Xangxa

I faced the same decision and went with the Gold due to the SD support and it doesn't suffer from the stress-crack problem. At first I thought the SD memory card would be a rarely used nicety, but it turns out I use it a LOT. I divide the caches into different files and clear memory and load a different set as needed. Despite the memory of the unit, both Magellans will NOT show descriptions except for the first 200 waypoints. Although I can load 400 waypoints, it doesn't leave much memory for on-the-fly waypoints (e.g., when hunting a multi or offset cache). So the ability to swap sets of waypoints in and out from the SD card is a major advantage. I also thought I wouldn't every buy MapSend. After a few months I broke down and bought it, and the SD memory card has been a life saver. I can swap out maps as I travel from Knoxville, Atlanta, Nashville, Chattanooga, etc. I could make one big map, but then it would take up too much memory.

Check this out: TheSupplyNet.com They have PDA to GPS cables, including Palm products. I use one of their cables for Cellphone to PDA and it works pretty good. I hear good things about the GPS cables, too.

You can use GPSbabel to convert a track file or waypoint list into a simplified CSV. Then that CSV can be imported into GSAK as a poly or arc filter. All you need is latitude and longitude without header rows. You may have to edit the resulting file if you want a poly rather than an arc. Make sure the first and last point are the same in order to "close the loop." Since the file is just a text file you can use NotePad to view, verify, and edit the output from GPSBabel.

As a side note, NavTech licenses the map data to many different vendors. The vendors, such as Magellan, convert those database records into their individual products. When NavTech updates their databases with new roads, POIs, etc. those changes do not automatically appear in all those mapping products. The vendors must purchase an update. The amount of work and cost involved in an update is usually passed onto the customers. In otherwords, you probably won't see a free "data" update to any mapping product regardless of vendor.

The automation tool can't do anything unless GSAK creates the data. So you'll need to start by fixing GSAK. Here are some things to try: 1. Under the database menu select Repair/Defrag in case a corrupt database is the culprit. 2. Backup your database de-install and then re-install GSAK 3. Make sure you're using the current version of GSAK. 4. Make sure you're using the right version of the macros with the right version of GSAK. I.e., macros downloaded after 4/29 are designed to work with GSAK 5.5.x And lastly, you may need more experienced assistance from GSAK experts. Although Clyde is on vacation till the end of May, you can still ask questions in THIS THREAD You can also examine the results of the macro to see how far it got. Look for the PushPinList.txt file and open in NotePad to see what it contains. The PushPinList.txt will list the different data files, so check that they exist. Make sure all these files are being written to a drive location with enough room and access rights (just being thorough). If some of the files got created before GSAK died, try manually importing the data files and assigning the custom icons. I.e., Use NotePad and copy and paste from PushPinList.txt into the File Open Dialogs of MSST to validate all path and file names.

Follow the link that is listed at the top of this thread

If your baloons are not showing all the information, here is how you'd do it manually: Make sure the LEGEND AND OVERVIEW pane is displayed on the left side (press Ctrl-G to toggle) In the PUSHPINS section right-click the name of the data set (TerraCaches in my example) Select PROPERTIES from the pop-up menu that will display. Click the BALLOON tab of the dialog that will display. Enable each checkbox for the data that you want displayed. In my example I've turned on all but URL. The URL isn't helpful, and whether it is displayed or hidden, you can still jump to the cache page by Ctrl-clicking the cache's pushpin. Click the OK button Right-click a pushpin icon Select SHOW INFORMATION from the pop-up menu that will display. If you use the automated method (given in the links above), then balloon display is enabled by the control file generated from GSAK. The line in the GSAK macro that controls this (for the TerraCaching.com example shown above) is this: RUNPGM pgm="C:\GPS\PushPins\PushPinListBuild.bat" parms=TerraCaches,YYYNYYYY,C:\GPS\PushPins\PushPinList.txt WAIT=YES The parameter YYYNYYYY is the key, with each Y or N indicating if that field should be displayed. Since the 4th letter is N it means "NO, do not display the 4th field" (where URL is the 4th balloon field available).

