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Parsa

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Everything posted by Parsa

  1. Make sure the eXplorist is set to the file transfer setting as opposed to the NMEA setting. Personally, I found importing directly to the eXplorist a big pain. Instead, I use GPSBabel+ (formerly MacGPSBabel) to create eXplorist POI (.upt) or geocache (.gs) files on my hard drive. I store these and replace them (or toss them) as needed. Then I stick an SD card (mine is a standard 4GB SD card from A-Data) in a cheap USB card reader, and simply drag the files into the appropriate folder on the SD card ("POIs" or "Geocaches".) The other Mac programs can probably also save the appropriate files to disk as well. Note: you may need to add the correct extensions manually if they do not appear. Parsa
  2. Did you go into Cachemate on the Palm (a Handspring Visor?) and put in the code? [Option menu-->Register] If you registered and have a registration code aligned to your Palm's name ("Jeff's Palm" for example), then I guess you could just delete CacheMate from the unit and upload a new copy. You then have to go into CacheMate and put in the code. Parsa
  3. Moose (or is it Me?), Can you be more specific? We can help you if you give us more info. When you pay for premium membership, one of the things you can do are Pocket Queries. This will let you download a .GPX file of a cluster of caches, with much of the cache page information included. .GPX files can then be uploaded to your Magellan. [They have to be converted to .UPT (waypoint) or .GS (geocache) files in the process.] You can also download individual GPX files as a member. Otherwise you are restricted to LOC files that only have basic coordinate information. Parsa
  4. Costco has the eXplorist 500 on sale for $120. That's about the cost of an eXplorist 100. Add maps (MapSend Topo 3D USA for instance) and the price will be about $180-200. There are cradles for your car such as RAM mounts that are custom fit to the eXplorist series. Parsa
  5. I was playing with a Colorado in REI in San Diego and every time I hit the right soft key it went off. The guy said pressing that button shuts off the unit, but that didn't make sense to me at all. Now I know I wasn't crazy after all.
  6. I would recommend a new unit generally over one on ebay. I've been watching multiple GPS receivers on ebay, and I've noticed that even very old non-mapping units go for quite a bit. "New" units go for more than they do from online companies. I suppose that occaisionally you can get lucky, but you have to know the prices. I've been looking at the Garmin Legend HCX. Google Shopping shows several for less than $190 (Amazon for one). For 50 dollars more you get the insurance of guaranteed returns at REI. Parsa
  7. La radiko estas geokaŝ-. Mi ankoraŭ preferas geokaŝo por la objekta substantivo: geokaŝ-o Estas pli simpla. Parsa
  8. Which of course means little since both are minuscule in comparison to a 1 or 2GB card you would actually probably use.
  9. I have the entire US (City Navigator 7) loaded on a single 4GB micro SD card. I suppose, If I wanted to load Topo maps, and the 60CSx couldn't read the remainder of the card (possible, since it is designed for 2GB), I'd simply tape another micro SD to the inside of the cover. That said, I doubt I'd ever want to do that. Hey, Parsa here... Are you using an HCSD card or did you manage to find a standard 4GB microSD card? I've never seen one of the latter. In fact, 2GB is the largest I've seen for sale online. If you are using a 4GB SanDisk HCSD card, does it actually work on a 60csx???
