Using Blackberry as GPS

[+peevishness]

I've just got into the joys of geocaching, through my blackberry. I am using a free trial of geocache navigator, which I am very impressed with.

 

My question though, is how accurate is the blackberry gps compared with a budget specialized GPS unit? I've been led off the cache trail on a few of my hunts by the gps switching direction and area while walking. This is within the 30-40 meter area that I have read is the general accuracy area anyway, so I suspect this would be the same if I had a gps unit.

 

So am I making things harder for myself using the blackberry, or am I simply relying on the gps directions too much? I find it ok for a leisurely hunt off the beaten path, but for a few of the C&D caches where stealth is required, I find I have to abandon my search after a few minutes of wandering in circles while "texting on my phone"

 

Any advice would be appreciated while I sit and wait for the thunderstorms to stop ruining my planned hunt list for this afternoon!

 

Thanks

Matt

[+steve p]

I use the Geocache Navigator on a Blackberry and it seems to have the same accuracy as my Garmin GPSr. It often shows just a few feet to the cache, which turns out to be correct.

 

If you are seeing swings in distances to the cache or in compass directions it is most likely caused by overhead signal interference or signal reflection, which would happen on any unit.

[+Stroudwaterboy]

I now use Cacheberry on a Curve 8900, I have tested it alongside my Magellan and found it more accurate and of course it is truly paperless. I now only use the Magellan when it is raining although then the paper has problems even in sealed bags.

 

I did read in the release notes for the version of Cacheberry that I am using that there is a fix for a problem seen sometimes in the GPS feed.

[+peevishness]

ah ok well it looks like the blackberry will do me the best. I think I just need to change my method, or at least learn efficient hunting - had a 9 cache run today and only managed to find 3. Very frustrating, and lots of walking around in circles confused by my gps directions. Eventually just got in the approximate area and ignored the gps. But didn't fare any better. I need plenty more practice before I become a halfway decent cahe-hunter lol

 

Thanks for the comparisons though, makes me feel better, and will stop me blaming my equipment quite so much!

[+anavolena]

I've been using CacheBerry on my BlackBerry Curve 8330 with my Magellan SporTrak Color GPSr to have paperless caching while not running my BB batteries down too fast. Can't believe how fast having Location GPS on drains the BB! I turn it on only for cacheing, but still...

 

I did use the BB alone when I was on a trip in New Orleans and didn't want to take the GPSr with me. Most of the caches I did there were virtual, but had decent success on finding some micros in the French Quarter. I'd have found more but it was just always too hot for me when I had time to search.

 

I've been experimenting with comparing the BB (using BB Maps, as I'm on Verizon so it's my only GPS enabled option) and the Magellan next to each other. Sometimes the BB has better signal, sometimes the Magellan does, so it's nice to have both options.

[TabbyKitty]

I use Geocache Navigator on my Blackberry Storm and it is so much easier than using my GPS and really about as accurate! My only issue is getting the two accounts synched?! When I go to geocaching.com to plan trips I can't see what I've logged as being found with my phone ( I love the little interface with this app too...satellite photos can really be helpful.

 

I haven't tried but I doubt everything works when you have no service coverage...that will take the fun out of it quickly!

[+peevishness]

Yes I've found the big problem so far has been battery life - boy does it drain batteries fast on my curve - I have to have it charging whenever I am in the car on the way to a site, and find it is almost empty within an hour or two of walking. I started using the blackberry to listen to music while I searched, but that takes it to about 45 minutes of battery time! Maybe I will pick up a spare battery on ebay or something.

 

For the synchronization on the phone - I know there are options to filter out found caches in navigator. But it may be that you have to mark the cache as found on the blackberry as well as logging your visit on the site - I dont think logging it on the phone actually updates the geocaching website, and vice-versa. So you could always quickly mark as found on the phone once you find the cache, and then log your visit fully on the website later?

 

To be fair, I haven't used the filter at all yet, because Ive only found a handful of caches so far, but I have tried to make a point of manually logging as found on the phone, in case I start using it later on.

[+steve p]

My only issue is getting the two accounts synched?! When I go to geocaching.com to plan trips I can't see what I've logged as being found with my phone

 

I haven't tried but I doubt everything works when you have no service coverage...that will take the fun out of it quickly!

On seeing found caches that were logged from your phone, you're not creating a finalized log when you mark as found within Geocache Navigator. You have to log into gc.com and on your profile page in the "Field Notes" section on the right, click the link for "Access my field notes." There you'll see the caches marked as found. You have to click 'create log' for each cache. You'll be able to write your final log at that point.

 

I haven't encountered being in an area with no service coverage yet (I'm on Sprint). Last week in Maine and New Hampshire I was in some pretty rural areas and Geocache Navigator worked fine.

[+likelyladybug]

I use mostly my BB with the Geo Navigator. I do always carry my Garmin as a backup. I'm afraid of dropping the BB even though I did buy an Otter Box for it. I love that the hints and logs are right there and you can check them if you need them, I love being paperless and being able to cache on the fly. I don't like that the battery drains so rapidly and sometimes trying to find a signal takes for ever. We spent a week up in the White Mountain National Forest and there were a lot of "black out" areas.

