Getting started with pocket queries?

[+GreenMountainTreasureHunters]

Hi,

 

We're a family of geocaching newbies. We're interested in learning more about pocket queries. I'm happy to RTFM, but I can't seem to find any info on it. I need to know everything starting from basics.

 

My son has a new GPSMap 60csx with topo 2008 (not yet installed, even). He managed to use it to lead us to a park-n-grab today, so he has at least the basics of the unit figured out anyhow.

 

My undestanding is that with pocket queries we could download all the caches in the part of the country where we live and then whenever we were traveling, we could look for nearby caches. I guess that only the coordinates get stored in the GPS, so we'd have to download the descriptions to a PDA (I have a Palm V) or make printouts before we went. but having them all in the palm would be cool (both to save paper and ink, and to be more spontaneous).

 

The above paragraph is the extent of what I know. Well, I also know we need a premium membership. But beyond that, I'm rather clueless.

 

If anyone can post a pointer to an appropriate guide, or just post some hints here, that'd be great.

 

Thanks!

[+Team Rijon]

Look here

 

Pocket Queries

Edited July 14, 2007 by Team Rijon

[+flask]

when you get your premium membership, go to the build pocket queries page. set up a couple; it's easy to do. don't check a day to deliver, but do preview it. you'll see how it works.

 

i recommend running GSAK, which isn't free but also isn't expensive. it will let you sort your PQ and help you transfer data.

 

the software that comes with your GPS is not all that hard, but there's a catch or two to may run into.

 

...or not.

 

i hope this is at least a little helpful. once you see a couple PQs a lot will make sense to you. please feel free to email me if you have more questions; i have a 60 csx and i live in chittenden county. i know, not terribly close to where you are, but it's a small state. crashco would be happy to make the trip, but he uses a magellan.

[+Miragee]

Pocket Queries are great time savers. You can request PQs for the area where you live, or areas along routes you might be traveling. You create Pocket Queries from a link on your My Account page.

 

Although GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) has a somewhat-steep learning curve, unless you are familiar with databases and all that they can do. Figuring out the basics and setting up simple distance and direction filters is easy. Then you go from there as you get to know more about the program.

 

If you have a PDA, Cachemate is a fantastic little program that runs on either a Palm or PPC. I have used it on my Palm M500 for more than two years and it is invaluable for having the cache information, including the Past Logs, when I am on a cache hunt.

Edited July 14, 2007 by Miragee

[+TrailGators]

when you get your premium membership.

You won't be getting them without this. It is well worth 3 bucks a month!

[+GreenMountainTreasureHunters]

Thanks for all the pointers and hints! I'll be back with more questions after we try some of this, I'm sure!

[+AntlerJones]

Pocket Queries are great time savers. You can request PQs for the area where you live, or areas along routes you might be traveling. You create Pocket Queries from a link on your My Account page.

 

Although GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) has a somewhat-steep learning curve, unless you are familiar with databases and all that they can do. Figuring out the basics and setting up simple distance and direction filters is easy. Then you go from there as you get to know more about the program.

 

If you have a PDA, Cachemate is a fantastic little program that runs on either a Palm or PPC. I have used it on my Palm M500 for more than two years and it is invaluable for having the cache information, including the Past Logs, when I am on a cache hunt.

 

I have a mac and can't use GSAK. I can't figure out how to get the PQ on my new (old) m500 palm i got off ebay. I try sending the .gpx file over with hotsync, and it wants to send it to a SD card?! Do you know if i have to have an SD card installed in the PDA for it to work? Thanks!

[+admo1972]

Pocket Queries are great time savers. You can request PQs for the area where you live, or areas along routes you might be traveling. You create Pocket Queries from a link on your My Account page.

 

Although GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) has a somewhat-steep learning curve, unless you are familiar with databases and all that they can do. Figuring out the basics and setting up simple distance and direction filters is easy. Then you go from there as you get to know more about the program.

 

If you have a PDA, Cachemate is a fantastic little program that runs on either a Palm or PPC. I have used it on my Palm M500 for more than two years and it is invaluable for having the cache information, including the Past Logs, when I am on a cache hunt.

 

I have a mac and can't use GSAK. I can't figure out how to get the PQ on my new (old) m500 palm i got off ebay. I try sending the .gpx file over with hotsync, and it wants to send it to a SD card?! Do you know if i have to have an SD card installed in the PDA for it to work? Thanks!

 

No problem on a Mac! First, you will want the program called CacheMate. It installs on your Palm. It is only about $8, but you can use it somewhat restricted without paying. So download it and hotsync it. Next, you need the Mac program MacCMConvert. This one is free. Once you have MacCMConvert, you download the .gpx file from geocacnign .com. Open MacCMConvert, and I check every option. Click select file and navgate to you rgpx file. MacCMConvert converts the gpx file that your Palm has no idea what it is for (which is why it wants it on the SD card), into regular palm .pdb database files. The program also throws these files automatically into the hotsync app. So, once it is done, just hotsync and you are all set!. You'll have coordinates, hints, description, diff/terrain; cache size, and the last 5 to 10 logs. The best part is that it can calculate closest caches to the current cache.

[+swala]

On my PC I use GSAK and cachemate, but am trying to figure out the best way to try it with my mac. Since I already bought cachemate for my PC, does anyone know if I could use it also on my mac in conjunction with maccmconvert that was mentioned earlier?

 

I'm in the process of trying to figure out maccaching, does anyone know if gpsbabel is better?

 

Maccaching lists the caches by their GCXXXX number which I find hard to tell caches apart. I am used to GSAK where they are listed my their real names, even if abbreviated.

[+Poronpotku]

How long does it take when the query answer (zip file) comes to my email? I'd like to have the zip immediatly to my email, the same results I can view on the results-page. Or do I have to wait for some daily routine etc.?

[+Miragee]

Unless your ISP blocks the .zip files, or something else happens, the Pocket Query should start arriving in your InBox almost immediately after you "Submit" a brand new PQ, or request one that hasn't run for a few days. If you just got the PQ the day before, and you need that information again, making a copy of that PQ will put it to the front of the Queue. Otherwise a recently-run PQ will be at the end of the queue.