+TeamBikeNRun Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 I am so excited to get started with geocaching but my only options for a computer is a mac. I'l looking for any help with choosing a GPS system and software that will be compatible with my computer. Thanks in advance for the help! Quote Link to comment
+JohnnyVegas Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 I am so excited to get started with geocaching but my only options for a computer is a mac. I'l looking for any help with choosing a GPS system and software that will be compatible with my computer. Thanks in advance for the help! The new National Geographioc state series Topo software is going to include Mac and PC versions of their software and it is also going to support GPX files. It is just starting to ship to dealers. Quote Link to comment
+Team Tigger International Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 I did a quick search and came up with this page. I'm not sure there's any real issues with using a mac and a GPS if you have compatable software. Most GPS units have either a serial or USB interface, so as long as you have one of those you should be ok. Wulf Quote Link to comment
+Kai Team Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 (edited) In terms of GPS receivers, make sure that whatever you're looking at comes with or at least sells software (mapping, waypoint loader, etc) for the Mac. The modern units of most major brands do. If you're looking for add on Mac compatible geocaching software, try GPSBabel. Edited February 12, 2006 by Kai Team Quote Link to comment
+phat.bak Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 (edited) I am also a Mac user. I put together this rather crude wepage. Maybe it'll help. http://home.alltel.net/tbone/macgps.html Contact me thru my GC profile if you have any questions. phat.bak Windows are for houses! Edited February 12, 2006 by phat.bak Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 Moving to appropriate forum Quote Link to comment
+Deneye Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) MacGPS Pro is a great piece of software. It'll transfer waypoints and tracks between the unit and your Mac and can also use anything for a map with a little work (scans of restaurant placemats, photos of park trail maps etc etc...) Depending on your hardware, USB, Serial or BlueTooth will work too. Edited to add: and GPSBabel does a decent job and changing .gpx geocache files into address book contact entries which can then be uploaded to and view from your iPod's Contacts list. Which gives you a cheap & simple form of paperless caching... Edited February 13, 2006 by Deneye Quote Link to comment
+Chuy! Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Here is another "crude" website, but informative. Quote Link to comment
vfrpilot Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Been GPS-ing for 3 years - Been working w/ MACs for 15 years Haven't found anything reliable enough for me that compare to that available to the PeeCee (*in terms of features -). I'm just crossing my fingers & waiting for the OSX incorporation which will reach our kind of GPSing by the end of the year I think In the meantime, I gust use an old PeeCee laptop soley for the GPS G4 QuickSilver Quote Link to comment
+Crystal Sound Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 I've copy/pasted most of this reply from another thread. I've found that short of a few specific programs, there isnt much I cant do on my Mac, this is done on a PC. I'm currently using on my iBook G3/900: aGarmin Foretrex 101 GPS, a Etrex Legend GPSs, a Keyspan USB-Serial Converter, and a Palm Visor Edge. Software: National Geographic Topo Mac (state series) for mapping use. THis software has very good topo maps (not downloadable to the Legend, though). and will upload/dowlonad tracks and waypoints to the Garmin, as well as doing live tracking. The detail of the 1:24,000 maps is awesome! Mac Simple GPS for waypoint transfers Cachemate is prob the best money I ever spent on software (especially the palm). Mac CMconvert is the companion program you will need to transfer pocket query GPX files from the Mac to Hotsync to you Palm. MacGPSBabel is a good program to convert file types. There are a good number of Mac/GPS programs out there. It does take a little searching, though. Unfortunately, there is not Mac GSAK (yet), though I keep hoping! I do have a Win XP laptop that I run Garmin's Mapsource & a few other programs on. The Mapsource Topos (for the legend) are only 1:100,000 series, and lack much of the detail that the NG Topo maps. It was a free machine, but I find I really dont use/need it much. I can do everything on the mac, that I need. I'll use the PC for the BMGPX program to process the NGS datasheets for benchmark recoveries, but that is only on occasion I need to update that data. It mostly collects dust. Quote Link to comment
arkyartist Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Thanks for all the info- folks! I, too, am a Mac-user and was gifted a Magellan Meridian Gold recently (before I knew that the their MapSend software and my computer weren't compatible) and was wondering just HOW I was going to make it work with my eMac. I'll follow the links and cross my fingers- I'd sure hate to have to buy a Win-laptop just to download my waypoints. I'm just that stubborn!! Quote Link to comment
Dumpie Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 I am so excited to get started with geocaching but my only options for a computer is a mac. I'l looking for any help with choosing a GPS system and software that will be compatible with my computer. Thanks in advance for the help! Garmin has announced that all of their products will be compatible with Mac OS X 10.4 by the end of this year. Quote Link to comment
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