Best ways to use pocket queries to manage Caches

[+phaedrus78]

I'm as new to this hobby as anyone can be. I've never been out on a find and my GPSr is still in the clutches of Brown.

So to say it lightly, I'm clueless. I hope to glean some ideas from you the experienced ones.

 

I'm going to upgrade my account to a premium membership this afternoon and would like some ideas on how to use my new rights and privileges most effectively.

 

I understand that you can schedule queries to run daily, weekly, etc. What is the purpose for this, to get updated caches that might not have been there last time, to get updated info on the caches-what info would this be?

 

What other processes have you found helpful that are made available through the premium membership, thanks for the tips, I'm hoping to get a head start on climbing the learning curve.

[+IVxIV]

Grab a cheap used PALM based PDA from eBay & you can transfer your downloaded pocket queries into it using a program like Cachemate.

 

Yes the reason you want recurring pocket queries is to get the latest updates. Also you'll get the latest log entries as well, those log entries get added to the PDA information so you can review them while out 'caching.

 

Welcome to the sport/hobby/obseseion

[+Miragee]

I live in a "cache-rich" area where it is easy to drive right out of a 500-cache circle. So, I created seven "Date-Placed" Pocket Queries to get a wide search radius.

 

I get these PQs about once a week. I don't schedule them. I request them when I need to update my GSAK database.

 

You can have as many as 40 PQs in your list, so I also have some "location based" PQs I can run to get updated data for a specific area if I am heading out a few days after getting the "Date Placed" PQs.

 

GSAK has a "Last .gpx Update" filter for filtering out caches that did not update with the last Pocket Query.

 

The reason you want updated data is because caches get Disabled or Archived all the time. You don't want to be caching with "stale" date. Prior to going on a "hunt," you want to clear out the Waypoints from your GPSr and load it with fresh data.

 

From GSAK, I Export fresh data for my Palm m515 on which Cachemate is installed. I also Export .gpx files for Garmin's POI Loader so I can have more information about each waypoint as a POI.

[+phaedrus78]

Okay, this is making a lot more sense.

I have a m515 and, per your recommendations, just installed cachemate, I'll have to talk to the wife about registering it, but for now I'll have to make this version work.

 

I've also installed GSAK on my PC and GEOJournal on my laptop (which I'll use more often).

 

One question I have is when you update these software packages with recent data (I'm mainly speaking about cachemate and my gpsr waypoints/geocache records) do they update the existing records if the cache had been added previously, I know that this may be a dumb question , but just curious about how much effort it is to maintain an updated and accurate database?

 

Thanks again!

Edited May 1, 2008 by phaedrus78

[+Miragee]

I do not clear the GSAK database when I add more PQs because that way I get more Past Logs for the Palm. That is why I have to use the "Last .gpx Update" filter to make sure I get rid of the "stale" data.

 

I put the .pdb files on the 256 MB card on my Palm, so I'll often Delete the older .pdb file when I view it from Explorer, although Cachemate will merge the new data.

 

I put the caches in the "Not Found" folder, but the default location is "Unfiled." If you forget and put the new ones in "Unfiled," you will end up with double entries.

 

I create different databases in Cachemate so I can keep my Found caches in the Found database. I also have different databases for "Regions" here.

[+phaedrus78]

I do not clear the GSAK database when I add more PQs because that way I get more Past Logs for the Palm. That is why I have to use the "Last .gpx Update" filter to make sure I get rid of the "stale" data.

 

I put the .pdb files on the 256 MB card on my Palm, so I'll often Delete the older .pdb file when I view it from Explorer, although Cachemate will merge the new data.

 

I put the caches in the "Not Found" folder, but the default location is "Unfiled." If you forget and put the new ones in "Unfiled," you will end up with double entries.

 

I create different databases in Cachemate so I can keep my Found caches in the Found database. I also have different databases for "Regions" here.

Fantastic tips!

 

Thanks

[cliff_hanger]

I put the caches in the "Not Found" folder, but the default location is "Unfiled." If you forget and put the new ones in "Unfiled," you will end up with double entries.

 

On your PDA, you can prevent "duplicate" records in Cachemate by choosing "Merge import file records" and "Preserve old item category" under Cachemate > Option > Preferences

 

I create different databases in Cachemate so I can keep my Found caches in the Found database. I also have different databases for "Regions" here.

 

I do something similar. I have databases based on states: CT, MA, RI, VT, NH.

I have a "Found" database and a "Logged" database. The "Found" database keeps track of the caches I've found on a cache run. As I log them online, I move them from the "Found" into the "Logged" database. So, I guess the "Logged" database is really "Found and Logged"

[+qlenfg]

I use the pocket queries to filter out found caches, puzzle caches, inactive caches and unknown containers. If you hate micros, you could filter them out instead. You can also specify the terrain and difficulty level, as well as what attributes to include or avoid (although this didn't seem to work for me). Just remember there is a limit to how many caches you can run in a day, so get the settings right the first time.

 

I have several queries I run weekly -- one for stuff around my house, one for around the in-laws house, and one for any towns I may be visiting over the weekend.

[+ventura_kids]

I grab my maximum 5 queries in cache rich areas....per day.

I dump them into GSAK.

Then I export them into Mapsource.

Now I can see all the geocache rich areas around me....like we used to be able to do on the old maps.

[+EraSeek]

I keep things fairly simple. I use an old version of EasyGPS because it plays well with my POI's, though I hear GSAK is better. Palm 500, and cachemate. I have a Garmin 60cx, thus 1000 waypoints. I do pocket queries on demand when I want fresh stuff. 250 around my house, 250 to the suburban SE, 500 to the north where I usually go. Anything else or anything rural I use POI's (the memory is limited only by the card size). I treat POI's like caches and when I find one I "save" with an open geocache-box-symbol. That sticks it right into my calender as a found cache for the day, just like all found caches. I have no need to store found caches anywhere else.

 

When I do pocket queries I wipe out all waypoints in my GPS and put the fresh batch in. I do not put in any found caches, inactive caches or puzzles or any that I own. Nor do I put in waypoints other than the caches themselves. I also dump all caches from my PDA, though sometimes I merge some old and new.

 

Another trick I often use is to put only single (no multi) caches in my POI's. It gives you enough of a hint and you don't have to bother with the pda at all. Learn how to do catagories in your Custom POI's. It really helps.