Most Caches Found ......

[+nutlady]

Not just carrying the reams of paper, but manually inputting each cache coordinates. After a year, Im trying to learn how to go paperless, and load "waypoints" on my gps.....but you know the saying about teaching a dog new tricks? I just wonder if its ONLY me thats such a moron.

For the record, Im 960 caching this way . And constantly told by others how much more efficient my caching could be.....

[+humanloofa]

I too am lost when it comes to computers and techo stuff. I have a friend that is a computer geek so I had him look at the stuff out there. He found the GSAK, Geocaching swiss army knife and cachemate ( $8 for the cachemate), i just used them both today as a matter of fact. Once he walked me through it twice I got the hang of it. they are both easy to use, and so much easier than the way that i use to do it. I do have an older pda ( a treo 90 )and it suites my needs just fine for the web pages, and I can now load the coords directly into my gps'r instead of hand entering them. I would say try and find a computer savvy friend or fellow cacher to run you through these, I think you'll like them. If you don't have a pda you can get one real cheap on E-bay, especialy if your just useing it for cache pages.

[+unicyclist]

When she says 960, thats how many finds she has.

 

One of the problems with manualy loading waypoints in to your GPS is that the margin for error. At my first event their was 24 geocaches set up to be a game to see who could find them the quickest. I entered the wrong numbers and walked .2 miles more than I needed.

 

Another problem is that it takes SO LONG to do it manualy. I can download 500 waypoints in about 30 seconds (give or take).

I have a Magellan Gold which has a section on each waypoint called notes. You can enter hints, size of container, who placed it, etc. With GSAK (waypoint manager) I can download the 500 waypoints with notes such as the ones I mentioned.

 

If you dont mind me asking, what kind of GPS do you have.

(Im guessing Magellan because you said "waypoints"

[+Bear Paughs]

Once you make the leap to paperless you'll wonder how it possible you went so long without it. No more having to carefully plan every outing. You can have your GPS and PDA loaded with unfounded caches and on the spur of the moment go on a hunt. The OP is obviously quite efficient even with the constraints of paper, but if you ever want to make the leap, here's a great website that took me step by step through the process of getting started.

[+Jhwk]

but you know the saying about teaching a dog new tricks? I just wonder if its ONLY me thats such a moron.

For the record, Im 960 caching this way . And constantly told by others how much more efficient my caching could be.....

no, no, no, just hesitant to try something outside your comfort zone. Do you have a caching buddy who goes paperless? Or a local geo event that you could attend? I'm sure lots of folks would take the time to show you the ropes (of freedom!)

 

BTW, what type of GPSr are you using? We may be able to help you right now with the whole loading points thing.

[+Zzyzx Road]

I have been trying to assist Nutlady with her "paperless" change, but since she isn't close by, I am guiding through emails, and that is often more frustrating that doing it all by yourself! (for the instructee that is!)

She has a Garmin Legend, and has GSAK installed, with caches - home location and filtering I think is OK. I don't have a Garmin, so I don't know how to instruct her in getting "cachepoints" loaded into the GPSr. I don't think she has ever used her PC connection with the Legend, so I am lost there also.

Any other help?

Edited July 24, 2006 by Zzyzx Road

[+The Leprechauns]

I found my first 450 or so caches the Stone Age way, using paper printouts of the cache description, MapQuest maps and (for remote caches) TopoZone maps. After two geocaching trips in summer 2003 with famous powercachers, I saw how much easier it could be, and bought a PDA. It is a lot easier now.

 

Because I don't learn new technology very well, I have improved my system very gradually. I am still using Watcher rather than GSAK. It does what I need it to do, without a steep learning curve. Now my daughter uses it to keep track of the caches while I'm driving. I use EasyGPS to squirt the waypoints onto my GPS. I used to use Spinner and Plucker to put the cache info. onto my PDA, but because of all the caches with bad HTML, I can no longer get Plucker to work, so I just use Spinner to customize the waypoint names. When I get brave, I will try the alternative PDA software instead of Plucker -- Sunrise Desktop. I use MapSource for mapping and NRoute for real-time tracking and turn by turn directions on my laptop in the cachemobile.

 

"Keep it simple" is good for new paperless cachers, IMHO. I never got very far past that, yet I've managed to find 1,400 more caches since going paperless.

[+Nushiekitty]

We have found all 1182 the old fashioned way, printing them out and hand inputting into the GPS. I tried to run a pocket query once (a long time ago) and it never came to me via email (yes I checked my junk mail). I guess I will just stick to what has been working for me.

[+Miragee]

There is a cacher here who has found more than 2000 caches, and placed more than 120, using a GPSr that doesn't connect to a computer.

 

Even when his GPSr broke and he could have gotten a newer model, he stayed with the "older" technology. . .

