*NEWBIE* Paperless GC with Venture HC?

[hxpxdxtx]

We are new to geocaching ... just bought a Garmin etrex Venture HC for it!! Can anyone advise us on how to download geocaches to the machine without us having to type them in?

 

(As far as we can tell, that is what "paperless" GC means but if there is another meaning, please educate us!!)

 

Many many thanks in advance.

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

From the Search page, you can check the boxes for the caches you want to look for to download a .loc file container all of those caches, or you can download the .loc file from each cache page, or, after intalling the Garmin Communicator, you can download directly from each cache page.

 

If you download the .loc files, you'll need a program like EasyGPS or GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) to send the waypoint to your GPSr. Your Garmin Mapsource program will also work, although I don't have experience with it. I use GSAK.

 

"Paperless" caching refers to using a PDA, like an inexpensive Palm m500 or m515 to put the cache descriptions into a program like Cachemate. For "paperless" caching to work, you need to become a Premium Member so you have access to the .gpx files and Pocket Queries. The .gpx files have much more information in them compared to the .loc files.

[+Chuy!]

To go paperless means to access the cache webpages in the field without paper copies. For the gadget-crazed cachers, or those lucky to have the necessary hardware for work, that means a PDA or phone with internet connectivity.

 

For the majority of cachers, it means downloading the webpages into PDAs (or the new Colarado's) as Miragee explained.

 

Putting the waypoints into the GPS does not generally qualify as paperless.

 

BTW, your GPS supports customized POI's. With this feature you can fit as many waypoints as the memory will hold (I have 13000 taking up about 2mb of memory). Each waypoint can have 44 characters in the name and 88 in the hint/comment section. Unless you're a premium member, you'll be creating POIs one at a time with MapSource or other gpx or csv program.

 

This link covers POIs pretty well.