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Going paperless with a PDA for the first time.


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Hello,

I'm going paperless :laughing: finally and can't wait. I plan on purchasing a Palm Tungsten E2, I've wanted one for a long time.

I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row by reading all that I can. So I need some advice about getting started. What I would like to load into the Palm is,

1. The cache page with some log's. If I understand correctly Cachemate will do this and it will allow 5 entry's off of the first or say second page of the cache page?

2. I want to be able to load a magnified map say the Map quest map of the cache location into the Palm or another map of the cache location, I hope this is possible.

I'm probably leaving something out and I admit I'm confused over the process, but as with everything else in life these day's we have to learn new technology if we want to use new tools.

So any help and advice will be greatly appreciated and I thank all in advance.

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

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1. The cache page with some log's. If I understand correctly Cachemate will do this and it will allow 5 entry's off of the first or say second page of the cache page?

 

CacheMate does not load the web page onto your Palm, it loads the info from the cache into a database that can be searched and sorted. Plucker comes closer to what you're describing.

 

2. I want to be able to load a magnified map say the Map quest map of the cache location into the Palm or another map of the cache location, I hope this is possible.

 

You can do this, but again, CacheMate doesn't do it. Since you're springing for a powerful PDA you'd be better off loading a mapping program to the Palm, then just load the waypoints into that program.

Edited by CheshireFrog
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Palm T|X with GSAK and CacheMate here. Although I've gone a step further; I've added Street Atlas Handheld and a Bluetooth GPS receiver. Even while traveling on business to unfamiliar areas, this is all I need to navigate from hotel to logbook. :laughing:

 

The only thing that CacheMate is lacking is images from the cache page and certain page formatting such as tables (had a Sudoku puzzle cache that was unsolvable using CacheMate).

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:D OK thanks to all that have responded. Now that I'm confused and at my point in life it doesn't take much to do it :D .

So I would use GSAK that is installed in my PC to import the cache page and a map from the cache page into my PC and then with Cachemate installed in the Palm it will load the info. into the Palm if I'm understanding some of the process and I think I have this all wrong :( . I have read briefly about Plucker and Spinner would they be of any help to me also? If someone would be so kind as to outline the procedure for me from start to finish I would be most appreciative :D . It seems confusing since it appears that you have to load the information into the Palm in two separate steps.

I do realize that getting a Tungsten E2 is overkill, but I'm sure I will come up with some other nerdy uses for it, maybe put a Wifi card in it and use it for email and INTERNET hook up.

Thanks to all for their help so far,

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

Edited by Barefoot One & Wench
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So I would use GSAK that is installed in my PC to import the cache page and a map from the cache page into my PC and then with Cachemate installed in the Palm it will load the info. into the Palm if I'm understanding some of the process and I think I have this all wrong :D . I have read briefly about Plucker and Spinner would they be of any help to me also? If someone would be so kind as to outline the procedure for me from start to finish I would be most appreciative :( . It seems confusing since it appears that you have to load the information into the Palm in two separate steps.

 

Jeff,

 

It gets easier once you've tried it a few times. It's made complicated by the fact that no two people do things exactly the same way...

 

But here's how I do it. I use CacheMate on the Palm (costs $8), which comes with a helper application called, I believe CMConvert.

 

1. Set up a pocket query. I ask for the 500 traditionals and multis nearest my home coordinates (I don't bother asking for puzzles because they often need other resources that I wouldn't have if I was relying only on my PDA, such as examining pictures or Google searches or cipher decryption programs).

 

2. Download the GPX file from the pocket query.

 

3. Use the CMConvert program to open the GPX file. It should convert it to a Palm .pdb file and automatically put it in your Palm's download folder.

 

4. Sync your Palm. The database file will transfer.

 

5. Open CacheMate on your Palm. It will ask if you want to import the new database. Click "OK".

 

6. You're done! You now have all the cache listings and recent logs in your PDA! You will not have images, though.

 

Every week or two I will clear everything from the Palm ("Delete Records" in CacheMate's File menu) and restart this process. This way I get updates on caches which have become disabled, or finders who have started DNF'ing a muggled cache, and of course the new caches placed in that time.

 

You can add other tools like GSAK and GPX Spinner into the process, but that only complicates things...

