Uploading Caches to 60CSx

[+kaylabryn]

We want to upload the cache in it's entirety to the GPS so we can use the Geocache mode. So far we have only been able to use .loc file with the GSAK software to upload it to the GPS. By doing this, we have only come up with a bunch of waypoints for the caches and no descriptions. Can anyone tell us how to fix this problem? Thanks

[+Team Dubbin]

We want to upload the cache in it's entirety to the GPS so we can use the Geocache mode. So far we have only been able to use .loc file with the GSAK software to upload it to the GPS. By doing this, we have only come up with a bunch of waypoints for the caches and no descriptions. Can anyone tell us how to fix this problem? Thanks

 

You will not get the entire description of the cache on the GPS. All you're going to get is the cache name, owner, difficulty, terrain and the coordinates. Also you will want the GPX file and not the loc file.

[+briansnat]

Yes, use GPX files, not LOC. You are a premium member so you can get GPX files through a pocket query. If you are loading from the search page all that is available are the LOC files.

 

moving to the appropriate forum

[+Team Dubbin]

If you are loading from the search page all that is available are the LOC files.

 

Yes but they can load gpx files from the cache page without running a query

[+Lizzy]

If you want the description, hint, past logs etc. without carrying around a bunch of papers, get yourself a PDA.

[+Thrak]

If you want the description, hint, past logs etc. without carrying around a bunch of papers, get yourself a PDA.

 

I'd have to agree with that. Get a cheap Palm III or Palm Vx or something from eBay. Very inexpensive and you can load the entire cache pages into them. Use either Cachemate or else use Spinner and Plucker to process the cache pages and display them on your PDA.

[+arpegio]

Alternatively, if you have a phone like a Treo, you can use that to download the cache descriptions to.

[+Red3]

OK, I'm getting a bit confused (I'm a newbie). Can I down load GPX caches to my Garmin 60csx? If so, how will that downloaded data look versus the LOC data?

[+Kryten]

On the GPS MAP 60CSx, loading a .loc or .gpx file won't make a lot of difference. Although the .gpx contains much more data, the GPS doean't have the capability to store or display it. To take advantage of the huge amount of data in a gpx file you need to load it into a PDA.

[+Munin]

OK, I'm getting a bit confused (I'm a newbie). Can I down load GPX caches to my Garmin 60csx? If so, how will that downloaded data look versus the LOC data?

Depends a bit on the software you use to download your data. With MapSource, I don't think there's really any difference between the two file formats. Programs like GPSBabel and GSAK can use the additional information contained in a GPX file to do things like create custom waypoint names that include type/size/difficulty information, like naming the waypoint "GC5E0C Mult/Regu (2.0/1.0)" - seeing that on your GPSr tells you that cache GC5E0C is a multistage, regular size container, 2-star difficulty 1-star terrain. I understand that GSAK has an option to store the hint (or as much of it as will fit) in the Notes/Comments section of a waypoint - again information that's only available in a .GPX file, not a .LOC. People have also been experimenting with putting hint info into Custom POI files, since that provides more space for notes than a regular waypoint does.

 

Both .LOC and .GPX work fine for the basic info - creating a waypoint with a simple name (GCxxxx) at a given lat/lon and maybe selecting a particular icon (open/closed treasure chest). That's pretty much the extent of what a .LOC can do - it simply doesn't contain info like D/T rating, hints, container size, etc. Since a .GPX file contains more info, it provides more opportunities for programs to bend/fold/spindle/mutilate the info to create more informative waypoints.

[+Prime Suspect]

On the GPS MAP 60CSx, loading a .loc or .gpx file won't make a lot of difference. Although the .gpx contains much more data, the GPS doean't have the capability to store or display it. To take advantage of the huge amount of data in a gpx file you need to load it into a PDA.

That's untrue. A loc file only has the name & owner, waypoint ID, and coordinates. A GPX file also include the cache type, cache size, difficulty rating, and terrain rating, all of which can be encoded into the waypoint ID that's uploaded to the GPS. That's pretty much all the info you need for most Traditionals, which make up the vast majority of caches. I routinely go out caching all day, with only the info loaded in my GPS.