Geocaching with a handtop

[+Qoheleth]

After reading about geocaching for quite some time, I finally got started when my brother- and sister-in-law took the family on a geocaching outing in Lawrence, KS over the Thanksgiving weekend. After returning to Indianapolis, I thought I'd try my hand at some of the local caches. The thing was, I had already invested in a very nifty handtop (It runs a full version of Windows, like a laptop, but it's small enough to fit in your hand.) and a NAVMAN GPS receiver (no display, no waypoint storage, simply reads the satellites and feeds the info to another device via Bluetooth). I wondered whether I'd have to get a dedicated GPS unit for geocaching. The answer seems to be a guarded "no." Here's what I did:

 

I already had the latest version of Microsoft Streets and Trips, which I use with the aforementioned for driving. Using GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife), I can convert downloaded waypoints from geocaching.com into a format that reads right into Streets and Trips pushpins. With S&T, I can drive to the general location of a geocache very easily, but the program is essentially useless beyond that point.

 

To zero in on the location of the cache, I use GeoBuddy. This software will also read waypoints downloaded from geocaching.com and will display those points on a variety of maps. The simple map shows the points in a way similar to what you'd see on a GPS unit with a display, but you can also overlay the points onto aerial maps or topographical maps that can be downloaded directly to the program with an Internet connection. You can also overlay onto your own scanned maps. (I particularly like the aerial backdrop because it helps me recognize the general area and terrain of the cache.) GeoBuddy works with Garmin and Magellan GPS display units for uploading and downloading waypoints, but you can also connect it to the more simple GPS unit (like my NAVMAN) for real-time navigation. When you do that, you get an additional symbol on the map that indicates your position as well as your current bearing. A menu option allows you to navigate along a route of waypoints or to one selected waypoint. Using GeoBuddy's real-time navigation, I can zero in on the geocache quite easily. Also, since I have a graphic of my position versus the location of the cache, I don't have the typical problem with a GPS display unit of it showing a wild bearing when I stop moving.

 

Today, I took the handtop, NAVMAN, and GeoBuddy software on a walking tour of caches near my home. I quickly found two and located the positions (but not the caches of two more). GeoBuddy also lets me take notes so I had the cache descriptions (and even hints) with me.

 

All told, the handtop/GPS receiver/GeoBuddy combination seems make a very effective tool for geocaching. Handtops, however, are relatively expensive (more than laptops), so it wouldn't be recommended unless you want the handtop for other purposes that justify the extra expense.

[+sbell111]

When you slip and fall, slamming tha sucker onto a rock before it bouces into the creek, you are going to wish you had a tough little GPSr.

[+TrailGators]

When you slip and fall, slamming tha sucker onto a rock before it bouces into the creek, you are going to wish you had a tough little GPSr.

This will eventually happen especially because you often look at your GPS while you are walking! So use the handtop in the car to navigate and get yourself a basic handheld GPS to use to get the cache!

[+Qoheleth]

When you slip and fall, slamming tha sucker onto a rock before it bouces into the creek, you are going to wish you had a tough little GPSr.

This will eventually happen especially because you often look at your GPS while you are walking! So use the handtop in the car to navigate and get yourself a basic handheld GPS to use to get the cache!

 

I don't slip and fall I learned orienteering back in the days when it was maps and compasses. The cardinal rule was "Don't look and walk at the same time." The second rule was "Never take a step until you're sure of your footing." I learned the importance of these two while almost going free-fall off a 75 foot drop. It takes longer, but you live longer to enjoy the results.

 

Interestingly enough, one of the caches that we found in KS _was_ actually in a creek bed, complete with slippery rocks and all those other accouterments which seem to have the sole purpose of making you bruise your backside (or worse). The handtop was in an AquaPac, with additional padding, around my neck. It went inside my jacket when I was moving. I might be less protective if it was just a GPSr, but I hate breaking equipment (or myself) regardless.

[KGunner]

Well congrats...must be great to never slip and fall. Wish I was that good at walking.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Um, congratulations, I think!

 

You've managed to reinvent the Garmin 60CSx - sorta, but without the accuracy, ruggedness and other features, and with a lot more cost, work and failure points!

 

Is that a good thing?

