downloading geocaches, etc

[mncdisco]

Trying to get started geocaching with my family using a new magellen explorist 500LE. I have installed Mapsend Topo 3D, Mapsend lite, etc, and have tried to download caches from geocaching.com and have not enjoyed any success dowloading to my computer. Can anyone help me get over the hump on this. Thanks

[+theduffster]

Trying to get started geocaching with my family using a new magellen explorist 500LE. I have installed Mapsend Topo 3D, Mapsend lite, etc, and have tried to download caches from geocaching.com and have not enjoyed any success dowloading to my computer. Can anyone help me get over the hump on this. Thanks

 

I'm really new too.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by downloading to your computer. Do you mean just saving pages? You could just do that. I tried saving the printer-friendly pages to my laptop, but that's very limiting. That doesn't tell me how far a cache is from another, for instance.

 

Or do you mean some other way of saving caches, like to a program? I've downloaded gsak, it is really good, I think, at organizing my caches and telling me which is closest to home, etc.

 

If you're not a premium member, you're limited to the .loc downloads. Is that what you're trying to download?

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Until you become a Premium Member, you can only download the .loc files from the individual cache pages, or from the Search pages. GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) is a great, powerful database program that will really come in handy after you become a Premium Member and can get the 500-cache Pocket Queries. In the meantime, you can use your Magellan software, or EasyGPS, to send the .loc files to your GPS unit.

[mncdisco]

Trying to get started geocaching with my family using a new magellen explorist 500LE. I have installed Mapsend Topo 3D, Mapsend lite, etc, and have tried to download caches from geocaching.com and have not enjoyed any success dowloading to my computer. Can anyone help me get over the hump on this. Thanks

 

I'm really new too.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by downloading to your computer. Do you mean just saving pages? You could just do that. I tried saving the printer-friendly pages to my laptop, but that's very limiting. That doesn't tell me how far a cache is from another, for instance.

 

Or do you mean some other way of saving caches, like to a program? I've downloaded gsak, it is really good, I think, at organizing my caches and telling me which is closest to home, etc.

 

If you're not a premium member, you're limited to the .loc downloads. Is that what you're trying to download?

 

I am not sure what I did differently this time, but it actually worked for me. However, when I attach the GPS to my computer via the USB, it requires me to put in the Magellan installation CD each time and go thru a process of loading the driver for the "hardware device" into the computer and this is not a quick process. Any thoughts or suggestions. Thanks

 

[mncdisco]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Until you become a Premium Member, you can only download the .loc files from the individual cache pages, or from the Search pages. GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) is a great, powerful database program that will really come in handy after you become a Premium Member and can get the 500-cache Pocket Queries. In the meantime, you can use your Magellan software, or EasyGPS, to send the .loc files to your GPS unit.

 

thanks for the advice. I finally was able to send the .loc files to my magellan GPS with MapSend Lite. Any idea why I have to reload the "hardware driver" from the Magellan Explorist installation CD each time I attach the GPS to my computer. Thanks

[+Aartex]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Until you become a Premium Member, you can only download the .loc files from the individual cache pages, or from the Search pages. GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) is a great, powerful database program that will really come in handy after you become a Premium Member and can get the 500-cache Pocket Queries. In the meantime, you can use your Magellan software, or EasyGPS, to send the .loc files to your GPS unit.

 

thanks for the advice. I finally was able to send the .loc files to my magellan GPS with MapSend Lite. Any idea why I have to reload the "hardware driver" from the Magellan Explorist installation CD each time I attach the GPS to my computer. Thanks

 

Your GPS is a USB device according to Windows. USB is designed basically to be a hot swappable serial device. (USB = Univeral Serial Bus)

 

Windows drops and loads the driver as needed to conserve memory space. Most likely after you used the CD for the driver the first time Windows hardware manager just notifies you of a new device found and auto loads the driver. If you are getting the whole instead window wanting to search drives and internet you may not have admin privileges on your account (name you log in with) on your computer/laptop.

[+Smokiewolf]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Until you become a Premium Member, you can only download the .loc files from the individual cache pages, or from the Search pages. GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) is a great, powerful database program that will really come in handy after you become a Premium Member and can get the 500-cache Pocket Queries. In the meantime, you can use your Magellan software, or EasyGPS, to send the .loc files to your GPS unit.

What's the difference between d/l for free members and premium members? What will I be able to load to my GPS unit as a free member? What does that enable me to do?

[+Aartex]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

Until you become a Premium Member, you can only download the .loc files from the individual cache pages, or from the Search pages. GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) is a great, powerful database program that will really come in handy after you become a Premium Member and can get the 500-cache Pocket Queries. In the meantime, you can use your Magellan software, or EasyGPS, to send the .loc files to your GPS unit.

What's the difference between d/l for free members and premium members? What will I be able to load to my GPS unit as a free member? What does that enable me to do?

 

Lots of goodies as a member. Pocket queries (PQ), extra cache listed a** member only, Caches along routes, download 500 cache in one shot for an area instead of 10-12 a page and you get the last 4 logs with the download, to mention just a few.

[+Smokiewolf]

So, basically, as a free member, I can d/l the location of the cache, and that's it?

[+Aartex]

So, basically, as a free member, I can d/l the location of the cache, and that's it?

 

yes and no. Members have convenience features

 

When you download a loc (nonmember format) file you get the basic information of the cache, when you download as a member you have the option of gpx format which has more detail per cache in that given info file.

 

Additionally as a non member if you choose "hide & seek a cache" from any of the geocaching.com pages you are taken to a form to selct your search area, whether you area member or not, then results are displayed in a 10-12 cache per page format. You then can get an loc file for each page to download when you select download waypoints at the bottom of the page. You then have to do this for every page listed until you get all your desired cache listings downloaded then you can always save each cache page to your computer and have the logs that way.

 

As a member you can do that same thing in one shot as a what is called a pocket query and ask for up to 500 separate cache locations in one file as a gpx.

 

Being a member also helps offset the cost of the site maintenance and bandwidth of geocaching.com. Just like you pay for your internet the folks that maintain geocaching.com have to pay for their's as well

[+Smokiewolf]

So, basically, as a free member, I can d/l the location of the cache, and that's it?

 

yes and no. Members have convenience features

 

When you download a loc (nonmember format) file you get the basic information of the cache, when you download as a member you have the option of gpx format which has more detail per cache in that given info file.

 

Additionally as a non member if you choose "hide & seek a cache" from any of the geocaching.com pages you are taken to a form to selct your search area, whether you area member or not, then results are displayed in a 10-12 cache per page format. You then can get an loc file for each page to download when you select download waypoints at the bottom of the page. You then have to do this for every page listed until you get all your desired cache listings downloaded then you can always save each cache page to your computer and have the logs that way.

 

As a member you can do that same thing in one shot as a what is called a pocket query and ask for up to 500 separate cache locations in one file as a gpx.

 

Being a member also helps offset the cost of the site maintenance and bandwidth of geocaching.com. Just like you pay for your internet the folks that maintain geocaching.com have to pay for their's as well

Thanks for helpin' a noob out here. I'm familiar with the operation of the site, I'm new to d/l caches to a GPS unit. I just ordered one, and I can't wait to start using this feature. I was waiting to become a premium member until I was more experienced, but since it's such a minimal fee, I might just spring for it.