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how to sign up to receive Instant Notification via cell phone text messages


KD8ATF

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Well, I have Verizon, so the email address to send a message to my phone number is (MYPHONENUMBER)@vtext.com. Or you can use (MYPHONENUMBER)@vzwpix.com (The VZWpix.com option allows you to receive more data. The alerts DO NOT include the coordinates, however, so you need to send a text message to 41411 with the following in it: geoc ?GCXXXX. That will send the coordinates back to your phone. Great for getting those FTFs. Also, you need to authenticate your cell phone number with GC.com. Look in your account for directions.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Additionally, you can use the following:

 

geoc @GCXXXX to LOG a find (puts it in your fieldnotes)

geoc XGCXXXX to LOG a DNF (did not find)

geoc !GCXXXX to request the hint for the cache, if any available.

 

If you wish to add anything to your log (travel bugs, comments, whatever, you can also add those after the GCXXXX and it will show up in your fieldnotes as well.

 

Great tool, I use this ALL the time. I have an Oregon, but I prefer this, since it saves me having to plug the GPS in and upload the file.

Edited by bunkerdave
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Verizon: 10digitphonenumber@vtext.com

AT&T: 10digitphonenumber@mobile.att.net

Sprint: 10digitphonenumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com

T-Mobile: 10digitphonenumber@tmomail.net

Nextel: 10digitphonenumber@messaging.nextel.com

Cingular: 10digitphonenumber@mobile.mycingular.com

Virgin Mobile: 10digitphonenumber@vmobl.com

Alltel: 10digitphonenumber@alltelmessage.com OR message.alltel.com

CellularOne: 10digitphonenumber@mobile.celloneusa.com

Omnipoint: 10digitphonenumber@omnipointpcs.com

Qwest: 10digitphonenumber@qwestmp.com

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Go to the Geocaching notification page and choose "Create a new notification" at the bottom of the page.

 

(To get notifications on the three most common sort of hides, you'll need to create three separate notifications. One for Traditional hides, one for multistages, one for unknowns.)

 

Enter your cell number in the correct format (see below).

 

Repeat the process for multistage and unknown caches.

 

The format info below has already been posted, but this gives a little more format info.

 

T-Mobile

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ tmomail.net

Example: 3335551111@tmomail.net

 

Verizon Wireless

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ vtext.com

Example: 3335551111@vtext.com

 

Rogers Wireless

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ pcs.rogers.com

Example: 3335551111@pcs.rogers.com

 

Sprint PCS

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ messaging.sprintpcs.com

Example: 3335551111@messaging.sprintpcs.com

 

Cingular Wireless

Format: 1 + 10-digit cell phone number @ cingularme.com

Example: 13335551111@cingularme.com

 

AT&T PCS

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ mobile.att.net

Example: 3335551111@mobile.att.net

 

Bell Atlantic

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ message.bam.com

Example: 3335551111@message.bam.com

 

Bell Mobility (Canada)

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ txt.bell.ca

Example: 3335551111@txt.bell.ca

 

Cellular One

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ mobile.celloneusa.com

Example: 3335551111@mobile.celloneusa.com

 

Comcast

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ comcastpcs.textmsg.com

Example: 3335551111@comcastpcs.textmsg.com

 

Fido

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ fido.ca

Example: 3335551111@fido.ca

 

Telus

Format: 10-digit cell phone number @ msg.telus.com

Example: 3335551111@msg.telus.com

 

If for some reason this doesn't work for you, here is a list of email to text formats. There are several listings there for AT&T.

 

(This borrowed, with permission, from www.DeepSouthGC.net)

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Well, I have Verizon, so the email address to send a message to my phone number is (MYPHONENUMBER)@vtext.com. Or you can use (MYPHONENUMBER)@vzwpix.com (The VZWpix.com option allows you to receive more data. The alerts DO NOT include the coordinates, however, so you need to send a text message to 41411 with the following in it: geoc ?GCXXXX. That will send the coordinates back to your phone. Great for getting those FTFs. Also, you need to authenticate your cell phone number with GC.com. Look in your account for directions.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Additionally, you can use the following:

 

geoc @GCXXXX to LOG a find (puts it in your fieldnotes)

geoc XGCXXXX to LOG a DNF (did not find)

geoc !GCXXXX to request the hint for the cache, if any available.

 

If you wish to add anything to your log (travel bugs, comments, whatever, you can also add those after the GCXXXX and it will show up in your fieldnotes as well.

 

Great tool, I use this ALL the time. I have an Oregon, but I prefer this, since it saves me having to plug the GPS in and upload the file.