 

Now, to download all those waypoints into your GPS, you can use GSAK, or EasyGPS, etc. Loading into the Palm and loading into the GPS are obviously two separate steps, though the same Pocket Query GPX file is the source for both.

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GreyingJay,

Thank you for your help, the fog is clearing a little. I can understand that no two people do it the same way.

I think I'm starting to get the process partially. A big part of what I want to do is load a MapQuest map which I would have magnified into the Palm also I want very much to be able to do this as well as the Cache page. I'm not so interested in loading Waypoints into the palm since this would be in my GPS. I'm wanting to basically just not have to print Cache pages and maps and have all this information in the Palm. Can you clarify this for me?

I hope this all makes sense, sometimes when I don't know much about a subject I find it hard to put it all into words.

GreyingJay thank you so much for your help, I greatly appreciate it :( .

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

 

So I would use GSAK that is installed in my PC to import the cache page and a map from the cache page into my PC and then with Cachemate installed in the Palm it will load the info. into the Palm if I'm understanding some of the process and I think I have this all wrong :D . I have read briefly about Plucker and Spinner would they be of any help to me also? If someone would be so kind as to outline the procedure for me from start to finish I would be most appreciative :D . It seems confusing since it appears that you have to load the information into the Palm in two separate steps.

 

Jeff,

 

It gets easier once you've tried it a few times. It's made complicated by the fact that no two people do things exactly the same way...

 

But here's how I do it. I use CacheMate on the Palm (costs $8), which comes with a helper application called, I believe CMConvert.

 

1. Set up a pocket query. I ask for the 500 traditionals and multis nearest my home coordinates (I don't bother asking for puzzles because they often need other resources that I wouldn't have if I was relying only on my PDA, such as examining pictures or Google searches or cipher decryption programs).

 

2. Download the GPX file from the pocket query.

 

3. Use the CMConvert program to open the GPX file. It should convert it to a Palm .pdb file and automatically put it in your Palm's download folder.

 

4. Sync your Palm. The database file will transfer.

 

5. Open CacheMate on your Palm. It will ask if you want to import the new database. Click "OK".

 

6. You're done! You now have all the cache listings and recent logs in your PDA! You will not have images, though.

 

Every week or two I will clear everything from the Palm ("Delete Records" in CacheMate's File menu) and restart this process. This way I get updates on caches which have become disabled, or finders who have started DNF'ing a muggled cache, and of course the new caches placed in that time.

 

You can add other tools like GSAK and GPX Spinner into the process, but that only complicates things...

 

Now, to download all those waypoints into your GPS, you can use GSAK, or EasyGPS, etc. Loading into the Palm and loading into the GPS are obviously two separate steps, though the same Pocket Query GPX file is the source for both.

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:D OK thanks to all that have responded. Now that I'm confused and at my point in life it doesn't take much to do it :D .

So I would use GSAK that is installed in my PC to import the cache page and a map from the cache page into my PC and then with Cachemate installed in the Palm it will load the info. into the Palm if I'm understanding some of the process and I think I have this all wrong :( . I have read briefly about Plucker and Spinner would they be of any help to me also? If someone would be so kind as to outline the procedure for me from start to finish I would be most appreciative :D . It seems confusing since it appears that you have to load the information into the Palm in two separate steps.

I do realize that getting a Tungsten E2 is overkill, but I'm sure I will come up with some other nerdy uses for it, maybe put a Wifi card in it and use it for email and INTERNET hook up.

Thanks to all for their help so far,

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

 

Here's what I do (I have an iQue, though -- has integrated GPS, so some of these steps are optional)

 

1) Figure out where I'm going (often the hardest step [:D])

2) Run a pocket query on the area and/or route

3) Download and upzip the pocket query on the PC

4) (optional) I sync the PC address book (empty) to the Palm, in "overwrite" mode, which erases all of the addresses on the Palm (you probably don't have to do this -- the iQue uses the address database to show caches on the GPS map. If I don't do this, I wind up with multiple copies of each cache after step 14)

5) Run the GSAK program on the PC

6) (optional) I delete all of the existing entries in the GSAK database, cause they're likely out of date and/or duplicates

7) In GSAK, import the pocket query (File menu)

8) (optional) Dink around with the entries, deleting ones you don't want, etc.