  10. For those that don't have (or can't use) GSAK: You can use GPSBabel (or a GPSBabel shell for particular operating systems, GPSBabel+ for Macs for example). Open GPSBabel software for PC, Mac, etc. Check the box for receiver input and select the type of receiver and the port. Select the output format you want such as GPX, PalmDoc, etc. If you are using CacheMate, you can then convert the GPX file to a Palm OS file that will load directly into CacheMate. I use MacCMConvert to set it up for CacheMate. This converts the file and puts it into the Palm's upload folder. Parsa
  11. Hey, some of my Varner and Lowdermilk ancestors were from your area... The units that use 1:24000 maps are displaying digitally scanned maps called digital raster graphics. The Garmin's use vector maps rather than images. It would require a lot of data to have such detailed vector maps for every area. I'm sure some areas of the world would prefer any topographic map before we Americans get the detailed ones. What Garmin would need to do would be to offer the ability to also use raster maps like DeLorme and Magellan. I suggested in a letter to them that they do this. I also said that they make great hardware, but that the software is expensive and usually out of date by the time it's shipped. I suggested they have an "open architecture" format and allow users to create and share maps on their forum. With all the people using car systems (and many not caring a wit for the software) I think they should concentrate on their hardware, and make the software more open. Digital raster graphics are often free online.
  12. Has anyone dealt with Polar GPS before? Do you have good or bad experiences you can relate? Parsa
  13. The eXplorist 500 seems to be a good deal right now. The regular 500 is cheap at costco.com for a little above $100. There are reports that some Walmarts are selling the eXplorist 500LE for under $90. The 500 is a very good unit for that price, it was a near-the-top-of-the-line model. Most GPS receivers in this price range have no map features.
  14. Just use true north. Your GPS will give good values for true north and that's what maps are all aligned to. Magnetic north declination is not only different everywhere, but it also changes all the time. (The magnetic poles move because the earths metallic interior is fluid.) The only time you may need it is for a complex multiple or unknown cache that requires magnetic readings to find the final cache. Over short distances the difference will be negligible though for most areas of the world (but not in northern Canada, for example, where the magnetic pole is located). Parsa .
  15. LOL! I'm with you! That's the page I use, too. It's too bad that they removed the static map that allowed one to figure out which location directory you wanted to be in, but I mostly hang around a small range of latitudes and longitudes and can get to where I need to be pretty fast. Patty Fortunately I have a paper California index map from USGS that I can use. I'd like to at least see an image of the index map somewhere on line. I searched once, and never could find one.
  16. I've been using MacGPS Pro for years and really like it, but I do want to mention that you don't need to buy their topo maps. At least, not always. In many cases, you can find digital raster graphics (DRG) versions of USGS topo maps online for free, and import those into MacGPS Pro. I, for instance, get mine from the California Spatial Information Library (CASIL). There's a list of free DRGs on the Caching Now Resources page. There are also fee-based online sites that offer them, but at that point, you might as well buy the ones offered by James Associates. Patty I just bought and downloaded MacGPS Pro recently, and I think it's awesome. I was using GPSy before. The thing that is really cool is how you can open more than one map, or put them into an "automatic open" folder. Once you put them in that folder, the software opens up a new map and closes the old one. It takes under 4 seconds. It works as well as NG Topo, if not better, and the maps are free! I just make aliases of my filed maps and put them in the auto folder. You can't change the name of the file though. It seems to need the coordinate reference in the name. MacGPS Pro also works with geocaching. It can work with GPX files. MacGPS Pro and a Bluetooth GPS receiver on your dash (such as my iBlue 737... on sale at Semsons!) makes a great large-screen GPS combo in your car. Here's a great web site with digital raster graphics links for every US state: http://www.doylesdartden.com/gis/ For California, I hate using the CaSIL map interface. It's so hard to use and slow. I just go here: http://archive.casil.ucdavis.edu/casil/maps/drg/ Parsa
  17. I was told by Garmin's tech weenies that 4 GB was the upper limit. I think there's no such thing as a non-SDHC 4 GB (or larger) card. There are non-SDHC 4GB cards. I know because I own two. A-Data made a 150x 4GB card. The SDHC cards are cheaper now of course.
