pda?

[+Tyger4]

Those that use PDAs in their hunt, what do you use? Which ones to avoid? Any other info that will be helpful?

[+Jhwk]

IMHO

Stick with a Palm, I have the M515 that I've used for over 3 years. 8mb memory and still going strong.

if you want a new one, without all the bells and whistles (wireless, blah, blah, blah) you can pick up their Z22 brand new for $99. Small, bright screen, plenty of room for cachemate+caches and a games or ten.

 

Don't forget GSAK and Cachemate.

 

a good start for paperless caching - GSAK + Cachemate here

 

Of course, everyone else's opinion will be wrong.

Edited August 31, 2007 by Jhwk

[+Thrak]

Those that use PDAs in their hunt, what do you use? Which ones to avoid? Any other info that will be helpful?

 

 

Almost anything will work fine for geocaching. I use an old Palm Vx. It holds zillions of caches. Many folks use the slightly newer Palm devices since they have a USB interface. You can pick them up on eBay for $30 or so. You really don't need anything fancy at all.

 

Most folks use a combination of GSAK and Cachemate. Others use Spinner and Plucker.

 

I use GSAK for lots of stuff and it can send a file directly suitable for use with Cachemate. I have also used the Spinner/Plucker combo which I like because it gives me the exact cache page (just like the one on gc.com) on the Palm. The downside is that Plucker will choke if you try to process a giant file (such as my all finds pocket query). It can't handle a pocket query with a thousand or more entries.

 

Whatever you get, remember that you will be using it in the field and may break it. I keep using the cheap old Palm Vx because I'm a bit clumsy. I've smashed two of them so far and they are really cheap to replace.

[+Tyger4]

I have a Handspring Visor but for some reason it does NOT like windows XP. I have been debating getting a newer PDA...this just adds to my 'want/need'.

[+cmc]

Those that use PDAs in their hunt, what do you use? Which ones to avoid? Any other info that will be helpful?

 

Guess I am in the minority, while I have a couple palms (III, Vx and Tungsten) I use my ipaq with GPXSonar.

 

If you don't already have one I assume an older palm would be cheaper to pick up used on e-bay.

[+9Key]

I use a Pocket PC / Smartphone, but I don't use the phone anymore since I changed providers. The color maps are excellent and the SD card can hold a ton of GPX files and MP3s.

[+J-Way]

I use a Dell Axim running Back Country Navigator with a Garmin 10x bluetooth GPSr. I download cache info into GSAK, sort and transfer to my pocket PC, then load into BCN. My only complaint is that the Axim isn't very "trail sturdy" and I have to be extra careful about dropping it.

 

The BCN 1:24k topo maps are amazingly helpful, and the aerial views can't be beat in urban areas. I've even been able to tell precisely which lamp post a cache was hidden in before getting to the parking lot.

[+Machuco]

I use the Palm Z22, GSAK and cachemate combo. Cheap and effective.

[+Miragee]

Palm M500 here with GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) on my PC and Cachemate on the PDA. Has worked great for more than two years now!

[+Mayeaux clan]

I use a Palm Tungsten E since I already had it and Cachemate/CMconvert. Works great for me.

[+GeoScooter1]

I have an IPAQ rx 3115 and have been using GPXSonar but have been looking at GSAK. What are (if any) the differences between Sonar and GSAK for paperless caching?

[+Airmapper]

Palm m125

 

It has a USB cradle, SD card slot, backlight, and uses standard AAA batteries.

 

I use GSAK to export a HTML Database for Sunrise XP, which loads the files for my PDA, and are viewed in Plucker. With the exception of GSAK all the programs are free.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Palm M500 here with GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) on my PC and Cachemate on the PDA. Has worked great for more than two years now!

Ditto - Except that I use a Palm Tungsten T5 - way more machine than is actually needed (or worth risking) for geocaching.

[Chumpo]

Tungsten E2

GSAK

Cachemate

Windows Vista

 

There were a few frustrating moments to get things running properly after the Vista upgrade, but I'm happy now.

[+Tyger4]

Ever since we went to Windows XP, I have had problems. My pda will not sync with my puter and so I havent even been using it. I have tried everything I can think of to get things working and still nothing. Its getting really frustrating. I finally gave up for a while, but now would like to use it again.

[+Miragee]

I downloaded a little program called Pilot Install to help with a problem between the Palm Desktop HotSync and this DELL laptop running Win XP Media Edition . . . It works most of the time without generating a "Blue Screen of Death."

