete the waypoints/geocaches from the PN-40's internal memory and repeat this process with your next PQ. When you are done, you will have all the PQs you want on your SD card and will be able to call them up at will and you'll also have them all safely backed up on your computer. Once you are ready to try downloading satellite imagery to your device, you'll find a tutorial here. http://forum.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?f=131&t=17301 I spent nearly the whole day yesterday and part of today figuring all this out but I got it working now and am a happy camper. I hope it helps speed you through this process!

Thanks. I've been reading about CR and from what I can see, it will transfer GPX files to the PN internal memory but will not write directly to the SD card, is this correct? If so, this means that (on a PN running firmware 2.7) you need to clear the internal memory, load up to 1000 caches onto the internal memory using CR, then save them to the SD card and repeat the process to load more PQs. Is this correct? Will GSAK write GPX files directly to the SD card in the PN? Also, is the program limited in any way (other than the prompt to contribute $25) once the trial period is up? Lastly, is there a reason why GSAK is more attractive to you than CR? I'm curious as to why you suspended the use of CR over GSAK.

Hey Pax, can you give us some pointers regarding using CR for PQ management to/from the device? It seems like it's a simpler way of transferring the data to the PN-40. But are there any limitations or things we should otherwise know going into it? I've been using Topo 8 as you know which has been working well but it seems you use both. Can you give us the pros and cons of using either method? Thanks in advance.

Thanks! I've been wondering if I had to buy multiple copies of CR in order to run it on my PC and laptop!

I just got my PN-40 as well. I can't answer all your questions but here goes.... When you purchase Cache Register, you download either the PC or MAC version but you don't get both. The free way of getting your PQs (you are now a premium member since DeLorme gifted you a 30 day Premium trial on GC.com) onto your device is by using Topo 8. It's not the most complicated thing but far from practical and is what has me seriously considering getting CR (Cache Register) to perform these transfers. I may have to hold off on this as I'm using firmware 2.7 on my PN and CR may not have full compatibility with this version yet. Practicality aside, it seems to me like Topo 8 is a resource hog and I would rather not run it while using the computer for everything else while I order my PQs, download them, etc. It is necessary, in lieu of using Cache Register, to "process" the .GPX files you download from GC.com with Topo 8 otherwise your data will not appear on the PN like it should. That being said, the sequence I've been following is.... 1) Receive PQs via email from GC.com 2) Download them, unzip them into a dedicated folder I've created for them. I also rename the file at this time to give them a meaningful name for ease of management. 3) With Topo 8, open the files (the GC and Waypoint files) I just unzipped by going to the Draw tab, then file, then import. 4) Now, you'll see your files in the list in Topo 8 as well as view the waypoints/Geocaches on the map. 5) Click on the PN Exchange Dialog button or use the ALT + E Shorcut to send the two files to the PN. 6) The files will now be visible on your PN device and can be used for finding caches! **This works fine if you don't need to exceed the 1000 cache limit on the PN-40. If you do need to exceed this limit then you'll need to update the device to the 2.7 firmware which will allow you to transfer data between your computer and the PNs SD card which will increase the limit of data to the capacity of your SD card. You'll still be limited to 1,000 waypoints per file but you can have as many of these 1,000 waypoint files as your SD card will handle. I have a 16gb card and as it turns out, this will handle many more caches than I have use for :-) So if you want/need more than 1000 caches/waypoints on your PN device you will need firmware 2.7 which you can obtain here: http://forum.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?f=1...mp;hilit=pn+pro So now, under firmware 2.7, after step 6 you've transferred the files to the PN and you can see your caches and their associated waypoints by toggling between their respective screens on the PN. Assuming you had nothing else loaded on there previously, the Geocache and Waypoint data set you loaded is the only thing on the device. I would suggest starting out this way since this will make for Geocache/Waypoint file sets that contain only the info that you originally intended for them to have when you setup your PQ. Here is where it gets good. You can save the data to the SD card from the Waypoint menu and give it a name. At this moment, the PN "combines" the GC and Waypoint data which was originally separate into one .gpx file. This is nice because from here on out, when you load the data from the SD card after that, you will be loading the combined GC and Waypoint data set for that PQ and will be able to view them both by toggling between the screens as was intended. Further, I would suggest that at this point you use the data transfer feature and save this combined file to your computer for safe keeping. This file can then be removed (or accidentally deleted :-) from the SD card and then restored from the backup you have on your computer to the SD card whenever you need it in the future without having to go through all these steps again. I spent nearly the whole day yesterday and part of today figuring all this out but I got it working now and am a happy camper. I hope it helps speed you through this process!

