Getting started with a Mac.

[+Droo]

I've been using a PC to receive all my PQs from GC but am looking to swith to a Mac. All the programs I've used (EasyGPS, ExpertGPS, GSAK) are windows based. Can anyone recommend a Mac program to use as a database for waypoint management (waypoints as well as descriptions and logs) and for the transfer of waypoint information to GPS or even PDA.... in short a GSAK for Macs?

[+briansnat]

Moving to appropriate forum

[+Crystal Sound]

I've been using a PC to receive all my PQs from GC but am looking to swith to a Mac. All the programs I've used (EasyGPS, ExpertGPS, GSAK) are windows based. Can anyone recommend a Mac program to use as a database for waypoint management (waypoints as well as descriptions and logs) and for the transfer of waypoint information to GPS or even PDA.... in short a GSAK for Macs?

 

Cachemate is the all-around pda utility for caching. I've used it on a Palm. Hotsync and you are good to go.

 

Mac CMConvert is the program you need to convert the gpx files to cachemate.

 

MacSimpleGPS does a decent job at uploading/downloading gpx files to gps

 

I really like National Geographics Topo State series for mac. The topo maps are excellent, and it works well with gps units to upload/download/track.

 

Keyspan USA-19HS is a good USB-RS232 interface.

 

I've heard good things about MacGPS Babel - I've used it a few times, but had a few problems with converting to/from NG Topo files.

 

Macworld did a special CD about a year ago on GPS

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...hl=MACWORLD+GPS

 

There has been a number of threads about Macs & GPSs over the last few years. A search of the forum can be helpful.

[Scotman]

If you're getting one of the new intel-Macs you can still use your windows based programs via Bootcamp or Parallels.

[ossumguywill]

What scotman said is true but gpsbabel+ and loadmytracks are great.

[+TravelinTerriers]

One item to add. With Garmin gps they are not Mac friendly at all. I have Virtual PC on Mac and can operate the Map Source software but the USB drivers Garmin uses will NOT connect a Mac to a Garmin gps even with Virtual PC. They promise Mac help by Christmas if you believe in Santa Clause. I had to buy a cheap PC to download maps, routes, waypoints etc. John

[ossumguywill]

One item to add. With Garmin gps they are not Mac friendly at all. I have Virtual PC on Mac and can operate the Map Source software but the USB drivers Garmin uses will NOT connect a Mac to a Garmin gps even with Virtual PC. They promise Mac help by Christmas if you believe in Santa Clause. I had to buy a cheap PC to download maps, routes, waypoints etc. John

Better start believing for anyone who has a garmin.

[Scotman]

What scotman said is true but gpsbabel+ and loadmytracks are great.

 

+1

[+TomandGina]

I've got a PowerBook G4. I use GPSBabel+ to load gpx files to my Garmin GPSMap 60csx. I also use the Garmin Mapsource software in Virtual PC to load maps. Like TravelinTerriers said, you can't use the Garmin drivers to connect the GPS to Virtual PC, but I've been able to put the GPS in Virtual Disk Mode so it shows up like a USB thumb drive. That way you can use Mapsource to load and retrieve maps from the GPS. Unfortunatley, you can't transfer waypoints or tracks that way. Just maps. And it's VERY slow. I will usually start the transfer and walk away for a while.

 

Even with these inconveniences, I would never give up my mac or my 60 CSX!

[+viking66]

HI,

Ive been at this for about a year, and as a mac user, we have a slight up hill battle.

High time GARMIN got their stuff wired tighter, and fullfill their mac support statement.

With regards to running a virtual machine i.e. Parralells Windows XP desktop on an IntelMac, there have been issues with USB devices and 'sharing' amongst the OS's. Mac wont relinquish controll of the USB driver for my Keyspan USB>Serial interface yadda yadda yadda. Windoze cannot find driver for above reason...

So, an inelegant workaround is to remove( uninstall ) the driver from the Mac OS. BORING. Tedious at least. Perhaps this has been resolved? I havent chased it down in a while.

No ideas about Bootcamp.I was going to wait out the beta testing and get the kitty that comes along.

 

All that aside; an excellent software / topo can be found from MacGPS Pro. It handles watpoints, tracks, realtime data and mapping; all the good stuff. There are aspects of it that I feel need help ( UI issues for me ), but the authors are responsive, and update often.

[+nooks]

Just getting started with cachemate and I need a .gpx file.

Anyone got one they can send me?

I know, I know, I can get them if I am

a premium member. And I will be happy to do this once I

know I can get this working. I'm an average mac user

(10.3.9) with a Tungsten T I just happened to have

lying around. So, can anybody point me in the direction

of a test file, or can you please send me one.

 

Thanks,

nooks

[+nooks]

Mac Help, please!

 

OK, have my file after becoming a premium member.

I did not know that sharing a single .gpx file would

be breaking the rules.

But now what? when I open

macconvert and check all the boxes.

I don't get a highlighted box to save.

Macconvert d/n have help.

 

Thanks to all you kind souls,

willing to help.

[+TeamBarstool]

Just getting started with cachemate and I need a .gpx file.

Anyone got one they can send me?

I know, I know, I can get them if I am

a premium member. And I will be happy to do this once I

know I can get this working. I'm an average mac user

(10.3.9) with a Tungsten T I just happened to have

lying around. So, can anybody point me in the direction

of a test file, or can you please send me one.

 

Thanks,

nooks

 

Mac Help, please!

 

OK, have my file after becoming a premium member.

I did not know that sharing a single .gpx file would

be breaking the rules.

But now what? when I open

macconvert and check all the boxes.

