Finally Going Paperless

[+JeepinJeff]

Ok. getting all this set up is almost as fun as caching. ( I did say almost )

 

I've bought a PDA, got cachemate, a premium account, and have just downloaded waypoints to the GPA. I've also downloaded the waypoints to the Garmin.

 

Now I wanna go caching!!!!

[+robert]

Caching without paper is one of the best things ever... no need for print outs and you can keep a couple hundred (or more) caches in your PDA to search on a moment's notice.

Congrats on the upgrade!

[+Yellow Wingers]

Do you keep your personal log in the PDA as well?

[+Bluejaytoo]

I've had a Palm Tungsten E for about a year now. I really wanna go paperless, but I have this problem: I use it mainly at work, so I sync it to my work PC. I rarely search for caches on my work PC. I'm afraid if I try to sync it on my home PC, it'll screw up my settings for work. Anyone have any experience with syncing from two different PCs?

[+Coffea robusta]

Don't have the money for a PDA. But got an ipod as a gift earlier this year and I've just started to play with putting cache info on it. It works ok. It is kinda a pain to save each cache web site as a txt and then transfer all those onto the ipod. But then again, I'm not a speed cacher so I only need to put a few on at a time.

[+briansnat]

I've had a Palm Tungsten E for about a year now. I really wanna go paperless, but I have this problem: I use it mainly at work, so I sync it to my work PC. I rarely search for caches on my work PC. I'm afraid if I try to sync it on my home PC, it'll screw up my settings for work. Anyone have any experience with syncing from two different PCs?

It shouldn't. If you sync it at home it will just mirror what you have on it, which is the same thing you have at work.

 

Don't have the money for a PDA

 

Ebay is your friend. You can get a good Palm for around $30.

Edited November 22, 2005 by briansnat

[+JeepinJeff]

Do you keep your personal log in the PDA as well?

I don't really have a personal log, or for that matter know by that exactly what you mean, the cachemate looks like it has a spot for me to put in notes after I make a find. I generally don't do THAT many per day so using that method and then going back and inputing them at geocaching.com shouldn't be too big an issue for me.

 

I'm going high tech in baby steps.

[+JeepinJeff]

I've had a Palm Tungsten E for about a year now. I really wanna go paperless, but I have this problem: I use it mainly at work, so I sync it to my work PC. I rarely search for caches on my work PC. I'm afraid if I try to sync it on my home PC, it'll screw up my settings for work. Anyone have any experience with syncing from two different PCs?

It shouldn't. If you sync it at home it will just mirror what you have on it, which is the same thing you have at work.

 

Don't have the money for a PDA

 

Ebay is your friend. You can get a good Palm for around $30.

Brian is right, I've done this in the past before so I could sync up Outlook at home and at work. It just syncs with the data on your PDA so it shouldn't screw up a thing. Then I set up a terminal server at work and have not used the PDA as I get in my email that way.

 

If you wanted, you wouldn't even have to set up the sync at home for your email, schedule, etc. Just use it for the cachemate ( or insert the software of your choice ) that you are using at home.

[+ATMA]

You are really going to like the paperless caching. One suggestion would be to get a hard shell case for the PDA. Geocaching can be pretty hard on them.

[+Bluejaytoo]

One suggestion would be to get a hard shell case for the PDA. Geocaching can be pretty hard on them.

When I bought my Tungsten E, it was an open-box special, and included a hard shell case, so I'm good to go. Thanks to everyone for their input, some folks even emailed me with some suggestions. I'm leaning toward the SD card approach; then I don't even need to sync from my home PC. While it sounds like syncing should work fine, I'd need another set of cords/charger to keep at home as well. By just putting the data on the SD card (my new PC actually has a slot right on the front) I can really simplify the process.

[+The Source]

I have a Palm TX now but I had a Palm Tungsten E before that and I sync at both work and at home and I dont have a problem at all.

 

J

[+bobbarley]

I was curious if anyone use their PDA as a GPS and to what results? I have a iPAQ PocketPC for work and it has a compact flash GPSr with it. Installed is Pocket Streets and Trips and ArcPad (if anyone knows it). Is there any programs that mimic GPSrs on a PocketPC?

Has any one gone truely wireless using PDA to get waypoints off the internet while in the field?

[+Scout353]

Has any one gone truely wireless using PDA to get waypoints off the internet while in the field?

 

As awesome as that sounds, it *might* work some of the time, while doing city micros or what not if you were in wifi spot or had PDA wireless service. But when doing a real cache out in the woods, away from the city you would get no wireless from anything. You could put a sattelite card into your laptop and load cords like that but then thats not in the field or even logical for weight or the fact you could drop it. (Who would carry a laptop into the field anyway?)

 

Scout353

[+texasparks&wildlife]

I go so tired of going blind and took everyone's suggestions and purchased a used Palm IIIex on ebay for $19 including S&H. It arrived yesterday. I was already using GSAK. I also purchased cachemate for $8 and man does this ROCK!

I was so impressed with everything, how easy it all was to put together, that I have told everyone I come in contact with. I'm not a techie so this stuffed really intimidated me. I feel like the fool for going so long with out this tool.

 

I can literally see EVERYTHING on that little Palm that is on my screen at home.

 

I should be able to knock it out of the ballpark next time I head out and see if I can beat my all time best day of 19 in 5 hours.

 

This is not a paid advertisement, but an actual testimonial to the software.

 

Thanks to everyone who posted their experiences in the forums to help me along.

[+bobbarley]

it *might* work some of the time, while doing city micros or what not if you were in wifi spot or had PDA wireless service. But when doing a real cache out in the woods, away from the city you would get no wireless from anything.

I am not talking about getting points while already out there. Using your PDA as a GPSr and downloading are two separate activities. Of course you won't get WiFi out in the woods. Instead of planning your caching from your computer at home how about picking up the points wirelessly at your destination city THEN using your PDA as the storehouse and the navigator. No home computer or separate GPSr needed.

[+trail hound]

 

I should be able to knock it out of the ballpark next time I head out and see if I can beat my all time best day of 19 in 5 hours.

 

The very first time that I went cacheing 'paper-less' .I went into a cache rich area and did 20 caches in a little less then four hours!!!!!

 

Paper-less ROCKS!!!!

[+caylor]

Anyone ever sync two Palm PDAs (different OS) on the same PC? Would you have to set up two different user names?

 

I use a newer Tungsten III for important stuff and would like to use my older Handspring Visor for gc with cachemate.

 

Any help is appreciated.

John

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

I synch my Palm Tungsten T5 and Treo650 with my XP laptop, they have different OS versions, and all I have to do is select the proper device name.