 

Before you do this, you need to sign up for Textmarks. But I agree, it is awesome for those FTF's.

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I was just looking to see if it was feasible to try having notifications sent directly to my phone using my provider's email. What i found, at least it looks like to me, is that gc.com will only send it to one address. This wouldn't work well for me since i'm more interested in seeing the notifications in emails on the computer. So i guess i have a good system going right now, getting regular emails on AOL who in turn, sends them to my phone.

 

My question though, can i still utilize the cell provider's email to access for coordinates after i receive the initial notification? If so, what is the procedure using Tmobile service?

 

Thanks!

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Many people use GMail and then use the functions within GMail to automatically forward the notification to other email addresses. Alternately, you could set up and additional notification to a different email address.

 

The SMS Gatway for T-Moble is 10digitnumber@tmomail.net

 

Bear in mind that none of the notifications contain the coordinates. You must access the cache page to obtain the coordinates.

Edited by Motorcycle_Mama
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Bear in mind that none of the notifications contain the coordinates. You must access the cache page to obtain the coordinates.

 

ACTUALLY, as stated before, the Textmark SMS notification system can and will get you coordinates. After I receive a geocache publish notification to my cell phone, I write down the waypoint associated with that cache. Then I send a text to Textmark requesting the coordinates to that geocache. The reply back from Textmark includes the coordinates, the name, difficulty/terrain, and very typically, the size and type. Just enough information that I can get to a cache quicker than the other FTF hounds.

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Bear in mind that none of the notifications contain the coordinates. You must access the cache page to obtain the coordinates.

 

ACTUALLY, as stated before, the Textmark SMS notification system can and will get you coordinates. After I receive a geocache publish notification to my cell phone, I write down the waypoint associated with that cache. Then I send a text to Textmark requesting the coordinates to that geocache. The reply back from Textmark includes the coordinates, the name, difficulty/terrain, and very typically, the size and type. Just enough information that I can get to a cache quicker than the other FTF hounds.

 

This is correct, you can do this no problemo. There is currently no way to get the cache coordinates sent to your cell phone without an "extra step". Whether you get the new cache alert via an email-enabled cellphone, and have to go on the internet with a web enabled cell phone to see them, or you get those emails converted to a text message, and have to request the coordinates via another text message.

 

No different than sitting at home, really. You get the email, and you have to click the link in the email and go on the web to see the cache coordinates. :P

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Bear in mind that none of the notifications contain the coordinates. You must access the cache page to obtain the coordinates.

 

ACTUALLY, as stated before, the Textmark SMS notification system can and will get you coordinates. After I receive a geocache publish notification to my cell phone, I write down the waypoint associated with that cache. Then I send a text to Textmark requesting the coordinates to that geocache. The reply back from Textmark includes the coordinates, the name, difficulty/terrain, and very typically, the size and type. Just enough information that I can get to a cache quicker than the other FTF hounds.

 

This is correct, you can do this no problemo. There is currently no way to get the cache coordinates sent to your cell phone without an "extra step". Whether you get the new cache alert via an email-enabled cellphone, and have to go on the internet with a web enabled cell phone to see them, or you get those emails converted to a text message, and have to request the coordinates via another text message.

 

No different than sitting at home, really. You get the email, and you have to click the link in the email and go on the web to see the cache coordinates. :)

 

I'm kinda slow at this. Using Tmobile, how do i request coordinates via another text message? What is Textmark and do i have to use it? Other than the per text cost with my phone plan, are there any other charges that i need to be aware of? Lot's of questions i know but i'm sure there are others out there that might find the answers useful.

 

Edited to say that i did some searching and found the information i needed. This works like a charm!

 

Ok, my 2nd edit here. I now know how to text for coordinates but i'm pretty sure that i won't be able to do it because i don't think the initial notification that i receive contains the gc number. Probably missing something here so i'll dig further.

Edited by Mudfrog
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Bear in mind that none of the notifications contain the coordinates. You must access the cache page to obtain the coordinates.

 

ACTUALLY, as stated before, the Textmark SMS notification system can and will get you coordinates. After I receive a geocache publish notification to my cell phone, I write down the waypoint associated with that cache. Then I send a text to Textmark requesting the coordinates to that geocache. The reply back from Textmark includes the coordinates, the name, difficulty/terrain, and very typically, the size and type. Just enough information that I can get to a cache quicker than the other FTF hounds.