  18. SanDisk makes a 4GB MicroSD, but it is high capacity (microSDHC). "On January 7, 2008, during CES, SanDisk announced an as yet unpriced 12GB (104 GB/cm3) microSDHC card." (Wikipedia) 2GB seems to be the limit on normal microSD. 2GB also seems the limit on regular full-sized SD, but I used to buy 4GB standard cards. Now they are SDHC. Parsa
  19. Firstly, GpsBabel is not exactly free. There's a lot of hard work that went into it and that is ongoing. So everyone should really donate whatever they can to help out. Now, on loading maps into your eXplorist using a Mac: 1. Create the maps on a PC by outlining the area you want. The above is on a PC remember? So it's arcane and unnecessarily difficult. Once you get a map file: 2. Insert an SD card into a reader and plug it into the USB port on the PC. 3. Put the files onto the PC card. You can hook up your eXplorist also, but this is easier if it works. Of course, it did not recognize my 4GB card (non HCSD), so I had to use a 1GB card. 4. Plug the reader and card into your Mac. 5. Drag the files onto your hard drive and into an appropriate folder (example: GPS-->"Magellan"-->Detail Maps). 6. Insert the card you actually want to use in the eXplorist into the card reader, and your Mac will of course have no trouble with it. My 4GB worked fine. 7. Drag only the maps you want into the Detail Maps folder on the SD card. Then you are done. Remember that any file you create has to have the correct suffix: .upt = POI waypoints, .gs = geocache files, .fnd = the found file that the eXplorist creates of found caches, .rte = routes, and .imi = map files. At least it worked. I guess the new Tritons are totally based on the PC application. Hopefully Garmin will release their promised City Navigator software soon. Parsa
  20. Doesn't Bobcat have an "Import (GPX file)" menu choice? It should. Of course for your GPS itself, you can always use GpsBabel+ Parsa
  21. The question is, did the person who placed the cache you are looking for have good accuracy? Were they even very careful, or did they just quickly press the mark button? On my own caches, I usually take readings every thirty seconds over an 8 or 10 minute period, then average the decimal results. However, I've looked for caches that were consistently reported as being 40 or 100 feet off. I even looked for one that was a half mile (800 meters) off. It could have gotten me and my daughter killed. Parsa
  22. You might want to read this: Geocaching with a Mac I use: GPSBabel+ to convert gpx files etc. (formerly MacGPSBabel) (yes, I sent Robert some money) GPSy (though have not upgraded to the OS X version) National Geographic Topo Terrabrowser, but mostly for making maps in Illustrator, not for caching MacCMConvert and CacheMate for paperless caching with my Palm I have tired: Mac SimpleGPS X RouteBuddy Street Atlas USA 6 (old, but can be used through GPSy as a shell) GPS Connect Keep in mind that Magellan is going backwards on its new Triton by requiring a Windows application for everything. Garmin has promised to release City Navigator for North America and Europe soon. I expect the other software types will follow.
  23. From this post by IndyJpr Thanks, but I don't understand why it says "Removable Disk" since that's the internal storage. Is that in reference to the GPS being connected to the computer as a sort of removable storage device? Parsa
  24. Isn't the mac software out already in beta, its called Bobcat. As is discussed in the Bobcat thread, you still have to make the maps on a PC. Then you have to use a Windows App called MapConverter to create a Mac compatible file. Then you have to load it to your Mac and use the Garmin MapInstall software to put maps on your Garmin. Bobcat then will let you manipulate waypoints, geocache files, routes, etc. and load them onto your GPS. I could already install years ago with GpsBabel. Bobcat evidently seems to let you see the waypoints plotted on the maps you have stored in your Mac. They are improving and evidently will release MapSource CityNavigator software soon. Parsa
  25. Can the current 400t owners tell us exactly what the internal capacity is for the 400t? I need to decide if it is worth spending the extra money for the unit if the only difference is the internal maps. I'm assuming the capacity is larger: 3GB or more, but Garmin is indefinite. One review site gives a large capacity, but I see nothing official. In any case I may wait to see if Garmin will be releasing their promised mac mapping software soon. The City Navigator 2008 versions seem to be the ones they are talking about right now. Nothing on US Topo 2008 was mentioned. This makes the 400t more attractive. Parsa
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