Can someone explain pocket queries?

[+Mr&MrsQuixote]

My husband (Well... in 2 weeks) and I are currently using my blackberry for geocaching. I downloaded a navigational program, I write down the lat/long, GC#, name and any clue, then whenever we have questions I log into geocaching.com and lookup the GC# .

 

As you can imagine, navigating between internet explorer and my gps program is pretty heavy on my phone battery, but also a pain in the butt... so we've been searching for a GPS, and I keep seeing people mention it having, or not having the capability of pocket queries.

 

Could someone explain pocket queries as it relates to our situation? How do you use them, what do you use them for, and would it be a benefit for me? I'm not really sure what being paperless means (I'm assuming not having to write down my list?)... or how it works. I've searched around a bit and can't quite seem to find the answer to the question. I think it would be nice to not have to carry my phone around. In all honesty, I'm a major clutz, and really surprised my phone hasn't ended up in a lake already.

 

I'm new here, so I'm assuming this the right section. Forgive me if it's not!

 

Liz

 

(aka Mrs. Q - Adventurer extraordinaire)

[+tekkguy]

A pocket query lets you perform a search that is highly filtered for exactly what you are looking for, and then download all of the results (up to 500 caches per query) that match your filters. The results are sent to your email, and then you can transfer them to a device that supports 'paperless' caching, like your blackberry probably does.

 

When you look at the caches you get from a pocket query, you'll have the name, difficulty, description, terrain rating, hints, and even some of the logs from other people all in one spot.

[+BlueDeuce]

and then you can transfer them to a device that supports 'paperless'.....

 

And/or transfer them to your gps even if it doesn't support papaerless.

[+burtsbodgers]

A pocket query is a search which customisable for your requirements.

It can contain up to 500 caches which then can be loaded into your GPSr as 1 file in a GPX format, which can be read by units offering paperless caching and hold all it info on the cache page.

You can then look at any individual cache within those 500 and search for it.

I believe you can use a program called Cacheberry? that would work for you doing the same thing, someone will be along if i am wrong, and put it right.

[+gatoller]

Could someone explain pocket queries as it relates to our situation? How do you use them, what do you use them for, and would it be a benefit for me?

Well, I'm not sure the specifics of using them on a Blackberry, but here's how they work- they are a 'query' of the Geocaching.com database of caches. You define your parameters (distance from a place, cache size, days since last found, etc- there are a ton of options), and the software on geocaching.com looks up all the caches that meet your parameters, creates a '.gpx' file containing all the information on those caches, and emails it to you. A good example is where I search for all caches within 20 miles of my home that are not 'micro' caches, or 'puzzle' caches.

 

I then take that file that I've been sent, and using a program like EasyGPS, transfer all the waypoints to my GPS (I use a Garmin 60CXS) using the USB cable. So, in minutes I've got what could be hundreds of caches loaded into the GPS, instead of either hand-adding them, or doing the 'send to GPS' on each one at a time.

 

As for a GPS being capable of using pocket queries doesn't make sense- if the GPS can get waypoints downloaded via something like EasyGPS (your best bet), then it's capable.

 

I'm not really sure what being paperless means (I'm assuming not having to write down my list?)... or how it works. I've searched around a bit and can't quite seem to find the answer to the question.

Paperless refers to having a device (or devices) that do away with having to print out anything at all to carry with you. My GPS doesn't do paperless- if there's a multi-cache, I still need to print the description, so I have the next steps information, if there's some on the description. Some people use a GPS like I have with the Blackberry- they use the GPS to do locations, the Blackberry to read the descriptions. Some newer GPS receivers will download a lot more description, to the point of being 'paperless' all on their own. Someone else would have to point you to one of those.

 

Hope that helps.

[+Mr&MrsQuixote]

Got it.

 

So essentially, the pocket query eliminates the hour I spend figuring out which caches I want to bother with during my limited time in an area, plus the extra piece of paper I carry around with the coordinates (although, from what I understand, not necessarily the GC#)?

 

Thanks for the quick and helpful responses.

[+Curioddity]

And/or transfer them to your gps even if it doesn't support papaerless.

If a GPSr doesn't support paperless caching, what benefit can be realized from transferring PQ results to it?

 

Pete

[+fegan]

And/or transfer them to your gps even if it doesn't support papaerless.

If a GPSr doesn't support paperless caching, what benefit can be realized from transferring PQ results to it?

 

Pete

 

You won't have to manually enter 500 waypoints.

[+Mr&MrsQuixote]

Thanks for everyone's help. I have successfully set up a pocket query and uploaded it to my now favorite blackberry program - cacheberry

[+StarBrand]

Here is a great tutorial http://www.markwell.us/pq.htm

[+Curioddity]

And/or transfer them to your gps even if it doesn't support papaerless.

If a GPSr doesn't support paperless caching, what benefit can be realized from transferring PQ results to it?

 

Pete

 

You won't have to manually enter 500 waypoints.

Aha. That's more or less what I expected but I had to ask.

 

And that would explain a phenomenon I've noticed since day one, ie: people caching with waypoints only. No description, no hints, no logs, only waypoints. So they never see the information like "reachable from the sidewalk" and "stay out of the vegetation" and "the park is closed from dusk to dawn" so they search for every cache with an "anything goes" attitude. Add a "7-minute rule" attitude and as often as not you have a trail of destruction.

 

Sound familiar?

 

Pete