Wireless and Paperless Caching using CacheBerry

[+Team RSM]

Hi all,

 

I recently developed a new technique to find geocaches using just a BlackBerry or other mobile device, without any GPS. This works great in urban aeras or other places where you can orient yourself on landmarks using satellite imagery.

 

This is what you need:

 

Blackberry or other advanced mobile device

Google Maps for Mobile (see http://google.com/gmm/index.html)

 

The technique is simple:

Use your phone's web browser to pick a cache from geocaching.com

Copy the coordinates from the site

Paste them into the search form from GMM

use the GMM road maps to get close to the cache site

then switch to the GMM satellite imagery to find the precise cache location

You can also log your find right away with the mobile phone browser.

 

I have found that in most cases it is easier to locate the cache using the photos because you have a better idea of the relation to roads, buildings etc., plus you do not have to mess with drifting GPS readings or bad reception.

 

Comments welcome.

[+NorthWes]

I'll have to give this a try on a caching vacation coming up in southern Nevada. My 'berry's got an older (less functional) version of Google Maps, but I'm downloading the newer version as I type. I've got a Palm coming from eBay, with the intention of trying out the 'paperless' approach to cache hunting. Could be a useful tool in the desert on the Nevada/Arizona/Utah border north of Vegas, searching the desert for best roads to access off-highway caches. Thanks for the heads-up! Now if my older 7100 model could just somehow run CacheMate too...

[+DeskJocky]

I've cached before with my Blackberry. It isn't bad, but well, it isn't the best. I have to admit, having the Blackberry was very easy when I was in Europe to find caches to find. After I found the ones I wanted to find I ended up only finding one. The maps work GREAT on my 8700.

[+StarBrand]

I'll have to give this a try on a caching vacation coming up in southern Nevada. My 'berry's got an older (less functional) version of Google Maps, but I'm downloading the newer version as I type. I've got a Palm coming from eBay, with the intention of trying out the 'paperless' approach to cache hunting. Could be a useful tool in the desert on the Nevada/Arizona/Utah border north of Vegas, searching the desert for best roads to access off-highway caches. Thanks for the heads-up! Now if my older 7100 model could just somehow run CacheMate too...

My folk live there (Mesquite) - not much cell phone coverage once you leave I-15 but sure some pretty caches. We found a number on a road trip from Mesquite to Baker NV back in August.

[+Lasagna]

I use Mobipocket Creator (Free) on an HTML export from GSAK to create an eBook (you get errors on the images when it does the creation, but you can ignore those).

 

I then use Mobipocket Reader (also Free) to read the eBook on my Blackberry to access the cache writeups when not in range of a cell or it's just too slow to bring them up in the browser.

 

I still rely on my good old GPSr however for the find.