[+2ofHis]

Call me "Stone Age Sam", but the technology you are all taking so glibly and nonchalantly about scares the BEJEEBERS outa me! Heck, I am not even sure I could enter the coord's in my GPSr if I had too; my better half does that, while I drive! She'd like to get a PDA (Did I get the name right?), and one of those cords that will let us load the coords off the 'puter right to the GPSr, but I don't know the first thing about finding one, or what we should look for, capability-wise. At the risk of being guilty of riding someone else's thread, HELP!!

[+Team Neos]

I have been trying to assist Nutlady with her "paperless" change, but since she isn't close by, I am guiding through emails, and that is often more frustrating that doing it all by yourself! (for the instructee that is!)

She has a Garmin Legend, and has GSAK installed, with caches - home location and filtering I think is OK. I don't have a Garmin, so I don't know how to instruct her in getting "cachepoints" loaded into the GPSr. I don't think she has ever used her PC connection with the Legend, so I am lost there also.

Any other help?

From my experience with USB ports and windows computers, as soon as you turn on any "new" device attached to the computer, the computer detects the device. It's been a long time since we first plugged our Legends into the computer, but if I remember correctly all I had to do was plug in the USB cord, plug the other end into the Garmin, and turn on the Garmin.

 

All NutLady should need to do is to tell GSAK where to send the data. In GSAK, select GPS (top line above data) then choose the radio button "GPSr setup" and choose Garmin---

 

Make sure USB is checked (if that is how she is connected) and the max number of caches the gps will hold (1000) is filled in.

 

With the gps plugged into the computer and turned on, GSAK should be able to take it from there when the "send" button is clicked.

Edited July 25, 2006 by Team Neos

[+nutlady]

nutlady also bought a palm3xe a few weeks ago. So Im trying to learn so many things at once, its quite overwhelming! Dont even know how to actually use the gps .....just put on the coords, hope they are right, and follow the pointy thing on the screen.......frustrating in large towns as well as mountain roads, cause I dont really know if Im on the right street.

[+nutlady]

Once you make the leap to paperless you'll wonder how it possible you went so long without it. No more having to carefully plan every outing. You can have your GPS and PDA loaded with unfounded caches and on the spur of the moment go on a hunt. The OP is obviously quite efficient even with the constraints of paper, but if you ever want to make the leap, here's a great website that took me step by step through the process of getting started.

 

Wow! Thats PERFECT! It is exactly the programs and PDA that I am going to use. Its in my fave list, so I can absorb it. THANKS!

[+nutlady]

OK, heres where I am stuck. Im trying to put the caches from gsak to the palm. So, I go to file, export, cachemate pdb. Name the file, ok, then try to generate the export. Thats where a window pops up and sais I dont have a folder to file that in.

And for what its worth, the "select from" is blank. I have no choices there. Make and sense? It doesnt much to me!

[+Team Neos]

OK, heres where I am stuck. Im trying to put the caches from gsak to the palm. So, I go to file, export, cachemate pdb. Name the file, ok, then try to generate the export. Thats where a window pops up and sais I dont have a folder to file that in.

And for what its worth, the "select from" is blank. I have no choices there. Make and sense? It doesnt much to me!

Hmmm, that should pop open a window that says "palmOne desktop install" .

 

What kind of palm do you have?

 

You need to tell it what file to choose. I send my PQs to My Documents my box has this info in it:

C:\Documents and Settings\computer\My Documents\152188\152188\152188.pdb

 

To set that, I clicked on the file folder icon on the right side and it pulled up the most recent files of the type pdb--all I had to do was choose the right one.

 

I know this seems too obvious, but do you have "install to palm after conversion" checked?

Seems like I had to uncheck state/country. YOu might have to tweak other things depending on how you set up your PQ.

Edited July 25, 2006 by Team Neos

[+nutlady]

OK, heres where I am stuck. Im trying to put the caches from gsak to the palm. So, I go to file, export, cachemate pdb. Name the file, ok, then try to generate the export. Thats where a window pops up and sais I dont have a folder to file that in.

And for what its worth, the "select from" is blank. I have no choices there. Make and sense? It doesnt much to me!

Hmmm, that should pop open a window that says "palmOne desktop install" .

 

What kind of palm do you have?

 

You need to tell it what file to choose. I send my PQs to My Documents my box has this info in it:

C:\Documents and Settings\computer\My Documents\152188\152188\152188.pdb

 

To set that, I clicked on the file folder icon on the right side and it pulled up the most recent files of the type pdb--all I had to do was choose the right one.

 

I know this seems too obvious, but do you have "install to palm after conversion" checked?

Seems like I had to uncheck state/country. YOu might have to tweak other things depending on how you set up your PQ.

 

And where would the install to palm after conversion be? HEY, Nothing is to obvious for me! The palm is an 3xe.

I really do appreciate the help.

[+Team Neos]

OK, heres where I am stuck. Im trying to put the caches from gsak to the palm. So, I go to file, export, cachemate pdb. Name the file, ok, then try to generate the export. Thats where a window pops up and sais I dont have a folder to file that in.

