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Software For The Ppc


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I've been reading through a bunch of the posts ands I'm a little overwhelmed at this point. I was hoping someone could help me pick out some software to use.

 

I purchased a Dell Axim X50V Pocket PC and I am also getting a Globlasat BT unit to work with it.

 

I am planning to use the unit mostly for geocaching but would also like to be able to use it for some in car drive navigation. I am wondering what software do I need to purchase/download to best do this? I already have Microsoft Streets and Trips for the laptop, so I am mainly looking for the best Pocket PC software out there for geocaching.

 

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

 

PJ Linke

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I am planning to use the unit mostly for geocaching but would also like to be able to use it for some in car drive navigation. I am wondering what software do I need to purchase/download to best do this? I already have Microsoft Streets and Trips for the laptop, so I am mainly looking for the best Pocket PC software out there for geocaching.

 

Well for Geocaching, I absolutely swear by GPXSonar. I use an Axim X30 and it works well on it. You can make field notes when you're at the cache site too so you remember what to log on those 21 cache visit days. That's all the software I need for paperless geocaching. I put it on the SD card with all the GPX files and life is grand. I should point out that you really want to keep those GPX files under the 2MB mark or you'll be waiting a while for the program to load.

 

In terms of software to actually show your position on the PDA with a GPS receiver - Streets and Trips 2005 includes Pocket Streets on the CD-Rom. That one is GPS aware. If you're going to be driving though, consider looking at something like TomTom. I haven't tried it, as my GPSr does street routing itself and the PDA+GPSr rig would be more of a burden than it's worth.

 

I can't say I'd be overly eager to use a bluetooth GPS+PDA to actually locate the geocache container itself. The PDA is great to whip out and read a cache listing but these things are far too fragile to be walking along a hiking trail with. While stubbing your toe and dropping a cheap eTrex would be annoying, dropping a PocketPC is a good way to smash the screen, not scratch it. Also your Axim is probably not water resistant and, depending on where you live/cache - you may end up getting rained on while you're looking for a cache.

 

Do yourself a favour and leave the Bluetooth puck in the car and get a handheld GPS for the hiking part. Doesn't have to be an expensive one, but you'll be thankful the first time you do a terrain 4 geocache with it.

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Some like northernpenguin do not like taking their PDA with them on a cache hunt and some like me do. There are lots of different ways to protect a PDA.

 

Ruggedness – PDA’s are fragile animals. Dropping one can end its life. There are manufactures that make hard cases for these devices and it is recommended to use them.

 

Nontheless, take a look at the software below:

 

BeeLineGPS Manages caches, reads GPX files, makes the PDA act very much like a handheld GPS receiver. Works very well for finding caches. Upcomming versions will have GPXSonar-like information (beta link).

 

GPSTuner– Downloads GPX files, has nice graphics presentation, uses scanned maps

 

Vito Navigator (reveiw)

 

Mapopolis– Very good street level mapping software http://www.mapopolis.com/

 

GPXSonar -- brings the cache details from the web site to your PDA

 

Happy caching! ;)

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Oh I take my GPS on the cache hunt with me, but there is a difference between looking at it from time to time and walking the trail with it held out in front of you. My PDA is a very important part of the cache hunt - but it spends most of it's time in the pack (in a ziplock baggie!) as opposed to in my hand. Too many rocks and tree roots around here for my comfort level. I can't remember the last time I actually *printed* a cache listing thanks to GPXSonar. I like the look of that BeeLineGPS program

 

Those are some neat software packages you've found there RumJungle.

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Shortened recommendation on ruggedness and list of SW

Completely agree with northernpenguin and RumJungle!

 

When geocaching or otherwise on a off-road trail, my PDA stay safely in my backpack, though I leave it on with OziCe running, connected to my BT GPS fixed on my rucksack. Even so I managed to break the glass of my PDA last year :lol:

 

As to software, I would add to RumJungle's list:

  • OziExplorer CE - Companion to the PC version of Ozi
  • GPSDash - Neat little app
  • GPSGate - Allows to share the serial port the GPS is on amongst several applications at the same time
  • Tomtom Navigator - Navigation software

Oh yes, I also use GPXSonar :lol:

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Well.. I bought the ppc mainly for geocaching, so I am going to try to stick with that. I bought it with a decent hard case to protect the screen and it's in a marine bag (waterproof ziplock like bag used for boating and jetskiing) in case it rains and what not. So I'm not too worried about it getting damanged.

 

Think I'm going to go with Beeline and certainly with GPXSonar. Once I get them and do a couple caches I'll post how it all went!!!

 

Thank everyone for your posts and suggestions. I can't wait till my Globalsat gets here so I can try this all out.

 

PJ

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Tiny Stocks Navio got missed. I use this on my iPaq 4700. I like it 's interface the best out of all the others plus it does VGA screens. Beeline is my second fave- VERY interested in the beta mentioned earlier! Also recommend Mapopolis.

 

For emotional support, the cliche is that it's too dangerous and you'll break it. Every thread about PDA caching will have this warning. I'm sure people do break their's. For the record, I haven't broken mine yet..... Didn't break any of the Sony Clies either. My advice is to get a wetpack(like Aquapac) with a neck lanyard and keep it slung around your neck! You have to fall on your face then...

 

I also have the newest Globalsat. Awesome performance. Always hold sat lock even in heavy cover. My wife has switched to using the 60C (originally I set her up with her iPaq2215/Socket BT GPS) and has been behind me quite a bit. The 60C just isn't as strong a receiver in our practical experience. Lot less techno-fiddling for her though.

 

Have fun!

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Just curious as I just ordered the same unit (still waiting for it too...) for the same purpose. Everything has come except for the X50v itself (of course) so I am twiddling my thumbs while I wait...