Here is how I fixed this problem in case anyone experiences the same. PROBLEM: My Magellan Meridian Gold would power off when I would select MENU, Card Utilities, Load WP/Route. I'd previously been able to load a list of waypoints using this method. But the problem began after I purchased MapSend Topo 3D and copied a map to the SD memory card. Using the Merigold to scan the SD card integrity stated the card was in perfect shape, but I had my doubts. SOLUTION: Copy all files from the SD to a hard drive using a memory card reader. Use the Merigold to format the SD memory card. For good measure I renamed all *.WPL files to *.WPT just like MapSend does. Copied all the files ( *.TRK tracks, *.WPT waypoints, and *.IMG maps) back onto the SD card using a memory card reader. Once the SD was back in the Merigold, it loaded the waypoint list without any problems.

New in version 1.03 is the ability to control the different delays so that keystrokes do not outrun MSST. Also, one of the delays is scaled so that the delay is calculated based on the size of the datasets (cumulative) being loaded. See this thread (I started a new one with a better title): http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...T&f=11&t=97580#

Please see Clyde's response in this post, Xangxa's links to the directions in this post, plus Robert Lipe's elaboration on why GPSBabel was changed in this post. Bottom line is that you'll need to create a custom export to get the format you want. On the bright side, you should be able to create a custom export that eliminates all or most of the manual editing you've been doing! There is a quick and dirty work-around that is EASY ! Don't use the CSV extension. Instead, rename the file with TAB extension. For example, if you were exporting to LETTERBOX.CSV before, simply rename it to LETTERBOX.TAB CSV means "Comma Separated Values" which confuses Excel since there aren't commas in the file. With a TAB extension Excel knows that the delmiter is a tab. I just renamed one of my CSV files and dropped it onto Excel and voila! The rename is done after the file is exported, or via RUNPGM in a GSAK macro. The current version insists on giving MSST exports a CSV extension -- both through the interactive method and via the EXPORT macro command.

Does the imported files from GSAK to the .mps file keep all of the cache information, including notes, description, dates, etc? i've been using Excel with EasyGPS, and not all of the possible fields make it to the info box on the Map & Streets. The current MSST export from GSAK includes the following: Name, Latitude, Longitude, Description, URL, Type, Container, Difficulty, and Terrain

Wow, this is really good info. Anyone have inside information for a Magellan Meridian Gold like this? It doesn't have to be accurate, but a rough calculation. E.g., multiply EPE by X to convert lie to truth

That's good to know. Now I know that I'm comparing apples to oranges. I was planning on taking both GPS's into the field and was going to give more credence to the one with lower errors. But now that I know they're not comparable, I despise both of them equally

My interest is to confirm if there are differences or if they are the same. And if there are differences, what they might be so I can make an intelligent use of their values. EPE is Estimated Position Error in feet PDOP is Position Dilution of Precision I was able to find the formula EPE (2drms) = 2 * HDOP * SQRT [uRE^2 + UEE^2] so there is a definite relationship. I'm curious how URE (User Range Error) is determined. I'm not sure what 2drms stands for (maybe a unit of measure?)

Well I got my tracking system running. The next step is to add watchlist managment and email notifications.

Both PDOP and EPE give an accuracy rating in different ways, but they appear to be effectively the same thing expressed differently. I ask because my Merigold only displays EPE while my HAiCOM shows PDOP. Are there any diffences other than in the way in which they are expressed?

New Version Ready for Download: PUSHPINS is a free program that automates the creation of pushpin maps in the inexpensive mapping program Microsoft Streets & Trips. To read about how this can be done automatically (via PUSHPINS.EXE) or manually, visit "Create Custom Pushpin Maps in Microsoft Streets & Trips" at http://www.craiggiven.com/gc_auto.htm New in Version 1.03: Add INI file support to allow parameters to be passed by a configuration file. Command line parameters can also be used simultaneously and they take precedence over duplicate settings in the INI file. This program will now prompt the user for any pieces that do not have a default value and are not supplied by either method. Time delay for loading and changing of entire data sets is now calculated instead of being a hard coded delay. Small data sets will not be unnecessarily cause delays and larger datasets will have enough time to process. Eventually the delay factor will be parameterized so that users with slower machines can adjust this to their particular environment. Add third parameter to control file that controls balloon fields. Each character in the third field is either Y or N and determines if a balloon field should be shown. If the third parameter is missing then no balloon field processing will take place. The parameter must have the exact same number of characters as the balloon fields available. Currently 8 being sent by GSAK/GPSBabel, so the most common parameter will be YYYNYYYY since this turns off the URL (it isn't helpful information for most people, it takes up valuable balloon space -- which can force some information out-of-bounds [not visible], and Ctrl-click will still open the cache page whether it is displayed or not. NOTE: this program assumes that the FIRST TWO fields [latitude and longitude] are ALREADY turned on! This works fine for GSAK 5.5.1 and MSST 2005 but different versions may work differently. If this should occur to you, use the opposite values than expected to get the desired results. GSAK example macro PUSHPINS.TXT should have included the WAIT=YES parameter when shelling to DOS GSAK example macro PUSHPINS.TXT now includes balloon field controls that turn off URL display. GSAK example macro PUSHPINS.TXT was missing an entry for TerraCaches. Also renamed the 3 occurences of the vauge TC abbreviation so now the data set displays the much clearer "TerraCaches" in MSST.

