How do I get organized?

[+SKPnGo]

OK, so I've downloaded cash corrodinates to the GPS for a 25 mile radius. New at this, didn't know when to stop. I've also printed out a most of cashe info from the WEB site. Now what? How do you keep your info organized so it's handy when you decide to go cashing? Here's what happened.

 

While driving to go grocery shopping (about 20 miles) we decided to do some casheing. So I reached in the backpack for the GPS and found a few nearby. Then I rummaged through all the pages I printed out looking for the right ones. Found 2 of the 3 we needed. At this point I figured there had to be a better way.

 

HELP!! How do you keep organized?

 

Being new to Geocashing, this forum has been a source of a wealth of knowledge. I have learned so much from reading through the many topics. Thank you all very much for your help. So far we are having a lot of fun.

 

SKPnGo

[+Miragee]

When I first started, I did just what you are doing now. I had printed cache pages all over my car and had a hard time matching up the closest one on my GPSr unit to the cache page when I needed to decrypt the hint.

 

Then, I learned about "paperless" caching. I already had a Palm m500, so it was easy to just become a Premium Member, get Pocket Queries, load those into Google Earth, or my Mapsource maps to see where they are, and make a plan.

 

I use Cachemate on my Palm and to keep all the cache data organized on my PC, I use GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife).

 

Perhaps someone who is still caching with "paper" will come along and tell you how they keep things organized.

[+Cowboyatheart]

When I first started, I did just what you are doing now. I had printed cache pages all over my car and had a hard time matching up the closest one on my GPSr unit to the cache page when I needed to decrypt the hint.

 

Then, I learned about "paperless" caching. I already had a Palm m500, so it was easy to just become a Premium Member, get Pocket Queries, load those into Google Earth, or my Mapsource maps to see where they are, and make a plan.

 

I use Cachemate on my Palm and to keep all the cache data organized on my PC, I use GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife).

 

Perhaps someone who is still caching with "paper" will come along and tell you how they keep things organized.

[+Cowboyatheart]

When I first started, I did just what you are doing now. I had printed cache pages all over my car and had a hard time matching up the closest one on my GPSr unit to the cache page when I needed to decrypt the hint.

 

Then, I learned about "paperless" caching. I already had a Palm m500, so it was easy to just become a Premium Member, get Pocket Queries, load those into Google Earth, or my Mapsource maps to see where they are, and make a plan.

 

I use Cachemate on my Palm and to keep all the cache data organized on my PC, I use GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife).

 

Perhaps someone who is still caching with "paper" will come along and tell you how they keep things organized.

Sorry about the above post, still learning the forums. Miragee is exatly right about paperless I made the switch two months ago ahavent looked back. You can get palms on ebay or I bought mine at a yard sale cheap. but till then I would get a three ring binder and put the printouts in gc# order to make them easy to sort through. Welcome to "caching the obsesion"

[+SKPnGo]

Thank you both for your replies. We still have so much to learn.

 

Did the binder thing, but it's too large for the back-pack with all the other stuff, GPS, camera, swag, water, etc. So we took some of the pages along and ended up not having the ones we wanted.

 

Never had or used a Palm product. Are they like an electronic organizer? You mentioned use, but how old can you go before it doesn't have what I need?

 

Thank you both again.

[+Miragee]

You should be able to get a Palm m500, that connects to your computer with USB, for $30.00, including the shipping. I have had mine for almost seven years now and the battery is still going strong. I got a hard case for it, and also a data card so I can hold lots of cache information.

 

The older monochrome Palms are easier to see in bright sunlight than the newer models like some Zires and the TX.

[+briansnat]

Never had or used a Palm product. Are they like an electronic organizer? You mentioned use, but how old can you go before it doesn't have what I need?

 

Any Palm with 8+ megs should be for than sufficient. You can get away with less, but 8 megs will hold a few thousand cache pages. The previously mentioned M500 is perfect.

 

Actually the older Palm units are better in one respect. The grayscale screen is easier to read in sunlight than the color screens of the newer units.

Edited August 1, 2008 by briansnat

[+Cowboyatheart]

Mine is a Handspring Visor with the Palm operating system. Google palm pda (that stands for personal digital assistant) ,read and learn ,they are really easy to use and it makes caching much easier.Also when you start looking for a palm be sure it connects to the computer with a USB connection not a serial port connector.

[+K7CJS]

When I first started, I did just what you are doing now. I had printed cache pages all over my car and had a hard time matching up the closest one on my GPSr unit to the cache page when I needed to decrypt the hint.

 

Then, I learned about "paperless" caching. I already had a Palm m500, so it was easy to just become a Premium Member, get Pocket Queries, load those into Google Earth, or my Mapsource maps to see where they are, and make a plan.

 

I use Cachemate on my Palm and to keep all the cache data organized on my PC, I use GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife).

 

Perhaps someone who is still caching with "paper" will come along and tell you how they keep things organized.

 

I'm new and interested in how you use Google Earth. Do you have to pay for the premium service, does it show all the caches in one view, can you print it ok? I, too, am working on going paperless but really want a map of all the caches in a certain area so I at least know where to drive without constantly looking at my gps. Any info about Google Earth is appreciated (will Trip & Waypoint Manager do it?)...thanks!!

[+Wildbill34275]

I use a 13 pocket expandable organizer. It came with pre-printed labels for putting them in alpha order. In the last pocket I can keep my GPSr, the DC auto adapter and some extra batteries. It zips shut so everything stays in place. The front also has a zippered mess pocket for other incidentals. When I pull up a cache on the GPSr I go to the folder and look it up alphabetically. Seems to work well so far, but I'm starting to see the advantages of Paperless. i.e....... once I print a cache out and I don't locate for several weeks there are more than likely new posts that may have some clues in them that I don't have until I look at the website. Plus it saves trees

[+wesleykey]

Thank you both for your replies. We still have so much to learn.

