PDA Software

[+pghlooking]

At home I use Fizzymagic's GeoCalc and love it. I know it is just one of many useful tools for cachers to use, but since I don't carry a laptop, I am lost in the field sometimes when this would make my life much more simple. I would love to see a version of this that works on a PDA (if it doesn't exist already somewhere). I am also wondering if there is a list put together that has the many programs available for PDA use.

[+NightPilot]

This depends on what flavor of PDA you have or plan to have. Different programs are available for different operating systems - Palm, Windows Mobile, etc. If you specify the PDA, then you should get better recommendations.

[+pghlooking]

I have a Palm Zire 72

[+NightPilot]

The easiest to use is Cachemate. The cheapest is Plucker - free, but somewhat complicated to set up. I use GSAK on the PC, to open the zipped pocket queries, filter the caches to get the ones I want to hunt, send the waypoints to my GPS using smart names instead of the uninformative cache code, and export the caches to a Cachemate file, either on the PC for hotsyncing to the Palm or to an SD card in a card reader, for inserting into my Palm for Cachemate to read. You put the file in the \Cachemate directory on the card, and Cachemate will find it, or you can do a regular hotsync to the Palm. I often do both - once to a card for my T3, and then to hotsync my M105, which I carry in the woods. I run Mapopolis on my T3, for dynamic driving directions, and Cachemate will do an export of the cache to Mapopolis, so I can get driving directions to the cache, then take my GPS an M105 along for the walk.

 

GSAK will generate html files for the caches, which Plucker can read and generate a file for your Palm, giving you cache pages that look almost like the ones on geocaching.com. I use Sunrise desktop to make that file, because it's quicker and easier to configure. The Plucker viewer runs on the Palm, and I use it for reading all sorts of things - text files, ebooks, web pages, etc. I've about quit making the Plucker files for cache pages, because it's just not worth the trouble for me, because Cachemate does enough. Plucker gives more search options, but that has lost importance for me. You can try both and see what works best for you.

 

Cachemate isn't free, and the demo only loads 10 caches, but that might be enough for you. It's only $8 to purchase. GSAK isn't free either, but all features work, with only a nag screen after the demo period. Plucker and Sunrise are freeware. There are tutorials available for using these programs, if you do a rudimentary search here.

[+pghlooking]

I have and use GSAK. What I am interested in are the smaller more specific programs. Not just the ones that everone uses to manipulate their GC databases of caches, but ones that might help you in the field with say a puzzle cache. I am looking for ones like GeoCalc.

[+NightPilot]

Cachemate will do a lot for you. It will calculate distances, nearest cache, it has a navigation plugin which will connect to your GPS, export to your Garmin, project waypoints, pretty much everything you need. Download all the plugins from the Smittyware site, and you can do just about anything you need on your Palm.

[+JohnTee]

Palm Tungsten E2 with OS 5

 

Cachemate, natural

 

Cache Log Book v1.3

I have not tried logging in Cachemate, which I know you can do, as it seems you would still need to keep some kind of list of caches you've done to FIND the log in Cachemate. I currently have over 2500 active listings in Cachemate, so sorting would be something of a problem. Cache Log Book organizes finds by dates, making it easier to log your caches on GC.com at the end of a day of caching.

 

Coordinates v1.2

There is no 'About' file in the program, or in the README that comes with the program. File names is COORDINATES12.ZIP

Very useful for puzzle caches where you have to solve for coordinates . . .

The program calculates anything it finds in brackets, and replaces letters outside the brackets with numbers. For example

N 00(a*c) (b+a)b.1a3

Where a=2, b=3, c=4

would be N 008 53.123

 

Something like the waypoint averaging in Geocaching Combo would be great for the Palm!

 

Geoniche

http://www.raydarllc.com/

"Is a full featured GPS program that integrates with an attached, or Bluetooth, GPS receiver to provide an overview picture of cache locations and point the way directly to a specific one. It comes with a companion program (EasyNiche) that imports GPX and LOC files and optionally downloads additional information (cache visitation logs etc.) directly from geocaching.com before transferring the caches to the Palm."

 

This website has a lot of useful information if you're wanting to link a PDA to a GPS

Navigation with Palm OS

http://www.gpsinformation.org/dale/Palm/pilotgps.htm

 

Would be lost without my Palm and would like to see more software for Geocaching.

 

JohnTee

[+overtaxed1]

 

I have not tried logging in Cachemate, which I know you can do, as it seems you would still need to keep some kind of list of caches you've done to FIND the log in Cachemate.

 

If anyone else is interested, I use Cachemate and have created a new category to get around this problem. Keep in mind that I don't go on 100 caches-at-a-time run, but I have sometimes got up to 10-20 in the course of a few days. Anyway, I have added the category of "Found & Logged" in Cachemate in addition to the standard "Found" default. So when a cache is marked as found in Cachemate the cache is moved to the "Found" category automatically. Then when I get back to a computer, I can find the caches that I need to log under "Found" and then I move them to "Found & Logged" for future reference.

 

I hope that made sense -

[+Amazon Annie]

Hi Overtaxed,

I go one step further with Cachemate - did you know that if you "Export" from Cachemate then Sync your Palm you will have a list of caches in order of time found in your Palm Memo (with any notes that you made in the field).

 

Thanks for the list of new software that I wasn't aware of. I try to keep a list of neat software on our local site:

 

http://www.ontgeocaching.com/oga-links.htm

 

I find that Geocacher 1.1 Java Midlet for mobile devices has lots handy tools to use while in the field.

[+NightPilot]

It's not that hard to find the caches you logged in Cachemate, if you do it right. When you find a cache and write your log, also tap the 'Found' checkbox, and Cachemate puts that cache in the 'Found' category, so all you have to do is select that category to see your found caches. You can also manually change the category to Found on the Info page. If you import the caches into Unfiled in the first place, you can add them to Not Found if you don't find them. You can customize the categories to whatever you like, and Overtaxed1's method is good if you want to keep track of caches you've logged on the website.

[+pghlooking]

Palm Tungsten E2 with OS 5

 

Cachemate, natural

 

Cache Log Book v1.3

I have not tried logging in Cachemate, which I know you can do, as it seems you would still need to keep some kind of list of caches you've done to FIND the log in Cachemate. I currently have over 2500 active listings in Cachemate, so sorting would be something of a problem. Cache Log Book organizes finds by dates, making it easier to log your caches on GC.com at the end of a day of caching.

 

Coordinates v1.2

There is no 'About' file in the program, or in the README that comes with the program. File names is COORDINATES12.ZIP

Very useful for puzzle caches where you have to solve for coordinates . . .

The program calculates anything it finds in brackets, and replaces letters outside the brackets with numbers. For example

N 00(a*c) (b+a)b.1a3

Where a=2, b=3, c=4

would be N 008 53.123

 

Something like the waypoint averaging in Geocaching Combo would be great for the Palm!

 

Geoniche

http://www.raydarllc.com/

"Is a full featured GPS program that integrates with an attached, or Bluetooth, GPS receiver to provide an overview picture of cache locations and point the way directly to a specific one. It comes with a companion program (EasyNiche) that imports GPX and LOC files and optionally downloads additional information (cache visitation logs etc.) directly from geocaching.com before transferring the caches to the Palm."

 

This website has a lot of useful information if you're wanting to link a PDA to a GPS

Navigation with Palm OS

http://www.gpsinformation.org/dale/Palm/pilotgps.htm

 

Would be lost without my Palm and would like to see more software for Geocaching.

 

JohnTee

 

This is the kind of stuff I am looking for. Anyone know if geoCalc will ever be available for Palm?