tr1976
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Posts posted by tr1976
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The issue list needs some serious updating since the latest software update. Thanks Garmin!
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Colorado 400t Ver. 2.40 as of Feb 18, 2008 <----- Just posted!
Changes from version 2.30 to version 2.40:
Improved acquisition time in certain circumstances.
Improved power on time.
Improved backlight support.
Improved support for NiMH batteries.
Improved Wherigo player.
Added ability to show and review geocaches on the map.
Added ability to log geocaches as found.
Increased maximum geocache count to 2000.
Added support for BlueChart currents.
Added ability to view extended information for custom POI's.
Added ability for turn preview beep to reset the backlight timeout.
Corrected map to display road labels.
Corrected map to display small towns.
Corrected map to not change orientation when beginning pan mode.
Corrected metric nautical setting to display appropriate map scale.
Support for Colorado Field Notes, at geocaching.com.
Changes from version 2.20 to version 2.30:
Added ability to turn off the compass.
Alarm clock will not change your backlight if it is already on.
Low battery warning now shows on powerup when appropriate.
Improved DEM shading with supplemental maps.
Fixed marine colors for depth soundings and active track.
Added ability to view extended chart information and chart notes.
Improved Share Wirelessly connection.
Changes from version 2.10 to version 2.20:
Fixed potential shutdown when using partially discharged alkaline batteries and significant amounts of backlight.
Improved backlight usability.
Corrected potential memory leak on altimeter page.
Corrected issue that changed map setting to north up if reviewing a point on the map.
Changed the automotive view angle to match automotive products.
Added ability to exit compass calibration if calibration fails.
Improved performance and error handling of Share Wirelessly application.
Corrected tone of route turn warnings.
Added height and depth information on review pages if the information is available (related to marine maps).
Corrected drawing of spot soundings.
Improved drawing of satellite imagery in 400i and 400c.
Improved drawing of BlueChart g2Vision maps.
Here is the URL for the proper page since you may not yet see the link from the normal route:
Tried it yesterday on my 300, and the device changed from an unusable brick to a piece of art
Geocaching support is now quite OK. Haven't yet dared to go out with it, but "kitchen table"
testing shows some serious improvement in GPX parsing performance. Also seeing the caches
on the map, being able to log them as found, etc. are features that should have been there from
the beginning. Also Scandinavic letters in cache descriptions display properly
The only simple thing that I'm still missing is the ability to select the GPX file in use, so that I could have more
than 2000 caches with me (prevents manual work and unnecessarily careful planning in the age of cheap SD cards).
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I agree.
They don't need a full-fledged file manager, but if you can select which geocaching file(s) to use, like you select which maps to use, then that would be sufficient.
Has to be able to handle that you can have a number of small files as well...
That's exactly what I mean! Selecting the current waymark or GPX file from a set of many would be enough. Further managing of the files (adding, removing, ...) could be done with an assisting computer. It shouldn't be difficult to implement, just a few lines of code I guess. That very small change would enable us to carry as many geocaches in the device as we want. I wonder why it hasn't been implemented already with earlier Garmin models?
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In some other thread, someone determined that the Colorado can read a geocache file from a card, so at least in theory, you can have more than one SD-card, with caches on them, for different areas.
When the next firmware is available to you, you'll have the geocaches displayed on the map (says those who have spoken to Garmin's representatives at the meets - and it seems likely), so the waypoint file limit is then no longer any issue. Only the max number of allowed caches will be.
My main point was, that it's OK to limit the number of items per file, but not OK to limit the number of files, if you have capacity on the SD card or wherever. So, 1000 in use at any time but it should be possible to change to another 1000-point file on the go.
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Next, to get some sort of icons to display on the map - you can create waypoints in a variety of ways. As you mentioned, you can load a GPX file in MapSource, and then send the waypoints to the unit. Alternatively, you can use GSAK and a special macro to generate "waypoint only" GPX files (the won't load as geocaches, but rather, as waypoints - this is how MapSource works under the covers, as well.