 

I ordered the Otter Case 1900 Armor for it, along with the lanyard. I plan on using Beeline and GPX sonar. I used GPX Sonar on my previous PPC and loved it, very useful tool.

 

Happy Caching,

Gadget

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Please excuse my ignorance. I have loaded GSAK on my pc, GPXSonar on my Pocket PC and have been messing with it for the past few days and still cant figure out how to get my pocket queries from my pc to my ppc. Could someone please, please help.

 

Thank you in advance,

 

James

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I use Mapopolis. Besides great auto navigation, with gpstomaplet program and the gpx file, I can overlay all the caches on the maps in the PPC with little red icons for the cches. That way I can see them while I''m driving. Tap the icon and get info like D/L, name, who hid it, etc and then tap it again to auto navigate to the road nearest the cache. Don't know if Street and the other have the ability to create the icons.

 

Mapopolis will also work in the woods as it gives altitude, current coordinates, distance to cache, and arrow/compass rose for direction. My high gain GPS receiver for it pulls i the sats better than the Vista I also use in the woods.

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Please excuse my ignorance. I have loaded GSAK on my pc, GPXSonar on my Pocket PC and have been messing with it for the past few days and still cant figure out how to get my pocket queries from my pc to my ppc. Could someone please, please help.

 

Thank you in advance,

 

James

Using GSAK, create a gpx file. Then drag and drop the file in your SD memory card in the PPC. Then, open GPXSONAR in the PPC and select the GPX file in the card.

 

It's a good idea to store the file in the card rather than the PPC memory to save memory space. 1500 caches can take 8M or so. You can create various GPX files. For example, on vacation, I just created a file for where I'll be. I've got a couple where I live (canhes within 40 miles from home and cache over that). Just selet the one you want to load into gpxsonar.

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Well.. Finally I got out and used the PPC for my geocache. I took the time to do 3 different spots. Sadly, 2 of the 3 I came up short, but I did finally find one.

 

A couple things I really like about the ppc,

 

1. only 1 unit to lug around. With GPXSonar and Beeline all I had to do is use my switcher to bounce back and forth between the programs.

 

2. Waypoint Averaging feature in Beeline. I'm not sure if this is a feature stand alone GPS units have, but it brought me within 2 feet of the cache on the one I found... the two I didnt find were micro caches and might have been too micro for me to pick up on my first time out.

WISH LIST: Wish Beeline would put the exact coordinates of the current cache on the same page as the averaging coordinates. I have the worlds worst number members so I ended up writting the coords on my arm so I didn't have to keep switching back and forth.

-----

 

A couple things I did not like:

1. Even though I had a hard case on the ppc I still felt a little nervous about breaking it. I bout a little laniard for it and that helped a lot... Now at least I know I wont drop the thing.

 

2. Using the Stylis while walking around isn't really easy

 

1 more bad thing... and it has nothing to do with the gps... Pocket streets is a big piece of poo.. If you are planning on using this... don't. The limitations on it are rediculous. I was driving out the Jersey and tried to put the map on it and streets wouldn't even let me export the map... and gave me no way to even split it up. No driving directions or turn by turn features at all. It is fairly useless. It's a shame that they came out with such a great laptop application and the pocket version just falls flat... booo to Microsoft! booo I say!

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2.  Waypoint Averaging feature in Beeline.  I'm not sure if this is a feature stand alone GPS units have, but it brought me within 2 feet of the cache on the one I found... the two I didnt find were micro caches and might have been too micro for me to pick up on my first time out.

WISH LIST:  Wish Beeline would put the exact coordinates of the current cache on the same page as the averaging coordinates.  I have the worlds worst number members so I ended up writting the coords on my arm so I didn't have to keep switching back and forth.

Thanks for the update...

 

I'm not sure how you were using waypoint averaging to find the cache. In most cases, you place the GPS receiver in a static position and run an average to better the location of the new waypoint.

 

How were you using averaging in finding the cache?

 

Also, did you know that BeeLineGPS (version 1.6x) will show you the cache details. Tap and hold on a cache icon on the map and select "Show cache details". It will build a html page with the details.

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I received my Axim x50v last week and had some time this past weekend to get it up and running. After I figured out how to use the internet I installed Beeline GPS. Next I installed GPXSonar and had some time to use both of them last night. I just read the comment about clicking on the cache with Beeline and it will show the html! The only thing I didn't notice was the past few logs which is sometimes helpful. I bought the explorist 300 last Fall and realized it doesn't have an input cord which is a drag. I think I may end up dropping it on Ebay and buy one that allows to input the waypoints. I had some problems with Beeline but once I got my poweroff setting set at a higher time the program worked just fine.

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I just turned on the averaging and it seemed to get me a lot closer to the cache then using the standard coordinates.

 

For the one Cache that I found, when I had averaging off it took me about 40 - 50 feet away from where the cache was. With averaging on it put me right on top of it (quick literally). Could have been a fluke, but Im hoping not.

 

I did know about the cache info, but with the ppc I still ahve to use the switcher to get back and forth from IE to Beeline. I would love it is said something like..

 

Cache Coordinates .072 x .086

Current Coordinates .061 x .515

 

Both on the same page.

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I use an Axim x50v all the time. I have yet to break anything on it (or any of the three other PDAs I own). (*TOUCH WOOD*). I do use an Aquapac (waterproof bag) in the field. We use about ten different PDAs in our office and they hold up just fine as long as you use common sense. We also have some Otterbox rugged cases. These work very nicely.

 

I use Memory-Map Navigator for caching, hunting and general hiking. It works great in the field, but falls short for street navigation. There, I use Mapopolis.

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