[+peevishness]

OK, so I have been enjoying the caching on the fly benefits on the blackberry, where I can be out and about with a spare half an hour and instantly call up any nearby caches. This alone has made me decide not to get a standalone gps, as I dont know of any (certainly any budget ones) that can do this.

BUT ... I have found the downside of taking a phone out caching....

 

Ooops!

[+anavolena]

I have found the downside of taking a phone out caching....

Ooops!

 

Oh NO!

 

I'm actually astonished my phone doesn't have more than the few corner dings it has. I drop it all the time. I've even dropped it from horseback. Twice. At a pretty fast gait, too!

[+peevishness]

 

Oh NO!

 

I'm actually astonished my phone doesn't have more than the few corner dings it has. I drop it all the time. I've even dropped it from horseback. Twice. At a pretty fast gait, too!

 

You are certainly luckier than me! I also had it go down in a stream, and had it sat in a bag of rice for two days to dry out. Which also means I have invalidated any warranty I may have on it, thanks to a sneaky sticker on the inside. So I am on borrowed time, and fear for the loss of my blackberry life!

[sherlockphones]

I've just got into the joys of geocaching, through my blackberry. I am using a free trial of geocache navigator, which I am very impressed with.

 

Ironically my GPS seems to be lost at the moment, so for the last week I have been using BlackStar on my BlackBerry (www.blackstarnavigation.com). It's free, which was right in my price range . The accuracy is pretty decent and can usually get me within a few feet, but as someone else mentioned using a BlackBerry for caching sucks down the battery really quickly.

 

For city and on-the-fly caching, it's great. I like the ability to bring up nearby caches directly from geocaching.com as well as the ability to switch over to googlemaps satellite view while in the field so that I can see landmarks in relation to both my position and the position of the cache. If you were going somewhere a little more remote, though, I'd go with a dedicated GPS for the battery life and durability advantages.

[+QuesterMark]

I've just got into the joys of geocaching, through my blackberry. I am using a free trial of geocache navigator, which I am very impressed with.

 

My question though, is how accurate is the blackberry gps compared with a budget specialized GPS unit? I've been led off the cache trail on a few of my hunts by the gps switching direction and area while walking. This is within the 30-40 meter area that I have read is the general accuracy area anyway, so I suspect this would be the same if I had a gps unit.

 

So am I making things harder for myself using the blackberry, or am I simply relying on the gps directions too much? I find it ok for a leisurely hunt off the beaten path, but for a few of the C&D caches where stealth is required, I find I have to abandon my search after a few minutes of wandering in circles while "texting on my phone"

 

Any advice would be appreciated while I sit and wait for the thunderstorms to stop ruining my planned hunt list for this afternoon!

 

Thanks

Matt

 

Hi Matt.

 

I think what you are describing here is the problem that GPS receivers that have no electronic compass all have: you have to be moving rather quickly (fast walk) for the arrow to point the right way.

My Garmin 60Cx has no electronic compass. Once I get fairly close to the cache (usually closer than 30 meters, maybe more like 30 feet, but it depends on terrain and obstacles), then I use either the specific gps coordinates (a couple more steps north, then a step east--am I closer?), or I hang the GPS on my belt and think, OK, where would I hide a cache around here?

[+steve p]

I have found the downside of taking a phone out caching....

Ooops!

My wife dropped her BlackBerry and had a similar crack in her screen. She went to a Sprint store and they said it was just a crack in the screen cover, and that they could replace the screen cover for $15. She just had to wait a couple of weeks until they got the right part in stock. You might want to go into your carrier's local store to see what they can do for your unit.

 

Good luck.

[+peevishness]

My wife dropped her BlackBerry and had a similar crack in her screen. She went to a Sprint store and they said it was just a crack in the screen cover, and that they could replace the screen cover for $15. She just had to wait a couple of weeks until they got the right part in stock. You might want to go into your carrier's local store to see what they can do for your unit.

 

Good luck.

 

Its funny you mention this - I actually heard a few days back about the screen cover, so yep, sure enough I found one on ebay for $4! Ordered, and its apparently a fairly easy job to replace the cracked one! Thanks for the info - should be back caching/dropping it in no time

[+steve p]

Its funny you mention this - I actually heard a few days back about the screen cover, so yep, sure enough I found one on ebay for $4! Ordered, and its apparently a fairly easy job to replace the cracked one! Thanks for the info - should be back caching/dropping it in no time

That's great! Glad you found a cheap part. My wife was so relieved that it cost so little to fix the crack in her phone.

[pragmaticjack]

Yes I've found the big problem so far has been battery life - boy does it drain batteries fast on my curve - I have to have it charging whenever I am in the car on the way to a site, and find it is almost empty within an hour or two of walking. I started using the blackberry to listen to music while I searched, but that takes it to about 45 minutes of battery time! Maybe I will pick up a spare battery on ebay or something.

I picked up a dynamo/solar powered flashlight/radio/USB cellphone charger at the electronics gaget shop.

The unit has a URL imprinted right into the handle www.etoncorp.com

I tried it out, but haven't needed it yet.

If you're gonna bring a flashlight, might as well bring one that can charge up your devices in an emergency.