I don't get a highlighted box to save.

Macconvert d/n have help.

 

Thanks to all you kind souls,

willing to help.

Unzip the .gpx file on your desktop. open macconvert. click on select file.

 

from there you should be able to export to cachemate on your pda.

 

Here a site that I found useful to get going with a mac

http://home.alltel.net/tbone/macgps.html

 

Good Luck

 

Jeff Barstool

[+nooks]

Thanks for everyone's help. I'm

now fullly paperless (except I still

have my field book, but you

can't stamp a palm when you find

a letterbox .

 

Thanks team barstool for the mac map link.

Any other geo-mac links would be

greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

elizabeth

[+TeamBarstool]

Thanks for everyone's help. I'm

now fullly paperless (except I still

have my field book, but you

can't stamp a palm when you find

a letterbox .

 

Thanks team barstool for the mac map link.

Any other geo-mac links would be

greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

elizabeth

 

I also use GPSBabel for uploading to my Garmin instead of MacSimpleGPS

 

http://www.gpsbabel.org/

 

Now if Garmin would come out with map support for Macs......

 

Us Mac users need to stick together in this Windoze world

 

Jeff Barstool

[+His_little_lamb]

Oh man I love you guys! I had no idea that there was a way to download geocaching spots through a mac to my gps! If you read my post that I just posted about my gps deleteing all my caching locations then you'll see why i'm soo happy to find a faster way to put caching spots on my gps.

[+TravelinTerriers]

Thank. I will see if I can figure out how to set my Streetpilot 2610 and 60csx units to Virtual Disk Mode.

I also use MacGPSPro to load waypoints. It works great and their topo maps are good too, but cannot be loaded on Garmin units. John

 

 

I've got a PowerBook G4. I use GPSBabel+ to load gpx files to my Garmin GPSMap 60csx. I also use the Garmin Mapsource software in Virtual PC to load maps. Like TravelinTerriers said, you can't use the Garmin drivers to connect the GPS to Virtual PC, but I've been able to put the GPS in Virtual Disk Mode so it shows up like a USB thumb drive. That way you can use Mapsource to load and retrieve maps from the GPS. Unfortunatley, you can't transfer waypoints or tracks that way. Just maps. And it's VERY slow. I will usually start the transfer and walk away for a while.

 

Even with these inconveniences, I would never give up my mac or my 60 CSX!

[robertlipe]

2610 doesn't do virtual disk. As inexpensive as compact flash cards are, I'd just get the biggest you can find, borrow/boot into a windows system, load the maps for whatever part of the country you may ever have to care about, and then forget about it until City Navigator 9 (or whatever) comes along.

 

Use GPSBabel (which does support the 2610 on OS X), MacGPSPro, or whatevever else floats your boat to xfer waypoints, tracks, and routes.

[+swala]

Droo, I'm wondering if you decided to make the switch to mac and how it has worked out. I am wanting to get a laptop and would like to switch to mac but the only thing that has me hesitating is the ease that I am able to paperless cache with the windows programs I am currently using(GSAK and cachemate).

 

In most cases I could load up the caches on the PC, but part of the reason I want a laptop is to get new cache info while traveling. Does anyone know if it is possible to use the 60 CS on two different systems, for example usually using window and GSAK, but sometimes using a mac and whatever GSAK equivalent there is. Or do you have to choose one or the other.

 

Thanks

[+nooks]

If you're getting one of the new intel-Macs you can still use your windows based programs via Bootcamp or Parallels.

 

swala, I think you can use a mac and run Bootcamp, like the scotsman said.

Edited November 14, 2006 by nooks

[+swala]

I'm not sure if this is entirely true, but part of why I wanted to switch to mac was to avoid viruses and such and I would guess that if you ran windows on a mac that would open it up to viruses?

Edited November 14, 2006 by swala

[Barrikady]

I'm not sure if this is entirely true, but part of why I wanted to switch to mac was to avoid viruses and such and I would guess that if you ran windows on a mac that would open it up to viruses?

 

Yes, that is correct.

 

If you were using Boot Camp, then the partition that you allocated to Windows could become infected with a Windows virus. However, the Mac partition would not be suceptable to the virus.

[beauxp]

I talked with someone at Garmin just last week about this same thing. They told me that they are working on a fix for all supported software and units so that they will work with macs. They told me that it would be a fix that would make the current software and hardware work with the mac computers. So if you already have software or a unit it will work with a Mac. The expected date is 1st quarter 2007. I would count on it to be the 2nd quater.

[+FlagMan]

After considerable pressure from my brother and son, I took the leap of faith and made the transition from PC to MAC. Many compatibility issues along the way, mostly with hardware rather than software. Seems many of my devices do not have drivers for the Mac. One of the most widespread issues is using GSAK and Garmins with a Mac. But I am happy to report that I have found a work-around for both issues. I have a MacBook Pro and am running Windows XP under Parallels, so GSAK is loaded under XP in the Parallels window. The USB cable does not work directly (Garmin promises to fix this soon), but a serial connection does work. Since the Mac does not have a serial port, I had to use a USB-to-Serial cable. That cable is plugged into the USB port on the Mac and the other end is connected to the serial cable for the Garmin. That connection now works swimmingly, although much slower than the direct USB connection on my PC. Anyway, I thought I would share this with anyone out there with the same issues as I faced with getting all my existing GSAK data to work with my Garmin 60CSx on the Mac...

 

After having done all this, now I saw this reply to our local forum: See Post #11 from Bolas Heathens I am waiting for a more detailed response on how they were able to get the USB cable to work...

Edited November 15, 2006 by FlagMan