What software for paperless?

[+colema19]

me and a friend of mine are planning a geocaching road trip weekend for May(which means I have some time to pull this together). I'm the techie, so I figured I'd try and improve our experience as much as I can.

Part of that I think involves going paperless. I've read a bunch of threads on this but I'm still a bit uncertain of which things to look into.

 

Here's what I have:

Windows Smartphone(Windows Mobile 5)

-1GB storage

-802.11 wireless support

-generally have GPRS internet access where I have signal

-Bluetooth

 

Windows Laptop(XP Pro for now, may be Vista by the time of the trip though)

-google earth

-MS Streets and Trips 2K6

-Garmin Mapsource+CityNav8

-Internet access potentially where ever my phone does(via the phone)

 

Garmin GPSMAP 60CX w 1/GB MicroSd

 

Specific Goal:

Be able to have stored up a chunk of caches for times when I don't have Internet access. Preferably not limited to 1 zipcode/geo region as we are planning on covering a wide area if we can. This can be in the phone or laptop.

 

Ideally, I'd be able to plot these I'm some sort of map, offline(i.e. either cache in Google Earth, but I don't think that runs offline?) or in one of the map packages I have, so we can get an idea of the area we'

re looking in. Super cool, although I don't think is possible yet, plot points in Windows Live map mobile, or Google Maps mobile.

 

Pieces that need filling in, or specific suggestions on how to do things:

Software. I'm gathering from the other threads I've read that GSAK and CacheMate seem to be highly regarded? Other suggestions? Is there something that handles online+cache for offline/no access?

 

When I have net access it seems like I can use wap.geocaching.com to do some of this, assuming I have net access while out and about? I don't think battery life should be a problem with either device, I should be able to charge them while in the car/run the laptop from car power. I won't be lugging the laptop into the field though.

 

Other things to look at or consider? Oh, I should mention, I'm not dead set on using every piece of technology. I'm guessing I'll log found caches via wap as much as possible

 

Thank you!

Edited February 2, 2007 by colema19

[+Kealia]

I'm sure you'll get a lot of recommendations, but here's what I do:

 

RUn PQ's around the areas that I'm going to be in, or along the route. Save them to my laptop and then run them through Plucker* to create HTML files.

 

I load the waypoints into MapSend DirectRoute on my laptop with a GPS plugged in to see where I am and where the caches are. I then can refer to the Plucker HTML files if I want to read the offline cache pages.

 

* I'm sure GSAK and other programs will do this as well.

 

Fairly easy.

 

For short trips, I just load the caches into my PDA for the cache pages.

[+coreynjoey]

Definately run some Pocket Queries (need premium membership)

Put PQ's in GSAK and organize them how you want

download either GPxSonar (free) or Cachemate ($8 I believe) onto the PDA.

 

Google Earth on the laptop. There's a macro for GSAK to put your caches on there.

[+South Lyon Trekkers]

Hi,

 

I paperless cache with two pieces of technology. My Magellan eXplorist and my HP iPaq. I use the pocket queries to download the info for the caches in the .GPX format and also check the box for the eBook as well (bottom of the page). The .GPX file is sent me and I use Magellan's Geocache Manager (MGM) to set up different files for the different areas. (The multiple files is mainly due to Magellan's limits of 200 POI per file). I set up as many .GPX/MGM files as I need/want. Then I use the eBook format, which is MobiPocket format, on my PDA to do the paperless part. The eBook format comes along with the pocket query and I just have to match it on PDA to the .GPX file that I am using at the time. MobiPocket is free and runs on my home computer and my PDA. It provides all the info and the hints are decoded, but kept out of the way in the appendix. It works really well for me.

[+biosearch]

I put all of my cache queries on my Magellan eXplorist.

 

I purchased an old palm (100 and then a 105 and then a 125) off of eBay for about 10-15 dollars each. Loaded cachemate on them, saves the last five logs, hints, description, waypoints, etc. Have been very happy with this set-up, especially the cost.

 

Here's one on eBay right now....

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/PALM-M100-HANDHELD-SER...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Not trying to get people to buy anything, I don't sell on eBay, just trying to pass on something I've found useful.

[+SidAndBob]

I use the standard GSAK and CacheMate approach, but I also use Memory Map to print detailed maps.

GSAK will also let you find caches along a route, which sounds exactly what you want, as you can obviously do this off-line.

Main advice would be to start pocket queries ASAP if you want to build up a history of more than 5 logs.

I describe my process here.

[+Big Matt and Shell]

I basically do what you are wanting to do.

 

I run PQ's nearly every day of the week for the main areas that I cache. I then upload them into GSAK. I then do all my planning on GSAK. I can solve puzzle caches and correct corordinates so ther is no hold up's on the trail. Once I have my trip planned I update each cache with the cache GPX file, to ensure that I have the latest information. I use user flags to then upload to my Garmin.

 

I then export a GPX file to save to my PDA. I use GPxSonar so I have all the notes and information at hand while out caching.

[+biosearch]

I've found it helpful not to fun full queries but instead run queries looking for caches added within a certain number of days. That way I can look them over (like the new caches query for your area) and determine what I want to possibly try and hit first. Cachemate will load those directly into the list of caches you already have on your palm so you don't have to worry about having, not having, etc.

 

If you use a plam, make sure you sync it, very important, you never know when you might lose data and redoing what you have done in cachemate would have to be a pain...

[+DonB]

I like to keep it simple, so I use GpxView, which is free, on the pda then all you have to do is sync the gpx file that you get with your pqs to the pda and you are ready to go. I tried MobiPocket and didn't like it.

[+wandererrob]

my method of choice...

 

Open PQs in GSAK.

 

Send waypoints to the GPSr

 

Export the .gpx file as a .vcf file and send that to my iPod.

[+ShadowPenguins]

Wanderrob, you rock - had no idea you could do that. Tried it and it works nicely. That'll save me from buying a PDA!

[+Miragee]

Prior to my road trips, because I was never sure which highways I was going to travel, I ran as many PQs as I could along potential routes. I requested caches with a Terrain rating of less than 2.5 because I knew I wasn't going to be taking any long hikes.

 

In GSAK, I put these in separate databases for the different states I was traveling through (CA, AZ, UT, NM, NV). Because my GPSr only holds 500 caches, as I traveled, I periodically had to do a new filter in GSAK and reload the GPSr with caches that would be coming up during that day's travels.

 

On my Palm M500, I put all the caches in different databases in Cachemate. With the memory card, it could hold thousands of caches.

 

I ran new PQs to refresh the databases when I could get WiFi access. I found Days Inn motels to have great access from their parking lots . . .