http://coord.info

[Moun10Bike]

If you haven't yet tried (or heard of) http://coord.info, and have a web-enabled phone and a GC.com premium account, then I encourage you to give it a try! With it, you can easily visit the listing for any geocache, waymark or Travel Bug by adding the GC, WM or TB code after the "http://coord.info/" portion of the URL. For example, http://coord.info/GC25 quickly links you to the listing for my Camels Prairie Stash.

 

However, even more interesting is the functionality descibed at http://coord.info/textmark.aspx. If you have SMS texting capabilities on your phone, you can send a text to 41411 and log caches out in the field using the following syntax:

 

geoc @gcxxxx Any text that you want as part of your log

 

(where gcxxxx refers to the GC code for the cache you visited, etc.) Once you have successfully sent the text, Geocaching.com will respond with a text message confirming that you visited whatever cache (or waymark, or Travel Bug) you indicated with the GC (or WM or TB) code. The next step is to visit your "My Field Notes" page and you will see the caches that you visited, in order. You can easily click the "Log Cache" link and it will prefill the log submission form for the cache with the correct date, log type and text you entered in your SMS message.

 

Even, better, you can link this functionality to Twitter and Fire Eagle. On Twitter, your status will be automatically updated with a note that you just visited the cache you logged. Twitter can automatically update your Facebook status, too (and that on other social sites). On Fire Eagle, your location is updated on a map showing friends where you were when you last logged. You can see an example of this on my web site.

 

It's a lot of fun adding geocaching friends to your friends lists and seeing where they are and what caches they are finding!

[+intolerable]

I started using this very recently and love it. Thanks for pointing this out.

[+WRASTRO]

Thanks for the great info Jon!

 

I would like to add a couple of tips for dummies (me). You do need to go to the http://coord.info/textmark.aspx link and register your phone before you can use this service. Then, when you send your text message you need to make sure you have a blank space between the geoc and the @.

 

Also, when I went to the http://coord.info link I saw that I was able to select the remember me box so I can now connect directly to cache pages without having to log on each time.

 

I think this will be very useful for me and appreciate your posting the info.

[+coreynjoey]

I've been using this for a while now and it's great! It's a nice and quick way to go to the cache page!

[+FluteFace]

I've been watching tweets about this. Thanks for the extra info. It looks intriguing. I can't wait to be using it.

[+Allanon]

I see a new, more expensive phone in my future...

[+wandering4cache]

It doesn't work on my cheapo pre-paid Nokia. I get "memory full" when trying to view the page. I can still use wap.geocaching.com however.

 

It does work on hubby's Blackberry, so we can use that when we need to see a photo from the page.

 

THANKS!!!

[+M-T-P]

Wow, this is really cool! I just linked it up with my phone, and have already posted a find using SMS to GC.com, Twitter, Facebook, and Fire Eagle!!!

 

And no... you don't need any sort of expensive phone to do this. Any phone with SMS (text messages) will work. I'm using a cheap throw-away VirginMobile phone ($9.95) with no fancy features at all.

 

Jon, thanks for pointing me in this direction.

[+wandering4cache]

It doesn't work on my cheapo pre-paid Nokia. I get "memory full" when trying to view the page. I can still use wap.geocaching.com however.

 

It does work on hubby's Blackberry, so we can use that when we need to see a photo from the page.

 

THANKS!!!

[+wandering4cache]

It doesn't work on my cheapo pre-paid Nokia. I get "memory full" when trying to view the page. I can still use wap.geocaching.com however.

 

It does work on hubby's Blackberry 8830, so we can use that when we need to see a photo from the page.

 

THANKS!!!

[+M-T-P]

Wow, this is really cool! I just linked it up with my phone, and have already posted a find using SMS to GC.com, Twitter, Facebook, and Fire Eagle!!!

 

And no... you don't need any sort of expensive phone to do this. Any phone with SMS (text messages) will work. I'm using a cheap throw-away VirginMobile phone ($9.95) with no fancy features at all.

 

Jon, thanks for pointing me in this direction.

[+intolerable]

Wow, this is really cool! I just linked it up with my phone, and have already posted a find using SMS to GC.com, Twitter, Facebook, and Fire Eagle!!!

 

And no... you don't need any sort of expensive phone to do this. Any phone with SMS (text messages) will work. I'm using a cheap throw-away VirginMobile phone ($9.95) with no fancy features at all.

 

Jon, thanks for pointing me in this direction.