9) Export the entries in Cachemate format (File menu)

10) Quit GSAK, hook up the Palm, sync

11) On the Palm, open the Cachemate program

12) You'll get an alert, regarding the stuff it's about to import. In the alert, select "Not Found" from the lower popup menu

13) It will read all of the caches in, you can then review all of the information

14) (optional, iQue only) Select the EXP button, which will move all of the caches from Cachemate to the address book, and then they'll show up on the GPSr map

 

I've seen and tried other ways of doing this, but the GSAK + Cachemate combination seems to work best for me, my GPSr/Palm, and the way that I cache. Your mileage may vary, of course!

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Hey sbell111,

Yes I also have a map on my Garmin 5. What I like to do is magnify the MapQuest map to show all the small connecting roads in the cache area since most of the Caches we do are in very remote rural areas and we need the detail.

Thanks for the input.

Jeff

 

I really like having the cache pages on my pda, but don't feel the need to have maps. My GPSr has maps that show where the caches are. Having maps on the pda would be pointless, in my opinion.

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Hey sbell111,

Yes I also have a map on my Garmin 5. What I like to do is magnify the MapQuest map to show all the small connecting roads in the cache area since most of the Caches we do are in very remote rural areas and we need the detail.

Thanks for the input.

Jeff

Have you loaded more detailed maps? I used a 3+ and a V prior to my Quest. The detailed maps from Garmin gave me more road detail than most online maps, in my experience.

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I think I'm starting to get the process partially. A big part of what I want to do is load a MapQuest map which I would have magnified into the Palm also I want very much to be able to do this as well as the Cache page. I'm not so interested in loading Waypoints into the palm since this would be in my GPS. I'm wanting to basically just not have to print Cache pages and maps and have all this information in the Palm. Can you clarify this for me?

 

Well, with CacheMate you'll have everything but the Mapquest maps (and any pictures the hider has placed in the listing). Once you've downloaded a database of caches into CacheMate, it lists them all (sorted by their name, or by the GCXXXX waypoint number -- your choice) and you can page through all of the details: the size, terrain rating, the coordinates, the description, the hints, and the last 5 logs.

 

I agree that the map image would be helpful. CacheMate does not support this. Actually, the pocket queries themselves don't support this. It can be done, as others have said, but via a different approach.

 

Let's step back a bit. There are two approaches to getting the cache pages on your Palm.

 

One is to use the information directly available in a Pocket Query, into a database file, which CacheMate (or other programs) read and display. Images are not included.

 

The other is to download (or generate) the HTML pages. You take this collection of HTML pages (and any associated images that might go with them) and convert that into a Palm format, and then use any Palm-based HTML reader. Plucker, iSilo, MobiPocket, etc. can all read offline HTML. With this method, you COULD use the desktop converter to go out to www.geocaching.com and download additional images that are related to, but not included in, the caches downloaded by your pocket query.

 

I hope that makes sense.

 

However, having tried this out a few times, I question the usefulness of the little maps on the cache pages. Do they actually help you out? They are so "zoomed out" that the only useful information I get from them is what region of the city they're in, and that doesn't help me at all -- I KNOW the cache is in this region, that's why I was searching for it in the first place! What I really want is a map that's zoomed in well enough to tell me that the cache is within a few hundred yards of the intersection of Greenbank and Baseline, and that the best approach to get there would be southbound from the highway. And currently I'm not aware of any automated tool that can take the cache coordinates, zoom into a map, capture that into an image, crop out the relevant parts and spit that into a PDA for offline viewing.

 

I would be very happy to be corrected....

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Let's step back a bit. There are two approaches to getting the cache pages on your Palm.

. . .

The other is to download (or generate) the HTML pages. You take this collection of HTML pages (and any associated images that might go with them) and convert that into a Palm format, and then use any Palm-based HTML reader. Plucker, iSilo, MobiPocket, etc. can all read offline HTML. With this method, you COULD use the desktop converter to go out to www.geocaching.com and download additional images that are related to, but not included in, the caches downloaded by your pocket query.