[+SARS Cacher]

I use an old Handspring Visor I had laying around. I use it with Cachemate and GSAK. I have Windows XP and have never had a problem. I LOVE paperless caching!!

[+Rattlebars]

I'm using a Dell Axim 5 with 2002 operating system and GpxView from here http://strandberg.org/gpxview/ . I also use GPS Babel since it quite handily converts GPX to Magellan thru the serial port to my Meridian Color.

 

As you can see, some of this stuff is dated, but I'm not a rich man. One can get a Dell Axim 5 on eBay for about $50. I tried using an old HandSpring Visor which can be had for about $30 on eBay, but could not read it. Not enough contrast.

 

I do have the software to upgrade my Dell to 2003 so I can use the other programs but have not installed it as yet. Finding that what I have is adequate and will try something new during the winter.

 

Dell Axim 5

GPX View

GPS BABEL

 

That will get you paperless for around $60 or so.

[+TrailGators]

I use an iQUE 3600 that I bought off ebay. I also have a Z22 but it was really hard to read in sunlight so I don't use it anymore.

Edited September 1, 2007 by TrailGators

[+rlridgeway]

I use a Dell Axim X51 running Backcountry Navigator GPS software coupled with an Oncourse Navigator Bluetooth receiver.

 

By the way, Backcountry Navigstor handles geocaching files quite well and the maps are free.

[+Big Squirrel]

I have a Handspring Visor but for some reason it does NOT like windows XP. I have been debating getting a newer PDA...this just adds to my 'want/need'.

 

I have a Handspring Visor Platinum and I also encountered problems when I bought a computer with Windows XP (nearly 5 years ago now). It simply wouldn't hot sync. Palm came out with a new version of Palm Desktop that is compatible, but it can be hard to find on their website. Follow the link below and enter your model and O/S. On the next page you need to enter your Visor S/N (mine's under the battery cover) and then you can download the updated version.

 

http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/win_desktop.html

 

You might need to make sure your old version is uninstalled before installing the new version, but otherwise just follow the instructions. When it gets to the part where it tells you to hot sync your Visor, plug it in and hit the button and let Windows do its thing, otherwise it won't work. Let me know if this works.

 

My Visor actually is my GPS, as I have a Magellan GPS Companion. It's somewhat antiquated but it seems to be quite accurate.

[Raths]

I have a Palm M130 that I got off eBay for $40. When I try to sync it (to either my XP desktop or my Vista laptop) the Palm tells me that the port is in use by another program. I've tried everything on the help site and can't get it to go. I can't even get it to read anything off the card.

 

So I've just been taking the info that I feel is realevent off the cache page and typing it into the Palm. It seems to be working well enough for now, although it is a bit time consuming!

 

L8R

 

Raths

[+Miragee]

@ Raths

 

You might pose your question over in the GPS and Sofware Forum. There are helpful people there who will know why that error occurs. I have a Palm M500 and have a little problem with this laptop because it has XP Media Edition, which is not fully supported by Palm. The Palm Desktop and HotSync doesn't always work. However, I've never had your specific problem.

[+Team Cotati]

m500

[+Team Wolf Clan]

I use a Motorola Q Smartphone with a PDF reader and Excell software on it. My cache database is in an Excell file that I can edit on my phone so I know what I found and what I DNF'ed and I copy and past the PDF copy of cache info to my phone that I download from geocacheing.com. I also use Google Maps on my phone to figure out how to get to the cache and when I'm close I start paying more attention to my GPS, witch is a Magellan Crossover unless for some reason I'm using my crappy Garmin Legen C GPS. I have EasyGPS software on my laptop but thats about worthless for me because the software won't work with the Crossover and I don't want to use the Garmin. I have another software app that is supposed to sync with my phone that I could copy the entire cache page to but I can't figure out why it won't sync with my phone. So it's pretty much useless also.

[+parker313]

I have a Z22 that I got for caching. I was an impatient newbie who really just wanted to get OUT THERE! I bought my Palm at the same time as my GPSr, so paperless caching is all I know.

 

I use GSAK and Cachemate and it works perfectly for me The screen on the Z22 can be hard to read in the sun, but it's not too bad. If it were to die, I'd probably look at a different, cheaper model off ebay with better contrast.

[+loumarday]

I have a Z22 but what I really want to know is where the checkbox went on the pocket query page to select the .prc file that I can load to my PDA!

