Renaming Caches in the GPS

[+Airnut]

I do a lot of caching so I have hundreds of caches in my GPS. But I have to rename every cache. I can't seem to find an option to put the Actual Cache Name In The GPS. The Send TO GPS function works well. I have a Garmin. But it gives you the GC Number. EasyGPS also sends the GC Number. GSAK almost gets it right but it strips out the spaces. I still have to rename it. When I am driving the spaces, Capital and small letters help me

see the name. I only have a few milliseconds to see the cache name. I have a Garmin 60 Cx. Are there any other options?

 

Airnut

[+StarBrand]

It is difficult to do this for a reason - many GPS units only allow 6 - 8 characters for the name field for most waypoints. You happen to have a model that allows slightly more. Take advantage of some of the advanced GSAK features to tweak out what you see there is about the best you can do.

[O-Mega]

I do a lot of caching so I have hundreds of caches in my GPS. But I have to rename every cache. I can't seem to find an option to put the Actual Cache Name In The GPS. The Send TO GPS function works well. I have a Garmin. But it gives you the GC Number. EasyGPS also sends the GC Number. GSAK almost gets it right but it strips out the spaces. I still have to rename it. When I am driving the spaces, Capital and small letters help me

see the name. I only have a few milliseconds to see the cache name. I have a Garmin 60 Cx. Are there any other options?

 

Airnut

 

Out of curiosity; Why do you needs the entire name? I use GSAK to give me a shortened name the size of container and wether or not it has bugs in it as the imported name. I seldom need the entire name of a cache, and since I use GPXsonar on my phone, I have a full page of the cache anyway so it is there if ever needed. I suppose you could put it in the notes area of the 60Cx, but I use that for the hint.

[+Kit Fox]

I do a lot of caching so I have hundreds of caches in my GPS. But I have to rename every cache. I can't seem to find an option to put the Actual Cache Name In The GPS. The Send TO GPS function works well. I have a Garmin. But it gives you the GC Number. EasyGPS also sends the GC Number. GSAK almost gets it right but it strips out the spaces. I still have to rename it. When I am driving the spaces, Capital and small letters help me

see the name. I only have a few milliseconds to see the cache name. I have a Garmin 60 Cx. Are there any other options?

 

Airnut

 

I used to be "hung up" on getting the cache name correct in my waypoints when I first started. A few experienced cachers pointed out a far faster, and more efficient method, using GSAK. When exporting waypoints, I use the %drop2 command. This gives me the waypoint name minus GC. GC is redundant and isn't needed. It is far easier to look up geocaches using a PDA, my GPS, and this website using the exact waypoint code. Trying to decipher to compressed, actual name wastes my time.

[O-Mega]

I do a lot of caching so I have hundreds of caches in my GPS. But I have to rename every cache. I can't seem to find an option to put the Actual Cache Name In The GPS. The Send TO GPS function works well. I have a Garmin. But it gives you the GC Number. EasyGPS also sends the GC Number. GSAK almost gets it right but it strips out the spaces. I still have to rename it. When I am driving the spaces, Capital and small letters help me

see the name. I only have a few milliseconds to see the cache name. I have a Garmin 60 Cx. Are there any other options?

 

Airnut

 

I used to be "hung up" on getting the cache name correct in my waypoints when I first started. A few experienced cachers pointed out a far faster, and more efficient method, using GSAK. When exporting waypoints, I use the %drop2 command. This gives me the waypoint name minus GC. GC is redundant and isn't needed. It is far easier to look up geocaches using a PDA, my GPS, and this website using the exact waypoint code. Trying to decipher to compressed, actual name wastes my time.

 

Really? I kind of found out the opposite. Not so much getting the name right, but that the GC numbers were quite useless to me. At events and meetings with other cachers the conversation would always turn to cool caches and they were mostly referred to by location and/or name. And when out in the field, the numbers get jumbled in my head if I try and remember those, but with GSAK I use: "%smart=9 %con1%bug" and it gives me a name I can remember. It is much easier for me to remember that "AreYouFai MN" was a DNF today, than to remember GC1A38X was a DNF today. My 60 csx keeps track of finds and DNFs, and I use GSAK's name search to log my finds and DNFs straight from there so the name again is more useful to me.

