Alternative Paperless Method

[tiiiim]

So. I'm a poor student (they do exist). I cache with a netbook (check my other posts to see how that works - I won't bore you all again with it here), which directs me to the cache via voice. I send this voice over an FM transmitter (like the ones you get for your iPods in cars) which my FM enabled MP3 player picks up.

 

Now, I hate paper. Also, I have no printer, which kinda poo-poos all over printing out cache pages. I've been using an old diary to jot notes down before I go out, but this isn't ideal - the diary isn't the smallest, and on cold days fingering through the pages is very tough! Also, all you people mentioning $10 Palm m500's are living on another planet - I'm watching one on eBay UK and it's currently at £27.50 all in. Far to expensive for me! So I needed a solution.

 

Last night, I think I had an epiphany. At least, I was proud of my thought!

 

Here goes: Print to file. I know. Amazing! How? Here's how it works: for each cache that you plan to do, go to its page, then click 'Print'. When selecting your printer, choose 'Print to file'. I choose an .svg format, but .pdf seems to work too. Once printed to file (or just saved as a pdf), I convert the file into a jpg image, which splits the single pdf into the separate pages, so each page is one image. Then I upload the images onto my MP3 player, which can display photos! Now I'm using the MP3 player to listen to instructions, and read latest logs/hints/show local map etc. I'm a big fan of making my devices do more for me!

 

I thought it was pretty clever.

 

Cons (sorta major):

1) Route kinda needs to be planned in advance

2) The info is static. No fieldnotes then.

 

Questions: Does anyone else do this? If so, improvements?

 

As always, YMMV.

[+ecanderson]

If only you had a premium membership ($30 a year), you could combine all of your pocket queries into one database using GSAK, and read all of the notes and hints, and make log entries with your Netbook.

[tiiiim]

If only you had a premium membership ($30 a year), you could combine all of your pocket queries into one database using GSAK, and read all of the notes and hints, and make log entries with your Netbook.

 

If only I had money.

 

Also, the idea is to not get my netbook out whilst caching as that's a pain.

Also, judging by all the current comments in these forums, it looks like my PQ would be arriving late and empty...!

 

EDIT: My netbook sits in my rucksack when I'm out caching.

Edited March 7, 2010 by tiiiim