 

I don't remember what that option went but now I can't figure out how to get pocket queries onto my Z22. Can anyone help me?

[+4props]

I bought a used Dell Axim 5 off E-bay and use GSAK and Cachemate. I never had any problems with running this set-up, very easy and quick. I only use the PDA to store cache pages and maybe the calculator once in awhile for puzzle caches. Usually it stays in the car unless I'm off to a couple of mile hike to pick up several caches I will put it in a backpack.

[+kd4crs]

I use an iPAQ 2215 with GeoScout and a bluetooth GPS receiver. GeoScout allows me to go paperless and will even download the logs if you want them.

[captainawesome]

I say stick with Windows Mobile. I use a Dell Axim X30, with a cool SDIO GPSr that fits neatly into the SD slot on top of the PDA. It also has a microSD slot, which I fill with a 2GB card to hold all the maps and data for GeoScout.

 

GeoScout is the BEST geocaching software I have found. It downloads all the cache information and displays it just liek it is on the website, plus displays a great moving map. Nothing could be simpler. Just make sure you have version 1.3.4 or higher.

[+Agent Okie]

Those that use PDAs in their hunt, what do you use? Which ones to avoid? Any other info that will be helpful?

 

I use a Palm...Tungsten E2 for my palm. I got it as part of my business and it's my lifeline. I use it for nearly every aspect of my life including geocaching. I use Plucker and have the 500 nearest caches on, updating it weekly. If I happen to be working in another area outside of my normal mileage, I ran a special query just for that area and load it in the gps/palm.

 

I know many people who say don't take it into the field, but mine hardly ever leaves my side. When I am in the car caching, I leave it in the car. I really like the notepad program, which allows you to write directly to the screen. I start a list of my finds for the day and any notes I need to add about the cache. I read from this when I get back home on the computer.

 

I love my Palm and going paperless. I used to carry around a notebook of the closest 100 caches printouts, but it is so much easier with the palm.

 

[+TheDreadPirateRoberts&Crew]

I have an old Sony Clie (with a ` above the e). I love it. I've had it since I worked at NASA back in 2004. It is still the black/gray screen, but works very effectively. It has Palm III software on it and I was able to load cachemate on there with no problem. Also works fine with XP, but had to download the Palm desktop (for free) since my disc was outdated.

[+BubbleHeadJeeper]

wow, thought i was the odd man out with a clie

 

sony clie nz-90

cachemate

gsak

[+Team Typowiz]

Just finally got to paperless caching in the last week, but using a aging Sony Clié PEG-N760C. Beats the heck out of all that paper and ink. Can't believe it took me so long to get off the dime.

[+Team Yarber]

Those that use PDAs in their hunt, what do you use? Which ones to avoid? Any other info that will be helpful?

 

To choose a PDA for Geocaching this article is informative:

http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/oct06/geocaching.aspx

 

Any PDA with sufficient processing power and a current version of Windows mobile/ Pocket PC/ Palm / Symbian operating system; a SDIO and or CF expansion slot(s) or Bluetooth and a flash card expansion slot or a built in GPS reciever will work. There are many options for PDA geocaching software, most come as shareware so don't rush to buy one but try a few and find one that works for you. Here's a good place to start:

http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_enc/subcat.asp...ing&cat=227

 

For field use buy some sort of ruggedized case that offers at least water repellancy, make sure you check that the unit has mobile recharge capability, either a external battery pack, high capacity battery and or car adapter because all PDA's are power hungry little things.

 

I use a Toshiba e830 Pocket PC with a Globalsat Compact Flash GPS ( Model BC-337) card and a 4-AA Battery extender (using 4- 2500 mAh, 1.2 volt rechargeable NIMH batteries which gives us about 15 hours of steady use) all contained in an Otterbox 3600 case (waterproof, dustproof & drop- proof outdoor case). My wife uses a Dell X50 Pocket PC with the same hardware and case. For software we both use Beeline GPS software on the PDA's and GSAK on the PC's. Just export the caches from Geocache.com using pocket query into GSAK and GSAK exports to an SD card for the PDA. (Beeline uses the .gpx format & places caches directly on the mapping screen). When you want to read the cache information just click the cache icon on the screen and pocket IE opens with the almost exact Geocache.com cache page including hints and last visit information.

 

 

ty

Edited September 3, 2007 by Team Yarber