 

This is correct, you can do this no problemo. There is currently no way to get the cache coordinates sent to your cell phone without an "extra step". Whether you get the new cache alert via an email-enabled cellphone, and have to go on the internet with a web enabled cell phone to see them, or you get those emails converted to a text message, and have to request the coordinates via another text message.

 

No different than sitting at home, really. You get the email, and you have to click the link in the email and go on the web to see the cache coordinates. :)

 

I'm kinda slow at this. Using Tmobile, how do i request coordinates via another text message? What is Textmark and do i have to use it? Other than the per text cost with my phone plan, are there any other charges that i need to be aware of? Lot's of questions i know but i'm sure there are others out there that might find the answers useful.

 

Edited to say that i did some searching and found the information i needed. This works like a charm!

 

Ok, my 2nd edit here. I now know how to text for coordinates but i'm pretty sure that i won't be able to do it because i don't think the initial notification that i receive contains the gc number. Probably missing something here so i'll dig further.

 

Whoa! You scared me there. I thought maybe I was telling people the wrong information the last couple of weeks. No, the waypoint name should be the 2nd "word" in your new cache notification email. Here's the latest one in my inbox, cut and pasted exactly as is:

 

For GC1XHQ1: Cachin' Kayla's Spongebob Cache (Traditional Cache)

Location: New York, United States

45.2mi SW (72.8km SW)

sapience trek published Cachin' Kayla's Spongebob Cache (Traditional Cache) at 8/22/2009

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Bear in mind that none of the notifications contain the coordinates. You must access the cache page to obtain the coordinates.

 

ACTUALLY, as stated before, the Textmark SMS notification system can and will get you coordinates. After I receive a geocache publish notification to my cell phone, I write down the waypoint associated with that cache. Then I send a text to Textmark requesting the coordinates to that geocache. The reply back from Textmark includes the coordinates, the name, difficulty/terrain, and very typically, the size and type. Just enough information that I can get to a cache quicker than the other FTF hounds.

 

This is correct, you can do this no problemo. There is currently no way to get the cache coordinates sent to your cell phone without an "extra step". Whether you get the new cache alert via an email-enabled cellphone, and have to go on the internet with a web enabled cell phone to see them, or you get those emails converted to a text message, and have to request the coordinates via another text message.

 

No different than sitting at home, really. You get the email, and you have to click the link in the email and go on the web to see the cache coordinates. :)

 

I'm kinda slow at this. Using Tmobile, how do i request coordinates via another text message? What is Textmark and do i have to use it? Other than the per text cost with my phone plan, are there any other charges that i need to be aware of? Lot's of questions i know but i'm sure there are others out there that might find the answers useful.

 

Edited to say that i did some searching and found the information i needed. This works like a charm!

 

Ok, my 2nd edit here. I now know how to text for coordinates but i'm pretty sure that i won't be able to do it because i don't think the initial notification that i receive contains the gc number. Probably missing something here so i'll dig further.

 

Whoa! You scared me there. I thought maybe I was telling people the wrong information the last couple of weeks. No, the waypoint name should be the 2nd "word" in your new cache notification email. Here's the latest one in my inbox, cut and pasted exactly as is:

 

For GC1XHQ1: Cachin' Kayla's Spongebob Cache (Traditional Cache)

Location: New York, United States

45.2mi SW (72.8km SW)

sapience trek published Cachin' Kayla's Spongebob Cache (Traditional Cache) at 8/22/2009

 

Now that i think about it, i'm sure you are right. This will certainly come in handy at times, Thanks for all the help! :D

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Bear in mind that none of the notifications contain the coordinates. You must access the cache page to obtain the coordinates.

 

ACTUALLY, as stated before, the Textmark SMS notification system can and will get you coordinates. After I receive a geocache publish notification to my cell phone, I write down the waypoint associated with that cache. Then I send a text to Textmark requesting the coordinates to that geocache. The reply back from Textmark includes the coordinates, the name, difficulty/terrain, and very typically, the size and type. Just enough information that I can get to a cache quicker than the other FTF hounds.

 

This is correct, you can do this no problemo. There is currently no way to get the cache coordinates sent to your cell phone without an "extra step". Whether you get the new cache alert via an email-enabled cellphone, and have to go on the internet with a web enabled cell phone to see them, or you get those emails converted to a text message, and have to request the coordinates via another text message.

 

No different than sitting at home, really. You get the email, and you have to click the link in the email and go on the web to see the cache coordinates. :unsure:

 

I'm kinda slow at this. Using Tmobile, how do i request coordinates via another text message? What is Textmark and do i have to use it? Other than the per text cost with my phone plan, are there any other charges that i need to be aware of? Lot's of questions i know but i'm sure there are others out there that might find the answers useful.