 

I have a question on the, convert PC stored (offline) HTML pages (like from spinner) to a Palm format. Then use a Palm HTML reader ... How is a Palm HTML page different than a PC or WEB one? What is an example of a program that would do the conversion?

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Let's step back a bit. There are two approaches to getting the cache pages on your Palm.

. . .

The other is to download (or generate) the HTML pages. You take this collection of HTML pages (and any associated images that might go with them) and convert that into a Palm format, and then use any Palm-based HTML reader. Plucker, iSilo, MobiPocket, etc. can all read offline HTML. With this method, you COULD use the desktop converter to go out to www.geocaching.com and download additional images that are related to, but not included in, the caches downloaded by your pocket query.

 

I have a question on the, convert PC stored (offline) HTML pages (like from spinner) to a Palm format. Then use a Palm HTML reader ... How is a Palm HTML page different than a PC or WEB one? What is an example of a program that would do the conversion?

 

Well, HTML optimized for Palm is usually a stripped down version of the original. No frames, no Javascript, no Flash, etc. Whichever reader you plan to use on the Palm (Plucker, iSilo, etc.) generally come with their own desktop "helper" application which you can use to convert web pages into files suitable for Palm viewing.

 

A program like GPX Spinner is capable of taking a Pocket Query GPX file and actually CREATING a set of simplified HTML pages containing the cache data. (This is certainly preferable to having to type all those URLs to the "real" cache pages!)

 

Some programs, like Sunrise Desktop that sbell111 mentioned, are apparently also capable of downloading images from these pages, though I haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

 

Hope that helps. Now you start to see what I mean when I say no two people do it the same way? There are so many choices! :(

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Hey GreyingJay,

Thanks again for all the help and advice. Even without a PDA in front of me it's starting to sink in a little.

I like to do a zoomed in or magnified view of those little MapQuest maps by clicking on the map and getting more detail for my navigator the Wench, actually once those maps are magnified their detail is quite good. The Wench will help me navigate the small rural roads and roads that we call tram roads around this part of Pennsylvania. Many of these small township roads are only hair lines on the maps in the GPS 5 and at times aren't even named. Since I have the GPS on the steering column in front of me for me to navigate to the cache site area the Wench can't see the map for guidance so I always print a zoomed in detail map for her to follow. If this sounds crazy and somewhat redundant this is the way we always have gone about it to find caches. So this is part of the reason I want to go paperless to stop printing maps so the Wench can follow the map in the PDA and also to have the cache pages in the PDA for viewing. So I hope with other software I can load the maps into the PDA since from what you have said the CachMate won't perform this operation, I really would like to be able to do this.

I don't know maybe going paperless to the PDA is a PITA for what I want the PDA to do, I'm not sure at this point. I guess I need to think on this some more. If there are any more suggestions I'd welcome to them.

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

 

 

 

I think I'm starting to get the process partially. A big part of what I want to do is load a MapQuest map which I would have magnified into the Palm also I want very much to be able to do this as well as the Cache page. I'm not so interested in loading Waypoints into the palm since this would be in my GPS. I'm wanting to basically just not have to print Cache pages and maps and have all this information in the Palm. Can you clarify this for me?

 

Well, with CacheMate you'll have everything but the Mapquest maps (and any pictures the hider has placed in the listing). Once you've downloaded a database of caches into CacheMate, it lists them all (sorted by their name, or by the GCXXXX waypoint number -- your choice) and you can page through all of the details: the size, terrain rating, the coordinates, the description, the hints, and the last 5 logs.

 

I agree that the map image would be helpful. CacheMate does not support this. Actually, the pocket queries themselves don't support this. It can be done, as others have said, but via a different approach.

 

Let's step back a bit. There are two approaches to getting the cache pages on your Palm.

 

One is to use the information directly available in a Pocket Query, into a database file, which CacheMate (or other programs) read and display. Images are not included.

 

The other is to download (or generate) the HTML pages. You take this collection of HTML pages (and any associated images that might go with them) and convert that into a Palm format, and then use any Palm-based HTML reader. Plucker, iSilo, MobiPocket, etc. can all read offline HTML. With this method, you COULD use the desktop converter to go out to www.geocaching.com and download additional images that are related to, but not included in, the caches downloaded by your pocket query.

