+TreeWizard Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Hi I have been trying to download cache details to my Blackberry 8700 for some time with zero success. I downloaded an app called Blackstar, which came highly recommended but this doesnt work either - there's a place to enter a username and password for "bcaching" which is probably the key, but I dont know what bcaching is, nor can I find any info about it on geocaching.com I have paid for a premium membership as it was hinted this would be the answer, but no avail Please can some clever person tell me : 1. What is bcaching 2. How to load caches on to the Balckberry using Black Star (or other) Many thanks Ian Quote Link to comment
+GeoGeeBee Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I'm not really clever, but I use Blackstar and bCaching and love it! So I'll answer your question. bCaching is http://www.bcaching.com. To get the maximum benefit from Blackstar, you sign up for a free account at bCaching. Then upload your pocket queries to bCaching. Then when you are in the field, you can have Blackstar download the 20 nearest caches from bCaching.com. I run a weekly pocket query for the 1,000 caches closest to my house, and load it into GSAK on my laptop, and also upload it to bCaching. For serious caching expeditions, I use GSAK for planning and bring my laptop with me. But if I'm out meeting a client and have a few minutes to kill, bCaching will let me know if there are caches nearby! Quote Link to comment
+GeoGeeBee Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I forgot to add: For more details, see the BlackStar wiki: http://www.blackstarnavigation.com/wiki/in...title=Main_Page At the bottom of that page is a link to a PDF file created by a BlackStar user that may help you sort out some of the details. Quote Link to comment
+Mental Ellert-ness Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I'm not really clever, but I use Blackstar and bCaching and love it! So I'll answer your question. bCaching is http://www.bcaching.com. To get the maximum benefit from Blackstar, you sign up for a free account at bCaching. Then upload your pocket queries to bCaching. Then when you are in the field, you can have Blackstar download the 20 nearest caches from bCaching.com. I run a weekly pocket query for the 1,000 caches closest to my house, and load it into GSAK on my laptop, and also upload it to bCaching. For serious caching expeditions, I use GSAK for planning and bring my laptop with me. But if I'm out meeting a client and have a few minutes to kill, bCaching will let me know if there are caches nearby! I have Blackstar installed on my Blackberry but have never really used it except to get a GPS lock with my other apps. I find that Blackstar usually gets a lock almost immediately, which allows the other GPS using apps to aquire it as well. After seeing your description, I may have to give it a try as well. I currently use Cacheberry and find that it works very well for me. Quote Link to comment
+TreeWizard Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 Aha - It appears that some of the light might dawneth - THis is quite exciting - it's quite like trying to find a geocache!! I shall ponder the wikipedia bit and the bcaching bit and see if I get anywhere... Meantime I had a FTF yesterday by being too big to squeeze under a bridge... I might need to bother you again if I get stuck - does this forum do PMs ? Many thanks Tree Wizard Quote Link to comment
+cw1710 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 cacheberry is the best for blackberry. Blackstar is a nice backup though. Quote Link to comment
+benh57 Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 "upload your pocket queries to bCaching." --> This is a TOS violation which can get you banned from the site. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 "upload your pocket queries to bCaching." --> This is a TOS violation which can get you banned from the site. How is that different from uploading the results of a pocket query to one of the many Stats generating sites like the late INATN site, mygeocachingprofile , cacherstats, etc? Could you show the specific language in the TOS which prohibits this? Quote Link to comment
Motorcycle_Mama Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 Moving to the GPS and Technology forum. Quote Link to comment
+private pudding Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I have been using Cacheberry for about a year now with no problems. I like the fact that you get the last four cache logs also when you load in the cache pages. The only drawback I have encountered is thst you do not get images/photos that might be in the cache listing. Not a big problem except for some puzzle cahces. Quote Link to comment
+CookCrew Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 "upload your pocket queries to bCaching." --> This is a TOS violation which can get you banned from the site. The guy who created bcaching has documented approval from Groundspeak to do this. He provides security to ensure each user only has access to caches he has uploaded and they are purged after 45 days of inactivitiy. Quote Link to comment
+SeekerOfTheWay Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Geocache Navigator by Trimble is an awesome cache app for BlackBerry! i've used it to find over 100 caches so far, and marked 2 caches i've hidden using it. You get cache name, details, hint, log all on your BlackBerry. There is compass, radar mode as well as street mode to nav you to the area. You can create a Field Note right from GZ with one click (Found or DNF). Well worth one time fee of $19.99 Quote Link to comment
+TreeWizard Posted July 29, 2010 Author Share Posted July 29, 2010 Thanks for all the info... Just getting back to Blackstar - how does it tell you what caches are nearby without having a pocket query uploaded previously? Is there a menu option in Blackstar which does this? BTW - the red arrow finally appeared on the Blackstar compass - took about 24hrs after uploading the "my finds" query to wake up to the idea, but it seems to be happy now... ... Still havent got under that bridge...! Quote Link to comment
+CookCrew Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Thanks for all the info... Just getting back to Blackstar - how does it tell you what caches are nearby without having a pocket query uploaded previously? Is there a menu option in Blackstar which does this? BTW - the red arrow finally appeared on the Blackstar compass - took about 24hrs after uploading the "my finds" query to wake up to the idea, but it seems to be happy now... ... Still havent got under that bridge...! The objective is to keep bcaching up to date with your frequent geocaching locations. You can automate loading your PQs into bcaching by using your bcaching email id. I have several PQs that I have scheduled weekly that go directly to bcaching. That way when you are in the areas covered by your PQs, you can have access to the nearby caches. If you are in a location that is not covered by your PQs, then you can use the Geocaching.com Closest Caches option. It will open the geocaching website with the closest caches to your current location listed. You can then download individual caches to your sd card and import into blackstar. Quote Link to comment
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