I assume there still is the 1000-point limit in all kinds of files in Garmin, and no file manager in device to switch the used file on the field. How can I overcome it? Do I now need to choose: Colorado+laptop or a Magellan?
This is not a problem for regular geocaching trips from home, but is for driving across a country/state without knowing the precise route and doing some ad-hoc caching on the way. I wouldn't like to stop every now and then to boot up the laptop just to change the waypoint/GPX file in use...
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No, there isn't. But in some cases, the unit can use data from the card, if it's there. I haven't tried that with geocaches. Is it possible?
If so, you could at least have different cache files on different cards, if you like.
Ah Ha. Cool! I just ran a test at "the kitchen table" and you can have a usable geocache .gpx file on the SD card. This is very good news. It means you could have multiple cards loaded with different cache .gpx files to switch out as needed.
That's too complicated. Magellan eXplorist has way better support for geocaching than the Colorado. I have both and I thought getting a Colorado would have been an upgrade
In Magellan there is a thing called file manager, so you can have 10000 different geocache/POI/tracklog/whatever files on an SD card (only the card size is the limit), then you just select which ones are in use at which moment. For example, I have all caches in my country chopped to 200 caches per file (which is the stupid limit in Magellan). But, I *can* have all geocaches to go, and I don't need a laptop with me if I do ad-hoc caching with my car. And it works fast when I choose a cache, look at cache information (no full descr. though), and all caches are visible on the map!
I really hope that Garmin fixes things to the level that they promised in their advertisements, otherwise I'm back in Magellan's camp for good.
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Ei kai tuossa kätkössä sinänsä mitään vikaa olisi, mutta eiköhän näiden sarjojen perimmäinen
tarkoitus ole yleensä saada ihmiset laittamaan lisää kätköjä, joten en mielellään "konvertoi"
vanhoja kätköjä tähän sarjaan.
Ehdin jo lähettää tuntemani golfkätköt listanpitäjälle, sorry en tiennyt ettei vanhoja hyväksytä
Ei kun hyväksytäänpäs!
Siis minun piti sanoa että vain jos ne on nimenomaan golfkenttää esitteleviä kätköjä alunperinkin. Eihän siinä olisi mitään järkeä laittaa toinen kätkö samaan paikkaan vain päästäkseen listalle. Mutta jos kätkö on muuten vaan lähellä kenttää, ja sinne pääsee näkemättä vilahdustakaan kentästä, niin ei mielellään sellaisia. Siis toki lisään nämä kätkösi listalle - kiitos! 
tr1976
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Aittasaaren ulkoilulenkki 2000m on lähellä Laajasalon golfkenttää. Kokonaan toinen asia on voiko sitä kutsua golfkätköksi:
- nimessä eikä kuvauksessa ei ole mainintaa golfkentästä
- golfkentällä on vain 6 reikää
- sinne pääsee pelaamaan ilman green cardia.
However, kätkö on niin lähellä golfkenttää että yhdessä vaiheessa rasian kokoa piti muuttaa isommaksi jotta kätköilijöiden löytämät golfpallot mahtuisivat purkkiin...
Mutta tämän kätkön kanssa voi tehdä kuten tahtoo - golfkätköksi tai ei.
Ei kai tuossa kätkössä sinänsä mitään vikaa olisi, mutta eiköhän näiden sarjojen perimmäinen
tarkoitus ole yleensä saada ihmiset laittamaan lisää kätköjä, joten en mielellään "konvertoi"
vanhoja kätköjä tähän sarjaan.
Ja tässä samalla tiedoksi niille jotka ihmettelee voisiko tylsempää sarjaa olla, niin voi ihan miettiä rauhassa
että ketä kiinnostaa enemmän juna-asemat, ketä liikennemerkit, ketä hautausmaat, ketä Turun vuoristo
ja ketä golfkentät. Jos keksit parempia, niin ihan kiva.
tr1976
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Started a new series with WingedStone&Tora: Golf courses of Finland. We thought golf courses and their surroundings are often worth seeing. Why? Because - image is everything
The first cache (Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi) is just published:
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...e7-fbd4d0395980
and there's the bookmark list (Golf courses of Finland) by me:
http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.a...53-e345fbd7aad1
So, find a golf course near you from here: http://www.golfpiste.com/kentat/?lang=fi and hide a cache!