[+Miragee]

I do a lot of caching so I have hundreds of caches in my GPS. But I have to rename every cache. I can't seem to find an option to put the Actual Cache Name In The GPS. The Send TO GPS function works well. I have a Garmin. But it gives you the GC Number. EasyGPS also sends the GC Number. GSAK almost gets it right but it strips out the spaces. I still have to rename it. When I am driving the spaces, Capital and small letters help me

see the name. I only have a few milliseconds to see the cache name. I have a Garmin 60 Cx. Are there any other options?

 

Airnut

I use GSAK's "Smart Name" codes to get a truly useful Waypoint name on my Vista HCx. By using these codes -- %smart=9 %con1%typ1%dif1%ter1, I get part of the Name, the Size of the container, the Type of cache (Traditional, Multi, Virtual, Puzzle), the Difficulty and Terrain (based on a 10-point scale).

 

Since you have a 60Cx, you can also use Garmin's POI Loader to put caches on your GPSr as POIs and get even more information, including the Hint by using the %hint "Smart Name" code.

 

I use the same Waypoint name on the GPSr as the Export for my PDA, so whether I am searching by cache name, or by Waypoint, I can find the cache description I am looking for on my Palm m515.

[+Kit Fox]

I do a lot of caching so I have hundreds of caches in my GPS. But I have to rename every cache. I can't seem to find an option to put the Actual Cache Name In The GPS. The Send TO GPS function works well. I have a Garmin. But it gives you the GC Number. EasyGPS also sends the GC Number. GSAK almost gets it right but it strips out the spaces. I still have to rename it. When I am driving the spaces, Capital and small letters help me

see the name. I only have a few milliseconds to see the cache name. I have a Garmin 60 Cx. Are there any other options?

 

Airnut

 

I used to be "hung up" on getting the cache name correct in my waypoints when I first started. A few experienced cachers pointed out a far faster, and more efficient method, using GSAK. When exporting waypoints, I use the %drop2 command. This gives me the waypoint name minus GC. GC is redundant and isn't needed. It is far easier to look up geocaches using a PDA, my GPS, and this website using the exact waypoint code. Trying to decipher to compressed, actual name wastes my time.

 

Really? I kind of found out the opposite. Not so much getting the name right, but that the GC numbers were quite useless to me. At events and meetings with other cachers the conversation would always turn to cool caches and they were mostly referred to by location and/or name. And when out in the field, the numbers get jumbled in my head if I try and remember those, but with GSAK I use: "%smart=9 %con1%bug" and it gives me a name I can remember. It is much easier for me to remember that "AreYouFai MN" was a DNF today, than to remember GC1A38X was a DNF today. My 60 csx keeps track of finds and DNFs, and I use GSAK's name search to log my finds and DNFs straight from there so the name again is more useful to me.

 

With a good PDA, using Cachemate, it is quite simple to switch between GC waypoint and the actual name. If someone refers to a cache i'm unsure of, I switch to the name mode, and see if I found it. I have GSAK download the cache name, difficulty, and terrain as a note (down side is that it only works for 200 waypoints on my old Magellan) When I highlight a cache to find, I get the actual name.

 

I find it way too tedious to try and log my finds and DNFs using Cachemate. I simply write my finds and DNFs on paper, but will log them as finds on Cachemate during my downtime.

[+briansnat]

It is difficult to do this for a reason - many GPS units only allow 6 - 8 characters for the name field for most waypoints. You happen to have a model that allows slightly more. Take advantage of some of the advanced GSAK features to tweak out what you see there is about the best you can do.

 

I just put the cache name in the notes and leave the waypoint name as is.

[O-Mega]

I do a lot of caching so I have hundreds of caches in my GPS. But I have to rename every cache. I can't seem to find an option to put the Actual Cache Name In The GPS. The Send TO GPS function works well. I have a Garmin. But it gives you the GC Number. EasyGPS also sends the GC Number. GSAK almost gets it right but it strips out the spaces. I still have to rename it. When I am driving the spaces, Capital and small letters help me

see the name. I only have a few milliseconds to see the cache name. I have a Garmin 60 Cx. Are there any other options?

