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Downloading waypoints whatdo they look like?


Idaho_Clovisman

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Ok i have read everything i can find on downloading waypoints i read all about the software but when you download them to your GPS then where are they what do they look like? do they name themselves or just go by the 5 digit identity i guess what i mean is how do you know what set of waypoints is what.I use a rhino 120,cause i need the radio...is this unit even capable of this ...thank you all..(in advance) <_<

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I have the Garmin Rino 530 and my icons show up as a treasure chest on the map (closed when not found, and open when found). Mine had a setup to configure the cache function. I do not know off hand if the 120 is capable though. GL!

 

btw - They are identified by the GCXXX format on the map

Edited by AgentAnderson
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Ok I am probably not communicating the right information so i will do a example.. Ok lets say you downloaded 5 caches to your PC in a GPX file now you connect your gps and dl to it so you open your GPS and there they are in the waypoints??? (not sure where they would be) would they look like this?

1 GVFRE

2 MKBGY

3 JKOLB

4 IMDES

5 PLDRM (these all are just examples)

now my question is this if they look like that how do you know what cache is what without a paper list saying PLDRM is "By The Wayside" cache etc etc ..this downloading waypoints really needs a GOOD faQ with examples so it can be understood by people who have never done it ..Thank you

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It is common for the GCxxxx numbers to be used when naming waypoints and if this is done you do need a printout of the cache page to figure out what is going on (You will need the printed cache pages for other reasons too).

 

If you do not like the format in which the gpx data is being loaded into your GPSr you can use PC utilities such as GSAK to alter it. This is done by loading the gpx file into the PC utility, making the desired changes and then writing the modified waypoints to your GPSr. There is usually a limit on the maximum length of a waypoint name with typical values being 6, 10 and 14 characters. I don't know which will apply to you.

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Usually any file data can be viewed in EasyGPS or GSAK or similar program when in "edit" mode.... You can rearrange names and data to some extent to suit your own needs BUT there is definitely a format that your GPSr wants to see the data in so there are limits....

 

IF you have MS EXCEL it may be possible to open a gpx or loc file and look at raw data, but its not much use as there are many fields that mean nothing to you but GPS unit what's them there..... All you really have to do is figure out what DELIMITER the file format uses when pulling data into EXCEL to see various "fields"...

Edited by Dale_Lynn
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I use Pocket Queries to search for all the caches nearby my house. Then when it gets delivered to my email, I use a program called Easy GPS to download them to my GPS.

 

If I do it just like that, then yes, the waypoints on my GPS show up as treasure chest icons with names like GCX1234. As you say, that's not very helpful. (I do carry a Palm PDA now with CacheMate, so I could look it up...)

 

I have discovered a program called GPX Spinner, which I now insert into the sequence. So now I open my email, get the GPX file, run it through GPX SPinner, then open the results in Easy GPS to download to my GPS unit.

 

What's the difference? GPX Spinner converts the names for me. GCX1234 becomes "BYTHEWAYSIDE" (using your fictitious example above). You can in fact convert it to anything you want, so you could theoretically have GPX Spinner turn it into "BYTHWYSD TS", to be interpreted as By the Wayside, Traditional, Small cache container. It's quite flexible and pretty simple to set up.

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