There are, however some rules: the cache should be in public area, i.e. not in the golf course, but near it. The parking lot, the clubhouse and the nearby surroundings are usually public area, but the actual course is not. So use common sense when hiding the cache!
=[ Suomeksi ]======
Aloitimme uuden kätkösarjan WingedStone&Toran kanssa: Golf courses of Finland. Meidän mielestämme monet golfkentät ovat näkemisen arvoisia. Miksi? Koska "image is everything"
Ensimmäinen kätkö (Peuramaa, Kirkkonummi) on juuri julkaistu:
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...e7-fbd4d0395980
ja minä pidän yllä bookmark listaa (Golf courses of Finland):
http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.a...53-e345fbd7aad1
Siispä katso täältä: http://www.golfpiste.com/kentat/?lang=fi ja kätkötä lähikenttäsi! :-)
Muista kuitenkin jotain sääntöjä: kätkö pitää olla julkisella alueella, eli ei itse golfkentällä, mutta sen lähellä. Parkkipaikat, klubitalot ja lähimaastot ovat yleensä julkisia alueita, mutta itse kenttä ei. Siispä käytä maalaisjärkeä piilottaessasi kätköä!
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You're just asking geocaching.com to make it easier for you to do this. They don't want it to be easy to do because that invites abuse. I'd have an easier time trusting your intentions if your original post didn't point this out.
You've got a point and I've got mine. And my explicit wording is that I am *not* planning to
abuse the license - I just wish more service even with higher fees. How about a platinum membership
level to get this kind of service? $100/year? $10/gpx/state/country?
Still I think that with explicit wording in the license and a fee that limits the use of the feature to when it is really needed (the example of finding out you're going to be travelling and know the state or country but aren't sure exactly where you will be) it might be something Geocaching.com would consider. The one problem I still see is that the pre-canned file might contain a cache that was archived because a land owner/manager didn't want someone going to look for it. If the person getting the pre-canned file got in trouble looking for this cache, could they claim that geocaching.com was negligent in providing them with stale data?
Still I don't see what is the difference to printing the description on a paper, and going for the cache
tomorrow when it's been disabled or archived... It's like visiting an archeological site then, right?
tr1976
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Bot scripts clearly violate the Terms of Use - so that isn't even up for discussion. Anybody doing it is in the wrong.
Your basic argument is that you want it - therefore it should be offered or someone will "hack" it out of them anyway.
TPTB are well aware of the extra "load" created by doing it thier way. And yet, they have made the business decision to go with that model.
Whether or not you find that intelligent ---- it remains as the only answer available.
What has happened to the US people? You used to be the pioneers. Going where no man had gone before.
Finding business where ever. Now you're happy with what you have now. Watch out for a Chinese geocaching.com...
-tr1976
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"Which is preferable: people writing bot scripts which are downloading data inefficiently by
downloading and parsing gc.com web pages or people paying money to be able to download
periodically updated zip files made available by gc.com and including data that is only possible to update
through gc.com, which would keep gc.com as *the* place for the latest data?"
Using a bot script to download and parse gc.com web pages is in violation of the terms of use (TOU). Geocaching.com will block your IP address if this is detected. From their point of view using the existing pocket queries to achieve the same thing is also in violation of the TOU. However they limit the number of caches you you can download using a pocket query to 2500 a day and require you to agree to a license not to share the data in your PQs. Users that try to build their own off-line database from their pocket queries learn quickly that there may be stale data. If they accept the limitations and only use the database for their personnal use, GC.com allows this.
Providing pre-canned GPX files with large number of caches for a fee might work if it include a license agreement that the data wouldn't be shared (similar to the license agreement for pocket queries) and acceptance of the fact that the PQ may contain stale data (archive, disabled, and no newly published caches). One issue that GC.com has with releasing stale data occurs when a land owner/manager asked that a cache archived so that people will stop hunting it. If this happens and you could download a pre-canned query containing this cache a few days later, GC.com may be opened to a lawsuit from the land owner/manager. This would be something like YouTube removing a video for copyright infringment but still allowing you to still download that video by downloading a zip file with all the videos posted on a given day.
