Downloading Benchmarks

[+Woodstramp]

I can download CG's with EasyGPS, but I can't load Benchmarks. EasyGPS appears to load them like normal, but when I check the GPS's memory the file I sent there is present, but empty.

 

Is EasyGPS the wrong software for benchmarks?

[+Black Dog Trackers]

Hi Woodstramp -

 

I have used EasyGPS many times with my (rather old) GPSr. It always works fine.

 

Are you downloading a .loc file of benchmarks from the geocaching benchmark site or are you downloading from the NGS site and converting to .gpx format?

Do you get the benchmark locations showing on the EasyGPS graphic view on your computer?

[+Woodstramp]

"Hi Woodstramp -"

 

Hello back.

 

"Are you downloading a .loc file of benchmarks from the geocaching benchmark site......."

 

I'm downloading from Geocaching.com's page were you check the ones you want and then press the download loc. button. It sends them to the EasyGPS software on my pc. It also does a weird thing there too. It changes all the benchmark ID #s to "GC" prefixes. Then when I "send to GPS" on EasyGPS it lets me name a file and shoot it to the Magellan, but the file makes it into the GPS but the file has no benchmarks in it.

 

It works great for geocaches, but not benchmarks.

 

"......or are you downloading from the NGS site and converting to .gpx format?"

 

I don't know what the NGS site is.

 

"Do you get the benchmark locations showing on the EasyGPS graphic view on your computer?"

 

Yes, they show in the EasyGPS box after downloading them from Geocaching.com, but the individual benchmarks never make it to my Explorist.

[Wintertime]

It also does a weird thing there too. It changes all the benchmark ID #s to "GC" prefixes.

I had the same problem when I tried out MacCaching once. That may be something built into EasyGPS. Has anyone else here tried it for benchmarks and seen the PID modified?

 

You may need to switch to a program that's more benchmark-friendly. A lot of people here use GSAK, but if that's more horsepower than you need when you're just starting, perhaps folks will have other ideas for basic Windows software.

 

Patty

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Are you looking for the file under the Geocache category or the POI category on the explorist? The explorist uses 2 different folders to hold downloaded files and it may have put them in the POI folder.

 

John

[+Woodstramp]

 

You may need to switch to a program that's more benchmark-friendly. A lot of people here use GSAK, but if that's more horsepower than you need when you're just starting, perhaps folks will have other ideas for basic Windows software.

 

Patty

 

Patty,

 

I tried GSAK a coulple of weeks ago to see if I'd like it. Piddled with it for a few days and couldn't get it to do anything. Looks cool but it wouldn't even load GC's to my Explorist, so I uninstalled it.

It may be too complicated for hicks like me.

[+Woodstramp]

Are you looking for the file under the Geocache category or the POI category on the explorist? The explorist uses 2 different folders to hold downloaded files and it may have put them in the POI folder.

 

John

 

I'm trying it under Geocache catagory. Figured that since the info was coming from Geocaching.com that that would be the right way. Do I need to try it in POI's?

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Are you looking for the file under the Geocache category or the POI category on the explorist? The explorist uses 2 different folders to hold downloaded files and it may have put them in the POI folder.

 

John

 

I'm trying it under Geocache catagory. Figured that since the info was coming from Geocaching.com that that would be the right way. Do I need to try it in POI's?

 

It would be worth a try. If that doesn't work, all you've lost is the time it took to try.

 

Good luck,

 

John

[AZcachemeister]

 

You may need to switch to a program that's more benchmark-friendly. A lot of people here use GSAK, but if that's more horsepower than you need when you're just starting, perhaps folks will have other ideas for basic Windows software.

 

Patty

 

Patty,

 

I tried GSAK a coulple of weeks ago to see if I'd like it. Piddled with it for a few days and couldn't get it to do anything. Looks cool but it wouldn't even load GC's to my Explorist, so I uninstalled it.

It may be too complicated for hicks like me.

 

It's been a looong time since I used UN-Easy GPS...let's just say my experience was less than satisfactory.

GSAK, on the other hand, is like a dream come true for managing waypoints (either Geocaches or Benchmarks, or whatever!).

I do know that GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist series. An Explorist can import a .gpx file, so that is what you create to get waypoints into it. The folks over in the GSAK forums are friendly and knowledgeable if you have questions.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

I do know that GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist series. An Explorist can import a .gpx file, so that is what you create to get waypoints into it. The folks over in the GSAK forums are friendly and knowledgeable if you have questions.

 

GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist, But it will export the files to an SD card that goes into the Explorist and in the correct format for that GPSr.

 

John

[+Woodstramp]

I do know that GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist series. An Explorist can import a .gpx file, so that is what you create to get waypoints into it. The folks over in the GSAK forums are friendly and knowledgeable if you have questions.

