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Paperless Caching (don't know where to begin)


churchrules

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Looking to start paperless caching and not sure where to start. I've been looking on Ebay for a Palm or Pocket PC and I'm not sure which is easier to use or better to use? I have no experience with either Palms or Pocket PCs, but I would like to use the easiest and hopefully cheapest method.

 

If you have any experience in paperless caching, please help.

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I use a Palm (m500). It's a little slow, but works great. And I'm fairly certain Palm is cheaper than PocketPC. Whatever you get, make sure to get a USB interface cable (serial ports are disappearing from computers. A converter is a pain, and an additional expense). Also, I know Palms work great on Windows 2000 and XP. Supposedly there have been issues with some Palms on Vista (drivers not available?). If you have Windows Vista, check compatibility for any older device you are interested in. I don't remember reading about any problems between Vista and PocketPC. Hopefully a PocketPC user will add some info.

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Palm would most probably be cheaper to obtain and easier to use than a pocket PC. Like stated above, get one with a serial cable only if your computer so equipped, the adapter cord costs about $20 and can start port recognition problems in your computer, depending on the drivers. USB if at all possible, usually the M500 series and newer will be so equipped.

 

After getting your Palm, go to here to check for any updates and get the hot sync program on your computer. Then, you will need a program on the Palm to organize your cache info, I use Cachemate, which will cost you $8 US.

 

If you don't already have GSAK or EasyGPS, you may want one of these on your computer to assist with filtering and organizing there. Either will take your filtered set of caches and send them seamlessly to your hot sync program.

 

The system is really easier than it sounds. Run PQ, open email and import to filter program, filter and send to GPS and Palm. Verify on hot sync program, put Palm on holder or connect cable, and send. With a little experience, all this can be done in less than 5 minutes.

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Looking to start paperless caching and not sure where to start. I've been looking on Ebay for a Palm or Pocket PC and I'm not sure which is easier to use or better to use? I have no experience with either Palms or Pocket PCs, but I would like to use the easiest and hopefully cheapest method.

 

If you have any experience in paperless caching, please help.

 

If you are willing to hold off until mid March, consider driving down to St. Catharines for Pen Pals - March Event since there will be both Pocket PC and Palm users there that can show you some hands-on and you can ask lots of questions.

 

If this is a little out of your driving range for a Wednesday evening, it seems that Palm is far more common than Pocket PC, and I think most Palm users have "Cachemate" as their program of choice. When last I looked it was $8 for a lifetime of caching. Pocket PC can use GPX Sonar and I think there is now a version of Cachemate for PPC too. One of my friends also uses something "Bee" related but the name escapes me.

 

Be aware though that long cache pages and inserted images often get truncated or not downloaded at all. Getting together with another cacher and seeing how it really is definitely would be a good idea. I'd meet you in Hamilton (I work around there) but my Pocket PC is broken and my Palm doesn't have the software.

 

But if you can make the event, you will not be disappointed... we they love to show off our their gear LOL.

 

:) The Blue Quasar

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Thanks to everyone for their help. To Blue Quasar, I might just show up to the event in St. Catherines. I work out of town and if I can make it back in time I'll head down the QEW and check it out.

 

Pretty much any event will do, there are always lots of folks with PDA's at any event.

 

Look through the events and see if there are any close enough to drive to on a day you are free

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Although slower if both your GPS and computer have serial ports you'll be able to transfer waypoints between them in the field which is not possible with USB.

 

I'm fairly certain that this deficit can be overcome, at least on most Palm PDAs. With my PDA (Palm T|X), it is USB, but it also has built in RS-232 pins, you just need a custom cable to take advantage of it. (one of these days I'll get around to building/testing one...I've gotten as far as getting the appropriate connectors, but I'm not there yet).

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Palm based will give you less headaches long term. As has been mentioned, Cachemate is the first piece of software to get followed closely by GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife). Using GSAK to upload your caches to the GPS as well as to Cachemate allows some continuity in terms of the cache names you will see on both units.

 

I will throw another option out to you. I use a Treo cell phone for day to day use. Treos can come in either Palm or PPC versions (PPC only in model 700 and up I think). The screen is slightly smaller than you will get with a Palm or PPC but here is the BIG benefit to me...