 

I hope that makes sense.

 

However, having tried this out a few times, I question the usefulness of the little maps on the cache pages. Do they actually help you out? They are so "zoomed out" that the only useful information I get from them is what region of the city they're in, and that doesn't help me at all -- I KNOW the cache is in this region, that's why I was searching for it in the first place! What I really want is a map that's zoomed in well enough to tell me that the cache is within a few hundred yards of the intersection of Greenbank and Baseline, and that the best approach to get there would be southbound from the highway. And currently I'm not aware of any automated tool that can take the cache coordinates, zoom into a map, capture that into an image, crop out the relevant parts and spit that into a PDA for offline viewing.

 

I would be very happy to be corrected....

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So this is part of the reason I want to go paperless to stop printing maps so the Wench can follow the map in the PDA and also to have the cache pages in the PDA for viewing. So I hope with other software I can load the maps into the PDA since from what you have said the CachMate won't perform this operation, I really would like to be able to do this.

 

I don't know maybe going paperless to the PDA is a PITA for what I want the PDA to do, I'm not sure at this point. I guess I need to think on this some more. If there are any more suggestions I'd welcome to them.

 

Another (more expensive) option for what you'd like to do is to get a new GPSr with better maps and autorouting. We have a Garmin Nuvi that does all of the routing to the cache for us when you punch in the cache coordinates. Have to do a reality check though -- one time it offered us a route 14 miles out of the way to save what looked like about 25 feet of hiking.

 

The Nuvi has pretty much every road that we've run across, even some crazy farmer's roads that barely meet the definition. Our iQue (which has the integrated Palm, so we use it for paperless caching,) has similar maps, though I'm not sure of the level of detail, because that's not what we use the iQue for.

 

The additional work that you'd be looking at to get the maps in the detail you need doesn't really sound like it will be easy, and probably can not be reliably automated. Having the extra GPSr is nice, cause you also get to use it for its "supposed" real use -- routing you to the nearest Waffle House for coffee and chili after the hunt :blink:

Edited by adjensen
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Jeff,

 

While not ideal, the solution I have gone with is to do the paperless bit with CacheMate on my Palm T/X, and the waypoints downloaded into my Garmin GPS. I have street level mapping on my GPS, so I can use it to zoom in enough to see where I'm supposed to drive to.

 

What I lose is the ability to quickly see those map locations and pre-plan a route based on them, but so far it's been OK.

 

It is, by the way, probably the only reason I have a Palm PDA these days :lol: I've gone through 4-5 different PDA's in the past 5 years, always ending up selling them because I didn't really need them. I finally have a use for one :blink:

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Another (more expensive) option for what you'd like to do is to get a new GPSr with better maps and autorouting. We have a Garmin Nuvi that does all of the routing to the cache for us when you punch in the cache coordinates. ...

While the GPS V is an older model, it does a good job at autorouting and can use City Select 7 maps. I'm not sure, but I think these maps are comparable to (or better than) the Americas Lite Basemap that is used by the Nuvi.

Edited by sbell111
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Another (more expensive) option for what you'd like to do is to get a new GPSr with better maps and autorouting. We have a Garmin Nuvi that does all of the routing to the cache for us when you punch in the cache coordinates. ...

While the GPS V is an older model, it does a good job at autorouting and can use City Select 7 maps. I'm not sure, but I think these maps are comparable to (or better than) the Americas Lite Basemap that is used by the Nuvi.

 

Unless they're lying (not a surprise if they are, but...) my Nuvi came with City Select 8. Worlds better than CN7, which came with my 2720, which went back to the store in January because it was so bad. The Nuvi has campground loops, pretty much every minor street, and even features that MNDOT refer to as "minimum maintenance" roads (which only a maniac and/or cacher would attempt to drive on :blink: )

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Another (more expensive) option for what you'd like to do is to get a new GPSr with better maps and autorouting. We have a Garmin Nuvi that does all of the routing to the cache for us when you punch in the cache coordinates. ...
While the GPS V is an older model, it does a good job at autorouting and can use City Select 7 maps. I'm not sure, but I think these maps are comparable to (or better than) the Americas Lite Basemap that is used by the Nuvi.
Unless they're lying (not a surprise if they are, but...) my Nuvi came with City Select 8. Worlds better than CN7, which came with my 2720, which went back to the store in January because it was so bad. The Nuvi has campground loops, pretty much every minor street, and even features that MNDOT refer to as "minimum maintenance" roads (which only a maniac and/or cacher would attempt to drive on :blink: )

Interesting. According to Garmin's website, City Select 7 is the most current version. I didn't know that version 8 had been released. Either way, if it has, it will be usable with the V.

