Another Eskimo With A Surfboard

[+whorton5]

First, I am the proud new owner of a GPSMap 60CS. Came today by UPS. I used the search feature and found similar questions for other models, but am very low-tech myself and I can't find out exactly how to load geocache waypoints to my computer then download to the unit. I have loaded the USB drivers, put on the Trip & Waypoint Manager software and plugged the unit in to my computer, but when I go to the Geocache Setup page in the manual, it gives me precious little information on how to enter coords. I figure I can "handjam" them on the unit itself through the editing waypoint screen, but am sure there must be a quicker way. I am SO excited about taking my kids on their first "treasure hunt" as they call it with Daddy's early Christmas present. We even jumped the gun and found one without using a GPSr and just the clue on the cache website.

 

I have seen posts for GSAK and other nifty software, but thought that was for the "pocket computers". I am probably mistaken. Please don't flame me too hard for dumb questions. I am full of them. XXOO

[+whorton5]

Ooops, page 51 of my brand new Geocaching Idiot's Guide may have the answer, but if you feel like spoon-feeding me....I am not averse to that route either.

[+Kai Team]

GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) is a very useful program for organizing waypoints (caches), recording your finds and downloading to your GPSr. It's free to try and $20 to buy. It's most useful if you're a Premium Member of Geocaching.com ($30 per year) and can download GPX files (waypoint files with all of the cache information) or receive them in Pocket Queries (lists of caches that are emailed to you).

 

If you just want to download waypoints for now, you can use EasyGPS, a free program, and the "loc" files available for free on the geocaching.com search pages.

 

For lot's of useful information on the Garmin 60CS, check out Sputnik57’s FAQ for Garmin 60CS - tons of information on the 60CS in a very user friendly format.

Edited December 6, 2005 by Kai Team

[bogleman]

Being a premium member would do everything that you are trying to do and figure out. I'm not a PM so I just enter the numbers in the hard way and go.

[+whorton5]

I think for my neocaching family, we'll try the simple one for now. My GPSr can't read GPX right? Is GSAK mostly for PDAs? or am I mistaken? Thanks for your patience --this 60CS seems a lot more intuitive to use than the Vista C we tried out. All the buttons are labled for slow folk like me. Thanks for the Sputnik link.

[+Kai Team]

I think for my neocaching family, we'll try the simple one for now. My GPSr can't read GPX right? Is GSAK mostly for PDAs? or am I mistaken? Thanks for your patience --this 60CS seems a lot more intuitive to use than the Vista C we tried out. All the buttons are labled for slow folk like me. Thanks for the Sputnik link.

Your GPSr can't read GPX, but if you buy the MapSource City Select mapping software to load on your 60CS, that will read GPX files (and export waypoints to your GPSr). It's not cheap, however, it's worth it if you want more detailed maps on your 60CS (only maps produced by Garmin can be downloaded to your 60CS).

 

GSAK runs on a PC (Windows only). It can export to your GPSr, a PDA, various mapping software, etc, etc. There are custom URL's to call up maps and other information on the Internet. You can filter caches (to select on certain criteria), record finds, do semi-automatic logging at geocaching.com, etc, etc. Although it can export to a PDA, it's not mostly for a PDA - it's an all 'round geocaching database management program. Although I highly recommend GSAK if you get into caching, it has a learning curve (because of all the features) and it may be wise to start out with something like MapSource or EasyGPS until you feel the need for something more!

[+whorton5]

I have perused the GSAK website and it is very tempting. Databases scare me, but it looks very user-friendly and automatic. Though I don't own (nor do I ever want) a PDA (at least for now), I think this program looks pretty helpful. My last question -- I need the premium membership to download GSAK files and I need to give the GSAK folks $20, right? Not that I am poor or anything...just want to understand costs and benefits. Thanks again for answering a question, I am sure you've answered a hundred times.

[+Miragee]

GSAK is well worth the $20.00, but you can use it for 21 days for free before the "nag screen" starts.