 

Did the binder thing, but it's too large for the back-pack with all the other stuff, GPS, camera, swag, water, etc. So we took some of the pages along and ended up not having the ones we wanted.

 

Never had or used a Palm product. Are they like an electronic organizer? You mentioned use, but how old can you go before it doesn't have what I need?

 

Thank you both again.

 

I used to have the same problem. I picked up a Palm Zire on Ebay for $30 and that got rid of the paper. Then I converted the swag bag to a tin of "signature items" so I know carry a pack half the size I used to.

[+decline2state]

I went paperless for the first time this weekend and it was great! I used my old iPod and transferred the information to notes using GSAK's macro. I will never go back to paper!

 

I started writing out the cache information in a journal because I didn't want to print the cache pages up. I kept leaving information out. Then I printed up some pages, but when I would go out, I would have more caches loaded into my GPS than I had info on. Now, I make sure that the GPS and iPod have the same cache info in them. Much easier and less confusing!

[+therealwesty]

I usually just use a small notebook, like 3'x2' or something. I just jot down a few notes about the cache in the the notebook, including the d/t and size spec's. When I find a cache I usually mark the date, write a little note and then stamp the page with my logbook stamp. Keeps a bit of a log of my finds, sometimes they provide good inspiration for the online logs.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

I'm new and interested in how you use Google Earth. Do you have to pay for the premium service, does it show all the caches in one view, can you print it ok? I, too, am working on going paperless but really want a map of all the caches in a certain area so I at least know where to drive without constantly looking at my gps. Any info about Google Earth is appreciated (will Trip & Waypoint Manager do it?)...thanks!!

 

You don't need a premium service for Google Earth and there are alternatives for mapping out caches without a geocaching.com premium membership.

 

Before I went paperless (using a Blackberry Pearl) I used ExpertGPS (you can download and evaluate it for free but you may want to register it eventually) to print of maps with cache locations. While it's much easier to download waypoints in bulk if you have a geocaching.com premium membership you can still download 20 at a time and then merge them into a single file with ExpertGPS. Then you can use one of several mapping formats as a basemap and zoom in/out to get the kind of coverage you want.

 

You can also use GSAK to manage waypoints in a database then use one of the plugins (there is one for Google Earth and Google Maps) to display all of the waypoints in the GSAK database on a map.

 

The easiest method is to just use the Search with Google Maps link after you've done a hide and seek search.

 

If you're talking about the Garmin Mapsource Trip and Waypoint Manager, it is only really useful for mapping *if* you have also purchased the City Navigator or Topo map CD/DVD. The basemap that comes with it just doesn't have enough detail to be of any use.

[+JBnW]

Being a little new the the game part of all this as well, "I feel your pain"! Unless you have the time and effort to reach a Librarian-level of paper organization, it may help to apply the K.I.S.S. theory, target a few caches along a route, print those (if you stay with paper), log them into the site when found, and then next time search for new sites by clinking the "ignore found caches" link. It's the old question of "How do you eat an elephant?"..."one bite at a time!". If you do decide to go paperless, in addition to the recommendations of Palms and PDAs; Smartphones (if you have or plan to get one) can also help manage the "paper", and don't require as many of the freeware programs to process/download the data. I just started this with my Motorola Q, and it is much less daunting for a newbie like me to be able to drag-drop, copy-paste, and be done with it. Just my .02!

[+mudsneaker]

I usually just use a small notebook, like 3'x2' or something. I just jot down a few notes about the cache in the the notebook, including the d/t and size spec's. When I find a cache I usually mark the date, write a little note and then stamp the page with my logbook stamp. Keeps a bit of a log of my finds, sometimes they provide good inspiration for the online logs.

 

I used the same system for a long time and it worked well. I've now gone paperless but still will use a notepad to lay out a route sometimes. I use the online GC map and simply write in the order of caches I think will work best.

 

A typical note will read like this:

 

Cache name (size) (type) (Diff/Terr) - a short note of any hints or info that may help

[+Wild Thing 73]

Paperless caching is great, but time to time you will print paper caches and maps to further help in the caching area. I have maps on my GPSr, which are great for urban areas, but in the country...not so good.

A good idea at the get-go is to record cache info on all your finds on a small 5x7 spiral note book...Do this on every cache you find....it is a record for logging caches when you get home and is a permanent record that you will find helpful from time to time. I know two cachers that do this and each has over 12,000 caches. They must have one heck of a library of found caches. Some will tell you it is on the computer and web, but having this info in your bag and home office is very helpful. Welcome to geocaching....Happy caching and smooth trails.

[+WatchDog2020]

We kind of like paper -

 

1. Down load Google Earth

 

2. Plot out all the caches in your area. It takes some time but will show cache clusters and those on routes.

 

3. Print out cache info. We usually do the PDF format and include 10 logs

 

4. Organize sheets by cluster / town etc. in 3 ring binder

 

When you head out you can have your game plan all set. The Google map showing all the caches is a great help to the co-pilot / navagator.

 

Recently added a TOMTOM to our game. In car navagation will save TONS of stress on everyone when you are in an area outside your local zone.

[+ky.m.guy]

if you have a laptop, use GSAK (gsak.net)

[+johnling]

Just in case so maybe you don't have to buy another gadget Cacheberry works like Cashemate except on a Blackberry if you have one.