Edited by sbell111
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Another (more expensive) option for what you'd like to do is to get a new GPSr with better maps and autorouting. We have a Garmin Nuvi that does all of the routing to the cache for us when you punch in the cache coordinates. ...
While the GPS V is an older model, it does a good job at autorouting and can use City Select 7 maps. I'm not sure, but I think these maps are comparable to (or better than) the Americas Lite Basemap that is used by the Nuvi.
Unless they're lying (not a surprise if they are, but...) my Nuvi came with City Select 8. Worlds better than CN7, which came with my 2720, which went back to the store in January because it was so bad. The Nuvi has campground loops, pretty much every minor street, and even features that MNDOT refer to as "minimum maintenance" roads (which only a maniac and/or cacher would attempt to drive on :blink: )

Interesting. According to Garmin's website, City Select 7 is the most current version. I didn't know that version 8 had been released. Either way, if it has, it will be usable with the V.

 

Aha. Well, that was a bit of a puzzler, so I went over there myself and checked it out. Here's what they say about the Nuvi:

 

nüvi 350

The European version contains full European mapping right off the shelf. North American versions include pre-loaded City Navigator NT maps of the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

 

So, it's City Navigator, not City Select. And I know that it's V8, cause the problems with V7 are now fixed.

 

I think I misspoke about it being City Select because I have a City Select DVD sitting over here, but I think that's for my iQue, not the Nuvi. My bad :lol:

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When I first started caching paperless I started at the FREE end of software Plucker and EasyGps then I paid 8 bucks for cachemate. Geocaching University had a great tutorial on getting started with paperless. Also Podcacher has a great show about the subject.

 

Hey Harriet the Spy,

Thanks for the links :( . I read over the one from Geocaching U and it is very informative. I can understand what GreyingJay meant by saying no two people do it the same way. I guess you just have to decide which procedure works best for you :( . Well once I get my Palm I will have to do some trial and error to see what suits me best.

Thanks for the help,

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

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why do geocaches have such a problem with paper less caching,

 

heres what u do.

 

That does seem pretty straightforward, and beyond organization and volume, probably works pretty well.

 

The benefit (for me, at least,) of paperless caching with pocket queries is that it requires less "ahead time" preparation. Run a pocket query on where I'm going, and, boom, I've can pull up full listings of every cache once I'm there. In the past, I've tried to do the "okay, I'm going here, I'll try and find five caches I can do" and been frustrated with the results, when some were missing, too hard, or in locations that weren't as easy to get to as I'd thought before I got there.

 

As has been mentioned elsewhere (including this thread :anitongue: ) everyone has a different method and idea of how paperless caching should work. Your solution sounds great for you, and probably many others. Thanks for sharing.

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So, it's City Navigator, not City Select. And I know that it's V8, cause the problems with V7 are now fixed.
I played with the little online tool and couldn't find any real difference in the maps between City Select and City Navigator. I wouldn't upgrade my GPSr just to change from one to the other. Also, the V is a better unit for hiking, in my opinion than the Nuvis. In fact, I which they would come out with a GPS VI. If they introduced a 'V' with a color screen, increased memory, and a talking cradle I would pay plenty to replace both of my current GPSrs.
why do geocaches have such a problem with paper less caching,

 

heres what u do.

 

1. download adobe pdf for your PDA

2. go to the cache page and hit the print pdf link

3. go to "Save a copy" in your pdf veiwer

4. transfer the file onto your pdf

5. open it with adobe pda pdf reader

6. go caching

I prefer the usability of Plucker.

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The benefit (for me, at least,) of paperless caching with pocket queries is that it requires less "ahead time" preparation. ...

