Can you download all the cache waypoints to comp ?

[+Team Buffalo]

Is it possible to download all the cache waypoints in SA at once to youre pc.

If it is , how do you do it

Edited August 18, 2007 by Team Buffalo

[+Metro Nomad]

Is it possible to download all the cache waypoints in SA at once to youre pc.

If it is , how do you do it

 

When you create a Pocket Query you are limited to the first 500 waypoints in that query, hence I've always used more than one query. (Which will obviously overlap.)

 

So, I would also like to hear comments on your question.

Edited August 18, 2007 by Metro Nomad

[+Wazat]

I used GSAK to do this but you need to select an area and then need to mark all caches in the area and then select download waypoints. These can then be opened up in GSAK. I did that with caches in JHB area and thought that this would be the easiest way to get to caches. But as my GPS unit doesn't connect with the PC to load waypoints it doesn't help me much. I printed out a list of coordinates and used this list to go look for caches if they were nearby. Total disaster.... The ones I looked for were archived which I didn't know till I got home and checked their relevant pages. The problem with downloading the waypoints is that you never know if they get archived in the time that you have downloaded them. So always check the day before where you intend going and see if they are still active. Download these waypoints and import them to GSAK. If you have a PDA maybe try paperless caching. I am new at this so some of the other guys here could have better info on this. Happy caching.

[+the pooks]

You must read/print the cache page with the logs beforehand to find out whether it is still active and/or a multi otherwise it is a very hit and miss affair.

 

I, very soon after joining, paid the $30 to become a premium member so that I can download via pocket queries, and soon after that acquired a PDA to go paperless. Now I can cache on the fly without studying the pages beforehand. Even this is not quite foolproof as some caches require pictures or maps that paperless cannot handle.

 

This probably sounds like Greek if you are very new to geocaching!

[+Wazat]

Bottom Line. Check before going and print the cache page, there is a print friendly version without logs. But sometimes logs can help. Also get to know the person who left it or those who have found it. Get into contact with them they can help you a little if you end up getting stuck, that is they want to... Read the clues and once you start finding the caches by various people you get to learn their style. Problem is that in the end we all start to copy other people's styles. But the main thing is that this is a hunt and hunting is not supposed to be easy. To add use a maps unless you have a satnav GPS which is up to date with all roads to an extent. Print photos or upload them to your GPS or PDA, and get a stick to move things around. Ooops off the subject now. But the whole thing we point out here is don't rely on just downloading the waypoints.

Edited August 18, 2007 by Wazat

[+LeonW]

Heck, you don't need to download all the cache waypoints in South Africa in one go to the PC. Except if you travel by private jet, and helicopter at a whim. (If you do, please contact me and I will be happy to introduce you to my method of finding caches.)

 

Firstly you need to become a Premium Member at $30,00 a year subscription to qualify for receiving Pocket Queries. You can download 500 per query, and a total of 5 queries per day every day, equal 17500 per week. I can't even find 10 per day, so why waste time downloading all the caches. Rather check the interesting one's out on the Internet, sorted by proximity to your home or a specific location like for instance Sabie area. Rather go for quality - not numbers and yourself and members in the family will enjoy it more. The research on the PC is just as important as actually driving to and finding the cache.

 

GSAK is a definite need to keep track of your waypoints, $25,00 once off for all your computers.

 

In my humble opinion you would be better served to keep abreast on your immediate future finds.

 

But I have to agree all this technology is addictive also.

[+Wazat]

There is a plug-in for Google earth to view all caches in an area. As you zoom in to certain area's the caches appear. But they are only there when logged in on the server. I put all the caches in on Google earth anyway to get a general idea of where the cache is too. As LeonW says "All this technology".

[+QFC]

Firstly you need to become a Premium Member at $30,00 a year subscription to qualify for receiving Pocket Queries. You can download 500 per query, and a total of 5 queries per day every day, equal 17500 per week. I can't even find 10 per day, so why waste time downloading all the caches. Rather check the interesting one's out on the Internet, sorted by proximity to your home or a specific location like for instance Sabie area. Rather go for quality - not numbers and yourself and members in the family will enjoy it more. The research on the PC is just as important as actually driving to and finding the cache.

 

GSAK is a definite need to keep track of your waypoints, $25,00 once off for all your computers.

 

In my humble opinion you would be better served to keep abreast on your immediate future finds.