 

Treos also have a mobile browser so you can log onto Geocaching.com's mobile site (wap.geocaching.com) and do a few things like log a cache in the field, view a cache by GC number, or (and best of all) if you out and about and haven't uploaded caches from the area you are in into the Treo (via Cachemate), then you can do a search for caches based on your current coordinates and it will give you a list of caches radiating out from your current location with a link you can click on to open up that cache, read the description, enter the coords, read the hint, etc. Very cool feature for the travelling cacher!

Edited by M3J
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I will throw another option out to you. I use a Treo cell phone for day to day use. Treos can come in either Palm or PPC versions (PPC only in model 700 and up I think). The screen is slightly smaller than you will get with a Palm or PPC but here is the BIG benefit to me...

 

 

Ok, tossing in one more for the Windows Mobile/PPC camp here. I'm using an HTC Touch now for my caching (WM6).

 

On the laptop, I have GSAK - but this is entirely optional now.

 

On the HTC, I use:

 

- Cachemate: (no phone portion needed)

For keeping track of the caches/listings/et al. Log entries go here until I have more time. If you use a Magellan GPS, you can even load the GPS in the field - no computer required. Since cachemate reads GPX files, I can use Pocket Internet Explorer to log into the geocaching website, and generate a pocket query - which can then be loaded into the GPS directly from my email client.

 

- TomTom Mobile 6: (no phone portion needed)

Paired with a bluetooth GPS ($50 @ Factory Direct), I get my voice prompted turn-by-turn guidance to the cache/parking/trailhead. Also tells me where the nearest Timmies is when I'm caching out of my hometown (no cell phone needed). I have 7,000 geocaches loaded in my TomTom database. Way more than the 200/500 waypoint limit on my GPS.

 

- Google Maps (www.google.com/gmm):

* You really want an unlimited data plan for this one*

Ever get to that trailhead and the cache is on the other side of the river....? Now - quick question: is there a bridge? A quick view of the satellite view has saved me more than one 4km walk to that dead end 100M from the cache ....

 

- Pocket Internet Explorer and/or Pocket Opera

Log caches, generate pocket queries, look up ridiculously difficult trivia questions IN THE FIELD!

 

- DMS Converter (no phone portion needed)

Quickly and easily change those puzzle co-ordinates that aren't given in decimal degrees

 

- Pocket Streets (no phone portion needed)

More up to date Timmies locations I find.

 

- Wherigo Player (no phone portion needed)

Who needs one of those hyper expensive GPS units named after a Ski Resort? With the player on my PocketPC I can just download the free client and off I go.

 

- MSN Messenger comes in handy for those "phone a friend" times too.

 

The only paper I use for geocaching these days is the log sheets, that are in the caches.

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I will throw another option out to you. I use a Treo cell phone for day to day use. Treos can come in either Palm or PPC versions (PPC only in model 700 and up I think). The screen is slightly smaller than you will get with a Palm or PPC but here is the BIG benefit to me...

 

 

Ok, tossing in one more for the Windows Mobile/PPC camp here. I'm using an HTC Touch now for my caching (WM6).

 

On the laptop, I have GSAK - but this is entirely optional now.

 

On the HTC, I use:

 

- Cachemate: (no phone portion needed)

For keeping track of the caches/listings/et al. Log entries go here until I have more time. If you use a Magellan GPS, you can even load the GPS in the field - no computer required. Since cachemate reads GPX files, I can use Pocket Internet Explorer to log into the geocaching website, and generate a pocket query - which can then be loaded into the GPS directly from my email client.

 

- TomTom Mobile 6: (no phone portion needed)

Paired with a bluetooth GPS ($50 @ Factory Direct), I get my voice prompted turn-by-turn guidance to the cache/parking/trailhead. Also tells me where the nearest Timmies is when I'm caching out of my hometown (no cell phone needed). I have 7,000 geocaches loaded in my TomTom database. Way more than the 200/500 waypoint limit on my GPS.

 

- Google Maps (www.google.com/gmm):

* You really want an unlimited data plan for this one*

Ever get to that trailhead and the cache is on the other side of the river....? Now - quick question: is there a bridge? A quick view of the satellite view has saved me more than one 4km walk to that dead end 100M from the cache ....