 

Point Twitter in the direction of socialthing! and/or ping.fm and you can add an obscene amount of other social networks :-)

[+wandering4cache]

Correction on my part. My cheapo phone can't view the cache page via coord.info, but it can via wap.

 

My cheapo phone CAN send SMS text message which lets me log cache found or not found. (Well, actually, the logging part comes when we get back to a computer.

 

NOW, my question, can 2 different phones be used per gc.com premium account? Like a his & a her phone? Or is it just 1 phone / identifier per account?

[+coreynjoey]

Correction on my part. My cheapo phone can't view the cache page via coord.info, but it can via wap.

 

My cheapo phone CAN send SMS text message which lets me log cache found or not found. (Well, actually, the logging part comes when we get back to a computer.

 

NOW, my question, can 2 different phones be used per gc.com premium account? Like a his & a her phone? Or is it just 1 phone / identifier per account?

 

 

You can use more than one phone.

[Skippermark]

I posted a note about this earlier tonight in the local CT caching forum about it and am reposting it here with some screenshots so others can see what it's about.

 

A couple weeks ago, Groundspeak introduced something neat that lets you do a lot of things via text messages on your phone. It doesn't cost anything to use the service, other than any cost that your carrier may charge you for using text messages, so check that out before going crazy and using it, especially if you don't have any included messages in your cell plan.

 

This service is part of the new http://coord.info site that Groundspeak announced a couple weeks ago.

 

http://coord.info/textmark.aspx

 

With this service, you can get cache info, hints and even log finds and DNFs from your phone, simply by sending a text message.

 

There are a couple ways you can log finds. The first way is the traditional way, where you write a log and the log is posted to the cache page, and the cache is marked found.

 

But, what I like more is the field notes options. You still mark a cache found, but rather than write a log and have something get posted to the cache page, it simply adds a note to the "field notes" page saying you found the cache. It doesn't actually mark it found on the cache page itself. When you get home, you access your field notes from the geocaching page and then write your log at that time. Once logged, they disappear from the field notes page. I may not be explaining it very well, but it's actually very easy.

 

These are great if you found a bunch while on vacation over several days. When you go to the field notes and go to log your find, it takes you directly to the log entry screen, already has the cache marked as found and has the correct date entered.

 

Below is an example of where you go to access your field notes:

 

Here is what the field notes screen looks like. All the caches are shown in the order you found them and with the date that you marked them found. This is handy if you have a bunch of caches that you found on different days. No need to worry about changing the date to the correct date you found it. It's done automatically!

 

There are a couple other cool things that it does too, but these are totally optional and don't need to be setup unless you want to use them. If you use Twitter, you can set it up so that when you find a cache and mark it found via SMS, it automatically updates your status on Twitter. In addition, if you use Facebook, you can set it up so that your tweets automatically update your status on Facebook.

 

Groundspeak says that they plan to add more of these "social" features to the SMS service in the future, making it easier for cachers to stay in touch with each other while caching.

 

Below is a screenshot showing how it looks on Facebook when you mark a cache found. Again, you're not actually marking the cache as found on the cache page, just making an "electronic" note in the field notes so that you can log it later.

 

Below is a screenshot showing how it looks on Facebook when you say you send a text message saying you're "going to a cache." This is really cool because if you're planning on heading out to a cache, you can send a message like that and people will know where you are so you can maybe hook up and do the cache together. You can also send a note saying you are leaving a cache.

Edited October 29, 2008 by Skippermark

[Skippermark]

Correction on my part. My cheapo phone can't view the cache page via coord.info, but it can via wap.

 

My cheapo phone CAN send SMS text message which lets me log cache found or not found. (Well, actually, the logging part comes when we get back to a computer.

 

NOW, my question, can 2 different phones be used per gc.com premium account? Like a his & a her phone? Or is it just 1 phone / identifier per account?

 

You can use more than one phone.

And if you use Geocache Navigator, you can still use that too. All your field notes will appear in the same screen.

[+SweetSassyPants]

Holy Smokes! This is neat. Thanks for pointing it out, Jon!

[Skippermark]

I wanted to edit (but couldn't, not sure why) my most to clarify a couple points.

 

After playing a bit and a note from FireRef, I learned that no matter what you do with the SMS, it doesn't do anything to the cache page itself. Logging a find or a DNF only appears on the Field Notes page.