I totally agree. The beauty of popping a PQ of caches into your pda using Plucker or Cachemate, is that you don't have to consider where you will be caching (in your PQ area). If you are across town and find that you have some spare time, you simply fire up your pda and GPSr and take a look at the closest caches. If they interest you, you go after them.

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So, it's City Navigator, not City Select. And I know that it's V8, cause the problems with V7 are now fixed.
I played with the little online tool and couldn't find any real difference in the maps between City Select and City Navigator. I wouldn't upgrade my GPSr just to change from one to the other. Also, the V is a better unit for hiking, in my opinion than the Nuvis. In fact, I which they would come out with a GPS VI. If they introduced a 'V' with a color screen, increased memory, and a talking cradle I would pay plenty to replace both of my current GPSrs.
why do geocaches have such a problem with paper less caching,

 

heres what u do.

 

1. download adobe pdf for your PDA

2. go to the cache page and hit the print pdf link

3. go to "Save a copy" in your pdf veiwer

4. transfer the file onto your pdf

5. open it with adobe pda pdf reader

6. go caching

I prefer the usability of Plucker.

 

Hey sbell111,

I just discovered the other day on Garmin's site that the "V" has been discontinued. I didn't see any hint of a "VI" coming out. I agree I'd love to see the "V" done in color or a "VI" come out in color and increased memory. I'm not so sure about the Talking cradle, I have that on my Quest. I originally had a Garmin "3+" and then went to the "V" which I have had a lot of success with.

James Lobb's procedure looks fairly simple using Adobe, but it looks like it abbreviates the cache page a great deal, but I'm not sure since I'm still in the start-up mode.

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

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Hey sbell111,

I just discovered the other day on Garmin's site that the "V" has been discontinued. I didn't see any hint of a "VI" coming out. I agree I'd love to see the "V" done in color or a "VI" come out in color and increased memory. I'm not so sure about the Talking cradle, I have that on my Quest. I originally had a Garmin "3+" and then went to the "V" which I have had a lot of success with.

James Lobb's procedure looks fairly simple using Adobe, but it looks like it abbreviates the cache page a great deal, but I'm not sure since I'm still in the start-up mode.

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

The 'VI' would be great. They'll probably never do it, though. I'd still be using my V if my Jeep hadn't been broken into, so now I also own a Quest, but I almost always use a Geko 301 once I've parked.

Edited by sbell111
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So, it's City Navigator, not City Select. And I know that it's V8, cause the problems with V7 are now fixed.
I played with the little online tool and couldn't find any real difference in the maps between City Select and City Navigator. I wouldn't upgrade my GPSr just to change from one to the other. Also, the V is a better unit for hiking, in my opinion than the Nuvis.

 

I wouldn't go hiking with it, if for no other reason than I don't want to drop the dang thing in a lake :anitongue:

 

At least if I drop the iQue (which is already starting to look pretty beat up,) it's a $350 purchase, not an $850 one <_<

 

I'm not really sure about the difference between CS and CN. Number of POIs, I suppose. The maps seem pretty much the same, although again, I can't say that I've been paying super close attention to CS7 in the iQue. I'm pretty happy with either one.

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... Also, the V is a better unit for hiking, in my opinion than the Nuvis.
I wouldn't go hiking with it, if for no other reason than I don't want to drop the dang thing in a lake :anitongue: ...

Ha! I can't tell you how many times I got my 3+ or V muddy and dunked it in a stream or rinsed it in a sink to get it clean.

 

Edited to fix broken quote.

Edited by sbell111
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The benefit (for me, at least,) of paperless caching with pocket queries is that it requires less "ahead time" preparation. ...

I totally agree. The beauty of popping a PQ of caches into your pda using Plucker or Cachemate, is that you don't have to consider where you will be caching (in your PQ area). If you are across town and find that you have some spare time, you simply fire up your pda and GPSr and take a look at the closest caches. If they interest you, you go after them.

 

True story:

 

Last month, we went to my niece's wedding in the Twin Cities. My wife was the matron of honour and had a bunch of family stuff to do as well, so I brought along the iQue, with a PQ of the area. I was bored at one event, so I flipped open the iQue, got our location, found a cache within walking distance, and went over and did it. Not sure that that endeared me to my wife, but at least I wasn't whinging about being bored :anitongue:

 

At another event during the trip, we did the same thing, although in that case, it was to show other members of her family what the whole caching thing was about. Found our location, spotted a cache in the same park, and walked over and showed everyone how to find it.