 

Airnut

 

I used to be "hung up" on getting the cache name correct in my waypoints when I first started. A few experienced cachers pointed out a far faster, and more efficient method, using GSAK. When exporting waypoints, I use the %drop2 command. This gives me the waypoint name minus GC. GC is redundant and isn't needed. It is far easier to look up geocaches using a PDA, my GPS, and this website using the exact waypoint code. Trying to decipher to compressed, actual name wastes my time.

 

Really? I kind of found out the opposite. Not so much getting the name right, but that the GC numbers were quite useless to me. At events and meetings with other cachers the conversation would always turn to cool caches and they were mostly referred to by location and/or name. And when out in the field, the numbers get jumbled in my head if I try and remember those, but with GSAK I use: "%smart=9 %con1%bug" and it gives me a name I can remember. It is much easier for me to remember that "AreYouFai MN" was a DNF today, than to remember GC1A38X was a DNF today. My 60 csx keeps track of finds and DNFs, and I use GSAK's name search to log my finds and DNFs straight from there so the name again is more useful to me.

 

With a good PDA, using Cachemate, it is quite simple to switch between GC waypoint and the actual name. If someone refers to a cache i'm unsure of, I switch to the name mode, and see if I found it. I have GSAK download the cache name, difficulty, and terrain as a note (down side is that it only works for 200 waypoints on my old Magellan) When I highlight a cache to find, I get the actual name.

 

I find it way too tedious to try and log my finds and DNFs using Cachemate. I simply write my finds and DNFs on paper, but will log them as finds on Cachemate during my downtime.

 

I export about 800 available caches into a GPX which GPXSonar reads. It is slow to open though, but good after that. The 60 csx also holds that and a little bit more without doing the whole POI thing. And the geocaching mode comes in handy, it keeps track of my finds and if I get a DNF I just change the icon to the sad face (wish it would be part of the geocache mode).

 

 

It is difficult to do this for a reason - many GPS units only allow 6 - 8 characters for the name field for most waypoints. You happen to have a model that allows slightly more. Take advantage of some of the advanced GSAK features to tweak out what you see there is about the best you can do.

 

I just put the cache name in the notes and leave the waypoint name as is.

 

I use that field for the hint, difficulty and terrain (%hint %Dif/%Ter). I sometimes need the hint

[+Morning Dew]

I'd just like to add after reading a lot of mentions of the Garmin 60scx, to also look at the Delorme PN-20 if considering a GPS that lets you do different things with Geocaching.

 

Combined with GSAK, I have every cache named GCxxxx, this way I know it is a geocache in my waypoint list. Plus parking lot waypoints retain there PK and I know the one above or below it (when I sort by nearest) is the parking for the cache. In the comment section I have the Groundspeak name of the cache, i.e. "Cache 'til you drop" because sometimes the name contains a hint. The type of cache, container, difficulty, terrain and hint. Finally I include the description of the cache.

 

I'm thinking of adding the last 4 logs as well, but currently don't. Also, the standard geocaching symbol is a closed chest. Once you find it, you change the symbol to an open chest. This way you can search by open chests and delete by symbol to remove all your found caches at the end of the day once you log them.

 

As long as all this is under 800 characters it is all at your finger tips. It's a very nice machine for geocaching. Cost less than the Garmin too.

 

I don't like having the actual name display because if they are long, they can can really clutter up the map. To see the actual name I just go to the comment section of the cache.

Edited March 29, 2008 by dspaedt

[+Airnut]

Starbrand had a good reply. I will have to use GSAK but I don't want a shortened name. I have the additional information in my PDA. The cache name is already in the notes. I want it in the waypoint name. I also use the GPS for driving and I want to see at a glance all the nearby caches. I have hundreds of caches in the GPS. I can't tell what is what from a GC number.

[O-Mega]

Starbrand had a good reply. I will have to use GSAK but I don't want a shortened name. I have the additional information in my PDA. The cache name is already in the notes. I want it in the waypoint name. I also use the GPS for driving and I want to see at a glance all the nearby caches. I have hundreds of caches in the GPS. I can't tell what is what from a GC number.

 

As this thread shows, there are many ways to cache with our toys and it varies by individual and what they like. As for the 60cx and GSAK, try this site: Custom Geocache Symbols in GSAK it may give you some hints you can use.