 

So, to reflect that paragraph 6 and 7 should read as follows:

 

When you mark a cache found or not found, it appears in the field notes feature of geocaching.com. You can also add notes about the cache if you want. It doesn't actually do anything to the cache page itself. When you get home, you access your field notes from the geocaching page and then write your log at that time. Once logged, they disappear from the field notes page. I may not be explaining it very well, but it's actually very easy.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Skippermark

[+SweetSassyPants]

I wanted to edit (but couldn't, not sure why) my most to clarify a couple points.

 

After playing a bit and a note from FireRef, I learned that no matter what you do with the SMS, it doesn't do anything to the cache page itself. Logging a find or a DNF only appears on the Field Notes page.

 

So, to reflect that paragraph 6 and 7 should read as follows:

 

When you mark a cache found or not found, it appears in the field notes feature of geocaching.com. You can also add notes about the cache if you want. It doesn't actually do anything to the cache page itself. When you get home, you access your field notes from the geocaching page and then write your log at that time. Once logged, they disappear from the field notes page. I may not be explaining it very well, but it's actually very easy.

 

You've explained it just fine. If I can understand it anybody should be able to.

[+Lightning Jeff]

Yes, thanks Jon for pointing this out. As one of your Twitter followers, you also turned me on to Brightkite, which is both very cool and somewhat scary - just like Twitter but location-based. Interesting stuff. The coord.info/Twitter combo lets you see where your friends are caching, while Brightkite lets you see their photos from those adventures, and see where they are when they're not caching. Did I say scary?!

[+rafermadness]

This is a nice functionality addition. Thanks for the post.

[+teampipperice]

Has anyone had trouble setting up their Field Notes Account?

 

I've followed the instructions on the coord.info site, and I received my device identifier and password. But whenever I plug them into the "Link To Device" page on GC.com, I get the following error: "No Account was found with the information provided". I've tried several different times, always with the same result.

 

In the meantime, the TextMarks SMS tool is working fine for me. I even logged a find via 41411, and got a reply that the cache was logged in my field notes. Of course, when I go to my Field Notes, there's nothing there.

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[+eagsc7]

As with others... when I get CASH, I will get a better newer phone...

 

The Steaks

[+devinberg]

Has anyone had trouble setting up their Field Notes Account?

 

I've followed the instructions on the coord.info site, and I received my device identifier and password. But whenever I plug them into the "Link To Device" page on GC.com, I get the following error: "No Account was found with the information provided". I've tried several different times, always with the same result.

 

In the meantime, the TextMarks SMS tool is working fine for me. I even logged a find via 41411, and got a reply that the cache was logged in my field notes. Of course, when I go to my Field Notes, there's nothing there.

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

I am getting the same error message. Not sure what is wrong. Anybody found the cure?

[+PJPeters]

Has anyone had trouble setting up their Field Notes Account?

 

I've followed the instructions on the coord.info site, and I received my device identifier and password. But whenever I plug them into the "Link To Device" page on GC.com, I get the following error: "No Account was found with the information provided". I've tried several different times, always with the same result.

 

In the meantime, the TextMarks SMS tool is working fine for me. I even logged a find via 41411, and got a reply that the cache was logged in my field notes. Of course, when I go to my Field Notes, there's nothing there.

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

I am getting the same error message. Not sure what is wrong. Anybody found the cure?

Yup. Had the same problem, then inspiration hit:

In your reply from 41411, you'll get the following:

Hello! Link your

account with

device identifier

XX#NNNNNN and

password XXXX...

 

Enter the entire identifier (XX#NNNNNN), where XX is a two letter combo (mine was TM), the pound sign (#), the numbers, and then the password is the 'PIN.' After putting the whole identifier in, it took right off.

[+webscouter.]

So I figured out how to get the field notes to update Twitter but I still can't figure out how to update my location on Fire Eagle.

 

Any help here?

 

Thanks

[+coreynjoey]

So I figured out how to get the field notes to update Twitter but I still can't figure out how to update my location on Fire Eagle.

 

Any help here?

 

Thanks

 

I read somewhere that they removed the Fire Eagle from the sharing page because it was causing problems.

[+teampipperice]

Has anyone had trouble setting up their Field Notes Account?

 

I've followed the instructions on the coord.info site, and I received my device identifier and password. But whenever I plug them into the "Link To Device" page on GC.com, I get the following error: "No Account was found with the information provided". I've tried several different times, always with the same result.

 

In the meantime, the TextMarks SMS tool is working fine for me. I even logged a find via 41411, and got a reply that the cache was logged in my field notes. Of course, when I go to my Field Notes, there's nothing there.

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

I am getting the same error message. Not sure what is wrong. Anybody found the cure?