Come on. What is the difference to print out 30 000 cache descriptions ON PAPER than having them
in digital form in a GPX FILE???
I can burn a video that is legal today on a DVD. If it get's banned tomorrow, do I have to burn my DVD?
-tr1976
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I am not a salesman. I will keep the discussion ongoing until someone answers to my very simple
question:
"Which is preferable: people writing bot scripts which are downloading data inefficiently by
downloading and parsing gc.com web pages or people paying money to be able to download
periodically updated zip files made available by gc.com and including data that is only possible to update
through gc.com, which would keep gc.com as *the* place for the latest data?"
I haven't yet seen an intelligent answer to this question.
Ummm, because it's against the Terms of Use and will probably get you banned from the site?
Yes. I don't say I'm doing it, but I know there are sites that e.g. create stats like that.
I've found ten times as many caches as you have and the existing mechanisms work fine for me, as well as for my buddies who have found even more. It ain't broke, man!
Sure. You can always create a "Nearest unfound 500 caches" pocket query. That's what I do also. Depending
on where you live, the radius of the query results differs. That's not my point. My point is, if I come to US,
I want to have the caches in my GPSr and go caching. I don't want to find starbucks for wifi. It is technically
possible, but people here are stubborn to stick to what they have. OK, everything is fine now, let's not
change anything.
-tr1976
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This summer we are going on a vacation and will do some caching along with sightseeing. If we were going on a caching vacation I would do things differently.
Note: All PQs are loaded into GSAK. PQs include Traditional (lesser difficulty and terrain), Virtuals, and Events. They do not include puzzels, multis, and other types of caches.
1. I have a "base" route that I know I will be traveling and created several PQs using the Caches along a Route feature.
2. Used GSAK to filter by types and then imported into S&T with different icons representing different types of caches.
3. Checked the map to see which are close to but with easy accessible from the road.
4. Then created a Bookmark list for those I think I will have easy access (mostly welcome centers and rest stops)
Then ran several reqular PQs for areas I think I want to visit.
1. Some of the caches I found within these PQs raised an area up in the "Maybe visit” list
2. Eliminated other caches for whatever reasons.
3. Added ones I determined "Hope to do" to the Bookmark list.
Week or so before leaving
1. PQ from the Bookmark list to verify they are still available.
2. Run the other PQs ajusted to search for new caches since I last ran the PQs
When it is time to go I will refresh all PQs then load
1. Bookmarked list into my Garmin StreetPilot as Favorites from GSAK
2. "Maybes" into the StreetPilot as waypoints using Garmin’s POI loader (they show up different).
3. Bookmarked in my Magellan 500
4. Separate “Maybes into States then regions of states
5. Create folders for each State on Magellan 500
6. Load regional files into appropriate State folder
7. Send all to PDA
8. Bring a notebook to log reminders until I can get on line.
While on the road if I have time I will check for new caches in the area I find myself and refresh data if possible.
Wow, I'm tired just writing all this. Lot of work? Yep, sure is. Worth it? I'll let you know in September
Thanks... And all of this because... You know.
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Hi tr1976
I think it would be great if we could grab as much information as we want, whenever we want it. I understand and accept that this will not happen. Some of the reasons are technical, some are not.
You seem determined to continue this discussion beyond any reasonable expectation of gaining the access you are advocating. Are you a salesman? I think you should start working on this suggestion list: One Million Reasons Why You Should Do It My Way
That way when the answer is still no, you will have run out of responses.
I don't say I want to grab as much information as I want, whenever I want. I am saying, besides
real-time data on the latest status of the caches (which I get from gc.com web pages), I could use
slightly outdated data or "hints" or whatever you want to call the data, on areas where I have no
connectivity to gc.com nor where I planned to go to.