 

The $3.00 per month for the Premium Membership allows you to get Pocket Queries emailed to you. These contain as many as 500 Geocaches in each .zip file.

 

You open those files in GSAK. Then "slice and dice" the data anyway you want, then send the waypoints to the GPSr from GSAK.

 

You really will eventually want an inexpensive PDA like my Palm M500. You can Export in the .pdb format for the Palm OS from GSAK. Another nifty program called Cachemate, which runs on the Palm, will hold all the cache data for you.

 

You will not have to print the cache pages, wasting paper and ink cartridges, ever again. Everything you need, including the hints and the Past Logs, will be right there on the PDA.

[+whorton5]

Man, you guys are good salespeople! OK - let me get comfortable with my GPSr and geocaching for a few weeks -- you'll probably see me with a premium membership soon, but not a Palm Pilot . I'll have to see someone do that jazz in person. Took me 30 minutes, but finally hand-jammed two geocache locations here in NoVa thru Trip and Waypoint manager. I have to work in 6 hours so I better go to sleep. Thanks for the spoon feeding and the welcome. I feel pretty comfortable with this GPSmap 60CS. I have already lustfully eyed the City Select maps for the last week at REI and online at Garmin.com.

[+robert]

Your GPSr can't read GPX, but if you buy the MapSource City Select mapping software to load on your 60CS, that will read GPX files (and export waypoints to your GPSr).

Not quite sure what you mean by this. I load GPX files into my 60CS all the time. It displays the cache name, difficulty, terrain, type of cache, and size of cache.... right on the screen (using GSAK of course!)

 

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

Man, you guys are good salespeople! OK - let me get comfortable with my GPSr and geocaching for a few weeks -- you'll probably see me with a premium membership soon, but not a Palm Pilot . I'll have to see someone do that jazz in person. Took me 30 minutes, but finally hand-jammed two geocache locations here in NoVa thru Trip and Waypoint manager. I have to work in 6 hours so I better go to sleep. Thanks for the spoon feeding and the welcome. I feel pretty comfortable with this GPSmap 60CS. I have already lustfully eyed the City Select maps for the last week at REI and online at Garmin.com.

Salespeople?

 

No... we just know the fastest/easiest ways to deal with the ever-present caching jones.

 

GPX files today. Paperless caching tomorrow.

[+briansnat]

Your GPSr can't read GPX, but if you buy the MapSource City Select mapping software to load on your 60CS, that will read GPX files (and export waypoints to your GPSr).

 

My 60CS does. Not sure why his won't. I prefer GPX because they come with the geocache icon valued and put the cache and owner name in the comments field for the waypoint.

 

 

Moving to the appropriate forum

Edited December 6, 2005 by briansnat

[+Sputnik 57]

More spoon feeding:

 

Step One: Get the coordinates from the internet.

 

You can do this by looking on the cache page and printing it out, or writing it down, or simply setting there and punching them into your GPSr (see question 1 of the Waypoints Section of the FAQ). If you load coordinates by hand, double check for typos, and you're done. Go to Step Four.

 

You can also do this electronically by downloading a .loc file from the internet to your computer. This file has the coordinates, but not much more. If you are a premium member ($3/month) then you can download a .gpx file, which has lots more info about the cache, and a pre-set geocaching icon. You can also download big batches of caches via "pocket queries."

 

Step Two: Use software to handle downloaded coordinates.

 

If you downloaded coordinates to your computer, you need some program that will open those files so that you can do something with them. EasyGPS is free and will work. GSAK is free to try and $20 to buy, and is a more powerful database manager that lets you slice and dice, filter and sort, caches. MapSource (for Garmin Map users) also handles .gpx files.

 

Step Three: Load the cache info onto your GPSr.

 

Now that you have opened up your .loc or .gpx file with some software on the computer, you can use that software to upload the cache info to your GPSr. Depending on the software you chose, you can upload the coordinates, symbol, hints or other info (limited by the field sizes in the GPSr). If you get the coordinates and the name of the cache uploaded, that's all you need. Uploading the cache symbol (closed treasure chest) to your 60C is handy, because it lets you use Geocaching Mode, but you can change the symbol manually if you want to.

