Help w/ Venture HC & waypoints

[ralitaco]

I just upgraded to a Venture HC, actually a b-day gift.

I want to know how to load waypoints. Currently I am NOT a premium member. I have figured out how to load 1 cache at a time. How do I load multiple caches at once? Is the only way to use GSAK or something like it? What is the purpose of the LOC files?

[+Bear and Ragged]

Happy Birthday!

 

LOC files are very 'bare bones' information.

 

To get the most out of information (co-ordinates) supplied by the site, Premium Membership is the way to go.

Pocket Queries and GPX files really are the best for getting multiple caches downloaded.

 

GSAK is a bonus, but not a necessity. (But I would recommend it!)

[namiboy]

if you register the unit/start an account on mygarmin then you can click on extras, click on go geocaching, put in a zip code and load away. it won't be paperless, but it works pretty well i think. it's free.

[WPMD]

You can download multiple waypoints as a LOC file then drag it into Mapsource. Then transfer them all to the GPSr at once. That is what I've been doing but I have to write down the other details in a notebook

[ralitaco]

Happy Birthday!

 

To get the most out of information (co-ordinates) supplied by the site, Premium Membership is the way to go.

Pocket Queries and GPX files really are the best for getting multiple caches downloaded.

 

Thanks for the bd wishes.

This is what I understand...as a premium member I can create a pq which allows me to specify my search criteria, right? then the result of the pq is a gpx file containing the multiple caches?

How do I then get that file to my gpsr?

 

Also what are the other benefits of premium membership (other than pq's & supporting the site)?

Edited October 18, 2009 by ralitaco

[ralitaco]

if you register the unit/start an account on mygarmin then you can click on extras, click on go geocaching, put in a zip code and load away. it won't be paperless, but it works pretty well i think. it's free.

 

Can you elaborate on the mygarmin acct? What am I loading?

[ralitaco]

You can download multiple waypoints as a LOC file then drag it into Mapsource. Then transfer them all to the GPSr at once. That is what I've been doing but I have to write down the other details in a notebook

Ok what is Mapsource? How do I drag LOC files to it? How do I transfer them?

[+Bear and Ragged]

MyGarmin link here

 

Geocaching software link here

 

EasyGPS (Free!)

 

Or. There may be a programme/application that was supplied with your GPS Mapsource, Waypoint Manager etc

[+Chrysalides]

This is what I understand...as a premium member I can create a pq which allows me to specify my search criteria, right? then the result of the pq is a gpx file containing the multiple caches?

How do I then get that file to my gpsr?

 

Also what are the other benefits of premium membership (other than pq's & supporting the site)?

People use PQs in different ways. I'm describing two of the most popular here.

 

1. Before you head off somewhere, create a PQ of the area (or PQ of caches along a route). Search for some of the caches.

 

2. Maintain an offline DB of caches a certain radius of where you live / work / visit often, and update them occasionally. That way, you always have something to go search for even if you're not online.

 

Second option assumes that your GPSr can hold the total # of geocaches. The Venture HC can only hold 500, but I use a Nuvi for that, and have about 4000 geocaches loaded into it as custom POI.

 

Bear and Ragged linked to the geocaching software. I like to use GSAK to maintain an offline DB but it is additional expense. You can use it free as nagware.

 

Premium member also gives you:

 

1. Notification e-mail of new caches published / caches disabled or archived.

 

2. Ability to view premium member only geocaches

 

3. Ability to ignore / bookmark / watch unlimited geocaches

 

4. Ability to get "My Finds" GPX - a custom PQ of all your finds, which you need for all those nice stats many people have on their profiles page.

 

5. Ability to change your forum title, and access to the Off Topic forum (among others).

[+Chrysalides]

Ok what is Mapsource? How do I drag LOC files to it? How do I transfer them?

Mapsource is the software that Garmin supplies with your Venture HC.

 

I found this resource on Garmin's website - no idea how good it is.

 

http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapsourceTutorial.html

[+briansnat]

You can download multiple waypoints as a LOC file then drag it into Mapsource. Then transfer them all to the GPSr at once. That is what I've been doing but I have to write down the other details in a notebook

Ok what is Mapsource? How do I drag LOC files to it? How do I transfer them?

 

Mapsource Trip and Waypoint manager probably came with your unit. Judging from all the unopened copies I find in geocaches it seems that few people use it.

 

GSAK or EasyGPS are popular products for transferring waypoints. GSAK will cost you a few bucks and is powerful but somewhat complicated. EasyGPS is free and as the name implies, very easy to use.

 

You can do a zipcode search for your area. When you get the search results list you'll see a box to the right of each cache. Check the box for the caches you want to download, then go toward the bottom of the page and click on the download button. Save the file to your PC then open it with EasyGPS (or GSAK) then click on Send to GPS. Done.