I am not a salesman. I will keep the discussion ongoing until someone answers to my very simple
question:
"Which is preferable: people writing bot scripts which are downloading data inefficiently by
downloading and parsing gc.com web pages or people paying money to be able to download
periodically updated zip files made available by gc.com and including data that is only possible to update
through gc.com, which would keep gc.com as *the* place for the latest data?"
I haven't yet seen an intelligent answer to this question.
-tr1976
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OK... If they wan't more hits to the DB then it's fine. It's their business.
Actually I think they want more web hits as that equals revenue from advertisers.
I can load the ad 100 times before I can load the .zip. Next, please.
I know it's quite difficult to say "hey, that's right, I didn't think of that, but I'll implement it for you".
I know they have thought of the idea but dismissed it. Remember the only real asset they have is the latest and greatest database full of caches. Giving it all away would not be wise. Allowing use without visting the web site is not wise either. - I'm guessing a little here but probably not far off.
You're probably right. Having an X days old .gpx file doesn't change that. It's still the greatest.
Please understand, that it is possible to get what I want by heavily loading gc.com. I am just
proposing that giving it out easily helps everybody.
Dont get me wrong: I always prefer on-line access to gc.com, but if it is not available, then it's really
really really nice to have stored (even outdated) cache coordinates and descriptions. So, even with
the new service, I would use gc.com as much as today, and I am quite sure all (interactive users)
would.
Cheers,
tr1976
You might be amazed at just how often you can find wi-fi access and cards to replace a broken one are frequently found for around $30 at many stores. Really not an issue.
Kayaking in Alaska. Hiking in middle of Australia. I don't think so. Please get the idea. Or is relying
on wifi access the idea of the whole thing?
-tr1976
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Do you have wifi in Yellowstone?
Actually "yes". At Yellowstone Village, Mammoth Hot Springs and probably a few other select spots.
The real problem is that you won't find anything other than virtual caches there because they tradtional geocaches are banned in US National Park areas.
OK. That was just an example. What if you have wifi everywhere, all the time. Then your device with the
wifi interface breaks. Then what? Stop geocaching and start drinking beer?
-tr1976
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I don't mind if even 1% of the caches get disabled or archived after downloading the database if the database consists of 10K caches and I can find 100 without extreme planning.
You don't. Others might. This way, it's clearly the seeker's problem.
It's better to have some coordinates with you than nothing. Helps finding something.
What is TPTB?
TPTP = "The Powers That Be", which makes little grammatical sense (often, as in this case, because English has moved on since the version of the Bible, from which it comes, was translated), but is one of those "pre-canned" English expressions with a meaning. In this case it's a euphemism - of sorts - for those parts of the multi-billion dollar Groundspeak empire where decisions get made. And as always, Wikipedia is your friend.
Thanks. English is just one of my foreign languages so bear with me
What is the reasoning?
The reasoning could be debated, but it won't be, at least for the time being. It's been raised countless times and I think that the chances that TPTB™ will suddenly say "You know what? You're right!" are fairly minimal.
From the cacher's point of view I can see a number of advantages, but firstly, we don't have the big picture, and secondly, we don't have to sell our houses if we pick wrong.
The other issue with pre-run PQs is that it would cause a line to form from here to the moon of people saying "can I have all Trads older than six months in Maryland" or "all letterbox hybrids in Canada not placed by this one guy I don't like". (I have a solution for that: PQs you define yourself!
)OK... If they wan't more hits to the DB then it's fine. It's their business.
I know it's quite difficult to say "hey, that's right, I didn't think of that, but I'll implement it for you".
And, as I said in the beginning, further filtering of the database is up to the users. As long as the
area is covered everything is fine.
Dont get me wrong: I always prefer on-line access to gc.com, but if it is not available, then it's really
really really nice to have stored (even outdated) cache coordinates and descriptions. So, even with
the new service, I would use gc.com as much as today, and I am quite sure all (interactive users)
would.
Cheers,
tr1976
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Jeremy has made his thoughts on this pretty clear. I don't see it happening.I added a new topic to forums regarding pre-run PQs. If there was just state.zip and country.zip which could be downloaded to the laptop then the problems would be gone...Do you have a link to the topic with the reasoning?