 

Ed

[+two left feet]

I use much the same approach you do. I use GSAK and Streets & Trips to pick areas and get to the locations using the best route. I also carry a Pocket PC with all the cache data loaded into it plus views from Google Earth to check the terrain and possible routes. However I also have two handheld GPS units and agree with the other posters that it is easier (for me) to use a small rugged GPS that points to the cache and tells me how far away it is. Plus my Garmin GPS60 shows me all the nearby caches on its display and I can move the cursor over to them and select "Go-to". Very easy to do a series of caches. There are so many features in my GPS that I find very useful that I don't think I would want to do without it. I do love being able to pull up all the cache page info while in the field and read other logs on my PDA so I carry it a lot.

 

You can pick up a basic Garmin Etex cheap on Ebay or they are $99 online and in a lot of retail stores. Even Walmart carries them. If you are using your computer for advanced features anyway, a basic GPS would be a good addition to your caching tools. Sometimes the GPS is all you need and you can leave the expensive stuff in the car.

 

Interesting caching name. Hebrew for one known as "Preacher" as I recall.

[+dkwolf]

When you slip and fall, slamming tha sucker onto a rock before it bouces into the creek, you are going to wish you had a tough little GPSr.

This will eventually happen especially because you often look at your GPS while you are walking! So use the handtop in the car to navigate and get yourself a basic handheld GPS to use to get the cache!

 

I don't slip and fall I learned orienteering back in the days when it was maps and compasses. The cardinal rule was "Don't look and walk at the same time." The second rule was "Never take a step until you're sure of your footing." I learned the importance of these two while almost going free-fall off a 75 foot drop. It takes longer, but you live longer to enjoy the results.

 

Interestingly enough, one of the caches that we found in KS _was_ actually in a creek bed, complete with slippery rocks and all those other accouterments which seem to have the sole purpose of making you bruise your backside (or worse). The handtop was in an AquaPac, with additional padding, around my neck. It went inside my jacket when I was moving. I might be less protective if it was just a GPSr, but I hate breaking equipment (or myself) regardless.

 

Unless you're going to hunt exclusively urban lamppost and guardrail micros, you fit into one of two Geocaching groups:

 

1) Those who have slipped and fallen while hunting a cache.

 

-or-

 

2) Those who are going to slip and fall while hunting a cache.

 

Note that membership in group one does not exclude you from membership in group two. But Membership in group two is simply awaiting induction into group one.

 

You can protect gear all you want, but *someday* that rock you were so sure of is going to slip out from under your foot and send you tumbling downslope. Nothing against your abilities, just sometimes it happens. I'd rather be holding equipment designed for rugged use when it does.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

I don't fall while geocaching either, but sometimes gravity overwhelms me.

 

One time a mountainous path rejected me and I got to fly, briefly, but then gravity got aholt of me - that one cost me a Palm Tungsten C.

 

Pine straw rejected my uphill advances once... yep, that dang gravity got me, and it cost me a nice compass.

 

So, even though I don't ever fall, I don't carry fragile electronics in the woods either.

 

You just never know when gravity will smack you in the face with the planet Earth!

 

Ed

[Clan Riffster]

I think it's kewl that you found a way to play this game using what you had available. I mirror the concerns of others regarding the sensitivity of your handtop. Even those folks who have been walking for years will occasionally trip. I've never had any formal training in the task of walking, but my 40+ years of doing so sometimes leads to me bouncing off the ground. My PDA, (A Garmin Ique 3600), seldom leaves the security of my vehicle. If you're comfortable with what your doing, and enjoy it, by all means, go for it.

[+Renegade Knight]

...I don't slip and fall I learned orienteering back in the days when it was maps and compasses. The cardinal rule was "Don't look and walk at the same time." The second rule was "Never take a step until you're sure of your footing." ...

 

Sometimes your footing isn't so sure of you and down you go. Still you have a working combo and it will do the job. I use my PDA while caching and it stays in my pocket when I'm moving No problmes so far, but there is always tomorrow. My cell phone has it's own case. That hasn't stopped me from having a branch snag the cll phone and dumping it in the creek a couple of times (murpheys law it was the creek and not part of the other mile of trail). I've left the GPS in a safe perch and it fell. The kids have stepped on my gear that I set next to the cache, and the GPS has fallen off the truck. Failing all that Night Stalker's driving tends to slam my GPS on the floor once or twice every trip.

 

I suspect part of your orienteering training was to listen to the voice of experience. You have heard it in this thread. If you never break your PDA while caching, more power to you, but if you ever do...well you heard it in this thread and should not be suprised. It is your risk to assume. Your skill with making your gear work for you will searve you well. You will be popular at cache events.

Edited November 29, 2006 by Renegade Knight

[Neos2]

Glad you found something that will work for you. Hope it continues to please you.