Yup. Had the same problem, then inspiration hit:

In your reply from 41411, you'll get the following:

Hello! Link your

account with

device identifier

XX#NNNNNN and

password XXXX...

 

Enter the entire identifier (XX#NNNNNN), where XX is a two letter combo (mine was TM), the pound sign (#), the numbers, and then the password is the 'PIN.' After putting the whole identifier in, it took right off.

 

Thank you! That did the trick.

Would have been nice if Field Notes set up instructions explained that you have to enter "TM#" in the identifier field.

[+popop]

I started using this very recently and love it. Thanks for pointing this out.

 

as have I.......... also love it

 

A sample of my twitter feed from a morning cache run using these aforementioned tools in addition to the iphone geocaching app.

[+kidcobalt]

Thanks for the great info Jon!

 

I would like to add a couple of tips for dummies (me). You do need to go to the http://coord.info/textmark.aspx link and register your phone before you can use this service. Then, when you send your text message you need to make sure you have a blank space between the geoc and the @.

 

 

Sent the text GEOC to 41411 as in the textmark instructions but yet to receive my 'Device identifier and PIN'

 

Actually sent 2 text messages GEOC & "GEOC"

 

any ideas.

 

p

[+coreynjoey]

Thanks for the great info Jon!

 

I would like to add a couple of tips for dummies (me). You do need to go to the http://coord.info/textmark.aspx link and register your phone before you can use this service. Then, when you send your text message you need to make sure you have a blank space between the geoc and the @.

 

 

Sent the text GEOC to 41411 as in the textmark instructions but yet to receive my 'Device identifier and PIN'

 

Actually sent 2 text messages GEOC & "GEOC"

 

any ideas.

 

p

 

I just tried it and got a response pretty quick. You don't need the "", just geoc

 

Try it again, maybe it was just a blip in the service.

[+arabstar1982]

Wow, thanks for putting this info here! I had no idea it existed. I use a Delorme PN-20 and realized it didn't have the field notes option, was slightly bummed, but dealing with it. I wasn't about to upgrade to the PN-40 or another unit when I had just bought this one a couple months ago. I always have my phone with me, and as soon as it gets signal, I can log the find and keep track that way, I LOVE IT! Thanks a lot!

[+kidcobalt]

Tried all the options -no luck- I guess my Carrier "ROGERS" doesn't handle 41411

Edited March 23, 2009 by kidcobalt

[+coreynjoey]

Tried all the options -no luck- I guess my Carrier "ROGERS" doesn't handle 41411

 

I looked at the textmarks website and it says it's only available in the US.

[+kidcobalt]

 

I looked at the textmarks website and it says it's only available in the US.

 

OOPS! missed that.

 

That'll do it. Guess I'll have to move!

 

thxs

[+coreynjoey]

 

I looked at the textmarks website and it says it's only available in the US.

 

OOPS! missed that.

 

That'll do it. Guess I'll have to move!

 

thxs

 

Come on down, our economy sucks but we're a friendly group!

[+Wooden Cyclist]

This is a time saving feature for me. I can enter field notes from Cacheberry, but doing it by text is faster.

 

 

I am having one problem. I can log finds without problems, but I can't get the texts for DNFs to go through. It is that same as the text for a find except you replace the @ with an X.

 

 

Has anyone successfully logged an DNF using the text service?

[+coreynjoey]

This is a time saving feature for me. I can enter field notes from Cacheberry, but doing it by text is faster.

 

 

I am having one problem. I can log finds without problems, but I can't get the texts for DNFs to go through. It is that same as the text for a find except you replace the @ with an X.

 

 

Has anyone successfully logged an DNF using the text service?

 

I just tried it and it went through no problem. Got the message and looked in my field notes and it was there.

[JamesA60]

You can now do exactly the same thing with geo.co .

It seems to be running the same software as coord.info, but uses a shorter domain name.

 

Example: geo.co/GC50B7D

[+hydnsek]

Oooh, a six-year-old thread wakes up. A lot has changed since then, and http://coord.info/textmark.aspx - the service that let you get cache info, hints and log finds and DNFs from your phone by sending a text message - is no longer available. It's all about apps now.

[+klossner]

And the WAP interface is gone too, so those of us who don't want to pay a big monthly bill for a smart phone and data plan can no longer access the site from the field. I used to get a lot of value from WAP on my "feature phone" with $30/month cell service.

[+FunnyNose]

And the WAP interface is gone too,

 

Darn that was on my favorite undocumented features using WAP to log caches without the owner being sent a log notification email.