Thanks,
tr1976
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Why not use the wesite to get the freshest possible information? It changes rapidly.
Because the website may be out of reach during the whole trip. How do you see printed cache
descriptions being up to date? Do you have wifi in Yellowstone?
I don't mind if even 1% of the caches get disabled or archived after downloading the database if the database
consists of 10K caches and I can find 100 without extreme planning.
tr1976
Either way, TPTB are on record saying that this will not happen.
What is TPTB?
What is the reasoning?
Is it better that everybody writes their own script that crawls through all cache pages of Michigan
than gc.com offering a Michigan.zip?
Yeah, just buy new servers.
tr1976
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Why not use the wesite to get the freshest possible information? It changes rapidly.
Because the website may be out of reach during the whole trip. How do you see printed cache
descriptions being up to date? Do you have wifi in Yellowstone?
I don't mind if even 1% of the caches get disabled or archived after downloading the database if the database
consists of 10K caches and I can find 100 without extreme planning.
tr1976
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I added a new topic to forums regarding pre-run PQs. If there was just state.zip and country.zip which could be downloaded to the laptop then the problems would be gone...
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Hi all,
I'm wondering whether it would make sense to offer pre-run pocket queries to at least the premium members?
They could be updated daily or weekly, and one query could cover e.g. one US state or a country. I am quite
certain that it would
- reduce the DB server load in gc.com
- save people's time figuring out the pocket query combinations to cover an area
There are currently several sites leeching stats from gc.com in unoptimal ways as there is no real API
for 3rd party sites. Those could also use the same zip files and more load would be away from the DB
server again.
This was a free hint, but I could pay twice the premium membership fee if this service was available.
Best regards,
tr1976
- reduce the DB server load in gc.com
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I don't know of any methods of grabbing large amounts of cache data that haven't already been mentioned, but it helps to limit your pocket queries to caches under 2.5 difficulty/terrain. If you're on the road, chances are that you're looking for quick caches anyway (no long hikes, etc), so you may as well filter them out.
A week or so before I go on a long trip, I set up PQ's (sometimes 20 or more) to cover most of the areas I think I'll be visiting, and let them sit. Then, once a day or so while I'm on the road, when I know where I want to head next I find a wifi hotspot and download the 3-5 queries (which I already set up) to cover the area I'll be driving through. I load them into GSAK, export the whole thing to Mapsource, and delete the caches that are way off the route or are already behind me. That keeps the data as fresh as possible.
If you don't want to stop to find internet access, your best bet is to set up all the queries the week before, and download 5 per day to populate a GSAK database. In 8 days, you can get 40 queries, with potentially up to 20,000 cache descriptions (assuming no overlap).
edited to add: I usually use circular queries in remote areas, and route PQ's in urban areas. It's been my experience that when you're on the road and get to a major city, you either drive right through, stop for the night in the immediate vicinity of an interstate, or spend a little time downtown (where the attractions/historical sites are). As an example, if I'm driving through St. Louis on I-70, I might want to stop to see the Arch (and grab a cache there, of course), but there's no need to download the 4,000 suburban caches miles from the interstate.
Thanks! Good working methods... Luckily I have started to plan well ahead, so I can try things and
tune up the PQs and all the devices, and learn from the best well ahead
BTW, I assume GPRS data connections work in GSM cell networks in US & Canada, so that would extend
the area where I can be on-line with my laptop from the WLAN hotspots only. The download rate is not as
great but we're talking in a ten minute scale anyway.
However, while washing the dishes, I came up with the thought, that why wouldn't GC.com offer the premium
members pre-run PQs of each state/country? That would ease up the load on the database server as
people would do most of the filtering on their own PCs. Maybe I'll set a separate thread on that.
Cheers,
tr1976
Colorado firmware 2.40 300/400
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
Also maybe for rural poets to easier compile the list of caches that need some stories. Previously I used pen and paper to make notes when I found which cache, then spend time at gc.com finding the corresponding cache pages. Now if the field notes automatically casts a list of found caches in front of me, well that's an improvement. If it works that way