 

GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist, But it will export the files to an SD card that goes into the Explorist and in the correct format for that GPSr.

 

John

 

Rockhouders,

 

I tried GSAK (and canned it) before I'd ever added a SD card to the Exporist. I will give that a go again. Right now I've canned all the GPS software on my PC because I've got Magellan's TOPO 3d coming in the mail soon. I'm going to start with a clean slate to play with loading some Topos to my GPS. Didn't want all that other stuff interfering. I will try the GSAK-to-SD thing after experimenting with the topo stuff.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

GPSTrackmaker

 

This program does it all for me.

Very simple for the computer illeterate like me.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

I do know that GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist series. An Explorist can import a .gpx file, so that is what you create to get waypoints into it. The folks over in the GSAK forums are friendly and knowledgeable if you have questions.

 

GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist, But it will export the files to an SD card that goes into the Explorist and in the correct format for that GPSr.

 

John

 

Rockhouders,

 

I tried GSAK (and canned it) before I'd ever added a SD card to the Exporist. I will give that a go again. Right now I've canned all the GPS software on my PC because I've got Magellan's TOPO 3d coming in the mail soon. I'm going to start with a clean slate to play with loading some Topos to my GPS. Didn't want all that other stuff interfering. I will try the GSAK-to-SD thing after experimenting with the topo stuff.

 

I was wrong in my previous statement about GSAK not uploading to the Explorist. There is a button on the GSAK screen to select the GPSr and that is where you do the settings for your GPSr and "Export" the waypoints to the GPSr. Since I just use the card reader because it is so much quicker, I forgot about the ability to upload directly to the GPSr.

 

John

[+Woodstramp]

GPSTrackmaker

 

This program does it all for me.

Very simple for the computer illeterate like me.

 

Thanks for the link Trailblazer. Got it saved for later reading.

[+Woodstramp]

 

 

I was wrong in my previous statement about GSAK not uploading to the Explorist. There is a button on the GSAK screen to select the GPSr and that is where you do the settings for your GPSr and "Export" the waypoints to the GPSr. Since I just use the card reader because it is so much quicker, I forgot about the ability to upload directly to the GPSr.

 

John

 

I recall that export thing on GSAK. I just could not get it to send files to the Explorist. They loaded to the PC and you could see them on the screen.

[+Black Dog Trackers]

I can't see how there'd be sufficient difference between loading geocaching .loc files and benchmark .loc files. Do they have the same fields? I realize that the information in the fields might be different but it's hard to imagine how the explorist could tell one of these .loc files from another.

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

I can't see how there'd be sufficient difference between loading geocaching .loc files and benchmark .loc files. Do they have the same fields? I realize that the information in the fields might be different but it's hard to imagine how the explorist could tell one of these .loc files from another.

 

A friend had an Explorist and it seemed that any download that wasn't a geocache actually went into the POI folder. I think the GPSr looked at the GC code and used it to determine the folder the file was saved to.

 

There is also the size of the file that can be a problem. If the file has more than 200 waypoints it won't upload correctly to the GPSr.

 

John

[AZcachemeister]

I do know that GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist series. An Explorist can import a .gpx file, so that is what you create to get waypoints into it. The folks over in the GSAK forums are friendly and knowledgeable if you have questions.

 

GSAK does not upload directly to the Explorist, But it will export the files to an SD card that goes into the Explorist and in the correct format for that GPSr.

 

John

 

Rockhouders,

 

I tried GSAK (and canned it) before I'd ever added a SD card to the Exporist. I will give that a go again. Right now I've canned all the GPS software on my PC because I've got Magellan's TOPO 3d coming in the mail soon. I'm going to start with a clean slate to play with loading some Topos to my GPS. Didn't want all that other stuff interfering. I will try the GSAK-to-SD thing after experimenting with the topo stuff.

 

I was wrong in my previous statement about GSAK not uploading to the Explorist. There is a button on the GSAK screen to select the GPSr and that is where you do the settings for your GPSr and "Export" the waypoints to the GPSr. Since I just use the card reader because it is so much quicker, I forgot about the ability to upload directly to the GPSr.

 

John

 

And I as well apologize for my mis-information! The latest version of GSAK DOES *EXPORT* to an Explorist! It's a menu option (not a button that comes pre-configured), but you can make a toolbar button for it.

 

Woodstramp:

While MapSend TOPO 3D will upload waypoints to your GPS (Explorist), it will not read .loc files or .gpx files. <insert disclaimer for program modifications within the last year> You will have to manually input (or at best cut-and-paste) waypoint details into MapSend for upload into the Explorist. I used to do that...not time-efficient.

[+Woodstramp]

I will give the GSAK another go, but first I'm trying to grasp using Mapsend Top3D that I got today. If I whip this alligator I'll jump on GSAK. Thanks all.