Question About Paperless

[cad-guy]

I have not yet tried the paperless caching...in fact I don't own a palm, but it really does interest me. I have seen where you can download the gpx file to your palm. I'm wondering if you somehow get a view of a map, or just coordinates and text. Sorry if this has been discussed before.

 

MKH

[+welch]

GPX files are just text/coords. There are programs that could show you road maps on a palm (mapopolois?), but thats not what GPX files are for.

[+japtkd]

Of course, depending on your GPSr, you should have a mapping function there. I always download the coords into my Etrex Legend, and if I'm not sure about the relative positions of some caches, I just go to the map. The only problem I've encountered with paperless caching is that my GPSr is limited to ONLY 1000 waypoints. You have to use filters to limit the waypoints downloaded into your GPSr to just the area you're planning on working on any given day. Also, no way that I know of to interface a PDA with a Legend.

[+StarBrand]

....Also, no way that I know of to interface a PDA with a Legend.

Search the web via google - I have seen PDA to legend cables out there and a few programs but nothing comes to mind right away.

 

 

As for the OP. I just use the maps in my GPS and peek at online maps before leaving. Sometimes I import the GPX into Microsoft S&T and print out over view maps of areas showing all the caches I am interested in.

[+Miragee]

I have maps on my computer and have City Select maps and Topo maps on my GPSr, a Garmin Vista C.

 

I have an older Palm M500 in a hard case for the cache descriptions.

 

Sometimes I'll look at the caches on the map on my computer before setting out, and I might even print out a map if the area is really cache-dense.

 

Cachemate works very well on the Palm. I Export the data for the Palm from GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife).

[+Team Cotati]

You get coords and text for sure. You also get something more important, the ability to keep and manage fairly detailed records wrt your cache hunting which afterall is what makes it paperless. If there is a way to get and view map of the cache location I am not aware of how that works. If anyone in here knows, they'll be along shortly with the info, that's for certain. "Cache on Garth"

Edited January 26, 2006 by Team Cotati

[+wewalkthewoods]

I'm also new at this. I have a visor I used in nursing school and thought I would try this paperless caching. I really didn't want to spend the bucks on premium memberships and software so I just copy and paste coord and logs, everything but the map, to my memo clipboard in the pc part of palm os. hit hot sync. and I can clean them up abnit and they go to palm. It's not as fancy but I can read all the details when I get there and not have 14 sheets fo paper to deal with.

[+Team Cotati]

I'm also new at this. I have a visor I used in nursing school and thought I would try this paperless caching. I really didn't want to spend the bucks on premium memberships and software so I just copy and paste coord and logs, everything but the map, to my memo clipboard in the pc part of palm os. hit hot sync. and I can clean them up abnit and they go to palm. It's not as fancy but I can read all the details when I get there and not have 14 sheets fo paper to deal with.

Pretty interesting solution to paperless. If it works for you then that's a really sweet setup. As for me, I wanted to get the most field proven and well supported solution with adaquate 'bells and whistles' for future growth and options as I learned more about the benefits of paperless caching. The main thing for me is in the timesavings and flexibility in making the preparations for going out on a caching expedition.

[+darus67]

I use a PocketPC for paperless caching.

On the PPC I have mapping software, Mapopolis, and gpxsonar for cache database.

I use GSAK on my laptop at home to generate a gpx file containing a list of caches for my area. I load the waypoints into my Garmin Geko GPSr using GSAK. I also have a program that converts a GPX file into a landmarks file for Mapopolis.

Then I transfer the GPX file and landmarks file to the PPC and hit the road.

 

In the field the caches show up as little pink dots on the Mapopolis map on the PPC. When I tap on one, a box pops up showing the GC waypoint and cache name. Then I look up the waypoint in gpxsonar, also on the PPC. GPXSonar can re-create a view of the cache page that looks very much like what you see online at geocaching.com

It also lets me write notes asociated with the cache entry I'm looking at.

 

At the end of the day, I can look back at the notes I took and log the caches online.

[+darus67]

I just copy and paste coord and logs, everything but the map, to my memo

I used to do exactly that, myself, before I got a premium membership. It works just fine if you plan every caching trip beforehand.

 

I tend to be more opportunistic in my caching. If I find myself somewhere around town, with some spare time on my hands, I can whip out my PocketPC, look at the map and see what caches are in the neighborhood.

 

I also go caching vicariously. If I'm stuck in a boring meeting at work sometimes I fire up my PPC and browse the map looking for interesting caches and reading the logs left by others.