Bm (only)datasheets To Ppc

[Grasscatcher]

Maybe I just haven't struggled long enough, but I haven't been able to figure a way to do this....so far....

 

I want to create a file of BM Datasheets to put on my PPC to carry with me when I go BM hunting. I don't care if it is data from GC or NGS or ?, as long as it is in a format (or one that I can convert) that I can get loaded on my PPC.

Based on the route I will be traveling, I'd like to (manually if necessary) select which BM I may be passing close to, and then create a file of the datasheets to upload to my IPAQ.

 

I already have the coordinate data in my GPSr, so that is not a problem. I just need to have the complete location description available.

 

I have BMGPX, Watcher, Expert GPS, TOPO!, Mapsource, USAP, and a few others.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[+Astro_D]

Yeah! Another PPC user!

 

First we download the datasheets for the county we want from NGS website. (This is a zipped file). Then we dump the zipped file into the BMGPX.exe program to create the GPX file. The GPX file gets loaded into GSAK.

 

In GSAK, we export it to .LOC file and upload into cachemate for PPC.

 

Maybe there is an easier way to do it, but it works and takes all of 5 minutes from start to end.

 

We have been happily paperless benchmarking for about a month and absolutely love it!

[Grasscatcher]

Do you then have access to the datasheets on your PPC ?

The GC sheets or The NGS sheets?

[+Astro_D]

Yes. The NGS datasheets on the PPC are exactly the same if you were to download and view them directly from the NGS website.

 

(Don't know how to download the GC.com sheets - and don't care - as they do not have up to date info on them).

 

Then using PPC, we can add logs and notes for each individual BM while out in the field, thus eliminating the need to actually carry pen and paper (although we still do just in case).

 

Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, we'll try and help!

 

Katrina

[Grasscatcher]

I had already done the NGS download by county >BMGPX>to get the GPX file.

And I can use GPS Babel to convert the GPX to a LOC file.

 

I can open the GPX file in Expert GPS and see all the BM coordinate locations on the map . What I don't see anywhere, is a way to view the information on the datasheet describing distances from,etc.(without "Viewing online")

 

Are you saying that info is actually part of the GPX file and then the LOC file but only available after you use Cachemate to load onto your PPC?

 

I was hoping that was something I could do with Watcher or someway to export as a txt file to view with Word.

Edited April 2, 2006 by Grasscatcher

[Grasscatcher]

GOT IT !

Did the NGS dat file download> BMGPX conversion to GPX> Installed GPXSonar on PPC which will read GPX files directly.

 

All information available.

 

Thanks !

[+Astro_D]

Glad you got it to work! We never could GPXSonar to download properly.

 

Enjoy your paperless BMing! Now you can be 'professional' as we had someone tell us recently.

 

Good Luck and Have fun!

 

Katrina