+TetrAmigos Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 With the kids growing up (read: all kids can walk) we've decided to get back into caching again. The economy being what it is, I wasn't looking forward to buying any new equipment so I set to the task of looking in to my old hardware—a Dell Axim X30 with a paired Holux GR-230 bluetooth and various software—to see if it was functional and worthy of bearing the burden again. Good news is, yes! With a few part replacements including batteries, cables and a case plus an upgrade of software, it's destined to make a worthy geocaching partner again. I'm back to updating the blog listed in my signature, and I've documented the fun of "blowing the dust off of my Axim" in my latest article. Fun! Question for those of you who cache with Pocket PCs out there—are there any preferred software packages and/or programs out there you'd recommend having installed alongside TomTom, BeeLineGPS and Cachemate? Quote Link to comment
Keystone Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Welcome back! I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the GPS and Technology forum. Quote Link to comment
+Tahoe Skier5000 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) ...The economy being what it is, I wasn't looking forward to buying any new equipment... I always find this kind of societal behavior funny... If everyone thought the way you do, what would happen to the economy? ... nobody buying anything because "the economy is bad".... Seems just kinda interesting if you ask me Edited August 11, 2009 by Tahoe Skier5000 Quote Link to comment
+TetrAmigos Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 ...The economy being what it is, I wasn't looking forward to buying any new equipment... I always find this kind of societal behavior funny... If everyone thought the way you do, what would happen to the economy? ... nobody buying anything because "the economy is bad".... Seems just kinda interesting if you ask me You're right. I'm heading straight to the closest store and dropping $300 on a new gear. To heck with new shoes for the kids. Interesting, yes. Funny, not so much. Quote Link to comment
+RRLover Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 You're right. I'm heading straight to the closest store and dropping $300 on a new gear. To heck with new shoes for the kids. Interesting, yes. Funny, not so much. 38 tracks in the yard, 8 w/cars on 'em, everybody's Festivus is gonna $uck this year. Now's the Christmas rush in the rail industry, and the 'Big Name' purchase agents ain't doin' much purchasing. Norm Quote Link to comment
+rlridgeway Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) With the kids growing up (read: all kids can walk) we've decided to get back into caching again. The economy being what it is, I wasn't looking forward to buying any new equipment so I set to the task of looking in to my old hardware—a Dell Axim X30 with a paired Holux GR-230 bluetooth and various software—to see if it was functional and worthy of bearing the burden again. Good news is, yes! With a few part replacements including batteries, cables and a case plus an upgrade of software, it's destined to make a worthy geocaching partner again. I'm back to updating the blog listed in my signature, and I've documented the fun of "blowing the dust off of my Axim" in my latest article. Fun! Question for those of you who cache with Pocket PCs out there—are there any preferred software packages and/or programs out there you'd recommend having installed alongside TomTom, BeeLineGPS and Cachemate? If you live in the US, check out Backcountry Navigator. For 30 bucks you can get all the free pre-calibrated, high detailed 24 K topo maps you care to download. The software does geocaching well including paperless caching. There is a full-functioning 21 day free trial version. Edited August 11, 2009 by rlridgeway Quote Link to comment
+Tahoe Skier5000 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) ...The economy being what it is, I wasn't looking forward to buying any new equipment... I always find this kind of societal behavior funny... If everyone thought the way you do, what would happen to the economy? ... nobody buying anything because "the economy is bad".... Seems just kinda interesting if you ask me You're right. I'm heading straight to the closest store and dropping $300 on a new gear. To heck with new shoes for the kids. Interesting, yes. Funny, not so much. I'm just saying... I think its ironic how everyone cuts back on buying stuff because of the "bad economy". I know a lot of people who aren't even affected by the "recession" (ie still have their same jobs, making the same income as before) who are cutting back spending. It's like a programmed reaction or something... When the media says everything is bad, people cut back without even thinking of the consequences. If everyone collectively cut back on just one major purchase because of this "recession", the economy will have taken a huge hit just because of it. Sorry for this being so off-topic, just sharing my opinion... Edited August 11, 2009 by Tahoe Skier5000 Quote Link to comment
+TetrAmigos Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 If you live in the US, check out Backcountry Navigator.For 30 bucks you can get all the free pre-calibrated, high detailed 24 K topo maps you care to download. The software does geocaching well including paperless caching. There is a full-functioning 21 day free trial version. How much space does it take to store the topo maps, say, from all of California on the device? Quote Link to comment
+rlridgeway Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 How much space does it take to store the topo maps, say, from all of California on the device? Sorry to take so long in responding. I think a 7 mile by 7 mile area topo map is in the 2 megabyte range. The maps Backcountry Navigator uses are "raster" based image files. These are magitudes larger than the "vector"based maps similar to what Garmin and others use. A raster map of the entire area of California would be enormous. My Axim X50 recently died and I replaced it with a Samsung Jack cellphone. Unfortunately the Jack will not run Backcountry Navigator. But when I used BN on the Axim I would only download the maps of the immediate vicinity of where I was needing GPS. Raster maps offer slightly more detail than the vector maps. Raster maps are kinda just pictures of the paper USGS 7 1/2 minute topo Quads. I was used to reading these maps before GPS was around and liked the format. I have found a substitute mapping program that does handle vector maps called gps VP yhat will run on my Jack. This program is OK but really wish my Jack could run BN. Quote Link to comment
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