Make sure you are visiting the exact URL DeLorme lists on the coupon card and not the signup page on the GS website. The code will not work there and will give you the "expired" response. I made the same mistake yesterday when signing up my PN-40. Hope this helps. Sure did, and that makes me a dumb-azz. I went to www.geocaching.com and tried it from my membership profile and it didn't work. Going to www.geocaching.com/delorme worked like the card said it would! No worries. The same exact thing happened to me yesterday. I had already created a free profile and tried to go through the "upgrade membership" side....and ran into the same problem!

Thanks for the input. Today was my first day working with PQs and transferring them to my PN-40 and I must admit it took me some time to get it all sorted but I really did not know what to do with the waypoint file but after reading your tips here I've organized all my files, associated the waypoint file with it's respective geocache file and uploaded them all to my GPSr. Now I'm going to fiddle with the waypoints and figure out how to use them along with the GC info.

For the purpose of Geocaching, what's the purpose of the waypoint file that arrives via email along with the file containing the caches? Do you guys use them and if so, for what? When I installed them on my GPS, the waypoints were places to park or trailheads that were all far away from any of my caches. Am I missing something here?

Make sure you are visiting the exact URL DeLorme lists on the coupon card and not the signup page on the GS website. The code will not work there and will give you the "expired" response. I made the same mistake yesterday when signing up my PN-40. Hope this helps.

Well, I do have coins and TBs sometimes a long time. My area is littered with micros, where to put a traveller? Also I like to make sure, that the box is relatively secure. I wouldn't trust a traveller in an exposed box, which might be spotted easily by muggles. It's a sign of the times. Publicity in the media is destroying our hobby. It isn't anymore as it used to be. The new members aren't brought into the sport by other cachers, who would set them straight about the does and don'ts. Someone reads a newspaper artikel or worse, sees a TV report about caching, thinks great stuff, my mobile phone has a GPSr as well, I'll give it a try. Well no harm done, but they tend to make the worst mistakes. Telling every muggle they encounter, that they're searching for treasure, not keeping to the simplest stealth tactics. Is it only me, who sees micro caches in urban areas as a challenge to be as subversive and secretively as possible? Didn't anyone of them ever read any books about agents and spies? I have about 60 travellers out there and quite a few are gone. If you don't drill a hole in them and attach a laminated info about the mission of the item, the chances of survival in the wild are slim, I'm afraid. I got into this after watching a TV show in November. However, being how I am I immediately researched the hobby. The GC site, Wikipedia any anywhere else I could find info. I think it all depends on the individual. Some people are going to take things more seriously and put forth more effort to do it right than others. It can't be helped. That said, I've come across a couple of TBs that I'd love to take and move to another cache but since I'm not caching as frequently as I'd like at the moment, I've refrained from doing so as I don't want to hang on to it for more than a few days.

I just recently joined the game and have an iPhone 3G. It sounds to me like you'd be very happy with the iPhone and a Geomate Jr. GPS. It works very well at pointing you to the cache and like you said, you can use the iPhone for all the details the Geomate will not give you. Also, at $70, it's a steal and should last in children's hands.

You are quite correct in your observation. Pointing out the obvious isn't a skill I personally strive to excell at, but I do compliment you on your power of observation that allowed you to make that informative observation. There are 2 main reasons for my wordy posts. The first being that unfortunately that's my personal writing style and no matter how hard I try to shorten what I write it just doesn't work for me. The second reason is I've had lots of people contact me and thank me for not just giving a quick one liner answer to their question. You see they point out to me that a detailed explanation is appreciated and a one liner like say, "I would not recommend any less than a Garmin eTrex Legend HC" (or whatever model you choose to recommend) as not being of much help to them in trying to make an informed decision. I have no doubt that a large percentage of the folks who read my posts agree with you that I'm too wordy. Heck, I even agree somewhat that I'm too wordy. However, just taking an educated guess I'm thinking that I've probably received more thank you E-Mails for giving detailed replies than probably most of the one liner folks who can't seem to spare a few minutes to write some meaningful content in their replies. Of course if you or any reader is really bored silly reading my posts they are always welcome to scroll on past my post to get to a shorter reply. Happy caching! Wordy is alright so long as it's useful and your reply was very useful to me....so thanks! I get wordy myself so I can relate

Thanks Michigan. I did receive a direct response from Apisphere and as you state, they update their data every 24 hours. So, it would seem like the update kit is certainly a good thing to buy. My Geomate has quickly been relegated to use by my son but just the same, I'd like it to be current as it's always a very valuable asset. Like you said, 250,000 caches is hard to get with anything else including the PN-40 I've got in the mail....