 

Step Four: Take the cache info with you.

 

Nothing is more frustrating (to me) than getting to the cache location and not being able to find the cache. If only I had brought the darn hint with me, or some of the prior finders' logs! Many cachers do this by printing the cache page from the internet (sometimes with the hint decoded and all logs listed). If you cache very much, trees will *scream* at the paper you use to do this. Others load as much info as they can onto the GPSr (very limited) or use a PDA to carry the info with them. PDAs are not needed to cache, but if you downloaded .gpx files from the GC site, and opened them with GSAK, you can use that software to load all of the cache info onto your PDA and save lots of trees. There are a number of good tutorials to teach you how to do this. Here's one for using GSAK and Cachemate on your PDA. Other people prefer CyBret's Spinner/Plucker approach.

 

Step Five: Go find the cache!!!

 

Get out there and find it. The GPSr will lead you to within 20 or 30 feet of the container. Then you have to stop looking at it and learn to think like a cache hider. Where would I hide that little guy if I were doing it?

 

You may also want to check out

 

Thot's Beginner's Guide

Markwell's Update to the FAQ and

CyBret's Geocacher University.

 

Lot's of great advice there for beginners.

 

Welcome to the recreational activity/sport/hobby!

[+whorton5]

Bookmarked all - much thanks...like I said, got to step 4 last night before I went to sleep, but this crazy thing called work, kids, wife and darkness are all conspiring to keep me from going out and finding the buggers. Looks like I'll have to wait until Saturday, which is OK - was thinking of driving to REI tomorrow and splurging on City Select. I bought my dad a 60C and he says he gets great reception in the car.

 

I assume if I read a little more into my manual, I'll find out how to have my unit guide/route me to the closest road/parking -- (with City Select, of course).

Edited December 7, 2005 by whorton5

[+Sputnik 57]

Since you have to wait anyway, I *highly* recommend that you shop online for City Select Maps. REI has it for $130. Amazon.com has it for $111.

[+Olar]

- was thinking of driving to REI tomorrow and splurging on City Select. I bought my dad a 60C and he says he gets great reception in the car.

 

In case you are unaware, City Select includes two free unlock codes which would allow you to load the maps on your Dad's unit as well as your own. No need for him to buy the package also.

 

Have fun, Olar

[+mbharpman]

I have an older GPS 12, am not a premium member yet, and use "easy GPS".

I can downlod to my laptop and upload to GPSr the coords pretty easyly.

[+whorton5]

I did think of that, but Dad lives in South Dakota, and I live in NoVA (until the Air Force moves us again anyway). I shopped around for City Select too. I am going to just buy at REI because I will get it right away, get a 10% member discount from REI, and will ensure I get Version 7 and not have to wait for another disk - but thanks for the "heads up" though.

 

My Dad doesn't have too much danger of getting lost in Spearfish, SD either (on the roads anyway). He is seriously looking at the topo maps for his hiking. Which is best for that? I don't think the National Parks ones would be worth it...does anyone have the straight TOPO? Recommended?

[+briansnat]

Topo is nice. Not perfect but very useful. I run both City Select and Topo on my 60CS and switch between each as needed.

 

I see you want to get City Select. Go for it! It will make your little unit more useful than you ever imagined. Even if you never geocache you will find yourself becoming very dependent on that nifty software package. Its great!

[+whorton5]

IS TOPO pretty current? Out in SD where my Dad hikes, they have added a lot of new trails in the Black Hills over the last 10 years. I thought some folks had said it was rather out of date. I wish I could see how it looks on an installed 60C or 60CS.

[+Sputnik 57]

You can go to the Mapsource view on this page. Select U. S. Topo - West and zoom in.

 

The maps are based upon USGS 100,000:1 topo maps, which unfortunately are not all that current in most areas.

 

If he stops by a local park or ranger station and gets a trail map, the topo map on the GPSr will still help his keep his bearings by matching major features. Many trail maps do not show long. and lat. coordinates.