Isn't MapSource a Garmin product? He won't be able to use that with his Magellan Explorist.

Do you have Excel? It's pretty easy to do the conversion yourself. I have a spreadsheet on my website that converts between the different formats. You could look at my formulas and use them to massage your data before importing into MSST. If you're exporting from GSAK it can do the work for you. Let us know your setup and we may be able to get that part working.

Below is a screen shot of the information that can be stored in MSST pushpins. I've used MSST for geocaching in the following ways: Pushpins (obviously) Quick jump to the cache page (Ctrl-click the pushpin and the cache page opens in your internet browser) ROUTE feature to plan a cache run and I take the turn-by-turn directions and printed map with me (read by my son as I drive) or downloaded to my PocketPC (as Repligo [like a PDF]) for solo runs. RADIUS drawing tool to plan GSAK filters and organize Pocket Queries. MEASURE DISTANCE tool to check the distance between existing caches and possible cache hiding spot for 176 yard separation. MEASURE DISTANCE tool to provide information to a reviewer for a multi/offset cache of the cache's true location. LOCATION SENSOR to place a puzzle cache's location in the middle of a river (without having to swim out to that spot with a GPS) LOCATION SENSOR along with FREEFORM drawing tool to create Polygon and Arc filters in GSAK so I can Cache-Along-A-Route. Export to PocketStreets with Bluetooth GPS to navigate unfamiliar streets to a location near the cache.

GCJVFX (GPS Art) won the Outstanding Caches of 2004 for Georgia in the Creative category and was runner-up in the Multi-Cache category

I've tweaked files exported by BMGPX (a program that converts NGS Benchmark Data Sheet files to GPX) and once had to remove an illegal character from a PQ that was choking one of my programs. GPX files are plain text XML files so you can edit them with a text editor. But it's not for the faint of heart! XML is very structured and follows strict rules, so hand editing might introduce a typo that makes the file unuseable.

The found/not found status is not included in the export file. To get a different icon for the status, you'll need to use filters to create distinct data sets. Then each data set imported into MSST can be assigned a custom graphic. See http://www.craiggiven.com/geocaching.htm for details. That page includes a section on how to do this manually if you find the setup for automation daunting. Click the "Tools & Articles" link. Then click the "Automating Geocaching" link. Read the introduction and then click the link titled "Create Custom Pushpin Maps in Microsoft Streets & Trips"

OT Amen to that. The + key should turn a checkbox ON and - turns it OFF, but MS violates their own convention! This works in other checkboxes in the program, but balloon data can only be toggled (e.g., space bar or mouse click). MSST is such an awesome program but the data import is braindead.

Be aware that GPSgate will be limited by your hardware. I bought it and loaded on my iPAQ 4155 and it was only able to create 2 virtual serial ports that were useable. And you cannot use the serial port which is being virtualized. E.g., my BT GPS was coming in via COM6. With GPSgate I COM0, COM4, and COM7. None of my software can see COM0 so only COM4 and COM7 are useable. None of them can see COM6 because it has been taken over by GPSgate. It's better than nothing, but not what I was lead to believe by the advertising. But I timed my purchase so that I applied a 15% discount from Geekzone with a $10 discount from earned reward points. So the disappointment wasn't as sharp as if I'd paid full price.