 

But I have to agree all this technology is addictive also.

 

Best way to have all of the caches in sa on your computer is as follow:

 

1. From above posted

1.a. Get premium account ~R300 ( you are down a Spur meal for the family - the need to learn to survive on Mc Donalds so you can push to the next cache.)

1.b. Buy a license to GSAK ~R300 ( 1 more tank of petrol for the month - get used to it, geocaching does not save the green peace planet )

 

2. Steal work laptop. Preferably dont steal it, mearly loan it to work "on the road" (aka off road)

 

3. Set up pocket queries

3.a. One pocket query per day

3.b. Pull data for each year in a separate query (hell you can pull 2000 - 2002 in one query)

 

4. Let GSAK collect the pocket queries from you email address.

 

And thats it.. By using the yearly pocket query route you can ignore what regions you have/ how you are overlapping your queries. The caches are pulled by date published and you are storted for the next 2 years or so.

 

Happy caching.

[+Team Buffalo]

Thanx 4 all da info , i apreciate it a lot .

Will be trying it out .

I just thought that there will be a site like the one that Globalrat had

where you could download all at once.

Keep up the good work and happy cachings 4 all .

[+GlobalRat]

Thanx 4 all da info , i apreciate it a lot .

Will be trying it out .

I just thought that there will be a site like the one that Globalrat had

where you could download all at once.

Keep up the good work and happy cachings 4 all .

 

GC.com are the only allowed provider of cache coordinates for geocaching.com so you will have to use pocket queries or download the loc/gpx files individually if not taking out prmium membership. It's only $30 a year, so go for it.

[+LeonW]

Hi Team Buffalo

 

GSAK is US $25,00 - about ZAR180,00 , Means I just got you half a tank full of petrol, now go and get those caches.

 

Just stay away from geocoin collecting and you will save a bundle, enough to buy the wife a new washing machine.

[+GlobalRat]

And thats it.. By using the yearly pocket query route you can ignore what regions you have/ how you are overlapping your queries.

 

Not quite, 2006 had over 1000 published listings, so you'll need to get clever with your date selections as PQ's are limited to 500 caches.

 

Once you have compiled a complete listing you can have a query that runs once a week for South African caches that have been updated in the last 7 days. This will keep your listings pretty much up to date. Don't get rid of your original queries to build the complete listing. You'll need to run these every now and then to get rid of the archived caches in your listing.

[+GlobalRat]

Not quite, 2006 had over 1000 published listings, so you'll need to get clever with your date selections as PQ's are limited to 500 caches.

 

Here are some indicative date selections which will give you a full set for SA

 

PQ1: 01Jan2001 - 02Jul2005

PQ2: 30Jun2005 - 02Apr2006

PQ3: 31Mar2006 - 02Aug2006

PQ4: 31Jul2006 - 02Jan2007

PQ5: 31Dec2006 - 02Jul2007

PQ6: 30Jun2007 - 31Dec2007

 

You'll need to keep an eye on PQ6, when this hits 500 you'll need to shorten the date range. You could refine the dates a bit more (you can actually get the whole country with 5 queries), but with these dates there's room for those late submissions which occasionally crop up and for caches to be unarchived, and I prefer to have monthly buckets. I also prefer to overlap the date ranges, so the example dates above overlap a day each time. The PQ's work on between dates, so assume they are not inclusive.

 

Hope it helps.

[+the pooks]

And thats it.. By using the yearly pocket query route you can ignore what regions you have/ how you are overlapping your queries.

 

Not quite, 2006 had over 1000 published listings, so you'll need to get clever with your date selections as PQ's are limited to 500 caches.

 

Once you have compiled a complete listing you can have a query that runs once a week for South African caches that have been updated in the last 7 days. This will keep your listings pretty much up to date. Don't get rid of your original queries to build the complete listing. You'll need to run these every now and then to get rid of the archived caches in your listing.

 

On the subject on using "updated in the last 7 days" to maintain an offline database - there has been a long and interesting discussion on keeping an offline database It is not easy to keep a watertight offline database without re-running the full pocket queries regularly, the consensus being that TPTB designed it so.

 

To get back to the topic: You can have a database of all the caches in SA. Become a premium member if you are not already so that you can run pocket queries. You will need several pocket queries to cover South Africa as PQs have a limitation of 500 caches (split them by date for instance to reduce overlaps) and import them into GSAK.