And for what its worth, the "select from" is blank. I have no choices there. Make and sense? It doesnt much to me!

Hmmm, that should pop open a window that says "palmOne desktop install" .

 

What kind of palm do you have?

 

You need to tell it what file to choose. I send my PQs to My Documents my box has this info in it:

C:\Documents and Settings\computer\My Documents\152188\152188\152188.pdb

 

To set that, I clicked on the file folder icon on the right side and it pulled up the most recent files of the type pdb--all I had to do was choose the right one.

 

I know this seems too obvious, but do you have "install to palm after conversion" checked?

Seems like I had to uncheck state/country. YOu might have to tweak other things depending on how you set up your PQ.

 

And where would the install to palm after conversion be? HEY, Nothing is to obvious for me! The palm is an 3xe.

I really do appreciate the help.

Great, it sounds like you got it to go to the list of files to be put into the palm!

If the file has been sent to the Palm, then the next time you plug your Palm into the dock and hit the synchronize button, it should put that file on it.

 

If it doesn't for some reason, doubleclick on the Cachemate and it should open up the Palm one quick install box--along with a popup that says "Confirm add" that has that file listed.

Make sure the file is highlighted and the "user" is set to whatever you call your PDA and try synchronizing it again.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Team Neos

[+klossner]

I've found 1500+ using paper printouts. I would go paperless if I could get every log for each cache into the machine, but the five most recent logs just aren't enough. My geosenses aren't that good and I often need to read several pages to find the hint I need to make a find.

[+hiikaash]

You should buy a Magellan 210, because of the in-built memory, and usb cache cable

[+CJOttawa]

Not just carrying the reams of paper, but manually inputting each cache coordinates. After a year, Im trying to learn how to go paperless, and load "waypoints" on my gps.....but you know the saying about teaching a dog new tricks? I just wonder if its ONLY me thats such a moron.

For the record, Im 960 caching this way . And constantly told by others how much more efficient my caching could be.....

 

Are you using GSAK by any chance? (I highly recommend it...)

Edited July 29, 2006 by af895

[+Team GPSaxophone]

I've found 1500+ using paper printouts. I would go paperless if I could get every log for each cache into the machine, but the five most recent logs just aren't enough. My geosenses aren't that good and I often need to read several pages to find the hint I need to make a find.

Now I know why we saw so many logging trucks during our vacation

[+CJOttawa]

I've found 1500+ using paper printouts. I would go paperless if I could get every log for each cache into the machine, but the five most recent logs just aren't enough. My geosenses aren't that good and I often need to read several pages to find the hint I need to make a find.

 

Klossner...

 

When I open Cachemate and randomly select caches, I see between 5 and 10 past logs.

Perhaps there's a setting that needs tweaking for this...?

[+Bear Paughs]

When you export from GSAK to a Cachemate pdb file, you are given the option of the number of cache logs to include. It is right above the settings, near the bottom, and you have the option to include various numbers of logs, as well as the option to always include your own logs. I have mine set to No Limit. I think when you first create your GSAK db that it starts with the most recent five logs at that time - I think this is a limitation of the Pocket Query (correct me if that's not so.) But as you build up over time adding the updated PQs, the number of logs builds as well. I have some caches with 40 or more logs in my cachemate file, and I started my GSAK database at around the beginning of September last year.

[+SGT red jeep]

I found over 500 caches the using the hammer and chisel. This Spring, I spent many hours on the computer virtually traveling a route from Anchorage, Alaska to my house in Eastern Montana by way of Fort Lewis Washington. Getting computer time in the library at Ft. Lewis was a hassel as well as finding motels in Canada with internet access. I was traveling with a 3-ring binder with over 500 print-outs in it and struggling to identify caches along my route before attempting each leg of the journey. I spent way too much time in motels and libraries printing off the cache pages that could have been better spent actually searching for the caches.

As soon as I finally got home I vowed I would find a better way.

$36 for a pda from e-bay, $8 for cachemate, $20 for the registered versian of GSAK. I know the money spent was worth its weight in ink cartridges as I haven't changed one since. It took a few hours on the computer getting everything working and I am still learning new tricks as I encounter new problems. Since I have to travel a distance to get to a saterated cache field, I like to make the most of gas money involved. Two recent trips took me in two different directions, each with a large number of possible caches but also locations I might not get back to for a number of years. With almost 500 caches on my PDA and GPS (about an hour computer time working with the query and other programs) I set out on the first adventure. Upon my return, I logged my finds, deleted the files and waypoints, and installed over 400 caches for the next adventure.

Maybe you've noticed I have just recently started chatting in the forums. Thats because I now have idle time not spent printing off sheet after sheet.

Liberated from the paper dinosaur

Edited July 29, 2006 by SGT red jeep