I was channel surfing recently and stumbled on a show where this guys takes you to the great outdoors and is filming everything the whole time. One of the segments was about Geocaching which I recognized by name but had no previous knowledge about. I couple of days later, I picked up a Geomate Jr and got the iPhone app. A few days after that I placed an order for a PN-40 which I'm waiting to arrive :-)

Lots of free maps available for the Garmin units. Even one's with autorouting. I did not own a gps with maps or even download any maps my first 4 year's of Geocaching. you do not "have" to buy anything. I stand corrected. As a newcomer to the hobby I researched and saw that the two units I'd be choosing between were the 60Csx and the PN-40. One comes with complete maps and the other does not. I figured the maps would be a big deal and on top of that, the Garmin unit is (at the time I placed my order) some $85 more expensive. This was what swung the pendulum for me. In the future I'll probably end up giving the Garmin unit a try but for now, the PN made more economic sense given what's included as well as practicality for me just starting off. Practicality of course in the sense that the unit has all the stuff in the box and with the Garmin I'd have to purchase and or procure the free maps separately. BTW, how easy is it to get these free maps. Are they openly available freeware or is it one of those "underground" type of deals. Again, I don't know and am curious as I like the 60Csc as well.

I've been wondering about this myself. How often does Apisphere release updates for the Geomate and how can I tell if my device is up to date? I wrote them with these questions but have not received a reply.

In my view, they all get you with one thing or another. DeLorme with their cable but much more significantly in dollars is the software and Garmin sells separately. The difference in money between buying an extra cable or having to buy basic software to operate the device is a non-argument, IMHO.

This is all true except when your (and mine!) iPhone is outside good cellular coverage....then you have nothing. Heck, this happens to me in San Francisco (not exactly the boonies!). Besides, I'm a gadgets man so just one do it all gadget is against my religion anyway

Yes, please allow me to reaffirm that as there was not a conclusive acknowledgement in the post immediately following my first response to that question. Currently, there are three methods of entering a total of more than 1,000 caches, and non-cache waypoints, onto the SD card and accessible by a PN-XX: 1. Using the Cache Register widget, 2. Using Topo USA 8.0, and 3. Using GSAK as noted by snow rules above. Don't forget upgrading to the newest firmware and learning to swap the files in an out of the unit. Awesome. So this reaffirms that the solution to the "limitation" is within easy reach. Thanks for the info guys. I hope to receive my PN in the next few days and enjoy my Christmas break with some GC activity.

If nothing else the included software on the DeLorme units is going to help them gain ground and the clear mainstay in the handheld GPSr market. I just arrived on this scene and for me, the choice of which unit to buy was clear. Buy one that has everything you need in the box or buy the one that is sold piece by piece. This has nothing to do with one being better than the other but rather which one is more user friendly ($) for the person just jumping into the hobby. My two cents.

Sweet! Just bought a PN-40 screen protector. I'll have everything I need when my new GPS arrives in a few days! Hey Achtung, how much was your screen protector? Are they $30 on sale for $14.99 or were they $14.99 and should be 50% off of that? I ordered the same as you and paid $14.99. Did you use a coupon? I saw no coupon code to enter. Here are the details of my purchase today. Here is a review of the item(s) you have ordered from ZAGG.com Qty Items/Description Unit Price Total 1 Delorme PN-40 (Screen) 14.99 14.99 This order will be shipped using: USPS First Class Subtotal : 14.99 Shipping : 2.99 Tax : 0.71 Discount : - 7.50 Grand Total : $11.19 USD

Not trying to be argumentative but can anyone enlighten me as to the relevance of this? How many caches can you hit in a day? Or is there more to it that I'm failing to see? Nice when you are on a weeklong camping vacation with 3000 miles of road ahead of you to have a few more caches loaded. Actually - for just about anytime you travel. On a day to day basis - probably no big deal. Thanks for clearing that up. I've not yet received my PN-40 so the info I'm getting is useful. From what I'm reading it seems like there is a work around solution for the 1,000 cache limitation. This is good to hear as is DeLorme's apparent interest in keeping their users happy with continuing firmware updates addressing such issues.