 

- Pocket Internet Explorer and/or Pocket Opera

Log caches, generate pocket queries, look up ridiculously difficult trivia questions IN THE FIELD!

 

- DMS Converter (no phone portion needed)

Quickly and easily change those puzzle co-ordinates that aren't given in decimal degrees

 

- Pocket Streets (no phone portion needed)

More up to date Timmies locations I find.

 

- Wherigo Player (no phone portion needed)

Who needs one of those hyper expensive GPS units named after a Ski Resort? With the player on my PocketPC I can just download the free client and off I go.

 

- MSN Messenger comes in handy for those "phone a friend" times too.

 

The only paper I use for geocaching these days is the log sheets, that are in the caches.

 

Yikes Greg!!! That's enough gadgetry to make een Doug Matheson drool :)

 

I could definately get into that setup, my issue is the data costs all that would chew up would likely put me out of a job on the company cell phone!!

 

I will have to look into a MDS Convertor for the Palm though. Good idea! I do like google maps for mobile the times I have used it.

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I use an iPhone now for paperless but I did use a Nokia N770 internet tablet. They're pretty inexpensive and what is nice is if you are near a hotspot you can get online.

 

The iPhone is not available in Canada yet. Not sure if there are unlocked iPhones though.

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WOW. I wasn't expecting such a response to my question.:lol: Thank you to all. I figure that a Palm m500 was probably my most cost effective way to go (which got off ebay). I toured the cache mate website and for $8 US. it appears to be a great program (especially for the not so computer literate type). Also, the Palm support website seems like it has an endless amout of resources. Once again, thanks to everyone for their responses, but don't let them stop as I think as geocachers, we should be "eco/enviro" responsible. Who knows, maybe my next question will be about cache in, trash out.:lol:

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WOW. I wasn't expecting such a response to my question.:lol: Thank you to all. I figure that a Palm m500 was probably my most cost effective way to go (which got off ebay). I toured the cache mate website and for $8 US. it appears to be a great program (especially for the not so computer literate type). Also, the Palm support website seems like it has an endless amout of resources. Once again, thanks to everyone for their responses, but don't let them stop as I think as geocachers, we should be "eco/enviro" responsible. Who knows, maybe my next question will be about cache in, trash out.:lol:

 

Don't forget that all the high-tech gagetery use batteries. If you plan to spend a day in the woods, better take lots.

 

I used a Palm and a Garmin with Cachmate quite happily. GSAK is a pain in the butt unless you are geeky, but its useful to transfer caches to you map eg. TOPO Canada, and then down load them to your GPSr.

 

I sprung for a COLORADO recently. You can download Pocket Queries directly to it, and you can read the cache descriptions right on the Unit itself. You can also upload caches you found directly to Groundspeak. The logs are date and time-stamped.

 

It also makes coffee and sorts socks. :lol:

 

Whatever you decide, just get out and enjoy caching.

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I just acquired an iPhone, and am trying to make use of it.

I downloaded gpsbabel, and tried to use it on my first PQ to convert the result to VCF's.

It did convert the PQ to a VCF, but since all of this is new to me I have lots of questions.

I'd love to discuss "how to's" off line with someone who has been down this route, and would be happy to

post a complete "how to" once its working.

 

Help?

 

Thanks--Steve (SpinningCompass)

 

 

Are you going online or are you using the LOC files to look up hints w/o going on line?

 

 

I use an iPhone now for paperless but I did use a Nokia N770 internet tablet. They're pretty inexpensive and what is nice is if you are near a hotspot you can get online.

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Are you going online or are you using the LOC files to look up hints w/o going on line?

 

Sorry to but in but I need some help/advise........in the past I have done pocket queries and have cache descriptions sent to Palm Pilot..........it has been a long time since I've done this and today I have created 2 queries and cannot remember how to get info to palm. I have done OK in getting wpts. to gps. I was thinking that there was a place to check on the query to send to Palm but I did not see it. Has this changed?

 

I use an iPhone now for paperless but I did use a Nokia N770 internet tablet. They're pretty inexpensive and what is nice is if you are near a hotspot you can get online.

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