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why do geocaches have such a problem with paper less caching,

 

heres what u do.

 

1. download adobe pdf for your PDA

2. go to the cache page and hit the print pdf link

3. go to "Save a copy" in your pdf veiwer

4. transfer the file onto your pdf

5. open it with adobe pda pdf reader

6. go caching

 

Because I don't want just ONE cache listing.

 

I want ALL of them.

 

(Well, what I want are all the traditionals and multis closest to my home. Pocket Queries max out at 500, so that works fine for me.)

 

Therefore unless you have a way of batch-saving all those PDF's (and if you do, I'm eagerly listening!!), you have to find ways to get results from pocket queries to do the job.

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True story:

 

Last month, we went to my niece's wedding in the Twin Cities. My wife was the matron of honour and had a bunch of family stuff to do as well, so I brought along the iQue, with a PQ of the area. I was bored at one event, so I flipped open the iQue, got our location, found a cache within walking distance, and went over and did it. Not sure that that endeared me to my wife, but at least I wasn't whinging about being bored :anitongue:

I once wasted twenty minutes before a funeral by walking half a block away and logging a find.

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GSAK with a Palm Zire here. I have pocket queries that run weekly for all not founds, etc. I'll load them into GSAK, then ship them to the Palm. If I've got a cache that looks really tricky, I'll plug it into Google Maps then print out the combination page and take that hardcopy with me, but those are few and far between.

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Well, since others have shared their way, I think I'll share mine. I've been paperless ever since I started March 01, 2003. I've never found it difficult. Simply set up a Pocket Query and make sure you select: Also eBook Format (for handheld devices). While your Query is running, go to Mobipocket at the following link and download it to your PC. http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/default.asp After you have installed it, go to TOOLS , then INSTALL NEW DEVICE. Put in your devices name, and sync. By the time your unit finishes syncing you should have your Pocket Query back. Sync those files to your device and Mobipocket will open them in the Book section. You can use the FIND feature to search for whatever you want, ie, Waypoint, description, longitude, latitude, whatever.

As for maps, go to Avantgo.com and set up an account (it's also free, just like Mobipocket). Download the software and install it on your device. From the Cache Details Page on the Geocaching site you wish to find, click on the Mapquest link, zoom in the map to the level you want, then click on the Send To PDA link. It will automatically route you to Avantgo where you will name it and save it. Sync your Palm and you're done.

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Well, since others have shared their way, I think I'll share mine. I've been paperless ever since I started March 01, 2003. I've never found it difficult. Simply set up a Pocket Query and make sure you select: Also eBook Format (for handheld devices). While your Query is running, go to Mobipocket at the following link and download it to your PC. http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/default.asp After you have installed it, go to TOOLS , then INSTALL NEW DEVICE. Put in your devices name, and sync. By the time your unit finishes syncing you should have your Pocket Query back. Sync those files to your device and Mobipocket will open them in the Book section. You can use the FIND feature to search for whatever you want, ie, Waypoint, description, longitude, latitude, whatever.

As for maps, go to Avantgo.com and set up an account (it's also free, just like Mobipocket). Download the software and install it on your device. From the Cache Details Page on the Geocaching site you wish to find, click on the Mapquest link, zoom in the map to the level you want, then click on the Send To PDA link. It will automatically route you to Avantgo where you will name it and save it. Sync your Palm and you're done.

 

Hey rpwhite,

:anitongue: Thank you for the suggestion especially for the lint to Avantgo. This is the first info. I've received as to how to load the MapQuest maps into a Palm, sounds like the way to go.

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

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:laughing: I want to thank everyone for all the advice, all the information is great. Now all I have to do is buy my Palm. Then I can experiment with the different methods of entering the data into my PC and the Palm. I've defiantly had it with all the papers, paperless is the way for me to go.

The Geocaching community is a terrific group of people :laughing: and I'm proud to be a part of it.

Once again thanks to all that offered advice,

Jeff of Barefoot One & Wench

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