 

Edited to say that i did some searching and found the information i needed. This works like a charm!

 

Ok, my 2nd edit here. I now know how to text for coordinates but i'm pretty sure that i won't be able to do it because i don't think the initial notification that i receive contains the gc number. Probably missing something here so i'll dig further.

 

Whoa! You scared me there. I thought maybe I was telling people the wrong information the last couple of weeks. No, the waypoint name should be the 2nd "word" in your new cache notification email. Here's the latest one in my inbox, cut and pasted exactly as is:

 

For GC1XHQ1: Cachin' Kayla's Spongebob Cache (Traditional Cache)

Location: New York, United States

45.2mi SW (72.8km SW)

sapience trek published Cachin' Kayla's Spongebob Cache (Traditional Cache) at 8/22/2009

 

Now that i think about it, i'm sure you are right. This will certainly come in handy at times, Thanks for all the help! ;)

 

Nope! I've had 5 or 6 notifications come in and none of them contain the gc# in them. The text simply tells me that there is a new cache published by "reviewer's name" and what type cache it is. You would think that very first part with the gc# would be there but it is not. Any ideas of how to get that basic info into the initial notification?

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It's been a while since I canceled my notifications, so my memory may be faulty.

 

I have actual EMail on my phone, and I believe there were links at the bottom of the message...something like...

 

'Click here to visit this log'

and

'Click here to visit GCXYZZ'

 

Is it possible that your text server is stripping out ALL the HTML?

Maybe your phone is refusing to display the HTML?

 

If you wanted to test that theory, get a GMail account, and have the notifications sent there, then have the GMail account forward them to your phone. Then you can compare what is in the GMail inbox to what made it to your phone.

 

My company uses EMail to text for messages to field techs, and on the T-Mobile system this method of communicating is sketchy at best...lots of messages not delivered.

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It's been a while since I canceled my notifications, so my memory may be faulty.

 

I have actual EMail on my phone, and I believe there were links at the bottom of the message...something like...

 

'Click here to visit this log'

and

'Click here to visit GCXYZZ'

 

Is it possible that your text server is stripping out ALL the HTML?

Maybe your phone is refusing to display the HTML?

 

If you wanted to test that theory, get a GMail account, and have the notifications sent there, then have the GMail account forward them to your phone. Then you can compare what is in the GMail inbox to what made it to your phone.

 

My company uses EMail to text for messages to field techs, and on the T-Mobile system this method of communicating is sketchy at best...lots of messages not delivered.

 

Ok, i tried going through gmail and forwarding from there, straight to my phone. This did the trick with me getting the gc number in the first notification. Thanks AZ!

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I guess I'm realllllly old school!! When a new cache comes in an email is sent to my Yahoo account, which in turn sends a text message to my verizon phone. Then, if I want, I can log into the internet on my phone to see the cache info, or if I'm at home or work, I just use that computer. I may just have to play with the stuff above...

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No, you can't get instant notifications via text message to your cell phone in Canada because the Textmarks service only works in the United States.

 

Can someone at Groundspeak please find a text message notification solution for Canada?

 

I get the notifications on my phone, but only what the email would give me. Is there still no way to receive additional cache info (i.e coords, hint...) without a web enabled phone...

 

edit:

...In Canada?

Edited by Mr. Wilson & a Mt. Goat
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No, you can't get instant notifications via text message to your cell phone in Canada because the Textmarks service only works in the United States.

 

Can someone at Groundspeak please find a text message notification solution for Canada?

 

I get the notifications on my phone, but only what the email would give me. Is there still no way to receive additional cache info (i.e coords, hint...) without a web enabled phone...

 

edit:

...In Canada?

 

No. Textmarks only works in America. Actually, it doesn't work over here anymore either, but that's besides the point. :laughing:

 

Short codes are Country specific. There would have to be a huge demand from Canada before Groundspeak leased a short code there. Not out of the question, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Just my opinion, of course.

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there is also http://wap.geocaching.com/ to get cache info once you get the gc#

 

i will have to look into this info.

 

i get email on my blackberry tour with alltel. well at least for now. will be switching to another carrier soon. just havent decided if i will follow to ATT or find another carrier. my home area is being picked up by att and that starts in jan. have to make a decision by then. if i dont then i am without a phone.

im out of contract now.

 

anyways i am not a ftf hound, but if i am available i will try. so i like to get the info on my phone.

 

just wish it was more consistent. somedays i get all of the emails for new published caches and some days i get none or some.

 

Monty

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