MicroSD card data storage - other than mapping

[+GRANPA ALEX]

A friend mentioned that, with the very economical price ($23.00) of the 1GB microSD cards for the newer x-series GPSr that we might be able to store data other than mapping on them . . . after all, we don't need to carry maps of the entire USA on the GPSr, all the time, when other data would be useful.

 

The idea is that under Points Of Interest, there is tons of room for text/data storage and this space can be utilized for cache page data storage.

 

Then, we would not need to haul a PPC or PDA in the woods and weather or risk it dropped in a stream or puddle but would have all of the data we need on a single unit . . . the waterproof GPSr!

 

Is there other data we might store in this manner and does anyone know a means to this end, a way to accomplish the feat?

Edited December 19, 2006 by GRANPA ALEX

[+briansnat]

Shouldn't this be in the GPS Units and Software forum?

[+GRANPA ALEX]

Could be, it was not unit-specific, more concept oriented, I think. But do what you think better serves the topic and audience.

 

I am just interested in the broadest audience for the better opportunity to gain an answer that serves all of us.

[+TeamHarrison]

The GPSr manufacturer that builds an application for the reading of .gpx pocket queries into their GPSr wins.

 

Could you imagine a Garmin 76CSx with a 1 - 2Gb chip with a Garmin version of Geocaching Swiss Army Knife (GSAK) as one of the units "utilities"?!!!

 

Download the .gpx file to the card and use the utility to view all that delicious pocket query information!

[Clan Riffster]

A seemingly brilliant cacher by the name of Munin came to a similar conclusion some time ago, and posted directions on how to accomplish this:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=140808

I'm out of space on my 60CSx, and needed to add about 200 waypoints for a complex night cache I'm designing. I tried this, and it works like a charm.

[+Prime Suspect]

A friend mentioned that, with the very economical price ($23.00) of the 1GB microSD cards for the newer x-series GPSr that we might be able to store data other than mapping on them . . . after all, we don't need to carry maps of the entire USA on the GPSr, all the time, when other data would be useful.

 

The idea is that under Points Of Interest, there is tons of room for text/data storage and this space can be utilized for cache page data storage.

 

Then, we would not need to haul a PPC or PDA in the woods and weather or risk it dropped in a stream or puddle but would have all of the data we need on a single unit . . . the waterproof GPSr!

 

Is there other data we might store in this manner and does anyone know a means to this end, a way to accomplish the feat?

The Garmin 60CSx only allows 88 characters of data per POI entry. That enough for most hints, and I'll probably be rewriting my GPX software to handle long hints across multiple POIs. But above that, the extra space is not much use, especially when you can get thumb drives for $10. I fill up most of the card with map data, leaving enough for POIs and track data.