 

I use an old Palm iiixe I picked up cheap to hold the full descriptions and the past logs of the caches I want to visit. I also use a Garmin 60cs to hold the coordinate info and maps. If it conks out on me, I have another one standing by that I also picked up used for very little cash.

 

Of course, the PDA is just there for the logs mostly, and for any special instructions on the cache page, the gps contains the name of the cache, the ID info, the name of the person who placed it, info on whether is is a regular, micro, etc and the difficulty/terrain ratings, as well as a bit of the hint.

 

The gps has geocaching mode, so once I find the cache it automatically sets itself on the next nearest cache (Or I can pan out and look to see if there are other caches in a particular direction I want to travel). I can switch between all of the maps I have loaded, but I usually only use a navigation map and a topo map. It gives me turn by turn directions to drive to the cache. I can pan over to another area on the map, if I like, and zoom in or out as far as I please.

 

Oh, and did I mention that while I am typically quite graceful, I did tip over the canoe a couple of years ago. It was winter, and very cold. The creek was frozen just a few yards upstream. I got wet, the gps got wet, oh everything got wet. I didn't have this gps then, I had an eTrex Legend. It survived the dunking, of course, just as it has survived severals accidental drops. I still have it and let guests use it when caching with us.

 

I think the 60cs was partially my husband's idea of a joke---it floats, you know!

Edited November 29, 2006 by Neos2

[+edscott]

I don't slip and fall I learned orienteering back in the days when it was maps and compasses. The cardinal rule was "Don't look and walk at the same time." The second rule was "Never take a step until you're sure of your footing." I learned the importance of these two while almost going free-fall off a 75 foot drop. It takes longer, but you live longer to enjoy the results.

 

Interestingly enough, one of the caches that we found in KS _was_ actually in a creek bed, complete with slippery rocks and all those other accouterments which seem to have the sole purpose of making you bruise your backside (or worse). The handtop was in an AquaPac, with additional padding, around my neck. It went inside my jacket when I was moving. I might be less protective if it was just a GPSr, but I hate breaking equipment (or myself) regardless.

 

If you are an experienced Orienteer (map and compass is still the only way to Orienteer... GPS is illegal per USOF and IOF rules) you could just enter the coordinates into a good map source like Topozone, print a USGS to get you within walking distance, and an Aerial Photo to find the cache. That's how I've done all my finds. Probably not any cheaper than buying a GPS in the long run, but a lot more fun from my point of view. Others opinions may vary.

[MapheadMike]

I don't slip and fall I learned orienteering back in the days when it was maps and compasses. The cardinal rule was "Don't look and walk at the same time."

Most moderately serious orienteers can walk and read a map at the same time. The hot shots (like Ed ) can read and run at the same time. Obviously, you're not staring at the map the whole time, just glancing at it long enough to get the info you need.

[+Savoy 6]

My 2 sense):

 

I carry a Treo 650, in my pack, in a Pelican Case and keep bluetooth earpiece in pocket. I paid too much for my gizmos to ruin them without protection, wrap that rascal!

 

If need be my oldest boy can use cell and give coordinates to dispatch to haul my old butt out. Never had too but as age increases, so do my chances of getting hurt or sick.

 

I have experienced gravity in the passive, in the woods. Also aggressive gravity, while drinking it grabs you and jerks you to the earth. Many times it holdsyou until the next morning.

 

Mountain bikers have known the rule for years, same as cited above, those who have falllen and those who will fall.

Edited December 1, 2006 by Savoy 6

[+Happy Humphrey]

UK cachers quite commonly use a PDA for navigation, in much the same way. An Otterbox protects it when out in the field, so no worries about damaging the unit or getting it wet. The main navigation software I (and many others) use is Memory Map: this shows your position on a superbly detailed map (Ordnance Survey, the best in the world ). I also use a GPSr (SiRF III chipset, so great in trees and cities) connected by Bluetooth.

 

When outside the UK I continue to use Memory Map where maps are available, but in other areas GPS Tuner (having scanned the relevant map segment). For navigation between caches, I use Tom Tom. GPS Tuner/ Tom Tom worked well in the US.

 

In all these cases I download cache waypoints (from the PC MM, or GSAK) and details beforehand, so everything is available on the PDA and there's no fussing about with wads of paper, maps and so on.

 

The PDA screen is only VGA 4" (640x480) but is quite adequate in most circumstances, and gives me access to the Internet as well. Not quite a handtop, I know, but with similar strengths and weaknesses.

 

But is this cheating?

 

HH

Edited December 1, 2006 by Happy Humphrey